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‘Republic’ movie review: A silver lining wouldn’t hurt

Director deva katta and actor sai dharam tej’s gripping political drama doesn’t take an escapist entertainment route.

Updated - October 01, 2021 03:09 pm IST

Sai Dharam Tej in ‘Republic’

Actor Sai Dharam Tej who plays District Collector Panja Abhiram in director Deva Katta’s socio-political drama Republic , is aware of the grim reality. He wants to facilitate clean administration and states that he is not Bharateeyudu or Aparichitudu (the popular films directed by Shankar) to triumph over evil like a hero. This statement pre-empts what writers Deva Katta and Kiran Jay Kumar have in store. The narrative sidesteps escapist entertainment that we usually see in mainstream films.

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Sure, Panja Abhiram is bestowed with extra power as an experiment, after his answers jolt senior members who interview him in the civil services interview. He is also cushioned from being transferred indiscriminately by the political powers. That sets the stage for a heady conflict with Visakha Vani (Ramya Krishna) who has the State under her thumb.

• Cast: Sai Dharam Tej, Aishwarya Rajesh, Ramya Krishna, Jagapati Babu
• Direction: Deva Katta
• Music: Mani Sharma

The film’s strength lies in how it doesn’t paint people as black and white. This comes in handy for Darshan’s (Jagapathi Babu) characterisation. A similar method is also used to humanise Visakha Vani, without absolving her of her crime.

The initial portions establish Abhiram as an idealist, giving up MIT dreams to take up civil services, after being challenged by a Collector if he can get into the system and clean it up.

The story is set in Eluru and its vicinity where the water bodies have been exploited for decades, rendering the land unfit for cultivation and the contaminated fish threatening human lives. There are the usual plot devices where people who discover the truth, and their families, are ravaged.

Republic uses this environment-agrarian crisis to raise questions, including police encounters of those accused of sexual crimes. Will the same method be followed if one of the accused has political connections? The film makes a case for a swift and fair judicial trial instead.

The songs and stunt sequences are minimal, and Sai Dharam Tej gets ample room to display his acting chops. He delivers a good performance, shouldering the proceedings with sincerity. Aishwarya Rajesh is credible as always. The NRI accent is a distraction; had she been cast as an Indian, it would have still worked for the story.

Portraying a mix of power and arrogance isn’t new to Ramya Krishna and this role is a cakewalk for her. What saves this character from becoming a cliche is the scene where she meets Tej for the first time. You wouldn't expect them to spar on how they interpret the work of Darwin and Gandhi, would you? Now and then, the writing tries to make the audiences think. A farmer (Rahul Ramakrishna is good in a brief role) tries to protest peacefully, referencing Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent movement. In the title credits, Deva Katta quotes George Orwell, ‘In our age, there is no such thing as keeping out of politics’.

In the latter half, a sequence that stands out happens in a courtroom whose interiors have a lot of grey. Many of the men and women who are part of the proceedings are also dressed in shades of grey. The colour code is apt for the truths revealed during the proceedings.

There’s a lot to observe and appreciate in Republic . But I wish it had ended differently. A little hope doesn’t hurt, does it?

Published - October 01, 2021 02:26 pm IST

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Republic Review: Docu-Drama Narrative

Movie: Republic Rating: 2/5 Banner: JB Entertainments Cast: Sai Dharam Tej, Aishwarya Rajesh, Ramya Krishna, Jagapathi Babu, Srikanth Aiyyanger, JP, and others Cinematography: M Sukumar Music: Mani Sharm Editor: KL Prawin Producers: J Bhagawan, J Pullarao Written and direction: Dev Katta Release Date: Oct 1, 2021

Sai Dharam Tej who met with a road accident has still not been discharged from the hospital. The young actor’s wish is to see his latest film, Republic, to get released without any hurdles. Thus the film hit the theaters today.

Let’s find out its merits and demerits.

Story: Abhiram (Sai Tej) is a bright student. He gets an appointment as a District Magistrate in his own district. 

He likes Myra (Aishwarya Rajesh), who has just returned from the USA in search of her missing brother, a doctor. 

As Abhiram takes the charge as a collector, Myra gets raped by the same gang that killed her brother. Besides saving the lake of Telleru (Name changed for Kolleru lake), which was polluted due to the fisheries industry owned by politician Vishaka Vani (Ramya Krishna), he also needs to fight for Myra.

Can a collector bring real change in the system that has been corrupted beyond repair? 

Artistes’ Performances: Sai Dharam Tej has delivered a subdued performance in his career for the first time. As an upright civil services officer, he is suited to the role. He does justice.

Ramya Krishna has a limited presence in the film, but she leaves her mark with her screen presence.

Jagapathi Babu appears as Sai Tej’s father, and his work in the latter half of the film is impactful.

Aishwarya Rajesh once again gets a minor character.

Technical Excellence: Mani Sharma’s songs are passable. The background score is ok. M Sukumar’s cinematography is excellent. Dialogues are thought-provoking but heavy.

Highlights: Intention Sai Tej Dialogues

Drawback: Docu-drama /slow-paced narration Limited appeal Too many cinematic liberties Climax portion

Analysis Director Dev Katta has made many films, but the hard-hitting “Prasthanam” is the only film that is still talked about by film lovers.

To make a strong comeback, he has chosen the genre of socio-political thriller for his latest outing “Republic”, but screenplay writing lacks the spark he had shown earlier. The story that he wanted to tell has relevance, but the narrative is the problem.  

Right from the beginning, the film runs dully, with a serious tone. Nowhere in the film do we find gripping narration. The episode of Sai Tej trying to become an IAS officer drags on.

In the second half, the fight between the politician and the collector is too superficial. The ‘philosophical’ banter between Sai Dharam Tej and Ramya Krishna doesn’t involve us. 

Plus, there is no strong villain. Even Ramya Krishna’s character is not shown as an outright villain. She is also a victim of society. She became such a corrupt politician after seeing the fate of her idealistic father.

Even the people who wanted change also get corrupted after a point of time. Hero’s father is one such. So, all seemingly negative characters have a ‘reason’ and backstory for becoming as such.

When the hero also fails in fighting the system, the audience doesn't get connected with his journey. In "Republic", the hero talks so much philosophy (which a few can understand) and takes a vow to bring change in the system. What we get to see in the end is a huge disappointment.

The system itself is the problem and this is what the director has tried to convey, but the bleak ending doesn’t go well with the majority of the audience. It undermined the heroic value. 

There are many backstories – Rahul Ramakrishna’s, Jagapathi Babu’s, Ramya Krishna’s, etc, which have lengthened the film. The dialogue writer in Deva Katta dominates throughout the film but the clarity of thought is missing.

The final courtroom sequence is unrealistic. The main judge of the three-bench delivering the judgment on the spot after hearing the hero’s speech has too much cinematic liberty.  

Plus, the director openly lashes out at the Shiv Sena party for coming to the power on the plan of ‘anti-South Indian’.

