‘Swag’ movie review: Hasith Goli and a brilliant Sree Vishnu strike again with a deceptive, layered satire

When a man who wears his masculinity on his sleeve laments at how his son is growing up, displaying feminine traits, his wife tries to make him understand the importance of accepting an individual’s natural expression of gender. This segment and the portion that follows gives writer-director Hasith Goli’s Telugu film Swag the much-needed emotional anchor. Until then, the narrative is like a satire, with elements of farce and ‘absurd theatre’ as the several characters played by Sree Vishnu and the dual characters of Ritu Varma slug it out to assert the power of male versus female. 

In his second directorial venture after Raja Raja Chora, Hasith Goli discusses gender equality beyond the binaries, through a non-linear story that goes back and forth from the 1550s to the present, revealing several stories of a bloodline in the process. The experimental narrative, steeped with quirky characters, can at times test patience, but is ultimately rewarding.

The word swag is an abbreviation of the fictional Swaganika vamsam (dynasty) and also alludes to the swagger of men who enjoy the patriarchal norms of society. 

The story begins in 1551 in the fictional Vinjamara vamsam that followed matriarchal norms, ruled by Rukmini Devi (Ritu Varma). In contrast to the current social evil of female foeticide, during this queen’s rule, male foeticide was prevalent. Hasith Goli goes all out in his satirical approach to portray men with veils and women making the important decisions. He narrates a hypothetical story of one man, Bhavabhuti (Sree Vishnu), turning the tables and introducing a patriarchal system.

The 159-minute film presents the repercussions of this change in gender dynamics through multiple characters. Anubhuti (Ritu Varma, in her second role) is a civil engineer who tries to steer through a patriarchal society with her staunch feminist outlook. When she complains about sexual harassment at a construction site, not just the offender, but she too is asked to leave. Her boss argues that he would rather not have female engineers so that work is not hindered. This small episode starkly reflects the times we live in.

The crux of Swag, however, revolves around the happenings at the Vamsa Vriksha Nilayam (a family tree house) and a treasure from the Swaganika dynasty that has to be handed over to the rightful heir. The guardians of the treasury are searching for their heir since the family tree is incomplete after Yayati (Sree Vishnu).

In the meantime, Swag introduces characters who claim to be descendants of the clan – police officer Bhavabhuti and a social media influencer Singareni (both characters played by Sree Vishnu). More surprise characters are revealed as the story progresses. 

The drama is not just between the male heirs and the female heir Anubhuti. The guardians of the treasury (Goparaju Ramana in dual roles) have their own plans. Interlinked with the happenings in the Vinjamara and Swaganika dynasties are the destinies of other characters played by Meera Jasmine, Sharanya Pradeep and Daksha Nagarkar, each actor portraying dual characters. 

Initially, it can get tedious to keep track of the characters and their connection with the dynasty. The polarising gender debate also gets weary, but a clever twist midway forces everyone involved to rethink their stance on gender. The story also depicts the grey shades in several characters. 

Ritu Varma as Anubhuti in ‘Swag’

Sree Vishnu, donning a handful of characters, is the lifeline of Swag. He is excellent in a character that comes as a surprise in the pre-intermission segment. To elaborate on what makes this character special and how he handles it would amount to giving away a key spoiler. In the two Bhavabhuti characters (in the erstwhile kingdom and the contemporary cop) and as the social media influencer, he switches between each role’s distinct body language, diction and voice modulation. It is befitting when, towards the end, a character recalls Kamal Haasan’s Michael Madana Kamaraju to pay homage to an actor taking on several parts. Swag is among the toughest films in Sree Vishnu’s career and he is winsome.

Giving him good company is Ritu Varma, as both Rukmini Devi and Anubhuti. Rukmini is a one-note character with little scope to to explore the nuances of the character. Anubhuti is better written and Ritu Varma enacts it with tenacity; when Anubhuti introspects and makes amends, her portrayal is effortlessly convincing without a false note. 

In a narrative that discusses gender equality in multiple layers, a character that shines through is Revathi, played by Meera Jasmine. As a teacher, when she asks her colleagues and students about the futility of studying without acknowledging and accepting differences, it seems like a simple statement at first. Much later, the depth of her statement comes to the fore. This is a thoughtfully written character and Meera, in her limited screen time, gives it an emotional gravitas. A brief part played by Kireeti in the 1550s is also crucial to the narrative.

Hasith gets good help from his technical team. Vedaraman Sankaran’s cinematography gives each timeline a distinct visual palette, Vivek Sagar’s music transitions from classical to retro beats of the 70s and 80s to the more contemporary soundscape, with a mix of genres. Editor Viplav Nyshadam has the task of making the audience grasp all that is happening over multiple timelines and he handles it well. If there is a grouse, it has to be with the art direction. Probably due to budget constraints, some aspects of the erstwhile kingdom seem wanting. The portions filmed in the backdrop of the Amer Fort (Jaipur) have the regal aura while some of the sets that make up the interiors of the palace, do not measure up.

Swag is not a perfect film. There are times when the multiple timelines and characters can feel tiresome. But ultimately, it finds its rhythm and can leave you with a smile.