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Anaganaga: Simplistic core but a relevant story on the need to reinvent the education system

The starcast of Anaganaga

Anaganaga directed and written by Sunny Sanjay is part Taare Zameen Par and part Dead Poets society. What powers Anaganaga in spite of the regular cliches is the emotional core involving the father and son along with how it effectively captures the cut throat world of academic competition. Sumanth as Vyas delivers a nuanced performance conveying a lot with his gaze

Starcast: Sumanth, Kajal Choudhary, Viharsh, Srinivas Avasarala and others

Director and writer: Sunny Sanjay

Genre: Drama

Producers: Rakesh Reddy Gaddam and Rudra Madireddy

Production Company: Krishi Entertainments

Music: Chandu Ravi

Cinematography: Pavan Pappula

Running time: 2 hours and 16 minutes

Streaming site: ETV Win

Anaganaga streaming on ETV Win is a khichdi of numerous movies, a rebellious teacher whose methods feel alien and how he or she transforms the students lives. However stories on the flawed education system has a relevancy to it as the problems still persist, the academic pressures of getting solid marks is something which numerous students face and same goes to the school management specifically the international schools who are in a race.

Sunny Sanjay as a writer and director does a fine job in addressing these themes through a strong father and son story. The plot focuses on the unconventional methods of Sumanth’s Vyas. He is a major advocate of concept based learning, his emphasis is on the students understanding the concept rather than just memorize everything. Vyas uses the method of storytelling in order to makes studies more engaging however the wife Bhagya played by a solid Kajal Choudhary doesn’t approve of his methods. Apart from being a wife and a mother Bhagya is also the school principle in which their son is studying. Things take a major turn when their son along with some more students fail in the exams. The management makes a decision of removing Vyas. The rest of the story focuses on what Vyas does next and how he pursues his goal of concept based learning through alternative methods.

A strong aspect of Anaganaga is the relatable family drama whether it is the husband and wife arguments over the clash of ideologies or the son’s emotional struggle with studies. This aspect makes the movie stand out from the other films which have depicted teachers fighting against the education system.

Sunny Sanjay deserves a major credit for how has developed the character of Bhagya. On the surface she may come across as coldhearted but at the same time as viewers you understand where she is coming from. Bhagya is the main bread winner of the family so there is a lot of financial stress on her, this often results her in clashing with the husband who isn’t after money much, additionally their ideas of parenting also vary. This clash of ideologies has come out well without going over the top. There is also nice understated romantic moments between the two like the portion where Vyas pacifies his wife. Later on we see Bhagya understanding her husband’s point of view.

Mention must also be made of how the director and writer has portrayed the dark side of academic competition. There is a scene of class toppers being rewarded on the podium, on the other hand those who have failed are publicly called out. Sunny Sanjay gives an important message on the need for empathy in education and how the race for marks and top ranks are harmful in the long run.

The father and son scenes are another plus for the movie. The way Vyas helps his son in gradually getting over his academics and stage fear lead to some poignant moments. A shared moment over Musfa and Simba story from the movie lion King adds an emotional depth specifically in the pre climax block. Viharsh as Ram does a very fine job inn conveying both the vulnerability and the eventual transformation. Anu Hassan’s extended cameo also deserves a mention, it gives an insight into Vyas formative years. She adds a lot of warmth giving Vyas a direction at an important juncture of his life. As Vyyas Sumanth perfectly embodies the quiet strength of a man who has firm belief on storytelling being a very good tool. He particularly shines in the portions involving the son. Among the rest Srinivas Avasarala suffers on the account of a stereotypical characterization. He does a fair job but the role needed more nuances than just being an opposition to Vyas.

Talking about the technical departments Chandu Ravi’s music is soothing. Mention must also be made of Pavan Kumar’s cinematography. He does a fine job in capturing the nuances of concept based learning through his lens.

A song from Anaganaga

A major problem with Anaganaga is the done to death troupes involving Vyas challenge against the school management. The portions of Vyas retaliation and how he becomes a threat for the traditional schools needed more depth. The film could have benefited with some more exploration of Vyas’s methods. Also the miraculous transformation of the failed students overnight becomes tough to digest.

Final word: Anaganaga is an important watch particularly for those interested in stories related to education.

