Challenge (1984)

I definitely would not have enjoyed this true-blue libertarian movie had it not been for the stellar performances. Chiranjeevi, of course, carried the film with his fiery act as Gandhi, and managed to save the movie from slipping into a cringe parody version of itself. Suhasini was amazing as Lakshmi, and such a delight to watch on screen. However, it was Vijayashanti who won my heart. Not only did she look like the most adorable sweetheart, but she was also fierce when she needed to be, like the scenes where she admonishes her father. Rao Gopal Rao was intense and evil as the main villain, and was a good foil to Chiranjeevi. I also felt very proud of myself for recognising a young Rajendra Prasad as Vidyarthi (this film has a lot of indigenius moments like this) and of course, baby Allu Aravind who seems to have forsaken a career in comedy (rip @ us). Speaking of comedy, Gollapudi Maruthi Rao was hilarious but also sinister as Hanumantha Rao, a fine balance to pull off. Lastly, Silk Smitha ma'am stole the show even in her short-ish role. From her entry scene to her final showdown with her husband, she internalised her role to such an extent that you couldn't help but sigh with relief when she tells off her husband for good, even though you sort of saw it coming anyway.

One thing that I really appreciated about this movie was the #feminism. All three women were written wonderfully, and it's their characterisations that helped me tolerate most of the libertarian sentiments in this movie. Plus, all three actresses are terrific, which just makes their characters more "Yaaaaasss queen slay!!!" Love it.

The real hero of the movie though is Ilaiyaraaja's album. It is simultaneously very 80s but also very timeless. I have already adapted "I Love You, O Harika" to my partner's name and sung it, because that's just the vibe that this song and its music video inspires. Young Chiru with young Vijayashanti and young Suhasini makes for one of the most wholesome and entertaining experiences ever, and you should definitely check the songs out even if you're not planning on watching the movie.

In conclusion, Chiru, Vijayashanti, Suhasini and most importantly, Ilaiyaraaja maaaaasssss. 

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