Bahubali Review

** This is a repost of my review for Bollyspice.com**

Lets get two things straight. Bahubali was never going to be a shrinking violet and S.S. Rajamouli is not the type to make a quickie film with a so-so storyline. So when you step into the theatre halls for Baahubali make sure you leave the hype at the door and open your mind to a new world on celluloid. A world where courage is your armour, vengeance is your sword, honour is the life you lay down and victory is a throne in the hearts of the people. Make no mistake this is a fantasy kingdom called Mahishmati. But look hard enough and you may just find the truth behind the fantasy.

In a forest far, far away and beneath the landscape, Empress Sivagami (Ramya Krishnan) stumbles her way to the base of a waterfall with a child in hand. A child she sacrifices her life for to keep alive. Raised by Sanga (Rohini), a doting childless woman and one of the villagers, Shiva (Prabhas) is no ordinary man. He climbs a mountain no mere mortal can conquer. Only the likes of Lord Shiva himself could take the reigns over this task. He is persistent, but falls short every time. Yet it is only when a wooden face mask literally falls to his feet, he finds the strength to overcome this obstacle. His task, solely to find out whom the girl behind the wooden mask is. Mission accomplished but this girl is no damsel. She is Avanthika (Tammannah Bhatia), a warrior in the rebel revolution set on the rescue of their queen – Devasena (Anushka Shetty). So while it’s not the normal successful attempt of courting, Shiva makes his mark on Avanthika (literally) only to embark on a new path with more challenging obstacles.

Unbeknownst to him, Devasena is not just a queen that is captive. She was the queen but now khaas mujrim of unknown crime in the kingdom of Mahishmati ruled by Bhallaladeva (Rana Daggubati). Tormented every day and every night, Bhalladeva rules his kingdom with the same never-yielding nature to torment. It runs on the loyalty of warrior-servants like Kattappa (Sathyaraj) and the fear of his complacent people. His strength lies in his brute force, his treachery and his disabled father Bijjaladeva (Nasser). When there is no hope, there is no reason to fight the inevitable. The people of Mahishmati have resolved to their grim fate ever since the death of their saviour, their king Bahubali (Prabhas again). However, not every day will be the same. Not every day does a queen breathe a sigh of relief after waiting 25 years for a son to come to her rescue. Not every day does a ferocious ruler erect a statue for himself, only to be overshadowed by the force of his people’s chant for their saviour.

You will have people compare the likes of Hercules, Prince of Persia, 300, Gladiator, Lord of The Rings and even Karan Arjun with the unwavering belief Devasena holds for the return of her son. But trust me when I say, there is very little originality in most films nowadays that circle Bollywood. As mentioned, look hard enough and you will find it. But the question in front of you isn’t just about how original the script is. It is how was the story told? How far did the makers go to ensure we the audience are entertained with a fresh viewpoint and convince us to play along? Did the cast depict the life of a character without the audience thinking it was so-and-so actor in the role of such-and-such character? On these counts there’s no doubt, minds will be blown.
 

So let’s start with the cast. You will be farfetched to find a cast so appealing. Ramya Krishnan is regal in her commanding leadership. She plays authority with finesse and fierceness that you’re almost inclined to follow her orders. Sathyaraj is the epitome of honour as Kattappa and is perfection on screen. Regardless of if it is on the battlefield or his devotion to a sword in memory of his leader. Anushka Shetty scares you with her intro but could possibly the 2nd best and most anticipated character for Part 2. She barely has enough screen time yet she wastes none of it to display the fighter bidding her time. Even as these characters display with maturity and stature their varying dynamics, it is Rana Daggubati and Prabhas that stand tall even if it is barely over their 6’ plus frames. The two actors are in full form playing against and with each other that is akin to brothers in arms. Rana is such a pleasure to see as he flares up with ferocity and with a sinister charm bound to kill a few hearts in the audience. As Shiva, Prabhas is playful and full of wonder yet as Baahubali, he shines with dignity and level-headedness that of a leader.

  

A mention must be made for Nasser and Tamannah. Both actors have proven their acting chops before, Nasser more so. However, the actors both don’t match up to their former performances. Nasser has played the conniving manthri in few films already so it was almost cake-walk. Tamannaah may have struck out in landing a power-packed role in Hindi films but the lovely lady has been in the South for about 10 years and has proven her mettle there. Bahubali does push her limits and she struggles to play the warrior in some places which is a shame. Having said this, neither of these characters would be considered bad. More they are the weaker links in an epic collaboration.

