Telugu Movies

Film: Chirutha
Rating: 3.5/5
Cast: Ram Charan, Neha Sharma, Tanikella, Ashish Vidyarthi, Prakash Raj, MS Naayana, Daniel Balaji, Brahmanandam, Dharmavarapu, Ali, Venu Madhav etc
Editing: MR Varma
Cinematography: Sham K Naidu
Choreography: Raju Sundaram, Nobel
Art: Chinna
Music: Mani Sharma
Production: Ashwini Dutt
Story, Screenplay, Dialogue, Direction: Puri Jagannath
Release Date: 28th Sep 2007

The D-day has come and the wait stops here. Ram Charan’s debut released and here are the details.

Story:
Charan’s (Ram Charan) father (Surya) gets killed by a gangster Mattu Bhai (Aashish Vidyarthi) in his childhood. His mother also gets severely injured in the same attack. He happens to go behind bars putting the crime on his head for saving his mother with an expensive surgery. He stays in jail for 12 years and then comes out. He learns that his mother was died when he was in jail. He moves to Thailand with the advice of his uncle. There he joins in a travel agency in Bangkok. He happens to escort a rich girl (Neha), the daughter of a rich man Kartikeya (Prakash Raj). He falls in her love by looks but very soon notices that she is arrogant, proud and adamant. He dilutes all her negatives and fills love in her followed by some action episodes. The climax is very well understood. It’s about how he puts an end to Mattu Bhai and quenches his revenge- and how he wins the rich man’s daughter.

Performances:
Ram Charan’s entry scene was composed very well with high dose of heaviness. There is big punch in introduction fight as well. The fight in Thai temples also scores well in his performance. But on a whole he appeared more like Pawan Kalyan in many scenes. Dances are good with some resemblances to his Mega Dad.

Neha is only for glamour quotient and to run the show, but she didn’t do anything marvelous. She is like any other imported stuff.

Prakash Raj and Aashish Vidyarthi are the character and villain characters respectively and they have justified their roles.

The comedy by Ali, Dharmavarapu and MS Narayana is entertaining.

Big score goes to cinematography, graphics, music and sound department. Puri Jaganath didn’t show his punch this time.

Analysis:
At the outset, the eagerness of the audience is to know about Ram Charan Teja’s performance. Well, there is no Teja in his name. It’s just mentioned ‘Ram Charan’. He did it. He proved that he has that in himself. His dances, his looks, his voice, his fights and over all performance are good. It never appeared that it is the first film of Ram Charan. He has definitely got brightest future.

Ram Charan Has:
o Good Base Voice
o Body language of Pawan Kalyan to 60% , Chiranjeevi up to 30% and 10% of his original
o Dances are good with some Chiranjeevi’s grace
o Macho look is unique and interesting
o Bearing and boldness and more than sufficient

It’s the film that stood on the shoulders of Ram Charan completely, Yes, the reference of Chiranjeevi or Konidela is not all used in the film. But the biggest blemish is story line and screenplay. How Puri could come out with that outdated formula introducing the son of a big hero? There is no twist, no turn and no suspense element. Everything is very much in the anticipation limits of common audiences. The second half is adopted from ‘Kaho Na Pyar Hai’…the island, the love…the same! First half has some good elements with the introduction scene of Ram Charan. The punch in sound, the perfection in digital effects and the expertise in other technical aspects of the film are felt well.

The entertaining aspects in the film are Ali’s comedy and Dharmavarapu’s rib tickling dialogues. MS Narayana also spilled enough laughs while Brahmanandam is not used properly, Venu Madhav has o big role to play. Music is mass appealing and the songs

1. Ososi Rakasi..
2. …Gundello Goli Maro score the top of all songs.

On a whole the film is for the fans and general audience may not relish much as the story point scores less. Puri would have taken better care in story and narration aspect to fill in that gap. The production values are really excellent.

Film: Happy Days
Rating: 4.5/5
Cast: Varun, Nikhil, Rahul, Vamshi, Tamanna, Gayatri Rao, Sonia, Monali, Kamalini etc
Dance: Swarna, Noble, Prem Rakshit
Camera: C Vijaya Kumar
Lyrics: Vanamali, Veturi, Venkatesh Patwari
Music: Mickie J Mayor
Direction-Production-Screenplay-Dialogue: Sekhar Kammula
Release Date: 28th September 2007 (USA)
                         2nd October (India)

It’s like watching a college campus video. It’s the pleasant story of boys and girls studying in a college. Sekhar Kammula once again touches the receptive channels of the audiences pleasantly.

