Movie:Nagavalli My Rating: 3.25/5 Banner: Sri Sai Ganesh Productions Pvt Ltd Music: Guru Kiran Art: Chinna Cinematography: Shyam K. Naidu Editing: Marthand K. Venkatesh Lyrics: Chandra Bose Dialogues: Paruchuri Brothers Producer: Bellamkonda Suresh Story,Screenplay & Direction: P.Vasu Cast: Venkatesh, Anushka, Richa, Kamalini, Shraddha Das, Poonam Kaur, Brahmi, Dharmavarapu, Sarath Babu, Prabha, Raksha, Avinash, Suja, M S Narayana, Sameer etc Release Date: 16th Dec 2010
Review
Story
Ever since the portrait of Chandramukhi (Anushka) comes to a big house, strange things begin to happen to the owners (Sarath Babu, Prabha) and their family comprising of four daughters.
They suspect the presence of a large snake and things get more complicated with the death of a snake charmer (M S).
Then, the family approaches Rajeshwar Siddanthi (Avinash) and he tells them that all this is happening due to the presence of Chandramukhi in their house. He suspects one of the daughters is possessed by Chandramukhi and decides that only one man can resolve this. Telugu Movie Reviews
He is Dr Vijay (Venkatesh) and as soon as he arrives, he starts doing his investigations. What happens to his enquiries? Who is Chandramukhi? Who is Nagavalli? What exactly is happening in that home? All this forms the rest of the story.
Artists Performance:
Venkatesh rocked with this film in double role. He is good in the shoes of a psychologist as well as in the clad of Maharaja Naga Bhairava. This is the first time Venkatesh played negative role as Naga Bhairava. His debut as villain is marvelous.
Anushka is good as perfectly suited the role in dancer costume. At times, we even recall her most famous role in eth film ‘Arundhati’.
Shradhdha Das is sharp and arrogant. Her mystic performance impresses the audience and she becomes a hook in narration.
Kamalini sucks. Her lean patient-like look is not so impressive in dancer costume. But that suited well for the kind of role she played.
Richa is beautiful and she performed as required. She gets recognition with her role in this film.
Poonam Kour’s role is very short but she made her presence felt with her glamour.
Kannada actress Suja, who appeared in Apta Rakshaka, also appeared here. Her role is also small and not to do much with the main story line.
Sharat Babu and Prabha are ok in their character roles. Brahmanandam’s presence brought only couple of laughs and he was not utilized properly. Dharmavarapu and Raksha are ok.
The best part in the movie is Art Department and Graphics. That has done a fantastic job. Music and background score also functioned very well keeping the adrenaline of the audience on a high through out.
Director P Vasu did well on a whole except Venkatesh’s (with old look) part in 2nd half. 130 year old man doing stunts and dancing in the dilapidated fort on the hill are silly.
Highlights:
* Venkatesh in negative role * Scenes with Richa * Story Line * Screenplay * Art Direction * Sound Effects * Music
Draw Backs:
* Stunt scenes with old Venkatesh in 2nd half are silly * Make up of 130 year old Venkatesh is not convincing
Final Analysis:
The movie started with slow pace but picked up at the interval. When the music was released, the songs got average response on a whole. But here in the movie they were canned very impressively. Especially King Song and Kabaddi and Vandanalu songs rock in movie.
First half of the movie is ok and second half movie is good. If you like Chandramukhi movie you may surely like this movie.
Venkatesh needs high commendations for his spellbinding performance in the role of Maharaja Naga Bhairava. He apparently proved that he is on par with Mohan Babu in portraying villainy. He stands as right example for all big heroes who can certainly prove their mettle as real actors. He also shows an alternative way for established heroes to try some villainy and break monotony.
The story line of Chandramukhi that is well known for almost all the Telugu audience continues with ‘Nagavalli’. It’s a perfect sequel that way. It’s more thrilling and suspense filled. Although the treatment resembles something on the lines of Krishna’s old film ‘Ave Kallu’, this proves to be interesting and gripping till the end.
If old Venkatesh’s stunt scenes and dancing bits are trimmed, there wouldn’t be any drop in emotional graph from start to end.
Movie: Manasara My Rating: 2.25/5 Banner: Moving Images Music: Sekhar Chandra Cinematography: N Sudhakar Reddy Editing: Marthand K Venkatesh Dialogues: Parachuri Brothers Producer: K Prakash Babu Story,Screenplay & Direction: Ravi Babu Cast: Vikram, Sree Divya, Bhanuchander, George Vincent, Ramaraju, Annapurna, Usha Sree, Krishnamohan, Anitha, M S Narayana etc Release Date: 10th Dec 2010
Review
Story
Vikram (Vikram) is a chicken hearted guy and he has parents (Krishnamohan, Ushasree) who often fight with each other for silly reasons.
Vikram’s father, a bank employee, gets transferred to Rajapalayam in Kerala and this is a small place which is dominated by culture and tradition, not by law. Most of the matters are decided by Kalari Payattu, the ancient martial art. Vikram’s family lives as tenants in the house of Krishnan Kutty (Bhanuchander).
The story takes a turn when Vikram chances upon Anjali (Sri Divya) and it is love at first sight. However, Divya has her own troubles in the form of her lusty bava Rajan Pillai (George) who is the champion in Kalari.
As fate would have it, both Vikram and Anjali fall in love. However, the matter gets exposed and the time comes when Kalari is the way to decide their fate. Whether the weak heart Vikram can win his love or not forms the rest of the story.
Artists Performance:
Vikram looks alright as a nerd and weakling but then he doesn’t have those photogenic features or the right body language to become a hero. He must go through a lot of grooming if he is planning for a career.
Sri Divya looks sweet and she is more the girl next door than a glamour doll. Except for shedding tears and flashing smiles, there is not much she has to offer.
George Vincent, the new villain faired well with sharp features and performance.
It was good to see Bhanuchander back. For some reason, he has been an unsung hero but a deserving talent. He has a full length role and justifies it. His fight sequence is worth a watch. He should be given more offers in the future.
George Vincent was the best pick among the lot. He is handsome, looks muscular and has the right kind of confidence to increase his screen presence.
Annapurna was regular, Krishnamohan was okay, Ushasree is sensuously voluptuous but apt, M S Narayana was brief, the others did their bit as required.
Highlights: Music and Lyrics Cinematography Art Department
Disappointments: No Content richness No depth in emotions Weak comedy
Final Analysis:
Ravi Babu has shown one common trait in all his films. They take a strong inspiration from Hollywood flicks and he uses his brains to tweak them with a nativity flavor.
This time, he has brought in slices from films like ‘The Karate Kid’ ‘Blood Sport’ and not ignoring the Tollywood flicks, one can sense the traces of ‘Jayam’ ‘Thammudu’ as well. Overall, he came up with a cocktail of these movies and tried to stage them on Kerala backdrop with Kalari Payattu, the ancient martial art as the theme.
Thus instead of bringing novelty with story or narration, this time he has chosen to bring in novelty with Kerala backdrop.
Though he has excelled in the technical aspects, the content was very weak. Comedy was silly except one or two scenes, dialogues were normal, script was nothing and screenplay was routine.
