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

Humshakals Review

*** This review is a repost from Bollyspice.com review ***

There are some movies that can be remade with current trends/technology and made to suit a new generation of viewers. Who knows, they can even be a cult classic in themselves. But to walk into a film with the byline ‘A Film Made By Sajid Khan’ is to forgo that notion and a few rights. The rights to have logic in your dictionary, the right to any real wit or sense of humour and the right to have a threshold on how much crass writing you can bear.

There is no point in making a mention of a story since there is none. In fact, films like Double Dhamaal and Rascals had more of a story than Humshakals does. Sach. Three sets of Saif Ali Khan, Riteish Deshmukh and Ram Kapoor, foreign locals, impossible situations, three beautiful ladies with no screen presence at all and a soundtrack to put you to sleep. That is all this film is about. Even the idea of dressing the three main actors as women has been done a trillion times before.

It’s understandable that slapstick comedy has its audience and Bollywood cine-goers take a particular fancy to it. It’s also understandable that some comedy isn’t required to be rocket science. But Sajid, how many times are you going to think the audience is stupid enough to take you seriously as a director? There is literally nothing in this film that you haven’t seen or heard before. Actually there is. The new is the level of stupidity on film. And while I can accept that not all great movies have brand spanking new stories, as a lover of comedy, there is no excuse for long-winded, haphazard writing that leaves the mind numb from sheer torture.

None of the actors could possibly save this horseplay infested film. Saif looks so disinterested, he’s sleep walking. For an actor who has shown wit in his comic roles, this film is a huge step backwards. Yes, Riteish has done questionable comedies before, you can’t say the man hasn’t been the diluted saving grace. Ram Kapoor gives a 5 second interesting performance in a negative shade and then that vanishes once again. Both him and Riteish, and the locales, are about the only decent aspects of the film but that too is only barely.

Tamannaah Bhatia is still fairly new to Hindi cinema but if this is going to be her path to selection, her future will be skeptical. The same goes for Esha Gupta, since wearing skimpy clothing and bikinis doesn’t amount to acting skill. Oh Bipasha Basu, what can be said that hasn’t been said already? Beyond the wish that these lovely ladies think twice before selecting a film like this.

A song that is heard by the heart stays on your playlist for longer than a song stuck in the mind. The negatives continue as Himesh Reshammiya decks out the tunes and literally, you forget them the minute they are heard. A shame since that’s where Himesh used to stay, once upon a time. Rameshwar S. Bhagat doesn’t help the cause as he forgets to cut out a lot of the nonsense writing, making the film an unbearable 2 hours 40 minutes. But its not like he had the best material to work with. Which brings us to the main culprit, our director. A director that started with Housefull and didn’t rest till we saw a Housefull 2: Dirty Dozen, and threw in a Himmatwala in between. Sajid Khan had the wit to take a dig at his own film but forgot to learn from it.

So am I biased? No. Did I have any expectation. No. Will I recommend Humshakals to anyone? Absolutely NOT. Not even to my own humshakal.

Ye Maya Chesave Review

Where do you begin with this film. After watching Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaaya a million times, it seemed futile to watch the same story again with a different cast, even if the ending is different. But this is what happened and with the bluray copy sitting on the T.V stand at my house, a re-watch of this romance drama was all this hopeless romantic needed to start writing a flashback review.

