Vanaja (film)

Infobox Film
name = Vanaja


caption = Movie poster for "Vanaja"
director = Rajnesh Domalpalli
producer = Latha R. Domalapalli
writer = Rajnesh Domalpalli
narrator =
starring = Mamatha Bhukya
music = Indira Amperiani
Bhaskara S. Narayanan
cinematography = Milton Kam
editing = Rajnesh Domalpalli
Robert Q. Lovett
distributor = Emerging Pictures (US)
released = September 11, 2006
runtime = 111 mins
country = India
United States
language = Telugu
budget = USD 20000
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website = http://www.vanajathefilm.com
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0832971

"Vanaja" ( _te. వనజ) is a 2006 Indian art house film written and directed by Rajnesh Domalpalli on a story that constituted his Master of Fine Arts thesis at Columbia University. The film, made in the Telugu language, was filmed on a meagre budget of USD 20000 using a cast of non-professional first-timers for two and a half months.

The film stars Mamatha Bhukya as the titular character; a 15 year-old daughter of a poor fisherman set in the backdrop of a rustic state of Andhra Pradesh in Southern India. She plays a girl who learns Kuchipudi, a classical Indian dance form, while being employed at a local landlady's house. All seems to be going well for her until sexual chemistry evolves between her and the landlady's son, and this eventually leads her being raped by him. The ensuing pregnancy disrupts her simple life, and she must choose how to deal with the child.

The film was screened at several international film festivals such as the Toronto International Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival, among others. While it was nominated for the Diesel Discovery Award at the former, it won the Best First Feature award at the latter. Besides this, it won several jury prizes at other film festivals, and was nominated for the Best First Feature and Best Cinematography awards at the Independent Spirit Awards. The film found favour with many international critics as well. Roger Ebert ranked the film among the five best foreign language films of 2007. The film, which runs for 111 minutes in its vernacular Telugu language along with subtitles in English language, failed to find any distributors for screening in India.

Plot

Vanaja (Mamatha Bhukya) is the 15 year-old daughter of a poor, low caste fisherman from rural Andhra Pradesh. Her father, Somayya (Ramachandriah Marikanti) struggles to support his family despite dwindling catches at sea and mounting debts. One day, Vanaja and her teenage friend, Lacchi (Bhavani Renukunta), watch a theatrical performance by a former Kuchipudi (a native classical Indian dance form) great, Rama Devi (Urmila Dammannagari). The sequence of events lead to a soothsayer predicting to Vanaja that she will be a great dancer one day. With permission from her father, she goes to work in the house of the local landlady Rama Devi with the hope of learning Kuchipudi. While she is employed as a farmhand, she is entrusted with tending the chickens. When she gets caught while playfully chasing them, she lies to conceal her pranks. Her vivaciousness and spunk soon catch the landlady’s eye. To keep her out of trouble, Rama Devi soon promotes her to a kitchen underhand where she meets Rama Devi’s cook, the old, crusty and extremely loyal Radhamma (Krishnamma Gundimalla).

After settling down at the landlady's house, Vanaja gets invited to play a game of "ashta chamma" (a leisurely played game in rural towns of Andhra Pradesh) against the landlady herself. Knowing that losing isn’t the mistress’s forte, she deliberately gives up her game. This gesture, in turn, eventually secures her the landlady’s mentorship, first in music and then in dance. Vanaja excels at these art forms and seems to be on a steadily ascending path until the arrival of Shekhar (Karan Singh), the landlady's 23 year-old son, from the United States. Shekhar is a handsome, muscular young man who is running for an office in the local government. Sexual chemistry is ignited between Shekhar and Vanaja (still a minor at 15) when flirtation and sexual innuendo bloom.

