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‘Republic’ movie review: A silver lining wouldn’t hurt

Director deva katta and actor sai dharam tej’s gripping political drama doesn’t take an escapist entertainment route.

Updated - October 01, 2021 03:09 pm IST

Published - October 01, 2021 02:26 pm IST

Sai Dharam Tej in ‘Republic’

Actor Sai Dharam Tej who plays District Collector Panja Abhiram in director Deva Katta’s socio-political drama Republic , is aware of the grim reality. He wants to facilitate clean administration and states that he is not Bharateeyudu or Aparichitudu (the popular films directed by Shankar) to triumph over evil like a hero. This statement pre-empts what writers Deva Katta and Kiran Jay Kumar have in store. The narrative sidesteps escapist entertainment that we usually see in mainstream films.

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Sure, Panja Abhiram is bestowed with extra power as an experiment, after his answers jolt senior members who interview him in the civil services interview. He is also cushioned from being transferred indiscriminately by the political powers. That sets the stage for a heady conflict with Visakha Vani (Ramya Krishna) who has the State under her thumb.

• Cast: Sai Dharam Tej, Aishwarya Rajesh, Ramya Krishna, Jagapati Babu
• Direction: Deva Katta
• Music: Mani Sharma

The film’s strength lies in how it doesn’t paint people as black and white. This comes in handy for Darshan’s (Jagapathi Babu) characterisation. A similar method is also used to humanise Visakha Vani, without absolving her of her crime.

The initial portions establish Abhiram as an idealist, giving up MIT dreams to take up civil services, after being challenged by a Collector if he can get into the system and clean it up.

The story is set in Eluru and its vicinity where the water bodies have been exploited for decades, rendering the land unfit for cultivation and the contaminated fish threatening human lives. There are the usual plot devices where people who discover the truth, and their families, are ravaged.

Republic uses this environment-agrarian crisis to raise questions, including police encounters of those accused of sexual crimes. Will the same method be followed if one of the accused has political connections? The film makes a case for a swift and fair judicial trial instead.

The songs and stunt sequences are minimal, and Sai Dharam Tej gets ample room to display his acting chops. He delivers a good performance, shouldering the proceedings with sincerity. Aishwarya Rajesh is credible as always. The NRI accent is a distraction; had she been cast as an Indian, it would have still worked for the story.

Portraying a mix of power and arrogance isn’t new to Ramya Krishna and this role is a cakewalk for her. What saves this character from becoming a cliche is the scene where she meets Tej for the first time. You wouldn't expect them to spar on how they interpret the work of Darwin and Gandhi, would you? Now and then, the writing tries to make the audiences think. A farmer (Rahul Ramakrishna is good in a brief role) tries to protest peacefully, referencing Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent movement. In the title credits, Deva Katta quotes George Orwell, ‘In our age, there is no such thing as keeping out of politics’.

In the latter half, a sequence that stands out happens in a courtroom whose interiors have a lot of grey. Many of the men and women who are part of the proceedings are also dressed in shades of grey. The colour code is apt for the truths revealed during the proceedings.

There’s a lot to observe and appreciate in Republic . But I wish it had ended differently. A little hope doesn’t hurt, does it?

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Republic movie review highlights : Sai Dharam Tej carries the heft of an honest political drama

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Republic Movie Review: An engaging critique on corruption

Republic opens with Abhiram (Sai Tej) driving through a narrow road in the rural premises of Eluru on a rainy night. We hear the Ilaiyaraaja composition, ‘Nammaku nammaku ee reyi ni’ from Rudhraveena in the background. He gets out of the vehicle to clear a branch blocking his way and notices a horde of men carrying weapons approach him. This ambiguous opening drops us in the middle of proceedings and the screenplay immediately shifts to the beginning. However, by the end of the film, when the opening scene appears in chronological order, the lines from the song, translating to ‘don’t trust the night’, radiate a haunting effect. The usage of the song serves as a red flag, but we don’t see it coming because the screenplay by Dev Katta and Kiran Jay Kumar keeps throwing surprises one seldom expects from a Telugu mainstream film.

Starring: Sai Tej, Aishwarya Rajesh, Ramya Krishnan, Jagapathi Babu

Directed by: Dev Katta

The story has a rather generic start point that reminded me of Vijay’s Sarkar. When Abhiram learns that his vote has been rigged, the authorities turn his back on him and the mishap that ensues seals his distrust in the corrupted ‘system’. The studious Abhiram, having cleared his UPSC exam, has to make a choice about whether he wants to pursue studies in the USA or crack the IAS interview and do his part to reform the society. Do I need to say which option he uses?

