SWAG review: Sree Vishnu, Ritu Varma’s film is a tiresome watch

SWAG opens with an interesting conflict. The year is 1551, and a fictional empire is being ruled by a ruthless Rukmini Devi (played by Ritu Varma) of the Vinjamara vamsam (family). It is a matriarchal society where women dominate and men are submissive – men wear veils, have no say in the family matters, and are supposed to take permission from their wives when they have to go out. Male children are killed as they are seen as subhumans. However, Rukmini Devi’s husband Bhava Bhuthi (Sree Vishnu) plots a major conspiracy to convert the existing society into a patriarchal one. By establishing this conflict, filmmaker Hasith Goli evokes curiosity on how he is going to offer a resolution. 

Cut to present, there is another Bhava Bhuthi who hates women. He is a police officer. His attitude towards women has cost him his savings. The cunning Bhava Bhuthi however finds that he could become rich by pretending to be the heir of the Swagarika vamsam, a family of kings. But he does not possess the palaka (slate) that is used to prove his lineage before handing over the property. 

Along with Bhava Bhuthi, there are others who stake claim to the property. 

In this film Sree Vishnu plays five roles while Ritu plays two characters – Rukmini Devi and Anubhuthi. It is interesting how the filmmaker ties together the threads of an egalitarian society and the claim for property. 

In SWAG, Goli tries satire, absurd comedy, and some gibberish dialogues that are supposed to evoke laughter. Sadly, none of them work. 

The writing of the film is extremely weak, convoluted, and confusing. While Goli writes elaborate scenes dwelling on each character of Vishnu, some basic logic takes a beating.  For instance, how does police officer Bhava Bhuthi get to know about the inheritance? There is no clear explanation. Similarly, it is unclear how Anubhuthi learns about the inheritance.  There are many such glaring loopholes that do not let the audience suspend their disbelief. 

Except for Ravi Babu’s comedy, most of the humour does not work. With the drama around the inheritance getting stuck in a loop, SWAG becomes a tiresome watch. 

Goli tries to fire up the film’s proceedings by dropping a new twist just before the interval by introducing a new character – again played by Sree Vishnu. 

In a society where gender binary is the norm, Goli tries to make a commentary on the system that is not inclusive. The scene where the sisters pass Vibhuthi bangles really melts your heart.  While there are some sensitive and heart-warming moments they soon become too preachy. Goli says that there are a wide spectrum of genders, and points out that this is accepted even in Sanatana Dharma. 

And there is a possible distasteful joke on Christian converts in the film. Bhava Bhuthi ridicules a constable called Daveedu (Telugu pronunciation for David) who now worships a Hindu deity. Bhava Bhuthi tells Daveedu that they are gorrelu (sheep), a term popularly used by Hindu extremists to describe Christians. 

SWAG stars actors Sree Vishnu, Ritu Varma, Meera Jasmine, Daksha Nagarkar, Sunil, Ravi Babu, and others. 

Sree Vishnu’s conviction to play all the five challenging roles is commendable. While he excels in performing Vibhuthi, his portrayal of the other characters are just adequate. Ritu Varma gives a decent performance as Rukmini Devi and Anubhuthi. Meera Jasmine delivers a fine performance, but she gets lost in the overall story. Daksha Nagarkar does not have enough scope to perform. She barely appears on the screen. However it is Ravi Babu who leaves a lasting impression with his comedic timing and dialogues that crack you up easily.

Both the screenplay and the editing could not redeem the film. Overall, SWAG is a weary watch barring a few laughs. 

Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film’s producers or any other members of its cast and crew.