Sing Geetham Review

At the age of 94, Singeetham Srinivasa Rao returns with Sing Geetham, a dream project he has carried with him for nearly 40 years. Produced by Nag Ashwin under Vyjayanthi Movies and Swapna Cinema, the film promised a concept as unique as the filmmaker himself through promotional content. So, does Sing Geetham strike the right note? Let’s find out.

Setup

Residents of Kuberapuram, a mining village, are cursed to converse only through singing, after they cut down the lone surviving tree in their village. Why did the villagers cut down the lone surviving tree? What did they do to nullify the curse? Forms the rest of the story.

Performances

All the cast members performed well. Leads Ahilya Bamroo, Ayaan and Shalini Kondepudi were apt for their roles. Though Ahilya’s own dubbing, or rather singing, takes some time to get used to, she was good overall. Veteran actress Tulasi gets a good role and carries it well. The special appearances by Rahul Ravindran and Nivetha Pethuraj work nicely. The cameos towards the end came as a pleasant surprise.

Technicalities

Cinematography by Ankur S is decent. Though a bit of naturality is missing in the village portions, the visuals inside the mines and throughout the second half are good. Editing is neat, though the middle portions of the first half could have been more engaging.

Music and background score by Devi Sri Prasad are the heart of the film. Given the nature of the subject, the film heavily relies on its music and DSP rises to the occasion brilliantly. From the songs to the dialogue-song portions and the background score, he delivers one of his finest works in recent times. Production values are decent.

Positives

1. ⁠Singeetham’s Vision and Fresh Concept
2. ⁠DSP’s Songs & Background Score
3. ⁠Last Act
4. ⁠Socially Relevant Theme

Negatives

1. ⁠Prolonged Dialogue-Song parts in the First Half
2. ⁠Leisurely Pace In Pre-Interval Episodes
3. ⁠Not-so-amusing humour
4. ⁠VFX In parts

Analysis

SingGeetham is one of the most unique attempts in recent Telugu cinema. It blends mystery, fantasy and a meaningful social message, with Singeetham Srinivasa Rao’s signature touch all over it. The premise itself is refreshingly original. At a time when most of the filmmakers using social media and pop culture references to engage the audience, the idea of ‘conversations through songs’, felt very novel and refreshing. The legendary, Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, deserves every bit of respect and appreciation for thinking of such an innovative idea.

The biggest strength of the film is Devi Sri Prasad. From the songs and background score to the innovative dialogue-song format, DSP is the driving force behind the entire experience. It is not easy to make a film where a majority of the conversations happen through songs, but DSP’s work makes the experiment land more often than not.

If you’re prepared for a film that unfolds largely through dialogue-songs, you’ll enjoy what the film is trying to do. At the same time, the format may feel a bit exhausting for some viewers, especially during a few episodes in the first half and around the interval block.

While the first half may not completely work for everyone, the film finds its rhythm in the second half. From the flashback portion onwards, the narrative becomes more emotionally engaging. The final 30 minutes are undoubtedly the film’s biggest asset, with the mystery, emotions, music and message all coming together effectively. DSP dominates these portions and elevates the film to a neat climax.

The entire cast performs well and fits naturally into the film’s quirky world. The special appearances and cameo are neatly placed and add value without feeling forced.

There is a considerable amount of VFX work involved. While some portions look better than others and a few shots could have been more polished, the effects largely get the job done and support the fantasy setting.

Credit to Nag Ashwin, Vyjayanthi Movies and Swapna Cinema for backing this project and Singeetham’s vision.

In an industry that often prefers safer choices, Sing Geetham stands out for attempting something genuinely different. More than anything, Sing Geetham serves as a beautiful reminder of Singeetham Srinivasa Rao’s unique cinematic voice and the imagination he has brought to Telugu cinema over the decades. The film carries the innocence, creativity and originality that have always defined his storytelling.

If you’re looking for something refreshingly different, Sing Geetham is worth experiencing on the big screen this weekend.

Bottom Line : A SINGEETHAM CINEMA

Rating: 3/5