The story is an inspirational one of a struggle, of a school dropout creating a useful machine and earning a Padma Shri. Yet, it isn't whiny at all. Mallesham's childhood offers many joys in his village, and there is even gentle comedy. Amazingly, Rachakonda's direction, and the screenplay by Peddinti Ashok Kumar and Rachakonda, expands a biopic into a rich tapestry that comments on socio-economic issues. We see how the ikat that we wear comes from the blood and tears of weavers, how fragile the centuries-old tradition of Pochampally is, as indebted weavers become manual labourers in cities. There were many moments that moved me to tears, including one when Padma refuses to pawn her jewels for Mallesham's machine, then agrees because she fears he may commit suicide. The second half drags a bit with unnecessary detours, as we know he will succeed, but this is a minor quibble.

Above all, the film has great cultural depth, rare in contemporary Indian cinema. Singers draw from mythology and folk tradition to explain how the loom was created by a saint. We see an Andhra textile 'pichwai' depicting this painted/woven myth. Soon, the song turns into a discussion on how weavers cannot survive machine-made saris, and the exploitation of agents. One of the singers is a man cross-dressing in a sari; there is also a Moharram folk tradition for which Mallesham dresses in a sari. Music composer Mark Robin shows a brilliant understanding of folk music, including festival songs, Telugu lullabies, mourners' dirges, even a charming sawal-jawab song between in-laws as the newlyweds cross the threshold of their home. The film is set in an inclusive, Ganga-Jamuni culture, in which a Hindu family participates in Moharram, and one of Mallesham's saviours is Abdul, a disarming Muslim lathe operator-cum-poet.

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Pulikonda, hitherto known mainly for his comedy, effortlessly carries the film on his shoulders, to make a gentle, persistent Mallesham we root for. Ananya is a charming foil, and the ensemble cast are marvelous. Balu Sandilyasa's cinematography is evocative. Raghavender Vuppuganti's editing is good, except that it could have been a bit tighter. The scene of empty Gold Spot bottles indicating a family's suicide is a quiet stunner. Mallesham is a worthy successor to Shyam Benegal's Susman (The Essence, 1987), which also addressed weavers' crises in Pochampally.

Meenakshi Shedde is India and South Asia Delegate to the Berlin International Film Festival, National Award-winning critic, curator to festivals worldwide and journalist. She can be reached on meenakshishedde@gmail.com

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