Review of movie Yatra

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Rating:2.5/5

The gap between an inspirational leader's story and weaving it into an engaging film is indeed huge, proves this week's release Yatra. Narrating a few key episodes in late politician Y S Rajasekhar Reddy's padayatra that had created a far-reaching impact among people residing in the interiors of Andhra Pradesh in 2003 prior to his thumping win in the 2004 elections, Yatra is a half-baked attempt that fails to capture the leader's charisma.

And this is another addition to the increasing list of biopics that are mere hagiopics, serving as pamphlets ahead of the election season across the country. Storytelling is not a major focus here and it's no wonder that you see a disappointing result like Yatra, that's stuck between being a leader's story and a promotional tool for a regional party.

The emotional foundation to the film though is built rather honestly. The director of the film, Mahi V Raghav, offers a lot of sequences that inform us about Rajasekhar Reddy, the man and not the politician. Someone of Mammootty's stature playing the former CM's role benefits the film, given the personality and the subtlety he lends to the character. Behind all the controversies surrounding the leader's life, the director presents us YSR's version of the stories. Most importantly, Mahi is successful in highlighting the facets that lends an aura to YSR's personality.