Review: Greeku Veerudu
Banner: Kamakshi Movies
Producer: D.Shiva Prasad Reddy
Director: Dasarath
Music: S S Thaman
Casting: Nagarjuna, Nayantara, Meera Chopra, K Vishwanath, Brahmanandam, M S Narayana, Kota Srinivas Rao, Sharath Babu, Ashish Vidyarthi. Ali, Venu Madav, Raghu Babu, Vennela Kishore, Nagi Needu, Tagubothu Ramesh, Kovai Sarala and others
Rating: 2.25/5.0
Story
Chandu (Nagarjuna) runs an event management company in USA. He values money and doesn’t believe in love or human relations. Sandhya ( Nayantara), a doctor committed to service. She works with the charitable organization 'Make a Wish'. She believes in sentiments, relations and love.
Chandu travels to India to meet his grandparents and relatives for the first time to address and an unprecedented event occurred in USA. On his way to India, Chandu meets Sandhya who has conflicting views about life, get acquainted to each other. After meeting Sandhya and relatives in India, Chandu realises the value of human relations and importance of love.
What made Chandu to change his views on relations and love forms the crux of the story.
Performance
Nagarjuna, though slim and handsome looked bit old in the character. Nagarjuna failed to bring the right kind of emotions in key scenes. Except in Greeku Veerudu song, there are not many steps in choreography.
Nayantara looked dull in the movie. She too looked old and pale in close ups. Definitely her spark is missing in this film.
Meera Chopra role is very small and wouldn’t gain anything out of it. K Vishwanth is routine in grandfather role. Ashish Vidyarthi and Kota appear in negative roles.
Brahmanandam, M S Narayana and Dharmavarapu Subramanyam and Kovai Sarala entertain you in comedy roles. Rest of the supporting cast is okay.
Technical
Dasarath once again chose a story which tells the human relations and love. The film's story resembles director Dasarath's earlier film 'Mr. Perfect', in which the hero and heroine have divergent views. Ultimately they unite when the hero changes his views. Though the subject is good, director failed to handle the script to perfection. The scenes are half baked or end abruptly. He failed to bring the intensity in emotional scenes. The screenplay of the movie is big draw back and boring at times. The movie runs on slow pace and ends on sluggish note.
S S Thman tried to be different with this movie. He showed variation in background score and music when compared to his other movies. Anil Bhandari cinematography is rich. Marthand K Venkatesh could have done better job on editing. Dialogues by Dasarath are good. There is nothing to say about Choreography or Action.
Analysis
Dasarath who scored hits with human relations subject once again chose the same subject for Grreku Veerudu. Unfortunately, unimpressive screenplay and poor direction hamper the chances of film at box office. The movie runs on sluggish pace from start to finish. There is not enough family drama to make an impact on audience about relations. There is no depth in the scenes between Nagaarjuna and Vishwanath or between Nagarjuna and Nayantara to elevate the movie. Cliamax is also a big letdown. Director seems to be influenced by Srinu Vytla finished the climax in comic way undermining the main subject.
Over all, Greeku Veerudu is a family drama with little comedy and zero mass elements. The movie may appeal to a small section of family audience who love to see films on human relations and love. But, the film is hard to digest if you are looking for pure entertainment.
Final Talk
It is a below average movie.
Baadshah-Review Release date : 05 April 2013
Director : Srinu Vaitla
Producer : Bandla Ganesh Babu
Music Director : S. Thaman
Starring : NTR, Kajal Aggarwal, Navdeep
Young Tiger NTR’s ‘Baadshah’ is all set to hit the screens tomorrow (April 5th) in a big way. We have been to a special screening of the film and this is the first and exclusive review of ‘Baadshah’, specially for 123telugu.com readers. The movie has been directed by Sreenu Vaitla and Bandla Ganesh is the producer. Expectations on the film are sky high, so let us see if the film lives up to the hype.
Story :
Baadshah (NTR) is the youngest and most aggressive player in the international crime syndicate headed by Saadhu Bhai (Kelly Dorji). Baadshah’s father Ranjan (Mukesh Rushi) operates a very profitable casino in Macau and he is a trusted aide of Saadhu Bhai. Baadshah’s intelligence, ambition and aggression soon put him on a collision course with Saadhu Bhai and the Don wants to finish off the young upstart. With the help of rival Dons Crazy Robert (Ashish Vidyardhi) and Violent Victor (Pradeep Rawat), Saadhu tries to eliminate Baadshah and his family.
Saadhu also plans large scale terrorist attacks in all the major metros of India. Baadshah vows to foil the plans of Saadhu and to do this, he takes the help of Janaki (Kajal) and her father Jai Krishna Simha (Nasser). Jai Krishna Simha is the Police Commissioner of Hyderabad and he is a very strict head of a joint family that also includes Padmanabha Simha (Brahmanandam).
As the story progresses, it becomes clear that there is more to Baadshah than what meets the eye. He has a tragic past and a powerful motive for taking on Saadhu Bhai. What is that motive? Who is Baadshah? How does Padmanabha Simha fit into the plans of Baadshah? That forms the rest of the story.
Plus Points :
NTR is simply brilliant as Baadshah. The character demands aggression, style and ruthlessness. NTR displays all three qualities in abundance. His comedy timing is spot on and the sequences with Kajal in Italy are very entertaining. In the second half of the film, he changes his appearance and dialogue delivery effortlessly, to transform into someone else (I don’t want to reveal more details). NTR’s dances in ‘Sairo Sairo’ and ‘Rangoli Rangoli’ are fantastic.
