The director narrates her childhood and moves into the main story without taking too much time. He keeps the narrative moving and avoids unnecessary scenes while presenting the important stages of Lakshmi’s life. Despite the presence of several talented artistes in the region, she managed to establish her own identity through her distinctive style. The film attempts to introduce her journey to a wider audience and restore the recognition she lost.
The story begins with two aspiring filmmakers travelling to her village in search of her story. The first half focuses on Lakshmi’s childhood, the difficulties she faces at a young age and her journey towards singing and performing Burrakathas. She also faces humiliation and struggles to establish herself as an artist.
A major turning point comes during a village fair, where she performs alongside the renowned artist Shanmukha Nageswara Rao, who is known for his performances in mythological stage plays. Initially, people show little interest in Lakshmi’s Burrakatha performances based on stories such as Balanagamma and Satya Harishchandra. She then decides to switch to folk songs, which had lost their popularity by that time. This decision changes her fortunes, and the story picks up pace from there. The sequence is one of the film’s major highlights and has been presented very effectively.
The second half shows Lakshmi’s rise to fame, her busy schedule of performances and the betrayal she faces from people she trusts. Others begin exploiting her work and eventually take away her identity. The sequences involving people who turn her songs into a business through audio cassettes, the betrayal by people in the film industry and another person receiving a government award in her name are particularly effective.
The director deserves credit for presenting both sides of her life. Lakshmi’s rise as a successful artist is engaging, while her struggles and emotional setbacks are equally moving. Although the second half slows down a little, the emotional scenes keep the audience invested. The climax is also handled well.