Kanjeevaram Kicks!!

Kanjeevaram Kicks: Samantha Strikes Gold in Maa Inti Bangaaram (Jio hotstar)

After Tamilwood gave us a ‘blast’, here comes Tollywood with ‘Maa Inti Bangaaram’, delivering an equally entertaining and thrilling ride.

I’ve always enjoyed films where the hero is actually the heroine, and this is one of them. Samantha carries the entire movie on her shoulders and does it effortlessly. If you loved her kicking prowess in The Family Man, get ready to watch her raise the bar. This time, she dishes out those bone-crunching karate kicks while draped in an elegant Kanjeevaram saree. Grace, grit, and ferocity all stitched into six yards of silk.

As the end credits rolled, I noticed that the director is also a woman, making it a delightful double whammy. The sensitivity in handling emotions, action, and rural realities adds another layer to the storytelling.

If Samantha is reason enough to buy a ticket, there’s another irresistible reason: Gulshan Devaiah. A true chameleon of an actor, he disappears into the character and delivers yet another memorable performance. I get a feeling that Gulshan sparkles a little brighter when he plays shades of grey. After Kantara, he continues to impress, proving once again that negative roles, in the hands of a gifted actor, can become the most fascinating characters on screen.

The plot itself may not be entirely novel. It’s the familiar story of someone trying desperately to bury his past, only for हालाथ , and fate to drag him back into becoming the very person he wanted to leave behind. But hats off to the makers for placing this story in a rural landscape filled with its own politics, conflicts, and social dynamics. The setting becomes more than just a backdrop; it becomes a character in itself.

This Bangaram may not be 24-carat gold, but it definitely has enough sparkle to make it worth watching.

Some films are gold because of their story. Some because of their performances. This one shines because its characters carry the sparkle.