The film will be a feast for fans. There are some special sequences that have been designed to delight them. Special mention must be made of NTR’s brief appearance in the Justice Chowdhary getup. The resemblance to his legendary grandfather is just too much. In the second half, there is a very entertaining sangeeth episode based on a medley of Sr NTR’s popular songs.
Superstar Mahesh Babu’s voice over comes in at a number of crucial junctures in the first half and it is effective. Brahmanandam is hilarious as Inspector Padmanabha Simha and he is a major asset for the film. His scenes with NTR and Nasser are rib-tickling. Sreenu Vaitla has cleverly used the ‘living out a dream’ concept from the Hollywood flick ‘Inception’ to come up with Brahmanandam’s comedy track.
M.S. Narayana is perfect for the role of film director Revenge Nageswara Rao and he will make you laugh. The character has an uncanny resemblance to Ram Gopal Varma but it is not offensive. M.S. Narayana takes care of the comedy in the first half along with NTR, Vennela Kishore and Kajal.
Kajal entertains with her ‘Banthi’ philosophy and corny one liners. She looks quite glamorous in the movie. Suhasini is neat. Navdeep has done well as an evil cop. Hero Siddharth has a very small but very crucial role in the film. Nasser is effective as the strict police officer. Pragathi has come up with a surprisingly effective and entertaining dance in the sangeeth ceremony sequence.
The second half of the film is packed with entertainment. Fast paced narration, superb comedy sequences and three peppy songs (Banthi Poola Janaki, Welcome Kanakam and Rangoli Rangoli) will keep viewers happy. All the songs have very rich visuals.
Minus Points :
The film has certain similarities to a number of Sreenu Vaitla’s past projects.Talented actors like Jayaprakash Reddy, Brahmaji, Tanikella Bharani, Master Bharath, Chandra Mohan and Thagubothu Ramesh did not receive characters fit for their abilities.
The movie slows down a little as it approaches the interval. A fight sequence should have been chopped off to speed up things.
Technical Aspects :
Four different cinematographers worked for the film and it is difficult to say who shot what. But the visuals look very rich and colourful. Editing could have been better in the first half. Thaman’s background score is effective and lends good support to the proceedings.
Choreography is good for all the songs. Sairo Sairo and Rangoli have the best steps. Dialogues are hilarious and the one liners are very effective. Credit must go to Sreenu Vaitla, Gopi Mohan and Kona Venkat for this.
Sreenu Vaitla scores at the Box Office because of the entertainment quotient in his films. ‘Baadshah’ is no different. He has come up with some good comedy sequences in the movie. He has used Brahmanandam and M.S.Narayana effectively.
Production values are very good.
Verdict :
Baadshah is a very effective entertainer for the summer holidays. Brilliant performances from NTR, Kajal, Brahmanandam and M.S.Narayana coupled with a highly entertaining second half are major plus points for the film. Despite similarities to Sreenu Vaitla’s past projects, the film makes for a very enjoyable watch. Catch ‘Baadshah’ this weekend. Entertainment is guaranteed!
Director : Sajid Khan
Producer : Vashu Bhagnani, Siddharth Roy Kapur
Music Director : Sajid-Wajid
Starring: Ajay Devgan, Tamannaah
Maverick director Sajid Khan, who has been making comedy entertainers from the past three years, is back with the official remake of the super hit 80′s flick Himmatwala. Starring super star Ajay Devgan and southern sensation Tamanna Bhatia, this movie has major roles by Paresh Rawal and Mahesh Manjrekar. Already, music of the film has created a huge buzz and the film which carries huge expectations, has finally hit the screens today. Let’s see how it is.
Story:-
Sher Singh(Mahesh Manjrekar) is a evil landlord in the village of Ram Nagar. He always troubles the poor and dominates the whole village with the help of his wicked brother-in-law Narayan Das(Paresh Rawal). Among all the troubled families is Savitri Devi, who loses her husband and her son Ravi(Ajay Devgan) in the evil deeds caused by Sher Singh.
After 20 long years, as Savitri Devi and her daughter are leading a poor and miserable life, suddenly Ravi reappears in the village and comes to the rescue of his family. He not creates a huge revolt against Sher Singh, but also falls in love with Sher Singh’s daughter Rekha(Tamanna) leaving Sher Singh highly disappointed.
An angry Sher Singh forms a team and finds out some bitter truths about Ravi and creates a rift between his family. What bitter truths does Sher Singh know about Ravi? How does Ravi manage to tackle Sher Singh and his plans? and What happens to his family and love interest during the course of this time? That forms the rest of the story.
Positive Points:-
As we all knew the story of Himmatwala previously, the only perceptive was to see as to how Sajid Khan would present this Himmatwala to the audience. The set up is the same but the script has been aptly molded according to today’s time and age. Paresh Rawal is the best of the lot, and is hilarious in the role of Naarayandas. He not only reprises the role of veteran Khader Khan successfully, but also gives tremendous boost to the whole film.
Ajay Devgan looks apt for his role and plays his part well. Southern Sensation Tamanna makes a rocking debut and looks stunning in all the songs and scenes. Though her role is less, Tamanna oozes glamor and suits her role perfectly. Mahesh Manjrekar and Zarina Wahab do their respective roles well. All the fight sequences, especially the scenes involving the tiger is worth a mention. Music of the film, especially the Sonakshi Sinha is quite good. Comedy scenes between Paresh Rawal and Mahesh Manjrekar are hilarious.
Negative Points:-
Remaking a blockbuster is always a hard task as the director needs to live to its expectations first, and has to cater to the current generation of movie lovers. Sadly, Himmatwala does not fulfill the promise which the promos have created. Even the swanky star cast could not save the film. Length of the movie is painfully long and takes for ever to finish.