The real highlight was the cinematography and two songs. Background score was intruding at few places. Editing was crisp. Costumes didn’t have much to do but the art department was rich. The first half was repetitive and the film gains momentum only in the second half but then there is a drag in the climax and by that time, the audience is twiddling their thumbs in boredom.
Movie: Kathi Kantha Rao My Rating: 3/5 Banner: Big B Productions Music: Mallikarjun Cinematography: Adusumilli Vijay Editing: Gautham Raju Dialogues: Prasad Varma Producer: Eedara Srinivasa Rao, Eedara Ravikumar Story,Screenplay & Direction: E V V Satyanarayana Cast: Allari Naresh, Kamna Jethmalani, Kota, Dharmavarapu, Chalapathi Rao, Jeeva, Kondavalasa, Ahuti Prasad, Venu Madhav, Raghu Babu, Krishna Bhagawan, Srinivas Reddy, Ali, L B Sriram etc Release Date: 10th Dec 2010
Review
Story
Kathi Kantharao (Naresh) is a police constable and he has loads of responsibilities like meeting the demands of his two bavas (Krishna Bhagawan, Srinivas Reddy), getting his other two sisters married, getting costly drink bottles for his dad (Dharmavarapu).
While he uses his brain to resolve situations one after the other, he comes across Ratnam (Kamna) and falls in love with her.
However, he has a written agreement with his father to clear all family responsibilities before getting married. How does he do that and what are the challenges he comes across forms the rest of the story.
Artists Performance:
Allari Naresh comes up with an energetic performance, it is entertaining and he does his bit with ease.
Kamna Jethmalani looks sexy as usual and she delivers in the performance department as well. Mostly, it is her sex appeal and oomph factor which overshadows her acting skills. Telugu Movie Reviews
Dharmavarapu was excellent. His imitation of the iconic actor Jaggayya during the first few scenes was very nice. Kota was effective. Ahuti Prasad was apt. Raghu Babu was regular. Krishna Bhagawan brought few satires and smiles. Ali was brief. Jeeva added value. The lady support cast oozed the right kind of sensuality and homely appeal adding glamour. Venu Madhav was okay. Chalapathi Rao was alright.
The film is a typical EVV formula film which runs high on satirical dialogues, double entendres and a big bunch of comedy actors. At the same time, he has an eye for women who exhibit more of nativity sex appeal and provide visual feast to the audience.
Elements such as logic and realistic approach doesn’t work for this film and one must watch it with an open mind and sit back to enjoy the comedy.
Though the first half was promising and goes at a good pace, the second half slows down a bit and an element of melodrama also comes in between.
But overall, this is a film which will appeal to the masses as well as the family audience. At the box office, good collections are expected at the B and C center and given the Allari Naresh following, this will be a profit grosser.
Rakta Charitra 2 movie got many reasons to be regarded as one of the most awaited films of the season. Rakta Charitra movie is directed by Ram Gopal Varma and is made in Telugu, Hindi, and Tamil simultaneously. Rakta Charitra 1 has created lot of interest on the second part and no wonder people who watched part 1 are waiting for the second part with bated breathe. Tamil version Ratha Charithram is released as a single film though.
As it is a Ram Gopal Varma film based on two powerful real life characters, Rakta Charitra has all reasons to gain the attention of filmgoers. Did the film meet the expectations? Is it worth the wait? Know the details in Rakta Charitra Movie Review…
Review
Story
Surya (Suriya) plans a bomb attack to kill Pratap Ravi (Vivek Oberoi), but the latter escapes it with minor injuries. Pratap gets to know that Surya is son of Narasimha Reddy, who got killed by him. Pratap orders his men to kill who all helped Surya to plan an attack against him. Police takes Surya’s wife Bhavani (Priyamani) into custody and to ensure her safety, Surya surrenders to police. He reworks on another plan to kill Pratap by sitting in the jail.
Who is Surya? Why is he dying to kill Pratap Ravi? Flashback unfolds… Surya is son of wicked politician Narasimha Reddy who has brutally killed Pratap’s father and brother and in turn was killed by Pratap Ravi. Even after his father’s death, Surya doesn’t try to take revenge on Pratap. He plans for a peaceful life along with his family. But by then Pratap Ravi has turned a political power and orders his men to eliminate all his enemies. In that process, Surya’s family gets killed by the TV bomb placed by Pratap’s men. With his family dying for no reason, Surya avenges their death. Surya starts hatching plans from jail. Muddu Krishna gets attracted to Surya and becomes his devoted follower. The rest of the story is all about how Surya succeeds in killing Pratap. Telugu Movie Reviews
Artists Performance:
Surya is terrific. His eyes do all the talking in this film and RGV simply highlighted those eyes with his typical lighting schemes. Watch out for Surya’s eyes when he sits in the shadows and speak. He looks like a tiger on the prowl. His performance in the scene when his family gets killed in a bomb attack is outstanding. Vivek Oberoi, who looked convincing in the first part, is below the mark in this part. May be it is due to the sliding graph of his characterization in this version. The director deliberately made his character look weak here. Vivek is simply outdone by Surya in the only confrontation scene in between them.
Priyamani is perfect as Bhavani. Radhika Apte scores brownie points towards the climax. Shatrughan Sinha doesn’t have much to do here. Sudeep is as brilliant as always, and his presence is felt. Subhalekha Sudhakar plays an important character and so is Tanikella Bharani.
Analysis:
Ram Gopal Varma played cat and mouse game in the first part of this film. He has deliberately held back the ‘crux’ of this story to the second part and simply focused on giving details about Paritala Ravi’s origin and his growth as a politician. BUT, Rakta Charitra film is not just about that. It has not created so much buzz because of the content shown in part 1. Rakta Charitra is mainly highlighted and hyped because of the feud between Paritala Ravi and Maddelacheruvu Suri. Audiences have been waiting for this film to get to know in detail about what has happened between them.
Ram Gopal Varma, being a shrewd businessman, besides being a spectacular filmmaker, has cleverly made two films with single story. He made the first part of the film without even introducing Suri’s role. Hence, people who watched the first part were forced to wait for the second part to release.
But, unfortunately, Rakta Charitra 2 isn’t worth the wait. Ram Gopal Varma’s ploy to market his film and to make audience buy two tickets to watch a single film works on the economical front. However, the master filmmaker disappointed with his take on real ‘Rakta Charitra’. This ‘Reel’ Charitra is just made to cash on the interest that surrounded the real incidents.
Ram Gopal Varma simplified many things to his will and twisted the tale to his convenience. Did he do this out of pressure on him or did he grab only that much from the actual happenings? Only RGV knows better.
Rakta Charitra 2 is also a dragged film like the part 1. Ram Gopal Varma simply dragged the film to the maximum to make it count as a feature film. There are hardly four to five scenes in this film. Only that were repeatedly told or dragged for minutes together kicking the patience out of audience bodies and brains. Ram Gopal Varma should have made this one as single film and that would have made this look even better. Due to his deliberate ploy to release it in two parts and cash on the ‘substance’, Ram Gopal Varma has separated this one into two parts. Neither the story nor the treatment demanded this extended version. May be Ratha Charithram as a single film, would seem much better and packed than this blown up Rakta Charitra.