The story is the same so while its silly to delve into it again, the reassurance you get is that even as new as Samantha (only one film old with Baana Kathadi and it hadn't released at the time of YMC) and Naga Chaitanya (the Josh debut was firmly in the back of our mind), the two deliver. Bright eyed bushy tailed, the two are raw, real and very much in sync with their character with their chemistry burning the screen. No nonsense of who has seen this and done that, just first take action. And for anyone that has seen the intereviews, the actors on any Gautham Vasudev Menon set would tell you that is what the director prefers. Individually, you cannot imagine anyone else for Karthik with Naga Chaitanya. Yes, Simbhu played it to perfection but unlike his filmography taking a turn with the film, Chaitu still had to form an opinion in everyone's mind. Perhaps its the expression he displays but one gets a very childlike perception in his portrayal. Thats not to say he was childish. But that innocence you relate to it, and beyond his age, there is a very young vibe from his character anyway. Samantha on the other was completely opposite in that there is a stern strictness that comes with age. She is delight to watch as she simply glides through the role. For a debut in a language that she is not familiar with (barring the obvious dubbing by the beautiful Chinmayi), Samantha did not let it be known and her lip-syncing is on point. As the friend who backs Karthik and helps him all the way to Aleppey, Krishnudu is cute and honest. You could say he was a semi comedian in the flick. As parents, Surekha Vani, Sanjay Swaroop, Lakshmi Radhakrishnan and Devan play their part effortlessly, although one did get a feeling that Surekha Vani was a little young looking for the mother of a 22 year old. Puri Jagannadh plays himself with director Gautham making a 2 sec no dialogue cameo. Since the film is predominately surrounding the lead pair, no one else gets a big role in the film besides the camera and music.

The comparisons are bound to be there. Same director, same music and same story. Even the locations have similarity. But what is so wonderful about this pair version is their freshness. The two films were being made at the same time at one point but for someone that has watched both version, you do not feel these newcomers lose out on the edge that the experienced actor have. If only some, credit for this must go to director Gautham Menon. Making a remake of your film is not unusual but there is never a guarantee it will work again. So Gautham's conviction even after the initial hesitation, is worthy of applause. From Manoj Paramahamsa to A.R.Rahman, the technical side of the film did not miss a beat. Visually captivating, subtle music yet erupting in emotion without a cartoon feel. Dialogues by Umarji Anuradha added the subtle nativity required to show difference in the film. Even as you hear the same songs composed by A.R.Rahman, you feel the lyrics give a new dimension to the songs you have heard so many times. Barring of course, the superbly sung Aaromale.

Downfalls? Well, after watching the film close to 1000 times, one gets over the "I-love-you-now, I-dont-love-you-now" rotating door emotions Jessie portrays because you finally understand. Making a choice based on your mind is very hard when your heart says something quite different. In your dady-to-day life, we are forced to do so in many situations. So with the backdrop of a love story, there is bound to be some tension. At the same time, there is literally only two scenes where you hear Jessie's mindspeak, the reason for that comes in the most simplest answers. The narrative is in Karthik's point of view. So naturally, we only see his side. You aren't supposed to understand entirely what Jessie does. Frustration and fury may get the better of you but  there is little room for Jessie's version of events. So dont get me wrong and think that there aren't flaws. It is purely a case of each her own interpretation and this reviewer sees a logic. Whether this was intended is left in the hands of the director to clarify.

One thing is most evident for this film. With all the accusations that real life is only seen on the big screen when the setting a love story is in the outskirts of a village, YMC shows the place isnt important for it to be real and raw. The city life has many stories and regardless of its picture perfect look, there is real life in the film, even as it entertains like a mainstream commercial film should.

Shall we skip the rating this time? ;)

Oosaravelli Review

Honesty is the best policy and since you, my dear reader, have taken the time to read this review, its time to confess. As much as NTR Junior aka Tarak is amazing an actor, Oosaravelli wasn't the most anticipated film for me. Keeping this hesitance aside, the normal hoopla that entails an NTR Jnr flick is anticipated. But lets dive straight into this one with the clear mind set that this is a masala film with a heavy action quotient [read blood, sweat and gore].

So on the story front it seems quite basic. Tony [Tarak] is gangster that is best described as the title, a chameleon. During his travels to Kashmir, he is taken hostage alongwith a bus full of people by some terrorists and meets Niharika [Tammannaah]. The two are bound together in a room as the remaining survivors and in the last few minutes of their survival, they share their final wishes. Tony expresses his desire for a girlfriend that he never fulfilled and in a split second Niharika kisses him and tells him to think of her as his girlfriend. But just as you'd think there begins a love story as Tony busts the both of them out, Niharika slips aways. For Tony, he  must find her even though he doesn't know the name or address of the girl who just kissed him. For Niharika, life has given her a second chance to live and she isn't going to waste it. Fast forward and shift to Hyderabad, Tony finds Niharika and finds out that she's engaged too. Neither shattered nor perturbed, Tony tries all he can until Niharika's fiance returns from his US trip. But who is Tony really? And is it really love that binds him to Niharika?