Story:
Four boys Chandu (Varun) , Rajesh (Nikhil), Tyson (Rahul) and Shankar (Vamshi Krishna) and four girls Madhu, Appu, Sravanthi and Sangeetha are the new admissions in an engineering college, CBIT to specify. The entire story is how the relations develop among these bys and girls in the four years of their studies. The love, hatred, happy days and sorrow moments and all fall on the silver screen till the grand finale. That’s only for watching but cannot be read.

Performances:
The performances of all young boys and girls are impressive. The main heroine Tamanna is fresh and fair. Her body language resembles Sada to some extent. Gayatri Rao also did a fair job as Appu. Sonia, who played Sravanthi is hot and ‘intersting’. Monali Choudary who played Sangeetha is sufficient.

Coming to guys, Rahul did a lot and his diction is typical. Nikhil and Chandu are appropriate to their roles. Vamshi did his best.

Kamalini Mukherjee appears in the role of a glamorous English teacher and that’s just for a pleasant break.

The entire credit in giving characterizations for all these artistes goes to Sekhar Kammula. He is the man behind carving this long story of four pairs. Screenplay matters very big in such films and the responsibility falls immense in making audiences sit to the seats till the end.

Two songs Arare… and Paadametu Paduthunnaaa… are very interesting. Lyrics by Veturi, Vanamali and Venkatesh Patwari are good. Micki J Mayor’s music has a separate mark for itself.

The film is good on a whole but it pleases only the audiences who are aware of campus education. It is not a right dish for typical mass audiences anyway. It appeals for multiplex audiences, educated crowds and above all for US-Andhrites.

Analysis:
Don’t miss the film for the amount of nostalgia it has. One can go back to his lovely college days. And for students it’s a lively celluloid story where they can see themselves on screen. All the feelings from college humor to romance to sentiment…everything can be seen in the flow of 2 and half pleasant hours. The film proved to be an entertainer by the stuff in it. But if you expect some non stop humor and rib tickling scenes, that’s not there. It’s a neat film made in Kammula’s style. The artistes are new but they have excelled in their roles. The film is worth watch by all sets of audience.

Fist half of the film goes with introduction of characters. Second half appears to be little dragged but that’s what happens when four love stories are to be concluded. The scenes sometimes are routine in second half and seldom has the tempo graph suffered ups and downs.

Film: Vijaya Dasami
Rating: 2.75/5
Cast: Kalyan Ram, Vedika, Jayasudha, Suman, Sai Kumar, Lakshmipathi etc
Dialogues: Paruchuri Brothers
Story: Perarasu
Editing: Nandamuri Hari
Camera: C Ram Prasad
Music: Srikanth Deva
Fights: Stun Shiva
Producer: Eedara Ranga Rao
Director: V Samudra
Release Date: 21st Sep 2007

Story:
Siva Kasi (Kalyan Ram) runs a welding shop. He falls in love with a rich man’s daughter Devi (Vedika). The rich man asks Sivakasi to get his parents in order go with marriage proceedings. Then Sivakasi’s flash back rolls on screen. Sivakasi was Shakthi earlier. His elder brother was Durga Prasad (Sai Kumar). Durga Prasad murders a lady and pushes the buck on Shakti in childhood. Thus Shakti will be ostracized from the village, Venkatapuram.

He becomes Sivakasi and lives on welding business.

He comes back to the village but he finds his father (Suman) was died many years ago. His mother (Jayasudha) will be thrown away in cattle rearing place by his brother Durga Prasad. Durga Prasad is an MLA there and is very cruel.

How Shakti aka Sivakasi settles the accounts there by teaching lesson to Durga Prasad is rest of the story.

Performances:
Kalyan Ram didn’t do to to expected level in this film. He is good at action scenes but while enacting pathos and emotion he is not up to the mark. The immersion in character is not found in many scenes.

Vedika is too slim to relish. But she justified her role by acting as per norms. There is nothing great to say about her.

Sai Kumar is the villain in the film and he is not used properly by the director. The screenplay and dialogue went weak without giving boost to this actor. Jayasudha is adequate and Suman is fit for the flash back role.

Srikanth Deva’s music is in Tamil style and not catchy.

