Rajkummar Rao is excellent in biopic of industrialist Srikanth Bolla

The film Srikanth narrates the true story of a visually challenged tribal person who overcomes all odds to become an industrialist.

When he aced his exams, he felt he was destined for better things. He went on to express an interest in science. Denied permission, he knocked on the doors of the court. Fortunately, the court relented. It was only after this victory that visually-challenged students were permitted to take up science in college. He topped once again. After being refused permission at IIT, Srikanth reached the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He decided to settle in the United States as the facilities for the visually challenged are superior. 

What makes him change his mind and return to India? How did he become an industrialist?

A biopic of a visually challenged industrialist is better than a series of politically motivated biographies that were released during the election season.

Unfortunately, the aspect of a non-political biopic along with Rajkummar Rao’s beautiful performance are the only positives about the film. While the journey of the real-life Srikanth is breathtaking; the biopic isn’t. It is limited by poor writing and the absence of cinematic language. The chemistry between characters is lacking.  Director Tushar Hiranandani relies upon drama and long monologues to question people’s attitudes towards disabilities.   

The character traits of Srikanth are explored unidimensionally. His grit and determination to succeed are showcased but his daily challenges, fears and insecurities are given very little time and treated superficially. The filmmaker perhaps has not watched Sai Paranjpe’s 1980 classic Sparsh, available on YouTube. It offers free lessons to the crew. Nevertheless, the film is worth a watch despite its length simply because it is a topic that needs our attention.