This could have been an underdog story chronicling the rise of the protagonist, but Dev Katta has other ideas. A character calls Abhiram “an experiment,” and this could be said of the film as well. Republic is not about Abhiram; he’s just a navigating device employed by the screenplay to expose the dark depths of the corrupted system the film tries to illustrate. Now, what does the system mean, you may ask. The writing personifies the system Abhiram wages a war against: The legislative body (politicians), the executive body (government officials like himself), and the judiciary system (a court, where the climax is set in). In fact, the closest Republic has to an antagonist is the corrupt minister, Vishakha Vani (Ramya Krishnan), but she’s not the most formidable villain either; she is simply a representative of corruption. The bigger villain here is the system itself, a point the film fascinatingly makes again and again. 

Republic is a smart construction on the idea of corruption and how its repercussions seep into the lives of innocents. Take, for instance, the lady in the polling booth Abhiram interacts with early in the film. She propagates something that has been widely addressed in several films before—the problem of voters accepting money during election campaigns—but here, it adds to the film’s point that common people are complicit in the contamination of the system. This scene serves as a building block to the bigger statement the film makes towards its ending. 

The writing is strong and coherent, and often goes beyond the obvious. Jagapathi Babu, who plays Abhiram’s father, is named Dasarath, and gets a fully fleshed character arc that not only adds to the film’s political angle but also brings immense emotional depth to the father-son angle. Vishaka Vani too, despite being a true-blue villain, is never stereotyped as the female villain. In fact, in a film that hardly tries to appease the fans with ‘hero’ moments, it’s worthy to note that it is Ramya Krishna’s character who gets two glorious ‘masala’ moments. Even when she draws an analogy between Charles Darwin’s Evolution theory and the voting demography, it doesn’t feel ostentatious because she is written really well. Furthermore, the screenplay restrains itself from pandering to the crowd though having many opportunities to do so. A notable character is killed in front of Abhiram, and you expect an action sequence, but we don’t get one. The film never takes the easy route.

Republic is a cynical portrait of the system that controls us and the inspirations from Alan J Pakula’s The Parallax View are evident, both in ideology and cynicism. The conflict, for instance, in both films, encircles a water body and mysterious disappearances. Like Joseph Frady, the protagonist of the 1974 film, Abhiram too finds himself in the thick of a mystery. The deeper Abhiram digs, the dirtier it gets. The Telugu film, of course, is more dramatic and Abhiram, unlike Frady, is an insider. But they both remain equally helpless in front of the big guns and are stripped off their powers in more than one instance. Visually too, the shot of the judicial committee Abhiram faces in the pre-climax is similar to the image of the judge’s desk from the Pakula film. The ending of the Dev Katta directorial, too, punctuates that there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

Even beyond its politics, Republic is a well-crafted film. I particularly liked the sequence in which Abhiram revises his IAS fundamentals, and how juxtaposing visuals of democracy keep getting cut between it. Sai Tej essays Abhiram with all the angst, but never goes overboard. His best performance comes during the interview scene, where he beautifully conveys both helplessness and anger. The ideas Republic communicates may seem familiar; its politics and emotional beats are not novel either. But a mainstream film is seldom this sincere and committed to its politics, and this makes the film a terrific return to form for Dev Katta.

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Republic Movie Review

Article by Nagendra A Published by GulteDesk --> Published on: 12:53 pm, 1 October 2021

2 Hrs 32 Mins   |   Political Drama   |   01-10-2021

Cast - Sai Tej, Aishwarya Rajesh, Jagapathibabu, Ramya krishna

Director - Dev Katta

Producer - J Bhagawan, J Pulla Rao, Zee Studios, JB Entertainments

Banner - JB Entertainments

Music - Manisharma

Critically acclaimed filmmaker Deva Katta, who is struggling to stage a good comeback, comes up with his forte – political drama. He chooses Sai Tej as the protagonist. Given the powerful title and the premise, Republic is eagerly awaited. Without further delay, read on to know the verdict.

