What Is the Film About?
When a broadcast about the crash of the space station Skylab is leaked in the 1970s, all hell breaks loose in the town of Banda Lingampally.
Gauri (Nithya Menen) works for the Pratibimbam magazine as a journalist. She is passionate about her work, but the publisher is not. She has one more chance to show herself; else, she will have to marry. Anand (Satyadev) is a doctor who believes that making it big in a hamlet is easier than making it famous in Hyderabad.
The fundamental premise of the film is how the many ambitions of the two characters, Gauri and Anand, are realised against the backdrop of the Skylab tragedy.
Performances
Without a question, Nithya Menen is the film's leading lady. Her character is the one who wears the symbolic Skylab weight. First and foremost, it's great to see the actress back on the big screen after such a long time. She's as vivacious as ever, and she has a fantastic screen presence. The dressing and style add to the overall charm.
She is fine when it comes to the performance. We've seen her play the chatty, effervescent, and charming character before. The distinction is that there is no 'love' aspect or other normal commercial trappings in this film. She portrays herself (or, more accurately, the ordinary) in a grounded and realistic context.
When he gets to Satyadev, he feels off-key. Anand has a half-baked aspect about it in terms of clothing, makeup, and characterization.
The final realisation is satisfying, but the road is uninteresting, and it shows in the act. Even yet, traces of his (slowly growing) signature style may be found here and there. However, he is primarily associated with the backseat. However, if he meant to be a simple figure in an ensemble for the sake of the broader image, one must admire him.
Analysis
Skylab is Vishwak Khanderao's directorial debut. The film is difficult to carry off for several reasons, the most important of which being the storyline's brevity.
In a word, Skylab is about a space station named Skylab that crash down on Earth. Banda Lingampally's residents believe it is in their hamlet, and mayhem follows.
We, on the other hand, arrive to this point in the second half of the film. Following the opening sequence, the first half of the film is devoted to establishing the character, setting, and location. Many people appear in the story, and we learn a little about their backstories as the story develops.
The lack of clarity in the tone is the most serious flaw of Skylab. What is being tried is unknown. If it's a comedy, it's clearly not functioning or coming off as such. It's why, as we stated at the outset, Skylab is a challenging picture to shoot.
The second half is where the tale begins to take shape. Here is where the mayhem and accompanying drama that the creators promised will take place. But, more importantly, we learn more about Skylab as a drama. It also has a coming-of-age aspect, which is seen at the conclusion.
Overall, Skylab is a sincere try, but the writing falls short of the essential comedy. We're left with a lifeless arrangement that's a chore to keep track of. Near the conclusion, the drama makes up for it, although it's a little late in the day.
Drawbacks?
No Emotional Connection
Feels Lengthy
Tedious Narrative (Due To Weak Writing)