Set in the 70s in a quaint and remote village, the story kicks off with Vasudev, the village postman getting abducted by masked men to an unknown location. He is interrogated about his past using a machine that has hypnotizing powers. Apparently, Vasudev has been secretly reading letters addressed to others which has unexpected consequences.
Who are these masked men who seem to have no connection to the village ..? What is their interest in Vasudev..?
Debutant director duo - brothers Sujith and Sandeep - have crafted a unique thriller that builds gradually on its simple setting to culminate in an ending that is unexpected and exceptional.
Not saying much else, lest I might tread into spoiler territory.
A sort of return to form for Director Shankar who stumbled badly and delivered a disaster in Indian sequel which was his previous outing. The story from director Karthik Subbaraj pits an upright and dynamic bureaucrat against a power hungry politician buttressed by a corrupt system.
The writing and execution follows Shankar's familiar template with some contemporary updates. Yet, it largely works and delivers the wares for a commercial potboiler, thanks largely to Ram Charan firing on all cylinders and powering it through a double role. He gets able support from an ensemble cast including SJ Suryah as a menacing antagonist, a goofy Jayaram, Srikanth, Samuthirakani, Anjali, and Kiara Advani besides several others who appear in a blink-n-miss minor roles like Achyuth Kumar, Vennela Kishore, and Brahmanandam.
Shankar has continued to splurge on the making including songs mounted on grandiose scale with eye popping colours that saturate the large screen from edge to edge. Ditto for his mandatory emotional flashback stretch which is at best average and is utterly predictable despite dramatic gravitas of Ram Charan and Anjali trying their best. Nevertheless, the cat and mouse game between the leads has enough drama and punchy twists to sustain momentum and interest.
While Shankar has upped his game from his previous debacle, this is still a far cry from his yesteryear blockbusters which find several echoes through the movie. If you keep your expectations limited, this is a fairly engaging game.
Jersey would definitely rank among the notable sports dramas I have enjoyed recently. The entire team has excelled.
Nani is spot on as the cricketer out to prove himself well beyond the conventionally accepted shelf life. He seems to have hit a purple patch with back-to-back good outings with Jersey after Gang Leader. Shraddha Srinath is among the better actresses in the latest crop. She does well in a character which could have been better written.
Director Gowtam Tinnanuri's sophomore effort (after an above average debut with Malli Raavaa) is sincere and tugs at the heart without being too melodramatic. He is remaking this in Hindi with Shahid Kapoor (🤞🏽).
After, Dear Comrade, this is another commendable cricket based drama from Tollywood which hits most of the right notes.
This is a regular story that involves two babies mixed up at birth. As anyone could guess, one of the babies (Allu Arjun) grows up in a middle class household while the other (Sushanth) in an ultra-rich household. The rest of the story is about what destiny holds in store for them.
Yes.. it is a story done to dust ever since stories were invented.
And Yes.. it follows a predictable path till the very end and is packed with the cliches that we would have seen a zillion times.
Yet.. the film doesn't feel stale due to the writing skills of Director Trivikram who manages to infuse even these regular scenes with an element of freshness and fervour. Here, Trivikram is back in his forte delivering a well written family drama filled with enough entertainment quotient that keeps even the template tropes ticking. He has cooked up a winning recipe for a delicious festival blockbuster that has all the ingredients in near-perfect proportions.
Stylish Star Allu Arjun appears to be in his elements and enjoying himself as he emotes with ease, aces his comic timing, oozes effortless charm and swag that befits his image and dances with relish to the hit numbers. While there are many, the scene when he imitates the dance moves from other actors in the scene set in a boardroom is a stand-out.
Commendable cameos from a bunch of talented stars including Tabu, Jayaram, Sachin Khedekar and especially, Murli Sharma who outshine their respective roles that are pretty minor as compared to their immense potential. Besides there are many more notable names including Vennela Kishore, Sunil, Nivetha Pethuraj, Rajendra Prasad, Rohini and Navdeep who (dis)appear in blink-and-miss parts.