Abhiram, a studious person with heart at the right place, goes against his corrupt father Dasaradh (Jagapathi Babu). Challenged by a dishonest IAS, Abhiram leaves his MIT admission to opt for Civil Services. He tops the UPSC exam and gets appointed as collector with extraordinary power – the state government can’t transfer him. He goes after ruling party chief Visakha Vani (Ramyakrishnan) who runs organised crime in Telleru lake for political and personal gain. Will Abhiram succeed in his attempt to take on the system? Will he win in this battle against evil?

Performances

In his maiden attempt at a political drama, Sai Tej tried his best. He delivered a decent performance as an honest IAS officer, though sometimes he goes overboard. Aishwarya Rajesh is settled with an incomplete role. As usual, Aishwarya did her part well. Ramyakrishnan’s role which was supposed to shine but lacks the punch. Jagapathi Babu is confined to a character role as the hero’s father. Srikanth Iyengar is alright as a dishonest cop.

Technicalities

Deva Katta, of Prasthanam fame, is back with a political thriller laced with Telleru lake backdrop. He scatters some good scenes here and there. That’s not enough to hold the audiences till the end. The writing is okay, but only in parts. He penned good characteristions for actors individually. But together, they lack the effect. Narration could be better. Deva Katta’s direction could be better. Songs fail to create impact. Background music is alright.

Honest Story Sai Tej & Dialogues

Lack Of Commercial Touch Slow Second Half

Legislature, Executive and Judiciary are the three arms of a government. Setting this as the premise, director Deva Katta weaves a story where his protagonist is an IAS officer. How an IAS officer fights against the system makes for a good plot point. The movie starts on a good note. The conversation between Subbaraju and Sai Tej has a good hook scene. The lighter-vein scenes involving kids give minor relief in this serious film. Some dialogues are hard-hitting and thought provoking. They throw light on the loopholes in the current system. These get claps from laymen. As the film progresses, the film looks pale and flat. Deva Katta failed to infuse enough novel content. The film leaves us asking for more.

Dialogues on the encounter system and other prevailing topics connect to some real-life incidents. The pre-interval fight is neatly executed. How an IAS officer gets involved in an encounter episode and how he takes full control of situations in his district clearly show the cinematic liberties the makers tool. Post-interval, the film is stuck in a usual format. It is not racy. The political drama that was supposed to be gripping becomes bland.

There is a scene where Jagapathi Babu is humiliated and insulted by people for his corruption. Jagapathi Babu’s past is emotional. Every character has a backstory and the director tries to justify their corruption with reason. But it obstructs the original story and narrative. It is not a regular Telugu movie one gets to watch. Republic is a different and honest attempt. The film’s soul is intact. But it gets lost in its narration.

Bottom Line: Honest Attempt

Rating: 2.5/5

Tags Recommended Republic republic review Sai Dharam Tej

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Where to watch

Directed by Deva Katta

Panja Abhiram is a youngster who wants to change the political system from the inside out. But when he’s chipped away at every turn, will he be the one to change the fate of his hometown?

Sai Durgha Tej Ramya Krishnan Jagapati Babu Aishwarya Rajesh Srikanth Iyengar Boxer Dheena Rahul Ramakrishna Manoj Nandam C. V. L. Narasimha Rao Ravi Raja Subbaraju Aamani Surekha Vani Venkatesh Kakumanu Ravi Varma Posani Krishna Murali Vinay Nallakadi Nalla Sreedhar Reddy Gabbar Jayaprakash

Director Director

Writers writers.

Deva Katta Kiran Jay Kumar

Story Story

Editor editor.

Praveen K. L.

Cinematography Cinematography

Assistant director asst. director.

Rajesh Kata

Production Design Production Design

Srikanth Rami Shetty

Stunts Stunts

K Ravi Varma

Choreography Choreography

Raju Sundaram Prem Rakshith

Composer Composer

Mani Sharma

Zee Studios

Thriller Drama

Releases by Date

01 oct 2021, releases by country.

• Theatrical UA

152 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Shivu Gowda ★★★½

Very genuine attempt and extremely good story line. I can say good narration and screenplay. Well balanced characters and very good selection of artists.

Review by Michael James ★★½

A commercialized political drama that’s got some interesting ideas, set as a battle between an earnest bureaucrat and a corrupt politician. The movie is full of heavy dialogues, strongly questioning the corrupt political system and the helplessness of the everyone around it. The movie has its flaws and does get inconsistent, failing to deliver any stand out sequences, but it’s intense moments and hard hitting realistic climax, makes it a watchable drama.

