BOTTOM LINE
Sincere, but Barely Makes an Impact
RATING
2/5
Story, Screenplay, Director: Uday Chauhan
Cast: Sudhakar Reddy, Muralidhar Goud, Prajwal Yadma, Gomathy
Music Director: Pawan Ch
DOP: Vinod K Bangari
Editor: Srujana Adusumilli
Producer: Annapurna Studios, Aditya Pittie, Vivek Krishnani
Presented By: Annapurna Studios & EPIC Studios
Production Company: Annapurna Studios & EPIC Studios
U.S. Distributor:
Related Links: Trailer
What Is the Film About?
Shambo Gadappa, Tirupati Gadappa’s father, has tooth sensitivity, and the doctor recommends that he buy a brush to relieve some of the pain. Since he couldn’t get one at the hospital, he asks his son to buy one for him.
The movie’s basic plot follows how this simple request from a father leads to a chain of events that eventually leads him to file a case against his son for negligence. The Palla Burusu is the trigger after a lot of incidents. The case’s impact on their relationship forms the overall story.
Performances
Sudhakar Reddy and Muralidhar Gaud are the father-son duo the Palla Burusu movie rests on. Both are fine and bring sincerity to their acts with realistic portrayals.
Sudhakar Reddy has the natural wear and tear of an old man worn down by the grind of reality and hard work. Sometimes he doesn’t have to act at all; the look does the work, and the emotion comes through. It is an example of good casting for a particular part. The actor has more drama during the second half of the movie and delivers what is required.
Muralidhar Gaud, usually seen as a comic support in bigger commercial films, plays a proper lead-type role. His character undergoes a change and shows an arc. The actor is also natural and sits well in the milieu. He neatly brings out the casual ignorance, the fight, and the emotional reaction towards the end.
Analysis
Uday Chauhan writes and directs Palla Burusu. It is a slice-of-life, emotionally rooted drama about a father-son clash. Story-wise, it offers nothing new; the director tries to make up for it with the setting and a realistic presentation.
The first hour, which establishes the world, characters, and core conflict, is where the film suffers. It feels meandering, simply going through the motions. The language, and the writing reflecting it, alone shouldn’t be all that’s necessary or enough to engage the viewer.
The flavour wears off once we are introduced to the world and different characters, and the actual content decides how well you’re hooked into the proceedings. This is where Palla Burusu suffers in the opening segments. The characters populating the world, besides the father and son, feel very generic, and so are the situations.
The movie picks up some momentum only when the proceedings reach the court. The drama between the father and son and their argument is the movie’s main point. The actors excel in their parts and hold things together, even if only briefly.
There is a genuine sense of pity for both sides (father and son), which makes the narrative engaging intermittently. However, nothing much happens elsewhere. Also, the main argument sometimes veers into silliness, which doesn’t sit well alongside the heaviness it’s meant to convey.
The plot takes a dramatic turn during the second half as the father takes a drastic decision. But before that happens, there is a needless detour into song and entertainment that adds length without adding much.
The movie’s core point and drama lie in the final half hour or so. However, the narrative doesn’t feel like it’s organically reaching there. The proceedings are cut abruptly to reach that point. The father-son clash is cut to court, where a judgment is harshly passed, then cuts to the climax. All these miss the natural flow. It feels as if they are arranged to lead to the emotional climax.
Despite the forced nature, the actual climax works in generating emotion. The song and background score do the trick. However, the shift in tone and change in character within a conversation feels rushed.
The climax delivers the required message, but it could have been more impactful if it had reached that stage more organically. After the set-up of stakes (which itself comes too late), the conclusion happens so quickly. What it does is leave one with nothing impactful, and all that sticks in the mind is the people talking; that’s it.
Overall, Palla Burusu’s setting and characterisation suggest a genuine, honest effort, but the content lacks the bite to make it impactful. None, except for the main father-son duo register, and even the core story featuring them lacks meat, except in a few parts. In the end, it becomes an example that shows honest intentions alone aren’t enough to deliver engaging cinema.
Performances by Other Actors
Apart from the father-son pair, there is a whole set of bits-and-pieces characters populating the world, from the young pair to the old trio sitting at the saloon, the wife and the sister, and so on. But they don’t have anything memorable, even though an attempt has been made that way.
Music and Other Departments?
Pawan Ch, of Love Story fame, provides the music and background score. It’s one of the movie’s best aspects. The songs are decent, and the background score adds to the required feel at key moments. The movie is a low-budget fare, shot on real locations. It is reflected in the cinematography choices. The editing is decent. It keeps the flow smooth, but some parts look jerky. The writing is fine.
Highlights?
Father-Son Duo
Natural Writing
BGM
Climax
Drawbacks?
Meandering First Hour
Core Drama (Court Scenes) Lacking Bite
Flat Supporting Characters
Hit-and-Miss Drama
Did I Enjoy It?
No. Some parts show potential, but overall, the movie lacks cohesive dramatic content to deliver the desired impact.
Will You Recommend It?
No. But if you like realistic, rooted dramas, you can try it for the authentic vibe, even with all the issues.
Pallaburusu Movie Reviewed by Kalyan