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Subham: A whacky ride filled with laughs and strong feminist message

The star cast of Subham

Cinema Bandi director Praveen Kandregula presents a far fetched yet an interesting tale by using the stale nature of TV serials as a background to explore the concept of the hugely popular Alpha male image. The movie successfully dwells into what married women really want by critiquing a certain idea of masculinity. In a way the movie feels like a jibe on director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s idea of a hyper aggressive male

Starcast: Harshith Reddy, Srinivas Gavireddy, Charan Peri, Shriya Kontham, Shravani Lakshmi, Shalini Kondepudi and others special appearance (Samantha Ruth Prabhu)

Director: Praveen Kandregula

Writer: Vasanth Mariganti

Producer: Samantha

Production house: Tralala Moving Pictures

Music: Vivek Sagar and Shor Police

Cinematography: Mridul Sujit Sen

Running time: 2 hours and 5 minutes

TV Serials also called daily soaps form an integral part of many middle class households. Numerous housewives particularly of a certain strata are addicted to them, its their only form of entertainment. They get very emotionally attached to the various trials and tribulations of the primary female characters in the serials. Their attachment is used by the television directors to stretch the episodes endlessly with more melodrama filled with portions of abuse. Praveen Kandregula along with writer Vasanth Mariganti use this addiction of TV serials in the format of a horror comedy. There is a constant satarization of both melodrama and a lack of logic often found in daily soaps, underneath the laughs though the movie also presents a strong social critique leaving the viewers with an important message on how a modern male should not be.

Without giving much away Subham focuses on a group of three friends led by Srinu (Harshith Reddy). Compared to his other two friends specifically the character played by Srinivas Gavireddy Srinu comes across as a soft guy with dreams of being a perfect husband. However the other two encourage him to be an Alpha man. In simple terms they want him to come across as a rough guy through his voice and overall demeanor. Things take a huge turn for Srinu when his wife Srivalli (Shriya Konatham) completely ignores him on the wedding night getting absorbed in a serial. This leads to a series of incidents turning the lives of not just Srinu but the other married men too upside down. Samantha has an extended cameo as a female baba with an eccentric nature.

Shriya Konatham as Srivalli

A strong aspect of Subham is the director’s effective use of a fictional TV serial in exploring a rather misguided notion of masculinity. There is a brilliant scene in the second half when the three wives talk to the actor playing the lead role. They question him about the big change in the protagonist from how he started to how he has become. They specifically mention certain episodes where the hero used to be very adorable with sweet gestures. The actor replies by talking about the rising TRPS because of the guy becoming more rough and behaving like an Alpha or toxic male. He further adds about women preferring these kind of men in real life. This entire portion of arguments made by the actor and the counter arguments to that is the soul of the movie and pushes the story beyond a standard horror comedy.

The characterizations of the three men with specific character traits is another big strength of the movie. Srinivas Gavireddy gets the movie’s funniest moments, his role is of a proud Alpha male, he is very boastful about dominating the wife through just a click of hand. The portions where he gets a reality check gives the movie some of its best laughs. By breaking his notions the movie redefines the concept of popular masculinity, the movie talks about the importance in understanding and there by empathizing with the women in your lives.

In more ways than one the movie takes a strong dig in the way mainstream heroes are being presented. Mention must also be made of scene where one of the protagonists is getting down on his knees in order to propose but the other two stop him, on surface its a simple act but underneath it reflects a certain kind of thinking.

Praveen Kandregula also deserves credit for the various potshots he takes at the lack of logic and stretching on episodes just because a population of women are obsessed about it. There is a wonderful meta scene where the serial hero is talking on the phone expressing his anguish about the missing wife and saying that he will definitely find her. Cut to the next shot the heroine is seen walking while the hero is busy talking on the phone. By the time he puts the phone down the heroine has walked away. This leads to an elderly woman fuming about the proceedings.

Talking about the laugh out loud moments a specific mention must be made of the portion where all the men are completely scared and out of their wits, yet they don’t utter a word to each other. Underneath the laughs it also reflects a certain kind of loneliness. The scenes of Samantha with the three protagonists also raise ample chuckles. Samantha’s character is again a spoof on the intense babas that we generally see in movies of this nature. Samantha is an absolute riot with her expressions and the way she uses her body language.

