Varna Movie Review

Behind the Movie Varna: Lady Super Star Anushka combined with ace banner of PVP Cinema with most creative Selva Ragahavan as director; there are quite high anticipations on ‘Varna’ releasing both in Telugu and Tamil. Made on a budget of nearly 60+ Crores, let us see how grand and how impressive is this?

In the Movie Varna: Story begins with a voice-over explaining the power of Love and the necessity of a Warrior King and love of a Princess towards the Warrior to keep the nature of Universe in balance. Introduced in altogether in a new second World, there is powerful girl Varna (Anushka) living happy life with full of freedom. There is also innocent Mahendra (Arya), waiting to join their King’s Military wing as brave Warrior. Mahendra falls instantly in love with Varna and expresses the same just to face her reluctance. 

In parallel, coming to our world there is one more girl Dr. Ramya (Anushka) falls flat for a socially responsible humanitarian Madhu Balakrishna (Arya). When Ramya proposes for marriage, Madhu fails to understand her seriousness just to keep the offer at bay. Once Madhu develops a special bond of love with Ramya during Goa Medical field trip, Ramya dies in a small incident. In the second world, Mahendra forcibly manages to marry Varna but she too attempts for a suicide.

Unable to forget Ramya, Madhu goes on searching for her although he knew that she is dead. The Goddess of Nature shifts Madhu into second world to germinate the seed and flowers of Love between Mahendra and Varna. In the process, Madhu loses his life to save the Nature Goddess from enemies. But, Madhu again floats in a new Third World where one more unmarried girl (Anushka) rescues him. Most probably, this is the subject for ‘Varna 2.’

Values of the Movie Varna: Not to abject on creative functionality in Selva Raghavan films, this subject transits between two worlds explaining the value of true love, which never dies. However, Selva errs in checking the reality and also failed in adding the needed authenticity or a factor of mind conviction to the concept. Banked upon high quality visual dynamics, the master story teller could not surprise the audience with narration. A thin story line is made complex and lethargic with inconsistent characterizations. The way four key characters are introduced, one would lay back in seats for a definite feast of Selva style. Unluckily, the narrational pace runs on miserable lines to live audience almost in hell (the dead world). 

Ramji’s cinematography is top notch carried through picturesque locations of Georgia and other geographies. Added with magnificent color combinations, visually it’s breathtaking. Kola Bhaskar’s editing skills were undefined with patrons left on question mark faces. This kind of feel oriented flicks demands razor sharp editing which missed here. Harris Jayaraj composed slow melodies which sounded peasant while Anirudh’s background score was also pleasing enough. Dialogues by Sri Ramakrishna haven’t conveyed the original essence with no lip-sync maintained among artists. It’s again the production values and allocated 60 Crores budget of PVP Cinema needs a standing ovation. 

Performance wise, Anushka and Arya have stolen the show. Of course, major share of movie runs on play between the above said four characters. Arya’s work is commendable because the contrast levels needed between the two worlds is well shown in his body language. Anushka is as usually a knock-out beauty and we cannot drop our eyes. She just lives into the role of Dr Ramya and the early romantic track laid with Arya was also well dealt. However, as we go into later parts the same became boring and extended. There is nothing more to mention specially about other artists.

Out of the Movie Varna: The centerfold of ‘Varna’ is to explain on the importance of True Love binding the species in different Worlds. Poets and authors might have got their own ways of describing Love. This is Selva’s Visual Format of representing Love. Instead of exemplifying this point alone, he took the unpalatable dose of Two/Three Worlds which was successful just in admiring his Creative Imagination and not the execution of exact plot. Once Arya from Earth enters into Second World in second half, uninteresting and stereotyped episodes ceased the real output. There is at least something to feel a respite in first half with Ramya-Madhu romantic blocks. 

As per general audience and commercial BO standards, ‘Varna’ has no value. This remains as a Deluxe Plush product with Flushed Out budget and impoverished Content from a Passionate director. Lack of strength in explaining the key story matter and flat-out usage of cinematic liberties made ‘Varna’ watching a tedious exercise. Definite accolades for Selva in selecting a new backdrop for painting an old portrait of Love. It’s the missing of Entertainment like ‘7/G Brindavan Colony’ or the strong execution like ‘Yuganiki Okkadu’ made ‘Varna’ a banal movie.

Cinejosh Verdict of the Movie Varna: Above the Two Colorful Worlds, You Are Invited to a ‘Hell.’

                                                 Cinejosh Rating: 1.5

                                                                                         Reviewed by Srivaas