Category: Movie Reviews

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DC: The most audacious interpretation of “Devdas” novel

Arun Matheswaran does a solid job in humanizing the so called fallen women/sex workers. In 2026 its the third time that you have had a movie or a web series depicting sex workers. Hey Balwanth, Objection My Lord and now this, it’s good to see this surge. Wamiqa Gabbi as Chandra nails the vulnerability as well as the strong determination. Director Lokesh Kanagaraj makes an assured acting debut bringing in the required ruthlessness, at the same time a tender side too has been well portrayed. DC juggles with various social themes in an efficient manner.

Starcast: Lokesh Kanagaraj, Wamiqa Gabbi, Sanjana Krishnamoorthy, Thalaivasal Vijay and others

Direction, screenplay and dialogues: Arun Matheswaran

Additional dialogues: Franklin Jacob

Based on: “Devdas” by Sarath Chandra Chattopadhyay

Music: Anirudh Ravichander

Cinematography: Mukesh G

Producer: Kalanithi Maran

Production Company: Sun Pictures

Sarath Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Devdas is one of the most on screen depicted novels. Both Hindi and Telugu directors have taken the premise of a heartbroken lover reinterpreting it on their way. Anurag Kashyap’s take for example showed Abbay Deol’s character moving on with his life. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas on the other hand gave more agency to both Paro and Chandramukhi. There is a brilliant scene of Madhuri Dixit confronting male entitlement when a zamindar like figure insults her. Arun Mathewaran’s interpretation of Devdas has to be the most audacious though, his character is moddled on a gangster/robin hood figure and through him the director explores the themes of police atrocities and corruption.

DC follows the journey of a rebel/gangster Devdas (a suitably rugged Lokesh Kanagaraj). An excellent Wamiqa Gabbi plays Chandra a sex worker scarred by abuse and exploitation. Sanjana Krishnamoorthy is Parvathy a bar singer and Devdas first love. The plot primarily focuses on how Devdas and Chandra come together, in the directors’ words its madness meeting madness. The two damaged souls finding solace in each other with the backdrop of a volatile world forms the basic core of DC.

A strong aspect of DC is the tender love story amidst the bombastic action. Whether its Chandra opening up about her scarred past or finding a sense of freedom in the company of Devdas, the scenes tug at your heartstrings making you root for them. Chandra also brings out a different side of Devdas a soft exterior underneath the hardened soul. The scenes featuring the two gives DC some of its best moments.

Arun Matheswaran dialogues have some hard-hitting lines on women forced into prostitution and how they are brutalized by various men. There are scenes of Chandra behaving like a lifeless skeleton going from one customer to another. Even the brief track of Sanjana Krishnamoorthy has its moments too. There is a sense of understated romance and as viewers you wish that Parvathy hadn’t died. Here too there are some solid lines about systematic exploitation.

The theme of police brutality like many Tamil movies has an extremely brutal nature to it. The scenes make for a tough watch, still how the vulnerable are preyed upon holds huge social relevance.

The metaphor of Lokesh Kanagaraj as a robin hood figure isn’t used for just surface level, the way Devdas and his men operate outside law with the legal system failing to provide justice does justice to the idea of a Robinhood figure.

This massy interpretation won’t work for all but kudos to the director for placing Devdas in this kind of social context. Anriudh Ravichander’s score both the songs and background music act as the films parrelel lead.

Anriudh absolutely reinvents himself whether it’s the songs set in the bar or the bombastic yet highly effectively theme score. The pre interval portion of Devdas freeing sex workers by slashing the men around him makes for a perfect mass masala moment. The badass attitude of lokesh coupled with Anriudh’s work gives a big high.

Mukesh G cinematography is also of a high standard. His frames whether it’s the bloodbath or the portions of Devdas and Chandra falling in love have some striking imagery. The action choreography of Franklin Jacob and PC Stunts is deliberately gruesome but excellently choreographed.

DC also benefits from a first-rate cast. Lokesh Kanagaraj as already mentioned makes for a solid mass hero. At times there is a significant hangover of the director’s own protagonist especially Karthi’s Kaithi, still he makes a solid impression. Wamiqa Gabbi once again shows her versatility with an exceptional act. Whether it’s the bottled-up rage unleashed or the few lighter moments the young actress nails it. The rest do a fine job too especially Sharath Ravi as Chunnilal. He is very effective as a creepy middleman.

A couple of issues with DC is a slightly dated template of robbers versus police. Telugu movie Dacoit earlier this year also had a similar formula with different circumstances. Also, the excessive bloodshed will act as a major put off for some.

Final word: DC is a treat for fans of rugged action dramas and also those who are curious to see how Lokesh would fare as an actor.

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Korean Kanakaraju: Outlandish but a fun concoction of horror with comedy

Director Merlapaka Gandhi sticks to the usual horror template with bizarre scenarios. This won’t work for all, still the film is largely entertaining. Varun Tej and Satya’s comic timing brings the house down on numerous occasions. Muralidhar Goud as the ghostbuster also leaves the viewers in splits. A video call involving Satya and him is a sheer laugh riot. The emotions though are rather undercooked especially the track of Srinivas Avasarala as Varun Tej’s on screen brother. In the final tally Korean Kanakaraju makes for a good stressbuster

Starcast: Varun Tej, Satya, Muralidhar Goud, Ritika Nayar and others

Writer and director: Merlapaka Gandhi

Genre: Horror/comedy

Music: Thaman S

Cinematography: Manoj Reddy

Producers: Rajeev Reddy Yeduguru and Sai Babu Jagarlamudi etc

Production Companies: First Frame Entertainment, UV

Running time: 2 hours and 45 minutes

Merlapaka Gandhi has created a strong niche for himself with the likes of Venkatadri Express and Express Raja. Both these movies are high on entertainment quotient with plenty of laughs. The last few years though has been a rough ride with Like Share &Subscribe etc. Korean Kanakaraju is an important film for both the director and Varun Tej. The movie is a good return to form especially for fans of horror comedy template.

