Deepavali Movie Review

In the midst of commercial potboilers and masala entertainers, Sri Sravanthi Movies has come up with a content-backed small film, ‘Deepavali.’ The title and the promising trailer garnered the attention. The film marks the production house’s Tamil debut. Let’s see what the film is all about.

It revolves around a poor grandfather, Seenaiah (Po Ramu), his grandson Ganesha (Deepan), and a goat named Karrodu (Black goat). The story is about when Ganesha wants to buy a new dress for Diwali and celebrate the festival like his friends. His broke grandfather promises Ganesha to fulfill his desires and tries all other possibilities but in vain. In fact, Seenaiah also tried to sell a piece of land but couldn’t succeed.

As Ganesha’s father and mother died in a road accident, the kid’s responsibility lies with Seenaiah and his wife. Seenaiah has no option but to sell Ganesha’s pet Karrodu. A butcher man (Kaali Venkat) fights with his owner and gets fired from the job. He vows to start a new mutton shop by the next day.

With great difficulty, he gets some money and pools some money from trusted customers. When he comes to buy the goat Karrodu, Seenaiah and he realize that it is stolen by a gang of thieves. Ganesha is happy as he doesn’t want the goat Karrodu to get sold for its flesh. Within the morning, all have to find the goat to sell its meat, and thus Seenaiah wants to buy a new dress for grandson Ganesha. Will they find the missing goat Karrodu? Will Seenaiah, Ganesha, and the butcher man’s desires be fulfilled?

The film takes place overnight. The screenplay is apt for the story. After showcasing the conflict/problem, the narration takes us back to three days ago. It narrates three stories – one from Seenaiah and Ganesh’s point of view, one from the butcher man’s perspective, and the other from the thieves’ point of view. These elements make ‘Deepavali’ not just a run-of-the-mill film. The performances of the cast standout. Kudos to director RA Venkat and his technical team.

However, ‘Deepavali’ suffers from two major shortcomings – a slow-paced narrative and a lack of nativity. While director Venkat opted for a Chittoor backdrop, the film still carries a Tamil flavor. The relatively unknown cast is also a significant downside. Though it has a rural backdrop like ‘Balagam,’ here, the local angle is missing. The story is set in Chittoor, on the border of Tamil Nadu. It has more of a Tamil flavor where Diwali is more than just a festival. Director Venkat also takes some cinematic liberties.

Overall, ‘Deepavali’ has emotional depth and works in some parts. It touches on humanity. The lack of a prominent cast and nativity may affect the film’s prospects at the cinemas. It is a different film, but the scope of the film is limited.