But when it comes to talking about the ‘caste’ system and other issues in Telugu states, he uses ‘euphemisms’.

Heroine’s brother being half-Indian and half-American, and the episode hardly serves the purpose of the main story. Her character must have been included to show the stark difference between the systems in India and the US (which is believed to have a strong system), but her thread linking to the hero’s main problem lacks engagement.

Overall, the intention of “Republic” is appreciable, and the topic is meaningful, but the narrative is dull and gives a documentary feel. Though Sai Dharam Tej’s performance and dialogues are positive aspects, the film makes a dull watch and is far away from the taste of regular cine goer.

Bottom-line: No Punch

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Tags: Republic Republic Movie Review Republic Review Republic Rating Republic Movie Rating

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Republic Movie Review: A Tale Of Idealism Vs Pragmatism Where Ramya Krishnan Is The Real Winner

Director: Deva Katta Cast : Sai Dharam Tej, Ramya Krishnan , Jagapathi Babu, Aishwarya Rajesh Language: Telugu

Spoilers Ahead…

Every once in a while, Telugu films serve up a political fantasy where an educated protagonist cleans up the system so that people can live happily ever after. It's instant gratification for an audience that will soon go back to cutting lanes at the traffic signal or forgetting to vote. Republic wants you to think it's that film. But it's actually something else. 

The film tells the story of an idealist called Abhiram (Sai Dharam Tej), an IAS aspirant (Jayaprakash Narayanan meets the average Telugu Hero), who is well-educated, politically aware, and has a scientific bent of mind. As a boy, he calls people who believe in 'gods drinking milk' idiots. He decides to have a transactional relationship with his father (Jagapathi Babu, playing a government officer, named Dasharath, for good measure), after catching him doing something shady. 

Once he grows up, he sets out to form his own Abhi-Ram Rajya fighting against injustice. (By the way, Sai Dharam Tej in Jawaan played an RSS volunteer making him one of the few Telugu actors to have covered the entire political spectrum.) But I think here's where the film confuses a hero with a good resume for a good protagonist — because on screen, Abhiram is awfully flat on screen. He's relentlessly sermonizing, like most of Dev Katta's protagonists who spout the grandest dialogues that aren't always what's "right" for the moment. Everyone talks in metaphors of "battle" and "chess", even "rape". All of Deva Katta's research is vacuum-packed in dialogue. 

There are potshots at the Thackeray family, Unnao Rape case, and other political easter eggs. There are direct references to Darwin, Nietzche, The March of Progress (the evolution of monkey to man photo), the principles and pillars of democracy, and the Vengi Kingdom. I laughed out loud at the sheer audacity of Abhiram to deliver a punch dialogue using Darwin and Nietzche. 

But nobody does grey characters like Deva Katta. Look at the police officer who is at once evil and a helpless victim of the system he's a part of. Or the collector who within a span of two minutes does something evil but then gives a lecture on the pressures he faces and is suddenly humanized. 

And Vishakavaani (Ramya Krishnan playing a Sonia Gandhi meets Jayalalitha type character) is just the most entertaining version of 'grey' on screen. It's been nearly 20 years since she played Neelambari in Narasimha and nobody comes close to making grey characters look so much fun that you just want her to always win. Like in this review, the movie takes some time to fully bring her into the forefront of things because it wants to first establish the Hero (yawn!) and then subsequently build her character as a challenging antagonist.

She's not characterised as 'evil' because she too has a past,an idealist father, disillusionment with Communism, and the Emergency — perhaps a better story that could make a better film.  If the movie was just two-and-a-half hours of Ramya Krishnan berating the world with a smug look, it would still be more fun than Abhiram's story. 

Watch her when uses her saccharine voice to infantilize Abhiram by calling him "my son" while she sets the world on fire or when she sips coconut water as people (monkeys as she likes to call them) are ready for bloodshed at her command. Abhiram's only weapons against her are his idealism and speech-making. Ramya Krishnan towers over Sai Dharam Tej. 

The point of contention between Abhiram and Vishakavani is Thelleru lake (reference to Kolleru Lake) which is being contaminated for the sake of fisheries and it's affecting the surrounding farmlands. And Machiavelli-incarnate Vishakavaani has turned farmers against fishermen. Here too there is lots of research about freshwater lakes, pollution, and bacteria. This is exposited by Aishwarya Rajesh whose character Myra has an interesting premise: She belongs to an Anglo-Indian family and her brother and niece are both white. There's amusing drama there but before we can delve into it, Myra suffers from a severe case of Telugu Heroine-itis where she's reduced to dispersing information that Abhiram can use, and later she falls into the hands of the villain. 

The film has so many such interesting dilemmas. A corrupt father and an honest son, a farmer who is at once in a pitiable state but is also deplorable, people who want justice but still adhere to the caste system — and of course, the threads of Vishaakavaani's past and her present. But Republic is severely bogged down by the protagonist whose story it chooses to tell, and therefore it remains predictable till the end. 

Remember, I told you this film wants you to think it's a political fantasy.  But, yet, there is a moment towards the end of Republic where the protagonist begins to play ' Nammaku nammaku ee reyini' (Don't trust the new dawn) from Rudraveena. There's something perennially rotten in the state of the world. So, don't trust the scent of change.

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'Republic' review: An engaging critique on corruption

Republic opens with Abhiram (Sai Tej) driving through a narrow road in the rural premises of Eluru on a rainy night. We hear the Ilaiyaraaja composition, Nammaku nammaku ee reyi ni from Rudhraveena in the background. He gets out of the vehicle to clear a branch blocking his way and notices a horde of men carrying weapons approach him. This ambiguous opening drops us in the middle of proceedings and the screenplay immediately shifts to the beginning.

However, by the end of the film, when the opening scene appears in chronological order, the lines from the song, translating to ‘don’t trust the night’, radiate a haunting effect. The usage of the song serves as a red flag, but we don’t see it coming because the screenplay by Deva Katta and Kiran Jay Kumar keeps throwing surprises one seldom expects from a Telugu mainstream film.

The story has a rather generic start point that reminded me of Vijay’s Sarkar. When Abhiram learns that his vote has been rigged, the authorities turn his back on him and the mishap that ensues seals his distrust in the corrupted ‘system’. The studious Abhiram, having cleared his UPSC exam, has to make a choice about whether he wants to pursue studies in the USA or crack the IAS interview and do his part to reform the society. Do I need to say which option he uses?

This could have been an underdog story chronicling the rise of the protagonist, but Deva Katta has other ideas. A character calls Abhiram “an experiment,” and this could be said of the film as well. Republic is not about Abhiram; he’s just a navigating device employed by the screenplay to expose the dark depths of the corrupted system the film tries to illustrate.

Now, what does the system mean, you may ask. The writing personifies the system Abhiram wages a war against: The legislative body (politicians), the executive body (government officials like himself), and the judiciary system (a court, where the climax is set in). In fact, the closest Republic has to an antagonist is the corrupt minister, Vishakha Vani (Ramya Krishnan), but she’s not the most formidable villain either; she is simply a representative of corruption. The bigger villain here is the system itself, a point the film fascinatingly makes again and again. 

