20260526-20170331-0-57895418
Critic's Rating: 4.0
A small film that stands tall

Poorna Story: Based on the true story of a 13-year-old Adivasi from Telangana who became the youngest girl in history to climb Mount Everest.​

Poorna Review: Everyone loves the story of an unfortunate and ill-equipped underdog who conquers their fears, realizes their true potential and goes on to overcome a towering challenge. 'Poorna' embodies this narrative in a very literal sense. In the absence of the element of surprise (the outcome is clearly advertised in the film’s poster and trailer), the challenge is no less monumental for writers Prashant Pandey and Shreya Dev Verma.

movie


Tasked with weaving the tale of Poorna's journey, they add compelling elements to the protagonist’s character which Aditi Inamdar plays with innocence and naivete. Under Bose’s direction, she hits most of the significant emotional beats with fellow newcomer S. Mariya who plays her cousin Priya, though Inamdar's strongest scenes are alongside Bose himself. His understated performance as the mentor and facilitator Dr. R S Praveen Kumar is anchored by supporting actors Dhritiman Chatterjee, Heeba Shah and Gyanendra Tripathi who lend the film with ample gravitas.

Bose is as comfortable in front of the camera as he is behind it, allowing for an ebb and flow to the narrative that keeps you totally engrossed during its taut runtime. As an additional component, the tracks by Salim – Sulaiman are refreshing and catchy while complimenting the story. However, the odd choice to use Telugu interspersed with Hindi and English dialogues in the absence of subtitles is a minor grouch; one that doesn’t detract from the film’s overall impact, but could have probably lent to a far more realistic and seamless viewing experience.

Returning to a directorial capacity after 16 years, Rahul Bose recognizes the beauty in simplicity and uses it to the film's advantage. Grounded performances combined with stirring music elevate this relatively straightforward tale, making it essential viewing not only for the young Indian woman, but for anyone looking to scale great heights against all odds.

In-depth Analysis

Our overall critic’s rating is not an average of the sub scores below.

Direction:
4.0/5
Dialogues:
3.0/5
Screenplay:
4.0/5
Music:
4.0/5
Visual appeal:
3.5/5
Summary / Analysis

Spoiler alert! Please do not read the following plot summary if you have not seen the film.
Poorna Plot Summary

Poorna is inspired by the real-life story of a 13 year and 11 months old tribal girl, Poorna Malavath from Telangana of Nizamabad district in the combined Andhra Pradesh state of India, who became the youngest girl in history to climb Mount Everest on 25th May 2014. Poorna’s family was deprived of basic amenities. Living in Pakala village, Poorna (Aditi Inamdaar) shares a special bond with her cousin Priya (S. Mariya).

They dream of a better education and meals away from their poor standard of living and plan to run away to the Social Welfare School which promises to provide them this luxury which they couldn’t get in any other school as they had no resources. Unfortunately, things don’t work out as Priya's father catches them red-handed while they are about to escape to pursue their dreams.

He decides to get Priya married while Poorna somehow convinces her father to get her admitted to the Social Welfare School. As soon as their semester gets over Poorna decides to return home for her vacations. While leaving, she calls her sister to inform her that she would be returning home for vacation until Priya tells her about their parents’ plan to get Poorna married. Poorna decides to go with some of the school kids for a mountain climbing course and there she meets Dr. RS Praveen Kumar (Rahul Bose) who helps her in discovering her true desire and dreams.

Poorna trains as a mountain climber whereas Priya gets pregnant. Due to complications during the delivery, the Doctor saves the child, but not Priya. Her death leaves Poorna in shock and she decides to leave her training and return home. As Poorna is leaving for home she receives a letter by which Priya had posted to her. The letter conveyed Priya’s wish to see Poorna climb Mount Everest.

Priya’s letter motivates Poorna to fulfill her dream and
decides not to give up, for Priya and her family. After a grueling climb where Poorna’s life is at risk, she is then seen holding the Flag of India on the top of Mount Everest with Anand Kumar. This news is broadcasted on the radio. Poorna’s family, people from her hometown and school rejoice her achievement. Dr. RS Praveen Kumar is at the airport to welcome Poorna and Anand Kumar. He congratulates them for their achievement. Poorna then walks out of the airport with pride as media surrounds her. She looks at the paparazzi and smiles.
This Movie has 90 user reviews available
ADD REVIEW
FAQs
  1. What is the release date of 'Poorna'?
    Release date of Rahul Bose and Aditi Inamdar starrer 'Poorna' is 2017-03-31.
  2. Who are the actors in 'Poorna'?
    'Poorna' star cast includes Rahul Bose, Aditi Inamdar, Dhritiman Chatterjee and Harsha Vardhan.
  3. Who is the director of 'Poorna'?
    'Poorna' is directed by Rahul Bose.
  4. What is Genre of 'Poorna'?
    'Poorna' belongs to 'Drama, Biography' genre.
  5. In Which Languages is 'Poorna' releasing?
    'Poorna' is releasing in Hindi and Telugu.