There is no distinct difference for the Hindi version of Bahubali. Simply put, Dharma Productions and AA Media present the film, Manoj Muntashir is on board for the lyrics/dialogue and M.M.Kreem’s changes his choice of singers for a soundtrack to suit. A soundtrack that resonates in the halls as epically as the films does. So what makes this dubbed version of a film different from the rest? Well the answer lies in another question. What makes us push boundaries? Success? Maybe. Prestige? Possibly… For a director like S.S. Rajamouli so dedicated to his craft, the answer lies in his passion for cinema. One that he shares with the massive crew that worked in the film. This is collaborative effort and they all shared the dream of this 2 part epic. As much as that sounds like something a clichéd thank you speech, Bahubali is testimony to that effort and it’s evident on screen. The VFX team itself was 2000 as declared by the director at the audio launch in Thirupathi. How can one yield a team so vast without missing out? Rajamouli is known for his take painstaking efforts to make sure he and his team get it right. Bahubali is no different. V.Vijayendra Prasad set the storyline, K.K. Senthilkumar behind the camera, Sabu Cyril for set design but it is Rajamouli at his creative best that grabs the audience of multiple languages to identify and sync with the final product. The suspense of each character poster, the teaser which shows 1000 men working on the construction of a set, the making videos of the cast as they were grilled physically for each character. This dedication is rare and the output is outstanding.

I read a tweet from a random viewer which said people are running out of superlatives to describe the grandeur that is Bahubali. I too am lost for words as the fan of fantasy screams and shouts for joy but has to wait patiently to see Bahubali: The Conclusion.

Rating: 4.5/5

Dheiva Thiru Magal Review

Sometimes the fact a film is based on another, or "inspired" doesn't make a difference to the outcome whether good or bad. This maybe due to the adaptation or acting. In one way, Nayagan, a "Godfather" based film is one such film where the outcome was amazingly good. With Dheiva Thiru Magal, there is no denying the film is based on I am Sam, a film that saw Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer in lead roles. However, the request of this writer is when you read this and watch the film, do not draw comparison. So with that lets jump in.

The movie begins at night on the highway to Chennai. A figure [Vikram] emerges from the car that slows down to a stop. But as the car drives off, he panics. As he screams Nila, Nila and collapses on the ground, the car drives off. The dawn sees the figure wandering the streets lost. While its obvious to those he meets that he is not of the same mental capacity as them, none want to help. All that is known is his name is Krishna and he wants Nila. At this point enters Anuradha [Anushka], a lawyer looking for a chance to prove her skill and aspires to become an assistant to leading lawyer, Bashyam [Nasseer]. Along with her associate Vinod [Santhanam], the two unknowingly stumble across this lost soul but like the others, run away without helping. But when Krishna gets hurt becuase of them, Anuradha feels responsible. She begins to learn who the mentally challenged Krishna is and about Nila [Sarah], his daughter who has been taken away. Determined to set right her wrong and reunite the father and daughter, Anuradha will face more challenges than she expects. Not only in the form of going head to head against Nila's grandfather, Rajendran [Sachin Khedekar], a business magnet that runs several school throughout the state but also in the courtroom, against her idol, Bashyam himself. Will she be able to keep her promise? Will the bond between this father and daughter be strong enough against the law?

Rarely do you see an actor that goes so far with his acting that you lose all capability to describe what the experience is like. Kamal Haasan is one actor that is hard to pin to words and now, it would seem Vikram is not far behind. As an actor, he has poured his heart, soul and voice into this character. Rarely a moment he seems over the top, he blends in perfectly. But even he has major competition in the form of the little starlet of the film, Sarah. To say this girl is cute is an understatement. But what is more endearing about Sarah is she is natural with her part, without a word out of sync or an emotion out of place. For a child that doesn't know Tamil, this is surely a big challenge but she just takes it into her stride. Anushka has stepped away from her usual glamdoll role and is elegant yet funny as Anuradha. Her quirkiness during the initial court scenes and subtle emotions with her onscreen father Y.G. Mahendran score her extra brownie points. Amala Paul plays an important role and does it well but does not have the same screen time. Sachin Khedekar is stern and powerful while Nasseer adds another face to his showcase with the sly and proud Bashyam. Santhanam does make an entry as the main funny man but soon becomes loyal friend. M.S.Bhaskar and his false teeth are much like him although he has a slight negative shade that can be seen as a reflection of society and their perception. Karthik Kumar, Surekha Vani and Pandi have small roles but are ok in.