Scenes are melodramatic and over the top. One can see some cheezy comedy and many dragged out situations right throughout the film. The main villain who creates such a ruckus is never projected in a right way. Right through the second half his character wanders all over, and makes a confusing watch. One can say that Himmatwala is let down by Sajid Khan’s weak direction and lack of projection in the story.
First half an hour of the movie is very slow. Right when you think that movie looks good, you are disappointed with a dragged out scene. All the emotions, set up looks over the top and will surely not liked by the urban audience.
Technical Aspects:
The only saving grace of Himmatwala are its songs and fights. Music of the film is very peppy and all the songs have shot exceptionally well. Naino mein Sapna, Taki and Thank God Its Friday make a good very watch. Fights of the movie need a special mention here. They look realistic and have been canned supremely well. One fight which involving the tiger is superbly shot and gives a major boost to the film.
Graphics used for canning the tiger scenes is awesome. The tiger and the whole set up looks very real and the way it has been shot is also worth a mention. Screenplay of the movie is a big let down and that is where the falters. Though all Saji Khan’s previous films have similar comedy, his story and situations were strong. But this time around he ends up now where and disappoints completely.
Verdict:-
On the whole, Himmatwala is one film which disappoints compltely. Peppy music, decent action and some hilarious comedy scenes will be loved by the masses. On the flip side, over the top situations and poor direction go completely against the film.. All said and done, Himmatwala fails to live up to its expectations and can only be watched for the tiger who is the real Himmatwala of the film.
Movie: Aravind-2
Rating: 2.25/5
Director Sekhar Suri
Behind the screens
Director Sekhar Suri who earlier thrilled all with the film 'A Film by Aravind', this time came with a sequel titled 'Aravind-2'. Let us see what impact Aravind will make on viewers.
Story Line
Aravind (Sri) who was interrogated for deaths of five of his friends at Dandelli forest near Karnataka by Officer (Banerjee) in Goa Central Prison. When he uses third degree, his sub-ordinate who happens to be Priya’s (Madhavi Latha) father. He believes Aravind and asks him to escape as the officer is hand in hand with Mayor whose son Joseph goes missing. Aravind while escaping from mayor's thugs who are out to kill him, bumps into a film unit who was out on shooting in Goa and the director (Avasarala Rajesh) who selects him as second hero. The unit has Rishi (Kamal Kamaraju) as hero and Tanushka (Adonika) as heroine. When the film unit shifts shooting to Dandelli forest, one by one in the group gets killed. Who is the killer and what is the reason behind the gruesome murders and whether anyone will survive should be unraveled on silver screen.
Star Shine
Sri did well in the role brining in various emotions while others like Kamal Kamaraju, Adonika and Madhavi Latha expressed themselves well. Others did their job according to the roles.
Analysis
Director at the end gave credit to the character Jason in the Hollywood film stating Friday the 13th is his inspiration. True to his liking he came out trumps with the technical aspects of the film. Everything is in place as per taking, music, background scores and other technical values. However if director has expected people to get scared after watching the film then it will not be as the plot itself is completely predictable. One can be rest assured that hero will be safe except for others.
With so many characters introduced in the first 10 minutes people get confused and with story moving back and forth to investigation and shooting during that time, it will make people scratch their heads. Some loopholes are when junior officer releases hero on bail, what was the other officials doing. Why did they not investigate the killings, despite Mayor's son getting killed. Wonder whether they thought that mayor's men will take care of the case. Climax is predictable and the second half tested the patience. While the first half confused, second half dragged.
Technicals
K.Rajendra Babu's cinematography is beautiful while editing of Bhimreddy Tirupathi Reddy could have been better especially in the second half. Production values are good. Devi Sri Prasad's back ground score is gripping creating interest. Music and songs have nothing to talk of except for glamour show by heroines.
Movie Marks
Despite the short comings and old wine in new bottle Arvind-2 may appeal to people who love psycho thrillers but not for all.
Credits
Directed by Sekhar Suri
Produced by G. Phanindra,G. Vijay Choudary
Written by Bala ,Surendra Krishna
Starring Sri,Madhavi Latha,Kamal Kamaraju,Srinivas Avasarala,Adonica
Music by Devi Sri Prasad
Cinematography K. Rajendra Babu
Editing by Bhimreddy Tirupathi Reddy
Studio Sri Vijayabheri Productions
Release date(s) February 2013
Release date: 22nd March 2013
Rating : 2/5
Director : Suparn Verma
Producer : Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak
Music Director : Sangeet Haldipur, Siddharth Haldipur
Starring: Bipasha Basu, Nawazuddin Siddiqui
Super star Bipasha Basu, who is known for her hot and bold looks has been experimenting with different roles from past few films. After giving a stunning performance in Raaz 3, Bipasha is back with yet another super natural thriller in Aatma. Also starring the super talented Nawazuddin Siddique, Aatma is directed by Supern Verma and has hit the screens today. Let’s see how it fares.
Story:
The movie starts off with Maya (Bipasha Basu), a single mother that has managed to escape the cycle of abuse from her husband (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) after his death. Her sense of peace is shattered when she begins to discover that her husband possesses her 6 year old daughter (Doyel Dhawan).
Unusual things start happening in Maya’s life and many people get killed during the course. Rest of the story is as to how Maya manages to come out of the evil clutches of her possessive husband and manages to save her daughter.
Plus Points:
Bipasha Basu does a sincere effort with Aatma. She looks good as the troubled mother and also emotes well. The little child artist who did the role of Nia does a wonderful job. She not only acts well but carries the whole film on her shoulders. Some scenes where the evil Aatma possesses the child are shown in a very realistic manner. First 20 min of the second half is quite interesting.
