December 28, 2024 – Rigobertha Reviews

December 28, 2024December 28, 2024

Baby John: ‘Theri’ dialled up to 1,000

Director Kaless and producer Atlee retain the soul of ‘Theri’ while adding some new spices like the angle of human trafficking however the film suffers from a remake fatigue and the highly amplified back ground score.

Baby John (Hindi); 25-12-2024, Action, Thriller, 2 hours 41 minutes, U/A, Theatre

Main Cast:Varun Dhawan, Keerthy Suresh, Wamiqa Gabbi, and Jackie Shroff
Director: Kalees
Producer: Murad Khetani
Music Director: S Thaman
Cinematography: Kiran Koushik
Rating: 2.5/5

The 2016 movie Theri marked the maiden collaboration of Vijay Thalapathy and Atlee, after the grand success of Theri the duo collaborated on two more successful movies Mersal (2017) and Bigil (2019).

Theri had an often repeated story of a cop going underground for personal reasons and later forced to come out of a temporary exile creating havoc. The wafer-thin plot was elevated by Vijay Thalapathy’s charisma particularly his act of a caring father, what also helped the movie was Atlee’s ability to pack the commercial elements in the right proportion.

Coming to the latest release, there is a huge gap of eight years between Baby John and its source material, leading to a certain sense of datedness that Baby John carries.

Synopsis

Much like the original this one is also filled with major melodrama and is crammed with many social issues. As a Varun Dhawan star vehicle, Baby John is a treat for his fans but for those who have seen numerous South commercial entertainers, there is little to take back.

Varun Dhawan in Baby John — Varun Dhawan in ‘Baby John. (X)

For those who haven’t seen Theri, Baby John focuses on John/ACP Satya Verma (Varun Dhawan). In the beginning portions, John is seen leading a normal life with the daughter Khushi (a very endearing Zara Zyanna).

Wamiqa Gabbi plays a school teacher Tara. There is a hint of a budding love story between John and Tara but John comes with a certain past which his daughter isn’t aware of.

In the flashback, we come to know about his identity as a fearless cop ACP Satya Verma a terror for his enemies. Satya Verma’s path crosses with that of Jackie Shroff’s Babbar Sher. Due to certain incidents, Babbar Sher becomes Satya’s nemesis leading to the tragic death of both his mother and wife (Sheeba Chaddha and Keerty Suresh in her Hindi debut).

Another important character is the head constable Ram Savek (a terrific Rajpal Yadav).

Performances

Baby John is an action entertainer — ‘Baby John’ is an action entertainer.

As already mentioned Baby John is mostly a star vehicle for Varun Dhawan and he does keep the movie afloat even when proceedings start to crumble. He gets the cocky attitude spot on leading to some entertaining moments. His face-off with Jackie Shroff has the right masala thunder.

At the same time, his act of a caring father is also touching. The scenes with the child actor Zara Zyanna are fun to watch.

Rajpal Yadav as Ram Savek in a refreshingly non-comic role is a delight to watch too. He brings in an emotional resonance as John/Satya Verma’s trusted aid. He also gets the movie’s biggest highlight when a goon mocks him for being a comedian, to which he replies “Comedy is serious business” leading to a mass-ey sequence.

Wamiqa Gabbi thankfully has more to do than Amy Jackson from the original. There is a subplot of her being an undercover cop leading to an interesting dynamic. Wamiqa too gets her fair share of action which the actress pulls off competently.

Lastly, Jackie Shroff also deserves a mention for his intimidating portrayal. He makes for a formidable villain with his chilling presence.

Thaman’s background music is both loud and repetitive. However, the songs are fairly good like “Haazar Baar” and “Nain Matakka.”

Flaws

Varun Dhawan and Keerthy Suresh in Baby John — Varun Dhawan and Keerthy Suresh in ‘Baby John’. (X)

A major problem with Baby John is the unnecessary angle of human trafficking. Director Kaless doesn’t bring anything new to the table; this addition is only there to make ACP Satya Verma more heroic. Also, the movie’s southern flavour particularly the melodramatic scenes gets on the audience’s nerves.