Despite the dragged screenplay and boring scenes, Rakta Charitra 2 has its moments. The attack on Surya when in court and the outburst of Surya after the death of his family is simply superb. Even the fight in the jail is praiseworthy. With these scenes, Ram Gopal Varma shows why he is at the top. His vision can bring any emotion on to the screen brilliantly, and the above mentioned sequences support this statement.
Climax of this film is the real spoiler as everyone is well aware of what has really happened. Had Ram Gopal Varma dealt this part with finesse, the final impact might have been several notches above than what it is now. Ram Gopal Varma might have removed most of his voice over part from volume 2 after receiving flak for his work in Rakta Charitra 1. That is a saving grace indeed.
Technicalities:
Back ground score is good but not as engrossing as in the first part. Dialogues are okay. ‘Bharya Bharya ki change untundi’ dialogue mouthed by Sudeep got audience in splits. Cinematography is one of the biggest plusses. Editing is Okay. On technical front, Rakta Charitra is good. No complaints whatsoever.
Plus Points:
- Surya’s performance - Background score
Minus points:
- Too much twisting of the real tale - Dragging screenplay and content less scenes. - Poor climax
Final Analysis:
Rakta Charitra 1 is very close to the reality. But the part 2 looks more like fictional and the people who expect real story might get disappointed. Part one has many interesting and true-to-real-life killings. But part two has only three major killings (Rama Naidu studios bomb blast (opening shot), TV bomb blast (interval shot) and Pratap assassination (climax). In the part 1 of Rakta Charitra, RGV explains the basic reason for Pratao going into politics is to get power so that nobody can touch him. RGV shows in part 2 that Pratap is killed while being in power. In real, Paritala Ravi was killed because his government was not in the power. Hence the people who followed Paritala Ravi life story might not be satisfied with the climax of the movie.
Romance never fails to entertain audience. Since the early days of cinema till now, it has been served in different flavours and whenever it is presented with perfection, it appealed to all sections of the movie-buffs.
From MKT to STR, it’s the stories that are loaded with romance that struck a chord with the masses. Joining the list is Arya, whose ‘Chikku Bhukku’ is an attempt at making a full-fledged love movie.
Manikandan, a former associate of cinematographer-director Jeeva, has ensured that the film oozes with romance all through. It draws comparison of love between 1980s and the present day.
More like Bollywoood’s ‘Love Aaj Kal’, the movie has two love stories woven in one.Also some traces of ‘Varanam Aayiram’ cannot be missed while watching ‘Chikku Bhukku’.
The film begins in London where Arjun (Arya), a disco Jockey, leads a happy life. Also there is Anu (Shriya), who completes her MBA. One day, Arjun is forced to come to his native village in Karaikudi to ensure that his ancestral property is not sold.
Also Anu too is forced to come to Madurai to meet her father who gets hurt in a mishap. The two strangers come together in a train. There begins their journey towards their respective destinations.
Meanwhile, a diary of Arjun's father pops out from his bag. He browses through it to understand his dad's love life. In flashback, the movie goes back to 1985. It is revealed that Sekar (Arya) returns to his village after getting selected as a Police.
He falls in love with Meenal (Preeta Rao). But when their romance comes to light, Sekar's family resists as caste comes in between. A dejected Sekar leaves to Police Training.
There he gets acquainted with Ammaiappan (Anoop), an innocent youth who is his colleague. He comes to know that Ammayappan is in love with his uncle's daughter. Sequence of events reveals that both love the same girl Meenal.
Meanwhile cut to present, Arjun and Anu after crossing several hurdles in their journey reach their respective houses. Now they realise that they have fallen for each other. Meanwhile a twist in the form of Anu’s father ensures all well end's well.
Arya is cool and casual. As father he is more sedate and cool, while the son is vibrant and bubbly. He is impressive in both acts, while Shriya plays her role with charm. Shriya, the beauty with brains, has delivered a commendable performance. Her expressions are noteworthy and in song sequences, her steps are something which leaves us in awe.
Preeta Rao passes the muster. Santhanam who appears in a separate comedy track is little disappointing.
Though Colonial Cousins Hariharan and Leslie have disappointed with their songs but for a couple of numbers, Pravin Mani's background makes it up. Cinematography has presented the modern London and the traditional Karaikudi in their typical style.
Costumes and art work are the two other highlights of the film. It seems the costumer and the art director worked with perfect understanding to give the feel of London and Karaikudi with their works.
Manikandan has tried to ensure that the movie has no dull moments. However at many places the scenes provides one a deja vu feel. Thanks to Arya's breezy performance, ‘Chikku Bhukku’ is cool to watch.
Ram Gopal Varma is a pet child of controversies. Some of his biopics in the past invited the wrath of many. So is ‘Raththa Charithiram’, which created waves in Andhra Pradesh even before its release.
The movie on the life of AP politician Paritala Ravi makes one sit sraight and watch. Ramu seems to have done intense research to render an film movie which is strikingly different from run of the mill stuffs.Thanks to a stellar performance by Suriya and intense show by Priyamani and Vivek Oberoi, ‘Raththa Charithiram’ makes it count. Add to it Shatrughan Sinha’s role, the movie leaves one spellbound.
Suriya lives as Suriyanarayanan, who is baying for the blood of his enemy. His subtle emotions, body language and dialogue delivery gives meaning to the movie. Suriya is right there giving one of his best performances as angry young man.Pratap Ravi (Vivek Oberoi), who goes on a killing spree in Annathapuram to avenge the killers of his father, settles down to become a politician. He wins the Assembly election from Ananthapuram thanks to the blessings of actor-turned-Chief Minister (Shatrughan Sinha).
He bumps off all his enemies and their relatives and paints the town red. When everything goes well, an attempt on his life creates kerfuffle.He comes to know that it was Suryanarayana (Suriya), who was waiting for an opportunity to avenge the deaths of his relatives, who got killed in the hands of Pratap.
DCP Mohan Prasadh (Sudeep) identifies the culprit as Suriya. He threatens Suriya to surrender to police holding his wife Bhavani (Priyamani) as captive. Soon, Suriya surrenders to police and goes to jail.
Ravi decides to bump off Suryia in jail but his attempts fail. Meanwhile, leaders of the opposition party, to settle scores with Ravi, volunteers to help Suriya. They decide to clip the wings of Ravi by making Bhavani as candidate in the elections in Ananthapuram.
Ravi now decides to kill Bhavani. Eventually Suriya hatches a plan and decides to execute it at a party meet convened by Ravi. Comes Suriya in disguise to realise his mission. Does he or not forms the climax.
Awesome is one word to describe Suriya's performance. His eyes emote well and in many scenes Ramu has zeroed in on his eyes to make one understand the scene. His diction and body language ooze revenge.
Priyamani is adequate. Vivek Oberoi matches Suriya in performance. However it’s Suriya who walks away with all honours.Technically, it’s one of RGV's best. The slick editing, different colour tones used by cinematographer Amol Rathod adds to the momentum. Especially he has captured the stunt sequences really well.