Negative Points:
Though, Bipasha Basu acts well she seems to get repetitive in these kind of roles. Her look, body language and the way she has been showcased is quite ordinary. The movie suffers highly with some bad scripting. Nawazuddin Siddique has been completely wasted in the whole film. Though he is the evil Aatma, he has not been showcased properly. He is hardly there in the film and even his role does not suit the film.
As we except some nerve wracking thrills in every super natural film, Aatma has absolutely none of them. All the so called evil moments are quite ordinary and some times over the top. The first half takes for ever to finish and the story only enfolds in the second half. Climax of the film leaves a lot be explained and many of us would not relate to the ending.
Technical Aspects:
The look of the film is quite good. Since the story is mostly based in the house, its has been showcased well. Cinematography is quite good and this is the sole technical aspect in the entire film which is good. Special effects are very ordinary and do not scare or thrill you whatsoever.
Director Supern Verma’s story is very ordinary and has nothing to offer. Supern neither holds you on with an engaging story nor he manages some terrifying effects. Even his so called evil affects are over the top and have been showcased in many film. Screen play of the movie is just OK and only picks up in few places.
Verdict:
On the whole, Aatma is one film which is neither scary nor thrilling. Some over the top sequences and very ordinary story go against this film completely. Finally, this Aatma has no life and can be completely ignored even when it appears on TV.
| Release date: 22nd March 2013 | ||
| Rating : 1.75/5 | ||
| Director : Makarand Deshpande | ||
| Producer : Madan Paliwal | ||
| Music Director : Shailendra Barve | ||
| Starring: Naseeruddin Shah, Aahana Kumrah, Shruti Vyas |
Actor Makarand Deshpande has giving some worthy performances in the past which won him accolades. Despite of which, he stepped into direction and his directorial journey hasn’t been quite a success. The filmmaker is now back with his next, titled Sona Spa, starring the very talented Naseeruddin Shah along with actors Aahana Kumrah, Shruti Vyas and Pooja Pradhan. The movie releases today, let’s see how it fairs…
Story:
The movie starts with Baba Dayanand (Naseeruddin Shah), who is the main brain behind the concept of Sona Spa, explaining the notion from outer space (quite literally). The branch of Sona Spa in Mumbai is operated by Indu madam (Pooja Pradhan). The spa deals in selling sleep for Rs. 2,500 per hour, wherein the sleep workers sleep for the client, whilst the client is busy doing his extra chores. The catch here is that the sleep workers also have the access to the client’s dreams. Rucha (Shruti Vyas) and Ritu (Ahana Kumrah) have joined the spa as sleep workers to solve their own troubles. While Rucha is a rich brat dealing with her father’s insomnia, Ritu is a well-mannered girl who deals with her traumatized sister and a father in coma. The spa also has a senior employee, Meenakshi (Nivedita Bhattacharya) who is a prostitute turned ‘sleep worker’.
The rest of the movie shows how the two young girls’, who btw only sleep for you and not with you (bummer), deal with their client’s dreams and at the same time their life problems.
Positive Points:
Filmmaker Makarand Deshpandey has chosen a concept that goes well with today’s fragmented lives, where all a sleep deprived person needs, is a few hours of sound sleep. Naseeruddin Shah’s depiction as a baba is good. The two young talents Aahana Kumrah and Shruti Vyas have played their parts well.
Nivedita shows off her talent as prostitute with a lucknowi attire and accent well.
Negative Points:
We would like to start off by asking Naseer Sir, What were you thinking? The very talented actor is reached to the audiences only via a TV screen in the spa, while he very comfortable enjoys his life living in Seattle just because there are more sleep deprived people there…(???) Ahana and Shruti, the two talented theatre artist are absolutely wasted in the movie. Then there’s Pooja Pradhan, who should probably go back to what she is good at, modeling. She looks more like a hotel stewardess than an entrepreneur.
Makarand Deshpandey has successfully helmed a tale that makes sense only in few parts. The other characters including the police officer, a rich man (with a weird disorder of killing his lovers in dream) and Indu’s mentally charged brother have over done their roles.
Technical aspects:
The only one song in the film Neend Ka Bijness is played during interval and brings no good for the film. Makarand, as a director fails to lure the viewers with a confusing tale. Some of the sequences are left half-way, while some don’t make sense at all. The filmmaker selects a decent topic, but executes it in a bizarre way.
Cinematography by Rajeev Jain is just about OK as the way in which he captures the highlights of a spa is admirable. The background score by Shailendra Barve is decent. Editing by Biren Joyti Mohanty is one aspect that could have been totally worked upon.
Verdict:
On a whole, Sona Spa is one movie that inspite of dealing with a good concept and better theatres character, fails to be executed properly. This is one confused saga, which can be easily missed with no regrets. However, if you are looking to get a sound sleep, do visit the movie hall. You will surely get one while watching Sona Spa.
Backbench Student
Behind the Screens
Madhura Sridhar who entertained movie lovers with Snehageetam and It's My Love Story, is knocking at the hearts of genex youth with another love story Backbench Student casting Mahat Raghavendra, Archana Kavi and Pia Bajpai. Let us see what impact Backbench Student made on movie lovers.
Story Line
Priyanka (Archana Kavi) who is doing Masters in Engineering in US, returns back to India in the midst of her course, unable to forget her love life with Karthik (Mahat Raghavendra) her friend during her engineering days. She recollects how she left him in lurch just because he failed in 16 subjects and the hard reality that she is unable to forget him.