In the meanwhile, her father's fishing boat is taken away by creditors. He sinks into a state of sadness and begins to drink away her savings. On one occasion, Vanaja’s superior intellect pits her against Shekhar in a public incident which ultimately humiliates him in front of his mother. Matters escalate and on one day when a mischievous Vanaja spies on Shekhar while he is in the shower, he rapes her. She loses her job when she becomes pregnant and gives birth to a boy, much against Rama Devi’s wishes who would have liked her to abort the foetus. Vanaja hopes that the physical evidence of the child will be proof of the rape, and that somehow Shekhar will be brought to justice. However, Shekhar has no desire to marry Vanaja because she is from a lower caste. In the end Rama Devi and Shekhar gain possession of the child, who will grow up to be an upper caste boy.

Cast

*Mamatha Bhukya as Vanaja
*Urmila Dammannagari as Rama Devi
*Ramachandriah Marikanti as Somayya
*Krishnamma Gundimalla as Radhamma
*Karan Singh as Shekhar
*Bhavani Renukunta as Lacchi

Production

Background

Director Rajnesh Domalpalli graduated with Bachelors and Masters degrees in electrical engineering in 1984 and 1986 respectively.cite news|date=2007-08-28|accessdate=2008-02-16|url=http://www.indiewire.com/people/2007/08/indiewire_inter_101.html
title=indieWIRE interview: "Vanaja" Director Rajnesh Domalpalli|work= [http://www.indiewire.com indieWIRE] ] While working on his Bachelor's degree at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, he wrote short stories. One of his stories, "The Dowry", was twice selected for broadcast by BBC World Service while he was still in graduate school.cite news|date=2006-09-11|accessdate=2008-02-16|url=http://www.indiewire.com/people/2006/09/toronto_06_disc_9.html
title=indieWIRE interview: Rajnesh Domalpalli: "Independent film hasn't really taken root as an alternative here."|work= [http://www.indiewire.com indieWIRE] ] During schooling, he was introduced to south Indian classical music, especially on the veena, and followed this up with years of training on the vocals.

While he was working as a software engineer in Silicon Valley, California, he decided to pursue filmmaking, and graduated with a Master of Fine Arts degree from Columbia University.

A short synopsis, including a character and a conflict study of "Vanaja", was Domalpalli's project submission in his first semester at the Columbia University in Fall of 2001. The story was inspired by a child's scream upon being separated from her mother in the film Sophie's Choice (1982). Over the next three semesters, however, the story veered away from its original focus of mother-child separation to what Domalpalli later described as a study of "elements of class distinction and conflict that continue to infuse our society and culture even today." Referring to its emphasis, he said the film was also about "fading institutions of folk art, old buildings that are collapsing, things which we should be protecting - which are a part of our heritage."cite news|date=2007-03-07|accessdate=2008-02-16|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/mar/07ssraj.htm
title="A person with shampooed hair can't play village girl"|last=Rajamani|first=Radhika|work= [http://www.rediff.com Rediff.com] ] Speaking of the need for preservation of Indian culture and heritage, he said that making the film was an opportunity to emphasize the Indian folk arts too.

Filmmaking

With the early version of the script being ready at the end of his fourth semester, Domalpalli's initial intent was to find financing for the film in India and then in the United States. However, he could not find financing. Domalpalli decided to select non-professionals and train them in a year's time. In the United States, producers voiced similar concerns over the marketability of the film and what they referred to as "its lack of cohesion". Besides this, Domalpalli's inexperience in filmmaking added to their concerns.cite news|date=2007-09-03|accessdate=2008-02-16|url=http://www.bollywoodsargam.com/tollywood_news.php?newsstory=441745478--0-latest-Vanaja_Film_showcases_beauty_of_Andhra_to_its_best_tollywood_news.html
title=Vanaja Film showcases beauty of Andhra to its best|last=Kumar|first=Arun|work= [http://www.indiewire.com indieWIRE] ] Recalling initial hurdles, Domalpalli later said, "it was only when I showed my professors a rough cut of the film, and they approved, that purse strings finally came loose." The film eventually constituted the thesis for his Master's degree.cite news|date=2007-10-21|accessdate=2008-02-16|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-2477599,prtpage-1.cms
title=Indian Made Foreign Film|last=Roy|first=Sandip|work= [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com The Times of India] ]

