For his Columbia Film School master's thesis, Rajnesh Domalpalli returned to his hometown in rural southern India to film a story about class warfare...with nonprofessional actors. Vanaja would go on to win the Jury Prize for Best Debut Feature at the 2007 Berlin Film Festival, among numerous other festival awards from around the world. Both visually and emotionally stunning, Vanaja follows the 14-year-old title character (Mamatha Bhukya), daughter of a local fisherman, who goes to work at the local manor of a landlady (Urmila Dammannagari) willing to teach the poor scullion girl the traditional dancing skills she yearns to learn. All of which makes Vanaja happy…until the landlady's arrogant son Shekhar (Karan Singh) returns home from America to find himself usurped in his mother's affections (or so he believes). That Shekhar is an adult and Vanaja is still a child doesn't deter him in the least, and he embarks on a campaign to ensure that the girl knows her place, setting in motion a battle of wills that will result in Vanaja crossing—too early in life—from childhood into womanhood. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD extras include an introduction by director Rajnesh Domalpalli (7 min.), an interview with star Mamatha Bhukya (11 min.), five unabridged dance sequences from the film, and four short student films by Domalpalli: “The Fisherman's Daughter” (13 min.), “Firecrackers” (10 min.), “Poison in the Well” (11 min.), and “Just for Her” (14 min.). Bottom line: an excellent extras package for a fine film.] (M. Johanson)
Vanaja
Emerging Pictures, 112 min., in Telugu w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $29.95 Volume 23, Issue 4
Vanaja
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