Lame Person's Movie Reviews: Murder (Telugu)

 Hello! 

Today we venture (with trepidation) into the land of Telugu movies. As the title states, we will be reviewing Murder , the Telugu movie by Ram Gopal Verma (This was the only recognizable name in the whole list of actors, camera folks, producers,  etc.)

Disclaimer: This post contains SPOILERS and personal opinions that you might not agree with. Discretion advised!

The story begins with the "ideal" Indian family. The father is filthy rich, the mother is a happy housewife, the father cooks in the kitchen (omg so progressive right!?) and they have a daughter - "the light of their lives" who is a teenager going to college (I think. It's never clear)

The father, although a very calm and happy presence at home, is a badass at work, with the usual ego plays like "I'll marry off my daughter in such a grand way, that nobody else will dare to get married!" (I didn't know it was like this. looks like I am missing out on some popcorn worthy moments in real life! ) Ok bud, we know - all workplaces are just a something-measuring contest. Keep it up. 

We move to the daughter who's all like "I'm a hawte full of myself teenager. I have nothing to act out about so I'll act out by pretending I'm close to my parents. I also have a boyfriend and without any regard to how cringey I sound, I'll casually say - I love you baby"

The story begins with the boyfriend saying he wants to immediately marry her. And the boyfriend, instead of acting like a child in love, goes on to proclaim to the city that he is going to be the son-in-law of such a grand house. It's perhaps a known trait among boyfriends to plot their eventual success and how their girlfriends are just there to "help us along the way". (I wouldn't know). The fact that men actually think they are ENTITLED to their SO's assets never fails to astonish me. 

So anyway, this lady is convinced of his love with just a phone call, and sets out to tell her father. After a few failed attempts she tells it at the breakfast table. The father is concerned (as any good parent SHOULD be. Especially in India where remember, all women are cows. Or atleast everyone wants us to be). Any questions that he asks is met with derision and scorn. She keeps repeating some line about "Is falling in love a crime?". Uh.. Anyway, the father tries to explain that it's a bad idea, because the guy might be more interested in her father's unlimited wealth. Also, shouldn't she first finish her studies? (Actually I am not sure if this is a teenager thing, but this sounds like good advice. I assume she was studying what she liked. Why would she give it up for some dude?)

So she goes on the war path, refusing to eat - blah blah BLAH. The guy begins turning up on his motorcycle and yelling at her house to "release her, because she belongs to him" I think, women must be taught that having a little sense of self is a good thing. Oh no, wait women are cows, we can't tell them they are worth anything. They will start becoming independent and wouldn't think a patriarchal man is necessary. Shocking. Shocking I say. It's almost as though they have their own brains! *Gasp!*

The father's suspicion proves right when the guy is found boasting to his mates about bagging a rich chick! and he demands money from the uncle who goes to dissuade him. Okay then.

 The father is heartbroken that his daughter wont listen to reason. He cries a lot. It was bittersweet to watch. Anyway, the mother, being a true cow, just cannot understand - why can't her daughter also be the dutiful cow? we have given her everything ! (Yes, you just didn't give her any people skills, that will help her understand whether the guy she wants to marry is really into her or not)

So yeah this girl runs away. Cue many other patriarchal concepts like "the honor of this house is dead", "Our peace is gone", "why did we ever give her an education?" and things like that.

Then she marries this dude and the father is angry. She comes BACK HOME, and demands they accept this dude as the "son-in-law of this great man". Thankfully they didn't get butchered there. No, the guy gets butchered elsewhere. And that's the Murder. The father is blinded by rage, rage that a nobody who doesn't love his daughter has hoodwinked her, and rage at himself for not being able to save his little girl. He orders an assassin to hack, hack , hack him to death in public. Which is executed as expected. Perhaps murdering a teenager who was high on the thoughts of being smart and clever and in love with another teenager isn't a good idea - somehow that never enters this man's brain. 

His wife ( she's so one dimensional that calling her the mother will give her agency that she just doesn't exercise) stands by him but is still horrified that he could get someone killed. His friends and bro stand by him, although they too didnt love the decision. And the police takes him away. The daughter is again on the war path and goes to the media and shames her family and her father in particular, saying he's too proud of his wealth and that's why my bae is dead. Oh and this lady is preggers. Yay. 

Then the father gets out on bail, realizes that the daughter is not his "little girl anymore" and dies of heartbreak. Before dying he tells the wife "she's still our daughter. when she realizes the error of her ways, take care of her however you can. This is all we can do as parents" 

The lady is mistreated by her in-laws (oh. I AM SO SHOCKED. INDIAN IN-LAWs MISTREATING THE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW OMG WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT). She realizes the error of her ways and comes back home, with the baby in tow. The mother wants to disown the daughter but is reminded of her noble husband's words. She lovingly embraces her daughter - just like that. All is well. 

Dear God this movie was amazingly horrible on so many levels. You just didn't know who to root for. (unlike Singam where literally every 5 seconds you were reminded of how amazing the protagonist is). In this movie the daughter and the mother and the dead-boy-husband are all shown to be very one dimensional, which in my opinion doesn't give the whole story. I was a teenager once upon a time, and I didn't feel like being smug while mysteriously plotting something against my parents. But I guess teenage angst is more bond villain-ey than I thought. 

This is a movie from the father's perspective, and his flawed perspective alone. Overall a different take to taking someone's life. Give it a watch if you have the time! Let me know what you think.

Until next time,

DragonRider