The movie’s running time of 2 hours and 41 minutes also tests the viewer’s patience with some unnecessary additions. Apart from the human trafficking angle even Salman Khan’s extended cameo feels forced.

The love story between Keerty Suresh and Varun is also underexplored. The chemistry between the two just doesn’t add up, unlike Theri.

Keerty Suresh looks stunning but doesn’t have much to do apart from being a devoted housewife.

Final take

To sum it up Baby John ends up as a Christmas dampener, it is strictly for those who enjoy South-styled larger-than-life heroes and Varun Dhawan fans.

(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/baby-john-hindi-review/

December 28, 2024December 28, 2024

Best of Tollywood movies 2024: A strong year for small and moderate budget movies

An overview into some of the most impactful Telugu movies both in theatres and OTT.

The year 2024 has mostly belonged to stories with interesting storylines rather than the big star vehicles. A very good example of this is Venky Atluri’s Lucky Baskhar.

Venky Atluri started as a romantic director with the likes of Varun Tej’s Tholi Prema (2018) and Nithin’s Rang De (2021). But Dhanush’s Vaathi (2023) marked a significant shift in his career.

With Lucky Baskhar the director pushed the envelope further with the financial thriller/drama. The tight writing coupled with Dulquer Salmaan’s fantastic act made it a major winner.

Prashanth Varma’s Hanu-Man starring young hero Teja Sajja like the film’s storyline was an underdog movie with fewer expectations. The film clashed with big star vehicles but it ended up being hugely profitable for everyone concerned. Hanu-Man is a perfect example of how sometimes an engaging script can transform an actor into a star.

35 Chinna Katha Kadu directed by Nanda Kishore Emani and presented by Rana Dagubbati also deserves a special mention. It was a small movie with a big heart.

Among the big-scale action films, Naga Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD managed to sail through mainly because of two aspects. The first one is the merging of a dystopian world with the events of Mahabharata, second, is Amitabh Bachchan’s towering act as Ashwatthama.

Sukumar’s Pushpa 2: The Rise on the other hand rode majorly on Allu Arjun’s histrionics and some well-crafted moments. A major highlight is Allu Arjun’s dance in a saree during a very moving jathara sequence, the film has seen extremely polarizing reviews still the movie managed to make big numbers.

Following are some of the most impactful Telugu movies of this year

Lucky Baskhar

Lucky Baskhar directed by Venky Atluri is a refreshingly different story for mainstream Telugu cinema. The theme of financial crimes in the backdrop of a bank is an extremely challenging subject given the intricate details. But Venky Atluri made sure that the movie didn’t become overly complicated.

The functioning of stock markets and the banking system was handled in such a way that even a layman could understand.

What also worked majorly for Lucky Baskhar was the layered characterization of the central character coupled with Dulquer Salmaan’s brilliant performance.

The journey of Baskhar from an honest employee to becoming a scamster and the subsequent changes took the viewers on a roller coaster ride. Apart from Dulqer’s solid act the film also had some impactful dialogues particularly the ones related to success, failure and greed.

35 Chinna Katha Kadu

Nivetha Thomas in 35 Chinna Katha Kadhu — Nivetha Thomas in ’35 Chinna Katha Kadhu’. (X)

35 Chinna Katha Kadu was a much-needed slice of drama amidst the ultra-masculine heroes. Director Nanda Kishore Emani created an authentic atmosphere whether it was the school portions or the husband and wife relationship going through many ups and downs.

The film made some pertinent points on the necessity of encouraging a child’s curiosity. The second half of 35 Chinna Katha Kadu was more engaging.

The portions of Nivetha Thomas Sarswati battling her own demons while making sure that her son gets passing marks in mathematics had many heart-warming moments. Nivetha Thomas delivered a breakthrough act getting into the skin of a traditional housewife who has to rise against all odds. Newcomer Vishwadev Rachkonda also shined bright.

Priyadarshi as the snooty teacher Chanakya does border on being a caricature but in the context of the story it completely works. Priyadarshi was majorly successful in making the audience hate him.

