Gatham - Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery

 

Gatham

(Past)

Telugu, 2020

 

Directed by Kiran Reddy

 

Starring Bhargava Poladasu, Rakesh Ghalebhe, Poojitha Kuraparthi

 

Mohan's Measure ✲✲✲

 

After two very unsuccessful attempts at making movies about Telugu Americans, Tollywood releases the amateur-made, USA produced, Gatham.  And, for those reasons and more, Gatham  works.

 

With strong writing and realistic plot, Gatham is a psychological thriller with noir overtones. Audiences will find the acting convincing, despite the use of first-time, novice actors.  Impressive is the limited use of makeup which brings all the more realism, as the movie is about very real Telugus in a very real America. Missing are the fancy cars and oversized homes.  Much of the film takes place in a lodge in the woods, and that is enough to make you like it more than most other Telugu movies you've seen.

 

To say anymore is to give away a story that is is on par with something that should come of straight out of Hollwood.  Kudos to the IT folks and students who took the initiative to show Telugu filmmakers what a good movie should look like; something which we amateur critics haven't been able to do in a decade.