Manodu
Encyclopedia
Manodu is a Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...

 film, directed by Priyadarshini Ram
Priyadarshini Ram
Ram Reddy, Popularly known as Priyadarshini Ram is an Indian advertising and media personality. He is also an actor, director and an anchor. His directorial debut Manodu received critical reception though failed to achieve commercial success. It won the 2005 Special Jury Nandi Award from Andhra...

. It is the first film directed by Priyadarshini Ram. The film was released on February 24, 2006.

Plot

The film narrates the story of a young man Viswam (Bharat) who rises from utter poverty to riches, by unfair means like charging commission from creditors for recovering their loans, though advised against it by his parents and friends. All that he treats as important is money and thinks that there is nothing he cannot achieve with money. Saying so, he walks out of home. What kind of problems he and his like-minded friends face is the subject of the film. These friends work under the leadership of one Raghu (Priyadarshini Ram). Obviously they are in a 'dandha', a name often used for collecting money by force to enjoy life. 'Mirchi' - a girl with a story of her own behind her, lives with Ram and half a dozen members of the dandha, two of whom are girls. Most of the dialogues in these scenes show their wayward behavior and carefree life. Their solutions to problems too are strange. When a girl is gang raped – as the young man pretending love for her takes her to a room to rape her, ten others in the room too rape her - the leader orders that the one who pretended love for the girl to marry her. This he feels will be a punishment for the young man because it would make him suffer as he would recall every day what he had done to her.

There are many such other strange punishments. But not always do the members of the dandha display this kind of social consciousness and sense of justice. They charge huge sums for settling issues. Even the police department and its high officials are at beck and call of this gang. A rival gang starts functioning. They await a chance to wipe off this gang. They get the chance when Viswam falls in love with a girl (Radhika). He is the son of a schoolteacher, respected by persons from all sections of life – right from the police to the bureaucracy. When the police arrest Viswam, the father to get him released, runs from pillar to post only to learn in the end how bad his son is, and how he extracts money from others. He is a disappointed man and dies of a heart attack. The commissioner of police, also a student of the teacher, helps his son's release. This begins the destruction of the network he works for and his realization that this kind of negative approach would never be acceptable to society.

The film's theme and narration are peculiar. It looks a bit eccentric. The screenplay is quite confusing for an ordinary viewer. In spite of it, there is a method in this madness. Everything moves back and forth. The scenes are littered with too many characters. All are new faces. You don't know who is who. Director Ram plays the crucial role of leader Raghu. Like a professional he displays tremendous ease in his performance. Free verse is used for poetic expressions, which starts from the teacher and ends with his last statement on a paper before he breathes his last.

After watching the whole movie one, however gets an impression that this is not a film simply to be brushed off. The mode of narration though sounds peculiar and at times focused on women, wine and wealth has a message. Those who could go to extremes of disorderly life could also return to normal life. This is the message. Though novices to the art of drama, these young artistes – boys and girls - look talented. So are the music director and the other technicians of the film. The title, though, is a misnomer.

Crew

  • Direction: Priyadarshini Ram
  • Music
    Music
    Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...

    : Prasanth K.
  • Cinematography
    Cinematography
    Cinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...

     = Surendra Reddy
  • Producer
    Film producer
    A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...

    : Siddardha & Sarada
  • Release Date: February 24, 2006

External links

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