Category: Movie Reviews

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Irumudi: A solid comeback vehicle for Ravi Teja

Irumudi presents Ravi Teja in a different avatar within the commercial parameters. The broad structure of Irumudi can be divided into four parts, for more than two thirds Shiva Nirvana keeps the viewers engaged. The final act though is a mixed bag, the significant hangover of Rangasthalam plays a major spoilsport. But in the final tally Irumudi is the best Ravi Teja film in years. The father and daughter bond largely steers the proceedings even when the writing stagnates. The film has an important message too on how females should confront their abusers instead of suppressing themselves

Starcast: Ravi Teja, Baby Nakshatra, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Sai Kumar and others

Story, screenplay, direction and dialogues: Shiva Nirvana

Genre: Family drama/action thriller

Music: GV Prakash kumar

Cinematography: Vishnu Sharma

Producers: Naveen Yerneni and Y Ravi Shankar

Production Company: Mythri Movie Makers

Running time: 2 hours and 25 minutes

2026 has seen some solid comebacks in the form of Samantha in Maa Inti Bangaram, Akhil in Lenin, Suriya with Karuppu and Vishwanth &Sons among others. Ravi Teja much like the others mentioned has seen a very lean patch. The films have had a major deterioration even with the commercial parameters. Shiva Nirvana’s last two movies Khushi and Tuck Jagadish didn’t have a great response either. This makes Irumudi an extremely important venture for both its director and leading man. Thankfully Ravi Teja and Shiva Nirvana deliver a competent film even with its flaws.

As already mentioned the broad structure of Irumudi can be divided into four parts. On one level its about two distinct styles of parenting. Sai Kumar’s Gopal Raju raises his daughter to not raise her voice, for him its the best way to shield her from conflicts however Gopal Raju doesn’t understand that he is suppressing his daughter’s voice. Ravi Teja’s Trinath on the other hand has brought up his daughter to be fearless. Trinath has an extreme weakness for alcohol, but he is inherently a good man with a deep paternal feeling. This paternal feeling just doesn’t extend to his own child (a wonderful Nakshatra) but to other teenage girls as well. The second part of the story is the lord Ayyappa angle giving it a strong cultural and emotional setting. The third part is the mystery associated with certain murders and finally challenging a certain social conditioning. This is a heavy cocktail to manage, and the film does keep you invested in three areas barring the culmination of the murder mysteries.

The strong aspect of Irumudi is the contrasting parenting styles of Ravi Teja and Sai Kumar’s characters. Shiva Nirvana gives some strong dialogues to both the actors making sure that the ideological clash doesn’t become one sided. As viewers you understand Gopal Raju’s concerns on standing up against abusers, but at the same time Trinath’s viewpoint also holds relevance. A crucial sequence between the two when an important mystery is cracked has been brilliantly written and enacted. Sai Kumar as the vulnerable father does a very good job, he particularly excels in a scene of moral condroum.

The father and daughter chemistry between Ravi Teja and Nakshatra is another ace of Irumudi. Trinath Rao is presented as an extremely doting father who encourages the daughter to share everyday happenings, the warmth is palpable in the way Ravi Teja portrays the paternal love. A crucial mention must be of the interval point; Trinath Rao decides to give up alcohol forever. The dialogues coupled with the acting is one of the film’s biggest highlights.

The Ayyapa Swamy background with the annual 41-day Deeksha has also been presented well, it becomes a major character in itself rather than a mere side plot. GV Prakash Kumar songs and background score help significantly too. An action sequence of Trinath dodging villains in the Ayyapa Swamy dress has been excellently choreographed with some first-rate cinematography. Vishnu Sharma as the cinematographer deserves appreciation for a job very well done.

Ravi Teja as Trinath Rao delivers his best performance in a long time. Yes, you have the usual larger than fights with the character operating as a savior. Still Ravi Teja is excellent in portraying the different shades. Whether it’s the alcohol weakness or the vulnerable moments the actor is in excellent form. Baby Nakshatra compliments Ravi Teja at every step, she brings in innocence, vulnerability and strong inner strength in equal measure.

Priya Bhavani Shankar as the often-exasperated wife is good too. A few scenes between her and Ravi Teja have some nice moments of understated romance. The rest are fine in their respective parts, but certain actors suffer on the account of half-baked characterization. This particularly holds true for Swasika as a disgrace to teaching community.

One of Irumudi’s major issues is a Rangasthalam like structure in the concluding portions. The reveal of the primary antagonist has a significant hangover of Rangasthalam’s third act. As a result, the shock value is less when the revelation is finally out. Also, the film more or less plays to the template of a male savior in spite of Trinath Rao’s ideology on females confronting their abusers. Having said that one sequence of teenage girls attacking the antagonist makes for a good sight.

