Balagam

Venu Yeldandi's 2023 Telugu film is set in a village in Telangana. The funeral of Komurayya, the family elder who dies just before his grandson's engagement, brings old scores among the relatives into the open. The structure follows the order of the funeral customs. Each stage produces a new argument; who will pay how much, who is to be called, and whose fault an old quarrel was pile one on top of another. The narrative shows village life without decoration. The dialogue is in local speech, the humour coarse, and the emotional passages are set inside that. Priyadarshi Pullikonda leads. The film was made on a low budget and drew unexpectedly large audiences. Who it's for: those who like Telugu village drama and narratives about custom. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a driven plot; the film is tied almost entirely to the progress of the rites.