Now Telugu Films Going With Women-Oriented Scripts

మన సినిమాలు is slowly but surely giving way to films with women-oriented scripts.
With their encouraging response to Mantra and Anasuya, viewers gave a strong verdict in favour of heroine-centric films last year. Now it is up to talented directors and actresses like Charmee and Bhumika to sustain the momentum by making their upcoming films sure-shot hits. Both actresses carried the films on their performance and the strength of their roles to mark the beginning of an interesting era in Telugu films which still caters essentially to male-centric audience. Heroine-centric movies have come as a breath of fresh air and the overwhelming audience response has encouraged even hero-centric filmmakers to rethink. Again, the new trend got a boost this year with the moderate success of Bathukamma which depicted Sindhu Tolani as a fiery activist. The encouraging response to Mantra and Anasuya will definitely give impetus to this progressive move in the otherwise male dominated industry.

BHOOMIKA

Clearly, it was Charmee who set the tone with Mantra. The thriller impressed the audience making it a runaway hit. Her charm and performance fetched her two more author-backed roles in 16 Days and Manorama. Then Bhumika came up with a nail-biting murder mystery Anasuya and it turned out to be an all-round hit. She plays an investigative journalist to perfection and exposes a dreaded killer. "I think more than the trend it was a good story that worked," reasons the petite actress who is all set to return on screen with another heroinecentric film Mallepoovu soon . "It's a well-defined role with an interesting theme as well" is all she’s willing to reveal.

CHARMEE

With bi-lingual 16 Days and Manorama also slated for release this year, trade analysts would be keenly observing their fate at the box-office to confirm whether the trend is permanent or transient.

Though the era of Vijayashanti and Jayaprada is over, the need for this kind of cinema remains. The lack of passion to make films like Laaga Chunari Mein... and Aaja Nachle is obvious. Most directors here don’t have the sensitivity to make films like those made by Bimal Roy or Mehboob.

SINDHU THOLANI

However, the audience does hope that the new wave sustains otherwise they will have to make do with the usual fare of star-centric or hero-centric movies.