The State Leader of a National Party
For the generation of Netflix and Prime, television has become an archaic machine. There's nothing like watching your favourite film on TV or listening to your favourite song on radio—though you have it on your playlist. With OTT platforms taking the lead, television premieres are losing their lustre. Blockbusters like Viswasam hit the small screens on May day without any fanfare as opposed to such premieres a decade back.
I didn't watch Viswasam though; ain't worth sitting through the second time. Instead, I took a weird choice—Yatra—the biopic of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy—dubbed from Telugu. Now, don't brand me a fan of Telugu dubbed films. I'd heard of this one, this leader and also caught a glimpse of the promos at the time of its theatrical release.
Not all biographies make good films unless an engaging tale is meticulously weaved out of it. Yatra, thankfully, is not a history class. The last days of YSR, as the former chief minister of erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh was popularly known, is narrated in this film. Mammootty doesn't mimic YSR, so you don't get annoyed.
Hopeless of winning the upcoming elections—preponed to favour the ruling TDP party—YSR's mind goes blank. Seeking a Buddha like revelation, the Congress leader embarks on a quest to witness the plight of his people. This yatra, however, takes him all the way to the CM's throne. Despite serving as propaganda for Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, Yatra is riveting—a win-win for Jagan and the audience. Hailing from Tamil Nadu, I enjoyed Yatra to the fullest because its propaganda means nothing to me.
In Yatra, we see an aged YSR who yearns to serve his people. The yatra presents him an eye-level view of the hardships undergone by people—the core of all being poverty. YSR resolves to be the voice of his people. He disregards the distant high command of his national party and its subservient leaders. YSR's niche in dealing with the Delhi high command adds to his heroism.
By playing a disgruntled state Congress leader who refuses to be a puppet, Mammootty seems to have sent out a message to his home state as well. What good would Yatra do to Jagan's political ambitions is, however, uncertain.*
Yatra could be a fitting tribute to YSR because it doesn't feel pretentious. If the movie is anything to go by, YSR tried to change the political narrative of his state rather than going with the tide. He set out on a yatra because,
*Jaganmohan Reddy sworn in as the 17th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on May 30, 2019.
I didn't watch Viswasam though; ain't worth sitting through the second time. Instead, I took a weird choice—Yatra—the biopic of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy—dubbed from Telugu. Now, don't brand me a fan of Telugu dubbed films. I'd heard of this one, this leader and also caught a glimpse of the promos at the time of its theatrical release.
Not all biographies make good films unless an engaging tale is meticulously weaved out of it. Yatra, thankfully, is not a history class. The last days of YSR, as the former chief minister of erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh was popularly known, is narrated in this film. Mammootty doesn't mimic YSR, so you don't get annoyed.
Hopeless of winning the upcoming elections—preponed to favour the ruling TDP party—YSR's mind goes blank. Seeking a Buddha like revelation, the Congress leader embarks on a quest to witness the plight of his people. This yatra, however, takes him all the way to the CM's throne. Despite serving as propaganda for Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, Yatra is riveting—a win-win for Jagan and the audience. Hailing from Tamil Nadu, I enjoyed Yatra to the fullest because its propaganda means nothing to me.
In Yatra, we see an aged YSR who yearns to serve his people. The yatra presents him an eye-level view of the hardships undergone by people—the core of all being poverty. YSR resolves to be the voice of his people. He disregards the distant high command of his national party and its subservient leaders. YSR's niche in dealing with the Delhi high command adds to his heroism.
By playing a disgruntled state Congress leader who refuses to be a puppet, Mammootty seems to have sent out a message to his home state as well. What good would Yatra do to Jagan's political ambitions is, however, uncertain.*
Yatra could be a fitting tribute to YSR because it doesn't feel pretentious. If the movie is anything to go by, YSR tried to change the political narrative of his state rather than going with the tide. He set out on a yatra because,
leaders in the past have only spoken but hardly listened to the people.A biopic on Karunanidhi or Jayalalithaa would lack the spirit of Yatra. I, a Tamilian, couldn't ask for more.
*Jaganmohan Reddy sworn in as the 17th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on May 30, 2019.
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