She meets him after 1 year and finds to her surprise that he is drawing a pay pack of Rs 1 lakh per month as a expert hacker and networking specialist and a new girl Chaitra (Pia Bajpai) in his life. Now who is loving whom, what is the mystery between this triangular love story should be unraveled on silver screen.
Star Shine
Mahat Raghavenda on debut put up spirited performance. He exceled in dances and his expressions are fine. Archana Kavi looked good but did not have scope for performance. Piya Bajpai got good role and she even looked beautiful. Ali and Brahmandam entertained movie lovers with their comedy tracks. Other cast like Sarath Babu,Banerjee, Pragati did their roles accordingly.
Analysis
Director Madhura Sridhar selected a good point and tried to drive home the point to youth that life doesn't end if some one fails in education. He added pep in the story with college incidents and even beautified it with romantic touch.
Only thing is the film pace slowed in bits and pieces thus leaving viewers surprised. Just when people expect it to pick up pace it suddenly falls down. One should however compliment director for taking a clean story with out any double meaning or adult dialogues.
comedy part is well written with Ali and Brahmanandam doing full justice to the roles. Mahat Raghavendra showed great maturity as confused lover while Archana and Pia Bajpai showed their skills. Had only hair stylist of Pia Bajpai taken special care, she would have looked even hotter.
Technicals
Production values are good. Prasad's cinematography is beautiful bringing richness to the film. He captured the beauty of Vizag. Editing by Dharmendra Kakarala could have been better. Sunil Kashyap's music is catchy.
Movie Marks
Backbench Student hopes to change the attitude of genex youth. It will appeal to college goers and genex youth but how it will be recieved in B,C centers decides its fate.
Credits
Directed by Madhura Sreedhar Reddy
Produced by M.V.K. Reddy
Screenplay by Madhura Sreedhar Reddy
Venkat Sidda Reddy
Lakshmi Bhupal
Story by Madhura Sreedhar Reddy
Starring Mahat Raghavendra,Piaa Bajpai,Archana Kavi,Ali,Brahmanandam,Sarath Babu,Banerji
Music by Sunil Kashyap
Cinematography Prasad G.K.
Editing by Dharmendra Kakarala
Studio Shirdi Sai Combines
Release date: 15th March 2013
Rating : 3/5
Director : Subhash Kapoor
Producer : Fox Star Studios
Music Director : Krsna
Starring: Boman Irani, Arshad Warsi, Amrita Rao
After a gap of three long years, director Subhash Kapoor is finally back with Jolly LLB which is promoted as comical drama. Starring the talented Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani, Amrita Rao and Saurabh Shukla in lead roles, this movie is set to hit the screens on 15th March. As always, we have got you an insightful review well in advance. So let’s see how Jolly LLB is!!!
Story:
Jolly LLB has a very simple story with the movie starting with Jolly, a small time lawyer from Meerut who shifts to Delhi with an ambition to become a hi-profile lawyer. In Delhi, he continues to take up small legal cases and invariably ends up on the losing side. One fine day, his luck turns and he gets a chance to take a case where he has to argue it out against Rajpal (Boman Irani) who is one of the top lawyers in the country.
In parallel, Sandhya (Amrita Rao) a school teacher is Jolly’s love interest who steadfastly supports Jolly in his hard days and helps him make the right career moves. The rest of the story is about how Jolly manages to win justice for his client against the cunning and talented Rajpal.
Positive Points:
While a number of earlier movies such as Kyunki Main Jhooth Nahi Bolta, Damini, Ek Ruka Hua Faisla, etc. revolve around courtroom cases, director Subhash Kapoor takes a different route and makes an effort to bring out the actual truth behind the court cases. All the courtroom scenes are very realistic and believable. Arshad Warsi handles his role of a struggling lawyer with ease and lives the character on screen. He is funny, witty and gels with his co-stars while giving tough competition to Boman Irani and is on par with him in their scenes together.
The other talent in the film, Boman Irani plays an arrogant and intimidating lawyer to perfection. However, the one other character that merits a mention is Saurabh Shukhla who plays the role of the judge. Saurabh gives one of his best performances and is a scene stealer in the movie.
Negative Points:
Jolly LLB is one of those movies which easily fails to reach up to the viewers expectations. The biggest drawback is that though Subhash Kapoor promoted the movie as a comical, mind you…it isn’t a comical. The movie lacks humor and there is none of it in the first half and a little bit (thanks to Saurabh Shukla) in the second half. One would expect a lot of humor thrown around thanks to the presence of Arshad and Boman in the film but it ends up with the characters being portrayed as serious personalities.
Amrita Rao is just about OK and is only there as an eye-candy. She gives an over-the-top performance and the romantic scenes between Amirta and Arshad could have been totally scripted out. Some of the movie sequences go on a tangent leaving the audiences confused and longing for explanations. Some of the characters such as Arshad’s bodyguard could have been completely deleted from the screenplay. Overall, the movie is stodgy in the first half, regains pace by the second half and turns into a boring sermon by the climax.
Technical Points:
Jolly LLB is more of a serious courtroom drama than a comical entertainer. The songs are absolutely average and go against the whole plot. The dialogues penned down by director Subhash himself are lengthy and get confusing at times. Anshuman Mahaley’s cinematography is decent as he depicts the court room scenes wonderfully. The background score by Sanjoy Chowdhary and editing by Sandeep Singh Bajeli is just about OK.
