‘Sreekaram’ movie review: This Sharwanand film is well-intended but could have benefited from a better screenplay

Karthik (Sharwanand) is the son of a farmer, Kesavulu (Rao Ramesh), and works for an IT company. He repays his father’s debt to Sai Kumar who is a land shark in the village. He is well aware that most of the villagers have mortgaged their lands and migrated to the city where they become daily wage labourers. Karthik quits his job and moves to his village and much against his father’s wishes, begins tilling the soil. He introduces to the fellow villagers, the concept of joint farming and inspires the rest who left their homes to return.

The conflict arises when Sai Kumar, who cannot digest the dry Rayalseema land turn green and people clear their debts, creates differences among the villagers on revenue that comes from joint produce. The director makes the plot interesting by using the right emotional connect and dialogues by Sai Madhav Burra. But somewhere down the line, it reminds you of Bheeshma and Maharshi. Using technology to connect, communicate and turning dry land into a green patch is obviously interesting but not new.

We have seen heroes giving up a cushy lifestyle to work in the fields umpteen times. The only difference here is a coincidence. Just when Karthik and company are delighted to load all the produce into a truck and send them for sale, COVID-19 strikes and the produce is left to rot during lockdown.

This time last year, we read about farmers directly sending fruits and vegetables to apartments and homes. This film taps into that situation when Karthik arranges for live streaming of farming and everyone becomes aware of it.

Priyanka Arul Mohan does a Rashmika of Sarileru Neekevvaru. Her only job is to declare her love for the hero and he has no option but agree.

The folk song by Penchal Das doesn’t suit Sharwanand. The film ends with a monologue by the hero who waxes eloquent on the importance and benefits of farming and enlightens the public on why farming could be a career option.

No time is spent on developing a plot; the hero delves into the subject right from the word go. There isn’t much drama either and the film gets preachy. What saves it from becoming a documentary is the casting and right emotional dialogues.

It is a well intended and noble attempt, but the routine plot and screenplay are dampeners.