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Vishwanath&Sons: A wholesome family entertainer with a Trivikram touch

After Lucky Bhaskar Venky Atluri takes another out of box premise, this time a huge age gap romance with the backdrop of surrogacy. In spite of some dips post interval the film is largely engaging. Mamitha Baiju as the chirpy Madanakameswari akka Maddy is the films beating heart. The young actress more than holds her own opposite Suriya and Radhika Sarathkumar. Suriya as Sanjay Vishwanath delivers a performance which is more internalized nevertheless highly effective. The climax signifying a happy ending for Vishwanath and Maddy ends the film on a high.

Starcast: Suriya, Mamitha Baiju, Radhika Sarathkumar, Raveena Tandon, Nassar and others

Director and writer: Venky Atluri

Genre: Romance/family drama

Dialogues: KN Vijaykumar

Music: GV Prakash Kumar

Cinematography: Nimish Ravi

Producers: Suryadevara Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya

Production Companies: Srikara Studios, Sithara Entertainments etc

Running time: 2 hours and 41 minutes

Vishwanath& Sons is a very anticipated release for numerous reasons. Venky Atluri’s last Lucky Bhaskar was a major hit both critically and commercially. Suriya after a series of theatricals debacles made a strong comeback with the massy hit Karuppu. However, the biggest reason for the buzz is it’s out of box plot. How the huge age gap romance will unfold has created curiosity. Thankfully Venky Atluri does justice to the theme, and the happy ending is the icing on the cake. At times the film ventures into a classic Trivikram territory, the family drama in second half does slow down the movie thankfully though the film never slips off the rails.

The story of VS revolves around a businessman cum Olympic shooter played by Suriya and a free-spirited medical student Maddy (Mamitha Baiju). Vishwanth has an aversion for marriage due to certain reasons, but he ends up having a baby boy through surrogacy. Radhika Sarathkumar plays Vishwanath’s mother who wants her son to get married. The lives of Vishwanath and the surrogate mother Maddy intertwine due to a medical crisis. How Maddy entry changes Vishwanath’s life forms the main core of VS.

The strong aspect of VS is the polar opposite characters. Vishwanath has a more serious demeanor; there is a certain restraint to the character. Maddy though is wilder with an unfiltered attitude. How the two end up developing a deep bond even with the mismatched personalities is a major plus for VS.

Vishwanath’s emotional trauma is revealed in installments, and this helps the viewers in understanding the man’s personality. The subplot of Raveena Tandon and her dynamics with Vishwanath has some solid moments too. Radhika Sarathkumar as the ageing matriarch is elegance personified. The veteran actress balances authority and warmth in her signature style. Her scenes with both Suriya and Mamitha give the film some of its best moments.

Among the lighter scenes a specific mention must be of the portion involving Suriya’s condoms. Venky Atluri treats the entire portion of Vishwanath having flings with 30 plus women in a matter-of-fact way. There is no overt sensationalization with the mother also being cool about it.

Vishwanath &Sons wouldn’t be what it is without the performances apart from the solid writing. After an unabashed massy turn in Karuppu Suriya effortlessly slips into a classy avatar portraying Vishwanath in an understated but highly effective manner. The actor especially shines in the scenes of Vishwanath facing his inner demons and revealing his feelings about Maddy.

Mamitha Baiju though is the showstopper, she brings in both warmth and an infectious energy. The stubbornness of Maddy could have been easily mistaken for infatuation but both the writing and the actress bring an emotional resonance. As viewers you understand where Maddy is coming from making the happy ending even more satisfying.

The rest also pitch in some fine performances especially Raveena Tandon. Nassar on the other hand brings in some laughs amidst the second half’s emotional drama. The music of GV Prakash Kumar isn’t a chartbuster, but the songs go well with the films flow. Neno Butterfly deserves a special mention for Mamitha’s portrayal of a love-struck woman.

The cinematography is suitably blingy, but it has a significant hangover of other movies depicting rich families.

Final word: Vishwanth& Sons is a refreshing family entertainer with a good mix of emotions. Definitely worth seeing for fans of comfort cinema and Suriya.

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Batwara 1947: A strong tale of resilience and humanity’s triumph

Batwara 1947 on some occasions feels like a spiritual sequel to Imtiaz Ali’s resounding success Main Vaapas Aunga. Shabana Azmi effectively channels her inner Naseeruddin Shah but the film belongs to Sunny Deol. As a conflicted family man who takes a stand for humanity the actor nails both vulnerability and ferociousness. Much like MVA this one too speaks to today’s divisive times. You have a Pakistani Mulla warning the antagonist not to mix religion and politics. There is also an important dialogue by Sunny on the dangers of hatred and its eventual consequences.