Samudra appears on screen in a scene and he did not do his job properly. The audience couldn’t respond actively even to a single scene. Lakshmipathi says a dialogue implying Kalyan Ram, “Vishwa Vikhyatha Nata Sarvabhoumuni daggara bandhuvula unnaadu”. Usually, whistles roar in theaters for such dialogues. But even that dialogue didn’t catch the attention of audiences. The sharpness of Paruchuri’s pen is not found in this film. Samudra’s captaincy is also not up to the mark.

Analysis:
The film has turned up dull on a whole. It smells old in story line and also out dated in narration. Except the last few minutes of the film, the entire show tests the patience of audiences. The film starts with havoc created by some villain gang and that’s followed by the routine introduction of hero with fight. First half runs dull with many ups and downs. Interval bang is also not so great and the second half again goes dull with predictable scenes and weak dialogues and screenplay. The last few minutes of screenplay grabs some attention but still even that is routine.

Although, this Perarasu’s story brought success in Tamilnadu, it failed completely to entertain audience here. The treatment by Samudra also didn’t match to the expected tempo and emotional levels.

The songs are weak and all are on beaten track resembling Tamil fast beats. To sum up, the film should struggle a lot with publicity to make it reach people. Positive Word of mouth publicity is doubtful.

Film: Hello Premistara
Rating: 3.25/5
Cast: Sai Ram Shankar, Sheela, Sunil, Brahmanandam, Ali, Vijay Kumar, Chandra Mohan, Sudha, Sana, Bhanuchander etc
Music: Chakry
Cinematography: Bharani
Lyrics: Kandikonda
Fights: Ram-Laxman
Editing: Marthand Venkatesh
Producer: Puri Jagannath
Director: Raj Kumar
Release Date: 14th September 2007

The film recalls ‘Vaali’ to some extent. For some time it appears something on the lines of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ‘6th Day’ (in fact there is no subject of cloning in it) especially underlining the emotional content. But after some time it emerges to be original on a whole. Although the film starts in routine note, it has variety at its heart that makes audiences sit attentive on seats.

Story:
Aravind (Sai Ram) works in a cell phone company, Air Talk and happens to fall in love with Nandini (Sheela) a TV anchor who hosts the live program ‘Hello Premistara’. Nandini too loves Aravind and shares a few sweet-pleasant moments with him. But all those moments aren’t spent only with Aravind. Unknowingly she spends some of them with another guy who is a look alike of Aravind. Nandini doesn’t know that she is with other man at those moments. Aravind also doesn’t know that other man entered between them. The other man also doesn’t know about Aravind but feels that she loves only him. That man is Arjun (Sai Ram), a psychic patient. Who is Arjun? Who wins Nandini finally? Just watch on screen.

Performances:
Sai Ram Shankar has no required grace with looks but he shows confidence in enacting emotional roles. He is good as Arjun than Aravind. His looks are hard to suit to a lover boy character. But it appeared that Sai Ram is emulating Gopichand while enacting the emotional role of character-Arjun.

Sheela is photogenic. She did her part well and pleasing with all histrionics.

Sunil’s comedy tickled the audiences while Brahmanandam is not properly used. Ali’s role is also short. Melkote, Chandramohan etc justified their roles. Dharmavarapu’s guest comedy also spilled some laughs.

Raj Kumar’s story line is simple but holds variety. The way he dealt with screenplay is commendable. Cinematography by Bharani also holds impressive in many frames.

Action scenes by Ram Laxman deserve good mention.

Analysis:
The film starts with dull note but picks up after 15 minutes. The dual role by Sai Ram Shankar is impressive.

First half runs with good tempo while second half fills with more action. Some scenes sound predictable before climax. The songs ‘Ennadu Leni Viddooraalu’ and ‘Ninna Monna..’ are haunting.

The success of this film depends on the patronage of mass audiences. The openings are above average and that is due to the brand name Puri Jagannath.

Comedy also worked out in sufficient manner. The film would sustain as moderate player depending on the mouth publicity. Family audiences may not turn well for this film but the youth and masses will be right target.

Film: Chandamama
Rating: 3/5
Cast: Navadeep, Kajal, Shiva Balaji, Sindhu Menon, Ahuti Prasad, Nagababu, Radha Kumari, Uttej etc
Dialogues: Akula Venkat
Dances: Shankar, Nobel Paul
Camera: Prasad M
Music: Radhakrishnan
Producers: C Kalyan, Vijayanand
Director: Krishna Vamshi
Released On: 6th Sep 2007

The film is very much like a ‘Chandamama’. First half is like full moon fortnight and second half is like New Moon fortnight. This waxing and waning is reflected in the film.