The story of Korean Kanakaraju follows the tumultuous journey of Varun Tej’s Kanakaraju. He runs a traditional bhajan trope and is known for having temper. Ritika Nayar plays Chaitra, she is Kankaraju’s love interest. Chaitra is hugely obsessed with K dramas and has dreams of marrying a Korean guy. Kanakarju’s life turns upside down with a vessel carrying the remains of a deceased old man. One particular night during a brawl Kanakaraju drinks alcohol mixed with those ashes. The already temperamental Kankaraju becomes even more fierce with the entry of a Korean Gangster inside his body. This is the plot in brief.

A major strength of Korean Kanakaraju are the scenes between Varun Tej and Satya as Kankaraju’s friend/photographer. A special mention must be of the portions post Varun getting possessed. Satya’s bewilderment on how to cope with this strange scenario leads to ample chuckles. In fact, Satya has some of the funniest dialogues and the talented comedian nails it. For example, there are scenes of Varun slashing body parts as a Korean gangster, on both the occasions the slain part falls into the hands of Satya’s Kishtappa. This is followed by a hilarious punchline with Kishtappa saying does he think I am Virat Kohli, why is he sending these into my hands.

Another scene worthy of mentoining is a video call with Muralidhar Goud. Kishtappa is trying to do an occult ritual with Chaitra accompanying him. Muralidhar’s character is seen giving instructions but there is a constant buffering issue. This entire portion is filled with hilarious moments. Muralidhar Goud is another big strength of the movie. Yes, the screen time is limited but the actor makes his presence amply felt.

Varun Tej also gets into the skin of his dual shaded role; he brings out the variations in a solid manner. His performance as a Korean gangster deserves a special mention. The badas s attitude coupled with Thaman’s background score makes for an excellent watch. Additionally, Varun also shares a good chemistry with Satya.

Ritika Nayar as Chaitra does a competent job within the character confines. Yes the love track isn’t fleshed out that well, having said that Chaitra forms an important part of saving Kanakaraju from the ghost of a Korean Gangster.

Thaman’s songs don’t make much of an impression but the background score more than makes up for it. The portions set in Korea establishing the ruthless nature of the Korean spirit is solid in particular.

As already mentioned the emotions are severely undercooked. Kanakaraju’s family issues with an estranged older son feels like more of an add on. Srinivas Avasarala’s track and his connection to the ghost is narrated in a rather flat manner. The climatic portions high on visual effects isn’t seamless either. Also, the portrayal of Koreans does come across as problematic.

Final word: Korean Kanakaraju isn’t high art, nevertheless it does give a good time provided you are in the mood for some fun

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Chennai Love Story: Suffers from second half syndrome

Ravi Namburii takes an interesting hook line of a female Devdas and healing from heartbreak. The first half more or less does justice to the central core, post interval though things change significantly. An interesting supernatural twist on paper doesn’t completely land because of the uneven writing. The closing portions get too melodramatic for its own good and the culmination involving a reunion feels rather forced. Kiran Abbavaram and Sri Gouri Priya manage to rise above the sketchy writing giving heart felt performances. Mani Sharma’s soulful music also helps

Starcast: Kiran Abbavaram, Sri Gouri Priya, Trigun and others

Genre: Romantic drama

Screenplay and direction: Ravi Namburii

Writer: Sai Rajesh

Music: Mani Sharma

Cinematography: Viswas Daniel

Producers: Sai Rajesh Neelam, Vishal Datla etc

Production houses: Mass Movie Makers and Amrutha Productions

Running time: 2 hours and 59 minutes

Certain films give you the impression of watching two different movies for the price of one ticket. Ravi Namburii’s Chennai Love Story perfectly fits this category; the first half has an earthy nature perfectly establishing the characters and the conflict points. But in trying to be a sweeping romance the film gets into a very convoluted territory especially a melodramatic stretch involving the heroine’s on-screen mother. By the end the viewers feel a sense of exhaustion with the umpteen crying and dragged scenes. This is not to say that Chennai Love Story is unbearable. It has certain things going for it primarily the acting and the music. But you get the feeling of how the film could have been much better.

Chennai Love Story without giving much spoilers focuses on Sri Gouri Priya’s Nivedita and Kiran Abbavaram’s aspiring filmmaker Steven Shankar. The film begins with Nivedita dumped on the marriage alter leading to a severe heartbreak. Trigun plays Ajay the man responsible for Nivedita becoming a female Devdas. She relocates to Chennai with her friends, but the pain caused by Ajay is burning her deep leading to major alcoholism. At this point Steven Shankar enters in as a young man desperate to make a place for himself. How the worlds of Nivedita and Steven collide forms an important core of Chennai Love Story.

It goes without saying that Chennai Love Story largely depends on its leads, thankfully Kiran Abbavaram as well as Gouri Priya deliver commendable performances even when the writing fails them. Kiran nails the desperation of an aspiring director as well as the emotions of insecurity, helplessness etc. The portions where Steven talks about the role of cinema in his life and why he wants to see his name on the big screen is quite relatable for any aspirants entering into movies in different capacities.

A mention must also be made of a crucial moment with Nivedita getting molested and Steven desperately thinking on how to save his love. The combination of helplessness with strong determination has been excellently portrayed by the actor. Gouri Priya is also wonderful in spite of the emotional scenes feeling too heavy handed. Whether it’s her act of a female Devadas or gradually coming out of the heartbreak Gouri Priya does a very good job.

The chemistry between Kiran and Gouri also elevate the bumpy writing. Whether its the conversational type or the dramatic tones the two look together with perfect synergy. By the movie ends the viewers feel that story writer Sai Rajesh and director Ram Namburii should have ended the interval point in a different manner and probably avoided the supernatural route compeletly.

