Tag: Rana Dagubati

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35 Chinna Katha Kaadu: A small film with a big heart

Notwithstanding the slow pace and the predictable nature writer and director Nanda Kishore Emani makes some important points on parents and educators explaining concepts in an interesting manner rather than dismissing a child’s curiosity

  • Starcast: Nivetha Thomas, Vishwadev Rachakonda, Priyadarshi Pulikonda, Arun Dev, Gautami, K Bhagyaraja and others
  • Writer and director: Nanda Kishore Emani
  • Producers: Srujan Yarabolu and Siddharth Rallapalli
  • Presenter: Rana Dagubbati
  • Production Companies: Suresh Productions, S Originals and Waltair Productions
  • Music: Vivek Sagar
  • Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes

35 Chinna Katha Kaadu focuses on a conventional Brahmin family residing in Tirupathi. Prasad (Vishwadev Rachakonda) is a bus conductor. Nivetha Thomas in a breakthrough role plays a traditional housewife. Her life entirely revolves around the spouse and children. Her character ironically called as Sarswati is a 10th fail. She has given up on studies a long time back. Arun Dev as Arun is a curious student who exasperates everyone with his constant questioning. Like many school children Maths is Arun’s least favorite subject, not surprisingly his marks in that subject are atrocious. Frustrated about Arun’s lack of interest in Mathematics and the appalling marks Prasad decides to enroll Arun in the Tirumula Tirupati Devastam Vedic school. This leads to a major upheaval at home, a certain distance comes between Prasad and Sarswati. Priyadarshi plays a teacher who remembers students only by their marks and not names. He constantly keeps calling Arun a zero. Things take a huge turn when Sarswati takes it upon herself to generate some interest in Arun towards Mathematics along with making sure that he at least gets passing marks

Nivetha Thomas in a breakthrough role

It has been a long time since you have had a mainstream movie with the backdrop of school. A major chunk of the film plays out in the classrooms of fifth and sixth class. Director Nandi Kishore Emani does a very fine job in creating an authentic atmosphere. Scenes of how a class monitor behaves and how some students don’t include their fellow classmate in their inner circle will definitely resonate with the school going population. Even the pranks that the children play particularly the ones of Arun on Priyadarshi’s Chanakya doesn’t feel out of place.

The ups and downs in Sarswati and Prasad’s marriage have also been depicted realistically. At one point their marriage reaches a dead end because of their different viewpoints about what to do with Arun. Many married couples would relate to it. Prasad at no point is portrayed as a villain even when Sarswati gets little help from her husband in teaching Arun.

The ups and downs in Prasad and Sarswati’s marriage have also been depicted realistically

Priyadarshi’s Chanakya represents a typical snobbish teacher, a complete anthesis to Aamir Khan’s Ram Shankar Nikumbh in Taare Zameen Par. Priyadarshi does a fine job in making the viewers hate Chanakya. He is so perfect that the viewers side with the children even when Chanakya becomes the victim of Pranks

Priyadarshi’s Chanakya represents a typical snobbish teacher

The second half of 35 Chinna Katha Kaadu is definitely more gripping than the first half. The portions of Sarswati fighting her inner demons and eventually emerging victorious has many heartwarming moments. The on-screen bond between Arun Dev and Nivetha Thomas has come out very well. Senior actress Gautami plays Sarswati’s mentor. Gautami has a pleasing presence; she lends a lot of warmth, but the role feels underdeveloped. The same applies to Bhagyaraj. Both the characters could have done with more meat.

Vivek Sagar’s music and background score also uplifts the movie at many junctures. My favorite song in the album is Neeli Meghamulalo. The production design also goes perfectly with the atmospherics. A lot of care has been taken on creating an authentic atmosphere.

Performances wise Nivetha Thomas and Arun Dev are the major backbone of the movie. Nivetha delivers an award-winning performance as a typical housewife who has to rise above the odds. She portrays the inner strength of Sarswati in a beautiful manner. Her dialect is also praiseworthy. Arun Dev as Arun also does a fine job in portraying the different emotions. Some of his expressions bear a slight resemblance to Darsheel Safary in Taare Zameen Par but there is no denying that he is a promising talent. Vishwadev Rachakonda also excels as the concerned father. His chemistry with Nivetha is top notch.

35 Chinna Katha Kaadu is a must watch for those who like slice of life films. But for those who prefer mass cinema certain patience is a must.

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Rana Naidu: A Gripping Father-Son Saga Bolstered By Real-Life Chacha-Nephew Combo

Venkatesh is the icing on the cake!

Rana Naidu (Hindi)

  • Cast: Rana Daggubati, Venkatesh, Surveen Chawla, Sushant Singh, Abhishek Benarjee, Gaurav Chopra, and Aditya Menon
  • Directors: Suparn Verma and Karan Anshuman
  • OTT platform: Netflix
  • Number of episodes: 10

Over the years, web shows have not just opened doors for newer stories but also given mainstream actors an opportunity to explore a different facet of their acting skills — something which doesn’t always happen on the big screen.