On the technical front, one cannot complain about Nirav Shah's work since he has a consistency that is evident in Dheiva Thirumagal as well. Each shot is specially crafted to enhance the locales and Antony's editing makes the sequences smooth and crisp. G.V.Prakash has a special touch to his musical scores for films with Vijay and continues this with Vizhigalil, Vennilave and Aariro tingling the ears ever so sweetly. But behind them lies director Vijay. More than looking at what he has said with Deiva Thiru Magal, he makes you look at how he has said it. The act of having someone with the mental capacity of a 6 year old isn't easy. The key is making the audience understand Vikram's character is not stupid. Only that he takes time to understand simple tasks but they are understood with clarity if explained properly.  In the hands of a lesser actor or writer, this could have gone hideously south. Yet even with Vijay pulling the right heart strings with Vikram and Sara's performance, this isn't a perfectly crafted film.

Yes it is a well adapted film and the cast are a major plus point to the film but the slow motions and soft voiceovers can get a bit much. The proceedings take their time to get stuck into things and often drag out even then. Also, the factor of hiding a plaintiff because of his condition even though they believe he is capable, seems like the logic factor isn't one to take seriously. The Anushka-Vikram love track that was alluded to may have been beautiful to look at but really wasn't developed enough to warrant and disappears just as quickly. Especially since as you walk out of the theatre hall, possibly throwing a few wet tissues, the performance and chemistry between this father-daughter is what remains and is supposed to.

 

Rating: 3.5/5  

Vaanam Review

How does one take a film like Vaanam? Granted the original has been out for quite some time and had a shock value to it that Vaanam doesn't but does a remake of a good film amount to an automatic success story if the director is the same. Not always. The critically acclaimed film Vedam, written and directed by Krish in Telugu, was prominent not just its content but the fact it boasts of a star cast of Allu Arjun, Manchu Manoj Babu, Anushka Shetty, Manoj Bajpai, Saranya and Nagayya. Considering multi-starrers are only now making a comeback in TFI, the cast alone got people’s attention as each played a special part in a 5 story screenplay. After the film’s release, detractors were apparent but the general consensus was of positive reviews for the film. For its remake, Vaanam, the cast changes slightly with Simbhu in Arjun’s role, Bharath in Manoj’s and Prakashraj in Manoy Bajpai’s role while Anushka and Saranya return to reprise their roles from the original. However, I was fearful that when the makers of the film “adapted” the story to the Tamil audience, the 'heart' that I fell in love with for the original film would get lost. Director Krish has gone on record to say only slight changes have been made since this was a universal story about the human spirit, he was confident it would work. Read on to find out if it did.

Bharath[Bharath] is a guitarist and front man for a band based in Bangalore. Doubling up as his friends as well, he and his band members aspire to make it big and land their first gig in front of a large audience in Chennai. But thanks to Bharath's carelessness they miss their flight. Cut acress to Tutincorin, Ramayya and his daughter in law Lakshmi[Saranya] are silk weavers from a poor family background in a rural area. Since both are uneducated, they take out loans from the local loan sharks in an attempt to get Lakshmi’s son Paandi a proper education but are unable to pay it off the interest. Pressure is further mounted on them by the loan shark who takes Paandi custody until they pay it off. From here we move to Sulurpet. An area close to the Andhra Pradesh - Tamil Nadu border where Saroja [Anushka Shetty] is a prostitute that gets paid big money but hardly sees any of it. Fed up with her mistress' cruel ways, she plans with her man friday in Chennai to get away and start her own brothel but has to wait for him to call once everything is set. In Coimbatore, Rahim [Prakashraj] receives a call from his family doctor to say his wife Zara [Sonia Aggarwal] is  pregnant again. Excited about the news, he also finds out that his missing brother has been seen in Chennai. As he and his wife board the bus, the painful past which holds the reasons for his sorrow filled happiness unfold as they go in search of his brother. And lastly, we then shift to Raja alias Cable Raja [Simbhu], a cable tv contractor living in the Chennai slums, he dreams of big cars, bigger houses and even bigger bank balances. Money on the mind and no way to earn it he manages to convince his multi-millionaire heiress girlfriend Priya[Jasmine] who is unaware of his financial status, that he is well off also. However, convincing Priya is only half the well crossed. The next and final one is to convince the parents and that too, at an expensive New Year party he needs to buy the tickets for. 