But there is no denying that the movie oozes blood and gore. There are crude violent scenes. Bullets fly around. On the whole, it is a tight rope walk, but RGV manages to walk with ease.
Thanks to Suriya's performance and RGV's slick narration, ‘Raththa Charithiram’ is a movie that strikes a chord.
Set on the backdrop of Australia, Ram (Ramcharan) is an youngster who loves graffiti but he doesn’t believe in love for lifetime. He wants to say truth all the while with respect to love life and live with open mind, open thought and open action with his partner.
This leads to a clash of ideology with Jaanu (Genelia) who studies in the same college and what starts out as a romantic tale between them both turns out to be a relationship of confusion and complications. Telugu Movie Reviews
Ram explains this entire story as his flash back while a police cop (Prakash Raj) asks him as a part of informal interrogation (!)
Jaanu believes in everlasting love but given the thought process of Ram, will they be together? Can they really love each other? All this forms the rest of the story.
Artists Performance:
Ramcharan did his best to fit the lover boy tag and he was neat in his dance and dialogue delivery. Two things he must avoid- a clean shave and full body shots while in a group. There was no emotional depth in his character so his body language was average.
Genelia was depressing and disappointing. Her costumes were bizarre, the make up was patchy and her face looked blotted. She has lost the innocence and charm. Perhaps it is age but the blame also goes to the styling and her image etching. Performance wise, she was regular and didn’t have any special acts.
Shahzahn comes like a breath of fresh air and though she was brief, she looks cute and attractive. She has the potential to take lead roles.
Prakashraj was regular, Brahmi’s comedy was not upto the mark, Prabhu and Pavitra Lokesh were alright, Vennela Kishore was wasted, Madhurima was quick but sweet, Naga Babu made his presence felt. The others didn’t have much to offer except filling the screens and rolling out few lines.
Highlights: Songs (although no much variety among each other) Dances by Ram Charan Production Values
Disappointments: Theme Dialogue Lack of comedy Lack of emotion quotient Characterizations
Final Analysis:
The fundamental blunder in the film is that when speaking about love it should be run on emotions and feeling but not on calculation. To make things worse, Baskar tries to explain the calculation with his own narrative style which was rather confusing. He had something noble and different in mind but he could not conceive it in the right manner on the screen. There is no emotion, no romance, no chemistry between the lead pair, no sentiment and above all, no comedy. At one stage, it becomes like a boring mathematics class where the audience have become students and are trying to understand what Professor Bhaskar is trying to explain on the love algorithm.
The other disappointment is the philosophy on love. While it is nice to have an ocean full of love, it is common sense that love alone is not life. They are two different entities and the essence of life is in striking a balance between both. Fortunately, what Baskar was trying to say ended up confusing many in the theatre but to those who may have understood a fraction of it, this is truly dangerous. On the other hand, there are quite a number of instances where Bhaskar tried to take the route of Gautam Menon but the difference is chalk and cheese.
The good side of the film is the songs and their picturization which was really impressive and visually appealing. Charan’s efforts in songs were commendable. The fight sequence which involves the spray cans was also creative and colorful. As for his much hyped sky diving stunt, that is not so appealing as expected.
Overall, the film is good on presentation but very poor in content and completely blotched on narration and concept. While the masses have nothing in it, the class audience will feel like they are in a classroom. And regarding the mega fans…well, it looks like 2010 is just not their year as their favorite heroes seem to be dealing with unconventional characters.
Orange movie starring Ram Charan and Genelia in the lead roles is releasing on this Friday and the buzz before release is hitting an all time high. Orange advance bookings are setting cash counters on fire with almost every screen is being booked full for at least three days.
Meanwhile, Orange censor report has been making rounds among the film circles. As expected the film is classy in its appeal, say reports. First half of the film is extremely good with loads of entertainment complimented with beautiful songs.
However, Orange has reportedly slowed down in the latter half when compared to the first half as per the reports. Brahmanandam’s comedy as Puppy came in handy at that time, say reports. Each and every song is a treat to watch and that would be the USP of this film it seems.
Orange movie appeals to the youth and urbane crowds, claim reports. Doubts over the reception from masses are raising many an eyebrow. As Orange is carrying lot of expectations as it is the immediate film of Ram Charan after Magadheera, it has to satisfy the audience immensely to get that positive mouth talk.
Preview reports give us an idea that Orange movie is average to above average in range. We have to wait and see what would be the audience judgment for this film.
Note: Censor reports are just for information sake. These reports are contrary to the actual result most of the times. Therefore, don’t go by these reports and come to a conclusion over the final result.
Guzaarish is the kind of film that demands that we create a separate category for it—a two and three-quarter rating perhaps.]]>
Kanthaswamy. It is the buzz word in every mouth for the past few months. There was immense hype and hoopla around the movie. Touted to be Tamil cinema's ambitious project, the end-product can be described as a marvel on screen, oozing with style and substance.
The duo of Vikram and Susi Ganeshan have come out with a project (though far from logic) that is laced with all commercial ingredients at right mix. They have lived up to the faith imposed on them by producer Kalaipuli S Thanu.Sending a message within commercial parameters is no easy task for any filmmaker. But kudos to Susi Ganeshan for achieving the same. Coming out with an unpretentious entertainer, Susi has ensured that he plays to the strength of Vikram. An action extravaganza with technical finesse was lacking in Tamil cinema. But Kanthaswamy has filled the void now. The computer graphics and the breathtaking stunt sequences captured well by cinematographer Ekambaram has proved a point that Tamil cinema is no way behind when compared to Bollywood and Hollywood.
Very few actors in Tamil cinema mould themselves into character that they play. Leading the pack is Vikram. The actor, who enthralled audience playing out-of-the-box roles in Sethu, Pithamagan and Anniyan has gone several steps above in playing a suave cop and a lovable Robinhood in Kanthaswamy.The subtle variations in the body language and dialogue delivery is a treat to watch not just for Chiyaan fans but for film-lovers across all sections. He looks charming and young with stunning costumes. The singer in Vikram thrills the audience more. Songs featuring the actor crooning in his voice brings the roof down with screams, thanks to catchy and peppy tunes by Devi Sri Prasad.
As expected Kanthaswamy is about a superman cleansing evil in the society. People throng a Murugan temple where they tie their wishes to a tree, after which all their prayers are fulfilled.The Kanthaswamy (one of the names of Lord Muruga) in the temple catches the rage of people. Soon a super hero Kanthaswamy (Vikram) emerges to help people solve their problems. A modern day Robinhood, he provides them with money. Soon the growing name and fame of the temple and serious of events in the city results in a suspicion among police. A tough cop (Prabhu), who happens to be the DIG, starts investigating the issue.
Enters young CBI officer Kanthaswamy (Vikram) with a zeal and dedication to bring out black money from rich and wealthy men. A man of great skills, he sets out on a mission. He comes across Ponnusamy called as PPP (Ashish Vidyarthi), a rich man in the town. He conducts a raid and unearths unaccounted cash and documents worth over Rs 1000 crore. In a bid to revenge Kanthaswamy, PPP's daughter Subbulakshmi (Shriya ) pretends loving him. It is all but a cat and mouse game between PPP, a few other villains and Kanthaswamy.
