Review of Vanaja (2006) by Shirley R G — 18 Sep 2009

"Vanaja" is a Telugu movie (with English subtitles) which won a couple of film awards, most notably the Best First Feature award at the Berlin International Film Festival. The movie explores the life of a low-caste, impoverished young girl, 15-year-old Vanaja [Mamatha Bhukya] who lives with her fisherman father in a little village in Andhra Pradesh, India. The girl is bright, and eager to learn, but financial need necessitates her taking a job in the household of Rama Devi, a rich local landlady. Rama Devi is well-versed in the Indian dance form Kuchipudi, and when Vanaja shows an interest, the landlady agrees to instruct her. Things seem to go really well for Vanaja, as she matures into a competent dancer, until the landlady's son returns from the States.

The story up to this point was a joy to watch, as the viewer gets to see an awkward young girl, who is also very poor, come into her own. The dance sequences have a certain air of innocence to them as Vanaja learns the movements and begins to compete. But the story, predictably [this being a social commentary film] takes a dark turn. Vanaja's sexual awakening is explored in brief, something that leads to an unwanted pregnancy, resulting in questions - will Vanaja abort or keep the baby? How will this impact her dancing? Does she have a future? Can she overcome the constraints imposed by the harsh, unforgiving caste system?

Mamatha Bhukya may appear too young to play a 15-year-old [she seems more like 12 or 13], but she plays her role to perfection. Her performance mesmerizes from the first scene till the last. There is an air of innocence and naivete about her, but also a shrewdness and street smartness that makes her wise up to the ways of the world very quickly. And when she's vulnerable, exposed, and hurting, she breaks one's heart.

Recommended for all those who are keen on social commentary films, dealing with the themes of exploitation, caste, female empowerment etc. Another movie I watched years ago which also dealt with the caste system in India and had a powerful impact on me was Vedham Puthithu in Tamil.