Sapta Sagaralu Dhaati Movie Review

Rakshit Shetty is a familiar name among Telugu audiences. His film “Kirrik Party” was remade in Telugu as “Kirrak Party.” Meanwhile, his previous films, co-starring a dog, titled “Charlie 777” and “Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare” were dubbed into Telugu. One of the prolific production houses in Telugu, People Media Factory, is now releasing the Telugu version of his recent film as “Sapta Sagaralu Dhaati.” The question on everyone’s mind is whether Rakshit will deliver a hit in Telugu this time?

Plot:

Set in 2010, Manu (Rakshit Shetty), a car driver, and aspiring singer Priya (Rukumini Vasanth) are deeply in love. After settling in life, they want to build a house sea-side in Priya’s hometown. Manu’s owner lands in an accident case. To settle in life, Manu claims responsibility and hopes it would turn his fate and life. It indeed changes his fate, but in quite the opposite way. A single wrong choice changes the world of Manu and Priya. How does the couple deal with the consequences and will they keep their relationship alive? What are the odds that they face in this journey? The film deals with the struggle and pain of the duo.

Performances:

Rakshit Shetty delivers a natural and compelling performance as a vulnerable and helpless prisoner, portraying a wide range of emotions and the agony of missing his love. Rukmini is equally outstanding in her role, breathing life into her character. Their on-screen chemistry feels genuine, as highlighted in a scene in the court where she says, “Dialogues Vaddu” (“No need for dialogues”). The supporting cast, including Priya’s mother (Pavitra Lokesh) and Sharath Lohitashwa as a fellow prisoner, also contribute to the film’s depth with their nuanced performances. However, the lack of familiarity of the remaining cast members in the Telugu audience may affect the film’s connection.

Technical Aspects:

Director Hemanth brings forth a love story filled with pain and suffering, successfully setting a strong foundation for the narrative. Nevertheless, the film suffers from a sluggish pace and the lack of engaging scenes, particularly in the second half. While the visuals and background music are appealing, the storytelling could benefit from tighter editing and a more gripping narrative.

  Highlights:

Soul In Love Story

Emotional & Heartfelt Moments

 Drawbacks:

Slow-paced narration 

Incomplete story with abrupt climax

Lack of engaging scenes

Analysis:

The very title of the film, “Sapta Sagaralu Dhaati ” indicates that the film’s lead pair may be in a long and distant relationship. Director Hemanth picks this as the apt title to narrate the love story of Manu and Priya and what separates them. The idea of the story is intriguing. On paper, it sounds great. Even the treatment of the story is very intense and apt to tell the story. There is emotional depth in the love of Manu and Priya. Kudos to the writers, the love story is honestly written and well-presented.

It is not an usual love story laced with duet songs in picturesque locales, romantic scenes or fun elements. Manu and Priya’s story is entirely different.  Their world is totally unique. The situations become worse in their case leading to the tangled problems. However, the major drawback is the story has not evolved beyond this. After the interval, the story appears to be stuck. 

The jail episodes in the latter-half are a bit forced and drag at several portions. Unwanted action scenes and an attempt to escape from the prison have failed to work. Their intentions were right, but faltered in the execution. The film also has the ‘dubbing flavour’ which puts off in terms of nativity. Though the performances of the cast are good, they are not quite familiar in Telugu.

In summary, “Sapta Sagaralu Dhaati ” is a film that may resonate with those seeking a poignant and emotional journey. It brings heavy feelings for the viewers. However, the narration and the pace of the proceedings test patience to the core. The lack of fresh and engaging scenes is a huge shortcoming. The film needed more intense scenes to drive the story forward. Whereas it bores due to stretched portions. The drama that is intended to work in the second-half goes for a toss. Abrupt ending gives us a sense of incomplete story. This is quite disappointing. It is a ‘Side A’, one has to wait for the ‘Side B’ to know the complete story. On the whole, the film is not everyone’s cup of tea. It has moments here and there.

Bottom-line: Slow But Has Depth

Rating: 2.5/5