Among the conversational scenes a mention must be made of the portion where Nivedita encourages Steven to write stories having his own soul, rather than mixing styles like his name Steven Shankar. Talking about the movies dialogues the film comes with its share of poignant lines. There is a scene of Steven mocking Nivedita in jest about her constant heartbreak face, he goes on by saying that failure in first love isn’t the end of the world and is merely a prelude to finding the best love.

For a romantic drama of this nature music is a very part, Mani Sharma delivers some soulful songs along impactful background score. Whether its Vadalene, Nammichi Chesava Mosam or Jigithara the tunes have a melodious feel, the film definitely marks the comeback of a music composer who has been struggling for some time.

The most glaring flaw of Chennai Love Story is its integration of Ajay return; the movie doesn’t spend sufficient time in developing his regret. Trigun’s character comeback feels haphazard in more ways than one, it feels like a manipulative device. Cannot reveal much details here but those who have seen the movie will understand.

Another problem with Chennai Love Story is Nivedita’s mother character suddenly developing a serious health issue. The mentality of Steven when he questions Nivedita about hiding certain things related to Ajay leaves a bitter after taste.

The final nail in the coffin is the hospital scene with the mother emotionally manipulating Nivedita to not remain single, its like putting a sword on someone’s neck at gun point. The melodrama post this in spite of some good acting makes the closing portions a slog to sit through.

Final word: Chennai Love Story works for fans of weepy melodramas, for the rest it will leave a bitter aftertaste especially after a good foundation.

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Jana Nayagan: A rousing swan song with a charismatic Vijay Thalapathy

Director H Vinoth takes the core of Bhagvanth Kesari but does some interesting changes. Unlike Arjun Rampal’s greedy capitalist Bobby’s John Himler is more psychologically twisted. The man doesn’t start off bad but eventually ends up in a Hitler mode. Pooja Hedge unlike Kajal Aggarwal too serves a better purpose with the character’s background of journalism. The second half does lag with its election manifesto approach still the movie turns out to be a fine celebration of the star with an important message of women empowerment

Starcast: Vijay Thalapathy, Mamitha Bajju, Bobby Deol, Pooja Hedge, Prakash Raj and others

Genre: Action/drama

Direction and screenplay: H Vinoth

Original story: Anil Ravipudi

Music: Anriudh Ravichander

Cinematography: Sathyan Sooryan

Producer: Venkat K Narayana

Production Company: KVN studios

Running time: 3 hours

Bhagvanth Kesari occupies a significant place in Anil Ravipudi’s filmography. With Bhagvanth Kesari Anil proved his capability in doing an emotional story too. He presented Nandamuri Balakrishna in a different way within the mass template. The film had an important theme of a young girl overcoming her psychological trauma with Balakrishna as a guardian/father figure. One of the most impactful scenes in Bhagavanth Kesari was Balakrishna’s character taking a back seat for a while and letting Sreeleela do all the fighting. H Vinod’s take on the same subject is similar and different at the same time. The crux of a girl overcoming the psychological trauma remains the films strongest suit here too. The changes made though are a hit and miss, the backstory of Bobby Deol with him losing faith in democracy adds an interesting angle. But the sheer density of social themes makes the second half a drag. Also, many actors in the overpopulated cast become mere bystanders. But as a Thalapathy celebration it is a good package. Even if you aren’t a Vijay Thalapathy fan its not hard to feel a little nostalgic.

For those who haven’t seen Bhagavanth Kesari Jana Nayagan focuses on the bond between Vijay Thalapathy’s Vetri Kondan and Mamitha Baiju’s Vijji. We first meet Vetri Kondan as a prisoner, Gautam Vasudev Menon in a brief appearance plays a jailer called Srikant. A dramatic turn leads to Vetri Kondan becoming a guardian/father figure for Vijji. In her childhood Vijji talks about wanting to join the army, but a certain psychological trauma makes her rethink about the army dreams. However, Vetri is adamant on her joining the army and doing something substantial in her life overall. How Vetri Kondan’s past catches up with his present and the journey of Vijji overcoming her inner demons forms the core of Jana Nayagan.

It goes without saying that Jana Nayagan is a mass showreel for Vijay Thalapathy and the actor/chief minister doesn’t disappoint. Whether it’s the mass punchlines or the serious dialogues Vijay does complete justice. Vijay carries the massiness in his own style making it an enjoyable experience particularly for those who are watching the original Tamil version. A specific mention must be made of the portions with Mamitha, just like the original the emotional moments of Vetri’s breakdown and his desperation to make Vijji a stronger individual creates a strong impact.

A crucial second half portion with Bobby Deol is also solid both in terms of writing and acting. The ideological differences between the two with Vijay talking on how change is a process and politics cannot change overnight gives a different flavor to the hero and villain clash. Bobby Deol as earlier mentioned gets a different arc to Arjun Rampal’s familiar capitalist. The man doesn’t start bad; we see him as a determined police officer wanting to bring change but a scene of humiliation with him being stripped changes everything.

Yes Bobby’s lip sync is often distracting but the actors committed performance along with an imposing physical presence makes up for it. Bobby is especially good in two portions; one is grappling with his inner demons where we see the dark side gradually taking over. The other is a long monologue on how elections generally function on the basis of religion, caste and symbol.

Mamitha Bajju pulls off Vijji’s transformation well like Sreeleela in the original. Whether it’s the scenes of panic attack or the smooth action moves she more than holds her own opposite Vijay. Mamitha gets her share of solid punchlines too in the pre climax. There is a scene of Vijji mocking Vetri in jest about letting the villain overpower him temporarily. You also have the dialogue “Oru Pere Varalaaru Avanthaaney Jananayagan” This works as a meta reference to mass leadership and power. Pooja Hedge as Kayal lends grace. In comparison to Kajal she plays a more active part, the characters background of journalism comes in handy on more than one occasion.