We begin with the introduction of these 5 separate stories. Each is different in location and in lifestyle. But each finds their way to the streets of Chennai insearch of something.While it would seem each none of these individuals will ever meet, destiny has something else in mind. Their individuals searches will see them scratch and fight for what they want and need. Yet, it is also their individual searches that will see them face to face with a common enemy. As reality hits them these commoners, lessons will be learnt, lives will be lost and the human spirit will be tested.

As mentioned, I loved the original film Vedam so I had to try hard to keep the screenplay and performances out of my head. But comparisons aside, Krish has done well with his choice of cast. Simbhu has a very hard image to crack and is showing honest attempts at trying to break away from it. For the actor-director, his portrayal of Cable Raja is both fun and earnest with the actor excelling in the penultimate 20 minutes as he cruises through anxiety, shock, remorse and courage. It would have helped if the comedy sequences between him and Santhanam was downplayed to the same degree but he does induce more than a few laughs at his mock T.Rajendhar act. Speaking of which, Santhanam is his usual best and may have another hit Jodi with Simbhu on his hands. However, the actor does need to work on his emotional skills. Anushka Shetty reprises her role so there isn’t anything new about it but she plays it convincingly. The last time I saw Bharath play his role so effortlessly was in Pattiyal and he plays the rock star role like a rock star whether it be mannerisms or swag. Vega Tamotia has a significant yet small role of Bharath’s girlfriend and back bone that she does with ease as well as looks apt for. Prakashraj steps away from his bad guy persona and plays a victim of malicious behaviour with his usual élan. Sonia Aggarwal’s role restricts the actress in her come back vehicle and is quite small for someone that has had a fair few prominent film in her filmography. Saranya Ponvannan and the actor who plays her father in law fit the bill perfectly. Radha Ravi is brief while VTV Ganesh evokes much humour. 

When it comes to a multi-story screenplay, it takes one slip with up by the director and you will confuse the audience. Thankfully, Krish has moved from his Gamyam days and shows maturity as he gives each story the same amount of time and importance. Kudos to him and writer Gnanagiri for maintaining the emotion whilst adapting. At the same time the changes that were made in the screenplay came as a surprise and that too a welcomed one in the case of Rahim's story. I did note though that the general feel of the film became less intense than that of the original. However, this doesn't hinder the pace or structure. Editing by Anthony is clean and crisp while Nirav Shah and Gnanasekaran's camerawork remains honest without overriding the screenplay. Music by Yuvan Shankar Raja is always something to look forward to. But this time I would say Yuvan has missed the mark a little. Vaanam and Who am I are the saving grace in a bass beat dominated soundtrack that is strictly ok while M.M. Keeravani's track for Anushka Egari Pothe is dubbed. 

Lets be honest, whether you look at Vedam or Vaanam, it’s not perfect. The character development for Priya [Jasmine] and Zara could have been worked out better since they lacked importance in the original as well. However, in the case of Jasmine, she was a severe let down in the acting department and her dubbing artist did not help her at all. Add to this having an actor like Jayaprakash play the role of the terrorist feels like such a waste considering his potential. Also, as crisp as the editing was, there were a few shots that could have been trimmed back a little more. At times the dialogue seemed like just a translation from Telugu than an adaptation but these moments are few so it can be excused. 

Rating: 3/5. All in all, Krish has recreated the film with the heart that I fell for. Even if it did make me laugh a little louder, it also made me feel the same as before.

Ragada Review

Commercial masala flicks have somewhat of an "easy-to-do" tag to it. A macho looking hero, a sassy leading lady, a villain everyone hates, a comedian that gets beaten, 5 songs, one of which is an item number, 4 fights, a twist and then the "The End" card. Yes, Ragada is of the same genre but I'd like to think that there is more to any cinema than that. And this is the same. Veeru Potla saw success with Bindaas, Nagarjuna needs one since Kedi didn't fare too well, Anushka and Priyamani are finding success in other states but still need to hold their spot in TFI. Add in some tap worthy tunes by Thaman.S and the chemical reaction is sure to create Ragada!

