Sri Raja Rajeswari Review

If something sells more than sex in India, it is religion. Films with religious connotations have always been the safest bet. And when it comes to Tollywood, 'divine' themes take the makers to the level of virtually being cushy about their end product. One glaring result of such cushiness is now showing.

If grades are started being given in this genre of cinema too, Sri Rajarajeshwari plunges below sea (C) level. It is just another stereotyped, hackneyed and gory revenge drama with some reincarnation thrown in. The concept of God, or a Goddess in this case, is just a supernatural intervention for the protagonist to avenge her rape and murder. When you compare such bathos with more refined films like Annamayya, it is nothing but pure blasphemy and crassy commercialization of religion.

Rajeshwari is a tribal woman who is an ardent devotee of a snake goddess. But she and her husband are murdered by three goons who try to rape her. She takes rebirth to finish off these goons with some divine help from the Goddess. The story deals with how she carries out her plot and finally succeeds.

A desultory screenplay and some really gory special effects make this seemingly religious movie look like a C-grade horror film. Names of luminaries like K Balachander, Bhanupriya and Deva are associated with this film. It's a pity, the level they have fallen to.

Extremely loud music and a so-called parallel comedy track that is inane add to the irritability of the movie. People who had come to watch this film with their entire families were seen making a beeline for the exit after their children got terrified by the visuals.

Your sentiments, whether they are religious or artistic, will definitely be hurt by this film. The devotees can, meanwhile, wait for Sri Manjunatha to uplift their spirits.