Irumudi

At the first sign of abuse, a character in the Telugu film Irumudi asks his daughter not to blow it up into a big issue. She wants to raise a complaint, but he states that fear is the best safety armour for a girl child. Another character empowers his daughter to be transparent and share all the happenings at school and the village without fear. These contrasting approaches of two fathers become the film’s biggest takeaway. The other significant takeaway is how Irumudi marks the return of Shiva Nirvana and Ravi Teja to form after a few middling films.

Trinath, a doting father to his daughter Manikanta, is a protector-figure in his family and for all the women in Pollur, his village in Andhra Pradesh. Despite his good intentions, he has a weakness for alcohol, except for the 41-day-long Ayyappa deeksha every year. As Manikanta uncovers a dark link between a series of mysterious deaths and a government school, all hell breaks loose. All that Ravi Teja needed for a long time was a director who could draw out his strengths as a performer, rather than merely relying on his past glory for quick returns. Backed by a script with its heart in the right place, the veteran’s emotional portrayal of a protective family man is ably complemented by child artiste Nakshatra, who shines as a girl with an indefatigable spirit.