Ragada begins in true mass form with an intro in the form of a fight sequence. A fight that is between GK [Dev Gill] and Bagawanth [Satya Prakash]. Enter Satya. Hailing from Kadapa, he's street smart and fierce but that smile of his is just as deceiving as it is casual. Having intercepted and saved him in the brawl between the two rivalling gangs who work for one man, Peddanna [Pradeep Rawat], GK takes him under his wing but is more in awe of him than others. While things seem to go according to plan for GK with Satya aka Kadapodu around, problems arise in the form of not one but 2 women. First is Sirisha [Anushka]. Classy and intelligent, she is to marry GK but clearly has no intention as she flirts with Satya nonchalantly in front of Brahmam [Brahmanandam], an ex-con wannabe Don and also uncle to GK. The other is Ashtalakshmi who stumbles into Satya while being chased by goons. From here the movie will take you on a double-horsed ride as Satya falls for Ashtalakshmi and flirts with Sirisha while on the other side, the small friction caused by Satya for Peddanna becomes an all out war as Satya targets his men and last goes for him. The reasoning for all this? Is it really Satya's greed for money? All is not as it seems and the only way to find out is by watching the film.

I know I usually start with the male leads in the film but given my newly renewed admiration for Priyamani and existing one for Anushka, I think I'll start with the ladies this time. First one you will see is Charmy. No she isn't a heroine; she is the item girl in this. Haven't seen her in a while and she is back with a total glam look as she busts a move with Nagarjuna in his intro track. Welcome back, Charmy. Next is Anushka. Fashionable, sexy and cool yet has nothing much to do. I must say her pairing with Nag isn't new but not boring either. Boring would be here acting or lack of. She is capable of so much more and yet, the maximum emotion you will see on her face is during the songs. Regardless, she looks stunning. Priyamani is pretty much in the same boat as her but has more animated character, giving her a better chance to be remembered character-wise. Special note to Priya. Please, oh please, fire your stylist/costume designer. Clearly maximum exposure was the only thing on their agenda and it would have been ok if not for the fact in some circumstances, it makes the viewer uncomfortable [N.B. I wasn't the only one]. Now to the main man. Nagarjuna is the kind of actor that can pull off any character. His charm and personality on and off screen makes him lovable to all ages. As Satya/Kadapodu, he is an out-and-out rustic ruffian and plays it with ease. A special mention must be made for the accent. Brahmi darling, you are the shizzle! One thing about Brahmi sir I love is that no matter who the hero is, he can form chemistry with them so easily. And when it comes to Nagarjuna, there is no need for explanation, just watch the magic. However, both Dharmavarapu Srinivas and Master Bharath put up some stiff competition in the comedy department. Watch their on stage sequence as Dharma speaks in English and Bharath in Telugu. 

Although Pradeep Rawat is the main "baddie" in the film, he is hardly unique in characterisation and is annoyingly loud [dubbing artist needs a break or 10]. How one wishes we could see the silent, sophisticated and matured acting he displayed in Homam or even his comic side from Oy! Kota Srinivasa Rao and Supreet play typical goonda father and son, while Dev Gill was funnier than he was scary. This may have been unintentional but was amusing anyway. Tanikella Bharani was wasted in a tiny role but shines in the 5 minutes he is there. The rest of the cast is easily forgettable which is sad since Venniradai Nirmala and Latha are supposed to integral characters. 

On the technical front, Sarvesh Murari's camerawork deserves a special mention. Whether it’s Jordan, Greece, Bangkok or Begumpet, Sarvesh tackles it all with élan. He also has a special hand in making Nagarjuna look smashing given his age but kudos to the costume designer as well as he is dressed appropriately but remaining casual for the character. Action by Vijay is a treat for action lovers while the rerecording is apt barring a déjà vu feeling you get every now and then. Thaman has already shown that when it comes to upbeat folk songs, he is all over it. Ragada OST is no different however, not wanting to sound too brash and loud all the time, he slides in melodies like Sirisha that  gives the soundtrack a good balance. Besides Sirisha, Ashtalakshmi, Ragada Ragada and Suno Suno are sure to have you bouncing around.

However, Veeru hasn’t quite hit the bullseye on this one. Yes the movie is masala styled therefore no indepth story is expected but the biggest problem is that it gets predictable. The screenplay has twists and turns to keep you invoked but to a degree, we know certain things beforehand so when it drags, and it does on occasion, the audience’s patience gets tested. Also, as mentioned, the large number of villains in the film could have been a major asset. Instead due to poor characterisation, none of them come to mind at the end, barring Dev Gill but this may not be a good thing. Given that this is the same person that made Bindaas which I enjoyed watching and loved the twist at the end, it was disappointing that only the lead actors are in mind once the movie is over. Even then its more of a Nagarjuna movie since glamour is the main factor that is associated with the female leads when they could have scored majorly at least in the comedy sequences. 

So the final word: Leave your brain at home and watch it for what you see on the screen, Nagarjuna spinning his usual masala magic.

