Telugu film ‘Veeranjaneyulu Viharayatra’ to stream on ETV Win | Photo credit: Special arrangement

In a scene in Veeranjaneyulu ViharayatraAnurag Palutla’s Telugu film, siblings smile and stop fighting over mango ice cream, at least briefly. Anurag peppers the film with such little moments that prevent the narrative from becoming a complete slog. He presents a bittersweet portrait of a family to show how people can stick together despite misgivings. After all, family bonds are rarely sugary sweet in reality. The film, which streams on ETV Win, may be far from enjoyable when it comes to making us root for its characters, but it has its moments. The dysfunctional family comes alive through the performances of Naresh, Sri Lakshmi, Rag Mayur and Priya Vadlamani. And then there is the endearing presence of Brahmanandam, who mentally tries to make up for the script’s shortcomings.

Veeranjaneyulu (Brahmanandam) has been dead for almost a year and his family is yet to bury his ashes. From Brahmanandam’s voice, we learn how he worked all his life for the welfare of his family and left behind a home called Happy Home in his favourite destination – Goa. Each surviving member of his family has a story full of challenges. The first half hour or so is spent introducing these characters.

The father (Naresh), a teacher, is summarily dismissed from his job due to his lack of English skills. The mother (Priyadarshini) is portrayed as a tireless educator who endures the daily taunts of her mother-in-law (Sri Lakshmi). The daughter Sarayu (Priya Vadlamani) is almost engaged to the love of her life (Ravi Teja Mahadasyam), but feels constrained by the patriarchal view of her future mother-in-law. The son Veeru (Rag Mayur), who takes his grandfather’s name, has to cope with a business setback. He is also stuck in a loveless relationship from which he is reluctant to leave.

The family embarks on a road trip that is more than just a slice of life story. The film has a slim plot and the drama is largely carried by these characters. As a 1980s van puffs its way through Andhra Pradesh to Goa, composer RH Vikram’s score permeates the meaningful pauses and tense moments without overtly calling attention to itself. Cinematographer C Ankur alternates between close-ups inside the van and wide views of the landscape the vehicle travels through to capture the tensions within the family and how they have to stick together as they have no one else to turn to for help.

When the first big fight occurs and the hidden secrets of each family member come to light, the narrative builds a palpable tension and makes us wonder what the characters would do next. But when this narrative device of revealing secrets through lots of drama is used again in later parts, it doesn’t have the desired effect.

The narrative devotes a lot of time to each character and gives them space for self-reflection and to deal with their problems. However, the film seems over the top. The forced humor in a hospital scene is more annoying than it provides comic relief in the midst of the heavy drama. In these sections, the actors carry the action.

Naresh leads from the front, evoking sympathy for his plight as a father who has silently borne the brunt of the burden for decades. The experienced Sri Lakshmi as the grandmother is a delight to watch and has a few “massive” moments. Rag Mayur’s portrayal of the brooding, short-tempered son is worth watching. His bickering with his onscreen sibling Priya Vadlamani is spot on. Priya fits perfectly in the role of a woman who does not want to follow her mother’s submissive example and wants to have her own identity.

Since conversations often turn into arguments, the question arises as to why this family couldn’t have resolved things by sitting down and talking it out. If only it were that easy. Anurag wants his viewers to understand that conversations are not easy in some families and that a road trip is a way to release pent-up emotions.

Veeranjaneyulu Viharayatra tries to be more than a simple family drama, similar to Kapoor and Sonsbut misses this goal by far. It is still worth watching and has endearing moments.