Mangalavaram Movie Review
Movie: Mangalavaram
Cast : Payal Rajput, Nanditha Swetha, Divya Pillai, Azmal Ameer, Ravindra Vijay, Krishna Chaitanya, Ajay Gosh, Shravan Reddy, Srithej
Writer And Director : Ajay Bhupathi
Banner : Mudhra Media Works And A Creative Works
Producers : Swathi Reddy Gunupati And Suresh Varma M
Executive Producer : Saikumar Yadavilli
Music Director : B Ajaneesh Loknath Musical
Editor: Madhav Kumar Gullapalli
Cinematography: Sivendra Dasaradhi
Production designer: Raghu Kulakarni
Art director: Mohan Talluri
Fight masters: Real satish, Pruthvi
Choreographer: Bhanu
Dialogue writer: Tajuddin Syed, Kalyan Raghav
Lyricists: Bhaskarabhatla, Chaitanya Prasad, Ganesh A
Sound Mixing: M. R. Rajakrishnan
Release Date : 17 November 2023
Payal Rajput’s Mangalavaram has created very good buzz with its promotional content. Director Ajay Bhupathi assured that the film has an element which has never been touched before in Indian cinema. The movie has hit the screens, and let’s see how it is.
Story :
Mangalavaram unfolds a tale of enigmatic deaths occurring in a village every Tuesday, earning it the ominous moniker. The village of Mahalakshmipuram is shrouded in fear as individuals meet shocking demises following the appearance of their names on the walls.
SI Maya (Nandita Swetha) endeavors to investigate these deaths through postmortems, but the villagers vehemently oppose her efforts. The story delves into the reasons behind this resistance, unraveling the mystery behind the deaths.
Sailaja, also known as Sailu (Payal Rajput), plays a pivotal role in the unfolding events. The connection between Zamindar Prakash Babu (Chaitanya), Kasi Raju (Ajay Ghosh), Zamindar’s wife Rajeswarai Devi (Divya Pillai), photographer Vasu, and Doctor Vishwanatham (Ravindra Vijay) forms the crux of the narrative, exploring the intricate ties that bind them and their involvement in the village’s unsettling occurrences.
Pros :
The main point Mangalavaaram tries to discuss isn’t known to many, and the director deserves special appreciation for attempting something of that sort in mainstream Telugu cinema. There is a very thin line between the film’s concept and vulgarity, and had it not been handled well, the very purpose of the film would have been defeated. But the way Ajay Bhupathi designed Payal’s character is pretty good, and one would empathize with her by the time the film ends.
The second half of the movie is where things start falling into place. We get to see the backstory of Payal Rajput and the hardships she goes through. Also, a few key twists are revealed. The one that comes in the climax is impressive. The narrative is engaging for the most part in this second hour.
Payal Rajput played an unconventional character, which others might not even dare to do. Performance-wise, Payal Rajput did a tremendous job. Her character suffers from a health disorder, and the actress did complete justice to the role.
The way she breaks down into tears in important moments speaks volumes of her talent. Ajaneesh Loknath is the second hero of Mangalavaaram. His intriguing background score is the heart and soul of this thriller. Ajay Gosh, Ajmal Ameer, and Divya Pillai are fine in their respective roles.
Cons :
The first half is below-par with inconsistent narration. The way things are set up initially isn’t great. Payal Rajput is introduced during the halfway mark, but that’s not the problem here. The scenes that lead to the interval are not that exciting. A series of murders take place in the village, but the tension is not built well. A few scenes, like the one where villagers fight among themselves, aren’t presented well.
The background score is no doubt top-notch, but the writing lacks depth in the first hour. The edge-of-the-seat moments are missing here despite stunning technical values. A noted actor played a cameo in the film, but that character isn’t etched well. The presentation seems a bit clumsy in a few sequences. At times, the storytelling pattern will remind us of a recent Telugu blockbuster.
Technical Points :
As mentioned earlier, Ajaneesh Loknath did a remarkable job with Mangalavaaram. His terrific background score worked in the film’s favor big time, and he surely is one of the best talents from Sandalwood. The excellent sound design is the icing on the cake. Cinematographer Sivendra Dasaradhi’s arresting visuals and stunning production values make the film technically superior.
Coming to the director, Ajay Bhupathi, he did a decent job with Mangalavaaram. He has chosen a unique point, and his narration is good in the second half. He tried to showcase the difference between two important aspects, and he is clear in his approach.
But the way the first half is executed is strictly below par, and this brings down the overall impact. Had there been more thrilling moments, the movie could have gone to the next level. The director made superb use of the technical values to narrate the story.
Final Words :
On the whole, Mangalavaaram deals with a unique concept, and the screenplay is quite engaging in the second hour. Payal Rajput’s character is well-designed, and the actress is at the top of her game. Mangalavaaram has also got the best technical values in recent times. However, the narrative in the first half is uneven, with not so gripping moments.
This film a shot for its fresh concept and strong technical values.
