A contemporary drama dedicated to Rama – Beyond Bollywood

Writer-director Karthik Gattamneni’s Telugu feature follows a Hanu-Man (2024)-like template but delivers adequate thrills and its own sense of devotion. Teja Sajja excels once again in the fantasy action-adventure space.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ( 3 / 5)

By Mayur Lookhar

On Wednesday evening, we stumbled upon a YouTube video that questioned why so many divine avatars are rooted in India. The reason offered was that this land has long been a reservoir of powerful energies. These energies, largely stem from centuries of devotion to countless deities, making Bharat the natural home for many of God’s avatars. Polytheism has certainly played its part, yet even monotheistic faiths have acknowledged India’s ancient mythology. As India rises on the global stage, its rich history, culture, and the growing curiosity around deities such as Durga, Shiva, Krishna, Rama, and Vishnu continue to capture attention worldwide.

This article is not a commentary on different faiths, but simply a review of another contemporary Indian film that draws on mythology to craft a fantasy-action-adventure drama. Mirai, is a Japanese word meaning future. While the conflict in this Telugu feature threatens the future of the land and the world at large, writer-director Karthik Gattamneni employs the idea of Mirai in a different context.

Though not a sequel, the film adopts a similar mode to Hanu Man (2024), weaving a fictional, contemporary conflict with subtle roots in ancient mythology. It’s a safer proposition than retelling mythological tales in their traditional form.

Story

In 232 BC, Emperor Ashoka renounces war and entrusts nine powerful granths (scriptures) to chosen custodians, warning them that these texts must never fall into the wrong hands. Fast forward to the year 2000: Ambica (Shriya Saran), a revered lady, alerts the immortal sage Agastya Muni (Jayaram) that a dark force has already seized some of the granths. She cautions him that if the rest are lost, it could mean destruction for the world.

The only hope for mankind lies in her womb. But until young Veda comes of age, both he and the remaining granths must be kept hidden. Forced to let go of her son, Ambica disappears, leaving the boy’s fate unknown.

Twenty-five years later, Vibha (Ritika Nayak), a mind-reader, is instructed by her guru (Raj Zutshi) to locate Veda (Teja Sajja) within weeks, before evil tightens its grip. Standing in their way is Mahabhir Lama (Manoj Manchu), a formidable master of dark arts.

What unfolds is a familiar yet gripping saga – the eternal battle between good and evil.

Screenplay & Direction

An experienced cinematographer, Karthik Gattamneni began his filmmaking journey with a short film titled Infinity, featuring Harshvardhan Rane. His directorial debut came with Surya vs Surya (2015). Having also served as the lensman for the Karthikeya franchise, Gattamneni brings a sharp understanding of the fantasy-action-adventure space.

Having not seen Mirai in its original language, our viewing is shaped entirely by its dubbed Hindi version. While dubbing South Indian content into Hindi still comes with its challenges, we’ve certainly come a long way from the darker days of being ‘lost in translation.’ The Hindi writing captures the mythological exchanges well, but the early conversations in Veda’s world, and during Lama’s initial conquests, feel pedestrian at times.

Catering to Gen Z is one thing, but giving an iconic figure like Agastya Muni a Gen Z tone in certain dialogues simply doesn’t land. In the present day, Veda is introduced as a thief in Hyderabad, skilled in making first copies. Mirai’s plot is of premium value, yet at times the dubbing makes it feel like just another first copy.

We find the whole Gen Z angle somewhat conflicting, because in the same film, Gattamneni also introduces a little child rooted in tradition who guides Veda on his path forward. She goes by the name Ambica. It serves as a reminder that while Gen Z may not be aware of every detail, they are certainly conscious of Bharat’s rich cultural legacy.

The first half has its moments but feels largely underwhelming. This carries into the early portions of the second half as well, particularly in Lama’s backstory, which at times comes uncomfortably close to justifying the dark arts. While tantra vidya (occult practices) is undeniably part of India’s rich history, and a trope often exploited in the horror films of yore, Gattamneni dwells on this subplot longer than necessary.

The film truly gains momentum once Veda realises his potential and destiny. In the last 30–40 minutes, the action, sound design, and special effects, particularly the climactic mythological references, are a sight to behold. A more engaging latter half allows Mirai to overshadow its laboured early screenplay and ultimately deliver on its promise of a riveting fantasy-action-adventure drama.

Acting

With Hanu-Man (2024), Teja Sajja proved that action isn’t about six-pack abs, but about intensity. A David-versus-Goliath battle is far more compelling and empowering for the common man than watching two behemoths clash. Sajja may not be the archetypal handsome super-yodha, but he is impressively athletic in his action sequences. More importantly, the context of these battles, imbued with divine spirit, is what captivates the faithful audience. Though physically ordinary, Sajja conveys that divine essence through his eyes during the epic confrontations with evil. The young actor delivers yet another spirited performance.

Manoj Manchu possesses a beastly presence, particularly with those intimidating eyes. In the past, he might have been mistaken for a supervillain’s big, burly henchman. Lama-like characters demand physical intimidation and strength, yet Manchu’s portrayal of Lama feels somewhat underwhelming, and the early writing doesn’t help. The Lama backstory, especially his childhood, is riddled with injustice. Kaarthikeyaa Dev, however, impresses as the teen Lama.

Shriya Saran lights up even the dullest screenplays, and over the years, she has delivered consistently impressive performances. Ambica, as the name suggests, is a powerful character, yet Saran remains composed even in intense action sequences. Once, our deities existed only in carvings, until Raja Ravi Varma brought them to life on canvas; if gods were to appear in flesh, Saran has that divine presence. Though her screen time is limited, she delivers a competent and memorable performance.

Also making a fair impression is the young Delhi lass Ritika Nayak, innocence personified. Though one does notice the lack of extreme pain on her face when Yuca (Tanja Keller) pulls out her nails. After a promising start, Vibha predictably ends up as a spectator to the Veda vs. Lama battle.

Earlier, we spoke of henchmen, and those accompanying Lama are a bit of an eyesore. German import Tanja Keller, a martial arts expert, clearly feels out of place in this Telugu fantasy-action-adventure. Adding to her woes is the jarring tone of the dubbing artist. Jagapathi Babu, a renowned local actor, plays Angamabali, the head tantric at Kamakhya. While he can speak Hindi, it would have been better had he stuck to the original version for his voice.

Music and Technical aspects

We don’t recall hearing a single song in this nearly 170-minute screenplay, but the background score is absolutely riveting. In Hanu-Man, Gowra Hari experimented with different sounds of the Hanuman Chalisa; in Mirai, he does something similar with Rudhira Dhaara.

Surprisingly, Tanja Keller looks a bit stiff in the action sequences, but the rest of the choreography is well-crafted, with the climactic Veda vs. Lama battle giving genuine goosebumps.

Final word

Though primarily a film that celebrates India’s rich heritage, particularly Sanatan Dharma, South cinema is often inclusive in its outlook. From Varanasi to Kolkata, and now Hyderabad, Veda seamlessly interacts with the local Muslim population. Among the custodians of the granths is also a character from Morocco, an Islamic nation.

Following a template similar to Hanu-Man, Mirai delivers ample thrills and intrigue to entertain viewers. It leaves you with the sense that one battle has been won, but a larger war, with an even greater enemy, awaits. Watch out for Mirai, the future.

Watch the video review below.