In spite of the slow pace and predictable scenarios, it was a heartwarming film exploring how parents and educators should explain concepts in an interesting manner rather than dismissing a child’s curiosity.

Hanu-Man

On the surface Hanu- Man is a typical good versus evil plot but what made the movie work was the perfect amalgamation of devotional, superhero and pop culture elements. The character graph of Teja Sajja’s Hanumanthu was another big plus for the movie.

He goes from being a carefree guy to eventually realising his powers and most importantly using them for the greater good, this was wonderfully written and enacted.

Apart from Teja Sajja Varalakshmi Sarathkumar as the strong elder sister also had a pivotal role, the brother and sister bond gave the movie an emotional gravitas.

Varalakshmi Sarathkumar also got her own delightful mass moment. The film’s budget is nowhere close to the likes of Adipurush but the special effects were far superior.

Saripodhaa Sanivaaram

Vivek Athreya’s Saripodhaa Sanivaaram was a quirky tale of two hot-headed men, presented in a commercial format. In many ways, the movie was a modern update of Salim-Javed’s Angry Young Man. What made the film engaging was the strong characterization of both the hero and the villain.

Vivek Athreya also added interesting quirks to the characters of both Nani and SJ Suryah. SJ Suryah’s character, for instance, had shades of sarcastic humour, where he could switch from being serious to jovial in the blink of an eye.

Nani’s character, on the other hand, is someone who suppresses his anger until Saturday, only unleashing it when he feels it is truly justified. These nuances added depth to the characters, and both Nani and SJ Suryah delivered impactful performances.

The dynamics between Nani and his father, played by Sai Kumar, were also a delight to watch. Their scenes were filled with numerous laugh-out-loud moments, while also showcasing warmth.

Ambajipeta Marriage Band

Suhas and Shivani Nagaram play the lead roles in ‘Ambajipeta Marriage Band’. (X)

Dushyant Kathikeni’s Ambajipeta Marriage Band carries a strong influence from Pa Ranjith and Vetrimaaran’s rustic Tamil dramas; nevertheless, the movie remains an engaging watch.

The story of Ambajipeta Marriage Band primarily revolves around the lives of a brother and sister. Suhas plays a barber, while Sharanya Pradeep portrays a government school teacher. The first half shows Suhas in his usual role as an underdog, while in the second half, his aggressive avatar takes the viewers by surprise.

Suhas was particularly impressive in these later portions. Sharanya Pradeep also made a significant impact with her fierce performance in the film.

Tillu Square

Siddhu Jonnalagadda’s follow-up to the 2022 popular film DJ Tillu was an entertaining comic thriller. The movie pretty much follows the same template as its predecessor.

A young man getting caught in a fresh tangle leading to various twists and turns, Anupama Parameshwaran played a morally dubious woman called Lily. The character of Lilly starts off as an innocent young woman but as the movie progresses the viewers get to see a different shade of her.

A major strength of Tillu Square was its fun-filled dialogues majorly enhanced by Siddhu Jonnalagadda’s wonderful comic timing. The actor’s energetic persona coupled with his specific style of speaking thoroughly entertained the viewers.

Anupama Parameshwaran was not only sensuous successfully breaking away from her girl-next-door image, but she also did a fine job in portraying Lilly’s grey shades.

Bhamakalapam 2 (AHA)

A still from the film Bhamakalapam 2 — A still from the film ‘Bhamakalapam 2’. (X)

Bhamakalapam 2 directed by Abhimanyu Tadimeti was a delicious sequel with an in-form Priyamani. The fresh adventures of Priyamani’s Anupama kept the viewers thoroughly entertained.

The jugulbandi between Priyamani and Sharanya Pradeep playing Anupama’s business partner was a major highlight of the sequel too.

The scenes between them often left the viewers in splits. A particular mention must be made of the portions where the cooking competition and heist take place simultaneously. These scenes have both tension and situational humour in equal measure.

In spite of some lags in the pre-climax, director Abhimanyu Tadimeti did a fine job in setting up a good base for the 3rd part.

