A glimpse into the world of a true Cinema  - Mahanati 

 

176.36. Wondering what is this number? 

It was the first thing that caught my attention as soon as I sat in the theatre. A day before the film released, I was excited and curious to see how a 1 film old director could tell the story of the greatest actress of the South Indian Film Industry. In the theatre, when I saw the runtime of the film I was startled. It was close to 3 hours! 176.36 minutes (runtime)! 

 

I prepared myself not to expect anything or jump to conclusions as not much was shown and spoken about the film; apart from a 1-minute Teaser, which was intriguing for sure! 

Though I loved the teaser, I was doubtful about how this film could hook on to so many generations. 

 

The story was about the “Mahanati” Savitri, who was an actress from the ’50s to ’70s in South Indian cinema. My parents grew up watching her. So, I went to the theatre with my full family and yes the film began! 

 

What came next was a visual and an emotional delight and I just lived in the world of the wonder woman “Savitriamma”. Every craft of the film had a tattoo of “Classic” engraved on it. To just crosscheck if my emotion was normal, I looked at my mom. She was lost in the same world, twice more than me, I could see it in her eyes. Then came the “Intermission”. I did not go out for POPCORN, rather I opened my phone and just saw a few pictures of Savitri from Mayabazaar, which is by far my most favorite film I have ever seen that was made in 1957 and had Savitri as a HERO in it, yes the HERO! 

 

The film Mayabazaar was injected into me like a Polio vaccine when I was 6 years young by my dad. I still rejoice in every scene of that film. When Mahanati gave an epitome tribute to that Magnum Opus, the kid in me jumped with nostalgia, and the adult in me froze and had goosebumps in every frame. Post interval, it was the rise and fall of the protagonist which uplifted the audience in both ways. By end of the film, I was completely in awe of the art of cinema. The film shows how an innocent girl from a small town, made her name the talk of the town through her magnificent larger-than-life performances in reel life and like any other normal girl harboring a loving heart in real life.

As an aspiring and budding filmmaker, I was moved by the roller coaster of emotions and was amused by the film's technical brilliance. Cinematography is beyond mastery, which convinces and takes us into time travel from the ’60s to ’80s effortlessly.  The music was classically epic, and the dialogues were haunting and astounding.  Every craft had more than the heart and mind put into it, to result in this masterpiece; which convinced every generation who came to theatres to experience the life of Savitri amma.  

 

Despite all the arguments of facts versus fiction, cinema versus reality… It comes down to 2 things, emotion, and entertainment. The emotion in the film elevated entertainment to the epitome of excellence. It was a strong women-oriented film without having feminists or abusing the men roles in it. All shined equally along with the main Golden star.  

 

Apart from living her journey on a silver screen. The film taught me what is cinema, how a classic must be made, and how one can convincingly reprise the classic movies again by doing complete justice to the originals. 

 

The role of Savitri is a synonym for cinema to me. When the film ended, I was in a different zone altogether. My hands were cold and tears rolled down my eyes. I just sat there, embraced the moment, and just lived it. The emotion was unexplainable and I needed a few moments to sink in the effect this movie had on me.  

 

This is my go-to film, where I purposely revisit and cry and celebrate the life of Savitri. Though the climax of her life was a tragedy, the climax of the film uplifts it and makes the audience fall in love with the world of cinema.  I cry and laugh whenever I watch the film, which happened that day and even now. 

 

Towards the end of the movie, when Samantha (the storyteller) delivers her monologue, I witnessed my epiphanic moment which made me look at the craft of cinema from a different perspective altogether. in every line whenever she uttered ‘Savitri amma’, I could only hear the word ‘cinema’ and every dialogue of that monologue got etched in my heart as below. 

 

“I went into the theatre along with my family just to watch a movie on ‘Mahanati Savitri’ garu, and instead I came out of the theatre simply spellbound with the craft of cinema and the impact a well-made movie can have on the audience. 

 

Life is short and is full of twists and turns, but I need to tell a story; a story that will be remembered… forever.  

 

How do I want to be remembered? By the kind of cinema I make. Cinema that will have emotion and entertainment, something that generations can watch together over and over again, a film like Mahanati.” 

 

This film is a tribute to the craft of cinema itself and an encyclopedia to every filmmaker on how a film should be. I am glad to have witnessed this epic; which will stay in my movie-making journey, forever. 

 

 

Mahanati is not just a movie 

It is not just a story

But it is an exquisite dream of a filmmaker & a film lover

I’ll surrender to a dead sleep after every time I watch

Let the dream & the charm go on…..

Let the magic it holds lead to more such masterpieces