Republic is a smart construction on the idea of corruption and how its repercussions seep into the lives of innocents. Take, for instance, the lady in the polling booth Abhiram interacts with early in the film. She propagates something that has been widely addressed in several films before—the problem of voters accepting money during election campaigns—but here, it adds to the film’s point that common people are complicit in the contamination of the system. This scene serves as a building block to the bigger statement the film makes towards its ending. 

The writing is strong and coherent, and often goes beyond the obvious. Jagapathi Babu, who plays Abhiram’s father, is named Dasarath, and gets a fully fleshed character arc that not only adds to the film’s political angle but also brings immense emotional depth to the father-son angle. Vishaka Vani too, despite being a true-blue villain, is never stereotyped as the female villain.

In fact, in a film that hardly tries to appease the fans with ‘hero’ moments, it’s worthy to note that it is Ramya Krishna’s character who gets two glorious ‘masala’ moments. Even when she draws an analogy between Charles Darwin’s Evolution Theory and the voting demography, it doesn’t feel ostentatious because she is written really well. Furthermore, the screenplay restrains itself from pandering to the crowd though having many opportunities to do so. A notable character is killed in front of Abhiram, and you expect an action sequence, but we don’t get one. The film never takes the easy route.

Republic is a cynical portrait of the system that controls us and the inspirations from Alan J Pakula’s The Parallax View are evident, both in ideology and cynicism. The conflict, for instance, in both films, encircles a water body and mysterious disappearances. Like Joseph Frady, the protagonist of the 1974 film, Abhiram too finds himself in the thick of a mystery.

The deeper Abhiram digs, the dirtier it gets. The Telugu film, of course, is more dramatic and Abhiram, unlike Frady, is an insider. But they both remain equally helpless in front of the big guns and are stripped off their powers in more than one instance. Visually too, the shot of the judicial committee Abhiram faces in the pre-climax is similar to the image of the judge’s desk from the Pakula film. The ending of the Deva Katta directorial, too, punctuates that there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

Even beyond its politics, Republic is a well-crafted film. I particularly liked the sequence in which Abhiram revises his IAS fundamentals, and how juxtaposing visuals of democracy keep getting cut between it. Sai Tej essays Abhiram with all the angst, but never goes overboard. His best performance comes during the interview scene, where he beautifully conveys both helplessness and anger. The ideas Republic communicates may seem familiar; its politics and emotional beats are not novel either. But a mainstream film is seldom this sincere and committed to its politics, and this makes it a terrific return to form for Deva Katta.

Republic Cast: Sai Tej, Aishwarya Rajesh, Ramya Krishnan, Jagapathi Babu Director: Deva Katta

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Republic Review

• Music Review

'Republic' hit the screens today. Here is our review of the latest box-office release.

Visakha Vani (Ramya Krishna), a powerful politician, is into the fishing business and has been exploiting the fishermen in the Telleru lake region. When Panja Abhiram (Sai Dharam Tej) becomes the District Collector after cracking the UPSC exam, Vani's business interests threateningly receive a body blow. How does Abhiram do it? What is his destiny? What of his father (Jagapathi Babu as Dasaradh), who is a corrupted bureaucrat himself? What role does Myra (Aishwarya Rajesh), an NRI with a troubling present, have in the story? Answers to these questions are found as the story progresses.

Writer-director Deva Katta is not the one to succumb to formula. Although 'Republic' is mainly a good versus evil battle, he narrates the story with a touch of boldness and intellection. There are references to the likes of Socrates, Darwin and Nietzsche. Even Visakha Vani is not a run-of-the-mill villain; she comes from an idealistic background but has been ensnared by the system.

The first 30 minutes go into establishing the characterizations. We invest in Abhiram in no time because even his childhood is well-established. Vani rises like a queen in the world of politics and wields power from both behind and in front of the curtains. How Abhiram comes to know of her ways is also shown in a subtle manner.

The film should have been novel in portraying the issue of the contamination of a life-giving lake, which has been ravaged by decades of abuse. The drama becomes somewhat familiar after Abhiram becomes the District Collector and has to take on the might of Guna (Sai Dheena), a ruthless villain who is Vani's puppet.

Ravi Varma plays a Bengali power-wielder. Rahul Ramakrishna is moving in the role of a farmer who details out the numbing exploitation of the lake. The second half doesn't go over the top with respect to the action scenes. They don't overstay their welcome. That said, the courtroom scene and the monologues should have been appealing.

After Vani takes over the government, she transfers unfriendly bureaucrats and also stalls the previous government's projects. Her moves affect the business sentiment, a track that seems to be taking a swipe at what is happening in our times. The reference to the 'Urban Naxal' slur, and the scenes involving Jayaprakash (as Cabinet Secretary) and Subbaraju (as an IAS officer), are worthy.

The film should have shown more potency in the way the business-politician-bureaucracy nexus is depicted. At 152 minutes, the film doesn't seem too long. That said, the legal battle feels rushed.

The performances are serious and help the audience soak into the story when the writing is strong. But when the writing is feeble, the performances don't help. Mani Sharma's music is nothing to write home about.

'Republic' has a dramatic premise. Its start, middle and end are impressive. As a rebellious movie, it could have shown more imagination.

Rating: 2.5 / 5.0

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Republic review: An uninspiring climax dulls this otherwise good film starring Sai Dharam Tej and Ramya Krishnan

Directed by deva katta, it is a powerful film that reveals the cruel realities an average person has to deal with, always remaining on the suffering side without any choice..

Beginning with a George Orwell quote, ‘In our age, there is no such thing as keeping out of politics.’, Republic is a bold extension of S Shankar’s Mudhalvan that was remade in Hindi as Nayak. An important film of the present times, it is a courageous take on crucial social subjects like rigged elections, political corruption, caste bias, and environmental hazards caused by mean corporate plans supported by the government authorities.

Directed by Deva Katta, it is a powerful film that reveals the cruel realities an average person has to deal with, always remaining on the suffering side without any choice. Straight coming to the point with a sequence pointing towards booth capturing, it neither wastes any time on the usual build-up nor has any love or comedy angle defying the norm.

Refusing to follow the path of mainstream escapist cinema, Republic largely remains focused on its subject, which might also be a downer for the ones looking for their routine entertainment. However, that doesn’t mean the film isn’t an entertaining fair. It has ample cinematic moments, and the fast pace keeps you hooked on all the political developments.

Sai Dharam Tej shines as a visionary youngster trying to change the rotten political system, and Ramya Krishnan is delightfully wicked as the cunning politician. The leads get complimented by an impressive supporting cast led by Aishwarya Rajesh as the NRI girl and Jagapathi Babu as Sai’s father. The performers successfully convey the message through hard-hitting dialogues. Plus, the writing makes sharp enlightening comments over the exploitation of innocent voters and the strategy of tagging the opposers as Urban Naxals.