As one would come to expect from any movie mounted on such huge budgets, the film boasts of superlative technical finesse - in terms of resplendent cinematography by PS Vinod who has captured the proceedings in picture-perfect frames and superb action set pieces choreographed by Ram-Lakshman that make a pronounced style statement while dialing down the violence meter. Music director Thaman deserves a special mention for providing an energetic soundtrack with foot-tapping numbers which are already chart-busters.
Overall, despite its flaws and the predictability of its template, this is a perfect family entertainer which is a veritable Sankaranti feast presented by the duo of Trivikram and Allu Arjun.
The initial sequences of debutante director Bharat Kamma's Dear Comrade feels like a hangover from Arjun Reddy with Vijay Deverakonda steeped in alcohol and angst of loss of love even as his friends try to support him.
We quickly cut to a flashback which captures Bobby in his college days donning the role of titular comrade in all his raw aggressive spirit.
By now.. the alarm bells of being in another Arjun Reddy wannabe start blaring in my head.
I begin to wonder if this is another case of a talented actor getting trapped in an overshadowing image of his past successful outing.
Thankfully, that is not the case.
The narrative quickly moves on and we see that this is indeed a love story of an impulsive, hot-headed Bobby (Vijay Devarakonda) and composed, clear thinking Lilly (Rashmika Mandanna) - a state level cricketer with soaring ambitions to become a national level player. The portions between the lead pair (fresh after their successful Geetha Govindam) are capture with warmth with ample support from the score and songs from the talented Justin Prabhakaran. Even the many template tropes work because of the easy chemistry that the lead pair shares. There is a beautifully measured sequence halfway through which introduces the conflict which launches the second half which sees a role reversal between the leads. Both Bobby and Lilly are tested for their commitment for each other and their own dreams. This portion also involves the leads embarking on their own journeys - both in literal and metaphorical sense - to identify the true meaning of comradeship.
This movie is indeed a pleasant package on multiple counts - praiseworthy performances from both the leads, a smooth flowing narrative with emotional heft that feels just right in most places and exceptional music. Bharat Kamma deserves kudos for keeping off the much trodden path of simple romance and delivering a drama with heart. The writing deserves credit for the several subtle elements through which it establishes the character arcs of the leads initially and takes them forward through the ordeals that they have to face. The manner in which they deal with those ordeals resonates and stays true with the initial sequences and this keeps the viewers invested in their journeys. Perhaps, that would also explain why even a contrived final sequence of confrontation seems to work.
Overall, Dear Comrade is a heart warming, well executed drama which explores the idea of comradeship commendably in an exceptional way.
Chitra has just completed MBA and aspires to pursue further studies in Australia and become an entrepreneur. Prashanth is forced to pursue Engineering course by his father though he aspires to be a chef. He is also too lazy to chase his dream and seeks shortcuts to settle down in life. The movie takes off when the two protagonists meet accidentally during a pellichoopulu (a common Indian ritual where potential groom and bride meet along with their families). What follows is a narrative that presents a predictable story in an engaging manner with oodles of humor and very relatable situations.
Vijay Deverakonda is authentic in his portrayal of Prashanth who is used to the daily taunts from his father and would prefer to laze around seeking simplistic solutions without a care. Ritu Varma, with her sparkling presence lights up every frame and is pitch perfect as the ambitious Chitra who is at ease in conveying a wide range of emotions. They share an easy chemistry and are ideal foil for each other which make them instantly likeable and keeps the viewers invested in how they fare. Besides the leads, the movie benefits from a competent set of supporting cast who register their presence even in the smallest of roles and adding to the funny situations. Composer Vivek Sagar has provided some good songs and adds value with his background score.
Debutante director Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam has made a breezy romcom which checks almost all the right boxes a genre which is mostly messed up in narratives that are mired in melodrama or mindless action or other "masala" elements. His competence as an engaging storyteller is evident in the way that he strikes a fine balance in presenting the multiple threads of understated romance, aspirations of girls which are often ignored or even trampled upon as well as the casual attitudes of a section of youth Wei fail to follow one's dreams due to their lethargy and seeking easy solutions, family bonds without getting preachy or melodramatic and constant flow of jokes which do not feel forced.
With an entertaining first feature, Tharun has announced his arrival as a film maker to look forward to.
