‘Garividi Lakshmi’ movie review: Anandhi leads a compelling biopic

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Anandhi with her co-stars in ‘Garividi Lakshmi’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Writer-director Gowri Naidu Jammu’s Telugu debut rides largely on Anandhi and Rag Mayur’s presence , while wrapping a terrific life story within an old-school narrative

Biopics of popular figures are often a viable prospect for storytellers to garner attention. The noise around them provides a good impetus to pull crowds to theatres. Yet cinema becomes a more potent and effective tool to generate awareness when it spotlights an unsung icon. It is equally poetic to look back at a life that deserved a lot more, more so through a modern-day lens.

The life story of Garividi Lakshmi , Srikakulam’s forgotten burra katha artist , is one such gold mine, offering a rich tapestry of emotions that merits the big screen. A gifted voice from the 1990s, Lakshmi accidentally took to stage performances and tasted overnight success. Eventually, the success nearly consumed her and prompted her to withdraw completely from the public eye.

First-time director Gowri Naidu Jammu gives her biopic (named after her, played by Anandhi ) a meta-autobiographical touch, unpacking the mysteries of her life through the pursuit of an emerging, indifferent filmmaker. Much like him, viewers discover Garividi Lakshmi’s forgotten glory and riches-to-rags story through various anecdotes that help piece the puzzle together.

The childhood episodes, in which she is raised by a single mother (a godwoman) in a dysfunctional family and married off at 12, only to be betrayed by her husband, define her worldview on relationships. Lakshmi never quite chases validation or fame. From her first brush with burra katha under a guru to her debut stage performance and exponential rise, her journey unfolds strictly on her own terms.

Beneath the saga of love, loss and betrayal that spans decades — serving also as a cautionary tale on sudden fame — it is possible to sense the filmmaker’s fondness for simpler times. When Garividi Lakshmi’s troupe faces rejection from audiences tired of age-old myths and historical stories, they turn to observing the crowds, seeking insight into the songs that envelop everyday life. In an era defined by doomscrolling, what also catches attention in the performances is a spectator’s undivided attention.

Over the course of the story, live performances gradually make way for the cassette era. The decline of burra katha coincides with the rise of recording dance culture and the fetishisation of female performers. Garividi Lakshmi, aware of changing audience tastes and the possibility of becoming obsolete, wears fame lightly, craving only the solace of her on-and-off-stage companion, Satti Babu (Rag Mayur), as she looks to the future.

Lakshmi’s joy comes from the camaraderie she shares with her co-performers and audiences, and the adrenaline rush of holding a mic. When her professional and personal relationships fall apart, none of it makes sense anymore.