Andala Rakshasi - A Melancholic Ecstasy

If there is something that sincerely hurts the Telugu Film Industry is the lack of film criticism. One should not get confused between film reviewers and film critics, there is definitely a difference between the both and occasionally their territories overlap with each other. There are very few people who cross the borders of film criticism and film reviewing effortlessly, Roger Ebert was one of them. The growth of internet was followed by the mushroom growth of websites on Telugu Cinema, the film reviews and ratings on the websites for new releases are like the fast food, they serve for the moment- in this process, genuine film criticism is getting ignored.

Let I be blunt in stating the fact that there are hardly any Telugu film critics, many film reviewers and only some of them are good film reviewers, almost innumerable instant star rating reviewers and very few people who do an honest post-mortem of films. The reason behind writing this post is that reviewers and film-goers are no longer looking at films beyond the star ratings given to them and people are no longer looking into the finer details of film-making, this is hurting Telugu Film Industry.

I watched Hanu Raghavapudi's "Andala Rakshashi (Beautiful Devil)" on my personal computer and was fascinated to observe the finesse of the director and of course I was disappointed with the flaws attached with it, I decided to watch the film again and I was able to convince myself that almost every frame of the film was exuding the conviction of the director.

Hanu Raghavapudi mentioned several times that the film is about three characters Midhuna, Surya and Gowtham which represent Earth, Sun and Moon respectively. I was very curious when I first heard the concept of bringing natural sacred elements Earth, Sun and Moon as form of film characters and was thrilled to watch the plot revolving around these characters.

The short story of Tehelka

Jhooth bole social media kaate

I guess I can call this beast as the biggest hoax printing machine of our times. This self-proclaimed independent magazine has been the venom spitting serpent for many years, it was deliberately allowed to go berserk due to its political inclinations and in return it was generously served financially and ideologically.

The growth of this magazine is an interesting phenomenon, not that it’s the most popular or a small magazine with intellectual insight, but it has always been a magazine which manufactured lies, fabricated issues, celebrated pseudo intellectualism, pushed biased opinions and promoted hate mongering.

It shouldn't come as a surprise for those who are aware of the disgusting views of this magazine, but when the same looney lot locates violence in the cartoons of Amar Chitra Katha and pontificates saying that they endorse murdering innocent Muslims, then that rubs the raw nerves.

Sita Swayamvaram

I tweeted about the song "Rama Kanavermira" from K. Vishwanath's film "Swathi Muthyam" starring Kamal Hassan and Radhika. Mad Nad asked for an English translation, then I understood the pain of translating the pure classical Telugu into English.

Like many yo-yo guys, even I wanted to address Rama as dude and Sita as Babe as it sounds modern and rebellious for young folks and even I felt like questioning the conduct of Rama with Sita to look like a posh Liberal activist. But, these things changed as I read some good and reliable translations of Ramayana and understanding the love between Rama and Sita and how they both were tested by time and Dharma. Of course, these days it is cool and modern to come up with jokes which ridicule our culture and traditions and the so called stand-up comedians crack mediocre jokes like "Rama went to a Bar..." or "Sita caught Rama in a Bar...". I am fine with criticizing and having some fun with epics but I am not comfortable when people who haven't read them and who have no idea about culture and traditions starts ridiculing them just for ostentation.

Veturi's song "Rama chakkani Sitaki" in Godavari has opened a new dimension of Veturi for me, the way he used words in the song was brilliant and was sure that "Rama Kanavemira" (రామా కనవేమిరా) was written by Veturi, as the style was similar but to my surprise I found out that it is Atreya who has written the lyrics for the song "Rama Kanavemira" (రామా కనవేమిరా). Veturi was very much inspired by Atreya and often said that he has seen Atreya as a guru and Atreya was much better writer than him.

Translating this song into English was an excruciating experience as there are no online resources for telugu words and no good Telugu dictionary available. Below mentioned friends helped me in this endeavor.

I thank  Pavan for translating some words into English.
I thank Avinash for providing his inputs, never knew that he had so much command on Telugu.
I thank Priyanka Mukherjee for fine tuning the raw dump English words into poetic form.

Request: Please comment if you find any mistakes or any changes that have to be done.
Note: Telugu was my 3rd language in School.