First of all, it must be said that Surender Reddy has moulded a story into this action-fest potboiler. So while it seems like a routine love story at first, the plot does thicken. Unfortunately, the film takes its time to bring that to the forefront. Until then, he does try to recreate the mayhem from his last film, Kick, to the point its like you are watching Tarak's version of Kick. Speaking of which, thank god that Tarak accepted this role. Not because its an amazing role but more because he explores his comical side in abundance. Barring a quite masalafied climax, Tarak is simple and totally alive on screen. To understand how such contrasting descriptions work for one actor, you will have to see the film. It might be requested though that Tarak find a new stylist. The clothing may have been next door boyish but that hair is unruly. Tamannaah darling, a special thank you to you. The girl has jumped leaps and bounds in the film. In fact, it is not far fetched to say she drives the second half film and that too, for a good portion of it. The ease in which she essays her expression can fool you to thinking she did not need to memorise the lines and meant each one. So she is a little annoying in the first half, she makes up for it big time in the second and thats what leaves a lasting impression. Payal Ghosh is back on the big screen after Prayanam and although the premise of her character is sketchy, she does an okay job. Prakashraj's has openly admitted the bad guy roles are his bread and butter but it would be so much better if he had a challenge because the man just cakewalks throughout. Shayaji Shinde could have been so much more to the film but is barely there, although lovable in the few scenes he has. Vidyut Jamwal is disappointingly absent thus makes an faint,almost non-existent impression. Raghu Babu, Jayaprakash and clan give the giggles initially but wear thin as the film progresses. Shaam is stuck in a circle and really needs to come out. The rest are strictly ok.

Coming back to Surender Reddy, its nice see that he kept his revenge story under wraps but where he and writer Vakkantham Vamsi keeps you interested in the second half, the constant gags of the first half can only cover the fact there is not story  for a while, not hid it. Music by DSP is a highlight as the composer is back to his peppy self with trusty aides Adnan Sami, Mukesh and Suchitra making a repeat attendance like on most his soundtracks. Neha Bhasin and Vijay Prakash's rendition of Niharika is extra sensual while DSP own track Brathakali is little different in tune and tempo. Rasool Ellore camerawork is fine but Goutham Raju's editing could have been that extra crisper but when its a Tarak flick, blood and gore are part and parcel so the action is bound to be lengthy.

Yet, the downside is just as obvious as the fake blood on Tarak's face in the trailer clips. Sometimes you wonder if Tarak's directors want to show him as an action star or a bloodied up star. The amount blood and killing that is depcted in several of his films can be a little putting off. Oosaravelli is no different in that way. But even as people/fans accept this to a degree, it is hard to swallow action sequences which entail the lead sitting tied up to a chair and fighting his baddies. I mean, come on! Laws of gravity or even Physics anyone! Ok so the action is OTT. Points are given to the moving the focus point at the right time but disapproval sets in again when actors like Shayaji Shinde are not used properly. The concept of the father still being around for the son even after death in a ghost form is shown in one scene then completely forgotten about after that. It would have been better to not have that at all. Logic doesn't take a back seat as much in this film with certain point connecting correctly but timeframes don't match on some major ones as well. But considering the premise behind the latter portion, I guess this isn't one of the pressing issues of the film.

Yet as you walk out of Oosaravelli, you don't think you have completely wasted your money so thats a plus.

Rating: 2.5/5

Venghai Review

Its not wise to expect science fiction from a children's book writer so while I was hesitant about what Hari had to offer with Venghai, I put my masala cap on to go with the flow. Plus I was enjoying a few songs from the soundtrack and considering Dhanush is always dependable on a good performance even in masala flicks, I thought why not. Suffice to say I wasn't entirely disappointed. Well, almost.