Rating: 2.5/5

Nagavalli Review

Considering its the Bean Counters Age, that is an age that intends on milking anything for all its worth, movies are turning out to be much the same. If a film does exceptionally well, there is most certain to be a sequel/another episode. Whether its Speed, Die Hard, Bad Boys or movies like Shrek, Toy Story or Madagascar. In Indian cinema, particular Telugu cinema, the fashion is not as common but it is sure to pick up as remakes have, since they were a taboo subject also. The first part 2/another episode that I witnessed from TFI was Shankar Dada Zindabad. Although I loved Chiranjeevi and Srikanth in it, the female lead Karishma Kothak was not up to par so what could have been an awesome remake of Lage Raho Munnabhai, skimmed by on the camaraderie of Chiranjeevi and Srikanth, and awesome music by Devi Sriprasad. Then came Aarya 2. I loved/love this film to bits. Beyond the story, its presentation, the soundtrack, the performances were simply superb! But wait. What does this have to do Nagavalli? Much like the two, Nagavalli was a film of interest because it is a sequel to the massively successful Chandramukhi. However, in this version, none of the original cast return to reprise roles. How do they fare? Lets jump right in to find out.

Nagavalli begins with the painting that was seen in Chandramukhi of the dancer changing location and becoming a prize for Gayathri[Kamalini Mukherjee] and her husband in a Bharatha Natyam dance competition in the presence of Gayathri's parents [Sarath Babu and Prabha]. Cut to 5 years later, we enter the household of Shankar Rao[Sarath Babu] in Thirupathi. Here he lives with his wife, 2 daughters Geetha[Shraddha Das] and Gowri[Richa Gangopadhyay] and his brother's family. Its a special day as his daughter Gowri has been approached for an alliance and is about to be engaged. But all is not well in the house that the portrait inhabits. The most obvious would be absence of their eldest daughter. Just as the formalities are to begin, the groom who was taking a look around the house, runs down the stairs scared out of his wits and out of the house, screaming "The alliance is off". On the other side of the house, Gowri's friend faints when she sees a 30 foot snake. Having seen the skin of a snake several years ago but unable to convince his family, Shankar Rao is worried but calls for a snake charmer[M.S.Narayan] to find and get rid of it. But just as mysterious as the snake itself, the snake charmer is found dead shortly after going to the top floor. With no other option, they turn to Siddhanti [priest] Ramachandra[Avinash]. Having dealt with Chandramukhi, he instantly recognizes the painting and calls for back up. But his friend Eeshwar[Rajnikanth as a photo] is away in US and cant make it. So Eeshwar sends his assistant Vijay[Venkatesh] to handle the crisis. Although true to his mentor's ways, Vijay has a positive attitude that steers clear of blind faith [mooda nammakam]. Yet, Vijay is not adverse to the supernatural and will have more than one ghost to deal with. In the closets that Shankar Rao and his wife keep hidden lies the secret behind their eldest daughter Gayathri. Mentally unstable, Siddhanti believes it is she who is possessed by Chandramukhi. But the truth is never that easy to find. So as the mysterious attacks on Vijay and Siddhanthi continue, Vijay pursues on to find out who is behind them and is Chandramukhi really back. A journey that will have him go back in the past 100 years ago when Nagavalli[Anushka] lived. When King Nagabhairava Rajasekhara [Venkatesh again] dominated a kingdom. For Vijay, the solution to the present lies in the past but with it,there also lies more than one surprise. 