Another major highlight of the film is how it empathetically portrays the people working under the powerful politicians with no say of their own. But that human angle representing the grim reality doesn’t have any value in the court of law treating them as partners in crime.

On the flip side, Republic has average songs and an okay background score with some unconvincing cinematic liberties, making it a bit loud at times. For instance, the interview scene and the bloodbath happening right in front of the minister walking away from the site is quite illogical. Besides, the film that begins stressing upon hope strangely ends with a message that nothing is going to change and the ones trying for the reforms are going to be eliminated for sure. The climax defies the very purpose of the film, which ideally should have been an uplifting one maintaining the spirit of the revolt.

Overall, Republic certainly deserves to be seen appreciating the bold effort made. But I wish it had a different culmination showing us the ray of hope as in Mani Ratnam’s Yuva.

Title: REPUBLIC (Telugu)

Cast: Sai Dharam Tej, Aishwarya Rajesh, Ramya Krishnan, Jagapati Babu

Director: Deva Katta

Platform: ZEE5

Rating: Three Stars

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Republic Movie Review and Rating!

• October 1, 2021 / 03:56 PM IST

Acclaimed filmmaker Deva Katta is back with a film titled, Republic. Starring mega hero Sai Dharam Tej in the lead role, the film has hit the screens today. Let’s see how it fares.

Story: Set in Telleru lakh backdrop in a Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh, the film showcases the political scenario existing in the region. A sincere district collector named Abhiram( Sai Dharam Tej) tries to solve the problems being faced by the people from the political system. In the process, Abhiram goes against ruling party leader Vishaka Vani( Ramya Krishna) which brings more troubles.

What kind of challenges will the district collector Abhiram face in rescuing the people in Telleru region? How is Dasharath’s( Jagapathi Babu) character interlinked with the entire setup? Will Abhiram be able to bring a change in the corrupted political system with his work? To know that, you have to catch the film in the theaters near you.

Performances: Sai Dharma Tej is fine in his role as a youngster with thoughts to bring a change in the corrupted society. His intense dialogue delivery related to the current political system brings depth to the proceedings to an extent.

Jagapathi Babu is okay as a government officer but his character lacks proper clarity in it. Ramya Krishna as a powerful politician is convincing in her role and gave a decent performance.

Heroine Aishwarya Rajesh did her part decently but her character has no proper justification in the movie. In one word, her role in a nowhere connected with the core film proceedings and looks like a seperate track altogether.

Other actors such as Srikanth Iyengar, Amala among others are okay in their supporting roles.

Technicalities: Music by Mani Sharma is okay as all the songs are passable on screen. His background score doesn’t feature Mani Sharma’s trademark sounding.

Cinematography by M Sukumar is apt for the film’s genre as he tried to bring quality to the film with his framing and lighting setup. Praveen KL’s editing is disappointing as the film lacks proper flow in the narration part.

Production values are adequate and so is the case with the production design.

Analysis: Written and directed by Deva Katta, Republic has been carrying good expectations among the audience as the director has earlier delivered films such as Prassthanam but Deva Katta has disappointed completely with his presentation in Republic.

Though Deva Katta’s ideas and the core concept interlinked with the political system in good, his screenplay looks like a huge mess. After showcasing various subplots in the first half, Deva Katta failed to give a proper justification with his narration part.

Even though both Sai and Jagapathi Babu did their part decently, the father-son relationship between them is not executed in a convincing manner. On the other hand, the political drama executed with Ramya Krishna’s character centric has not been channelized in a right manner. The ending of the film is a complete disappointment as it lacks proper title justification.

Overall, Deva Katta tried to showcase various issues related to the corrupted political system with Republic but his uneven screenplay, slow-paced and dragged narration makes the film a disappointing watch.

Verdict: Drab execution!

Rating: 2/5

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Republic review: Sai Dharam Tej delivers hard-hitting drama about corruption

Republic movie review: sai dharam tej’s film is a relevant political drama about our corrupt system..

Republic Director - Deva Katta Cast - Sai Dharam Tej, Ramya Krishnan, Jagapathi Babu, Aishwarya Rajessh

Deva Katta’s Republic will go down as one of the most important Telugu films in recent years. It asks important questions societal maladies – rigged elections, corrupt governments and caste prejudice. It’s been a decade since Deva Katta made a strong mark with his political film Prasthanam, and the very strong Republic shines the spotlight on the harsh realities of the system we live in.

The story is centred around Abhiram ( Sai Dharam Tej ), who grows up as an idealist and lives by certain values in his life. An unexpected incident forces him give up on his dream of enrolling at MIT, and he becomes a district collector collector instead. He aims to run a clean administration, a system that stands by its people and doesn't use them as pawns during elections. 

But to realise his dream, Abhiram must lock horns with Visakha Rai (Ramya Krishnan), a ruthless local politician. As Abhiram takes up the responsibility of cleaning up the system, he is hit with one reality-check after another.

Watch the Republic trailer here:

For a mainstream political film, Republic doesn’t take the escapist entertainment route to appeal to the masses. Sure, it has some scenes that play to the gallery, but it largely sticks to asking questions about honesty and corruption.

It’s not the kind of film in which the hero flexes his muscles and beats the bad guys to a pulp. It’s the kind of film in which the hero talks about democracy, ‘urban Naxals’ and voting rights, among other things. The film has some very interesting characters, especially Jagapathi Babu's corrupt civil servant. Ramya Krishnan doesn't play the power-hungry politician as a quintessential villain.

Also read: Prassthanam movie review: Sanjay Dutt, Ali Fazal shine in a tale too stale and dated to digest

The film does take a few cinematic liberties here and there, but that doesn’t make it any less impactful. What really makes Republic hard-hitting is the ending, and it could leave one with mixed feelings. The way it chooses to end is a stark reminder of the harsh reality, and how it’s extremely difficult to change the system even if a few bad apples are removed. Sai Dharam Tej is aptly cast, and he gets ample scope and screen time to shine and deliver a strong performance.

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Gulte Telugu news

Republic Movie Review

Article by Nagendra A Published by GulteDesk --> Published on: 12:53 pm, 1 October 2021

2 Hrs 32 Mins   |   Political Drama   |   01-10-2021

Cast - Sai Tej, Aishwarya Rajesh, Jagapathibabu, Ramya krishna

Director - Dev Katta

Producer - J Bhagawan, J Pulla Rao, Zee Studios, JB Entertainments

Banner - JB Entertainments

Music - Manisharma

Critically acclaimed filmmaker Deva Katta, who is struggling to stage a good comeback, comes up with his forte – political drama. He chooses Sai Tej as the protagonist. Given the powerful title and the premise, Republic is eagerly awaited. Without further delay, read on to know the verdict.

