BOTTOM LINE
Slow & Lengthy, But Emotionally Satisfying
RATING
3/5
CENSOR
2h 57m, ‘U’ Certified.
What Is the Film About?
Satyam (Arvind Swamy) and his family leave their village after relatives take away their house during property distribution. They relocate to Vizag and vow to never return to their native village, Uddandarayunipalem of Amaravati. But after 22 years, Satyam had to go there to attend the reception of his cousin’s sister and meet an innocent and good guy (Karthi). The relationship brings an unimaginable change in Satyam. The story is about their journey together in one night and how Satyam is changed.
Performances
Karthi is the heart of Satyam Sundaram. His character is beautifully written with innocence and pure heart. He is so likable and performed really well so that the audience connect to the proceedings. Arvind Swamy is good in a character that requires to be silent and serious initially but open up at the right time. The scenes that come between them in the second half work big time. They are neat in the final act as well.
The film predominantly runs between the two. The rest of the actors were also hand-picked and performed well. Sri Divya plays Karthi’s wife and she played her small part well. Raj Kiran and Jayaprakash are neat in whatever they are offered.
Analysis
Director C Prem Kumar who delivered a beautiful film like 96 has come up with Satyam Sundaram. The first noticeable thing is the film probably is the first film centered in the village of Amaravati. There is a portion of Vizag as well. They suit the locations and the setup of the film very organically. The best part is how they took care of many sign boards in the film as well as completely in Telugu indicating the care taken in the dubbing.
Coming to the film, Satyam Sundaram runs on a thin line. The conflict is so small but it is all about how beautifully it is narrated and how the characters are written. Karthi’s character is the major highlight of the film. The character is a blend of innocence and purity. Karthi brings a sense of likeability to it. Arvind Swamy’s selection is another good choice and he adds much-needed grace to the character. The story initially takes time to build but it slowly grows on the audience. The scenes are few in the film and each scene is lengthy. So, we feel the pace is slow but then, feel-good dramas like this do take their own time.
Other casting despite not having significant space add to the goodwill. The bromance or whatever we call between Karthi and Arvind Swamy takes time to build. The director chose to evoke the fun factor using Karthi. Many of the dialogues of Karthi worked and brought those laughs. In the second half, the scenes that come between both of them are beautiful. The Arvind Swamy realization scene works. The journey of how he realizes this is where the heart of the film likes and it works. The climax does not deal with a heavy dose of emotions. The director chose to narrate it light-heartedly. Finally, Satyam Sundaram is a slow-paced feel-good film with good performances and some good writing.
In the end, Satyam Sundaram is aimed at an audience that enjoys slow-paced, feel-good dramas with subtle emotions sprinkled throughout. It’s lengthy and at times seems to drag on, but once the characters connect, there’s no looking back. Watch it if you fit that target audience.
Music and Other Departments?
Technically, the movie is sound. Govind Vasantha’s background score suits the proceedings. The songs add to the mood of the film. The last song ‘Evaro Ithanevaro’ comes at the right time and works nicely. Mahendiran Jayaraju’s camera work is beautiful. The village locales are neatly captured. The production design especially the Karthi’s House in the second half is very good. The production values are good.
Highlights?
Writing
Karthi’s Characterization
Subtle Comedy
Scenes between Karthi and Arvind Swamy
Drawbacks?
Lengthy
Slow Pace
Scenes drag at times
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, for its casting, genuine emotions, and drama in the second half.
Will You Recommend It?
Yes but remember it is a slow-paced drama and needs a bit of application.
Sathyam Sundaram Movie Review by M9