He imbibed socio-cultural ethos from his upbringing in several rural areas of Andhra Pradesh, and this prompted him to make the movie in Telugu language. In 2004, he began filming with a meagre sum of USD 20000 provided by his mother Latha Domalpalli, the eventual producer of the film.cite news|accessdate=2008-06-20|url=http://www.filmfestival.be/pressfiles/VANAJA_Press_Kit.doc
title=Press kits films 2007|work= [http://www.filmfestival.be Ghent International Film Festival] |format=DOC] cite news|date=2008-06-12|accessdate=2008-06-18|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1170517
title=India disowns its own award-winner|last=Choudhury|first=Uttara|work= [http://www.dnaindia.com DNA India] ] Referring to filming the burrakatha (a story telling technique used in southern India) scene at the beginning of the film, Domalpalli said:

If you talk to people who perform a Burrakatha, you will see a huge difference in the way the older generation performs the art vis-à-vis the way the way the younger generation performs it... This has happened because of the advent of television. Burrakatha is a long-format art form. The point we are making is that if we don't protect these folk arts, they will be on their way out.

The producers faced a stiff challenge in securing a rural bungalow to serve as the landlady's mansion. Even after obtaining a building as the best possible fit in the coastal town of Bobbili, infestation of snakes and bats posed a problem for the crew. In addition, the building was not strong enough to support the filming equipment. Under these circumstances, the make-shift production designers refurbished the building along with space for chicken coops and goat pens as required by the script. To make the space look inhabited, local help was sought for trampling the ground with their livestock. The local people wanted to act as extras in exchange for providing farming tools, bullock carts and other material for filming purposes. As a result, the crew had to ensure that these extras didn't look into the camera during film making.

"Given the rural nature of the story, and the tendency of most local acting to lean towards the theatrical, it was clear that non-actors drawn from hutments, labor camps and the vast Indian middle class were the right choice," said Domalpalli, referring to his choice of casting. In addition, the inclusion of Radhamma's character was to bring a natural feel for the film. Her behavioristics such as the way she "sits, stands, moves, grunts and groans - that is the way people from a village talk and behave... You would immediately recognize a person who served you breakfast... That makes a point."

Referring to the challenges faced in casting, he said that while they were canvassing local people for auditions, they were warding off rumors that they were after the people's kidneys. When placing an newspaper advertisement for the landlady's character did not seem a viable option, they advertised for household help instead. Upon seeing this, Urmila Dammannagari turned up for the interview with Domalpalli. Inadvertently their conversation veered towards the film and the real motive behind the advertisement became evident. Though initially shocked and despite the fact that she had to commute convert|25|km|mi from her house to the filming location, she took up the role. Professionally Krishnamma Gundimalla, who played the role of Radhamma, carried bricks on her head as a construction worker. On the other hand, Ramachandriah Marikanti, who plays Vanaja's fisherman father, was a municipal sweeper and also worked as a security guard.

For casting Vanaja and Lacchi, he said that they met approximately 2500 children, interviewed about 260 and finally selected two from a shortlist of five to play the roles of Vanaja and Lacchi. Parents of these children were distrustful of them because their wards would have to frequently commute to Domalpalli's house for acting lessons for at least a year. Domalpalli felt that "... to convince people to devote so much of their children's time and energy was hard enough, but to find the right combination of intelligence, commitment and talent as well was probably the steepest cliff they had to climb. While visiting schools for identifying the child cast, Mamatha Bhukya, at first was not selected because her hair was short. But after she sang a song on Mahatma Gandhi, she was selected for the role. Srinivas Devarakonda, a disciple of well-known Kuchipudi guru Vempati Chinna Satyam, [cite news|date=2008-10-11|accessdate=2008-08-03|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/10/11/stories/2004101102030300.htm|title=A performing artiste|work=The Hindu] taught Mamatha the classical dance form for a year in the basement of Domalpalli's house.cite news|date=2008-09-15|accessdate=2008-06-20|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2006/09/15/stories/2006091501990300.htm|title=Giving a new lease of life to Kuchipudi|last=Kumar|first=Ranee|work=The Hindu] cite news|accessdate=2008-06-20|url=http://www.desiclub.com/bollywood/bollywood_features/bolly_article.cfm?id=288|title=Vanaja Director Rajnesh Domalpalli|last=Ilahi|first=Khalid|work= [http://www.desiclub.com Desi Club] ] Due to this sustained effort, she altered her ambitions from becoming a doctor to an actress and a Kuchipudi dancer. Bhavani Renukunta was chosen for Lacchi's role after an interview at the Hyderabad office of Varija Films, the company that handled the publicity of the film.