Starcast: Sunny Deol, Shabana Azmi, Priety Zinta, Karan Deol, Ali Fazal, Abhimanyu Singh and others

Genre: Drama/action

Direction, screenplay and dialogues: Rajkumar Santhoshi

Additional dialogues: Asghar Wajahat

Based on: “Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya E Nai” play

Music: A R Rahman

Cinematography: Santhosh Sivan

Producers: Aamir Khan and Aparna Purohit

Production Company: Aamir Khan Productions

Running time: 2 hours and 25 minutes

Currently a major trend is happening in Bollywood and that is two types of socio-political movies. On one hand you have the likes of Dhurandhar operating as a PR of the current ruling party. On the other hand, you have filmmakers using the backdrop of partition to tell humanistic tales. Earlier this year you had Sriram Raghavan’s Ikkis, a film about second lieutenant Arjun Kheterpal played by Agastya Nanda. Through a subplot featuring late Dharmendra and Jaideep Ahlawat the film looked at the scars of war and the aftermath of violence. Batwara has echoes of that Sriram Raghavan directorial apart from MVA. What makes this movie even more special is the solid presence of Sunny Deol, an actor who is known for the jingoistic drama Gadar.

For those not aware, Batwara 1947 is based on an acclaimed Urdu/Hindi play “Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya E Nai” written by Asghar Wajahat. The story in brief follows the tribulations of Sunny Deol’s Sikander Mirza, a businessman forced to flee India during the tumultuous period of partition. Priety Zinta plays his wife Hamida. Sunny Deol’s real life son Karan plays the onscreen son too (Javed). After staying in the relief camp for some time the family is given a supposed vacant haveli but Shabana Azmi playing Durgavati/Mai is still living inside. How Sikander and his family develop a deep bond with Mai and the troubles they face due to an extremist man Yaqoob (a hammy Abhimanyu Singh) forms the main plot of Batwara 1947.

The strong aspect of Batwara 1947 is the changing dynamics between Sikander and Mai. Initially both him and his family have a certain distaste for Shabana Azmi’s character. They look at her as an intruder who needs to be vacated. The meanness with which Sikander and Hamida talk and behave with her is very palpable. But slowly the relationship changes first it is Hamida when she and Durgavati are having a candid chat, Sikander enters and gets terribly upset, scolds his wife for building a camaraderie.

At one-point Sikander thinks of taking Yaqoob’s help also, not caring about the consequences. Hamida puts some sense into her husband leading to an eventual change. All this has been wonderfully captured both in terms of writing and performances. Sunny’s character has been etched well by Rajkumar Santhoshi and Asghar Wajahat. From almost getting swayed away in hate to recognizing its dangers Sunny nails the different shades of Sikander.

Having said that, a few action sequences feel force fitted pandering to the actor’s larger than life image. As far as the dialogues there are many impactful ones. A few examples;

“Koi mazhab bura nahi hoti hai, acha bura aadmi hota hai (no religion is inherently bad, it’s the people who can be good or bad).

“Maa ko Hindu Musalman Mein na baatiye, maa apne hi aap mazhab hai… har insaan ka pehla mazhab maa hai, … har bache ke munh se nikla pehla labz maa hai (Don’t divide a mother into Hindu or Muslim … a mother herself is a religion … every person’s first religion is their mother … the first word a child ever says is mom).

Finally, “Darr raha hai insaan … marr raha hai insaan … aur main jeetey jee marna nahi chahta … main zinda hoon, aur zinda hone ka saboot doonga (People are living in fear … people are dying … but I refuse to die while I’m still alive … I am alive, and I will prove it).

Apart from Sunny Deol and Shabana Preity Zinta and Ali Fazal also make their presence amply felt. Preity much like Sunny does a fine job in showcasing the character’s evolution. She brings in an understated strength especially in the scenes of supporting her husband. Ali Fazal as the poet is also mighty effective in an extended special appearance. His scenes with both Sunny and Shabana give the movie some of its best moments. He particularly excels in the scene of narrating a crucial flashback. Karan Deol is competent too managing to hold his own opposite Sunny.

A R Rahman’s music doesn’t match up to MVA. Nevertheless, a solid bhajan number and the penultimate song leave an impact. The cinematography of Santhosh Sivan captures the period setting of Lahore authentically. There is a lived-in feel to the movie adding to an immersive experience.

Final word: Batwara 1947 in the final analysis is a movie late Dharmendra would have been proud of.

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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.