The 'Lenin' movie review: An epic love story? Not quite
The Telugu film 'Lenin', written and directed by Murali Kishor Abburu, opens with a bold assertion: no war is more violent than love, a nod to ancient Greek and Indian mythology. This epic love story, set against the backdrop of Bharatham Mitta, a cultural festival celebrating Draupadi in a fictional village in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district, aims to tell a tale of friendship, love, deceit, and revenge, layered with references to the Mahabharata and Ramayana.
While the film's rustic world is rendered with attention to detail, and the screenplay attempts to spring surprises at several turns, it falters at its core. The love story never quite makes the audience root wholeheartedly for its characters, despite the immense potential to build on love and pathos.
The titular character's name, Lenin, is explained as a common village practice of naming people after well-known personalities, but it also raises questions about the film's political undertones. The young Lenin, portrayed as an outsider, enters the village during the festivities, driven by the promise of a good meal, and does something unexpected that ushers in good tidings. The villagers consider it an auspicious sign, and Lenin is soon adored.
The narrative draws liberally from the Mahabharata, foreshadowing how the lead character may have to wage war against those he once considered his own. When Lenin sets out to settle scores, he is accompanied by his loyal canine, Kannaiyah. The events that gradually unravel his past, however, follow the familiar template of a mass-action drama.
It takes a while to shake off Akhil's suave, urban image and grow accustomed to seeing him sport a duskier look and speak in the Chittoor dialect. The romance between Lenin and Bharathi blooms amid ominous portents. An episode involving a game of cards and a Shakuni-like character signals the dangers that lie ahead for the couple.
The origins of the love story could have been explored with greater depth instead of following a conventional meet-cute template. The film offers an overdose of song and dance rather than establishing a strong bond between the lead characters. Bharathi, however, is presented as a woman capable of taking control, even if only briefly, refusing to remain a spectator during the game of cards and unafraid to speak her mind.
The other woman who plays a pivotal role in the drama is portrayed by Easwari Rao, a layered character who makes her presence count despite limited screen time. In its first hour, Lenin examines the vengefulness born of wounded pride and the many ways it can wreck relationships. The initial portions require patience as the film establishes its milieu and works through familiar tropes.
The latter half builds intrigue as the narrative begins to reveal its secrets, but the numerous twists and the excess of mythological references make the proceedings tedious. Some revelations land effectively, while others are easy to anticipate. When a devious woman suddenly retreats into silence, it becomes evident that something larger is at play.
Akhil, who inhabited urban characters with remarkable ease in his earlier films, makes an earnest attempt to embrace a rustic avatar and is convincing in both the romantic and action sequences. Leon Britto's cinematography and S Thaman's music do their part to elevate the drama, but the blood-soaked saga grows tiresome in its reliance on the epics to do the heavy lifting.
An early dialogue stresses that the protagonist is not 'a closed chapter', as others perceive him to be, and can also be read as a reference to Akhil's career, which suffered a setback after his previous film, 'Agent', tanked at the box office. In 'Lenin', Akhil does display marked growth as an actor, but a fresher script might have brought something new to the table.
In conclusion, while 'Lenin' has its merits, such as the attention to detail in setting and the layered characters, it ultimately falls short in its core love story and reliance on familiar tropes. The film could have benefited from a more original script and a deeper exploration of the characters' motivations and relationships.