Rana Naidu directed by Karan Anshuman and Suparn Verma feels a little long with its duration of 10 episodes. The use of swear words and also an overdose of sex scenes get bothersome at times.

But still, there is a lot to enjoy here: particularly, the confrontation scenes between Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh.

I must say, Venkatesh has the guts to play a role that is quite different from his onscreen image.

For those who are not aware, Rana Naidu is based on the English web drama Ray Donavan. Since I have not seen the original, this will be a standalone review.

Synopsis

Rana Daggubati plays a fixer called Rana Naidu whose profession is cleaning up the mess of his high-profile clients. He takes his job seriously and successfully solves the problems of his clients.

But, at home, it is an altogether different story. His relationship with his family — wife and two children — is on tense ground. Adding to his woes is Rana Naidu’s estranged father Naga Naidu (Venkatesh).

Naga Naidu comes out of prison after 15 years for a crime that he did not commit. He has two more sons — played by Abhishek Banerjee and Sushant Singh.

Naga wants to fix his relationship with his sons. This is the story in brief.

A gripping drama

The best part of the Rana Naidu web series is how the undercurrent of the drama is maintained throughout.

As the layers peel off, audiences become more and more excited about what will happen next. There are ample twists and turns that shock you.

Another major highlight of Rana Naidu is the drama generated by the protagonist’s profession.

Gaurav Chopra as the Bollywood superstar may come across as a tad dramatic but the character is deliberately designed in that manner. And it works in the favour of the web series.

The directors also dwell on the different psyches of parents through the characters of Rana Naidu and Naga Naidu. They present some fascinating insights into exploring this aspect.

The confrontation scenes between Rana Dagubbati and Venkatesh, though less in number, still pack a punch.

The face-off between this real-life mama and nephew gives the show some of its best solid moments.

Rana and Venkatesh are top-notch

Rana Daggubati is supremely effective in essaying a protagonist who is torn between his high-profile job and his crumbling family.

He is top notch in not just portraying the menace and the intensity required but also shines in the vulnerable moments — whether it is with his wife and children or with his two brothers.

Venkatesh Dagubbati is equally solid as the wronged father who is at loggerheads with his son. The actor brings a certain warmth to his part beneath all the roughness.

The senior actor also brings much-needed humour to this otherwise serious show.

His Hyderabadi Hindi gives the show some of its most amusing moments. He successfully oscillates between being a chilled-out guy, who is desperate to reunite with his family and someone who is thirsting for vengeance.

Abhishek Banerjee nails it

Although the primary focus is on Rana and Venkatesh, the directors give ample space to others as well. Particular mention must be made of Abhishek Banerjee and Sushant Singh.

Abhishek Benarjee’s Jaffa, a recovering alcoholic, gets abused by a swamiji during his childhood. He is severely affected by those scars.

Sushant Singh’s Tej Naidu is a stuntman with Parkinson’s disease.

Suparn Verma and Karan Anshuman handle the complicated back story of Jaffa with the right amount of sensitivity.

Abhishek Banerjee is someone who is known more for his comic roles. But here, he successfully presents a different facet of himself.

The scenes between the three brothers are filled with a lot of warmth. As audiences, we earnestly want them to come out of their childhood scars.

Surveen Chawla and Ashish Vidyarthi stand out

The supporting cast is equally solid in their parts but the ones who stand out are Surveen Chawla and Ashish Vidyarthi.

As the fierce wife, Surveen Chawla more than holds her own opposite — both Rana and Venkatesh. The refreshing aspect of her character is that she is no pushover at any point.

Ashish Vidyarthi makes a surprise entry towards the end and sends chills down the audience’s spine. The coolness with which he goes about things makes him even scarier.

Too much adult content

The technical department starting from the cinematography and the background score also deserves equal credit for creating the right atmospherics.

What pulls down Rana Naidu is the length of the series. Instead of 10 episodes, the makers should have restrained it to seven. This would have made the web show crisper.

Also, there is an overdose of cuss words and uninhibited sex scenes. This becomes a tad too much to digest.

Final take

In a nutshell, Rana Naidu isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, But, if you are in the mood to watch a twisted family drama, then this one is definitely for you.

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Virata Parvam: A Tragic Love In The Time Of Revolution

Venu Udulgula’s Virata Parvam has created a lot of buzz for two reasons. Along with the star cast comprising of Sai Pallavi and Rana Dagubbati, the real life story that it is based on has also added to the hype. Earlier also you have had films with the backdrop of naxalism but here you have a love story at its core. The film’s title is taken from a chapter in Mahabharata where the Pandavas had gone into exile.

