Imperfectly bold and beautiful

Praveen Kandregula's latest directorial is a courageous venture, aesthetically charming, even if a little verbose at times

- BH HARSH

It takes a lot of courage to cast the lead actor of Tillu Square and have her face covered for nearly half of your film's runtime. To gauge the protagonist Subbu's emotions as she embarks on a high-stakes journey, you have to really pay attention to her body language and read between the lines to be emotionally invested in her journey.

Even when Subbu (a brilliant Anupama Parmeswaran) finally lets go of the veil, there is no attempt to glamorize her. But then, Praveen Kandregula's Paradha is a risky film from the word go — it's risky on paper, and in execution, and the film is sincere and impactful in its attempt to break new ground. At least for most parts.

The intent is clear here. Using a backdrop of a fictional village following a fictional (yet relatable) set of rituals, Paradha wants to explore the ideas of patriarchal conditioning, societal rules, free will, the lines where these intersect, and whether they should intersect at all. When a young girl insists she wants to play outside (even within the local rules, it's permissible), she is reprimanded and denied her right, only to be smilingly told to choose a mehendi design instead. Despite following all the rules, Subbu still finds herself labeled as 'Ilanti Ammayi' (this kind of girl) by her village heads.

The opening scene of Paradha is a wonder — with an elaborate playout at a village mela, the writers introduce us to the key figures and their interpersonal dynamics. There is great world-building in this sequence alone than in most big-scale spectacles in their entire runtime. The early stretches struggle a bit with pacing, especially with its ambitious world-building goals and setting up the conflict of Subbu, who leaves in search of that one man who changed her life for the worse.