Review by Gurukanth ★★★★★

Realised that it's an "epic" on my second watch.

This is necessary cinema. In my opinion it was targeted towards youth, as film contains quotes in english, most of the conversations include english words, mostly it's a vast subject and this is a perspective which is very much close to reality.

It has perfectly reached the target. It's a win.

Pseudo Intellectual Masturbation

I just can't get this out of my mind. How angry must the writer/director "dev katta" be on the so called system/society, to write such a strong phrase. The movie is filled with anger subconsciously. He just disturbs you with the climax. So strong that it haunts you but it's the sad reality no one even likes…

Review by StarAquarius ★★★½ 3

Depressing ending 😔 SDT's career best performance

Review by sandeepvpragada ★★★½

Watched the pirated version however this film's intention is not to make money but to express an uncontrollable anger on the society. Bravo Deva Katta! Some scenes were brilliantly staged and that nammaku nammaku song at the opening scene is a clever detailing lol.

Review by rey1294 ★★

A political film with barely anything to say. The statement ending may temporarily provide the disillusionment that this is a film that doesn't sugarcoat, but it's not enough to outdo the preceding choices that fail to keep this film grounded. Deva Katta seems to struggle with trying to commercialize his films and his failed attempts at doing that seem to dilute an already trite theme. The protagonist goes on a rant, on multiple occasions in this film, about the pathetic state of our democracy and of course, somehow that's enough to convince people to do the right thing. The villain of this movie, in a role in which Ramya Krishna is seen wasting away, talks about getting murders out of…

Review by 𝗡 𝗜 𝗞 𝗛 𝗜 𝗟 🍿 ★★★

“Man’s capacity for justice makes democracy possible; But man’s inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary”

Republic is a sociopolitical drama revolving around Panja Abhiram, who aims to become an IAS officer in order to question and correct the system in the country or atleast in his town. The film is set in Eluru, West Godavari district and calls the real life Kolleru lake as Thelleru lake, which plays a big part in this film.

Deva Katta’s ideologies and intentions have always been appreciable. He once again comes up with a strong intent and questions the system / three bodies of the government in a bold and clear way. Sai Dharam Tej has fit into the role quite well and he is…

Review by Gurukanth ★★★★½

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

Raw and real. Mirror for the contemporary so called " SOCIETY ".

I feel Deva Katta has upgraded his writing skills. "Pseudo Intellectual Masturbation", can't even imagine someone using such phrases in our telugu cinema for even a decade ahead. Deva Katta steals the show with his writing. Not only this but many which I couldn't remember.

An honest attempt might not succed but never fails...

Review by 𝓥𝓪𝓶𝓼𝓲 ★★★★

I WISH MORE CELEBRITIES WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE POLITICAL ART INSTEAD OF ONLY USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO DISCUSS THESE TOPICS.

I'VE NEVER REALLY BEEN INTERESTED IN POLITICS BUT I FOUND MYSELF ACTUALLY ENGAGING WITH THIS MOVIE QUITE OFTEN. IT'S TERRIFYING HOW FRAGILE DEMOCRACY CAN BE, ESPECIALLY WITH THOSE WHO HAVE AN AGENDA TO PUSH.  FROM EMOTIONALLY REVEALING FICTIONAL STORIES, TO CONTEMPORARILY RELEVANT POLITICAL DISCOURSE, THIS MOVIE HAS IT ALL. IT IS ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL AND ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES I’VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME.

Review by Nitish Galala

I take back the skeptical notions I had earlier on this film and the filmmaker. It's definitely not a movie that we will forget or regret once we get out of the theater. One may not like it by having their own particular reasons and perspectives on cinematic aspects but one can't defy what Dev Katta has shown us as a mirror to our contemporary society.

Pacing and staging of the scenes that reflects the righteous indignation were made in an honest way with powerful and relatable dailouges delivered by Sai Dharam Tej like never before in any of his films. Except those two needless songs in the first half and minimal flaws by adding commerciality and cinematic liberties, I…

Review by Shwet ★★

Well-intentioned but a rather drab and superficial attempt at socio-political commentary which ends up feeling like what the protagonist would call “pseudo-intellectual masturbation.”