One of Jananayagan’s major issues is its election manifesto approach and wanting to cram as many things as possible. By the end of the movie a sheer exhaustion sets in on how the film stretches itself too thin. You have biological warfare, corruption in politics on various levels, sexual abuse, the ideological battle between the hero and villain with each having firm belief on their respective ideologies among others. All these make for interesting subplots in itself but as a viewer you get the feeling of the screenplay doing too many juggling acts.

Also there are numerous underdeveloped characters among the supporting cast. Prakash Raj as the local goon/politician makes some impact in his characteristic style but the likes of Nassar, Priyamani etc exist mostly on the periphery. An abrupt twist of Priyamani being John Himler’s girlfriend and how she helps him makes the viewers scratch their heads.

Anirudh Ravichander’s music has an interesting mix of songs. On one hand there is the peppy Thalapathy Kacheri. The fluid dance moves of Vijay Thalapathy makes for a perfect celebration number. At the same time there is also the poignant Chelle Magle. Overall, Jana Nayagan makes for a good rousing swansong in spite of an overstuffed second half.

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The Odyssey: A visually stunning epic exploring the psychological trauma of war

Christopher Nolan’s retelling of Homer’s famous epic Odyssey does justice to the theme of hero’s existential crisis. The movie and the epic have its similarities and differences particularly the characterization of Penelope. Yes, the unwavering devotion is similar, but in the film, Penelope comes across as a much stronger individual. The moral complexities of a war hero is well connected to today’s times.

Starcast: Matt Damon, Anne Hathway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and others

Genre: Epic

Direction, screenplay and producer: Christopher Nolan

Based on: Homer’s Odyssey

Music: Ludwing Gorranson

Cinematography: Hoyte Van Hoyetema

Production Companies: Universal Pictures

Running time: 2 hours and 52 minutes

Homer’s Odyssey is a major epic in Greek literature; it’s one of the oldest surviving works with immense appeal to the modern generation. Much like our Indian epics this too comes with an immense potential for a solid drama. Different versions of Odyssey before Christopher Nolan’s one has been there as well. Whether its book, movies or television. Since I haven’t seen or read any of those my review of the 2026 Odyssey would be a standalone one.

For those not familiar with Homer’s epic the plot focuses on the events following the Trojan War. Odyssey has spent ten years away from home and is desperate to meet his wife and son. In brief the story focuses on the different battles of our hero along with the various struggles faced by the family back home.

A solid aspect of The Odyssey is the detailed psychological insight given into our hero’s emotional baggage. Odysses’s guilt at numerous points coupled with some mistakes has been solidly written and enacted. The movie also dwells into the war causalities left behind. This is explored at different junctures, in particular there is a scene involving the ghosts of the dead who question Matt Damon’s Odysses.

The exchange between Matt Damon and the spirits explore the morally complex themes of duty, survival and honor. In connection to this a dialogue of our protagonist needs to be mentioned. ” We honor our dead by escaping”.

The loss of humanity especially the violence faced by woman has also come out in a striking manner. There is a crucial passage involving Samantha Morton’s Circe, Circe is a witch who turns Odysseu’s men into pigs. In a conversation with him, she opens up about a bitter past involving her sister referring to men as bastards.

As already mentioned the character of Penelope varies significantly in the movie. Penelope has some strong dialogues whether it’s the confrontation with the son or asserting her authority as Odysseus’s equal. Both the writing and Anne Hathway make sure that Penelope isn’t reduced to just a weeping woman. The way she holds things together in Odyssey’s absence making the suitors wait is a perfect example of this.

Talking about the movie’s dialogues there are many impactful ones at different junctures. For example, there is a scene of Matt Damon saying to Tom Holland’s Telemachus on how to not look for God in a man, you would be disappointed. Similarly, the sharp exchanges featuring Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson as one of Penelope’s suitors has some clap worthy dialogues, yes, these portions might feel too modern for purists. Still it gives the movie some of its best moments.

Robert Pattinson in a negative role fully embraces the character’s despisable nature making Odyssey’s eventual win all the more satisfying. Tom Holland as Telemachus is successful in bringing the required vulnerability as well as determination.

Matt Damon brings both physicality and an emotional weariness in equal proportion. He particularly shines in the scenes of Odysseus introspecting about his past and getting over inner demons. In smaller but important parts Charlie Theron, Zendya and Samantha Morton leave a solid impression too.

The cinematography of Hoyte Van Hoyetema is successful in capturing the vast landscape as well as the scenes of dangers. As viewers you feel that you are travelling with these men and hope that they make it safe.

As far as flaws are concerned Tom Holland’s characterization could have done with better etching. In the big fighting scene, he comes across as mostly a bystander with Odysseus doing most of the heavy lifting. Another problem is the tonal issue; from an antiwar movie it gets into a typical terrority of an Indian masala movie.

Odyssey is a rare combination of spectacle with a solid soul. In one way the movie feels like a continuation of Imitiaz Ali’s Main Vaapus Aaunga with its themes of humanity loss and the cycle of violence. Whether its war times in this case and border issues in that.

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Lenin: A committed Akhil Akkineni and the mythological undertones save the day

At its core Lenin is a regular revenge drama but the nonlinear screenplay especially the second half makes it an engaging watch. The grey shaded characters have been built well particularly that of Sivaji, Easwari Rao and Pramod Panju. Bhagyashri Borse as a spirited Bharati is a delight to watch with her effervescence. The actress particularly stands out in a portion of confronting her father related to the topic of consent. Having said that Lenin doesn’t offer anything particular new in the sea of rural dramas.