So with Hari making an open statement that his films are all about having huge families with a village backdrop and showing the human side to the ruffians with sickles, Venghai beings with the intro of the cast, backdrop and most importantly, the three pivotal characters, Veerapandi [Raj Kiran], his son Selvam [Dhanush] and Rajalingam [Prakashraj]. With Veerapandi being the do-gooder of the town and Rajalingam his nemesis whom is struggling to get out from under his thumb although he is the town MLA, Selvam becomes the target in a behind the scene revenge plot. But when Rajalingam is publicly humiliated by Veerapandi, the gloves are off and the war public. His target shifts from son Selvam to Veerapandi himself. How father and son escape from Rajalingam's ploy forms the crux. Oh and Tamannaah adds in the love angle with a bit of a flashback as well.

Seriously speaking, there isn't much point in thinking with this film. It is a typical Hari film from start to finish. Not many changes and a serious case of old wine in new bottle. The sentiments, the flashback, the rivalry, even to the extent of how the rivals challenge each other has been seen before. So while I'm all for the masala format, sometimes churning out the same stories with different faces doesn't work, Hari. Yet I can't say I didn't enjoy it and the main reason is the performance. Especially that of Dhanush and Prakashraj, who are as always top notch. Although some may feel Dhanush doesn't emote extensively, I felt given the circumstances and the character's backdrop, Dhanush goes for a more subdued version of a ruffian with brains. All in all, Dhanush cakewalks through the film and really goes the distance to perform within his boundaries. Tamannaah looks like a village belle and although fine in the first half, becomes repetitive and irritating towards the end. However, her character does go through some random and haphazard emotional changes so this may not be her fault entirely. Raj Kiran is dignified as the father while Urvasi is a little over the top. Prakashraj is really scoring brownie points with the funnies he pulls out even while he is the bad guy and I for one, am loving it. Kanja Karuppu needs new writers for his comedy if he thinks crass jokes with blatant physical humour will get him far. Double meaning dialogues are bad enough but this was a pathetic excuse for comedy. Livingston was ok while Charlie touched the heart [p.s. welcome back Charlie :)]. Y.G.Mahendran is wasted after an outstanding performance in Yuddham Sei.

On the technical front, Vetri's camerawork is fine and editing by V.T. Vijayan could have been a little crisper. But in Vijayan's defence, Hari's screenplay and story didn't offer much in the first place. Devi Sri Prasad's music isn't at its best although Kalangaathale and Enna Solla Pore are definitely enjoyable. Pudikalai has his usual mass touch to it and will surely make it to a few iTunes lists. Action sequences for the film start off interesting however lose momentum quite quickly to become overdone and long-winded. Which leave us to the real culprit, the writing.

Is there a point in questioning the skill or sentiments of a director who makes statement like the one mentioned? Not really. So while the ill-sketched characters, long winded dialogues, repetitive screenplay and general done to dust feel of the story is most apparent, the director made the right choice in actors for the pivotal characters. The three men work their characters to best they can. Certain dialogues do have merit but they are few and far apart. Now, while I do not agree that a director should stick to one way of filmmaking, if he is good at a particular style or his signature works for him, there is little reason for him to change beyond his own desire to. As an audience member for Hari's latest film, I simply request he become more innovative in rehashing his own films.

Rating: 2/5 -Keeping your thinking cap off and far, far away. You might just like it.

Badrinath Review

The news of a new film from V.V.Vinayak regardless of who is in it, is enough to get hype started. After the successful Adhurs, Vinayak's Badrinath sees him join hands with Allu Arjun and M.M. Keeravani after Bunny and has Tamannaah in the female lead. Adding to this, the news of 22 sets being formed for the film,a first for TFI, and Arjun travelling to Vietnam for special martial arts training and the hype just kept building up. But with Geetha Arts and their rigorous publicity taking everyone by storm, is it a case of too much hype killing the film? Will Badrinath be able to withstand comparisons a host of other films and still make a successful mark? Yes and maybe. Read on to find out what its about.

