Konda Polam review: A decent film about man and nature

Krish Jagarlamudi’s Konda Polam, which is based on the novel of the same name by Sannapureddi Venkata Ramireddy, is a largely engaging but sometimes predictable coming-of-age tale that sees a young man face and overcome his worst fears. Set in the picturesque Nallamalla forest, the film follows a few families of shepherds and it talks about the importance of preserving forests.

Ravindranath aka Ravi (Vaisshnav Tej) is the sole well-educated young man in his shepherding community. Unfortunately, luck doesn’t favour him in his search for a job in Hyderabad. He lives in constant denial and fear that he will never accomplish anything in life. Despite taking all the necessary coaching classes for his job interviews, he faces constant rejection. Meanwhile, people from his village constantly ask him why he doesn’t have a job yet. His grandfather feels that he will learn life lessons if he accompanies his father into the forest with their herd. While tending to sheep, Ravi understands some valuable things. A close encounter with a tiger helps him overcome all his fears. 

Krish sets up this tale on a grand scale. The way he’s used the forest as a backdrop to drive the story makes for a very interesting watch. The authentic portrayal of the lifestyle of the shepherd community is what makes this film stand out from most other rural stories. Apart from the deforestation angle, the film also talks about the interdependent relationship between humans and forests. It tries to explain that it’s very essential to maintain the balance in the relationship. The romantic angle is a bit of a downer in an otherwise mostly satisfying film. 

The casting is also one of the reasons why the film works on many levels. Sai Chand, who plays one of the most important characters, is the anchor of the film and he delivers such an earnest performance. Vaisshnav Tej continues to impress with his unique choice of films. Despite coming from Chiranjeevi’s family, he’s not following the same route as his cousins and is carving his own path. MM Keeravani’s music plays a key role in elevating the mood of the film while V Gnanasekhar’s visuals breathe life into this story. 

The only downside of Konda Polam is that it tries to address multiple issues. In the process, the impact that it intends to make is diluted.