Cinematographer N K Ekambaram, who enthralled the audience with a splendid work in ‘Iyarkkai’, comes up with a topnotch work. He captures the foreign isles and lush green locales of Mexico in colourful tones. Devi Sri Prasad's music is nothing but a bundle of energy. Excuse me Mr.Kanthaswamy and En Peru Meena Kumari are picks of the lot.
Cutting-edge editing by Praveen K L adds more pep to the movie while costumes by Chaitanya Rao - is nothing but a carefully crafted expensive extravaganza (Rs. 3 crore was spent for costumes alone, according to reports). Kanal Kannan's stunts, including the blindfolded action scenes in Mexico and the police station scene are no doubt an asset for the film. Popular Radio Jockey cum singer Suchitra has lent her voice for Shriya’s character and the dubbing has come out well, adding liveliness to Shriya’s role.
The movie is a joy ride for everyone who loves commercial masala entertainers. Sure to enthrall both brainy and brawny,
‘Kanthaswamy’ is a delight to watch.
Debutant director G N R Kumarvelu’s ‘Ninaithale Inikkum’, a remake of Malayalam hit ‘Classmates’, is a campus crackle that speaks of fun, joy and camaraderie among friends in a college campus.With a young brigade including Prithviraj, Shakthi and Priyamani at the scheme of things, the movie does manage to take one to their college days – the revelry, romance and of course revenge.
Prithviraj hogs all limelight playing a young student Siva, who has a purpose to achieve. So is Shakthi, who plays his best friend in the college. Priyamani as Prithvi’s lover adds to the play.Of course with a host of characters around, debutant director Kumaravel has managed to have come out with a script that has a lighter side before settling down for a touchy climax.Kumaravel is assisted by Vijay Antony’s music, which has a right mix of peppy and soft numbers. Unlike his earlier films, Vijay Antony has allowed lyrics to dominate his music. Equally impressive is Balasubramaniam’s soft lens. The cinematographer captures the life in a college hostel in a different tone.
Siva (Prithvi) looks back at his college days as he returns from Mumbai to attend his college reunion (almost after eight years). The flashback unfolds. Siva, who has an immediate concern for the welfare of others, leads a happy life in the campus along with friends including Shakthi (Shakthi).
Siva’s rising popularity in the college irks Vasu (Karthik Kumar). He sets out to seek revenge on him. Enters Meera (Priyamani), daughter of a local MLA, who studies in the same college. She falls in love with Siva after the latter saves her from a police charge.
Vasu plays a trick and succeeds in making Meera contest against Siva in the college union elections. Friction develops in their affair. But greater things unfold as election begins. Shakthi is found dead in the hostel.A heart-broken Siva informs none and leaves to Mumbai. A series of events unfold during the college reunion that forms the climax and it ends on a touchy note.
If Prithviraj and Priyamaani lends solidity to their roles, Shakthi walks away with all honours with his breezy and cool performance. Priyamani has no major role to play, yet she kind of leaves an impression in that role.K Bhagiyaraj as Shakthi’s father impresses while the rest of the cast including Ilavarasu, ‘Goodluck’ Lakshmanan and Manobala are adequate. ‘Ninaithale Inikkum’ is a movie for the youngsters. Though it is far from the magic of the original.
Ninaithale Inikkum – Campus crackle
The producer in director Shankar is known for spotting the right talent. In ‘Eeram’, he has brought out the filmmaker in his former-associate Arivazhagan. S Pictures, which has made a name for churning out movies on different genre, has dared to deliver an eerie thriller, which is a rarity in Tamil cinema.
Arivazhagan, quiet like his mentor, has come out with a movie that has gripping screenplay coupled with good use of technology. What starts as a crime thriller takes twists and turns to end up as a horror show.The debutant director has been assisted by a young brigade of technicians and lesser known star cast. ‘Eeram’ lives up to its theme- all is wet and watery in the film from the first frame till the last.
Making a seat-edge thriller on super-natural elements is no easy task. It has to be logical. The young filmmaker takes the responsibility on his shoulder and lives up to the reputation entrusted on him by his mentor.The movie revolves around Ramya (Sindhu Menon). She is found dead in a bathtub at her posh apartment. Vasu (Aadhi), a top cop takes the responsibility of investigating the death. He suspects foul play in the incident.
He enquires Bala (Nandaa), Ramya’s husband and several other neighbours. However, he is yet to make progress in the case. An interesting flashback reveals that Vasu and Ramya were lovers in Trichy.
They estrange after Ramya’s father (Rajasekar) refuses for their marriage. Meanwhile, four murders take place in the apartment complex where Ramya lived. Vasu gets the shock of his life during the investigation. Revealing more on the story would take away the suspense element. Watch the movie to know what happened next.
Aadhi, who played a rustic youth in ‘Mirugam’, plays a suave cop. With the image makeover, he fits the bill well. Reminding a blend of Suriya of ‘Kaakha Kaakha’ and Vikram in ‘Sami’, Aadhi promises a lot.Sindhu Menon plays a timid wife. She lends credibility to her role with expressive eyes and neat portrayal. Nandaa, who hitherto played a romantic youth, dons a different role. He deserves appreciation for taking the guts to do it.
The rest of the cast including actor-director Srinath, Saranya Mohan and Lakshmi Ramakrishnan have performed well. The young music composer Thaman (introduced as an actor in Shankar’s ‘Boys’), has come up with soul-stirring music. Visual effects are the USP in the film and it manages to create an element of suspense among the audience.
The scene-stealer however is cinematographer Manoj Paramahamsa, who does his lens do all the talking. He has captured the whole movie on a different colour tone as water finds a place in almost all the sequences, quiet appropriate to the title.
Arivazhagan seems to have begun a journey which would go long and long. However, the second-half seems to be a bit draggy needing immediate chopping of few scenes. Shankar has once again proved that all hopes are not lost in Tamil cinema. Cheers to ‘Eeram’ team.
A focused thriller on the travails of terrorism in our daily life is not a regular thing in Tamil cinema. But Kamal Haasan, the man of experiments, has gathered the guts to remake Hindi hit ‘A Wednesday’ that speaks on the effects of extremism on men in streets.What if a common man becomes a threat to the government and its institution forms the core of the film. An individual’s anger against terrorism and the ineffectiveness of the institution to nip it is what the film boasts about.
Films carrying such themes tend to be preachy as the past suggest. But ‘Unnaipol Oruvan’, a whiff of fresh air in Tamil cinema, is a movie with a purpose. It is neither tacky nor artificial but a straight and simple one that scores.If watching Kamal Haasan performing a serious role is a delight, so it is to see a seasoned campaigner like Mohanlal sharing the screen with them. Both have done roles that demand not just an outburst of emotions in a subtle manner, but also immense involvement.
Kamal in his walk, body language and dialogue resembles the man living in your next door. Mohanlal should be appreciated for the maturity with which he had played the role. His emotional encounter with Kamal Haasan towards the climax is one among the many scenes that deserve applause.
The movie begins with a middle-aged man (Kamal Haasan) leaving bags at pivotal points in city. He takes up position at the top of a half-constructed building and opens his gizmos. Now begins his mission.He uses different sim cards in his mobile (obtained on fake names) and calls up the Police Commissioner Raghavan Maraar (Mohanlal) informing him that he has planted bombs that would explode before the evening.