First of all, the movie does start at the end of Chandramukhi and for the minute group of people that haven't seen Chandramukhi, it may be a blessing. Venkatesh has large shoes to step into and he does make an honest attempt. The accusations that he is copying Rajnikanth is rather ridiculous as there will only be so many words that you can use for the common man to understand psychology and furthermore, I have yet to meet a student that does not have any resembling characteristics in working style of their mentor. You the reader can correct if you want on this. Furthermore, there are significant [and insignificant] changes in characters that P.Vasu has introduced so in essence the Nagabhairava Rajasekhara character is of the era but different from that of Rajnikanth's portrayal. Regardless, Venkatesh is stepping out of his norm and tries his best at a supernatural theme with Nagabhairava yet retaining a cool character withVijay which I believe he does best. Coming to the leading ladies, in honesty there maybe 6[Shraddha,Richa, Anushka, Kamalini, Suja and Poonam] but the only ones that were able stand above the rest were Anushka, Kamalini, Richa and Shraddha in that order. Suja played the same role in the Kannada version Aaptha Rakshaka and it baffles me why she did it again. Poonam on the other hand, has gone back a few steps to junior artiste level, after tickiling the funny bone in RRKK and Vinayukudu. With them aside, Anushka by far leads the pack. How one wishes her crash course in Bharatha Natyam had more steps and was more believable as her acting. It may be the post I recently saw by Amaluu but it is blatantly obvious that the actress has little or no clue as what she is doing with her dancing. The actress tries to make up for it and emotes quite well but really misses out on the elegance of dancer because of this. Kamalini makes significant impact in her small but important character and deserves a mention for her more convincing dancer act. Richa is quite brave to do a character like this in her second film and shows that she's not just an NRI pretty face trying her hand at acting to pass time. Watch as the actress transforms on screen and you will know what I mean. She may have won accolades in Hindi for Lahore but Shraddha was brought to the limelight by Telugu Industry. Yet, it is only now she is able to prove her capacity that which you can see in Lahore. Brahmanandam is one of my most favourite comedians in TFI but whether he was imitating Vadivele or trying his own version of it, his comedy falls flat on its face. Even the scenes with Venkatesh could not get enough giggles and the same goes for Dharmavarupu Subrahmanyam. Avinash is somewhat arrogant and irritating in portions. Understandably he has some powers but the way in which he dismisses so many things so easily is in complete contrast to the enlightened soul he plays. The remaining cast is stricty ok.

On the technical side, the film looks good with camera work by Sam K Naidu. The sets used in the flashback sequence [Chinna] are in tune with part one without going on a complete tangent. While the general idea and certain portions keep you interested, repeating the same scenarios with small changes or lines said previously will test your patience. P. Vasu has made some classic hits like Panakkaran, Chinna Thambi, Mannan and of course, Chandramukhi, all of which were remade or dubbed into other languages. But the last time I saw such writing from him, was in the box office dud, Love Birds. Giving each member of the cast a valid stand point is hard and the struggle is evident in his writing. Where he gains brownie points in the way the story progresses forward, it is clear he hasn't given enough importance to validity of the story. Changing the name of characters and introducing new ones is fine but the film lacks the flow that Chandramukhi had. This is mostly due to the fact I've watched Chandramukhi and there was more than one occasion in which I thought Nagavalli takes away from the logics of Chandramukhi. But the film itself, refers back several times and keep in mind, this is supposed to be a continuation, not another episode. The penultimate 25 minutes that is supposed to be the heartbeat of the film, turns into a ridiculous affair with the fight sequences. More fighting, less prancing around please. Gurukiran may have scored with the Kannada versions Aaptha Mithra and Aaptha Rakshaka, but the music for this film is very situational and just about ok. A special note to the choreographers, please rethink your strategy as it could have saved this film [and us].

As you can see with the number of times I've said Chandramukhi in this review, Nagavalli is one film that asks you to leave your logic brain at home to enjoy it and although, you will, please be oblivious to Bharatha Natyam and Chandramukhi as well. If you do so then Venkatesh and the lovely leading ladies will give you a treat to watch.

Rating: 2/5

Khaleja Review

I’ll be honest.The "Maheessshhhh" dialogue from Ashta Chamma is pretty much my reaction to every pic of Khaleja I have seen. But then again, beyond that sweety smile, intense eyes and total yumminess that is Mahesh Babu, I got bored with his last movie, Athidi. Yes, I have a problem with Amrita Rao but it was beyond the pairing [As an actress, she's better than a fair few]. Something in the story just didn't sit right. Thankfully, Trivikram’s film have always held my interest and considering the Trivikram-Mahesh combo returns after the critically acclaimed Athadu and also counts as a return for Mahesh too, expectations were moderately high. Moderately high, u may ask? Well, let’s just say Puli taught me a lesson on expectations but that’s another topic.Since action is always an important factor, as well as music; Khaleja is no different on the outer scale. An action-based commercial pot-boiler [seeing a lot of those lately], it has Mahesh’s trusty hit-makers Mani Sharma for music and Raju Sundaram for choreography.

In our opening scene we are introduced to the cremation grounds of Pali, a rural village in Andhra Pradesh, struck by a strange disease with an alarming mortality rate. Its residents believe their beloved village is cursed. No reasons, no apparent causes yet the number of deaths only increased by the day. The village head/oracle [Rao Ramesh] foresees a saviour that will rid them of their dilemma and sends out Siddhappa [Shafi] with instruction to find him and bring him back.