First up.. The good news.. This is a mighty leap from that lackluster Lingaa.. But, that's not much to write home about.. Is it..?
Be warned..
This is more a film for Rajini, the actor .. who shines through with a neat performance.
And..
Less from the SUPERSTAR, worshiped by the masses.
Director Ranjit's movie is a mixed bag.. A movie which is neither an entertainer in the mass masala mould that the fanboys crave from the Superstar, nor in the signature style of the auteur that is rooted in the milieu and emotionally potent.
It has some good bits of both worlds. Alas, in his meandering between these two worlds, the final result is less than fulfilling.
The revenge drama at the center lacks sufficient bite. While some of the action sequences pack a punch, the rest are so so. This movie has more emotional content than most contemporary movies of the Superstar. Yet, most of it fail to deliver the impact, except for the bits between Rajini and Radhika Apte.
One gets the feeling that this could've been so much more if the best elements from these diverse universes were to be assembled better with more coherence and finesse.
Rajini, with his trademark swag, is in fine form as the aging gangster who still has the fight in him and holds some aces up his sleeves. He convincingly portrays the character's vulnerabilities and yearning for his lost family. After the disastrous Lingaa, he has made a bold choice of choosing to work with a next gen director and a character that suits his age in a story which, while not far off from the run-off-the-mill kind, has enough to showcase his acting skills.
Among the other positives are Santosh Narayanan who has delivered a great album that goes well with the movie and Radhika Apte who is once again impressive and holds her own against the Superstar.
Don't get me wrong. This IS a GOOD film. But, given the director's potential, the Superstar's magical presence and the promising glimpses from the trailer, one expected a much more heady cocktail.
Nevertheless, the fact that it comes on the back of a let down called Lingaa and is promoted aggressively through a high pitched carpet bombing marketing campaign, should set the box office on fire as deprived fans lap up enough of their Superstar to satiate themselves till 2.0.
Overall, it feels like a well intentioned recipe that is a tad under-cooked (perhaps, I should call it overcooked, given its length that calls for some trimming) ... a jigsaw puzzle that doesn't quite fit so well.
Most of India identify him as the maker of the 2012 sleeper hit Makkhi (aka Eega/Naan EE/Eecha) as well as the reincarnation saga, Magadheera (Maaveeran in Tamil). However, in the annals of Tollywood, S.S. Rajamouli, is better recognized as the serial blockbuster maker with a Midas touch. Even his lesser known earlier movies have spawn successful remakes/dubbed versions in multiple Indian languages. Seen thus, he is among the few regional film makers who can rightfully claim of winning adulation and appreciation across the country.
Baahubali, Rajamouli's ambitious magnum opus, to be presented in two parts - The Beginning released now to be followed by The Conclusion next year - owes much of its existence to the critical and commercial success of Makkhi (2012) where Rajamouli proved that he could weave a riveting revenge saga with a humble housefly as the protagonist. One can also say that Baahubali as well as Rajamouli's dream took flight with the tender wings of that housefly which could establish him as a maker who could assure delivering the goods on a much larger scale and reach.
Set in a fictional medieval land, Baahubali - The Beginning is a revenge saga of a royal family where the long lost prince - Shivu (Prabhas) - would be seen avenging the injustices of a cruel and corrupt king - Ballala Deva (Rana Daggubati) who murdered his father - king Amarendra Baahubali (Prabhas) and imprisoned his mother - Devasena (Anushka Shetty goes completely de-glam). While the story is as old as humanity itself, it is in his presentation that Rajamouli scores his aces. Without doubt the design and execution of the movie is on a scale hitherto unseen in Indian cinema. The movie boasts of state of the art CGI which could rival most of what is on offer from Hollywood which is seamlessly complemented by gorgeous art design of the ever-dependable Sabu Cyril which is captured by K.K. Senthil Kumar to spellbinding effect. While the songs themselves are quite unremarkable, music director M.M. Keeravani (aka Maragadhamani) has amped up the intensity of the action set pieces with an energetic score. The extended action set piece of the battle which forms the finale has been spectacularly conceived and rendered by Peter Hein and his team. In fact, the visionary director, his visual effects team, Sabu Cyril and K.K. Senthil Kumar as well as the audacious producer who believed in the director and his team to deliver the wares are the real stars of this movie. Speaking of the star cast, Prabhas and Rana bring on an intense screen presence with their hulking herculean builds even as veteran Ramya Krishna matches them with her fiery presence. Satyaraj (as Kattappa) and Nasser (as Pingala Deva) excel in their minor cameos.