Suriname-born Milton Kam, who had shot 10 feature films and more than 50 short films, was chosen as the director of photography. Since Domalpalli's experience was limited to short video films with a different aspect ratio, he was shocked to look through the Super 16mm film lens the day they commenced the shoot. However Kam helped him to stay composed during the production.

Domalpalli used Carnatic music for the background score. This featured the violin-playing of B. S. Narayanan, a student of renowned Carnatic violinist T N Krishnan. [cite news|date=2008-08-10|accessdate=2008-08-03|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/08/10/stories/09100708.htm|title=Vintage music from Krishnan's violin|work=The Hindu] Narayanan played the popular Jayadeva Ashtapadi "Sa virahe", having retuned it in the mode or rāga known as "Behag".

Domalpalli also used "janapada geetalu" in the film; folk songs that are rarely heard. To record these songs for the film, Domalpalli and his crew travelled to towns and villages in rural Andhra.

Release and reception

Though, it was released in the United States on August 31, 2007, the film has not found distributors in India.cite news|date=2007-08-07|accessdate=2008-02-16|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_Buzz/Vanaja_making_a_mark_abroad/articleshow/2259944.cms
title=Vanaja making a mark abroad|work= [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com The Times of India] ] After being screened at over 100 film festivals in 49 countries, the movie has won 24 international awards and 2 nominations.cite news|date=2008-02-06|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://efilmcritic.com/feature.php?feature=2375
title=Interview – Vanaja director Rajnesh Domalpalli|work= [http://efilmcritic.com efilmcritic.com] ] Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the body that governs the Oscars, invited the film’s screenplay to be placed in the permanent archives of the Margaret Herrick Library.cite news|date=2008-01-11|accessdate=2008-06-14|url=http://www.screenindia.com/old/fullstory.php?content_id=18553
title=Vanaja, Frozen... runaway festival hits but ignored at home|last=De Cunha|first=Uma|work=The Indian Express] The DVD, which released on March 8, 2008,cite news|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.amazon.com/Vanaja-Mamatha-Bhukya/dp/B0013K8LC0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1203266021&sr=1-1
title=Vanaja DVD|work= [http://www.amazon.com Amazon.com] ] has subtitle options in English. Besides interviews with Domalpalli and Bhukya, unedited dance sequences and several short films of Domalpalli,cite news|accessdate=2008-06-19|url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/33203/vanaja/
title=DVD Talk Review: Vanaja|last=Kauffmann|first=Jeffrey|work= [http://www.dvdtalk.com DVD Talk] |date=2008-03-24] the DVD is available in Anamorphic widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, widescreen and NTSC format. While reviewing the DVD, Jeffrey Kauffman from DVD Talk observed that though most of the film was made utilising natural lighting situations, the color and saturation quality was excellent. Further, the reviewer was quite favourable about the use of exotic sounds right from birds to the instruments.