Story:
Maha Lakshmi (Kajal) is the daughter of Ranga Rao (Naga Babu) who lives in a village. Ranga Rao is a rich land lord of the place. Rama Lingeshwara Rao (Ahuti Prasad) is another land lord who is a dipsomaniac and flirt. But he is not harmful to anyone. His son is Dora Babu (Siva Balaji) who is very good natured. Elders decide marriage for Maha Lakshmi and Dora Babu. Maha Rani (Sindhu Menon) is the daughter of Ranga Rao’s younger brother. She is very active and eccentric.

After arranging the marriage Maha Lakshmi reveals her past to Dora Babu. She says that she spent a night with Kishore (Navadeep), her friend in the city where she studied. Listening to that, Dora Babu drinks to the full and hits by an accident. That’s the interval shot. But the second half goes in hilarity without any serious things. Who marries Maha Lakshmi? Whate happens to Kishore and Dora Babu? What happens has to be watched on screen!

Performances:
Navadeep is good in his role. He acted very well in first half but in second half the scope to act is very less. Shiva Balaji is just ok. Kajal looked good and her performance is also up to the mark. Sindhu Menon is average.

Ahuti Prasad swept the entire show with his diction and slang. There are no routine set of comedians but Ahuti Prasad filled the gap on single hand.

Naga Babu is apt as reserved elder man and father of Kajal. Radha Kumari’s dialogues and comedy are also subtle.

SM Radha Krishnan’s music is appealing for class audiences again. No song is catchy and none could din in the ears after coming out from theatres. But the picturing of songs is very good. Especially, the first song with Kajal and Shiva Balaji and another one of ‘muddu’ are good.

The hard nuts in narration are:
The set of foreigners living in Nagababu’s house in the village
Characterization of Sindhu Menon

Good things to underline:
Ahuti Prasad’s character- he did wonderful job by delivering dialogues in East Godavari slang with perfect sink.
Radha Kumari’s character is also interesting as grand mother to Shiva Balaji.
Navadeep’s acting in first half.
No violence and vengeance in the film.

Analysis:
The film starts at very good pace but suffers from various bumps in narration. First half goes smooth but second half is elastic. The climax is quite routine and in tune with the expectations of mundane audiences. Krishna Vamshi has chosen a wrong line of story and he failed to develop proper characterizations to lead roles.

Krishna Vamshi is known for showing typical mannerisms on his characters. He also puts a female role that shows eccentricity in behavior like Charmy in Sree Anjaneyam. In this film he has chosen Sindhu Menon for that.

Here in ‘Chandamam’, he made a confused concoction by mixing two things. Initially he intends to give a message that Indians are forgetting their culture but foreigners are getting attracted for the same. But finally, the conclusion is ‘let younger ones marry the ones they love and needn’t bend to whims of elders’. There appears to be some lack of clarity at the end.

We have to see how far the patronage of audiences will be extended for this film.

Film: Aggi
Rating: 2/5
Cast: Ajay Devgan, Prashant Raj, Sushmita Sen, Nisha Kothari, Amitabh Bachchan, Sushanth Singh, JD Chakravarthy etc
Writer: Rahil Quazi
Camera: Amit Roy
Dialogues: Ravi Shankar
Production and Direction: Ram Gopal Varma
Release Date: 31st August 2007

Story:
Raj (Prashant Raj) and Heeroo (Ajay Devgan) come to city in search of livelihood. They happen to help Inspector Narasimha (Mohan Lal) in his mission. Eventually as part of his duty, Narasimha kills the brother of Jabbar Singh. Jabbar Singh (Amitabh Bcahchan) is a cruel mafia don who loves his brother a lot. Then Jabbar takes revenge of Narasimha by killing his family members and cutting is fingers. Narasimha uses Raj and Heeroo to take his revenge on Jabbar Singh. Heeroo loves Gowri (Nisha Kothari), a lady auto driver. Rest of the theme can be watched on screen.

Performances:
Ajay Devgan and Prashant Raj are just ok in their roles. Nisha is unnecessarily given bigger role to play and Sushmitha’s presence on screen is a mere waste. JD Chakravarthy and Suchitra Krishna Murthy appear in cameo roles.

