Dear Comrade (2019)

I felt so much while watching this movie, so I might get a little incoherent while writing this "review". Warned you already.

I think the most important lesson I learned from this movie was that the burden of feminism cannot be left on women alone. Of course, we must empower ourselves and learn to be our own unique individuals, but at the same time, it's impossible to do an of that without a strong support system. Let's face it, no one can be strong always- there will be moments when you feel too weak to uplift yourself, and that is when you need your people who will help you back up on your feet and remind you to be brave. The movie doesn't emphasise on the romantic partner fulfilling this role too- it sends out the message that we all must be that support for someone, and that is the only way we can truly move forward as a society. It is such a relevant and relatable message that I personally would recommend people to watch the movie just for that, despite its flaws. 

The second reason why I loved Dear Comrade was that it excels as a romantic drama. I personally am a sucker for that movies belonging to that genre, especially when they have excellent rain shots and good music. Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda have such brilliant chemistry, apart from giving two separately powerful performances, that I had no option but to be completely invested in their journeys, both together and as individuals. The story was good enough on its own, but it's their chemistry that took it to the next level and made the movie so memorable for me. Very excited to rewatch this, and also to watch Geetha Govindam soon, which also has this pairing.

Now for the flaws- the movie's treatment of mental health was quite questionable, and should have been handled better. It made sense according to Vijay's character's worldview, but the movie didn't need to just chuck psychiatric help out the window. I also particularly didn't care for the use of communist imagery. It felt a little gimmicky, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. 

However, despite its imperfections, I still feel that it is a must-watch because of the strong message, and also because it's a damn good romance with excellent casting. So glad I watched it, that too with a friend who loved it as well <3 

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