Dream: Get a Load Of This

Dream attempts to tell the story of a man suffering with delusional disorders while dreaming and with whatever means it has got, the film does an exceptional job at narrating the story. Here is one film that is not different just for the sake of it and does not resort to any unnecessary gimmicks to aid in the narrative. Bhavani Shanker hardly hits a wrong note during the film’s entire run time and this is no mean feat considering the offbeat subject he came up with. It is a pity that this film did not have a bigger release or a better PR campaign.

One of the major pitfalls that offbeat films in Tollywood never work after a point is that they run out of steam because they do not have a story to tell but Dream walks head held high among these because of the tight screenplay and hitherto unseen(in Tollywood again) treatment to the sequences. The shots are laboriously conceptualized and executed with finesse and an eye for detail while Rajendra Prasad owns the character and comes up with a winning performance. He may not always be comfortable in the attires the director chose for him but he brings forth all his experience and versatility in portraying a role that was totally unprecedented. This is not a tailor-made role for him but you can not imagine any other actor playing this role with such consummate ease

The idea probably could have been for a short film but it was commendably developed into a feature length without too many indulgences or unwanted songs. A bit of exposition is thrown every now and then into the narrative that might offend the purists but it would have been difficult to follow the story without it. The soundtrack has original records from a few Pop Singers and the background music is minimal but decent. Composition, framing and shot division by the director deserve a special mention for the efficient usage of film reel if not for anything else. In fact the success of this film might be a first step in making the directors moving away from the random, unnecessary cuts that are not at all pleasing on the eye but somehow have become a trend. The producers deserve a huge applause for their belief in a script that was not an instant money churner and their conviction in executing the film as per the director’s vision. Bravo!!!

Dream is a must watch for all the skeptics who never miss a chance to crib about the run of the mill stuff and lack of variety in Telugu Cinema. It is a story well researched and well told that deserves to be seen and seen quickly since it does not have much time at the theatres if the number of people who turned out today is anything to go by. This is totally worth your tickets, popcorn, parking fees and the additional service charge that the ticket vending websites might levied on you.