Matti Katha review: An entertaining, thought-provoking rural drama

3/5

Story:

Bhoomayya, Raju, Sreenu and Yadagiri lead a happy-go-lucky existence, pursuing high school education in a village. They don’t take their life seriously despite the grim realities of their parents. All of it changes once they’re caught cheating in a board exam. An earlier tiff with the invigilator complicates their mess and soon, the situation spirals out of control with the involvement of cops. Is there any light at the end of the tunnel?

Review:

Time and again, we’ve heard filmmakers reiterating the difficulties of making a small-budget film while confronting several practical issues. Provided they channelise their creativity responsibly, they have an advantage over the rest - the license to go berserk, rise above their limitations smartly and explore uncharted terrains. There’s nothing to lose and the only focus is to tell an engaging story.

Matti Katha benefits from the clarity of its director Pavan Kadiyala. With rural dramas, storytellers often restrict themselves to a few stereotypes - making a sob-fest portraying their grim realities, using faction wars to make action entertainers or milking the local slang, lifestyle for a light-hearted film. However, the debutant goes beyond cliches and has an original voice.

The film is set in early 2000s, before mobiles, social media took over our lives. The protagonists are ordinary, distracted youngsters with no lofty aims. While taking the viewers through a few hilarious episodes in their college life and their romantic escapades, you get a sense of the village’s twisted social hierarchy, local politics, the residents’ love for their land and the fascination for a metropolis.

Due to a few technical niggles, the storytelling isn’t seamless always but the film doesn’t lose its focus. For a major part, Matti Katha has the vibe of a coming-of-age tale with a dose of realism, humour. From Bhomayya learning how to smoke a cigarette to a city-return Shekar introducing a mobile to villagers and a boy getting caught by his dad at a theatre screening an adult film, there’s fun aplenty.

The true intent behind Matti Katha comes to the fore in the final act. Many subplots are tied together with finesse - the sexual harassment thread at school, the corruption of the police force, the opportunism of the village heads and the vulnerable lives of independent farmers. A tragedy forces the protagonists to take charge of his life. There’s no real happy-ending in store or resolution of conflict.

The final frame, told through the eyes of a matriarch in Bhoomayya’s family, shows how women are always the silent sufferers of the men’s actions. Matti Katha portrays the joy of staying in your home town, celebrating your roots, but also discusses why one is forced to migrate to cities for livelihood. All it takes is one mistake to jeopardise their lives and there’s no hope for a change.

The strength of the drama is its ability to address serious issues with humour minus heavy duty drama. One feels for Shekhar, who, for instance, leads a double life, pompously claiming to be a software employee among the villagers, hiding his failure to adapt to urban realities. The reality of a college topper having to turn a security guard is equally gut wrenching.

In just around an hour and a half, Matti Katha is a bright example of using the film as a medium of infotainment. Unlike mainstream filmmakers who endlessly hammer messages about farmers/agriculture down your throat, Pavan Kadiyala establishes his world with authenticity. Smaran Sai's music, Sainath’s cinematography further add flavour to the ambience.

Ajey Ved breathes life into his portrayal of Bhomayya and his co-actors who play his friends - Akshay Sai, Aluri Raju, Balveer Singh, Bathula Teja - share a warm, likeable camaraderie on screen. Dayanand Reddy makes a mark in a role with several grey shades while Kanakavva (the song about her husband on the field is a delight), Sudhakar Reddy, Ruchitha, Maya Mallesh Ballastu shine in limited roles.

Verdict:

There may have been an overdose of Telangana-centric rural dramas lately, but give Matti Katha a chance and you won’t be disappointed. This may be a story you’ve seen or heard, the authenticity of the insider’s voice makes all the difference here. Debutant Pavan Kadiyala does well to shed a few stereotypes about the portrayal of Telangana in mainstream cinema.