Abhiram, a studious person with heart at the right place, goes against his corrupt father Dasaradh (Jagapathi Babu). Challenged by a dishonest IAS, Abhiram leaves his MIT admission to opt for Civil Services. He tops the UPSC exam and gets appointed as collector with extraordinary power – the state government can’t transfer him. He goes after ruling party chief Visakha Vani (Ramyakrishnan) who runs organised crime in Telleru lake for political and personal gain. Will Abhiram succeed in his attempt to take on the system? Will he win in this battle against evil?

Performances

In his maiden attempt at a political drama, Sai Tej tried his best. He delivered a decent performance as an honest IAS officer, though sometimes he goes overboard. Aishwarya Rajesh is settled with an incomplete role. As usual, Aishwarya did her part well. Ramyakrishnan’s role which was supposed to shine but lacks the punch. Jagapathi Babu is confined to a character role as the hero’s father. Srikanth Iyengar is alright as a dishonest cop.

Technicalities

Deva Katta, of Prasthanam fame, is back with a political thriller laced with Telleru lake backdrop. He scatters some good scenes here and there. That’s not enough to hold the audiences till the end. The writing is okay, but only in parts. He penned good characteristions for actors individually. But together, they lack the effect. Narration could be better. Deva Katta’s direction could be better. Songs fail to create impact. Background music is alright.

Honest Story Sai Tej & Dialogues

Lack Of Commercial Touch Slow Second Half

Legislature, Executive and Judiciary are the three arms of a government. Setting this as the premise, director Deva Katta weaves a story where his protagonist is an IAS officer. How an IAS officer fights against the system makes for a good plot point. The movie starts on a good note. The conversation between Subbaraju and Sai Tej has a good hook scene. The lighter-vein scenes involving kids give minor relief in this serious film. Some dialogues are hard-hitting and thought provoking. They throw light on the loopholes in the current system. These get claps from laymen. As the film progresses, the film looks pale and flat. Deva Katta failed to infuse enough novel content. The film leaves us asking for more.

Dialogues on the encounter system and other prevailing topics connect to some real-life incidents. The pre-interval fight is neatly executed. How an IAS officer gets involved in an encounter episode and how he takes full control of situations in his district clearly show the cinematic liberties the makers tool. Post-interval, the film is stuck in a usual format. It is not racy. The political drama that was supposed to be gripping becomes bland.

There is a scene where Jagapathi Babu is humiliated and insulted by people for his corruption. Jagapathi Babu’s past is emotional. Every character has a backstory and the director tries to justify their corruption with reason. But it obstructs the original story and narrative. It is not a regular Telugu movie one gets to watch. Republic is a different and honest attempt. The film’s soul is intact. But it gets lost in its narration.

Bottom Line: Honest Attempt

Rating: 2.5/5

Tags Recommended Republic republic review Sai Dharam Tej

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Republic movie review highlights : Sai Dharam Tej carries the heft of an honest political drama

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Home » Movies » Republic »

• 7.9 OTTplay Rating
• 2 Hr 26 Min

Panja Abhiram, an intelligent and honest person from Eluru realises the difficulties faced by the farmers of his hometown due to corrupt politicians and decides to fight the system by taking up a career in civil services.

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Republic: Release Date, Trailer, Songs, Cast

• Release Date 1 October 2021
• Language Telugu
• Dubbed In Hindi
• Genre Drama
• Duration 2h 25min
• Cast Sai Tej, Aishwarya Rajesh, Jagapathi Babu, Ramya Krishna, Ravi Raja, Subbaraju, Rahul Ramakrishna, Srikanth Iyengar, Aamani, Surekha Vani, Sai Dheena, Jayaprakash, Posani Krishna Murali, Manoj Nandam, Ravi Varma, Venkatesh Kakumanu, C. V. L. Narasimha Rao
• Director Deva Katta
• Writer Deva Katta, Kiran Jay Kumar
• Cinematography M. Sukumar
• Music Mani Sharma
• Producer J. Bhagawan, Pullarao
• Production JB Entertainments, Zee Studios
• Certificate 13+

About Republic Movie (2021)

An IIT graduate and now an IAS officer, Panja Abhiram (Sai Tej), has immense dislike for the corrupt and is determined to fight a corrupt political establishment, headed by his father.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Republic

In this Republic film, Sai Dharam Tej , Aishwarya Rajesh played the primary leads.

The Republic was released in theaters on 01 Oct 2021.

The Republic was directed by Deva Katta

Movies like Nandamuri Mokshagna - Prasanth Varma Film , HIT: The 3rd Case , Pushpa 2: The Rule and others in a similar vein had the same genre but quite different stories.

The Republic had a runtime of 152 minutes.

The soundtracks and background music were composed by Mani Sharma for the movie Republic.

The cinematography for Republic was shot by M Sukumar .

The movie Republic belonged to the Action,Drama, genre.

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The GOAT Review: நடிகர் பட்டாளம், சர்ப்ரைஸ் அணிவகுப்பு மட்டும் போதுமா?

இந்த ஆண்டின் அதிகம் எதிர்பார்க்கப்பட்ட படம் என்று சொல்வதை விட, படக்குழுவினரே ஒவ்வொரு பேட்டியிலும் வித்தியாச வித்தியாசமாக ‘ஹைப்’ ஏற்றி எதிர்பார்ப்பை எகிற வைத்த படம் என்று இதனைச் சொன்னால் சரியாக இருக்கும். டீஏஜிங் தொழில்நுட்பம், பல்வேறு சர்ப்ரைஸ் அம்சங்கள் என விளம்பரப்படுத்தப்பட்ட ‘தி கோட்’ படம் ஏற்றிவிடப்பட்ட ‘ஹைப்’-க்கு நியாயம் செய்ததா என்று பார்க்கலாம்.

மும்பையில் தீவிரவாத ஒழிப்புக் குழுவில் ரகசியமாக செயல்பட்டு வருகிறார்கள் காந்தி (விஜய்), சுனில் (பிரசாந்த்), கல்யாண சுந்தரம் (பிரபுதேவா). படத்தின் தொடக்கத்தில் இந்திய அரசால் தேடப்படும் குற்றவாளியாக அறிவிக்கப்பட்ட ராஜீவ் மேனனை (மோகன்) தேடி மூவரும் கென்யாவுக்குச் செல்கின்றனர். ஆனால் அங்கு நடக்கும் சண்டையில் மேனன் தப்பிவிடுகிறார். அவர் சென்ற ரயிலும் வெடித்துச் சிதறி விடுகிறது.