Review by Vijaya Ramarao ★★★ 6

not bad not good it's been 1 year since i watched a movie in theatre so it was a good experience, my friend was watching phone continuously lol the last 30 minutes were the heart of film also reality sucks

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• తెలుగు

Republic Review: Docu-Drama Narrative

Movie: Republic Rating: 2/5 Banner: JB Entertainments Cast: Sai Dharam Tej, Aishwarya Rajesh, Ramya Krishna, Jagapathi Babu, Srikanth Aiyyanger, JP, and others Cinematography: M Sukumar Music: Mani Sharm Editor: KL Prawin Producers: J Bhagawan, J Pullarao Written and direction: Dev Katta Release Date: Oct 1, 2021

Sai Dharam Tej who met with a road accident has still not been discharged from the hospital. The young actor’s wish is to see his latest film, Republic, to get released without any hurdles. Thus the film hit the theaters today.

Let’s find out its merits and demerits.

Story: Abhiram (Sai Tej) is a bright student. He gets an appointment as a District Magistrate in his own district. 

He likes Myra (Aishwarya Rajesh), who has just returned from the USA in search of her missing brother, a doctor. 

As Abhiram takes the charge as a collector, Myra gets raped by the same gang that killed her brother. Besides saving the lake of Telleru (Name changed for Kolleru lake), which was polluted due to the fisheries industry owned by politician Vishaka Vani (Ramya Krishna), he also needs to fight for Myra.

Can a collector bring real change in the system that has been corrupted beyond repair? 

Artistes’ Performances: Sai Dharam Tej has delivered a subdued performance in his career for the first time. As an upright civil services officer, he is suited to the role. He does justice.

Ramya Krishna has a limited presence in the film, but she leaves her mark with her screen presence.

Jagapathi Babu appears as Sai Tej’s father, and his work in the latter half of the film is impactful.

Aishwarya Rajesh once again gets a minor character.

Technical Excellence: Mani Sharma’s songs are passable. The background score is ok. M Sukumar’s cinematography is excellent. Dialogues are thought-provoking but heavy.

Highlights: Intention Sai Tej Dialogues

Drawback: Docu-drama /slow-paced narration Limited appeal Too many cinematic liberties Climax portion

Analysis Director Dev Katta has made many films, but the hard-hitting “Prasthanam” is the only film that is still talked about by film lovers.

To make a strong comeback, he has chosen the genre of socio-political thriller for his latest outing “Republic”, but screenplay writing lacks the spark he had shown earlier. The story that he wanted to tell has relevance, but the narrative is the problem.  

Right from the beginning, the film runs dully, with a serious tone. Nowhere in the film do we find gripping narration. The episode of Sai Tej trying to become an IAS officer drags on.

In the second half, the fight between the politician and the collector is too superficial. The ‘philosophical’ banter between Sai Dharam Tej and Ramya Krishna doesn’t involve us. 

Plus, there is no strong villain. Even Ramya Krishna’s character is not shown as an outright villain. She is also a victim of society. She became such a corrupt politician after seeing the fate of her idealistic father.

Even the people who wanted change also get corrupted after a point of time. Hero’s father is one such. So, all seemingly negative characters have a ‘reason’ and backstory for becoming as such.

When the hero also fails in fighting the system, the audience doesn't get connected with his journey. In "Republic", the hero talks so much philosophy (which a few can understand) and takes a vow to bring change in the system. What we get to see in the end is a huge disappointment.

The system itself is the problem and this is what the director has tried to convey, but the bleak ending doesn’t go well with the majority of the audience. It undermined the heroic value. 

There are many backstories – Rahul Ramakrishna’s, Jagapathi Babu’s, Ramya Krishna’s, etc, which have lengthened the film. The dialogue writer in Deva Katta dominates throughout the film but the clarity of thought is missing.

The final courtroom sequence is unrealistic. The main judge of the three-bench delivering the judgment on the spot after hearing the hero’s speech has too much cinematic liberty.  

Plus, the director openly lashes out at the Shiv Sena party for coming to the power on the plan of ‘anti-South Indian’.

But when it comes to talking about the ‘caste’ system and other issues in Telugu states, he uses ‘euphemisms’.

Heroine’s brother being half-Indian and half-American, and the episode hardly serves the purpose of the main story. Her character must have been included to show the stark difference between the systems in India and the US (which is believed to have a strong system), but her thread linking to the hero’s main problem lacks engagement.