*****

రామా కనవేమిరా  శ్రీ రఘురామ కనవేమిరా...
రమణీ లలామ నవ లావణ్య సీమ
ధరాపుత్రి, సుమగాత్రి నడయాడి రాగా...
రామా కనవేమిరా

Why don't you see Rama? O! Mighty Rama why don't you see?
The loveliest amongst women, beauty unsurpassed, new vistas touched,
The daughter of the earth, with a voice that lilts, has come looking for thee
Why don't you see Rama?

సీతాస్వయంవరం ప్రకటించిన పిమ్మట జనకుని కొలువులో ప్రవేశించే జానకినీ, సభాసదులందరూ పదే పదే చూడగా...

శ్రీరామచంద్రమూర్తి కన్నెత్తి చూడడేమని అనుకుంటున్నారటా, తమలో సీతమ్మ అనుంగు చెలికత్తెలు.

After the announcement of Sita’s swayamvar at Janaka’s court. The guests who arrived can't take their eyes off from Sita.
Her female comrades wonder “Why doesn’t Rama too catch a sight of Sita's beauty?”

రామా కనవేమిరా  శ్రీ రఘురామ కనవేమిరా...
రమణీ లలామ నవ లావణ్య సీమ
ధరాపుత్రి, సుమగాత్రి నడయాడి రాగా...
రామా కనవేమిరా

Why don't you see Rama? O! Mighty Rama why don't you see?
The loveliest amongst women, beauty unsurpassed, new vistas touched,
The daughter of the earth, with a voice that lilts, has come looking for thee
Why don't you see Rama?

ముసిముసి నగవుల రసిక శిఖామణులూ..
ఒసపరి చూపుల అసదృశ విక్రములు
ముసిముసి నగవుల రసిక శిఖామణులూ..
ఒసపరి చూపుల అసదృశ విక్రములు

The Smirking of the amorous experts ..
The Glances of handsome men and unparalleled heroes
The Smirking of the amorous experts ..
The Glances of handsome men and unparalleled heroes


మీసం మీటే రోష పరాయణులూ
మా సరి ఎవరని మత్త గునోల్వనుల్లు
Proud aspirants, twirling their moustaches in woes
Pompous men, heads swollen with arrogance


క్షణమే ఒక దినమై నిరీక్షణమే ఒక యుగమై...
తరుణి వంక, శివధనువు వంక, తమ తనువుమరచి, కనులుతెరచి, చూడగ
రామా కనవేమిరా

Each second seems like a day, and this wait is like a yuga(era).
Their eyes on the blossoming young woman and Lord Shiva’s arch,
Unaware of their surroundings and selves, Sita they see, with eyes opened large
Why don't you see Rama?


ముందుకేగి, విల్లందబోయి, ముచ్చెమటలు పట్టిన దొరలూ భూవరులూ
తొడగొట్టి, ధనువుచేపట్టి, బావురని గుండెలుజారిన విభులు
విల్లెత్త లేక, మొగమెత్తాలేక, సిగ్గేసిన నరపుంగవులు
తమ వొళ్ళు విరిగి, రెండు కళ్ళూ తిరిగి, ఒగ్గేసిన పురుషాగ్రణులూ
ఎత్తేవారు లేరా? అ విల్లు ఎక్కుపెట్టే వారులేరా?

With poise they come to lift the bow. An attempt at winning the bet,
And the mortal grooms are in sweat.
Failing to raise the bow; stooped with shame, embarrassed those who’re used to lead.
Exhausted forms and swooning eyes; men of repute admit their defeat.
"None there to lift the bow? None there to lift and position the bow?"

అంతలో రామయ్య లేచినాడు,ఆ వింటి మీదా చెయ్యి వేసినాడు
సీత వంక ఓరకంట చూసినాడు,
ఒక్క చిటికలో విల్లు ఎక్కు పెట్టినాడూ
ఫెళ ఫెళ ఫెళ ఫెళ విరిగెను శివధనువు, కళలొలికెను సీతానవవధువూ
జయ జయ రామా రఘుకుల సోమా దశరధరామా దైత్యవిరామా
జయ జయ రామా రఘుకుల సోమా దశరధరామా దైత్యవిరామా

Meanwhile Rama stands up then and places his hand on the bolt
Caught Sita in a furtive glimpse.
Within snap of fingers, he lifted the bow and stretched the string.
The bow breaks with a sonorous noise, thus becomes the husband of Sita
Hail! Rama, the courageous king of Kshatriyas Dasarath’s Rama, the demon slayer.

*****

Image Courtesy: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/sita-swayamvar-badri-narayanan.html