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06/04/08
Vanaja (2007)
78 %
Reviews Counted: 23 Fresh: 18 Rotten:5 Average Rating: 6.8/10
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins
Synopsis: Set in rural South India, a place where social barriers are built stronger than fort walls, VANAJA explores the chasm that divides classes as a young girl struggles to come of age. Vanaja (Mamatha Bukhya) is the 14 year-old daughter of a poor fisherman from the lowest class. When a... [More]
Genre: Dramas
Starring: Mamatha Bhukya, Urmila Dammannagari, Ramachandriah Marikanti, Krishnamma Gundimalla
Director: Rajnesh Domalpalli
Screenwriter: Rajnesh Domalpalli
Producer: Latha R. Domalapalli
Composer: Indira Amperiani, Bhaskara S. Narayanan
Screenwriter: Rajnesh Domalpalli
Producer: Latha R. Domalapalli
Composer: Indira Amperiani, Bhaskara S. Narayanan
Reviews
There's loads of atmosphere and charm to this tale, but little that seems compelling or heartfelt to the drama, which in contrast feels sketchy and contrived, without a clear sense of character beyond conceptualized stick figures.
05/31/08
Stunning portrait of caste oppression in South India, as well as the struggle of a young woman from the lower caste's to elevate herself through dance.
05/28/08
[The film] shows, through Bhukya's heartbreaking performance, the difficulties faced by those trying to bust through the layers of class oppression.
11/30/07
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11/24/07
Bhukya delivers an entrancing and natural performance, deftly balancing both the wide-eyed childishness of a young girl with the dawning awareness of life's darker possibilities.
10/05/07
A large chunk of the film's success rests on the shoulders of its young star, Mamatha Bhukya.
10/04/07
This is heart-wrenching Indian drama in the vein of Deepa Mehta's recent Water, again dealing with a young girl trying to find her self-worth in the midst of a repressive caste system and physical abuse.
09/28/07
Written and directed by Rajnesh Domalpalli as his graduate thesis at Columbia University, Vanaja is an engaging and shocking look at class, gender roles and sexuality in rural India.
09/27/07
It's not easy to make a very sad movie that doesn't make you want to jump out a window when it's over. Vanaja pulls this off.
09/21/07
I wish that I could also highlight the film as the best thesis film I saw in 2007, but with Charles Burnett's Killer of Sheep re-released earlier this year, Vanaja unfortunately has to settle for second place.
09/17/07
Vanaja, a beautiful and heart-touching film from India, represents a miracle of casting. Every role, including the challenging central role of a low-caste 14-year-old girl, is cast perfectly and played flawlessly.
09/14/07
Top Critic
Rajnesh Domalpalli made this poignant 2006 drama as his thesis film for a master's degree at Columbia University, yet its technique and development of character and theme are far more accomplished than those of most student films.
09/14/07
Vanaja, a film exploring the tensions of the caste system in contemporary rural India, boasts a compelling story on-screen and off.
09/13/07
Vanaja’s narrative meanders, but the film evokes village life with stark authenticity.
09/13/07
[Domalpalli] adds to the glory of contemporary Indian cinema, indeed all cinema, with the humanity of his vision, healthily unbridled sensuality and fluid technique.
09/04/07
By the time Vanaja and her girlfriend ride off into the sunset on the back of an elephant, viewers will be bored stiff by this long, tedious film.
08/31/07
Related Forums
(2007 USA release)-VANAJA is now playing stateside (Venue & Prize details included)!!
by: ReelReviewer.com 11/27/07
by: ReelReviewer.com 11/27/07
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