Virata Parvam is a period romantic film written and directed by Venu Udugula and produced by Sudhakar Cherukuri under the banner Suresh Productions. It stars Rana Daggubati and Sai Pallavi in the lead roles while Priyamani, Nandita Das, Easwari Rao and others play supporting roles. The music is composed by Suresh Bobbili, and the cinematography is handled by Dani Salo and Diwakar Mani.
The film is set in the backdrop of the Naxalite movement in Telangana in the early 90's and is primarily the story of a girl, Vennela (Sai Pallavi) who falls in love with the leader of the Naxalite movement, Ravanna (Rana Daggubati). The film deals with this romance while also touching upon other aspects such as explaining what the Naxal Movement did for the people, its clash with the Police department and more.
It is often said that love is a revolution by itself and has a lot of politics involved in it. Class, caste, gender and many other factors play its part in deciding whether a love is successful or not, and Venu Udugula understands this well. This is not a romantic story where everything goes well once Ravanna and Vennela get together.
When Vennela confesses her love towards Ravanna, he is not afraid to say yes to her. He's in a dilemma - whether to prioritise her over the larger cause he is fighting for. He considers love to be a thing for the upper class but Vennela retorts saying even communists like Karl Marx, Lenin and Mao have had love lives. Again, saying yes to get would mean she also becomes a target for the state. It is these plot conflicts that keep the film engaging till the end.
The film also makes us wonder if Sai Pallavi can choose a script where her character is not defined properly. Virata Parvam is one more film where she gets to show the audience what an amazing performer she is. At times, her performance overshadows everyone else in the scene, and she carries the entire film on her shoulders. The other actors play second fiddle to support her well.
While the screenplay and editing could have been marginally better, the conviction and uncompromised attitude of the director is seen in every single frame. The film speaks its politics unapologetically and that's something that must be appreciated. The camera work and music stand out, and lifts many scenes several notches higher.
Overall, Virata Parvam is an unusual love story that might not entertain you but will engage you well. If you're someone interested in politics, this is a must watch. If you're not into politics, even then it's a must watch just for Sai Pallavi, who gives her blood and sweat, quite literally.