On the other side of the country, we meet Raju [Mahesh Babu], a taxi driver that has had a few run-ins with lady bad-luck. Not the mythical type but a real life lady whose name is Subbashini alias Subbu [Anushka Shetty]. Every time he meets her, his taxi takes a turn for the worst. If that wasn’t bad enough, he even ends up in hospital. On what seemed like a normal drop off, one of his passengers forgets his wallet and he goes to return it to him. But lady bad-luck strikes again, as his geologist passenger gets killed and his assistant lands smack on his taxi. After the other encounters his manager [Dharamavarupu] has no way of paying for it, and tells him he has only one way to resolve this. The assistant had life insurance so Raju will have to take the life insurance cheque to the family in Rajasthan and get some in return for the damages. What was to be an easy trip to Rajasthan turns into another dangerous encounter but this time with Subbu and Raju as the target. Injured, he seeks assistance from a stranger. But to the stranger, Siddhappa, Raju is the saviour the oracle foretold. What does Subbu have to do with this? Is Raju really a saviour? Can he save the village? Or is there a less divine being involved in this?

You will never have seen Mahesh in any flick like this before. He’s chatty, witty, funny and downright “local” with a Godavari 

accent. Unlike his brooding intense characters of the recent past, with Trivikram’s unique style of dialogue, the actor shows a fun-side as we laugh at his misfortunes. A complete entertainer, the normally soft spoken actor will have you in splits. Trivikram must be commended for the confrontation between Mahesh and Rao Ramesh in front of the villagers and later between Mahesh and Raghu Babu when the latter is kidnapped by the former. The director’s touch is evident in every scene and the cinematography and music enhance it. Anushka is pure eye candy with nothing much to do but she looks a million bucks and has a cool chemistry with Mahesh. Considering her Arundhati and Vedam have put her in another league from the current glam queens, it is a little disappointing. Prakashraj as businessman G.K. has down played his role well. Barring the climax, he seems a little too quiet from what we are used to. Shafi, Subbaraju and Rao Ramesh have always been reliable for their histrionics, deliver once again. Although Rao has done the oracle at in Magadheera, he’s more controlled this time. With Mahesh himself rocking the floor with comedy, Ali and Sunil are just extras. Mani Sharma has always been in Mahesh’s good books and he delivers once again, with Piliche and Makathika the picks of the lot.

No matter how much I enjoyed seeing Mahesh on screen, the pitfalls are definitely there. First, the length. I could count at least 3 occasions where the action sequence could have put me to sleep, especially the introduction scene for Mahesh, which honestly, had no connection to the story. Visually captivating, yes, but way too long. Second, the depth of the characters is simply not there. Face value may work on passerby characters but not main ones like Prakashraj. This is essential for the validity of the screenplay. Innovative as the screenplay may be, it’s obvious that Trivikram is riding on the star factor to drive the story home.

Pluses and minuses apart, Mahesh... I mean, Khaleja entertains so long as you put your brain away for the serious bits. A definite watch for some action, comedy and Mahesh. Rating: 3.5/5

P.S. Did anyone notice that besides the bathroom scene in this movie, Mahesh never shows his stomach??

I Wanna Dance With You..

There are just some songs that make you want to get up and dance.. these are a few of mine... As always will keep updating as I go..





There are some songs that dont need to be fast paced but get your foot tapping anyway. Khushbu from Naattupura Paatu






Prabhas has always been ridiculed for his dancing skills but I dont complain .. :)
Kajal and Prabhas from Darling



I don't know what it is but I've always thought Anushka was super good-looking and talented. And with Prabhas (for Billa), double treat!!



I would kill to be able to move like NTR Jnr. So cool! With Mamta in her debut Telugu film, Yamadonga.



Now I know her outfits can be scary at times but this girl Mumaith Khan can move. She openly admits to always say yes for Prabhas because they have superb chemistry and he's so nice. (Yogi)

I think I should have called my Prabhas collection. But its just he has some really good numbers in his filmography. This is the one that started the Mumaith- Prabhas craze.. (Chatrapathi)

Yes its a freemake but the are soo cool together Salman Khan, Govinda and Katrina Kaif in Partner

Song Rocks but choreography could have been better but still... :)

John, Arshad and Bipasha in Goal

Salman Khan and Malaika Arora Khan.. Hot hot hot... Phew!

Maybe its the surprise in the middle .. Akki, Ritiesh, Vidya ..and SRK!  (Hey Baby)