9 Nelalu (Telugu)

The Women of Tomorrow

Feature films based on real life issues, incidents have always seen of great interest to the viewers, if they are presented well. Be it, “Mouna Poratam” ten years back or “Bombay” in 1996, people always identified themselves with the victims of the issue. A serious issue based film need not be serious totally, cutting it away from all the other elements that an ordinary viewer expects out of any film. Doing this the film purpose is not served, as it can’t reach multiple audiences. If this is true, “9 Nelalu” the women of tomorrow is an epitome for the consequences of the above said trend.

Directed and produced by one of the inspirer directors of Tollywood Mr. Kranthi Kumar, who roasts marvellous films such as, Swathi, Sravanthi, etc to his credit, 9 Nelalu deals with a sensitive issue of artificial insemination. Banning a few sequences, the subject and the treatment of the subject touches any sensitive heart, but the problem is that it’s only tear jerking more and thought provoking less. One should appreciate the filmmaker for having brought in a difference, in characteristics of the protagonist, not beating the trumpet of meaningless and nauseating pseudo feminist commentary.

Savithri (Soundarya), as an orphan girl who stays in an apartment complex with a distant relative, is the central character. Vikram, a Computer professional with high ambitions in life and highly prestige conscious, marries Savithri, saving her from the clutches of a drunkard. After the marriage, she transforms herself according to her husband’s wishes. When Vikram is almost sinking due to an accident he met with, she is fearless though no one is ready to help her and arrange money for an operation to save Vikram.

On a doctor’s advise, she gets ready for artificial insemination, to bear some one’s kid in her womb, which would involve no physical sexuality in it.

Getting a rebirth, Vikram finally comes to know of the fact and gets disturbed initially. But through his mother he comes to know the sacrifice made by his wife to save him made him to accept her. Then starts the humiliation for him all around in the society, which he tries to mock sack but ultimately, succumbs to it. He asks his wife to abort the child and that shocks the womanhood of Savithri. She doesn’t agree for that which wins a divorce notice for her. Savithri’s answer for this aversion and humiliation by the society and family, forms the climax and lies the stepping story for tomorrow’s matured human race.

Ganesh Patro’s dialogues are apt to the context except at times. If protests were to be launched blindly at all the norms of our value system, any argument would look reasonable, seen from that perspective. Then the whole concept of society has not identity. Usage of jargon like “prostitution with hands and legs" is nothing but amateurish approach towards the issue. Songs, not being there, is a minus though R.P. Patnaik does a commendable job on background score front.

This film could be a milestone in Soundarya’s career, as very few films give such a mileage for any artist. Decent performance as a simpleton village belle in City, by her is remarkable. Others do their jobs perfectly, though there’s confusion in Vikram’s character graphs. It is watchable for those who have a soft corner for social consciousness and women's problems.