Starcast: Akhil Akkineni, Bhagyashri Borse, Sivaji, Eashwari Rao, Pramod Panju, Bramhaji and others

Genre: Action drama/romance

Director and writer: Murali Kishor Abburu

Music: Thaman

Cinematographer: Leon Britoo

Producers: Akkeneni Nagarjuna and Suryadevara Naga Vamsi

Production house: Manam Enterprises and Sithara Entertainments

Running time: 2 hours and 38 minutes

The influence of Ramayana and Mahabharata can be seen in numerous Indian movies especially Telugu cinema. Whether its shades of mythological characters or direct references. Lenin written and directed by Murali Kishor Abburu is very explicit in its references of Mahabharata. Some of the most important developments like Eashwari Rao referencing to herself as Gandhari or the character turn of Sivaji feel like a homage to one of our beloved epics. These mythological layers play a key role in lifting what is an otherwise standard revenge drama. Akhil Akkeneni made his debut as a leading man in 2015 but has been struggling to create a solid impact. His last film Agent had a whacky characterization, but the movie was a major let down. Lenin can be definitely called as Akhil’s redemption as an actor irrespective of the box office numbers

The story of Lenin in brief is set in the backdrop of the Drapaudi Jatara festival. Without giving much spoilers the film is about an orphan rising from humble beginnings to fighting against injustice. The film focuses on village politics, deceit with betrayal from one’s own among others.

The tone of Lenin is set from the beginning itself with Akhil’s character released from Jail. A lot of time is spent on introducing the cultural significance of Drapaudi Jatara festival, village politics and the budding love story among others. This approach does take a while getting used to. Also, the cute meet moments between Akhil and Bhagyashri needed better depth. It follows a pretty formulaic route, having said that Bhagyashri with her effervescence tides over the sketchy writing, she shares a nice chemistry with Akhil too. One of the worthy scenes is Bharati taking on Bramhaji’s character in a game of cards and her subsequent punch dialogues.

The movie actually gets going around the interval point when Bharati’s marriage is fixed in haste with Pramod Panju’s Vasanth. Vasanth and Lenin share a strong bond of friendship with Easwari Rao being a mother figure to Lenin. Lenin doesn’t reveal about his love to either Vasanth or Easwari Rao. Just when the viewers think Bharati will marry someone else she springs a surprise openly talking about how she loves Lenin and vice versa, Bharati further questions the father about not bothering to ask about her consent. Bhagyashri aces these scenes in particular.

The interval point enters on banger, the details of which are better seen on screen. From here the movie switches gears gradually unraveling the dark layers. The various revelations at the crucial junctures has been wonderfully written and enacted. Among the revelations the twist related to Pramod Panju is the most impressive of the lot.

Until then the viewers have a certain impression of him, but all this changes with a crucial exposition. The timing of this exposition has been excellently done and as a viewer you feel for Lenin when he goes through a major personal shock. Akhil as an actor particularly shines in the portions leading up to the big climax. There is a scene of Lenin pleading with the antagonist, there is no hyper background score to amplify the emotion. It purely relies on Akhil and the actor more than rises to the occasion.

Mention must also be made of how Sivaji’s role has been written. He plays the role of Yathiraju a man constantly treated as an outsider, this eventual frustration reaches to a boiling point and certain situations led him to betray Lenin. Sivaji does an excellent job as always. Easwari Rao as a Gandhari like figure is good too particularly in a crucial climatic stretch.

Pramod Panju as Vasanth is also first rate. Much details cannot be given but the subtle character switch has been wonderfully portrayed by the actor. Last but not the least Bramhaji as a Shakuni-like figure also impresses with his mannerisms.

Murali Kishor Abburu does a fair job in examining how shattered pride can cause severe harm damaging personal relationships. There are some solid dialogues related to this as well as the so called social hierarchies.

Thaman S music while groovy especially Yetta Yetta suffers from a placement problem. There is an abruptness to the song’s integration making the viewers impatient. The background score though is more effective in elevating the twists.

One major problem with Lenin is the eventual core which is the revenge aspect. The last few years has seen a barrage of rural stories with different social contexts, as a result Lenin feels like just another rustic story cashing on the success of Rangasthalam and Pushpa among others. The closing stretches also has a hangover of Peddi with a physical impediment. This again feels like more of a shock value rather than something really needed.

Final word: Lenin is a winner for Akhil the actor. Watch it if you are in the mood for a rural drama with mythological undertones.

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Rao Bahadur: Complex but an engaging psychological drama

The world of Rao Bahadur takes a while getting used to, but the movie slowly draws you in and after a point the viewers become completely engrossed. Venkatesh Maha continues to show why he is a distinctive storyteller. Through a tale of aristocracy, the director does a fantastic job in critiquing casteism, colorism and a certain obsession with lineage among others. Satyadev in the titular role throws himself fully delivering one of the best performances in 2026. Kudos to Mahesh Babu for turning a presenter to this unique experiment

Starcast: Satyadev, Vikas Muppala, Deepa Thomas, Bala Parasar etc

Genre: Psychological drama

Director and writer: Venkatesh Maha

Producers: Anurag Reddy, Sharath Chandra etc

Production Companies: A+S Films, Sricharkas Entertainments, Mahayana Motion Pictures etc

Music: Smaran Sai

Cinematography: Kartik Parmar

Running time: 2 hours and 50 minutes

Venkatesh Maha’s debut movie C/o Kancharapalem is one of the finest experimental movies in Telugu. Through an anthology format Venkatesh Maha explored the social issues of caste, class barrier and religion. The movie won a lot of acclaim and rightly so. He followed C/o Kancharapalem with another engaging movie Uma Maheswara Ugra Roopasya with a brilliant Satyadev. Though a remake of a Malayalam movie the movie was still a compelling tale for the original movie fans too. After a significant gap Venkatesh Maha is back with another distinctive film, the scale of Rao Bahadur is of course bigger than Venkatesh Maha’s previous ones, but the director’s social vision is visible in numerous sequences.

The story of Rao Bahadur without much spoilers focuses on an aging aristocrat. Satyadev is Bhuvanam Ramappa Rao Bahadur. He is a royal figure stuck in the past. As the plot progresses the viewers are introduced to a haunting family history. What is this family mystery and why Rao Bahadur is the way he is forms an important core of this ambitious experiment.

