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Music and dance have always played a major role in Telugu films, so much that there were in fact movies that were made on these aspects. Imagine a life without air, music without melody, and a body without a soul. Well, that's exactly how Telugu films would be without dances. Consider any genre of movies - romance, action, devotional, comedy, or even thrillers - and dance plays a major role in the film. Each era in the history of Tollywood had its own style of dance and song picturization. From khushiikhushiigaa navvutU… (Iddaru Mithrulu) or telisindilE telisindilE… (Ramudu-Bheemudu) to daayi daayi daammaa… (Indra) or I go crazy… (Kantri), every generation of movies had its own style! In all these times, dance became the bridge between the story, music, and the film's characters. In short, a Telugu film is incomplete if there is no dance. Why should we ignore dance, when it's a major part of our life? Any occasion in our life has a dance connection, be it the birth of a baby, a festival, a wedding, or even death, albeit in a different mood for different occasions! And, that's why, a song and dance can fit anywhere in a Telugu film, irrespective of its story, theme, and artistes! When hero expresses his love to the heroine, there can be a group dance with 50 dancers or so filling the screen, or when the hero's sister dies, the hero can dance in rage or sorrow! There are innumerable situations where we cannot predict that there'd be a song and a dance and we still enjoy them all, that's how we are! Who can forget the all-time great hit abba, nee teeyani debba! (Jagadeka Veerudu-Athiloka Sundari) when the hero slaps the heroine! What a situation to have a song… and a mega hit too! We do have some routine situations where we know that there's going to be a dance. For instance, nearly every hero or heroine introduction today has a dance, sometimes in the rain, or with some foreign dancers and/or a group of junior dancers! And then, we do have some classic movies that were made exclusively on dance-based themes, such as Sagara Sangamam or Swarna Kamalam. Choreography or song picturization involves not just dance movements but several other things such as the concept, the theme, the scene, lighting, and camera should all be appropriate. Dance is so attractive that even those directors that run the whole show tried their hand at choreographing songs, with much success too! Raghavendra Rao even won the Best Choreographer Award for the song soundaryalaharii… (Pelli Sandadi), while Ram Gopal Varma worked for jaamuraatiri… (Kshanakshanam) in Telugu, and Krissnavamsi worked for not just his movies such as Gulabi, Ninne Pelladatha!, and Rakhi, but also for other directors, such as Okkadunnadu (Chandrasekhar Yeleti) and Swagatham (Dasaradh). © Copyright by Telugucinema.com
Bapu has his own style in song picturization. The camera doesn't zoom in or move unnecessarily, which is pretty natural, since one doesn't move around or zoom one's eyes to watch someone dancing in real life! The song Sreerastu Subhamastu… (Pelli Pusthakam) is an example of his signature style, and is enriched by all the elements named above. Raghavendra Rao's style is marked by filling the screen with colors, fruits, or flowers to make the frame livelier. Krishnavamsi's style is essentially noticed in the use of lighting and camerawork. Notice the yellow hue in the song naa moguDu raampyaarii paan icchi… (Ninne Pelladatha!). Other examples include the songs alanaaTi raamachandruniki… (Murari) and even his latest mukku pai muddu peTTu… (Chandamama). Who can forget the impressive crane shot in the song Dum Dum Dum naTaraaju aaDaali… (Murari)! When we think of song picturization, one song that surely comes to mind is Om nama@h... (Geethanjali), where the trolley shot going around the lead pair for more than three minutes and a half! In this song too, and in general, Maniratnam depends more on natural lighting or frames in scenes and even songs. All these songs and director-choreographers are remembered not because of any great dance movements but because of impressive presentation of the songs! One doesn't need to make the hero dance the entire song with a single leg or do extraordinary break dances and crunches to make the song memorable, really! All that matters is how well it has been conceived and picturized. This article would remain incomplete if I miss the name of Megastar Chiranjeevi who brought audiences to the theater just with the grace in his dance. In the present generation of young heroes, NTR has the potential to mesmerize the audience and let them think specially about his dances even after coming out of theaters. Dances are here to stay. So, let's continue to enjoy them! Article by : Sai Jeedi © Copyright by Telugucinema.com
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