Amitabh Bachchan’s role as Jabbar Singh is completely artificial and brought no villainy at all. Mohan Lal is brought all the way from Kerala but his role has no majesty to boast big. Sanjeev Kumar’s role in Sholay is far better. While Sanjeev Kumar loses hands in Sholay, here in Aggi, Mohan Lal loses his fingers in the hands of Jabbar Singh.

Presence of Abhishek Bachchan in Mehbooba song is a smirk on the pale narration. The much expected Urmila’s dance for Mehbooba also went down with no passion in it.

All that deserves mention is the back ground score and technology in canning fight sequences. There is nothing other than this. RGV flailed as director with this film.

Analysis:
The film is made with no spirit and there is no grip in narration. If we watch it with the comparison of 1975 Sholay, it stands no where. Why Ramu made it? The waning creativity of Ramu can be clearly seen in this film. There is no scene in the film that pulls the crowds towards screen. There is no scene that made the audiences forget that they are watching a film. It’s completely a wrong dish made by wrong cook

RGV cannot bring in depth in pathos, sentiments and emotional human relations. The original Sholay has a blend of all those. Here in this new ‘Aggi’ nothing is justified in those lines.

First half of the film is sagging with pale narration and the interval bang is worst. Second half is slow and tests the patience of audiences. It’s for Ramu to check what he is thinking. Either he should correct himself or he should stop directing films. Otherwise, his glory would go to dogs with boring films like this.

Film: Yamagola- Mallee Modalayyindi
Rating: 3/5
Cast: Srikanth, Venu, Krishna Bhagawan, Meera Jasmine, Reema Sen, Ramya Sree, Naresh, Kaikala Satyanarayana, Chalapathi Rao, AVS, Hema, Sivaji Raja etc
Banner: Frames Entertainments
Producers: Amar, Rajasekhar, Satish
Director: Srinivass Reddy
Release Date: 23rd Aug 2007

Story:
Aishwarya (Meera Jasmine) takes birth with divine blessings. She is an epitome of humanity and keeps on serving poor, orphans and needy. But she will have only 22 years of life span as per divine dictum. Aishwarya completes 22 years of age. Following the divine law, Lord Yama sends his grand son Yuva Yama Dharma Raju (Srikanth) and Yuva Chitragupta (Venu) to kill her and bring. But Yuva Yama falls in love with Aishwarya. Yuva Chitragupta also falls in love with a lady police officer in bhooloka. Instead of killing Aishwarya, Yuva Yama keeps on protecting her because of his love. Yuva Chitragupta keeps on recalling him with the ultimate motive. A rudraksha also plays big part in saving Aishwarya from death. Finally what happens? Who wins at last? Is that the love or the divine law? That is the theme of the film.

Performances:
Meera and Reema are sensible enough on screen but they appeared shorter because of tall heroes Srikanth and Venu.

Sreekanth and Venu are apt in their roles. Krishna Bhagawan made his attempt to bring laughs in theatres.

On a whole, the film promises 50 percent of comedy whether it is good or bad. And you may ask what rest is. That’s boring with routine smell.

Dialogues are good minus vulgarity. Cinematography should be lauded and graphics deserve a very good mention.

Inspirations:
The director seems to have adopted a couple of scenes with the inspiration from :

1. Bruce Almighty (pulling Moon from sky)
2. Saint Goblin Ad (while Venu placing a glass between Krishna Bhagawan and Meera)

Analysis:
The theme of the film is chosen well but the execution with characterizations is demeaning. Showing the divine celibate Narada as a lusty one is condemnable. Depicting him as a sex-broker is also beneath the contempt. It is routine in mythological films to make humor with mythological characters. But that should be balanced and within the limits. Here, in this film that appears to be beyond the acceptable limits. It is true that people laugh when jokes are cracked on divine personalities. But it is the responsibility of film makers to uphold the reverence of those divinities as well.

The comedy spilled laughs here and there but at the same time it appears to be on beaten track. Why Yama (Kaikala Satyanarayana) becomes old? He is a celestial body who is immune to death and old age. But showing him in old age and saying that he is suffering from BP and Diabetes and cracking many implied vulgar dialogues becomes hard nut to bite. Satyanarayana appeared very old and his dialogue delivery is also not clear in many scenes.

