Posted on the borders of Kashmir on the snowy terrains is Lt Ram. The discovery in Mahanati begins from a space of ignorance and the reporter’s need to find a good story while here, the journey proves to be transformative and makes a character empathetic and shed preconceived notions of looking at people through the lens of religion and nationality. Beyond this broad similarity, thankfully Sita Ramam is a wholly new canvas.
There is the unmistakable Mahanati hangover in these two characters trying to piece together a story from the past, like Samantha and Vijay Deverakonda. She takes the help of her college senior Balaji (Tharun Bhascker), who is now in Hyderabad. Afreen (Rashmika Mandanna), a Pakistan-origin student arrives in India from London, when she is tasked with tracing Sita to hand over a 20-year-letter written to her by Ram. Sita Ramam unravels the mystery surrounding its title characters, Sita Mahalakshmi (Mrunal Thakur’s debut in Telugu cinema) and Lt Ram (Dulquer Salmaan) through two timelines - 19. The idea is ever relevant especially in times when discussions of ‘them’ and ‘us’ threaten to take over the discourse all around us. The story, screenplay and dialogues by Hanu, Raj Kumar Kandamudi and Jay Krishna ride on the idea that humanity matters more than war, boundaries and religion.
Director Hanu Raghavapudi’s Sita Ramam is a lot more than just a love story. In another scene, when she is given a few references, with all the names pertaining to one religion, she asks in exasperation if there isn’t anyone from her community. It is not wrong to love your country, but you don’t need to harbour such hatred for a neighbouring country, a wise man tells a young woman in the film.
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