Taking him serious after finding out that explosives were left in a police station itself by him, Raghavan comes for negotiation. The man on the phone demands the release of four dreaded militants (including three Islamic ultras and a Hindu involved in weapon sale) languishing in various prisons.Maraar entrusts the job to his trusted lieutenants who take them to Sholavaram aerodrome. In between, the caller alerts a television journalist Natasha Rajkumar (Anuja Iyer) and keeps track of the developments thanks to their news scroll on the channel.
Now an unexpected thing happens there. Our common man teaches terrorists a lesson and proves the government that an eye for an eye will usher justice. He tells that the agony and frustration of a common man can lead to a disaster.Director Chakri Toleti seems to have had an easy time, for the trump card was already in his hands in the form of ‘A Wednesday’. But the way in which he has visualized the script needs mention. Shruti’s musical score adds pep to the movie while Manoj Soni’s camera work is the eyes of the common man.
Produced by Raaj Kamal and UTV, ‘Unnaipol Oruvan’ is a film that deals on harsh realities the country faces today and suggests a harsher remedy for it.
Starring: Ajmal, Rupa Manjari, Mouli. Direction: Nandhini Music: Mani Sharmaa Production: Sathyam Cinemas, Real Image.
A missing mother, an abruptly orphaned kid in the hands of a waywardly advertising executive and the mystery surrounding the kid - debutant director Nandhini has had a promising fast paced script when she jotted it down on paper. Sadly, not every promising script transpires into a good movie, for it takes a lot more than just a nice script for a good movie: for starters, neat execution tricks and a tightly packed screenplay with comic and romantic interludes, especially if the movie is a light-hearted comedy.
Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru starts promisingly with a lively star cast and an equally exuberant setting but fizzles down gradually due to the lack of inventiveness in dialogues that gets tedious after a point of time, screenplay that has less or absolutely no drive and music that is strictly so-so.
Desperate to meet the deadlines, an over-enthusiastic advertising executive (Ajmal) hires a kid by the side of the road from a vagrant mother. The mother slips into coma immediately after a freak accident leaving the kid in Ajmal’s custody. The reluctant Ajmal takes up the kid Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru
under his custody and to his dismay, the mother disappears from the hospital she’s admitted in. Ajmal and his cop friend embark on a search to find the whereabouts of the mother while keeping the child in custody.Nandhini’s efforts pay off in the last 20 minutes and the movie flies off in a jiffy during that time. It’s hard not to wish the entire movie is packed that way. The wild goose chase intensifies as the movie inches towards the climax and tries desperately to make up for the nondescript fare offered so far.Ajmal and Rupa Manjari play the ‘battle of sexes’ game that is neither new nor interesting. Ajmal has added another movie to his CV and Rupa has kick started her account. She shows potential, however, in whatever little she was obliged to do. Mouli still retains his brand humor that flows quite naturally.
On the whole, Nandhini’s Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru falls into the ‘could have been better’ category. Only if you are willing to while away the huge part of the movie for the final 20 minutes which is absolute fun, give it a try.
Director Suresh Krissna returns. The erstwhile hit maker is trying to regain the magic touch that he so famously possessed in the 90s. Apparently, he still seems to believe in the 90s style of film making when Tamil cinema has actually evolved far ahead. That is how one feels about Aarumugam, a story that could have found its takers in the 90s. Striking similarities to Suresh Krissna’s big hits of the 90s at many places cannot escape your notice, even though the story, screenplay and dialogues have been handled by Rashid Premji.
Aarumugam is about how one young lad is keen to fulfill his mother’s last wish. It also talks about friendship that transcends societal barriers. Bharath plays Aarumugam, the young man who owns a roadside eatery, lives with the sole aim of realizing his mother’s dream. He has a very close friend from a very unlikely background, the younger brother of a millionaire. However, this difference does not seem to hamper their friendship in any way. But the status conscious millionaire (Ramya Krishnan) is getting sleepless nights after knowing that her brother is socializing in places which could be quite damaging to her high flying image. She tries to intervene between the Arumugamfriends, but that does not work. So, the next thing to do, in a commercial movie, is to send goons who smash up all that the poor guy owns. On the street with nothing to lose, the poor young man’s fire in the belly burns hotter and brighter. The rest is easy to guess for anyone who regularly watched commercial potboilers of the 90s.
A story that has been tried, tested, done and dusted gives the film very little chance of impressing us. It is the director who has to infuse life into proceedings. But, with the kind of script at hand it is a hard job to do, considering that audience these days are increasingly searching for plausibility and logic in even the smallest of things in the movie. There are many big holes in this respect which will irk people who have been treated to some sensible cinema off late. Moving legal processes in a matter of hours and earning millions over a few months are no longer fun to watch.
Bharath has given an honest and earnest performance. In a role that comprises of fully playing to the galleries, he shows complete faith in the director. He has put up a good show in almost all the departments and worked hard in the fights. Ramya Krishnan in a role that was touted to be a la Neelambari delivers what is required. However, this one does not even nip at the skirts of Neelambari. Karthik and Abhinay pass muster in supporting roles. Priyamani is peripheral to the story and is present only for songs and glamour.
Deva’s music has a feeble impact; only ‘Yamini’ seems interesting. Pa. Vijay’s lyrics in most songs are of pretty commendable standards, but the tunes let down the lines. Perarasu has written the opening song which also appears in the background many times.
Aarumugam is an outdated story taken in a manner that would have worked in the mid 90s. But, Tamil audiences have outgrown this genre of cinema. There is no doubt as to which section of audiences this movie has targeted. But, even the front benchers have becoming discerning nowadays. Aarumugam will have a hard time convincing audiences. It may however find some takers who still love escapist masala.
This Diwali’s first release Peraanmai directed by S P Jananathan deals with an entirely different theme but strikes a low key especially in the reliability segment.
Jayam Ravi is the forest officer who is appointed to his post thanks to the quota system of the government but a deserved one at that. His superior Ponvannan belonging to an upper caste does not let any opportunity pass by in insulting him. Tolerating his insinuations and invectives, Ravi performs his job well. In addition to training NCC cadets, in his spare time, he educates the children and adults of the forests. Jananathan has used this as a platform to convey communist thoughts through out the film. While some are sharp, many are muted by the censor.
During the process of training 5 NCC girl cadets in the dense jungles, Ravi’s team stumbles upon a shocking discovery which could be dangerous to the nation. How the team counters the enemy and protects the nation from foreign hands forms the rest of the story.
The trials and tribulations of a lower caste person working under an upper caste boss are well etched out. When Ravi’s marks are compared with that of the cadets in a derogatory fashion, his expressions speak a million. The actor looks smart having shed oodles of weight.