மற்றொரு மிஷனுக்காக தாய்லாந்து செல்லும் காந்தி, கூடவே எதற்காக செல்கிறோம் என்று சொல்லாமல் 2-வது ஹனிமூன் என்று கூறி நிறைமாத கர்ப்பிணியாக இருக்கும் தனது மனைவி அனுராதா (சினேகா), 5 வயது மகன் ஜீவனையும் கூட்டிச் செல்கிறார். அங்கு அடையாளம் தெரியாத எதிரிகளால் மகன் ஜீவன் கடத்தி கொல்லப்படுகிறான். இந்தச் சம்பவம் காந்தியில் தனிப்பட்ட வாழ்விலும், தொழில் வாழ்விலும் மிகப் பெரிய தாக்கத்தை ஏற்படுத்திவிடுகிறது. இதன்பிறகு அவரது வாழ்க்கையில் சில அதிரடியான திருப்பங்களும் நடக்கின்றன. அவை என்னென்ன? அவற்றைத் தொடர்ந்து கதை எங்கே சொல்கிறது என்பதே ‘தி கிரேட்டஸ்ட் ஆஃப் ஆல் டைம்’ (தி கோட்) திரைக்கதை.

படம் தொடங்கிய முதல் நொடியிலிருந்தே ரசிகர்களுக்கு பல சர்ப்ரைஸ்களும் தொடங்கிவிடுகின்றன. அல்லது சர்ப்ரைஸ்களுடன் தான் படமே தொடங்குகிறது என்று கூட சொல்லலாம். அந்த அளவுக்கு படம் முழுக்க கூஸ்பம்ப்ஸ் ரக சர்ப்ரைஸ்களும், கேமியோக்களையும் அள்ளித் தெளித்துள்ளார் வெங்கட் பிரபு. இது போன்ற கேமியோக்களையும், ரசிகர்களை துள்ளிக் குதிக்க வைக்கும் ஆச்சரியங்களையும் மார்வெல் படங்களில் மட்டுமே பார்த்துப் பழகிய நம் ஊர் ரசிகர்களுக்கு இவை மிகச் சிறந்த திரையரங்க அனுபவத்தை தரக்கூடும் என்பதில் ஐயமில்லை.

ஆனால், வெறும் சர்ப்ரைஸ்களின் அணிவகுப்புகள் மட்டுமே ஒரு நல்ல சினிமாவை எப்படி தீர்மானிக்க முடியும்? ‘மிஷன் இம்பாசிபிள்’ போன்ற ஒரு கதைக்களத்தை எடுத்துக் கொண்டது சரி. ஆனால் அதில் இருக்கும் லாஜிக் மீறல்களையும் எந்தவித உறுத்தலும் இன்றி ஏற்றுக் கொள்ளும் வகையில் ‘ஷார்ப்’ ஆன திரைக்கதையுடன் கொடுத்தால் மட்டுமே திரையில் அது எடுபடும். இதே வெங்கட் பிரபுவின் ‘மாநாடு’ படத்தில் நாயகன் ‘செத்து செத்து பிழைப்பதை’ கூட ஆடியன்ஸ் எந்த கேள்வியும் கேட்காமல் ஏற்றுக் கொண்டதற்கு காரணம், நல்ல வலுவான திரைக்கதைதான். அது இங்கே மிஸ்ஸிங்.

படத்தின் ஆரம்பத்தில் வரும் ரயில் காட்சி தொழில்நுட்ப ரீதியாகவும், படமாக்கப்பட்ட விதமும் தரம். ஒரு மாஸ் கமர்ஷியல் படத்துக்கான பக்காவான இன்ட்ரோ காட்சி அது. அதன் பிறகு தமிழ் சினிமாவின் வழக்கப்படி ஓபனிங் சாங் முடிந்து விஜய் - சினேகா இடையிலான காட்சிகள், தொடர்ந்து விஜய், பிரசாந்த், பிரபுதேவா இடையிலான காட்சிகள் எல்லாம் எந்த ஒட்டுதமும் இன்று நகர்கின்றன.

கணவன் மீது சந்தேகப்படும் சினேகாவிடம் இருந்து பிரபுதேவாவும், பிரசாந்த்தும் காப்பாற்றும் காட்சிகள் எல்லாம் பல நூற்றாண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு பட்டிமன்றங்களில் சொல்லப்பட்டவை. மூன்று நண்பர்களுக்கு இடையில் வரும் காமெடி என்று வைக்கப்பட்டவை படு ‘கிரிஞ்சு’ ரகம். எமோஷனல் காட்சிகளும் பெரிதாக கைகொடுக்கவில்லை. அதேபோல படத்தில் வரும் எல்லா கதாபாத்திரங்களும் விஜய்யை புகழ்ந்து தள்ளுகின்றன. ஒய்.ஜி.மகேந்திரன் கூட ஒரு காட்சியில் ‘லயன் இஸ் ஆல்வேஸ் எ லயன்’ என்கிறார். அப்படி சொல்லும் அளவுக்கு விஜய் படத்தில் என்ன செய்தார் என்பதற்கான நியாயம் எதுவும் இல்லை.

இரட்டை வேடங்களில் விஜய் நடிப்பில் எந்தக் குறையும் சொல்ல முடியாத அளவுக்கு படத்தை தாங்கிப் பிடிக்கிறார். படத்தில் ஏகப்பட்ட நடிகர்கள் இருந்தாலும் தன்னுடைய தனித்துவத்தை தவறவிடாமல் மிளிர்கிறார். எனினும் வயதான தோற்றத்தில் அவரது மேக்கப்பில் சற்று கவனம் செலுத்தியிருக்கலாம். ஒட்டாத ஒட்டுதாடியுடன் வசனங்களை பேசவே சிரமப்படுவது போல தோன்றுகிறது. இளமையான கதாபாத்திரத்தில் வரும் விஜய்யின் தோற்றம் ட்ரெய்லரில் இருந்ததை விட படத்தில் மெருகேற்றப்பட்டு சிறப்பாகவே வந்திருக்கிறது.

பிரபுதேவா, பிரசாந்த், சினேகா, ஜெயராம், மோகன் ஆகியோரும் கதைக்கு தேவையான கச்சிதமான நடிப்பை வழங்கியுள்ளனர். லைலா ஓரிரு காட்சிகளே வருகிறார். பிரேம்ஜி சில காட்சிகள் வந்து கிச்சுகிச்சு மூட்ட முயற்சிக்கிறார். மீனாட்சி சவுத்ரிக்கு படத்தில் பெரிதாக வேலை இல்லை என்றாலும் எமோஷனல் காட்சிகளில் ஈர்க்கிறார். வைபவ், அரவிந்த் ஆகாஷ் உள்ளிட்ட வெங்கட் பிரபுவின் ஆஸ்தான நடிகர்கள் சும்மா வந்து செல்வதோடு சரி.

படத்தின் ஆரம்பத்தில் பிரம்மாண்ட எழுத்துகளுடன் யுவன் சங்கர் ராஜா இசை என்று போடுகிறார்கள். அதோடு சரி, அதன் பிறகு படத்தில் எந்த இடத்திலும் யுவன் தெரியவில்லை. பாடல்களிலும், பின்னணி இசையிலும் எந்தவித புதுமையும் இல்லை. சித்தார்த்தா நுனியின் ஒளிப்பதிவு ஆக்‌ஷன் படத்துகே உரிய ‘டோனை’ சிறப்பாக தந்திருக்கிறது. படத்தின் கண்ணுக்கு தெரியாத ஹீரோ என்று ஸ்டண்ட் இயக்குநர் திலீப் சுப்பராயனை தாராளமாக சொல்லலாம். அந்த அளவுக்கு ஆக்‌ஷன் காட்சிகள் ஒவ்வொன்றும் தெறிக்கின்றன.

