‘Swag’ Movie Review: Hasith Gully and a brilliant Sri Vishnu strike again with a beguiling, layered satire
When a man who wears his masculinity on his sleeve laments how his son is growing up, exhibiting feminine characteristics, his wife tries to convince him of the importance of accepting the natural expression of one’s gender. This segment and the next feature Telugu films by writer-director Hasith Goli swag A much-needed mental anchor. Till then, the narrative is more of a satire, with elements of farce and ‘theatre of the absurd’ as several characters played by Sri Vishnu and Ritu Varma’s dual characters ditch it to assert male versus female power.
After that in the second direction The king is the thiefHasith Goli discusses gender equality beyond binaries, through a non-linear story that moves back from 1550 to the present, revealing several stories of a bloodline in the process. The experimental narrative, filled with quirky characters, can test patience at times, but is ultimately rewarding.
The word swag is an abbreviation of the fictional Swaganika vamsam (lineage) and the patriarchal norms of society also indicate male sway.
The story begins in 1551 in the fictional Vinjamara vamsam which follows a matriarchal rule ruled by Rukmini Devi (Ritu Varma). In contrast to the current social evil of female feticide, during this queen’s reign, male feticide was common. Hasith Goli in his satirical approach portrays men with veils and women in making important decisions. He narrates a fictional story of a man named Bhavabhuti (Sri Vishnu), turning the tables and introducing the patriarchal system.
The 159-minute film presents responses to these changing gender dynamics through multiple characters. Bheem (Ritu Varma, in her second role) is a civil engineer who tries to navigate through a patriarchal society with her staunch feminist outlook. When she complains of sexual harassment at a construction site, not only is the perpetrator, but she is also asked to leave. Her boss argues that he does not want to hire female engineers so that work is not disrupted. This short episode clearly reflects the times we live in.
Swag (Telugu)
Director: Hasith Goli
Starring: Sri Vishnu, Ritu Varma, Meera Jasmine, Sharanya Pradeep, Dakshina Nagarkar
Storyline: The search is on for the descendants of the Swaganika dynasty, who will inherit a huge fortune. But, in the battle of the sexes, there are no easy winners.
its root swagHowever, Samsabriksha revolves around the events of the Nilayam (a family tree house) and a treasure of the Swaganika dynasty that must be handed down to the rightful heir. The custodians of the treasury are looking for their successor as the genealogy is incomplete after Yayati (Srivishnu).
Among these, swag Introduces characters who claim to belong to the clan – police officer Bhavabhuti and a social media influencer Singareni (both played by Sri Vishnu). More intriguing characters are revealed as the story progresses.
The drama is not just between male heirs and female heirs feelings. The guardians of the treasury (Goparaju Ramana in a dual role) have their own plans. The fates of Vinjamara and other characters interwoven with the events of the Swaganika dynasty played by Meera Jasmine, Sharanya Pradeep and Dakshina Nagarkar, each actor playing dual roles.
Initially, keeping track of characters and their connections to dynasties can be tedious. The polarizing gender debate also gets tired, but a clever twist midway through forces all involved to rethink their positions on gender. The story also depicts shades of gray in several characters.
Ritu Varma as Sensation in ‘Swag’
Sri Vishnu, Dona a handful of letters, biographies of swag. He is excellent as a surprise character in the pre-intermission segment. Detailing what makes this character special and how he manages it would be tantamount to giving away a major spoiler. In two Bhavabhuti roles (in the erstwhile state and as a contemporary cop) and as a social media influencer, he switches between each role’s distinctive body language, diction and voice modulation. It’s fitting when, towards the end, a character recalls Kamal Haasan Michael Madana Kamaraju To pay tribute to an actor with different parts. swag One of the toughest films of Sri Vishnu’s career and he is a winner.
She is well supported by Ritu Varma as both Rukmini Devi and Bheet. Rukmini is a one-note character with little scope to explore the nuances of her character. The sentiment is better written and Ritu Verma executes it convincingly; While feeling introspective and corrective, his screenplay is effortlessly believable without a false note.
In a narrative that deals with gender equality on multiple levels, Meera Jasmine plays a character Revati. As a teacher, when he asks his colleagues and students about the futility of studying without acknowledging and accepting differences, at first it seems like a general statement. Much later, the depth of his speech emerges. It’s a thoughtfully written character and Meera, in her limited screen time, gives it an emotional gravitas. A brief part played by Kiriti in the 1550s is also important to the narrative.
Hasith gets good support from his technical team. Vedaraman Sankaran’s cinematography gives each timeline a distinct visual palette, Vivek Sagar’s music transitions from 70s and 80s classical to retro beats to a more contemporary soundscape, blending genres. Editor Biplav Nishadam has the task of making the audience understand what is happening in multiple timelines and he manages it well. If there is anger, it must be with art direction. Perhaps due to budget constraints, some aspects of the previous state seem unexpected. Portions filmed against the backdrop of Amer Fort (Jaipur) have a regal aura while some of the sets that make up the interior of the palace don’t measure up.
swag Not a perfect movie. There are times when multiple timelines and characters can feel tedious. But eventually, it finds its rhythm and can leave you with a smile.
has been published – October 04, 2024 04:16 pm IST