Varsham: Looking back at the Prabhas, Trisha starrer as it hits theatres again

Here’s some good news for Prabhas’ die-hard fans. The pan-Indian star’s blockbuster Varsham, which gave a terrific push to his career in his early years, is re-releasing in theatres across the Telugu states this weekend. Directed by Shobhan, (father of actors Santosh Shobhan and Sangeeth Shobhan), the action romance also stars Trisha, Gopichand, Prakash Raj, Sunil and others in significant roles. The film, produced by MS Raju under Sumanth Art Creations, has a career-best album by Devi Sri Prasad.

The story of Varsham revolves around Venkat (Prabhas) and Sailaja (Trisha), youngsters from Warangal who fall in love. Bhadranna (Gopichand) is a ruthless landlord who also likes Sailaja and is keen on marrying her. Ranga Rao (Prakash Raj), Sailaja's father, doesn’t mind getting his daughter married to Bhadranna for money. He purposely wreaks havoc on the relationship between Venkat and Sailaja. While Bhadranna kidnaps Sailaja soon, the plot is all about how Venkat comes to Sailaja’s rescue in the need of the hour.

One can notice the tender, softer side of Prabhas in the first hour of this film. He is at ease balancing the romance, humour and action segments of the film. It’s hard to ignore his spontaneity even in a handful of casual sequences. Trisha’s presence, without a doubt, is a huge bonus to the film. Not only is she beautiful, but also excels in her natural performance. She’s at her best in the dance sequences – can we ever outgrow Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana?

Varsham is testimony to Gopichand’s effortlessness in playing a baddie like Bhadranna. Prakash Raj is apt as a crooked father who prioritises his benefits over his daughter's future. Shafi is particularly brilliant as a loyal step-brother of Gopichand, while Paruchuri Venkateswara Rao fits the bill in a supporting role. Sunil and Rajesh deliver what’s expected of them. Meanwhile, did you get to notice producer MS Raju in a special role too?

The story by Veeru Potla is nothing out-of-the-box and is a regular love triangle centring on the hero, heroine and villain. However, the Warangal backdrop and the rain playing a messenger between the lovers add variety to the storytelling. The striking resemblance to N Chandra's Tezaab with a few elements from the Ramayana is quite evident. The characters of Prabhas, Trisha, Gopichand and Prakash Raj resemble Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Kiran Kumar and Anupam Kher respectively.

While Varsham’s screenplay progresses smoothly in the first half, thanks to the superb treatment, the narrative doesn't progress on expected lines in the latter hour. The crux of Varsham’s story is narrated in a flashback. The visualisation of a handful of shots has a poetic touch, especially with the heroine's introduction sequence. It’s hard to dispute the credentials of Shobhan as a director, but he struggles to sustain the momentum of the film when the lead pair parts ways.

Devi Sri Prasad’s music is the lifeline of the film. The background score is a treat to the senses and it’s impossible to imagine Varsham without his soulful, melodious album. The cinematography by S Gopal Reddy is another major asset to the film – the songs shot amidst nature make their way into the story beautifully. For a film that’s an ode to nature, Shobhan and Gopal Reddy’s efforts to lend a raw, organic quality to the visuals deserve praise.

Warangal has a character of its own in Varsham and to Shobhan’s credit, he establishes all four major characters well. In addition to Prabhas’ persona, Varsham is still special because of Trisha’s screen presence, the out-of-the-world music and its cinematography. The second hour of Varsham hasn’t aged well with time. In times when Prabhas is a star known for his larger-than-life stature, Varsham takes you back to the days when he was content being the boy next door.