(Edited by Sumavarsha)

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/telugu/best-of-tollywood-movies-2024-a-strong-year-for-small-and-moderate-budget-movies/

December 28, 2024December 28, 2024

Vanvaas : Nana Patekar and Utkarsh Sharma keep this overt melodrama afloat

This Anil Sharma directorial has a strong core but too much of melodrama coupled with one note characters make it a test of patience.

Vanvaas (Hindi); 20-12-2024, Drama, 2 hours 40 minutes, U/A, Theatre

Main Cast: Nana Patekar, Utkarsh Sharma, Khushboo, Rajpal Yadav, and Simrat Kaur
Director: Anil Sharma
Producer: Anil Sharma and Suman Sharma
Music Director: Mithoon
Cinematography: Kabir Lal
Rating: 2.5/5

Portraying children as irremediable villains is one of the big pet themes that Indian directors have explored time and again. In this kind of cinema, the offspring and the daughter-in-law are often portrayed as insensitive and used as a medium for how children shouldn’t be. Ravi Chopra’s Baghban (2003) is an excellent example of this kind of story.

The movie had a very simplistic storyline riding mostly on the wonderful chemistry and the performances of Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini. Among the older Hindi movies, the late Rajesh Khanna’s Avtaar co-starring Shabhana Azmi is also an extremely popular film perfectly fitting in the Baghbhan category.

Now you have Anil Sharma’s Vanvaas taking this troupe to a whole new level.

Synopsis

Utkarsh Sharma in Vanvaas — Utkarsh Sharma in ‘Vanvaas’. (X)

The story of Vanvaas follows the emotional turmoil of Nana Patekar’s Deepak Tyagi. A retired man living with his three sons and daughters-in-law. He often reminisces about his dead wife Vimla Tyagi (a graceful Khushboo).

Deepak is in the early stages of dementia, apart from dementia he also has a nature of trying to correct everything. His idealistic nature frustrates the family to no end. The children along with the daughters-in-law devise a plan of abandoning him.

On the pretext of celebrating his birthday in Varanasi, they decide to abandon him at an old age home. However things don’t go according to plan, instead the family leaves him in the Ghats and paints a picture of him dying.

Deepak has zero memory of where he lives, at this stage, his path crosses with that of a small-time crook Veeru (Utkarsh Sharma). They form an unlikely bond bringing a huge change in Veeru.

On the shoulders of Nana Patekar

Nana Patekar in Vanvaas — Nana Patekar in ‘Vanvaas’. (X)

It goes without saying that Nana Patekar, along with Utkarsh Sharma, majorly keeps the film afloat. Nana Patekar is a seasoned actor who doesn’t need a particular introduction; here, too, he delivers a commanding performance.

He makes the viewers feel the pain by bringing in a lot of emotional depth. A particular mention must be made of the scenes where the character grapples with dementia, unable to remember anything. He somehow makes the melodramatic lines work with his conviction.

Utkarsh Sharma shows significant improvement compared to his performances in Genius (2018) and Gadar 2 (2023). Although his Banarasi accent is inconsistent, he still does a fine job showcasing the different nuances, whether it’s the early portrayal of a small-time crook or the gradual transformation.

His chemistry with Nana Patekar is spot on, whether it’s the drunken conversation or the intense scenes where Veeru feels he’s had enough of Deepak’s tantrums.

Among the supporting actors, Rajpal Yadav as a fellow crook makes the maximum impact. His camaraderie with Utkarsh is a delight to watch.

The music by Mithoon is for the most part soulful perfectly aligning with the movie’s tone. Among the songs, “Yadoon Ke Jharokhon” Se makes a big impact. The cinematography of Kabir Lal is also of a high standard.

Flaws

The biggest flaw of Vanvaas is the overt melodrama. In many places, the dramatic scenes come across as overstretched. Also, the characterizations of the sons and in-laws are too caricaturist, none of them come across as flesh and blood human beings.

Similarly, the love story between Utkarsh and Simrat Kaur has been severely undercooked. In fact, Nana Patekar and Khusboo in their limited scenes together share much better chemistry than the young leads.

Final take

Overall Vanvaas is strictly for die-hard Nana Patekar fans and those who enjoy this kind of melodrama.

(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/vanvaas-movie-review/