The location is Uttarkhand. For centuries, the Hindu temples have had many devotees flock to see the deities and seek blessings. But devotees are not the only ones that come for "darshan" so as a safety from evil doers, each temple instates a protector and a keeper for all of temples as well. Bheeshma Narayan [Prakashraj] who runs a school that trains in martial arts for the protectors, is the keeper looking for a successor. To him, his star pupil is Badri [Allu Arjun], fearless and powerful, is the perfect choice. But complications arise in the form of Alakananda [Tammanaah], an atheist due to her past, she comes to the temple with her grandfather as he seeks hope against a danger threatening Alakananda's life. Initially annoyed, she soon develops a soft spot for Badri. But just as she is about to tell Badri of her feelings, she finds out Bheeshma's intention. Knowing she can’t withstand up against faith and devotion, Alakananda has just about given up when unknowingly, Badri shows her a way through prayer that he promises to help her with. But nothing comes easy and for her prayer to become a reality, she must return in time for the special pooja in 6 months time. Will Badri be able to save her from her danger and bring her back? Will he become the keeper like Bheeshma Narayan wants him to be? Confronted by his beloved guru, Badri's loyalty to the temple and his guru will be tested as he fights between his responsibility and his promise. 

Let me just say that the concept of a story with a temple back-drop is not something new so originality is not questioned this time. For “Stylish Star” Allu Arjun, Badrinath is a step back into the action genre that we saw him previously do in Desamuduru. And there is lots of it. Known to go to great pains for a role, Arjun’s effort is amazingly apparent in Badrinath, whether it’s his strong point dancing or the action sequence. Tamannaah is gradually stepping away from girly cuteness to full blown glamour but thankfully she has a bit of acting to do, although you will need to wait for the climax for it. Prakashraj needs no introduction and the actor cakewalks through his role as guru Bheeshma Narayan. Rao Ramesh is okay while Kelly Dorji, Ashwini Khalsekar and the actor who plays their son Nani are nowhere near as powerfully evil as you’d like them to be. Tanikella Bharani, Kovai Sarala and Pragathi are limited in their scenes and pitch in their two cents. Comedy kings Brahmanandam, M S Narayana, Krishna Bhagwan and Raghubabu try their best to bring out the giggles but most of it falls flat.

On the technical side, Ravi Varman’s cinematography depicts the Himalayan backdrop in exquisite form and is a sight for sore eyes. Anand Sai needs a special mention for elaborate sets with each one amazing in detail. M.M.Keeravani’s music is also in no need of introduction with the whole album being contagiously catchy but Vasudhara and Nath Nath are sure to remain on iTunes playlist for a while longer. Editing is okay but how one wishes the action, although well choreographed by Peter Hein, was cut back for crisper sequencing.

However, for all the hype and publicity, Badrinath is not without its shortfalls. And the main culprit is the writing by Chinni Prakash. For all the elaborate settings and amazing cinematography, the emotion in the film is lost on more than one occasion especially in the love angle of the film. Lack of depth in the characters makes the characters seem melodramatic or just plain loud. On the other side, Tamannaah and Allu Arjun look good yet there is little to no chemistry between them and barring the climax, there is not enough chance for it either. All it takes is for a loving/longing look from Tamannaah and a song begins. Yes the songs are entertaining but they are inappropriately placed and simply act like speedbreakers. As do the action sequences which are long and gory. But perhaps the biggest setback is the lack of logic. Yes, there have been many films that don’t give any importance to logic but for the effort put in, the dodging bullets with a sword and jumping mountains scenes stick out like a sore thumb. I wonder if V.V.Vinayak doesn’t like law enforcement since not a single one turns up when the mass violence occurs.

Yet can I say I didn’t enjoy the film at all? To be honest, no since I was singing Nath Nath as I walked out of the theatres and not thoroughly disgusted at the waste money. But my fan girl status to Allu Arjun was not enough to save me from disappointment. Especially when I’m not a fan of massive bloodfest and I’d like some respect to the laws of physics.

