Ardha Shatabdham Review : A hard-hitting take on caste bias and rural politics

3/5

It's a heartening sign that Telugu films are gradually gathering the courage to take a firm stance in terms of their politics, trying to tell the stories of the marginalised without reducing them to objects of sympathy. Ardha Shatabdham, set in the early 2000s of Sircilla (currently Telangana), is a title to suggest that not much has changed in the country even half a century after the Indian constitution has come into effect. The film comprises a fine blend of young blood and experience in its lineup with the likes of Karthik Rathnam, Krishna Priya, Sai Kumar, Subhalekha Sudhakar and Aamani in the cast. 

The film sees life through the eyes of the 20s something Krishna whose world doesn't extend beyond his friends and family. His only ambition is to make a living out of a lowly job in Dubai to fend for his family but there's trouble in the paradise when he seeks to win over his love interest Pushpa. The plot is more of a one-liner - a petty misunderstanding fuels tensions between two communities in the village and there's not much that the system can do to douse the fire. Ardha Shatabdham's two halves are almost contrasting - the rosy start paves the way to action, bloodshed and helplessness in the later part. 

Ardha Shatabdham looks at the village from many dimensions - the marginalised community, a former Naxal, a casteist village headman, a supposedly pragmatic politician and a sincere cop caught in the crossfire. The film prefers to call them victims of circumstances and doesn't try to label them black or white. Ardha Shatabdham's discourse is simplistic at places and it needed a weightier conflict than a love story to mirror the caste tensions prevalent in a village. The second hour, designed more like an extended action sequence, is monotonous and the proceedings get slightly tiring leading to the finale. 

At times when the storytelling isn't as gripping, the individual contributions come to its rescue. Composer Nawfal Raja's captivating score provides a solid musical foundation to the result, capturing the innocence of teenage love, the everyday spirit of villagers, their rosy dreams and contrasting realities. The dialogues, dangerously sounding like history lectures at times, still have the depth to drive the essence of the film. Sai Kumar and Subhalekha Sudhakar prove why they are one of a kind when it comes to dialogue delivery. 

The tone of the other performances is consistent, the surprises being the assured screen presence of its lead actors Karthik Rathnam and Krishna Priya. Naveen Chandra, cast in a brief yet significant role of a cop, makes a mark. Filmmaker Rawindra Pulle makes smart use of visual motifs - be it Ambedkar, the Indian flag, the dagger or the rose. The raw execution is one of the film's strengths, you get a sense of the soil with the dialogue, locations and appealing visuals. Ardha Shatabdham may have needed better craft, but its intent can't be doubted.