S.S. Rajamouli has the rare twin gifts of being a visual artist and an entertaining storyteller. In Baahubali - The Beginning, he has let the visual artist to overshadow the storyteller in him. Baahubali has several instances where Rajamouli doffs his hat - without copying, per se - to Hollywood masters like James Cameron, Peter Jackson as well as local influences like the epics of Ramayana, Mahabaratha along with notable works in Bollywood and his own earlier works.
If one were to count the failings of the movie, I would flag the lack of emotional connect with the story and its characters, especially coming from a maker who could hook us and root for the revenge saga of a humble housefly. The insipid romance between Prabhas and Tamannah is unconvincing and is the chief culprit resulting in the extra long first half which feels a tad of dragging. Nonetheless, the movie remains consistently engrossing as Rajamouli shifts the action from one verdant locale to another which rise up in majestic CGI visuals which are well crafted with the exception of few blemishes which look phony.
Baahubali - The Beginning heralds the breach of the long held and accepted horizons of Indian film-makers and explores brave new visual vistas where contemporary Hollywood has held reign for a decade or more. Now, if only our film makers build more muscle in the storytelling side too, our films would be celebrated across the world, besides India. But, till then, Rajamouli and his team richly deserve the shower of praises that are to come their way for imagining and executing an epic entertainer that has taken Indian cinema to an all new apex. Hope he scales greater heights and concludes his epic saga with a fitting finale. I AM WAITING !!
Shankar, the showman of the current generation, has presented a personal revenge story set in the glamorous world of modelling in his latest venture. While he continues his trend of pushing boundaries in terms of budget of regional movies, capturing hitherto unexplored exquisite locales (this time in China), cutting edge special effects, he has moved away from his usual social message embedded narrative featuring a lone hero/vigilante fighting societal evils. Keeping with the theme of the movie, I is the cinematic equivalent of that lavishly made, well picturised attention grabbing commercial which captivates you for the first viewing, but remains/means little else thereafter. Whether that spells success/otherwise of its maker Shankar is the big question. Speaking for myself, despite its several shortcomings - including its length of 189 minutes, a paper-thin plot lacking depth and further beset with several crater-esque perforations, cardboard-cut characters, indulgent action set pieces that lack the zing and overstay their welcome - I liked it for the way Shankar has managed to package it as an engaging entertainer with P.C. Sreeram's visual brilliance showcasing a montage of vivid and rich imagery, WETA's magic in creating very real pro(ae)sthetics, Rahman's numbers (Ennodu Nee Irundhal, Pookkale & Mersal) and above all, for the towering brilliance of its leading man,vIkram whose performance and transformations through the film are simply SUPERB. A GOOD (ONE-TIME) Watch !!
A BIG THANKS to the Superstar.. A potentially unbearable bore, that preys on our patience, becomes just about bearable.. Director K.S. Ravikumar is guilty of squandering the star power of Rajni with an insipid and ancient (belonging to a pre-Muthu era) narrative to the extent that despite the presence of Rajni, the movie seems to benefit considerably from the comic gags of Santhanam.. It is a disappointing effort from the Mozart of Madras too as his songs fail to register... what's more, their picturisation as well as their placement appear like warts which hamper the flow of an already glacial pace. Rajni looks his old fine self, especially in the role of the old king. While the cinematographer does a good job, the stunts, except some brief elements of the train sequence, are unimpressive.
Overall, as is the case with most of his Masala flicks, it is Rajni, the Superstar with his larger than life image, who rescues this movie despite being given the short rope by his director and some key members of his crew !
A GOOD WATCH (ONLY, if you are a Rajni fan.. But, then again.. It is pretty hard to find a person who is not one in these latitudes) !!