Verdict:
On the whole, Jolly LLB is a total somber affair than being an amusing one. Good performances from Arshad, Boman Irani and some nerve racking court room scenes are sure shot plus points. A slow second half and a dodgy climax spoils the fun. Finally, watch this movie without any expectations and you would be decently entertained. Would recommend a one time watch.
| Release date : 08 March 2013 |
| Rating : 2.5/5 |
| Director : Jeevitha |
| Producer : Yeluru Surendra Reddy, Parandhama Reddy |
| Music Director : Chinna |
| Starring : Dr. Rajasekhar, Madhurima.. |
Dr. Rajasekhar was quite a force to reckon with in the Telugu Film Industry at one point of time. During the late 80′s and early 90′s, Rajasekhar had a number of super hits to his credit and most of them happened to be cop dramas. With ‘Mahankaali’, Rajasekhar tried his hand once again at the tough cop formula. Jeevitha is the director of this movie and Madhurima is the heroine. Chinna has composed the music. Let us see if ‘Mahankaali’ is worth a watch.
Story :
The movie is set in Hyderabad. Harshad Bhai (Pradeep Rawath) is a Dubai based Don who controls the ‘pathabasthi’ with an iron fist with the help of his associates Jayakka (Nalini) and Laddoo. Apart from running various extortion and murder rackets, Harshad Bhai also indulges in acts of terrorism. Another local Don named Nayak Bhai (Venu Gopal) also tries to gain control over Hyderabad by clashing with Harshad Bhai’s gang.
To salvage the deteriorating law and order situation in the city, encounter specialist Mahankaali (Dr. Rajasekhar) is brought in. Mahankaali is a man who believes in instant justice and he sets about eliminating the bad guys.
Just as things seem to be coming under control, the Police Commissioner (Chalapathi Rao) teams up with Harshad Bhai’s gang and implicates Mahankaali in a series of false cases. How does Mahankaali come out? Will he succeed in eliminating the bad guys? That forms the story of ‘Mahankaali’.
Plus Points :
Rajasekhar has given a powerful performance as encounter specialist ‘Mahankaali’. Glimpses of the yesteryear angry young man of films like ‘Ankusam’, ‘Magaadu’ etc can be seen in this perofrmance. Sai Kumar’s dubbing is a big asset for the role.
There are some punch dialogues and powerful emotional sequences that will appeal to masala film lovers and front benchers. Madhurima has also come up with a glamor treat in the film.
Some action episodes have been shot well.
Minus Points :
The story of the movie is a pretty routine affair. There are a lot of similarities to many of the older encounter specialist films like Gopichand’s ‘Golimaar’ etc. The second half of the movie is extremely predictable and boring.
The power and emotion found in the first half is largely missing in the second half. Screenplay goes for a toss and Rajasekhar’s character loses steam completely.
The villains do not have a proper characterization in the film. Their villainism does not reach any emotional peaks and as a result, the required intensity is missing from the story line.
There is zero comedy in the film. Viewers who seek casual entertainment will be disappointed
Technical Aspects :
Jeevitha Rakasekhar has succeeded partially in the first half as a director. But she loses the plot completely in the second half. Editing is ok. Screenplay is bad. Cinematography is just about ok and is in keeping with the film’s budget.
Background score is effective.
Verdict :
Mahankaali is a routine and boring cop saga. A powerful performance from Rajasekhar and some nice moments in the first half are the only plus points. The film may find some support at C center theatres but it is unlikely to find any encouragement from A and B Center viewers.
| Release date: 8th March 2013 | |
| Rating : 3.5/5 | |
| Director : Tigmanshu Dhulia | |
| Producer : Tigmanshu Dhulia, Rahul Mittra | |
| Music Director : Sandeep Chowta | |
| Starring: Irfan Khan, Mahie Gill, Jimmy Shergill, Soha Ali Khan |
After the critically acclaimed Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster, one would wonder how good its sequel can get. This time around Sahab Biwi Aur Gangster Returns stars the principal characters Jimmy Shergill, Mahie Gill and two new additions Irfan Khan and Soha Ali Khan in other lead roles. Whether director Tigmanshu Dhulia tries his hands in making this movie better than its prequel let’s find it out now.
Story:
The movie starts with Inderjeet Singh (Irrfan Khan), a gangster turned politician, who is having an affair with Thakur Birendra Pratap’s beautiful daughter, Ranjana (Soha Ali Khan). The couple’s financial differences keep them away from marrying each other. Aditya Pratap Singh (Jimmy Shergill), the Saheb has still not forgiven his biwi, Madhavi (Mahie Gill) of betraying him in the first part. Madhavi is still a drunken and spoilt wife who longs for her husbands love.
It is after Saheb sees Ranjana’s photograph that he determines on marrying her in any case. He in turn blackmails Ranjana’s father, who leaves with no choice but to agree to the Saheb. This is also when Madhavi plans on concentrating on her political career. Birendra Pratap hires Inderjeet to destroy Saheb completely. During the course of all this Madhavi develops a physical relation with Inderjeet while he is still madly in love with Ranjana.
Will Saheb get cornered into Inderjeet’s trap which involves Madhavi. Will Ranjana come to know about Inderjeet and Madhavi’s relation? What happens next ? That forms the rest of the story.
Positive Points:
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns is far more better than a regular gangster film. It is a vibrant tale of love, lust, passion and surprisingly lot of humor. Irrfan Khan is surely the highlight of the film. He plays his character of a self poised gangster with extreme poise and humour that one doesn’t miss Randeep Hooda at all.
Mahie Gill continues from where she left in the prequel. She plays a drunken displeased woman with faultlessness. Soha Ali is excellent and subtle as the sweet simple girl. Jimmy Shergill, as in the previous part is certainly a rage. He portrays an affectionate wheel-chair bound sahib with excellence and ease.