Rating: 2.5/5

100% Love Review

Throughout the years, whether you're a girl or a boy, there are certain phrases that you are bound to here. "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus", "Its easy to go the moon than to figure out a girl's heart" and "Boys are the most confused creatures" in the world to name just a few. Now these are said with good humour and are clearly not the norm but when it comes to love, everybody has an opinion about it. Sukumar is the kind of director that likes to take a different angle on everything and has done the same with his latest 100% Love. With Devi Sri Prasad on music, Naga Chaitanya and Tamannaah play the lead in this Geetha Arts production. So let's jump and check it out.

Meet Balu Mahendra [Naga Chaitanya]. State level tenth standard first rank holder, state level Intern first rank holder, MCET first rank holder and according to him, he is a genius and a brand name. The only thing bigger than his record is his ego. Enter Mahalakshmi [Tamannaah], his maradalu [marriagable cousin] from his home town in the village. A country belle smitten about her Balu Bava, she comes to the city to complete her higher education and stays with Balu and his family. While the family already adores Mahalakshmi, its going to take more than looking cute for her to get on her Balu Bava's good side. For his part, Balu with his head is firmly in the sky, doesn't look at anything beyond her second class ranking and dismisses her promptly. She decides to stick to her studying but becomes frantic in her exam and breaks down crying. Mahalakshmi runs out of the exam and says to her Balu's father, her uncle[Naresh] that she is going to fail and she wants to just go back to her hometown when surprisingly, Balu steps in. Ignorant to her and her emotions as Balu may have been, he decides to help her out of pity. And so with his guidance, her own effort and a bit praying by the whole family to Ganesha, Mahalakshmi sits for the exams. But much to Balu's absolute disbelief, she doesn't just pass. She takes over his coveted first rank. Balu becomes furious at the humiliation while everyone else is applauding her. But he isn't one to let the humiliation last long so he puts in the extra hours to study and in the process, purposefully distracts Mahalakshmi from her own without her realising. Yet just before he can bask in his glory, Mahalakshmi realises his plan and starts her own cat and mouse game to even the grounds. D-day arrives after the exams and both get the shock of their life as their class mate Ajith[Anand] came first. For Balu, his ego maybe hurt with Mahalakshmi getting the first rank the last time but there is no way another student can take it. So the both of them set their rivalry aside and work up a plan to distract Ajith. But he's not the only one that gets distracted as the two spend more and more time together studying albeit with a few encounters on the personal side. Everything seems to go smoothly and as according to plan, Balu gets first rank. Celebrations are in order and the family members, who are by now aware of the private canoodling, plan for an engagement announcement on the day of the party when Balu gets a bout of jealousy as Mahalakshmi casually praises Ajith who missed out only by a few marks. Words become insults and with their guests and parents as witness, Balu and Mahalakshmi have a massive fight and the pair part ways. Yet only 3 years on, circumstances bring them back together. Has time healed all wounds? Have Balu and Maahalakshmi changed themselves? To find out, you will have to watch the moview.

First thing's first. Naga Chaitanya, who is only three films old and has thus far made some interesting choices with his films, is absolutely adorable as Balu. Personally, I could even say this is by far the most perfectly suited rôle for him. The arrogance, the dismissal, the attitude, the frustration. At every point, Balu has the face of Naga Chaitanya and that is all you see. Some may feel he is a little stiff at certain points but given that everyone has quirks and habits, this only adds to his appeal and I myself have come across real people that have rarely faced failure and get a big head over it. Tamannaah plays the bubbly Mahalakshmi with ease but tends to go OTT with more emotive scenes. She also has tendency of reminding you of an early career stage Kareena Kapoor. However, she looks amazing and has great chemistry with all on screen, including and most importantly, Naga Chaitanya. Anand as Ajith has very little to do even though he is quite important to the story. K.R.Vijaya is elegance on screen and delivers whats needed for her Mahalakshmi Bhama rôle. Naresh has very few scenes in the film but plays it with heart. Vijayakumar is apt in his special appearance. Big special mention to the kiddies in the crew. Each one adorable as hell but unfortunately names aren't available of these little champions. Dharmavarapu Subramaniam, 'Thagubothu' Ramesh, 'Chitram' Sreenu and M S Narayana add to the comedy cocktailfun while the rest are passable.