Samantha in an extended special appearance

The cast of Praveen Kandregula’s Cinema Bandi is also seen in this movie. They have been smartly integrated into the main plot, among the Cinema Bandi actors Rag Mayur makes his presence felt. Among the technical departments Mridul Sujit Sen does a fine job in capturing the place of Bheemli, in spite of the horror situation there is a certain beauty as well. The background score of Vivek Sagar also adds to the narrative.

The performances of all the actors is very good but the ones who stand out are Srinivas Gavireddy and Shriya Konatham.

Final word: Its good to see actresses putting their money behind projects like these which question patriarchy in a subtle way.

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The Queen of Mahismati: A satisfying conclusion

The best part of the Bahubali novels is the detailed manner in which Anand Neelakantan has sketched the character of Sivagamini unlike the movies where she is just one of the important characters. A major highlight of the third book is the depiction of the Kalekaya tribe who got a very raw deal in the first Bahubali movie.

The third part of Anand Neelakantan’s trilogy primarily focuses on the increasing rise of Sivagamini. In this final chapter she becomes a queen navigating various battles under the guidance of Maharaja Somadeva, she has to navigate numerous political intrigues. At the same time Sivagamini is also forced to make difficult choices regarding love and ambition.

Much like the first two books a major highlight of this one too is Mahadeva. There is a very endearing quality to him in terms of his righteous nature. It’s easy to see from where Bahubali gets the ideals of justice and a sense of what is right and wrong. Mahadeva more often than not feels like an odd one out when compared to the other key characters specifically Somadeva and Bijjladeva. The understated romance between them makes the readers wish that Sivagamini and Mahadeva had an happily ever after.

Another big strength of the novel is the subplot of Kalekaya’s. In the movie the subplot comes across as very jarring due to a lack of subtext however in the novel it’s a very different case. Anand Neelakantan has done a fine job in giving a social subtext into the civilazation of these people. The way Anand Neelakantan has presented the cultural background of the Kalekaya and their vanquished civilization gives the readers a fresh perspective.

Coming to the titular character the growth of Sivagamini continues to enthrall. On numerous occasions the inner strength of Sivagamini comes out in a striking manner. The various dilemmas that she goes through particularly regarding her feelings with Mahadeva makes you root for the woman in spite of her somewhat ruthless nature. Anand Neelakantan truly deserves distinction marks for how he has built the character over the three books. Wish the novels are made into a solid web series one day. Through the character of Sivagamini Anand Neelakantan has written an empowered woman someone is both bold and capable of handling any tough situation irrespective of how hard it may appear.

The war sequences have also been well conceptualized creating an immersive experience for the readers. There is a lot of detailing. Mention also be made of the impactful social commentary. There are many meaningful quotes in the novel, some of them are as follows

1 Evil happens not because there are evil men, but because good people stand by indifferent to the deeds of evil men.

2 Politics is about mining religion and selling what is holy

3 Give some charity and there will always be people to defend you, even if you have committed a series of murders

4 I don’t think the world is as evil as we all think. Even in the worst of men there is a sense of goodness. We need to water it with love and nurture it with trust.

As far as the other characters go Kattapa’s role is a static as ever with no fresh dimensions in comparison to the movie however the triology does give a better understanding of his personal life and his devotion to Mahismati kingdom. The character of Sivappa in the third novel too is disappointing. Its sad to see a character of great potential from the first part going waste.

Final word: The Queen of Mahismati is a treat for fans of Bahubali movies and lovers of fantasy novels.

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Nani: From soft to rugged…versatile all the way

A banner of Some Nani movies

An overview into how Nani has evolved as an artist over the years with roles that have covered different spectrums. His rise from a midbudget hero to a major star actor and the various aspects that have contributed to his success both as an actor and producer

There is an interesting moment in Hit 3 when the antagonist Pratik Babbar meets Nani’s Arjun Sarkar unaware of being him a police officer in the homicide intervention team. He looks at Nani and talks about him having a soft face. To this Nani replies that the audiences also think the same but there’s a different personality to me. This serves as a self referential dialogue on how Nani began as an actor with roles like Ashta Chamma, Ala Modalaindi and Bale Bale Magadivoy among others and how he has gradually expanded his repertoire by doing a wide variety of roles, for example in 2023 there was Dasara and Hi Nanna both extremely different from each other.