The story of Virata Parvam is set in the period when the naxalite movement was at its peak. Vennela (Sai Pallavi) belongs to an oppressed caste. Vennela is heavily inspired by the revolutionary poetry written by a famous naxalite Ravanna (Rana Dagubbati). Without even meeting Ravanna Vennela falls in love with him. Vennela is so infatuated with him that she even leaves her home. She makes several attempts to meet him. In a big turn of events her path finally crosses with that of Ravanna. The rest of the story is – whether Ravanna accepts her love? What problems Vennela faced in her journey? And most importantly what happens to her at the end.

DIRECTOR VENU UDUGULA WASTES NO TIME IN SETTING UP THE CHARACTER OF VENNELA AND ALSO HER FASCINATION WITH THE POETRY OF RAVANNA.

Director Venu Udugula wastes no time in setting up the character of Vennela and also her fascination with the poetry of Ravanna in the beginning itself. But the big issue with the first half is it is difficult to buy the love that Vennela has for Ravanna. The director puts a spin of Krishna and Meera bai but it doesn’t make much sense. It is a theory which is difficult to buy in the scenario of this film.

The attempts of Vennela in reaching Ravanna take up most of the first half, as a result the audience start feeling restless. The story becomes stagnant with nothing much happening.

The film finally picks up pace when Vennela and Ravanna have a face to face conversation just before the interval. From here on the drama becomes more engaging.

A scene which deserves particular mention is the conversation between Sai Chand and Sai Pallavi. Sai Chand is once again the eternal father after Kondapolam and Fida. Sai Pallavi’s expression after the dialogue of Sai Chand is something that stays with you.
Another impactful scene worth mentioning is the one between Rana and Zarina Wahab playing Rana’s mother. Ravanna avoided seeing his mother for a long time but he finally gives in because of Vennela. The poem that he recites is sure to make the audiences emotional.

TECHNICALLY THE DIRECTOR DOES A GOOD JOB IN RECREATING THAT PERIOD. THE CINEMATOGRAPHY AND THE ART DESIGN DESERVE PARTICULAR MENTION.

Technically the director does a good job in recreating that period. The cinematography and the art design deserve particular mention. But the editing definitely needed to be far tighter. Instead of two and half hours the film could have easily been just two hours.
Needless to say that Sai Pallavi is the star of Virata Parvam, as Vennela she perfectly captures the innocence and also the adamant nature. It is a role which is very much up her ally and the actress doesn’t disappoint.

RANA’S RAVANNA WORKS AS A PERFECT COUNTERPART TO VENNELA. HE INITIALLY COMES ACROSS AS A VERY STOIC PERSON BUT AS YOU GO ALONG DIFFERENT LAYERS COME OUT.

Rana’s Ravanna works as a perfect counterpart to Vennela. He initially comes across as a very stoic person but as you go along different layers come out. The actor lets Sai Pallavi hog the limelight but he also makes his presence amply felt.

Nandita Das, Priyamani and Naveen Chandra are impressive in their parts but no one is very memorable.

In a nutshell Virata Parvam doesn’t quite turn out to be the epic love story that it promised, but nevertheless the emotional second half makes it worth watching.

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Bheemla Nayak: A Boisterous Second Half And Rana Saves The Day

Saagar K Chandra’s Bheemla Nayak tries to be a mix of retaining the spirit of the original Ayyappanum Koshiyum, but at the same time there is lot of fan appeasement particularly in the second half. The director has taken the Adivasi background with Pawan Kalyan’s character being a demi god for the locals. However, the Adivasi background doesn’t really add much value to the story except for the climax. The Adivasi characters are purely there to worship Bheemla and to sing praises of him.

For most part of the first half Pawan Kalyan is subdued. Rana Daggubati’s Daniel Shekhar provokes him multiple times but Bheemla doesn’t give in. Honestly nothing much happens in the first half, it is more like a filler for what is to follow in the second one. But it isn’t a complete bore either thanks to Nithya Menon’s Sugana. It is fun to watch her in her firebrand character. The second half is definitely much better but more on that once we are done discussing the story.

This Ayyappanum Koshiyum remake is set in the forest region connecting Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. In the opening minute we see Bheemla Nayak paying his obeisance to the forest, the next shot is Rana Daggubati’s introduction. We see him resting in a car; he tells his driver that the tiger is resting after a few drinks. A folk number by S Thaman leads the audiences through the terrain. Daniel Shekhar does not think it is a crime to have a stash of alcohol when his car is going through the forest zone. Expectedly a clash happens between Daniel and the cops, this leads to something bigger. There is also a back-story to Bheemla which all the villagers know but they won’t discuss it. It is considered a ‘sacred’ oath. Murali Sharma plays Kodandram. He desperately tries to bring some peace. While Ayyapum Koshiyam tackled class divisions among other aspects here those are downplayed significantly. Also while there is a certain restrained approach in the first half still there is no getting away from the hero elevation. The best example of that is the title song where you have ample slow mo shots and hundreds of junior artists.

