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Balagam Movie Review: An Authentic Tear-Jerker with a Very South Indian Soul.
One of the few well-made movies this season
Death is an uncomfortable topic.
To tell the story of a death with humor, and yet to bring you to tears multiple times through the plot is genius. Balagam, by director Venu Yaldandi, was genius.
The plot without spoilers
The plot plays in a small village in Telangana. It follows the death of a grandfather and the subsequent drama that unfolds in the family. By the second half of the movie, the drama grows to engulf the whole village and the audience.
Balagam touches on the themes of death, love, family, and superstition. The movie is so convincing in its portrayal of superstition, that I hardly had the heart to question why people believe what they believe. I just understood and let it be, the way we do in our Indian families.
Hyper-realism and Telugu Culture
It was delightful to have Telugu culture portrayed well and without shame for once.
