| Movie Name | Yatra |
| Movie Cast | Mammootty, Anasuya, Jagapathi Babu, Suhasini, Posani Krishna Murali |
| Director | Mahi V Raghav |
| Music Director | K Krishna Kumar |
| Production Company | 70MM Entertainments |
| Release Date | February 8, 2019 |
This has been very high time for biopics in the Indian film industry and Telugu film industry too is making some. Mahanati, which was made based on the life of Savithri and its success was an epiphanous moment for the makers of biopics. We had already seen the first part of NTR biopic last month and the audience is expecting the next part this month. There is also a biopic on YS Rajasekhara Reddy, former Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh. His political journey and his schemes are very well benefitted the required people. As the elections are around the corner, this film is getting released which is directed by Mahi V Raghav of Anandho Brahma fame. Let’s see how it works on us as it is in theatres from today.
Story
The government goes for early elections leaving opposition clueless. YSR takes the responsibility to lead congress party and starts to his most successful “Padhayatra”. How he did his Padhayatra and got the party into power and how he got that huge following among the people of AP?
Cast and performance
Mammootty has done fabulous work in the role of YS Rajasekhara Reddy. He looks absolutely charismatic and powerful. Jagapathi Babu as YS Raja Reddy is nice. Rao Ramesh as KVP is good. Sachin Khedekar is good in the role of high command. Vinodh is fine. All the actors have done a fine job in their roles.
Writing Department.
The story of this film Yatra is just a series of events that made YSR as CM of AP. The screenplay is good and dialogues are nice.
Technical departments
Songs composed by K are good and they go with the flow of the film. He has done fine work in composing background score. Cinematography by Sathyan Sooryan is good. Editing is fine. Production values of 70MM entertainments are good.
Highlights
YSR brand name
Mammootty as YSR
High points for YSR followers
Minus
Slow pace
Distortion of facts to elevate YSR
Too much cinematic liberties
Verdict
Yatra is a film about YSR and his most successful padayatra which made him the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. This film runs only in the name of YSR. Last month, we have seen NTR-Kathanayakudu which elevates NTR to god level and this film Yatra takes on that film to elevate YSR, more than god distorting the facts. They didn’t even spare, Indian Congress Party to elevate him and shown the party in a very bad light. It is very expected of them to show TDP in a bad light but not Congress. Director Mahi K Raghav has done a good job in directing this film but he has done a very mediocre work in showing facts through scripting. The entire first half takes time to build the events that lead up to Padayatra and ends in the middle of Padayatra. General audience might not connect to those episodes as they run in a very slow pace. The second half starts with YSR deciding his schemes due to the happenings he had seen during the padayatra and ends with him swearing as Chief Minister, his death and YS Jagan’s words about his death that lead up to YSRCP. For a general audience, who has no feeling towards YSR and YSRCP, this film won’t work as expected and it may be tiresome at times but for YSRCP followers this film is a must watch reminding them of the legacy of YSR. To sum up, Yatra is a film by a YSR fan to the fellow YSR fans and YSRCP followers and works for its campaigning.