Director’s brilliance shines in the sequences depicting the girl’s pranks and tomfooleries which come across as very natural and enjoyable. All the girls have done their part well. The slow pace of first half which is allocated to the girls hating Jayam Ravi picks up momentum in the second half after spotting foreigners in the Indian forests and the action sequences that follow. Jayam Ravi’s climax sequence is power packed and is praiseworthy
On the flip side, though the theme is something new, Peraanmai lacks in the department of credibility. Ordinary NCC cadets, handling sophisticated machinery is too hard to believe. It is also not explained how Ravi handles the latest missiles. Can Ponvannan not hear the noise when he comes in search of Ravi in the forest? Perhaps Jananathan must have thought that the audience will oversee all these errors when it comes to their motherland.
Verdict: Peraanmai – A low key affair
Starring: Suriya, Nayanthara, Ramesh Kanna, Vadivelu. Direction: K.S.Ravikumar Music: Harris Jayaraj Production: Red Giant Movies
The biggest of this festival season is here and it comes with great expectations. Suriya is targeting a hat trick of hits while KSR is all set to follow up the Dasavatharam phenomenon with another big grosser. Have no doubts when you enter theaters, this is a trademark KS Ravikumar product, no holds barred entertainment with elements for just about everyone in the family. But, it does also come with its share of pitfalls and flaws.
A professional assassin, sharp shooter, jet setter, high flyer – that’s how Aadhavan (Suriya) is introduced to the audience. The customary introduction song does not actually set a racy tempo, but is still foot tapping. He never misses his aim and that brings him a big assignment, one that promises crores. A judge all set to report his findings on a sensational case is the target and Aadhavan is ready to shoot. The bullet misses, the judge survives, Aadhavan fails. With crores and a huge reputation to protect, Aadhavan vows to complete the unfinished job. How, when, where? Watch Aadhavan to find out.
The basic premise of an assassin and the target must lead you to think of a suspense filled, tense and intense plot. But what you get in the first half is exactly the opposite .
You are introduced to a large joint family, Saroja Devi (on screen after 12 years) is the eldest member and Nayanthara as Thara is her granddaughter. Vadivelu is the domestic help and at the helm is the Late Murali who wields the whip and a stentorian tone. Suriya joins the mix and you are in for a hilarious one and a half hours. Trust KSR the script writer to blend and infuse comedy into any story, he does it with finesse here and executes it to near perfection as a director. Ramesh Khanna joins in later to add to the humor quotient. While the main plot does keep moving throughout the first half, it is only close to the interval that it takes a decisive twist. Post interval you are told the details of an unknown identity, a flashback narrates a few family relations and the reasons for an old wound, before we cut back to present to resume the main plot. By now, the pace has slackened a bit. A little bit of romance is slipped in, but it has been kept in check which helps the main plot maintain its course. The last half an hour is perhaps the weakest portion of the movie. Even though the events unfold at a pretty steady pace it fails to engage the viewer. The climax, in an isolated yard with a crane, fully filled petrol tank and a pond nearby are typically Kollywood masala fare. It definitely could have been better. In the bid for uninhibited entertainment, logic and reason have taken a beating at places. Though that is not uncommon in cinema, those instances do leave you searching for explanations. The most prominent is the scene where Aadhavan opens up about his identity to Thara- How Madhavan became Aadhavan? Later, when it is opened in front of the whole family, everyone seems to swallow whatever has been said without even a shadow of doubt. But, KSR has managed to a large extent to cover up for the lack of clarity at places with his racy direction. In fact, you might find yourself asking questions about the logic behind many incidents well after you have left the theater, not while you are still watching the film. Other dampeners include the placement of songs, especially in the first half. The ‘Dekho Dekho’ number seems unnecessary and extraneous to the script. ‘Yaeno Panithulli’ and ‘Hasili Fisili’ captivate with the visuals and exotic locations. Technically, Aadhavan has got few things to boast about, presenting Suriya as a 4 feet something tall 10 year old boy must be a first in Tamil cinema. Though one can clearly make out that it is graphic patchwork at quite a few instances, overall it is a job very neatly done, great effort. Camerawork by R Ganesh is adequate. It is only in the above mentioned songs that he gets to translate a rich feel onto screen. Harris Jeyaraj’s music which is already a hit could have been placed and used better, the songs would have served as a bigger strength to the film that way. Suriya walks through a role that does not challenge him much. The effort and risks taken in the fight sequences, especially the first chase through Kolkata where he can be seen jumping over rooftops etc.., tell a lot about commitment. He looks stylish, angry, cunning and innocent while bringing out different shades of the character that he portrays; a well crafted performance. Nayanthara escapes the glamour trap after a long time and looks fresh. Saroja Devi brings in some old world charm to the proceedings while Murali is authoritative in what is sadly his last film. Sayaji Shinde, Rahul Dev, Riyaz Khan and others do a fairly neat job. Anandh Babu belies the years to shake a leg in the opening song and passes off quite well in a limited but significant role. Vadivelu brings the house down with his comic act. He breathes life into the proceedings every time he is on screen and his antics keep the first half brimming with positive humor; his character adds to the overall Aadhavan experience. On the whole, Aadhavan is trademark KSR cinema. It has action, comedy, sentiment, romance, music and masala, not to forget his special appearance at the end. There are flaws, missing pieces, loose ends and a stereotyped climax that might put you off, but commercial cinema is always prone to such errors. If you are not a stickler for logic or substance, there are quite a few positives to sit back and enjoy.
They have met again! The ‘Jab We Met’ remake is in town and love is in the air. Will the magic work? After the critically acclaimed Poo, Moser Baer ventures into commercial cinema successfully with Kanden Kadhalai. With a story that has already proved its worth up north and a universally accepted emotion as its basic theme; the odds are definitely in favor of Kanden Kadhalai. The team behind the remake is relatively young but highly promising. Kannan is trying to follow up his impressive debut (Jeyamkondaan) with a hit, Bharath is returning to the lover boy role after a few commercial trysts and Tamanna gets a gem of an opportunity to prove her worth as an actress who can carry off all kinds of emotions. Put all this together and we get ‘Kanden Kadhalai’, a youthful romantic drama which takes a fresh perspective on love and relationships.
Shakthi (Bharath) is down in the dumps! The big business establishment that his father has built is falling apart, the board of directors is going insane with arguments and to top it all there are allegations that his mother is having an affair with the company’s auditor. Not able to take any more of the misery he walks out of the board meeting. The day after he goes missing, everyone wonders where he is gone. In fact, even he has no idea of where he wants to go.
He just wants to escape from everything, even from himself. Without a ticket in hand or a destination in mind he boards a train. Aboard he comes across Anjali (Tamanna) who is poles opposite to him in character. She just can’t stop talking, most of which is about herself. As we discover later, the person she loves most in the world is herself. In a weird twist of events, brought about by Shakthi’s pointless sauntering and Anjali’s insuppressible energy, they find themselves together, stranded in the middle of nowhere with no means of transport for the night. They get to know each other over the period that they are together. Travelling across Tamil Nadu to get to Anjali’s home, Shakthi starts feeling lighter and better. He starts learning a lot about taking it easy. Meanwhile Anjali has plans of her own, love is on her mind. But the man is not Shakthi. However she wants Shakthi’s help to reach her lover. She runs away from home and Shakthi goes back to resurrect his business. Everyone believes that they are together, somewhere. It takes some time for Shakthi to realize that everyone believes in something that is not exactly true. So, he sets out to prove that Anjali has actually found love and life with another person. Does he find her? What is she doing? This time the tables turn. Anjali is somber and Shakthi can’t stop talking. Does love happen?