Special screenings and awards

On September 11, 2006, the film first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.cite news|accessdate=2008-02-16|url=http://archives.torontointernationalfilmfestival.ca/films_schedules/films_description.asp?id=330
title=Vanaja: Film description|work= [http://www.torontointernationalfilmfestival.ca Toronto International Film Festival] ] cite news|accessdate=2008-02-16|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200609081011.htm
title=Indian films generate interest at Toronto Film festival|work= [http://www.hindu.com The Hindu] ] The same year, the film won an "Honorable Mention" for the Golden Starfish Award at the Hamptons International Film Festival.cite news|date=2006-10-30|accessdate=2008-02-16|url=http://hamptonsfilmfest.org/index.php?cat=1&paged=2
title= Golden Starfish Award Winners Announced|work= [http://hamptonsfilmfest.org Hamptons International Film Festival] ] It also won the Best Narrative Film award at the Indo-American Arts Council Film Festival.cite news|date=2006-11-05|accessdate=2008-02-16|url=http://www.iaac.us/sixth_film_festival2006/awards.htm
title= Sixth Annual IAAC Film Festival Award Winners|work= [http://www.iaac.us Indo-American Arts Council Film Festival] ] Following that, it was showcased at the International Film Festival of Indiacite news|accessdate=2008-02-16|url=http://www.iffigoa.org/iffi2006/IFFI-2006-Screening-Schedule.doc
title= IFFI 2006 Screening Schedule|work= [http://www.iffigoa.org IFFI 2006] |format=DOC] and the International Film Festival of Keralacite news|date=2006-12-14|accessdate=2008-02-16|url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/14/stories/2006121417090300.htm
title= On the travails of a minor girl|work= [http://www.hindu.com The Hindu] ] by the end of 2006.

After the film's screening at the 2007 Berlin Film Festival, it won a standing ovation from the audience, bringing Mamatha Bhukya to tears and emotionally affecting Rajnesh Domalpalli.cite news|date=2007-08-07|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_Buzz/Vanaja_making_a_mark_abroad/articleshow/2259944.cms
title= Vanaja making a mark abroad|work= [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com The Times of India] ] The film won the Best First Feature award at this festival.cite news|date=2007-02-23|accessdate=2008-02-16|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/23/stories/2007022322930500.htm
title= "Golden Bear hug" at Berlin|work= [http://www.hindu.com The Hindu] ] cite news|accessdate=2008-02-16|url=http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/2007/03_preistraeger_2007/03_Preistraeger_2007.html
title= Prizes & Honors: Berlinale 2007|work= [http://www.berlinale.de Berlinale] ] The same year, the film received a special international jury prize at the Cairo International Film Festival,cite news|date=2007-05-12|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200705121190.htm
title=Telugu film wins four awards|work= [http://www.hindu.com The Hindu] ] Best Feature at the Memphis International Film Festival,cite news|date=2007-03-24|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/880364/memphis_film_festival_schedule/index.html?source=r_health,
title=Memphis Film Festival Schedule|work= [http://www.redorbit.com Redorbit.com] ] , Best International Film at the Sacramento International Film Festival,cite news|date=2007-03-28|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.sacramentofilmfestival.com/Fest_Release_7.doc
title=Filmmakers Showcase Diversity in Sacramento|work= [http://www.sacramentofilmfestival.com Sacramento International Film Festival] |format=DOC] and a Platinum award at the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival.cite news|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.worldfest.org/downloads/winnerslist2007.xls
title=Winners List 2007|work= [http://www.worldfest.org WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival] ] It received a special mention for the grand jury prize at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles,cite news|date=2007-04-22|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.indianfilmfestival.org/iffla_awardwinners.html
title=The 5th Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles announces awards|work= [http://www.indianfilmfestival.org Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles] ] the Miloš Macourek Award in special recognition for a feature film for youth at the Zlín International Film Festival,cite news|date=2007-06-02|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.zlinfest.cz/tiskove_zpravy.php?akce=show&id=227&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zlinfest.cz%2Ftiskove_zpravy.php%3FzobrazArchiv%3D2007
title=Zlín International Film Festival for Children and Youth: Closing press release|work= [http://www.zlinfest.cz Zlín International Film Festival for children and youth] ] an Achievement Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival,cite news|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://newportbeach.bside.com/?_view=_filmdetails&filmId=16702182
title=Newport Beach Film Festival presents: Vanaja|work= [http://newportbeach.bside.com Newport Beach Film Festival] ] cite news|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://imdb.com/title/tt0832971/awards
title=Vanaja (2006): Awards|work= [http://imdb.com IMDB] ] and a special jury prize for Best Production Design at the RiverRun International Film Festival.cite news|date=2007-04-22|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.riverrunfilm.com/news/pdf/2007_04_22_award_winners.doc
title=2007 RiverRun International Film Festival Announces Jury and Audience Awards
work= [http://www.riverrunfilm.com RiverRun International Film Festival] |format=DOC] It won the prize for Best Cinematography at the Rhode Island International Film Festival,cite news|date=2007-08-12|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.film-festival.org/awards07.php
title=2007 Film Festival Award Winners Announced
work= [http://www.film-festival.org Rhode Island International Film Festival] ] the first prize in the live-action feature film category at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival,cite news|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://cicff2007.org/content/youth-jury-media-bridge/22
title=2007's MediaBridge Award Winners
work= [http://cicff2007.org Chicago International Children's Film Festival] ] and the Camério Meilleur Long Métrage/Starlink Aviation award at the Carrousel international du film de Rimouski.cite news|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.carrousel.qc.ca/prix.php
title=Les prix Camérios 2007
work= [http://www.carrousel.qc.ca Carrousel international du film de Rimouski] ] In addition, the film won also won an award for the best live-action film at the International Young Audience Film Festival.cite news|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.alekino.com/en/festiwal/prizes/goldensilverandbronzegoatsprofessionaljuryprizes
title=Golden, Silver and Bronze Goats - Professional Jury Prizes
work= [http://www.alekino.com Alekino International Young Audience Film Festival] ] Bhukya won the best actress award at the Asian Festival of First Films.cite news|date=2007-12-04|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.asianfirstfilms.com/Awards.pdf
title=Pacific Talent shines at the Asian Festival of 1st films night
work= [http://www.asianfirstfilms.com Asian Festival of First Films] |format=PDF]