கொஞ்சம் கூட யோசிக்காமல் பாடல்கள் உட்பட தேவையே இல்லாத 20 நிமிட காட்சிகளை எடிட்டர் விக்னேஷ் ராஜன் கத்தரித்திருக்கலாம். குறிப்பாக இரண்டாம் பாதியில் வரும் ‘ஸ்பார்க்’ பாடல் வைக்கப்பட்ட இடம் படு அபத்தம். இத்தனைக்கும் அந்தப் பாடல் கேட்கும்படி கூட இல்லை. இணையத்தில் வெளியாகி இவ்வளவு எதிர்வினைகளை பெற்றபிறகும் அந்தப் பாடலை ஒரு முக்கியமான காட்சியின் நடுவே ஸ்பீடு பிரேக்கரைப் போல வைக்க ஒரு முரட்டுத்தனமான தைரியம் வேண்டும்.

ட்விஸ்ட் என்று வைக்கப்ட்ட ஒரு காட்சியும், அதற்கான பின்னணியும் மிகப் பெரிய லாஜிட் ஓட்டை. படத்தின் கிளைமாக்ஸ் காட்சி படமாக்கப்பட்ட விதம் சிறப்பு. ஒரு பக்கம் கமென்ட்ரி, அதற்கு ஏற்ப இன்னொரு பக்கம் ஆக்‌ஷன் காட்சி என்று யோசித்த வெங்கட் பிரபுவை பாராட்டலாம். க்ளைமாக்ஸுக்கு முன்பு ஒரு கேமியோ வருகிறது. சினிமாவில் தனக்குப் பிறகு தன்னுடைய இடம் யாருக்கு என்பதை அந்தக் காட்சியில் விஜய் மிக ஓபனாகவே அறிவித்திருக்கிறார். ’இளைய’ தளபதிக்கு வாழ்த்துகள்.

வெங்கட் பிரபு படம் என்றாலே ஜாலியான அம்சங்கள் நிறைந்திருக்கும் என்பதை அவரது முந்தைய படங்களை பார்த்தவர்களுக்கு தெரிந்திருக்கலாம். இதிலும் அப்படியான விஷயங்கள் ஆங்காங்கே உள்ளன. படத்தில் வரும் கேமியோக்கள் குறித்து ஆன்லைனில் பலரும் சொல்லிவிட்டாலும், அந்தக் கதாபாத்திரங்கள் வரும் காட்சியில் அரங்கம் அதிர்கின்றது. குறிப்பாக, படத்தின் தொடக்கக் காட்சியில் தொழில்நுட்பத்தின் உதவியுடன் வரும் ஒரு ‘முக்கியமான’ கேமியோ நிச்சயம் பரவலாக பேசப்படும்.

முன்பே குறிப்பிட்டபடி, அனுபவம் வாய்ந்த நடிகர்களின் கூட்டமும், வெறும் சர்ப்ரைஸ் கேமியோக்களால் மட்டுமே ஒரு படம் தரமான படமாகி விடாது. அதை பல ஆண்டுகளுக்கு நினைவில் ஆடியன்ஸின் மனதில் நிறுத்தச் செய்வது ஒரு நல்ல திரைக்கதை மட்டுமே. கைதட்டலுக்காக மட்டுமே வைக்கப்பட்ட கேமியோக்களுக்கும், ‘த்ரோபேக்’ நாஸ்டால்ஜியாக்களுக்கும் யோசித்ததை திரைக்கதைக்காகவும் கொஞ்சம் யோசித்திருந்தால் ஏற்றிவிட்ட ‘ஹைப்’புக்கு ஏற்றபடி ’கில்லி’யாக சொல்லி அடித்திருக்கும் இந்த ‘கோட்’.

அன்பு வாசகர்களே....

இந்த ஊரடங்கு காலத்தில் வீட்டை விட்டு வெளியே வராமல் நமக்கு நாமே சமூக விலகல் ( Social Distancing) செய்து கொள்வோம். செய்தி ஊடகங்களின் வழியே உலகுடன் தொடர்பில் இருப்போம். பொதுவெளியில் இருந்து தனிமைப்படுத்திக் கொண்டு கரோனா பரவலைத் தடுப்பதில் நம் பங்கை முழுமையாக இந்த சமூகத்துக்கு அளிப்போம்.

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- வாசகர்கள் நலனில் அக்கறையுடன் இந்து தமிழ் திசை

தவறவிடாதீர்!

•   “தமிழக பாடத்திட்டம் குறித்து ஆளுநருக்கு முழுமையாகத் தெரியுமா?” - சபாநாயகர் அப்பாவு சந்தேகம்
•   “தமிழக அரசுப் பள்ளிகளில் கல்வித் தரம் மிக மோசமாக உள்ளது” - ஆளுநர் ஆர்.என்.ரவி
•   “என்றைக்கும் இப்போதுள்ள கூட்டணியை எங்கள் தலைவர் விட்டுக் கொடுக்க மாட்டார்” - அமைச்சர் கே.என்.நேரு
•   வட்டார மொழியில் மத்திய அரசின் திட்டப் பெயர்கள்: அதிகாரிகளுக்கு புதுச்சேரி ஆளுநர் உத்தரவு

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Raghu Thatha Review: A Nostalgic Rebellion Laced with Humor

Raghu Thatha is streaming on Zee5 in multiple languages from today. It stars Keerthy Suresh and Ravindra Vijay, and takes viewers on a journey back to the socio-political climate of the 1960s in Tamil Nadu. Rating: 2.5/5

Raghu Thatha is streaming on Zee5 in multiple languages from today. It stars Keerthy Suresh and Ravindra Vijay, and takes viewers on a journey back to the socio-political climate of the 1960s in Tamil Nadu. With a mix of rebellion, humour, and emotional depth, the film attempts to deliver a compelling directorial debut of Suman Kumar.

The story revolves around Kayalvizhi (Keerthy Suresh), a strong-willed young woman growing up in the small village of Valluvanpettai in Tamil Nadu. Set against the backdrop of the anti-Hindi protests, the film portrays her struggle against societal norms, especially those that impose traditional roles on women. Raised in a family where her grandfather (MS Bhaskar) has a significant influence on her, Kayal navigates her personal life and public rebellion with equal determination. The film tackles both personal and political themes, exploring Kayal’s defiance of gender expectations and her involvement in protests, all while balancing her responsibilities towards her family.

Performances:

Keerthy Suresh is the heart of Raghu Thatha, delivering a performance that feels natural and effortless. Her looks bring back the Mahanati movie vibes. She brings Kayalvizhi’s rebellious spirit to life, making her character relatable and strong without overdoing the dramatics.