Overall, the intention of “Republic” is appreciable, and the topic is meaningful, but the narrative is dull and gives a documentary feel. Though Sai Dharam Tej’s performance and dialogues are positive aspects, the film makes a dull watch and is far away from the taste of regular cine goer.

Bottom-line: No Punch

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Tags: Republic Republic Movie Review Republic Review Republic Rating Republic Movie Rating

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Release Date : October 01,2021

123telugu.com Rating : 3/5

Starring: Sai Tej, Aishwarya Rajesh, Jagapathibabu, Ramya krishna Director: Devakatta Producers: J Bhagawan, J Pulla Rao, Zee Studios, JB Entertainments Music Director: Manisharma Cinematography : M Sukumar Editor: K L Praveen

Republic is a film that many were waiting for as it is directed by Deva Katta. The film is out now and let’s see how it is.

Abhiram(Sai Tej) is a man who always questions the loopholes in the system. His dad(Jagapathi Babu) is also a government servant but is corrupt. Seeing all this happening around him, Abhiram takes up IAS and gets posted in his own hometown. But he has to deal with bigger issues and politicians like Vishaka Vani(Ramya Krishna). How will Abhiram manage such big heads and brings back normalcy in his hometown is the basic story?

Plus Points:

The basic intention of the film is right and also addresses key issues in the system. The second half of the film is where most of the drama happens as the emotions and sincerity in the script are showcased well.

Ramya Krishna is apt in her role as a corrupt politician. Though she is brought quite late into the proceedings, she creates a decent impact. There is a confrontation scene between her and Tej and Ramya is magnificent with her dialogues.

Aishwarya Rajesh is decent but is getting typecast in supporting roles. Jagapathi Babu gets yet another crucial role and does well. Srikanth Iyengar is also neat. An action scene featuring Tej and the villagers has been showcased well.

Last but not the least, Republic showcases the acting prowess of Sai Tej. He is very good as a sincere IAS officer and brings out superb emotions. Tej does quite well in all the action and confrontation scenes with the likes of Ramya Krishna.

Minus Points:

One of the biggest drawbacks of the film is the slow pace of the film. Such serious dramas need to be gripping from the first scene but that does not happen here. Sai Tej’s journey to becoming a collector is dragged for no reason.

Ramya Krishna is hardly there in the first half. In a way, so much time is taken to establish the conflict point. Also, the length of the film is a tad long and needs serious trimming.

A few cinematic liberties have been taken. Tej who plays a collector takes things way too much in hand and this aspect looks a bit odd. Also, Aishwarya Rajesh and her story do not create much impact in the film.

Technical Aspects:

The music of the film is okay but the BGM was not that great. A more gripping score should have been used to elevate the confrontational scenes. Production values of the film are good as the lake visuals and countryside backdrop has been showcased well. Dialogues are impressive and so was the art design. The camera work of the film is just amazing.

Coming to the director Deva Katta, when compared to his previous films, Republic is a tad better. He has done a lot of homework and that is visible on the screen. His strength is drama and he elevates it well only in the latter part with a justifiable climax. If he would have made the first half crisp and narrated the proceedings in a gripping manner, things would have been effective.

On the whole, Republic is a relevant social drama with a realistic backdrop. Sai Tej’s sincere performance and good drama in the second half are basic assets. If you ignore the slow first half and lengthy runtime, this film can be given a shot for the sincerity in the making.

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Version

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Republic Movie Review: A Tale Of Idealism Vs Pragmatism Where Ramya Krishnan Is The Real Winner

Director: Deva Katta Cast : Sai Dharam Tej, Ramya Krishnan , Jagapathi Babu, Aishwarya Rajesh Language: Telugu

Spoilers Ahead…

Every once in a while, Telugu films serve up a political fantasy where an educated protagonist cleans up the system so that people can live happily ever after. It's instant gratification for an audience that will soon go back to cutting lanes at the traffic signal or forgetting to vote. Republic wants you to think it's that film. But it's actually something else. 

The film tells the story of an idealist called Abhiram (Sai Dharam Tej), an IAS aspirant (Jayaprakash Narayanan meets the average Telugu Hero), who is well-educated, politically aware, and has a scientific bent of mind. As a boy, he calls people who believe in 'gods drinking milk' idiots. He decides to have a transactional relationship with his father (Jagapathi Babu, playing a government officer, named Dasharath, for good measure), after catching him doing something shady. 

