‘Sathyam Sundaram’, the Telugu-dubbed version of ‘Meiyazhagan’ (Tamil), is currently showing at the cinemas.
Sathyam (Arvind Swami), a man uprooted from his hometown by a property dispute, returns years later to attend the wedding of Bhuvana, a sister-like family friend from his past. The homecoming proves to be an unexpectedly pleasant experience when the ride becomes nostalgic. Once shattered by the loss of his home, Sathyam now unconsciously pines for joy. He encounters a distant relative named Sundaram (Karthi), whose childlike nature defines the film’s proceedings.
A Tale of Homecoming and Rediscovery
At its core, the C Prem Kumar directorial is an eventless film with little plot, and it feels more like an extended short film powered by star charisma. Some might be tempted to put it in the same zone as Ravi Teja’s ‘Naa Autograph’, but ‘Sathyam Sundaram’ is too plain and light-hearted to be clubbed with that heavy film.
An intriguing moment arrives when Sathyam bumps into his ‘maradalu’ in his hometown after decades, only to realize that she feels lonely despite being surrounded by relatives all around. This is an irony and, to put it frankly, among the least-acknowledged hypocrisies of Indian society – women and men feeling lonely in joint families, in villages allegedly inhabited by close-knit communities.
The film is too melodramatic at times. It doesn’t look that odd when old-aged men and women break into tears, but the tears shed by the Sathyam-Sundaram duo deserved profounder writing. In spite of the script’s not-so-affecting nature at times, it is the performances by Karthi and Arvind Swami that hold it together. While Karthi is irreplaceable, the latter is not. (As an aside, star heroes like Chiranjeevi and Jr NTR should take on scripts of this kind if they want to do a quickie in the age of overly delayed pan-Indian spectacles).
A Focused Film with No Surprises
While the film is focused, the script doesn’t explore the potential for surprises. That said, ‘Sathyam Sundaram’ must be lauded for not force-fitting clownish characters. For example, there is no comedian in the form of a lodge’s caretaker.
If you are planning to watch the film, be prepared to surrender yourself to its unceasing conversations. Govind Vasantha’s music is soothing. The lyrics of the first montage song are so poetic and heart-rending. Mahendiran Jayaraju’s cinematography is flawless.
Props to 2D Entertainment’s Suriya-Jyothika duo for bankrolling this one. Also for the Asian Suresh group for bringing it to the Telugu audience.
Telugu Funda’s Verdict
‘Sathyam Sundaram’ is a heartwarming tale of homecoming and rediscovery, propelled by the presence of Karthi and Arvind Swami.
Rating: 3/5
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