As already mentioned Rao Bahadur takes a while getting used to. The fractured mental state of the titular character needs some patience to grasp. For some Rao Bahadur’s theatrics will feel silly but as the plot progresses with the back and forths it slowly starts to grip the viewers. The flashback portions of the younger Rao Bahadur give a solid psychological insight into how he goes from a reluctant royal heir to getting deeply stuck. Some important twists at the end come across as a genuine shocker, along with shock value these mirror the movie’s themes perfectly too.

A strong aspect of Rao Bahadur apart from Satyadev are its hard-hitting dialogues reflecting different societal aspects. These are a mix of subtle satire, dark humor and in some cases philosophical undertones. Following are a couple of important ones.

“Okkapudu na prapancham kooda chala vishalaanga anipinchedandi manam peddayye koddi adi chinnadai pothundi shariraka edugudhala valla anukuntam kani manasikanga edagapovadam valla ani teluskondantaru.” The English translation of this is (“The world once seemed vast to me as we grow older it gets smaller. We think it’s because of physical growth, but everyone should realize its due to the lack of mental growth.”). Through this dialogue Venkatesh Maha talks about shrinking mindsets fueling discrimination.

Another important dialogue this time reflecting a royal heir’s psychological toll goes like this. “Rao ante Prince and Bahadur ante brave. Rao Bahadur ante dhairyam gala yuvaraju ani ardham, Bhayalu, bramalu, oohalatho vila vila ladi pothu unthadu ayana. The English translation of this is Rao means Prince and Bahadur means Brave. Rao Bahadur means a brave prince, and he is plagued by fears, delusions and hallucinations. This dialogue perfectly showcases the intense vulnerability and insecurity due to a certain social conditioning.

The technical department is another major strength of Rao Bahadur. The production design perfectly reflects the fading grandeur of Rao Bahadur’s world. The concept of magic realism plays a key role in reflecting Rao Bahadur’s inner turmoil; this is further enhanced by both the production design and cinematographer Kartik Parmar. The images create an immersive experience as much as the dialogues.

However, Rao Bahadur wouldn’t be what it is without Satyadev’s bravo performance. His portrayal of confusion, vulnerability and the psychological trauma is simply first class. Satyadev once again shows why he is one of the best actors that we have. The actor deserves all the accolades for a job extremely well done.

The supporting cast also pitch in some wonderful performances. Vikas Muppla as a doctor cum friend gives solid support to Satyadev. Whether it’s patiently trying to understand his friend’s eccentric behavior or getting frustrated. Deepa Thomas as Renuka also shines whether it’s the scenes of warmth in the early flashback to a simmering anger at Rao Bahadur’s changing behavior. Bala Praasar playing the house help Acchamma raises chuckles with her comic timing. Venkatesh Maha also has a fun extended special appearance and the director cum actor nails the quirks.

The songs by Smran Sai are of a fine order too. It enhances the emotional undercurrents as well as the whimsical nature of the proceedings.

Final word: Rao Bahadur is more of a puzzle gradually decoded rather than a mainstream thriller. For fans of psychological dramas and Satyadev Rao Bahadur this is very much a ride worth embarking on.

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Alpha: Strong sisterhood saves the day

Shiv Rawail and Uday Chopra succeed in presenting two badass women. The dynamics of estranged siblings is the film’s beating heart. Sharvari matches Alia step to step whether its the hand-to-hand combat or the emotional sequences. Bobby Deol, Anil Kapoor and Dibyendu Bhattacharya also lend gravity to their respective parts. But the father and daughter thread needed stronger writing, also a Dhurandhar like twist feels forced. Yes, the scenarios leading up to the revelation is interesting but in the eventual scheme of things it feels like a hurried addition

Starcast: Alia Bhatt, Sharvari Wagh, Bobby Deol, Anil Kapoor, Dibyendu Bhattacharya and others

Genre: Action thriller/drama

Director: Shiv Rawail

Story: Uday Chopra

Screenplay: Shoumik Shukla and Sridhar Raghavan

Dialogues: Ishita Moitra

Producer: Aditya Chopra

Production House: Yash Raj Films

Songs: Rohansh and Abeer Pandit

Cinematography: Rubais

Running time: 2 hours and 20 minutes

The spy journey of Yash Raj beginning with EK Tha Tiger has seen a roller-coaster of a journey. It has been a mix of massive highs and huge lows. Until Pathaan all the movies were commercial blockbusters but with Tiger 3 everything changed. Tiger 3 was a reasonable success but nowhere close to the blockbuster status of Pathaan and War among others. War 2 was a bigger dud than Tiger 3 with a lot of criticism on similar visual aesthetics, the matters got further compounded with the mega success of Dhurandhar movies. Shiv Rawail’s Alpha’s comes at an extremely crucial moment for the future of spy verse as well as Alia Bhatt. The actor’s previous tryst with action Jigra couldn’t do much at the box office and Alpha is likely to go the same way. The movie has solid action and good performances but the writing tapers off after some solid world building.

The story of Alpha begins with the aftermath off 1999 Kargil War. Bobby Deol is commander Fateh Sing Lakawat. He trains Alia Bhatt’s Sita with a very potent Alpha serum. Sita grows up to be a ruthless assassin following her adopted father’s commands without much questioning. Anil Kapoor plays RAW Cheif Kaul. Kaul was a part of Fateh’s Alpha program, but a particular incident leads to Kaul distancing himself from Fateh Singh. Sharvari Wagh plays the estranged twin sister Durga. Last but not the least Dibyendu Bhattacharya is a scientist cum partner to Fateh. In simple terms the film focuses on how Sita’s life changes after a crucial revelation and how the estranged siblings eventually team up taking down Fateh and save India.