Rana Daggubati promises epic clash with Pawan Kalyan's Bheemla Nayak in new teaser | Entertainment News,The Indian Express
Rana Daggubati : Ample scope to showcase his towering personality

The movie gets more into the zone after Bheemla is stripped of his official duties. The scenes between Pawan and Rana are more powerful in the second half. It is fun to watch the actors taking on each other. One of the good things here is that Rana isn’t reduced to a junior artist; he gets ample scope to showcase his towering personality. He perfectly carries the attitude of the character from scene 1, his scenes with Samyukhta who plays the wife is quite good to watch. In these scenes we see a softer side to him. Also there is certain decency to his role; this comes through when Rao Ramesh’s character suggests Daniel to use Bheemla’s wife Sugana as a bait in his battle with Bheemla. Daniel scolds him saying that don’t you have shame in suggesting a thing like this.

Bheemla Nayak Movie News: Samyuktha Menon confirms she will be part of 'Bheemla Nayak'
Samyukta Menon, debut in Telugu films

The romance between Pawan Kalyan and Nitya Menon is also interesting because Nitya Menon’s character is no push over. She is appropriately spunky.

The climax fight is too elongated but it still makes an impact. The emotional touch at the end of the fight is quite good.

Pawan Kalyan as Bheemla is suitably restrained and also explosive when required. But his performance comes across as indifferent. The energy levels that you associate with the actor are missing for the most part.

The supporting cast hasn’t got much to do. They are mostly there to watch the show from the sidelines.

The first half as I said is quite a bore. One major reason for that is the mishmash of sensibilities and not knowing what approach to take. Also the music is one big letdown. There is an attempt to give it an earthy touch but it comes across as more artificial. This can be particularly seen in the title song.

Watch Bheemla Nayak for the confrontation scenes between Pawan Kalyan and Rana Daggubati

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Aranya: Both Rana And The Elephants Deserved A Better Film

Prabhu Solomon’s trilingual Aranya tries to be many things at once but doesn’t do justice to any of the things that it tries to address. The story of the film is relevant as encroachments in the reserve forest zone are a reality; however Prabhu Solmon wastes a terrific opportunity. The film is also an indirect tribute to Jadav Payeng who is considered to be the forest man of India. Like Payeng Rana’s on screen character is also credited with planting several trees but the similarity ends here as the protagonist’s journey here is a fictional one.  The only thing which remotely works in the film is Rana’s performance and some of his scenes with the Elephants in the second half.

In Aranya Rana’s character name is Narendra Bhupathi but he is better known as Aranya. He has grown in the lap of nature and understands every call of a bird or animal. He particularly shares a good bond with the herd of elephants. On the other side of the coin you have the central minister, and a real estate firm along with their many subordinates who want to invade a reserve forest zone. Elephants are at a huge risk of losing their access to their most fundamental need – water.

The biggest problem with the movie Aranya is the mishmash of sensibilities which irritates you. A good example of that is the character of Vishnu Vishal. His style of acting will get on your nerves very quickly as his acting would work more with the Tamil audience than the Telugu ones. It would have been much better if you had a Telugu actor. To make things worse, his character is also very loosely written. You never understand why he is helping the minister’s men more so since he is in love with a naxalite played by Zoya Hussain. Also the track ends very abruptly and it doesn’t add any significance to the story.

Aranya: Both Rana and the elephants deserved a better film

The sub plot of the Naxalite movement could have also been dealt in a far better way. There is a mention of it in the beginning but after a point it is reduced to more of a background thing. The characters of the tribal people could have also been more impactful. Their only purpose in the film seems to be rallying behind Rana’s character and make him do all the heavy loading.

Bhuvan Srinivasan’s editing also needed to be much crisper as the length is also a major issue. This can be seen in the very beginning where it takes forever for the title cards to end.

Technically Aranya is a sound product thanks to the cinematography and the art design by Rasool Pookutty. However here also there are certain issues. There are some images which feel very repetitive.

Aranya: Both Rana and the elephants deserved a better film

Over the years Rani Dagubbati proved an efficient performer and here also the actor delivers a committed performance. The energy and the conviction that he brings is commendable. The scenes of him and the elephant in the second half will evoke some emotion from the audience. There is a segment where a misunderstanding occurs between Aranya and the elephants as they think that he has killed their fellow friend. Rana’s scenes where he tries to convince the elephants that he didn’t kill are quite impactful.

When making a trilingual film there are certain things that a director needs to be extra careful.  It is not enough to take actors from different languages; the sensibilities of their acting should also match the regional cultures.

On the whole Aranya aims big but doesn’t do justice to its vision.