The laudable attempt is showing Late NTR, Ghantasala, Allu Ramalingaih and Kamal Hasan in Bharateeyudu get-up using graphics in intelligent way. But that too turned overdose and pesters the audiences instead of bringing in enthusiasm.

The film is made with an attempt to present a wholesome comedy. But that’s not wholesome. The songs are boring and boost no interest except ‘Subbaravu Apparavu…’ on Reema Sen. Even the song is visually stimulating with the bell-bottom get ups of Srikanth and Venu.  ‘Adukodaaniko Babu kaavali..’ is a fast beat that dins in years for sometime.

Second half becomes long and boring while first half is swift and moderate. The film may appeal for masses to some extent and the success of it depends only on the patronage of them. And coming to B, C centers the film would run if the publicity is strengthened.

Film: Yama Donga
Rating: 3.5/5
Cast: NTR, Mamta Mohandas, Priyamani, Mohan Babu, Brahmanandam, Jai Prakasha Reddy, Raghu Babu, Siva Parvathi etc
Music: MM Keeravani
Art: Anand Sai
Editing: Kotagiri Venkateshwara Rao
Camera: KK Senthil Kumar
Producer: Cherry
Director: SS Rajamouli
Released On: 15th August 2007

Story:
Raja (NTR) is a petty thief. Maheshwari (Priyamani) is the daughter of a rich man (Ranganath). Rich man dies and the two uncles (Jaya Prakasha Reddy and Raghu Babu) and their wives plan to pilfer entire property of Maheshwari. They treat her as a slave.

Raja makes a deal with a millionaire (MS Narayana) to find an expensive gown that was theft and bring to him. Raja brings it. MS Narayana dies with happiness after getting the gown back and misses signing a cheque for Raja. With the sorrow of not getting the money, Raja consumes alcohol and scolds Yamadharma Raju with fowl words. Yama listens to that and gets anger. He decides to bring Raja to Narakam.

Raja happens to encounter Maheshwari when she was escaping from a group of goondas set by her two uncles. Raja saves her but after knowing that she is belongs to rich family, he decides to make money by kidnapping her. As Raja demands some amount to release Maheshwari, her uncles act as if they are paying the money to him. But they kill him during the time of settlement (Yama’s part will be there in his death). Raja goes to Yama Lokam. 

Rest of the interesting theme shouldn’t be revealed and that has to be watched on screen.

Performances and Highlights:
NTR’s performance is marvelous. His new slim look has shown him different but that’s good. His dances, dialogue rending and fights- everything is good. In some frames he looked different and new. It takes time to adjust to his newly attained features.

Showing Late NTR with the help of graphics is a marvelous attempt and that is to the level of perfection. Hats off to the technology and graphics-Although showing Late NTR was done in the film ‘Kalisundam Raa’ for a song, here the attempt appears to be longer and more perfect. The dance with Jr NTR and Sr NTR together in same frame is really worth remembering as it’s the first of its kind with technological competency.

Mohan Babu’s entrance as Yama is simply adopted from Ghatotkacha’s entrance in the film ‘Maya Bazar’. Even the verse that Yama sings introducing himself appears to be a parody of the one in Mayabazar while Ghatotkacha introduces himself.

The dialogues between Mohan Babu and NTR in Narakalokam stood highlight in the film. Wah! Jr NTR recalled his grandfather in rendering dialogues with mythological fervor in non stop following all the histrionics at ease. In fact, that is another adoption from Dana Veera Soora Karna’s ‘Kshaatra Pareeksha’ Scene.

Mamta Mohandas was given the dual role to play. Yama coming down and taking the shape of Mamata Mohandas recalls SV Ranga Rao in ‘Mayabazar’. Mamta has got real scope to act and she proved her abilities as actress with this film. She has bright future on screen.

Priyamani is not shown in glamour and she justified her role.

Anand Sai’s Art work is stupendous and that deserves grand mention of all. He really made a fantasy world real.

Jr NTR’s steps for the song ‘Nachore’ and ‘Ola Olala..’ songs.

Senthil Kumar’s camera work is good.

Negative Points:
There is no novelty in story line
Length of the film in second half

Analysis:
It’s a great entertainer after a long gap. It is an entertainment because of the theme although the story line appears to be normal. The idea generated by Rajamouli is executed very effectively on screen. Rajamouli is known for bringing grip in his narration. His success point lies in convincing the audiences by showing right scene with right depth of dialogue and right emotional quotient. Here, in this film Rajamouli did the same thing. Indeed, the ideas are adopted from ‘Yamagola’, ‘Mayabazar’ and ‘Dana Veera Soora Karna’. Yet it is completely original in its form.