Once he grows up, he sets out to form his own Abhi-Ram Rajya fighting against injustice. (By the way, Sai Dharam Tej in Jawaan played an RSS volunteer making him one of the few Telugu actors to have covered the entire political spectrum.) But I think here's where the film confuses a hero with a good resume for a good protagonist — because on screen, Abhiram is awfully flat on screen. He's relentlessly sermonizing, like most of Dev Katta's protagonists who spout the grandest dialogues that aren't always what's "right" for the moment. Everyone talks in metaphors of "battle" and "chess", even "rape". All of Deva Katta's research is vacuum-packed in dialogue. 

There are potshots at the Thackeray family, Unnao Rape case, and other political easter eggs. There are direct references to Darwin, Nietzche, The March of Progress (the evolution of monkey to man photo), the principles and pillars of democracy, and the Vengi Kingdom. I laughed out loud at the sheer audacity of Abhiram to deliver a punch dialogue using Darwin and Nietzche. 

But nobody does grey characters like Deva Katta. Look at the police officer who is at once evil and a helpless victim of the system he's a part of. Or the collector who within a span of two minutes does something evil but then gives a lecture on the pressures he faces and is suddenly humanized. 

And Vishakavaani (Ramya Krishnan playing a Sonia Gandhi meets Jayalalitha type character) is just the most entertaining version of 'grey' on screen. It's been nearly 20 years since she played Neelambari in Narasimha and nobody comes close to making grey characters look so much fun that you just want her to always win. Like in this review, the movie takes some time to fully bring her into the forefront of things because it wants to first establish the Hero (yawn!) and then subsequently build her character as a challenging antagonist.

She's not characterised as 'evil' because she too has a past,an idealist father, disillusionment with Communism, and the Emergency — perhaps a better story that could make a better film.  If the movie was just two-and-a-half hours of Ramya Krishnan berating the world with a smug look, it would still be more fun than Abhiram's story. 

Watch her when uses her saccharine voice to infantilize Abhiram by calling him "my son" while she sets the world on fire or when she sips coconut water as people (monkeys as she likes to call them) are ready for bloodshed at her command. Abhiram's only weapons against her are his idealism and speech-making. Ramya Krishnan towers over Sai Dharam Tej. 

The point of contention between Abhiram and Vishakavani is Thelleru lake (reference to Kolleru Lake) which is being contaminated for the sake of fisheries and it's affecting the surrounding farmlands. And Machiavelli-incarnate Vishakavaani has turned farmers against fishermen. Here too there is lots of research about freshwater lakes, pollution, and bacteria. This is exposited by Aishwarya Rajesh whose character Myra has an interesting premise: She belongs to an Anglo-Indian family and her brother and niece are both white. There's amusing drama there but before we can delve into it, Myra suffers from a severe case of Telugu Heroine-itis where she's reduced to dispersing information that Abhiram can use, and later she falls into the hands of the villain. 

The film has so many such interesting dilemmas. A corrupt father and an honest son, a farmer who is at once in a pitiable state but is also deplorable, people who want justice but still adhere to the caste system — and of course, the threads of Vishaakavaani's past and her present. But Republic is severely bogged down by the protagonist whose story it chooses to tell, and therefore it remains predictable till the end. 

Remember, I told you this film wants you to think it's a political fantasy.  But, yet, there is a moment towards the end of Republic where the protagonist begins to play ' Nammaku nammaku ee reyini' (Don't trust the new dawn) from Rudraveena. There's something perennially rotten in the state of the world. So, don't trust the scent of change.

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Republic Movie Review: An engaging critique on corruption

Rating: ( 3.5 / 5).

Republic  opens with Abhiram (Sai Tej) driving through a narrow road in the rural premises of Eluru on a rainy night. We hear the Ilaiyaraaja composition, ‘ Nammaku nammaku ee reyi ni ’ from  Rudhraveena  in the background. He gets out of the vehicle to clear a branch blocking his way and notices a horde of men carrying weapons approach him. This ambiguous opening drops us in the middle of proceedings and the screenplay immediately shifts to the beginning. However, by the end of the film, when the opening scene appears in chronological order, the lines from the song, translating to ‘don’t trust the night’, radiate a haunting effect. The usage of the song serves as a red flag, but we don’t see it coming because the screenplay by Dev Katta and Kiran Jay Kumar keeps throwing surprises one seldom expects from a Telugu mainstream film.

