Skylab review: A little gem with funny, heart-warming moments

Skylab

Telugu (SonyLiv)

Director: Vishavak Khanderao

Cast: Nithya Menon, Rahul Ramakrishna, Satya Dev

Rating: 3/5

In Vishavak Khanderao’s ‘Skylab’, Nithya Menon plays Gauri, an aspiring journalist. As she struggles to get her works published in a popular weekly, her Telugu teacher lifts her morale by saying, “don’t write because someone will read it, write because you love to.”

The line best describes the film, which exists not to exactly compete with the biggies and earn crores at the box-office but to reach and impress a set of audiences who watch good cinema, irrespective of its size and language. In an industry known for producing gigantic commercial films, ‘Skylab’ attempts to find its space so that it can inspire more such ‘small’ gems.

The film is set in a village called Bandilingam Palli in rural Telangana. It’s 1979 and NASA’s space station Skylab is expected to crash in south India. People of the village freak out and react differently to the impending doom. Through the three lead characters, ‘Skylab’ wants to say that we give our best and follow our passion when we have nothing to lose.

Satya Dev plays Anand, a doctor who, along with Subedar Ramarao (Rahul Ramakrishna), starts a clinic in the village. A business-minded doctor begins to be caring and responsible towards people when he understands the class and caste differences, poverty and the poor medical infrastructure that exists in the village. Gauri, who was in search of her one ‘big’ story, talks to people and generates heart-warming stories about their final wishes before Skylab strikes.

‘Skylab’ shows stark reality yet the film’s warm colours and the witty dialogues make us care for the characters as they often bring a smile on our faces. Nithya Menon, as a desperate writer, who mistakes creativity to be the only rule of journalism, is brilliant. Satya Dev and Rahul are a treat to watch in funny scenes. Watch it for its overwhelming ‘feel-good’ vibes.