The film has both class and mass appeal. There is ample scope for repeat audiences. Family audiences also relish the film. First half of the film runs fast and the audiences pay more attention with interest from the beginning of Yama Lokam scene. The second half appears to be long but that’s not bore.

Since the fantasy films haven’t come in recent times, it stands to be unique. The heavy budget incurred on the film may or may not be recovered considering the Telugu Cinema Stamina but ‘Yama Donga’ stands as a wholesome entertainer.

Theatre Response:
It will be certainly the mela of fans on the first day first show.
Fans responded to many scenes with heavy shouts and whistles (esp during NTR’s dialogues with Mohan Babu, Late NTR’s dance, Mohan Babu’s entrance)

Bottom Line: Watch It

Film: Allare Allari
Rating: 3/5
Cast: Venu, Allari Naresh, Mallika Kapoor, Parvati Melton, Telangana Shakuntala, Dharmavarapu, MS Narayana, Raghubabu, Duvvasi Mohan etc
Art: Ramana
Editing: Ramesh
Camera: Prasad
Music: Chakry
Story-Dialogues: Marudhuri Raja
Producer: Basheed
Screenplay-Direction: Muppalaneni Shiva
Release Date: 10TH Aug 2007

Story:
Dr Anand (Venu) joins in a hospital as a surgeon and he happens to stop the marriage of a girl as the groom betrays other girl. The girl, whose marriage was stopped, is Swaty (Parvati Melton).

Swaty starts running behind Dr Anand to collect the losses occurred in her marriage arrangements. That acquaintance develops inclination fro her on Anand. She wishes to marry him. But Dr Anand’s aunt (Telangana Shakuntala), a hardcore murderer of two, takes promise from her brother (Chalapathi Rao) many years ago that he gets his son (Dr Anand) married to her daughter, Priya (Mallika Kapoor), and goes to jail. So, Anand denies the marriage proposal with Swaty. But still everyone convinces Anand and makes arrangements for his marriage with Swaty.

But on the same day, Dr Anand’s aunt releases from jail. Anand goes to receive her along with Veerababu (Allari Naresh). Veerababu is a watchman in Dr Anand’s apartments.  In the place of Dr Anand, dramatically, the watchman Veerababu gets trapped. So, Veerababu has to act like Dr Anand now.

Rest of the story is as expected by everyone. How Veerababu loves and marries Priya and how Dr Anand marries Swaty.

Performances:
Allari Naresh did at his best in his trade mark style. Although Venu’s comedy appears to be artificial, he managed to carry the role given to him. Parvati Melton and Mallika Kapoor are good at glamour and they a have a couple of scenes for each to prove their histrionics.

Telangana Shakuntala played the rough role that spills laughs on screen. Duvvasi Mohan-Raghu Babu combination scenes are impressive for masses.

Songs are not good. There is no situation for the first song. It rolls on screen abruptly.

On a whole the comedy would have worked better. Marudhuri Raja’s dialogues are good. Muppalaneni Shiva’s treatment is ok, keeping the logics behind. Basheed’s production values are felt well on screen.

Analysis:
It’s a routine theme tried to narrate with new coat. The comedy that worked out in the film is insufficient and there is lot of scope to spill laughs in second half. Indeed, first half is good. But seriousness dominated the last 20 minutes of the film.

After watching the second half, it appears that the film would have treated in still lighter fashion. Although a few laughs spilled in the theatres, it has no appeal to get repeated audience. Since there are no full length comedy films in theaters, it may enjoy some mileage that way. To say in crisp, the first half of the film runs better than the second half. Dialogues by Marudhuri Raja worked well.

The patronage of masses and families decides the fate of this film.

Film: Gandhi-My Father
Cast: Akshay Khanna, Darshan Jariwala, Shefali Ali, Bhoomika etc
Editing: Sriikar Prasad
Cinematography: David Mc Donald
Art: Nitin Desai
Direction: Firoz
Production: Anil Kapoor
Release Date: 3rd Aug 2007

It’s a film that keeps entire nation in astonishment. It’s an unpleasant surprise to know the plight of the eldest son of our father of nation.

Story:
There is no fiction in this film as the note rolls on screen in the very beginning stating, ‘Based on true incidents’.