Starring: Sai Tej, Aishwarya Rajesh, Ramya Krishnan, Jagapathi Babu

Directed by: Dev Katta

The story has a rather generic start point that reminded me of Vijay’s  Sarkar . When Abhiram learns that his vote has been rigged, the authorities turn his back on him and the mishap that ensues seals his distrust in the corrupted ‘system’. The studious Abhiram, having cleared his UPSC exam, has to make a choice about whether he wants to pursue studies in the USA or crack the IAS interview and do his part to reform the society. Do I need to say which option he uses?

This could have been an underdog story chronicling the rise of the protagonist, but Dev Katta has other ideas. A character calls Abhiram “an experiment,” and this could be said of the film as well.  Republic  is not about Abhiram; he’s just a navigating device employed by the screenplay to expose the dark depths of the corrupted system the film tries to illustrate. Now, what does the system mean, you may ask. The writing personifies the system Abhiram wages a war against: The legislative body (politicians), the executive body (government officials like himself), and the judiciary system (a court, where the climax is set in). In fact, the closest  Republic  has to an antagonist is the corrupt minister, Vishakha Vani (Ramya Krishnan), but she’s not the most formidable villain either; she is simply a representative of corruption. The bigger villain here is the system itself, a point the film fascinatingly makes again and again. 

Republic  is a smart construction on the idea of corruption and how its repercussions seep into the lives of innocents. Take, for instance, the lady in the polling booth Abhiram interacts with early in the film. She propagates something that has been widely addressed in several films before—the problem of voters accepting money during election campaigns—but here, it adds to the film’s point that common people are complicit in the contamination of the system. This scene serves as a building block to the bigger statement the film makes towards its ending. 

The writing is strong and coherent, and often goes beyond the obvious. Jagapathi Babu, who plays Abhiram’s father, is named Dasarath, and gets a fully fleshed character arc that not only adds to the film’s political angle but also brings immense emotional depth to the father-son angle. Vishaka Vani too, despite being a true-blue villain, is never stereotyped as the female villain. In fact, in a film that hardly tries to appease the fans with ‘hero’ moments, it’s worthy to note that it is Ramya Krishna’s character who gets two glorious ‘masala’ moments. Even when she draws an analogy between Charles Darwin’s Evolution theory and the voting demography, it doesn’t feel ostentatious because she is written really well. Furthermore, the screenplay restrains itself from pandering to the crowd though having many opportunities to do so. A notable character is killed in front of Abhiram, and you expect an action sequence, but we don’t get one. The film never takes the easy route.

Republic  is a cynical portrait of the system that controls us and the inspirations from Alan J Pakula’s  The Parallax View  are evident, both in ideology and cynicism. The conflict, for instance, in both films, encircles a water body and mysterious disappearances. Like Joseph Frady, the protagonist of the 1974 film, Abhiram too finds himself in the thick of a mystery. The deeper Abhiram digs, the dirtier it gets. The Telugu film, of course, is more dramatic and Abhiram, unlike Frady, is an insider. But they both remain equally helpless in front of the big guns and are stripped off their powers in more than one instance. Visually too, the shot of the judicial committee Abhiram faces in the pre-climax is similar to the image of the judge’s desk from the Pakula film. The ending of the Dev Katta directorial, too, punctuates that there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

Even beyond its politics,  Republic  is a well-crafted film. I particularly liked the sequence in which Abhiram revises his IAS fundamentals, and how juxtaposing visuals of democracy keep getting cut between it. Sai Tej essays Abhiram with all the angst, but never goes overboard. His best performance comes during the interview scene, where he beautifully conveys both helplessness and anger. The ideas  Republic  communicates may seem familiar; its politics and emotional beats are not novel either. But a mainstream film is seldom this sincere and committed to its politics, and this makes the film a terrific return to form for Dev Katta.

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Three years after the outbreak of an epidemic, three survivors have to make their way from a shelter in the thick of the woods to the city, in an attempt to save the world. Three years after the outbreak of an epidemic, three survivors have to make their way from a shelter in the thick of the woods to the city, in an attempt to save the world. Three years after the outbreak of an epidemic, three survivors have to make their way from a shelter in the thick of the woods to the city, in an attempt to save the world.

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• Runtime 1 hour 27 minutes

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