Ravindra Vijay, as Selvam, brings a quiet yet powerful presence to the film. His portrayal of Selvam’s gradual transformation feels genuine, and he shares a strong on-screen chemistry with Keerthy Suresh. His performance complements the leads while adding depth to the film’s emotional core.

MS Bhaskar, as Kayal’s grandfather, is equally impressive, adding layers of depth to the story with his grounded and charming performance. His relationship with Kayal forms the emotional core of the film. Supporting actors like Kayal’s sister-in-law and two comical small-town criminals add a lighter touch, contributing to the film’s overall humour.

Technicalities:

Director Suman Kumar, known for his work in hit series like The Family Man and Farzi, brings his expertise in storytelling to Raghu Thatha. The film’s screenplay is well-paced, although some scenes between Kayal and Selvam feel a bit stretched and could have been trimmed. The first half of the movie takes a laid-back approach, but it builds up to a fast-paced, emotional finale that leaves a lasting impression.

Sean Roldan’s music is a major highlight of the film, with tunes that are both catchy and soulful. The song ‘Poruthhiru Selva’, sung by SP Charan, stands out, adding depth to the film’s nostalgic feel. The background score enhances the emotional scenes, and the music as a whole contributes to the overall tone of the film.

Raghu Thatha begins by immersing viewers in the 1960s, showcasing historical and cultural tensions through newspaper clippings and setting up the socio-political backdrop of Tamil Nadu. The film introduces Kayalvizhi (Keerthy Suresh), who challenges societal norms from the start, evident in her defiant attitude towards traditional gender roles.

Although addressing social issues is commendable, the film would have been more impactful if it had provided a deeper exploration of why these issues persist in society, rather than merely presenting concepts like feminism in a confrontational manner.

The film excels in blending humour with its narrative, infusing even serious moments with comedic elements, and so is refreshing at times. This irreverence extends beyond the lead characters to secondary ones, like Kayal’s brother’s wife and two small-town criminals, who provide memorable comedic relief. MS Bhaskar’s performance, marked by his dry humour, further enhances the film’s charm.

Raghu Thatha delivers a mix of humour, emotion, together with strong performances, especially from Keerthy Suresh make it worth a watch.

Rating: 2.5/5

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Republic Movie Review: An engaging critique on corruption

Rating: ( 3.5 / 5).

Republic  opens with Abhiram (Sai Tej) driving through a narrow road in the rural premises of Eluru on a rainy night. We hear the Ilaiyaraaja composition, ‘ Nammaku nammaku ee reyi ni ’ from  Rudhraveena  in the background. He gets out of the vehicle to clear a branch blocking his way and notices a horde of men carrying weapons approach him. This ambiguous opening drops us in the middle of proceedings and the screenplay immediately shifts to the beginning. However, by the end of the film, when the opening scene appears in chronological order, the lines from the song, translating to ‘don’t trust the night’, radiate a haunting effect. The usage of the song serves as a red flag, but we don’t see it coming because the screenplay by Dev Katta and Kiran Jay Kumar keeps throwing surprises one seldom expects from a Telugu mainstream film.

Starring: Sai Tej, Aishwarya Rajesh, Ramya Krishnan, Jagapathi Babu

Directed by: Dev Katta

The story has a rather generic start point that reminded me of Vijay’s  Sarkar . When Abhiram learns that his vote has been rigged, the authorities turn his back on him and the mishap that ensues seals his distrust in the corrupted ‘system’. The studious Abhiram, having cleared his UPSC exam, has to make a choice about whether he wants to pursue studies in the USA or crack the IAS interview and do his part to reform the society. Do I need to say which option he uses?

This could have been an underdog story chronicling the rise of the protagonist, but Dev Katta has other ideas. A character calls Abhiram “an experiment,” and this could be said of the film as well.  Republic  is not about Abhiram; he’s just a navigating device employed by the screenplay to expose the dark depths of the corrupted system the film tries to illustrate. Now, what does the system mean, you may ask. The writing personifies the system Abhiram wages a war against: The legislative body (politicians), the executive body (government officials like himself), and the judiciary system (a court, where the climax is set in). In fact, the closest  Republic  has to an antagonist is the corrupt minister, Vishakha Vani (Ramya Krishnan), but she’s not the most formidable villain either; she is simply a representative of corruption. The bigger villain here is the system itself, a point the film fascinatingly makes again and again. 

Republic  is a smart construction on the idea of corruption and how its repercussions seep into the lives of innocents. Take, for instance, the lady in the polling booth Abhiram interacts with early in the film. She propagates something that has been widely addressed in several films before—the problem of voters accepting money during election campaigns—but here, it adds to the film’s point that common people are complicit in the contamination of the system. This scene serves as a building block to the bigger statement the film makes towards its ending. 

The writing is strong and coherent, and often goes beyond the obvious. Jagapathi Babu, who plays Abhiram’s father, is named Dasarath, and gets a fully fleshed character arc that not only adds to the film’s political angle but also brings immense emotional depth to the father-son angle. Vishaka Vani too, despite being a true-blue villain, is never stereotyped as the female villain. In fact, in a film that hardly tries to appease the fans with ‘hero’ moments, it’s worthy to note that it is Ramya Krishna’s character who gets two glorious ‘masala’ moments. Even when she draws an analogy between Charles Darwin’s Evolution theory and the voting demography, it doesn’t feel ostentatious because she is written really well. Furthermore, the screenplay restrains itself from pandering to the crowd though having many opportunities to do so. A notable character is killed in front of Abhiram, and you expect an action sequence, but we don’t get one. The film never takes the easy route.

Republic  is a cynical portrait of the system that controls us and the inspirations from Alan J Pakula’s  The Parallax View  are evident, both in ideology and cynicism. The conflict, for instance, in both films, encircles a water body and mysterious disappearances. Like Joseph Frady, the protagonist of the 1974 film, Abhiram too finds himself in the thick of a mystery. The deeper Abhiram digs, the dirtier it gets. The Telugu film, of course, is more dramatic and Abhiram, unlike Frady, is an insider. But they both remain equally helpless in front of the big guns and are stripped off their powers in more than one instance. Visually too, the shot of the judicial committee Abhiram faces in the pre-climax is similar to the image of the judge’s desk from the Pakula film. The ending of the Dev Katta directorial, too, punctuates that there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

Even beyond its politics,  Republic  is a well-crafted film. I particularly liked the sequence in which Abhiram revises his IAS fundamentals, and how juxtaposing visuals of democracy keep getting cut between it. Sai Tej essays Abhiram with all the angst, but never goes overboard. His best performance comes during the interview scene, where he beautifully conveys both helplessness and anger. The ideas  Republic  communicates may seem familiar; its politics and emotional beats are not novel either. But a mainstream film is seldom this sincere and committed to its politics, and this makes the film a terrific return to form for Dev Katta.