Hi Nanna and Dasara two very different roles

In Dasara he played a rustic young man stealing coal for a living along with his friend. Nani’s character of Dharani starts off as more of a coward unlike the friend who is more desirable with leadership qualities. However as the movie progresses the personality of Dharani undergoes a major change with different shades. Nani completely shed his boy next door persona getting into the skin of the character, whether it was the dialect or the overall body language, Dasara was the first glimpse of Nani going more rustic with choice of roles. Hi Nanna on the other hand is a very different territory. In this movie Nani’s role goes from a young lover to a father who can do anything for his daughter, his chemistry with the brilliant Mrunal Thakur whether it is the scenes of love at first sight or the more emotionally charged ones were the biggest ace of the movie. In spite of certain similarities with the national award winning Jersey the actor made the viewers root for Viraj to have a happy ending.

Starting from his debut movie Ashta Chamma in 2008 Nani has acted in at least 37 movies so far. Apart from acting Nani has also forayed very successfully into production with Wall Poster Cinema. Under the banner Wall Poster Cinema Nani has produced 6 movies so far. Prashanti Tipirneni also plays an active part in this production house. The first movie produced under Wall Poster Cinema was Awe directed by Prashanth Varma. The movie is by no means perfect still it was a daring experiment dwelling into themes of sexual abuse, lesbianism etc. With his very first production venture Nani showed his intention of backing new voices who are off mainstream. Even in the case of Sailesh Kolanu the director of the hugely growing Hit franchise, he was neither an assistant director to someone nor coming from a filmy background. But still Nani still trusted him based on what he wrote and the rest as they say is history. The latest example of Nani’s risking taking ability is the movie Court about the misuse of POCSO. The film’s director Ram Jagadeesh is also a debutant like the above mentioned ones and he completely justified the faith of Nani. A big reason for the movie’s success were the active promotions and the confidence with which Nani backed the movie, it is easily one of the biggest hits of 2025 in terms of money invested and the returns got.

Nani from Ashta Chamma movie

Awe the first movie produced by Nani

Before making his acting debut Nani was a popular radio jockey in world space radio with his own set of fans, he hosted a show called Non-Stop Nani and true to its name it was a nonstop success. He has also worked as an assistant director under the likes of late Bapu among others. One of Nani’s major strengths is his voice modulation, the way he modulates the voice perfectly according to the scene makes him a very good actor apart from a big star.

Following are some of my most favorite Nani performances starting from Ashta Chamma across different genres.

1 Ashta Chamma: In this Indraganti Mohankrishna directorial Nani played a village head burdened by the responsibilities of delivering justice. In order to make his life more enjoyable the character Rambabu often goes to the city leading a dual life. Nani impressed everyone with a skilful performance particularly in the scenes of desperation. He raised ample chuckles in the combo scenes with Srinivas Avasarala. It was a very confident performance without any rawness of a debut actor.

2 Yevade Subramanyam: Nag Ashwin’s directorial debut was a very daring one with the themes of materialism and self discovery among others. In this movie Nani played a young man obsessed with numbers and climbing the social ladder. Nani’s character of Subramanyam resonates with many young men even today. Nani portrayed the role of Subramanyam in a very mature manner whether it is his initial attitude of success at any cost and the eventual transformation that Subramanyam goes through. Although it isn’t a crowd pleasing role still Nani made the character relatable maybe for every generation.

A still from Yevede Subramanyam

3 Jersey: In Jersey Nani played the role of an ex cricketer making a comeback after a long time. The role of Arjun comes with numerous shades and a lot of emotional turmoil, Nani did a fantastic job in bringing alive the different emotions whether it is the helplessness of a father who doesn’t have much money or inner turmoil Arjun goes through at various stages. The scenes between Nani and the child actor played by a wonderful Ronit Kamra were a major ace of the film.

