Godavari

Sekhar Kammula's 2006 Telugu film takes place on a passenger boat travelling the Godavari river. Sreeram, trying to recover from a break-up, and Seetha, a fashion designer whose work has gone wrong, find themselves on the same journey. The film compresses its romance into the length of the trip. There are other passengers, families and small disputes on board; the narrative never leaves the pair alone and builds the relationship inside the crowd. Kammula is known for plain storytelling and unshowy performances. The images shot along the river and the music stand out. The narrative manufactures no large obstacle; the real tension comes from the hesitancy of the two people. Who it's for: those who like quiet Telugu romantic drama. Who it's not for: viewers expecting dense plotting; the film is tied almost entirely to the duration of the journey.