The beating heart of Alpha as already mentioned is the strong sisterhood between Alia and Sharvari. The two have contrasting personalities in terms of how they look at life. Durga like Sita has also grown without mother’s love as Kaul’s wife played by a radiant Dia Mirza, the character dies while giving birth to the twins. However, their lives have shaped up differently due to the contrasting atmospheres. Fateh has trained Sita as a cold-blooded assassin not getting himself emotionally involved. A particular sequence of Sita 18th birthday with Fateh giving the first assignment is a perfect example of this.

The impact of Fateh’s upbringing can be clearly seen in Sita’s initial interactions with both Kaul and Durga. A situation comes where the two have to stick it out together and here Sita’s coldness gradually evaporates and by the end the two have developed a strong bond. This gradual process has come out in a solid manner. It also helps that Sharvari is positioned as an equal and not a mere sidekick. The young actress does a fantastic job in the scenes of physical agility as well as the few poignant moments. Alia Bhatt gets into the skin of a trained assassin with panache; at the same time, she is her usual competent self in the scenes of vulnerability. Alia and Sharvari together lift the movie’s muddled screenplay with their camaraderie. A mention must also be made of a pre interval action block with the two taking on each other unaware of being sisters. The fight has been solidly choreographed with some raw action.

Bobby Deol as the primary antagonist plays the part with the required ruthlessness. While the part is no Bandar in terms of the different shades Bobby still makes for a formidable villain. The deep baritone voice coupled with the overall physical demeanor is a treat to watch. Anil Kapoor continues his golden form with another solid act. In spite of the hurried writing the veteran actor brings in an emotional resonance in his scenes with both Alia and Sharvari. Dibyendu Bhattacharya is also impressive within his limited screen time. His sequence with the adult Sita deserves a specific mention. Hrithik Roshan as Kabir shows too up in an extended cameo. The actor brings his usual swagger and style, his interactions with Alia and Sharvari have some interesting moments.

The action sequences are another highlight of the movie. The pre interval block and the climatic fight deserve a special mention. Yes, the closing fight feels stretched but the raw action with Alia and Bobby combating has been wonderfully staged. As viewers you fear for Sita and the scene of her finally pinning down Fateh serves as a perfect culmination.

A major flaw with Alpha is the loose writing when it comes to the father and daughter dynamics, whether it’s Sita’s equation with her adopted father or the biological one. There is a sense of hurry in the way the interpersonal relationships are introduced and then left hanging only to be revisited later.

This juggling act of action and emotion doesn’t land seamlessly. The second half in particular seems in a rush for Alia taking on Bobby. As a result the emotions don’t stir the viewers the way it should.

Alpha also suffers from a Dhurandhar hangover. A crucial twist related to the actual identity of Bobby’s Fateh Singh feels like a last-minute addition to please the deshbhakts. But this twist though shocking isn’t likely to please even the most patriotic ones.

The music with its mix of Hindi and English lyrics doesn’t work either. Sharvari’s introduction song for example just doesn’t land.

Final word: Alpha deserves marks for trying to something different within the spy verse formula. But the inconsistent writing makes it difficult to root. Having said that it makes for a fun watch especially for those who like seeing strong women saving the day.

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Maa Inti Bangaram: Woman power with a ‘Baasha’ spin

MIB largely rides on Samantha’s all round show and Gulshan Devaih’s sinister villainy. The writing though falls significantly short in two key stretches. One the husband-and-wife relationship, and second a rather hurried origin story with the angle of naxalism. Keeping the shortcomings aside MIB makes for a fun popcorn entertainer especially for those who have liked Samantha’s action avatar. Nandini Reddy and Raj Nidimoru tackle some interesting gender themes in a typical joint family set up

Starcast: Samantha, Gulshan Devaih, Manjusha Mukkavalli, Sreemukhi and others

Genre: Action/drama

Director: BV Nandini Reddy

Writers: Raj Nidimoru and Vasanth Maringanti

Music: Santhosh Narayanan

Cinematographer: Om Praksh

Producers: Samantha, Raj Nidimoru and Himank Reddy Duvvuru

Production Company: Tralala Moving Pictures

Running time: 2 hours and 34 minutes

The Baasha template of a man with violent past is one of the most overused tropes in Indian cinema. Numerous male stars have attempted this with a fair amount of success. Rajinikanth himself has had many reiterations of the same especially the 2023 smash hit Jailer. BV Nandini Reddy along with the writers take the core of Baasha and add a tadka of Family Man Season 2. The origin story with the angle of naxalisam bears a striking resemblance to the LTTE angle in that web show. In one way the movie feels like what if Samantha’s Raji had left the movement and found a loving husband. Keeping aside the comparisons Maa Inti Bangaram is a treat for Samantha fans even though the storytelling doesn’t fully soar.

The story of MIB focuses on Samantha’s Swarna/Jhansi. Swarna is a far cry from the typical daughter-in laws of a joint family. Dignath Manchale plays Swarna’s husband Anirudh, he had gone against his family and married Swarna. How they fell in love is hardly touched upon and this is something which I will get to later. Coming back to the story Anirudh and Swarna come for a family wedding amidst a somewhat hostile atmosphere. How Swarna wins over her in laws while tackling an extremist leader/angsty ex-lover is the main story of Maa Inti Bangaram.

It goes without saying that MIB largely relies on Samanth’s star power and the actress doesn’t disappoint one bit. Whether its kicking goons, the emotional vulnerability or the comic portions she doesn’t miss a single beat. Samanth’s prowess in action is something that we have already seen, still its a delight to watch Samantha take on the bad guys with absolute conviction. A special mention must be made of the climactic fight filled with gun shots and hand to hand combats. At the same time, Samantha does a fantastic job in the emotional sequences too like the one where Swarna reveals important details about her past, in the same scene she also questions the typical matrimonial ads describing the qualities so-called perfect daughter- in-law.