Harilal Gandhi (Akshaye Khanna), the eldest son of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Darshan Jariwala), is a beloved one for his parents. He wishes to become barrister from London like his Dad. He starts his education in Rajkot, Gujarat and finds unable to get through the Metric Examination itself. Gandhi, along with his wife Kasturi Ba (Shefali) and three younger kids lives in South Africa as an advocate. He never holds any confidence on his son Harilal and his education.

Harilal marries Gulab (Bhoomika) and after a while he leaves for South Africa to start a job there at his Dad. Gandhi welcomes him and keeps with him. He also brings Harilal’s wife to his place. Harilal’s life ambition is to go London and study barrister of law. But he gets no positive feedback from his dad. Gandhi knows the strength of his son. He wants to see him stand on his own with impeccable individuality. But Harilal is only driven by his desires. Kasturba gets sandwiched between a highly sane, perfectionist husband and an innocent, indecisive son. Harilal believes that his Dad has no soft corner for him. Although Gandhi has love for Harilal that never reaches the latter’s heart.

As series of incidents hit him due to mismatch of wavelength between him and his father, Harilal grows mild and under confident. Harilal misses direction and his plight goes worse with the death of his wife Gulab.

He gets addicted to alcohol. He does prostitution.

He takes up Islam and becomes Abdullah. Again he comes back to Hinduism. He holds no grip on his self.

He shuns alcohol for sometime supporting his dad in freedom movement, but when an affluent group honors him with a peg of alcohol saying that no one is seeing him, he drinks that happily. He has no hold on his self control.

He speaks in support of freedom and makes a few agitations. But when India gets Independence on the night of 15th August 1947, he sits in a corner as beggar unknown, unnoticed and unidentified.

When his father (THE FATHER OF ENTIRE NATION) falls with the blow of bullets, the nation roars in misery. But Harilal, the eldest son of Gandhi, who has to lit fire to the body of his father goes unnoticed in the mobs with long beard of a beggar. He tries to reach the burning body of his father but crumbles in stampede. None believes him saying the son of Mahatma Gandhi. After 5 months of Gandhi’s demise, his eldest son Harilal too leaves his body in a hospital unnoticed and unidentified.

Performances:
The performances of each and every one are so good that the hearts and minds have vacillated in the times between 1906 and 1948. The Art direction of Nitin Desai scores big and the screenplay is the real heart of this film. Although narrated in bits and pieces as the flashes of Harilal’s past, the film gripped the audiences with a great historical and nostalgic retreat. Director and writer have done a marvelous job without exaggerating any scene and without glorifying anyone, including Gandhi. The film neither tried to convince the audience who is right. It’s a true projection on celluloid about the son of the Historical legend, Gandhi.

Akshaye Khanna’s performance as Harilal is marvelous. Darshan Jariwala’s portrayal as Gandhi depicting the stages of his age is impressive. Shefali’s role of Kasturba deserves great mention for the pathos depicted in the family drama of Gandhi. Bhoomika is adequate as Gulab Gandhi, the daughter in law of Gandhi.

Hitting Dialogues:
(Gandhiji with Kasturba when his son Harilal converts as Mulsim)
Gandhiji: Hindus and Muslims are like my two eyes. Let our son be Harilal or Abdullah, we have to treat him the same.
Gandhiji: I couldn’t convince just two persons in my entire life. One is my friend Md Ali Zinnah and the other is my own son Harilal.

Analysis:
Gandhiji’s eldest son died like a beggar and orphan. That too just 5 months after Gandhi got assassinated. Can we believe this? But we have to. It’s the true story of Gandhiji’s eldest son known to the world with this film, after 60 years of his demise.

It’s a true story. Truth tastes bitter for many. So, it may not run well at box office. But it runs well in the minds of those who wish to know true history and the true lives of historical personalities and their families.

How the time has driven Mahatma Gandhi’s son to die as a beggar and orphan in a General hospital? Should Gandhi be blamed for the miserable plight of his son? Should the son himself be blamed for his wretched life? Or should we feel pity of both the father and his son for the bitterness discharged by fate? The cognitions of every viewer shuttles between these questions and the answer cannot be found in unanimity.

Well, the story is not over. We may know different facets of Gandhiji’s life if more films are made based on true narrations like this.

Bottom Line:
Gandhiji is History. And this film is His Story and His Son’s Story. Please Watch it.