While we were stewing in our usual punch dialogues, item numbers and herogiri, Rajnesh Domalpalli, made a movie that was appreciated tremendously by all major leagues of the world. Vanaja, made by a Telugu filmmaker who studied film in the US, sought out to make a movie in 2004 that would highlight both the indigenous artistry of his native land, as well as the social evil of caste system in rural Andhra Pradesh. And he captured the raw emotions so powerfully that the world stopped to look.
1. The movie revolved around a passionate 15 yr-old who seeks to learn the Telugu classical dance, Kuchipudi from a landlady, despite being of a lower caste. And how her life takes a irrevocable turn after the landlady’s son impregnates her.
2. It being an art house movie(obviously the script that he wrote when he was pursuing his MS) he could not find financing for the film. Neither in the US nor back home.
3. He decided to use select non-professionals and train them in a year. Which he did, and how! His cast was made of regular people of rural Andhra Pradesh. Check out their cast and their backgrounds here.
4. His mother, Latha Domlapalli ended up funding the movie which was shot in Bobbili. The village set a very rustic and real landscape for the earthen concept of the movie. Although the 111 minute movie took 2 years to complete, clearly it was worth the while.
5. Vanaja’s lead actresss, Mamatha Bhukya had no experience; neither as an actress nor as a dancer that she portrays.
6. That doesn't seem like a big deal until you fin out that she bagged the Best Actress award in 5 of the international film festivals that Vanaja was screened.
7. Oh, and that is just a fraction of awards that Vanaja has in its kitty. It flaunts 32 awards from Film Festivals around the world. Amongst it is the prestigious Berlin Film Festival which is basically one of the big daddies of Film Festivals.
8. The movie tries to bring to light the predominant caste system in rural Andhra Pradesh while giving a native art form like burrakatha a spotlight and a patronage that its losing with time.
Sure we love our commercial movie, that entertains us and gives us a purpose to be fanatics. But, it would be a misconception if the world thought that we do not have an eye for art. And Vanaja is indeed a proof of that fact.
2. It being an art house movie(obviously the script that he wrote when he was pursuing his MS) he could not find financing for the film. Neither in the US nor back home.
3. He decided to use select non-professionals and train them in a year. Which he did, and how! His cast was made of regular people of rural Andhra Pradesh. Check out their cast and their backgrounds here.
4. His mother, Latha Domlapalli ended up funding the movie which was shot in Bobbili. The village set a very rustic and real landscape for the earthen concept of the movie. Although the 111 minute movie took 2 years to complete, clearly it was worth the while.
5. Vanaja’s lead actresss, Mamatha Bhukya had no experience; neither as an actress nor as a dancer that she portrays.
6. That doesn't seem like a big deal until you fin out that she bagged the Best Actress award in 5 of the international film festivals that Vanaja was screened.
7. Oh, and that is just a fraction of awards that Vanaja has in its kitty. It flaunts 32 awards from Film Festivals around the world. Amongst it is the prestigious Berlin Film Festival which is basically one of the big daddies of Film Festivals.
8. The movie tries to bring to light the predominant caste system in rural Andhra Pradesh while giving a native art form like burrakatha a spotlight and a patronage that its losing with time.
Sure we love our commercial movie, that entertains us and gives us a purpose to be fanatics. But, it would be a misconception if the world thought that we do not have an eye for art. And Vanaja is indeed a proof of that fact.
