Konda Polam review: Multiple conflicts, shoehorned romance dilute the effect of Krish’s man vs wild movie

Krish Jagarlamudi’s Konda Polam, based on a novel by Sannapureddi Venkata Ramireddy, is a largely engaging, at times predictable tale that asks a young man how far he would go to face and overcome his worst fears. Set in the picturesque Nallamalla forest, the film follows a few families of shepherds and talks about the importance of preserving forests.

Ravindranath aka Ravi (Vaisshnav Tej) is the sole well-educated young man from his shepherd community. Unfortunately, luck doesn’t favour him in his search for a job in Hyderabad and to live a better life unlike his father. He lives in constant fear that he will never accomplish anything in life. Despite taking all the necessary coaching classes for his job interviews, he faces constant rejection. Meanwhile, people from his village also badger with with questions about his joblessness. 

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His grandfather feels that he will learn life’s important lessons if he accompanies his father into the forest with their sheep and he does. A close encounter with a tiger helps him overcome his fears.

Krish sets up this tale on a grand scale. The way he has used forest as a backdrop to drive the story, makes for an interesting watch. The authentic portrayal of the lifestyle of the shepherd community is what makes this film stand out from most other ‘man from city goes back to his village’ stories. Apart from the deforestation angle, the film also talks about the interdependent relationship between humans and the forest. It tries to explain that it’s essential to maintain the balance in the relationship; otherwise, it would have severe repercussions. The romantic angle with the village belle (played by Rakul Preet Singh) seems forcefully tied in, in an otherwise satisfying film.

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The cast is also one of the reasons why the film works. Sai Chand, who plays one of the most important characters, is the anchor of the film and he delivers an earnest performance. Vaisshnav Tej continues to impress with his unique choice of films. Despite coming from Chiranjeevi’s family, he’s not following the same route as his cousins and carving his own path. MM Keeravani’s music plays a key role in elevating the mood of the film while V Gnanasekhar’s visuals breathe life into this story.

The only downside of Konda Polam is that it tries to address multiple conflicts. In the process, the impact that it intends to make is diluted.

ott:10