Nani and child actor Ronit Kamra

4 Bhale Bhale Magadivoy: In this comic entertainer Nani was an absolute riot as a happy go lucky guy suffering from major memory loss. He brought the house down on multiple occasions like the scene where Murali Sharma character comes to the house. The way he covers the memory loss in front of the heroine was truly a laughter ride. Apart from humorous scenes Nani also shined in the emotional ones where Lucky losses the trust of the heroine. A specific emotional outburst between Nani and the mother showed the actor’s all round ability.

Nani was an absolute riot

5 Ninnu Kori: Ninnu Kori saw Nani in a grey shaded role. An hurt ex lover who firmly believes that the heroine played by Nivetha Thomas has not gotten over him. In the second half there are numerous scenes of hurt along with bitterness and Nani made the viewers feel the pain of Uma. He did a fantastic job in portraying the grey areas getting empathy from the viewers in spite of the not so likeable actions.

6 V: Indraganti Mohankrishna’s V didn’t completely satisfy the fans of action thrillers. The movie suffered from predictable character arcs, having said Nani truly had a blast with his character. It was very clear that he relished the dark shades and the freedom of not playing a hero bound by morality. Nani’s performance majorly uplifted the movie. A specific mention must be made of the scenes with the passengers. The dark humor in them and the way Nani portrayed it was a delight to watch.

Nani in V

7 Hit 3: Hit 3 saw Nani in his boldest avatar a psycho cop known for brutal violence. There is a lot of violatilness to the role and Nani simply aced it. He carried the movie on his shoulders with brilliant intensity. At the same time what makes the performance stand out is Nani’s ability to generate humour through serious dialogues. The actor’s Hindi in a scene where he interrogates a Kashmiri criminal is a very good example of this. Nani also turned the charm on in the romantic track with Srindhi Shetty, it was very smartly integrated into the main plot.

Nani as the psycho cop Arjun Sarkar known for his brutal violence

Going by his career graph so far it’s clear that Nani has long term goals in satisfying both himself and the audiences. A clear indication of this is him backing new talent and promoting diverse stories both as an actor and producer.

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Khauf: A slow burn paranormal thriller about the horrors of patriarchy

Khauf web series

Pankaj Kumar and Surya Balakrishnan’s Khauf juxtaposes the real world issues with the traditional jump scares. The series gives a strong message on how a certain kind of men are more dangerous than the supernatural entities. The show isn’t perfect by all means but there is a lot to like led by an explosive Monika Panwar. Rajat Kapoor and Geetanjali Kulkarni also make their presence amply felt.

Starcast: Monika Panwar. Rajat Kapoor, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Chum Darang and others

Genre: Horror

Directors: Pankaj Kumar and Surya Balakrishnan

Writer and creator: Smita Singh

Producers: Sarita Patil, Vipin Agnihotri etc

Production Company: Matchbox shots

Cinematography: Pankaj Kumar

No of episodes: 8

Streaming site: Amazon Prime

In the last few years the horror genre has undergone a major reinvention with stories that go beyond creaking doors, there has been a conscious effort to give these plots a social subtext whether it is the whacky Stree films directed by Aamir Kaushik or Tumbbad a psychological horror/thriller about the devastating consequences of unlimited greed. Vishal Furia’s Chhorii movies also dealt with societal aspects combining elements of horror. The web series Khauf is a good addition to this trend. The major victory of the two directors is how they perfectly merge the real world issues faced by modern young women and combining that with the usual spooky elements.

The story of Khauf primarily revolves around Madhu (Monika Panwar). She has moved from Gwalior to a women’s hostel in Delhi. She is looking to make a fresh start but the room that she has been assigned comes with a dark past. Running parallel to this is the hakim played by a creepy Rajat Kapoor. He preys on young vulnerable girls in order to prolong his life. Geetanjali Kulkarni plays Madhuri, she is an alcoholic cop in search of her missing son. This is the story in brief nothing more can be revealed.

A strong aspect of Khauf web series is the technical department led by a brilliant Pankaj Kumar. Pankaj Kumar is a very reputed cinematographer whose work in Tumbbaad is hugely admired. Here too he brings the same level of craft, the hostel in which the young women stay becomes a major character in itself. He does a very good job in capturing a certain sense of claustrophobia. The long silences and a certain kind of lighting add to the eerie atmosphere. The setting of the story also plays a significant part in building up the tension. Delhi city has some shameful scars in cases related to atrocities on women and this includes not just the gruesome Nirbhaya case. Grounding the show in Delhi makes the horror elements even more chilling.