Reviews

The film received an overall positive response from critics, and was particularly noted for the theme and for Mamatha Bhukya's performance. Roger Ebert described Bhukya as "a natural star, her eyes and smile illuminating a face of freshness and delight."cite news|date=2006-09-14|last=Ebert|first=Roger|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070913/REVIEWS/709130308/-1/REVIEWS01
title= Vanaja: Review|work= [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com Roger Ebert: Chicago Sun-Times] ] Writing about the film, he added that "there are the glorious colors of saris and room decorations, the dazzle of dance costumes and the dusty landscape that somehow becomes a watercolor by Edward Lear, with its hills and vistas, its oxen and elephants, its houses that seem part of the land. In this setting, Domalpalli tells his story with tender precision, and never an awkward moment." Ebert listed "Vanaja" among the top five foreign films of 2007.cite news|date=2006-12-20|last=Ebert|first=Roger|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071220/COMMENTARY/176124809
title= The year's ten best films and other shenanigans|work= [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com Roger Ebert: Chicago Sun-Times] ] According to Laura Kern from "The New York Times", the film "is a coming-of-age tale that is engrossing, if slightly overlong, and absolutely timeless, unfolding against an antiquated class system that sadly stands firm in rural areas of India to this day."cite news|date=2007-08-30|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://movies.nytimes.com/2007/08/30/movies/31vana.html
title= Vanaja: Review|last=Kern|first=Laura|work= [http://movies.nytimes.com The New York Times: Movies] ] A review in "Variety" called it "... a film that touches the heartstrings as it brings home the cruel class distinctions that poison Indian society," and "... is more than a children's film, despite revolving around a central character of 14. Its social message, linked to the story of a poor farm girl who aspires to be a dancer, never feels forced, and the moral issues it depicts are realistically complex."cite news|date=2007-02-25|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=review&id=2478&reviewid=VE1117932909&cs=1
title= Vanaja Review: Variety|last=Young|first=Deborah|work= [http://www.variety.com Variety] ] Commenting on its commercial feasibility, the review concluded that "while that might not translate into obvious box office potential, art house appeal is there for distributors willing to seek out a market." The "Chicago Tribune" wrote:

It's a touching, believable, often funny but ultimately sad tale of how one class can take advantage of another, even in the guise of patronizing benevolence. Though sometimes shifting abruptly in time, "Vanaja" is an arresting story of modern-day hardship and class exploitation, recalling Charles Dickens as well as Western fairy-tale lore. Domalpalli's settings are ultra-real in detail and color, from the crude, almost feudal deprivations of Vanaja's dirt-floor background to the stately rituals and autocratic entitlement of the well-to-do.cite news|date=2007-09-14|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-et-vanaja14sep14,0,1033722.story
title= Movie Review: Vanaja|last=Smith|first=Smith|work= [http://www.www.chicagotribune.com Chicago Tribune] ]

Speaking of Bhukya's performance, the "San Francisco Chronicle" writes - "Bhukya delivers an entrancing and natural performance, deftly balancing both the wide-eyed childishness of a young girl with the dawning awareness of life's darker possibilities. She's also an accomplished dancer, which she proves at several points in the film." It adds - "can this wonder-filled film truly be not only Domalpalli's first feature, but originally part of a thesis submission at Columbia University? Both in the film's writing and direction, Domalpalli displays maturity, wisdom and a loving sense of visual and character detail."cite news|date=2007-10-05|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/10/05/DDP7SHRB2.DTL&type=movies
title= Movies opening today: Vanaja|last=Wiegand|first=David|work= [http://www.sfgate.com San Francisco Chronicle] ] Marc Savlov of "The Austin Chronicle" proclaimed, "director Domalpalli, who, with his debut feature, turned in what may well be the best Columbia University master's thesis ever."cite news|date=2007-10-12|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Calendar/Film?Film=oid%3a539684
title= Calendar: Film Listings: Vanaja|last=Savlov|first=Marc|work= [http://www.austinchronicle.com the Austin Chronicle] ] "The Hartford Courant" also claimed like the "Chicago Tribune" that the film would remind the Western audience of Charles Dickens, and further stated that it "... gives a detailed sense of place and shows a mastery of story telling. The themes of fate and class resonate and the work of the amateur players is remarkably moving."cite news|date=2008-05-20|accessdate=2008-06-18|url=http://www.courant.com/entertainment/hc-webvidrev0520.artmay20,0,6367643.story
title= Release of the Week: 'Vanaja'|last=Larcen|first=Donna|work=The Hartford Courant]

Despite the generally positive reception, some critics differed in their opinion of the film, its content and depiction. The "New York Post" criticised the film saying that "there's enough mush in the Indian melodrama "Vanaja" to fill an entire season of a TV soap opera,"cite news|date=2007-08-31|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/08312007/entertainment/movies/dancer_trapped_in_a_caste.htm
title= Dancer trapped in a caste|last=Musetto|first=V. A.|work= [http://www.nypost.com New York Post] ] adding that towards its ending, the "viewers will be bored stiff by (the) long, tedious film". Though the film's "... narrative meanders ... [it] evokes village life with stark authenticity," said a review by "Time Out".cite news|date=2007-08-30|accessdate=2008-02-17|url=http://www.timeout.com/film/newyork/reviews/84591/vanaja.html|title= Vanaja movie review|last=Beer|first=Tom|work= [http://www.timeout.com Time Out] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.vanajathefilm.com Official website]
*imdb title|id=0832971|title=Vanaja
* [http://www.vanajathefilm.com/Images%204%20Reviews/Sangeeta%20Mall%20Paper.html A University paper on "Vanaja"]