At the outset, it is important to understand that this film is not only about love or romance. It also shows at places about how life and all its ups and downs have to be dealt with. The story defends love and lovers under all circumstance. Some people might find certain thoughts a bit difficult to agree with, but that doesn’t hinder the film much. The chemistry of the lead pair which is the moving force of the film has worked well. Both Tamanna and Bharath look fresh and different in their roles. Bharath is neat and sophisticated in his role. Tamanna looks good especially in the half saree. As for her performance, she is really good while bringing out different facets of the character. It is a commendable effort. She has proved her ability to pull off a wide range of roles. The high point of the movie is Santhanam’s whacky comic act. Appearing as the bridegroom chosen by Anjali, his dialogues infuse life into the movie. The audience loves him, except when he goes into double entendre mode. This could have been avoided as it spoils the clean family entertainer status that the movie could have had. The major drawback of Kanden Kadhalai is its lack of continuity at places. There are also places where the events seem a bit artificial. The music, which is an important part of any romantic flick, has not worked too well. Only ‘Suttudhu Suttudhu’ makes an impression. Other songs don’t stick to your mind; their placement too is not apt. Camerawork is colorful and well suited to the mood of the film.
Kanden Kadhalai is a film for the youth. People with romance in their hearts are bound to enjoy the theme and the subtle hints that the movie gives about love. It seems to be giving out the idea that failing in love or work once does not mean that the world has ended, there is always tomorrow. However, a few glitches in continuity take a toll on the film. Kannan has made a not too bad follow up to Jeyamkondaan. But with his proven credentials and a young cast, the remake of a Hindi superhit should ideally yield better results. Nevertheless, Kanden Kadhalai is quite an enjoyable fare for those who love romantic flicks.
Verdict: Youth and love special
Starring: Mammootty, Sarath Kumar, Manoj K Jayan, Kanika Subramaniam, Padmapriya, Thilakan, Jagathi, Sreekumar, Suresh Krishna, Suman, Linda Arsenio Direction: T. Hariharan Music: Ilayaraja Production: Gokulam Gopalan
Heroes of the Indian freedom struggle; the theme has never lost its appeal and probably never will. Pazhassi Raja presents an account of the life, times and struggles of one of India’s earliest heroes. The Malayalam original was released over a month back in Kerala and has broken almost every box office record without showing any sign of slowing down. It is with quite huge expectations that the dubbed version releases in Tamil.
First, the theme itself makes the film worth more than just a look. Set in Wayanad (the northern part of Kerala) in the late 18th century, the movie traces the path of Pazhassi Raja (Mammootty) who showed the courage to defy the powerful colonial forces that were threatening to take over his motherland. While kingdoms around him were making hurried alliances with the foreign forces to avoid war, and bending to every wish and whim and rule laid down by them, Pazhassi Raja felt it unacceptable that people who were allowed into the country for trade should begin to dictate terms. His defiance obviously doesn’t go down too
well with the forces and a clash is inevitable. The colonial forces, armed with guns and cannons expect to overrun the sword and spear-wielding army of the Raja. The Raja does suffer losses, and is eventually forced to seek refuge in the thick jungles of north Kerala about which the British don’t have a clue. But, this is not before the very core of the British forces has been shaken by the valiant resistance that was put up, when they were expecting a meek surrender in an unevenly matched battle. In the jungle, with his faithful followers consisting of his trusted lieutenant Edachena Kunkan (Sarath Kumar), Pazhassi Raja gathers his forces for a powerful retaliation. He finds willing and able allies in the Tribals, led by Thalakkathu Chanthu (Manoj K Jayan), who know the jungles like no one else does. They devise a hitherto untried plan to counter the firepower of the British, guerilla warfare. In the thick cover of the jungle, the plan is perfect as the foreign forces don’t have a clue about who is hitting them and from where. It looks as if bow and arrow might ultimately get the better of the gun. But, treason lurks and it turns the course of events. But, the fight is not over yet. The Raja’s men shall not drop arms until none of them stands. That is what Pazhassi Raja is all about, a tale of martyrdom. As said above, the theme itself makes the film worth more than just a look. To go nit picking the faults of such a movie could amount to a disservice to the sacrifices that sparked off the struggles that ultimately earned us our freedom. Yet, from a very objective point of view it can be said that the movie is perhaps a trifle too long. There are places where one feels that the screenplay (M.T. Vasudevan Nair) could have been a bit tighter, though it is flawless for most parts. The climax makes one feel patriotic with the Raja and his men making the ultimate sacrifice. The dialogues adapted to Tamil by Jayamohan convey the right emotions most of the time. The dubbing from Malayalam to Tamil has been done without many noticeable glitches which are commendable considering that the original uses the more classical, pure Malayalam of North Kerala in the 18th century which has very little Tamil influence. Everyone in the cast has given their heart to the role. It is not always that an actor gets such an opportunity. Mammootty lives the role of Pazhassi Raja. Majestic and commanding, one of his best performances. The points when he has to try hard to summon courage and resilience even in the face of heavy losses to motivate his forces bring out the best in the actor. Sarath Kumar is excellent as Edachena Kunkan. His confrontation with another regional king and final act of sacrifice makes a great impression. Manoj K Jayan too has delivered with distinction. Padmapriya makes her presence felt in a challenging role while Kanika is a constant presence throughout the movie without getting much of a chance to perform. Senior performers like Nedumudi Venu, Thilakan and Jagathi Sreekumar leave their stamp behind in small but important roles. Music by Ilayaraja carries the Maestro mark as usual. Resool Pookutty contributes with a fine effort, sounds come alive. The camera effectively captures the green terrain of Kerala. The film has been made with lots of effort and planning. One can see it in the number of extras that have been used in every scene. The efforts taken by the cast in the fight sequences impresses. On the flip side, the nativity factor goes missing in the Tamil version which is expected. The costumes, the architecture and everything are very much characteristic of Kerala and hearing Tamil dialogues in this setting takes a bit of getting used to. Pazhassi Raja is a film that reminds us of the price at which freedom came. It is one great effort and definitely needs to be received with an open mind. A few shortcomings notwithstanding, it is an opportunity: for those who know about these heroes to remember them once again and for those young people who are yet to hear these names to get to know about them and their sacrifices. We would love to see more movies like these.
type='html'>bollywood actress emma watson hot stills, emma watson hot, actress emma watson hot stills, emma watson hot images, h...
Allu Arjun and Sneha Reddy are very happy now as they have successfully convinced their parents for their marriage. Now their love bond is ...
type='html'>Hot saloni pics, saloni events hot stills, saloni miss twin city hot pictures, saloni hottest, saloni hot boom show ...
Movie Name: Siruthai [2010] Cast: Karthi, Tamannaah Bhatia, Santhanam, Baby Rakshana Director: Siva Producer: K. E. Gnanavelraja, S. R. Pra...
Cast: Viswa Sriranjani, Venniradai murthy, Mayilsamy Direction: Mahadurai Production: Venkat Gulasekaran Music: Nesan Download Links Track N...
