Nee Manasu Naa Manusu (Telugu)

A Heartfelt film

Never, have I imagined that I would be able to watch this film again, which moved my senses a year ago in a film society screening. I am talking about "Nidaan" - This year's best director national award winner, Mahesh Manjrekar's maiden debut into Hindi filmdom. Barring the arguments, that whether the main reason for this kind of films not seeing light lies with the money mined producers or with the viewers with fast loosing sensitivity, The Telugu version of "Nidaan", released last week all over the state with the name.

"Nee Manasu - Naa Manasu" (Your Heart - My Heart) is raking excellent reviews from one and all. Government's co-operation in leaving the film tax-free is commendable but the producers should have put more effort in publicity.

This is a sensitive account of a girl's life that is affected by the dreadful disease of AIDS and subjected to the segregation by the society around her, out of sheer ignorance, for none of her fault. Though the narration of the story takes the documentary form at times, at the whole objective of the film is clear to create awareness about AIDS. The dexterity with which the director handles the issue does not leave any sensitive heart untouched. Natural sequence, apt performances make the flick, a watchable one, for those who yearn for a difference from the regular run out of the mill pot-boilers.

Saumya is an intelligent girl from an upper middle class family, who is on the verge of passing through her plus two exams with flying colours. Her parents and her boyfriend who plans to marry her after her exams bestow her upon a lot of love and affection. Right on the last day of the exams, Saumya feels feverish and doctors strike it off as case of Malaria. But when the fever doesn't come down even after a month, parents worry and the news of their daughter having contacted AIDS and is at the terminal stage of life, strikes them as a thunderbolt. Unable to reveal the fact to the daughter they decided to hide the fact from her. However Saumya comes to know of it and pretends as if she doesn't know of it to keep her parents happy. But when the matter thickness she asks her boyfriend to forget her, as she can't marry him. On knowing the fact, he not only accepts to marry her, and also his parents appreciate the decision, which is a difference from usual scripts. Even her closest friends segregate her; she counts her days with her parents and husband showering boundless affection on her and dies in the end.

The way the story unfolds itself and those scenes portraying the familial love between Saumya and her parents are jerking at times. This heart-warming script is supported by excellent performances by talented actors. Soundarya as Saumya and Goverdhan Sahani as her father excel in their roles. Reema Lagoo as Saumya's mother looks different from her other roles and looks powerful at times. Even the others did good job in their roles. Nevertheless, not much to discuss about the technical values being a low budget film. The dialogues by and the songs by Bharati Babu are good enough in keeping the emotion on. More attention should have been taken on the dubbing front. This film is an epitome for the fact that, however dry may be the subject, it's the treatment and the expertise in direction which can make it interesting to watch. As more thrust has been given to the relations and the sentiments in the family along with an eye opening social message, it could be called a socially relevant family film. A must see for all those GOOD filmgoers.