Negative Points:
The main star of the film Irfan Khan, is not properly introduced in the film and one wonders how does he fit into the whole story which had ended in the first part. His connection with Jimmy Shergill is unexplainable and could have been portrayed in a better way. Even though Mahie plays her part as an unsatisfied biwi with poignancy, some of her drunken sequences are over-the-top.
SBAGR also fails as a standard masala entertainer and is targeted only for specific audience. After a certain while the story gets predictable and moves a bit slowly.
Technical Points:
The songs of the film go with the flow of the scenes, except for the item number by Mughda Ghodse, which could have been a complete no-no to the film. The addition of the track ‘Lag Ja Gale’, gives special meaning to the film. Tigmanshu Dhulia plays smart in choosing the characters, as each of them play their role with ease.
His direction is without a doubt, the best thing in the movie. While the first half of the movie goes by introducing the characters, the second half has all the ingredients that will let you stick to your seats. Unlike its first part, SBAGR has a fair amount of humor quotient, which is a remarkable addition to the movie. The editing and the screenplay drop a bit in the second half as compared to the first.
Verdict:
On the whole Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns is a baap of its prequel. Even though, not targeted for family audiences, the movie has everything that will keep you engaged right till the end. Thrilling sequences, love, lust, passion, revenge this movie has everything and is surely worth a watch. Go for it.
Rating: 2.5/5
Banner: Manchu Entertainment
Cast: Aadhi Pinisetty, Lakshmi Manchu, Sundeep, Taapsee, Ravi Babu and others
Music: Ilaiyaraaja
Cinematographer: Palani Kumar
Editor: M R Varmaa
Story, screenplay, direction: Kumar Nagendra
Producer: Lakshmi Manchu
Release date: 08/03/2013
Lakshmi Manchu who has been venturing bravely with various genres of movies has now arrived with yet another different subject. Whether it is good enough or not let us see
Story
Set on the backdrop of the Godavari floods which happened in 1986, the story begins with Malli (Aadhi) and Chitra (Lakshmi) who get married. Just as the floodwater begins to pour in, everyone goes around to save their lives including these two.
This brings them to know about each other’s past as Sarala (Taapsee) a big man’s daughter comes and gives a gold ring to Malli whereas Dora Babu (Ravi Babu) comes and gifts gold chain to Chitra.
While Malli reveals his connection with Sarala, Chitra reveals about her link with Dora Babu and Suri (Sundeep) the person she loved. What happens in that forms the rest of the story.
Performances
Aadhi has intensity in him which cannot be missed and he is a good fit to the role of a fisherman. With the right kind of choices, he has the potential to become a tough mass/action hero.
Lakshmi Manchu has done a committed job and her efforts to get the Godavari slang are appreciable. She has a good smile which she could use more often to spread a good charm.
Sundeep Kishan was good. He got into the character with ease and performed as per the requirement. He is a promising lad.
Taapsee was wild, rustic and natively sexy. Her role might come across as a shocker and she has carried with effectiveness. She has also cut down her weight making her look different.
Ravi Babu was apt, Ramesh was upto the mark, Annapurna was standard, Suja Varunee was raunchy, good to see Mumaith back, the others didn’t have much.
Highlights
Drawbacks
Analysis
The film had its share of hiccups and delays before it has released and at one point not many remembered it. Now that it has come the primary theme that it is based on the backdrop of Godavari floods caught the interest.
The backdrop as it may be, the primary plot focuses more on the tales of two people and their relationships. Within the first thirty minutes of the film, one gets a feeling that there is a good bit of Tamil flavor in the director. The characters are truly native, their traits are somewhat realistic and sometimes unacceptable to the general viewer. For instance, Taapsee’s character would strike unusual but fact remains that there are many girls like that in society.
But on a celluloid format and that too for the entertainment seeking Telugu audience it could be a tough pill to digest. The film takes off with a good visualization and the efforts taken by the graphics team to show the flood situation is impressive.
As it gets into the story there is a realism attached to it. That way, the director has shown that he has good material and presentation skills in him. But he should have also sharpened his narrative by bringing in more emotional juice and energy.
There were many instances which had good scope for that. Overall, this is a film which has been well made technically but not content wise. It may engage the people of age groups 30s and 40s to some extent due to 1986 backdrop story and Ilayaraja factor, but not to the present day youth audience.
Bottomline: Tamil flavored Telugu film
Release date: 1st March 2013
Rating : 2.25/5
Director : Kapil Sharma
Producer : Goldie Behl, Shrishti Behl Arya
Music Director : Falak Shabir, Sachin-Jigar
Starring: John Abraham, Prachi Desai, Chitrangada Singh
‘I. Me Aur Main’. featuring John Abraham, Chintrangada Singh and Prachi Desai in lead roles. The movie has been directed by Kapil Sharma and it has released across the world today. Let us see if this romantic comedy is worth checking out.
Story :
The title of ‘I, Me Aur Main’ should give you enough hints about its basic plot. It is the story of a self obsessed and highly selfish guy called Ishaan (John Abraham). Ishaan is a music company executive and he is an extremely spoilt brat. He lives in the apartment of his girlfriend Anushka (Chitrangada Singh). While Ishaan is carefree and flamboyant, Anushka is more mature and committed. She tries to get Ishaan to mend his ways, but is largely unsuccessful.
After being fed up with his attitude, Anushka kicks him out. Our self obsessed Ishaan soon finds himself in the company of the bubbly Gauri (Prachi Desai). The two of them seem to hit it off for a while.
