On a busy and boring weekday, my mom and I had planned to watch a movie together. We had a lot of options lined up- Saiyyara, Kingdom, Hari Hara Veera Mallu, but then we ended up booking tickets for the film Mahavatar Narasimha. We heard about this film through positive word of mouth and decided to watch it.
At the start of the film, I had a few apprehensions. Since this is originally a Kannada film and was dubbed in Telugu, I was concerned the dubbing and the lip-sync of the animation wouldn't do justice to the original. However, those doubts were put to rest in the opening minutes thanks to the flawless execution.
The first thing that blew my mind was the fact that an animated movie could impact me so much- the film made me cry at a few portions, gave me goosebumps in the fight sequences and for a few of these sequences, my hands automatically folded into prayer as a form of reverence. I was deeply moved by the way Prahlad's pure and unmatched devotion towards Lord Vishnu was captured by the makers and my heart rooted for him. Anything Prahlad felt, I could feel it too. Certain portions of the film involving conversations between Prahlad and Lord Vishnu deeply hit- it felt as though Lord Vishnu (Narasimha) was addressing me. The depictions of all the characters in the film were spot on and the placement of songs at the right places complemented the storyline well.
It is really difficult to convince the audience in an animated film- especially if it is a devotional film. There are a lot of possibilities of things going wrong- cultural misrepresentation, improper characterisation, artifical set-pieces, etc. For a film that is the first in a most-anticipated cinematic universe, hitting the right chord without overdoing anything is extremely important. This film lays the foundation for the future lineup of this universe- which spans the next 12 years- so getting it right is crucial for everyone involved.
This film translating into the big screen effectively and capturing the audience's attention would mean that we as an audience would get to see more beautiful portrayals of Lord Vishnu's avatars in the years to come. Just like Marvel Cinematic Universe, we would get our own Mahavatar Cinematic Universe, boldly Indian, rooted in our culture and presented in a way that appeals the young audience.
The good news is that the film clicked- people who've watched it are raving about it- the film has got the highest ratings in BookMyShow. The dream to have a universe that is truly ours is finally going to manifest in the best form possible and I am absolutely elated and excited.
One major thing that elevated my viewer experience was the audience. For all the high moments of the film, the audience cheered, prayed, cried and in the end, they even gave a 2 min applause too. All of this didn't make me feel like I was watching a film in a multiplex, it felt like I was watching a film in a single screen.
This single screen movie experience felt like a multiscreen experience only while having our food- the food was costlier than our ticket price.
All in all, this film is beautifully taken. It is a handwoven artistic animation masterpiece. In case you've missed watching it and are waiting for the film to be released on OTT, I would say- don't wait till the OTT release. This movie needs to be experienced in 3D on the big screen in order to feel its true impact- watching it at home won't do justice to the grandeur and finesse of this film. So don't wait, grab your tickets and watch this film at your nearest theatres because once you are done watching it, you will be proud about this film and won't regret investing your time on it.
- Anusha Sridhar