That leads us to the scene stealer. Sukumar is at it again with his "different" angle on love. Personally, I felt that life has become one big competition to see who's better and with the alarming rate divorces get sanctioned, there is more truth to Sukumar little message than most would believe. But leaving the realistic things aside, his trademark storytelling is evident. Keeping the fun in check and building the drama in proportion, he showcases his talent in abundance. Adding to his awesome screenplay is the superb dialogue. Yes there are some commercialised moments but in all, there were very few in the cinema hall that didn't enjoy such great lines. Music by Devi Sri Prasad almost always has automatic feet-on-the-dancefloor effect and he is back to his old tricks with 100% Love. A Squared. That Is Mahalakshmi and Kallu Kallu Plusu bring out the fun, crazy and melodious side where Diyalo Diyala is a classic item number that is always present on a DSP soundtrack. But the album entirely leaves a major impact. Cinematography by Venkat Prasad is top notch as is editing by Srinivasa Karthik. Both are a huge asset to the film. Leaving us with the negatives of the film remaining.

So what can be wrong with one the most enjoyable flicks in recent times? Not much. Depth in characters could have been extended to avoid a two-character-driven-story feel yet at the same time, the situations become as they are because of the lead characters. The disappearance of Swapna at the climax wedding was overseen but came to the fore when Ajith was shown leaving. A few snips here and there could have done some good but barring that, you will be hard fetched to find anything majorly wrong as the film does entertain and leave you with a satisfied feeling about the money you spent on the tickets. Even if you go looking, it is you that needs to judge if the film reminds you of them or not. 

To me, 100% Love is 50% Fun, 50% Masti and 100% Bindaas. A total time pass film that will have you singing the words and tapping your toes as you get the giggles from the story.

Rating:4/5

Siruthai Review

Remakes are somewhat taking over Tamil Cinema again and this Pongal/Sankranthi we have two releasing at the same time. The one in question is of one of my favourite S.S.Rajamouli flicks called Vikramarkudu. As Siruthai, we have a team consisting of Vidyasagar making a come back after a small break, director Siva who directed Souryam and Sankham in Telugu making his debut in Tamil and the Paiyya jodi, Karthi Sivakumar and Tamanna Bhatia in lead roles. To add a bit of masala in the mix, Karthi will be joined by Santhanam for the first time. But do they succeed in recreating the magic created by S.S.Rajamouli, M.M.Keeravani, Raviteja and Anushka that took the Telugu audience by storm? Read on to find out.

The story is pretty simple. Rocket Raja [Karthi] and his friend Kattu Poochi [Santhanam] are your average petty thieves. Picking pockets, cutting handbag straps, shaving people bald and conning wherever they can just for the sake of it. Squabbles with kids and their mothers aside, life is merry with beer aplenty and not a care in the world. Along the way, Raja encounters Swetha [Tamanna]. A rich girl from Andhra, who misunderstands circumstances and believes the stories that Raja spins. So as Cupid throws a few arrows, Swetha thinks Raja is a software engineer and Raja in turn decides on one last heist before saying goodbye to his theiving ways for good. However, what was supposed to the easiest heist of a box with more jewelry than they could imagine from a Rajasthani woman turns into a nightmare as a cop named Bharath [Rajiv Kankala] intercepts the two in a share squabble unaware they stole the box. But the biggest shocker come when they open it. Instead of jewelry, they find  a 3 year old little girl named Divya[Rakshana] sleeping inside. If that wasn't bad enough, she wakes from her slumber, looks at Raja and calls him Appa[father]. Shocker number 3 comes in the form of a photo of the girls father who looks exactly like Raja. No choice of ditching and no chance of finding the father, he slowly forms a liking to the lil' one but is then thrust into a wild chase for their lives as a bunch of goons attack the Raja and Divya. Before Raja can react, he finds himself standing face to face with the man from the photo. Who is Rathnavel Pandian [Karthi again]? Why are the goons trying to kill him? How does Bharath tie into all this? Well you know the drill. Check it out to find out.