But things start getting complicated and Ishaan is forced to introspect. His pampering mother, angry sister and the two women force him to take some hard decisions. What are they? Who does Ishaan end up with? That forms the story.
Plus Points :
John Abraham looks handsome in the film and he has done a neat job as the self obsessed urban male. Chitrangada Singh and Prachi Desai are good choices and they have played their characters well.
There are some good moments in the first half. The portrayal of John’s relationship with Chitrangada starts off on a good note. Raima Sen, Mini Mathur and Zarina Wahab put in neat performances.
The film’s short run time of approximately two hours is a bonus.
Minus Points :
The film loses its way completely in the second half and there are a lot of unexplained gaps in the story line. Predictability also sets in. Sheena Shahabdi fails to make a good impression.
None of the songs in the film really stand out. They are neither melodious nor do they have good visuals.
The sub plots involving Raima Sen and Sheena Shahabdi do not gel with the main story line and will distract viewers.
Screenplay goes for a toss in the second half and the movie’s pace dips considerably. A lot of cliched scenes come into the picture.
The climax sequence is poorly executed.
Technical Aspects :
Cinematography is just about ok. Director Kapil Sharma succeeds to a certain extent in the first half, but he loses his way in the second half of the film. Perhaps, tighter editing would have helped.
Music is very mediocre and so is the background score.
Verdict :
‘I, Me Aur Main’ is the messed up tale of a narcissist. The film starts off with some promise but loses its way completely towards the end. It ends up as a very predictable and boring watch. You may take a look if you are a die hard fan of John Abraham.
Release date : 01 March 2013
Director : Devi Prasad
Rating : 2.75/5
Producer : N. V. Prasad, Paras Jain
Music Director : S. A. Rajkumar
Starring : Sunil, Isha Chawla
Sunil and Isha Chawla’s ‘Mr. Pellikoduku’ is releasing today. The movie is an official remake of ‘Tanu Weds Manu’ and Devi Prasad has directed the Telugu version. Veteran music director S.A. Rajkumar has composed the film’s music. Mega Supergood Movies banner has produced the film with a decent budget. A premiere show was held yesterday night (Feb 28th) at Cinemax in Hyderabad and we have been to that. Let us see if Sunil strikes with ‘Mr. Pellikoduku’
Story :
Buchi Babu (Sunil) is an NRI who owns a boutique. He returns to India after a gap of six years in order to select a suitable bride from the options shortlisted by his parents (Dharmavarapu Subrahmanyam and Tulasi). His first ‘pelli choopulu’ is with Anjali (Isha Chawla), the daughter of Sugar Subbaraju (Ahuthi Prasad). Buchi Babu instantly falls in love with Anjali and she appears to reciprocate the emotion. The parents are elated.
But Anjali reveals a shocking truth and displays her wild side. A shocked Buchi Babu drops the proposal and goes off in search of other potential bridegrooms. But he can never truly get Anjali out of his heart and mind.
As fate would have it, Buchi Babu’s friend Naayar invites him to Kerala for a wedding and Anjali also happens to come there. Once again, love blossoms in our hero’s heart. With the help of his friend Bachi (Ali), Buchi Babu tries to win back the heart of Anjali.
Will he succeed? Is there someone else in Anjali’s life? That forms the rest of the story.
Plus Points :
Some of Sunil’s dances are superb (Please note the word ‘some’). During some comedy sequences, he tried to bring back memories of a vintage Sunil. Isha Chawla did a good job in the film and she looks beautiful. She has the glamour and the talent to make it big. Her characterization is quite interesting and she has managed to pull it off well.
Ali manages to bring a few smiles. Ravi Babu, Dharmavarapu Subrahmanyam and Ahuthi Prasad are ok. There are some funny moments in the first half. The humorous fight between Sunil and Ravi Babu will be enjoyed by most people.
Some of Sunil’s ‘Pelli Choopulu’ scenes are funny. The ‘Inuparekulu’ serial episode will strike a chord with family crowds.
Minus Points :
Care should have been taken regarding Sunil’s look and appearance in the movie. The hairstyle, the makeup used and the hideous pink lipstick make him look very odd. He had natural charm when he was heavy and one misses the good old Sunil of ‘Dhee’, ‘Sontham’, ‘Manmadhudu’, ‘Santosham’, ‘Nuvvu Naku Nacchav’ etc.
While some of his dances are truly good, some are so bad that they are almost funny. The ‘belt step’ in the second half left me scratching my head.
The movie goes for a toss in the second half. There are just way too many songs and they keep coming in one after the other. And because the songs are atrocious, viewers may experience restlessness.
The sentimental scenes are melodramatic, poorly scripted and lack depth. The cliched dialogues and pathetic background score make things worse. Outdated comedy adds to the misery.
Some of the scenes appear forced and have no proper justification. For example, the shirtless climax fight is very artificial and you can make out that it was inserted solely to show off Sunil’s body.
Tanu Weds Manu worked because of some good music and clever writing. Sadly, both attributes are missing in the Telugu version.
Technical Aspects :
Sameer Reddy’s cinematography is ok. Nandamuri Hari’s editing is not very satisfactory. Music and background score provided by S.A. Rajkumar are huge minus points and they do not lend any strength to the proceedings.
Devi Prasad’s direction is bad. Screenplay could have been a lot tighter in the second half. Dialogues are good only in a few areas.
Verdict :
‘Mr. Pellikoduku’ is a poor remake of ‘Tanu Weds Manu’. Bad Music,outdated sequences and Sunil’s odd makeup are big minus points for the movie. Isha Chawla’s glamour and some humour in the first half may not be enough to save this flick. I am going to watch ‘Sontham’ now to see the good old Sunil in action.
