Kalapuram review: A fond, entertaining ode to the oddities of the film world

3/5

Story:

An assistant director Kumar is desperate for an opportunity to direct his first feature film. Luck doesn’t favour him and worse, his relationship with an aspirant actress Indhu is on the wane. Just when he gives up hope and decides to return to his hometown, he meets a dubious man Apparao, whose only ambition is to produce a film. However, Kumar’s path towards his debut is far from smooth.

Review:

Filmdom can leave you confused. You don’t know which door to knock on, there are no rules to success and fortune needn’t necessarily favour the capable lot. Yet one can’t undermine the enigma that makes it work despite its anomalies. Kalapuram is a tribute to the many hypocrisies and oddities of showbiz in a lighthearted vein. The film doesn’t take itself too seriously and lets the viewer soak in the madness.

Kalapuram is told through the eyes of a struggling director. It draws us into his world where there’s little hope or luck but he’s committed to becoming a director someday. The realities of showbiz and its repercussions on relationships aren’t easy to digest but the writer-director Karuna Kumar packages these complexities in the narrative like a sugar-coated pill.

The film manages to be sensitive and funny at once. While you empathise with the plight of the industry strugglers, you laugh with them and do not get cynical about it. Not many films set within the industry have proved to be relatable to the common man over the past. It’s to the director’s credit that he makes us feel like a fly on the wall, drawing our curiosity and not making us feel alienated.

The narrative is precise and focused. The entire first hour offers a glimpse into the lives of the protagonists - a dubbing artiste cum aspirant actor, an emerging director and an unlikely producer with dubious credentials. The comedy portions in the initial stretch revolve around the shady life of the producer and how he cheats people to make money that’ll fund his film.

Post intermission, you’re transported to a village (Kalapuram, after which the film is named) that’s full of failed artists who’ve made unsuccessful attempts to foray into cinema. This is a ‘Cinema Bandi-meets-Care of Kancharapalem’ universe where the protagonist is forced to use local talent within a village to make a film under a shoestring budget.

Kalapuram casts a light on the many joys of filmmaking within limitations. A stage artiste turns into a composer, the tailor assumes the role of a costume designer and a heavily decked village belle is cast as a vamp. The similarities to Cinema Bandi are quite obvious but other layers in the story make you look beyond the comparisons.

You’re left grinning with the way the protagonist extracts work from the local crew to make a film. The icing on the cake is the sequence where he masks the continuity issues in the edit room by making the snake in the film a narrator. Just when you think Kalapuram is heading towards a predictable finale, a fine twist turns the narrative on its head and springs back life into the story.

When a team is clear about their priorities, the story they want to tell and remain rooted in its setting, films like Kalapuram get made. The film doesn’t claim to project reality as is but one can’t ignore the issues it addresses within a fictional setup. From the vulnerability of relationships within the industry to the challenges of filmmaking and the unpredictability of the box office, the film captures the essence of showbiz rather accurately.

Karuna Kumar, behind intense films like Palasa 1978 and Sridevi Soda Center, proves that he can handle comedy with equal ease. He picks the right bunch of actors who don’t punch above their weight and perform according to the needs of the film. Satyam Rajesh yet again proves that there’s more to him than a slapstick comedian and this is a fine addition to his filmography after Maa Oori Polimera.

The cast also comprising Sanchitha Poonacha, Kaashima Rafi, Chitram Seenu, Praveen Yendamuri, Janardhan, Raja Rao Gara and Anasua Chowdhury fit into their quirky, oddball characters with conviction. Sana’s special appearance in the climax is utilised to good effect. The dialogues are sensible and catchy with the technical crew - including cinematographer GK Prasad and editor Raju Talari - ensuring a refined product. Mani Sharma's experience with the background score comes in handy.

Verdict:

Kalapuram is a fond ode to the film industry that’ll leave you with a wide grin as it ends. In times when every second film is desperately selling its larger-than-life appeal, a rooted film like Kalapuram comes as a breath of fresh air. Satyam Rajesh, Praveen Yendamuri and team pitch in with good performances. Director Karuna Kumar proves that he’s a versatile storyteller who’s here to stay.