First off, by now you should know I love Karthi but this was one film, I was so worried he made the wrong choice when I heard they were remaking Vikramarkudu. Its one of those films that you cant change the characterisation and is also very hard to adapt. The film's USP is the flamboyance of Rocket Raja and the roar of Rathnavel Pandian and when the original role is done by Raviteja, you are in for some trouble. As Film critic Sri on twitter said, he is like TFI's Jim Carey. His style of acting is hard to trump or imitate. But Karthi has proved me wrong again. Considering how deftly he has handle complex character emotions in NMA, Paruthiveeran and action in Paiyya, I probably should have known better. The actor is a complete delectable delight to watch. As Rocket Raja, he tickles the funny bone so easily and with Rathnavel Pandian, you can almost feel the fire in his eyes. Some may say he is repetitive with his comedy but his quirky style of casual comedy goes up a notch and work BIG time. He may not be perfect with the dancing aspect of things but makes it up with oodles of confidence and attitude. Santhanam as his co conspirator is in top form but it would be best he refrains from using double entendres as he is awesome without them. Either way, his style of comedy and his combo with Karthi is a major plus point to the film. Tamanna Bhatia is very pretty girl and looks really good in her glamouros avatar but she hams alot. In fact, you wonder if this is the same girl that blew your mind in Ayan and Kallori, both varying genres and characters but equally appealing. Comparisons to Anushka would be futile since when Anushka did it in Telugu she was but one film old. Yet Tamanna does follow her skin show act without making that much of an impact. The on screen chemistry of Karthi and Tamanna is just passable which is disappointing. Rajiv Kankala was in the original and reprises the same role but doesn't skip a beat and invokes just as much life into his character in Tamil. Avinash as the village terror, Babuji is loud yet colourful in the comedy pieces. However, Supreet is the only one that maintains a menacing villain fascade as the rest become characatures of comedy villains, easily forgettable loud ruffians or blink and you'll miss type Juniors. Manobala and Mayilsamy are worth a mention as the formery lanky actor utilises every chance he gets and the latter gives a new angle to toilet humor. Little Rakshana does her little bit to be cute.

Camerawork by S.Velraj and art by Rajeevan is apt for the city and the slum as they brings to life the little village of Devipatnam without moving away from the plight of the villagers and also transports you to world of theives with their loot, keeping it light and fun as well. If the imagery set the mood, the dialogue drives the story home. Penned by Siva himself, the seriousness gets a little predictable but he scores brownies for comical antics of the conning duo. On the directional front, Siva sets off sparks every now and then with some brilliant adaptation but loses it a little with a dragging effect. He cleverly starts the film with a screen card stating the film is set in Andhra but will have characters speaking in Tamil to maintain the essence of the village but some may complain about the amount of new faces that are actually from the Telugu industry. Overall they perform well and fill in the gaps as required.

However, Siruthai is far from perfect. If the gore factor maybe an issue for some, the length of it is bound to make you yawn. Editing could have been little more crisp [name unknown]. Siva made a few adjustments in the screenplay that is welcomed with open arms but its the same Siva that has allowed the action sequence to be so lengthy. To an extent he has a hand in Tamanna's lack of impact too. If her hamming was one probably the lack of depth in her character adds to it. Granted its a very commercial heroine character but in could have been filled out a bit. Another major disappointment is Vidaysagar's music. The once reigning commercial film music director that has some awesome tracks to his name, seems very lost off late. Rocket Raja and Raakkamma are strictly ok. Chellam was picturised well but loses out to easily forgettable lyrics. Choreographers please take note, if your lead actors hasn't got a malleable body type, simplifying steps isn't the only solution. In some ways, Karthi's physic is apt for his character but in others, the moves make it seem like he needs a trainer.

All in all, Siruthai is your typical commercial masala film thats made watchable by Karthi.

Rating:3/5