Paradha

Paradha is a Telugu drama following Subbu, a young woman from a village bound by the tradition of wearing a veil (paradha). Her world is turned upside down when two women from the city introduce her to new ideas, forcing her to question age-old customs and confront a mysterious village curse. As whispers of a possible Sati practice surface, Subbu embarks on a journey of self-discovery, challenging the very norms that have defined her life.

Director Praveen Kandregula has had a strangely repetitive year. He has put out two films featuring a trio of female leads carrying a feminist message. First, the horror-comedy Subham, released earlier this year, which would likely have slipped under the radar but for Samantha Ruth Prabhu throwing her weight and money behind it, her first film as producer under her TraLaLa banner. Now comes Paradha, which also features a female trio and tells a women-centric story of self-determination.

The two films differ in tone, style and quality of craftsmanship. Subham is a scrappy comedy ....