The comic sequences too are a riot. Her scenes with Manjusha Mukkavalli raises ample chuckles like the portion of emotional manipulation. In a couple of sequences there is also a perfect mix of humor with tension. For example, there is a portion of Swarna and Manjusha’s character desperately trying to put away a dead body. Manjusha makes her presence amply felt in spite of sharing screen space with Samantha.

Sreemukhi as the orthodox daughter in law typically seen in numerous joint families also makes a striking impact. In scenes of jealousy, she particularly stands out. Gulshan Devaih as the hurt lover Karuna makes for a striking villain. His dynamics with Swarna has been fleshed out much better in comparison to the husband-and-wife relationship. A portion worthy of mentioning is Karuna taking jibe at Swarna’s domestic avatar saying that did he train her for this and how she is wasting herself. On a side note, it would be good to see Swarna playing an active part in her father in laws political activities if a sequel is made, while carrying on the duties of a wife/daughter-in law. Among the rest veterans Gautami and Sri Lakshmi do a fair job within the confines of their roles.

A major flaw with Maa Inti Bangaram is the haphazard integration of the Naxalite angle. The socio-political complexities of a then important movement is reduced to a mere side note. The nuance is absolutely lacking in how Nandini Reddy along with the writers have presented the social scenarios leading to naxalism.

Another big issue is the lack of meat in the husband-and-wife relationship. The process of Anirudh and Swarna falling in love is never shown, we just get a couple of mentions in Swarna’s words, but more depth was required. This aspect sticks out even more glaringly given that Anirudh had gone against his parents to be with Swarna, so a much better exploration of how they fell in love was needed.

Maa Inti Bangaram features only one song which is the energetic Thaasadiya. The upbeat tune coupled with Samanth’s free flowing dance moves makes for a nice watch visually. Om Prakash’s cinematography stands out in the climatic fight.

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Main Vaapas Aaunga: A stirring tale of trauma and loss of humanity

Imtiaz Ali once again employs his favorite two timeline plot sequencing. More than the partition horrors the movie holds a mirror to today’s displaced homes due to bloodshed. The end montage song with the ever-charming Diljit Dosanjh hits hard. A strong aspect of Main Vaapas Aaunga are the scenes between Nasseerudin Shah and Diljit. The portions have a perfect blend of humor with emotional pathos. The pre partition romance though needed better writing

Starcast: Naseeruddin Shah, Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina, Sharvari Wagh and others

Genre: Romance/drama

Director and writer: Imtiaz Ali

Additional writer: Nayanika Mahatani

Music: A R Rahman

Cinematography: Sylvester Fonseca

Producers: Sameer Nair, Deepak Segal etc

Production Companies: Window Seat Films, Applause Entertainment etc

Running time: 2 hours and 46 minutes

Stories of Partition and Bollywood go hand in hand; numerous filmmakers have depicted the horrors of partition in their own ways but still there is always something left to be explored. Imtiaz Ali’s latest Main Vaapas Aaunga is also about pre partition and the horrors following it. But the genre here makes a difference. Imtiaz packs in an intense tale of unrequited love, love so intense that our protagonist hasn’t forgotten his heroine though he is 95 years old. Naseeruddin Shah is Keenu. He falls in love with a Muslim girl Jiya/Afshana played by a radiant Sharvari Wagh. Vedang Raina plays the younger version in the flashbacks. Their blossoming romance hits a roadblock due to partition. He manages to make a living, but the scars haven’t completely left. Diljit Dosanjh plays the grandson Nirvair Grewal. Nirvair is going through his own hassles both professionally and personally. Nirvair becomes Keenu’s support system, and he is determined to fulfill his grandfather’s last wish and how that happens is the essence of MVA.

A strong aspect of MVA are the scenes between Nasseerudin Shah and Diljit. Their interactions have undertones of humor in the beginning especially the hospital ones. But as Nirvair becomes more emotionally involved the dynamics takes a different turn. The portions start to become emotionally poignant and the two feed off each other wonderfully. After a long time Naseeruddin Shah has gotten an author backed part and the veteran makes complete use of it. Whether its his intense love for Jiya/Afshana or the pain of leaving one’s home the actor tugs at your heartstrings. He also raises chuckles in his initial interactions with Diljit.

Diljit as the grandson gets his own arc and the dependable actor doesn’t disappoint. In spite of sharing screen space with an in form Naseeruddin Shah he more holds his own. From being curious and then the strong determination of making sure that the grandfather finds peace at least in death the actor doesn’t miss a single beat.

The pre partition romance also has his moments. Both Vedang and Sharvari look the part of bestowed lovers, but the writing could have been better. The love track could have been developed more; there is a hurried nature to the proceedings here. Having said that the conversations between young Keenu and Jiya have the right romantic spark. Vedang in particular impresses more so in the post partition scenes. The scenes of subtle pain and grief has been excellently portrayed by the young actor. Sharvari has much less to do in comparison, but she has a luminous presence and does a fine job in portraying a certain inner resilience.

The theme of humanity loss has a realistic feel to it as well. Human beings getting carried away in the cycle of violence and behaving in a barbarious manner has a contemporary feel. The post credit song Kya Kamaal Hai takes the audiences on a short tour of present horrors and the incredible spirit of fighting back. The tune coupled with Diljit voice is simply fantastic.

AR Rahman’s music jells perfectly with the movie’s tone capturing both the young love as well as the emotional undertones perfectly. The cinematography of Slylvester Fonseca particularly the pre partition romance has some nice frames. The proceedings have a lived-in feel

One of the things sticking out like a sore thumb is the subplot of Nirvair and his off/on relationship with Banita Sandhu’s Kaveri. It doesn’t add much substance to the movie. The subplot feels like more of a crutch to amplify Keenu’s deep love for Jiya. But this is a minor misstep in a mostly heartfelt drama on what it means to leave your home.