The hostel becomes a major character in itself

The show also does a very fine job in addressing the different issues faced by modern females. The way Madhuri juggles between the haunting past of the room and the men who prey on women gives the show some of its best moments. Monika Pawar does a fantastic job in showcasing the different emotions like anxiety and rage. The young actress is also mighty impressive in the portions where Madhuri becomes more confident after being possessed by a certain thing. Rajat Kapoor is also fantastic as a man who has zero regret about the evil things that he does. He brings in the right amount of creepiness instilling fear in the viewers minds. Geetanjali Kulkarni is also top class in a grey shaded role. The way she oscillates between a tough police women and a worried mother of an erratic boy is a delight to watch. The hostel mates played by Chum Darang, Priyanka Setia and Aasheema Vardan also make their presence amply felt. Each of these character represent a different facet of the problems faced by an everyday women in today’s society. Through their tracks the director duo of Pankaj Kumar and Surya Balakrishnan have addressed the aspect of societal expectations among other things.

Chum Darang as one of the hostel mates

A major issue with Khauf is the use of trauma as the only way to give agency for a victim, It becomes both cliched and problematic. Also the show’s tonal shift from ghosts to internalized trauma could have been handled better, a sense of clumsiness creeps in. The etching of the romantic relationship also leaves something to be desired. Abhishek Chauhan as Arun renders an instant likeability as the sweet and reliable boyfriend but the love story would have been more heartwarming with better depth.

Watch Khauf if you are a fan of horror stories mixed with social commentary

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Raid 2: More or less the same beats but works as a utopian tale of delivering justice

Ritesh Desmukh in Raid 2

Ritesh Desmukh’s avatar of a crooked and suave politician under the guise of a philanthropist is the most interesting part of this Rajkumar Gupta directorial. Ritesh once again proves that he is a very capable actor who can go beyond comic roles. Saurabh Shukla returns back as Tauji and the veteran actor is a complete hoot with his sarcastic humor and punch lines.

Starcast: Ajay Devgan, Ritesh Deshmukh, Vani Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla, Amit Sial and others

Genre: Crime thriller

Director and writer: Rajkumar Gupta

Additional writers: Ritesh Shah, Karan Vvyas and Jaideep Yadav

Producers: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar and others

Production Companies: T- Series Films and Panorama Studios

Music: Amit Trivedi, Rochchak Kohli etc.

Cinematography: Sudhir K. Chaudhary

Running time: 2 hours and 18 minutes

One way to describe the Raid movies is utopian tales of social justice, the reason being in today’s age honest income tax officers conducting raids on powerful people is a distant dream. Many are aware about the manipulative nature of the investigative departments and the way they have been used by the ruling party. In that sense both the Raid movies are more of aspirational tales on how an income tax officer should actually be like. Ajay Devgan as Amay Patnaik fits the bill perfectly given his larger-than-life image and also a solid presence.

Raid 2 primarily focuses on the Amay Patnaik’s 75th raid. In the initial portions of the movie Amay is accused of corruption charges. However this just turns out to be a facade on expected lines. Amay is actually collecting information on Ritesh Deshmukh’s Dada Bai, a suave politician with the image of a benevolent man. The local population of Bhoj considers Dada Bai as their god but beneath the philanthropist facade Dada Bai is actually a crooked politician with multiple crimes. The story focuses on the various hurdles faced by Amay Patnaik in bringing out the truth of Dada Bai with the help of certain people like Amit Sial’s Lallan Sudhir.

A major strength of Raid 2 is the battle of wits between Ajay and Ritesh Desmukh. The way Dada Bai outsmarts Amay Patnaik in the first half gives the movie some of its best moments. Ritesh presents a very calm demeanor systematically destroying all the evidence. The first half ends with Amay being suspended, also his reputation of a honest income tax officer goes for a toss.

Ritesh Desmukh as Dada bai is more of a sophisticated politician who doesn’t get his hands dirty but gets the work done through his men. This works as an interesting contrast to Saurabh Shukla’s Tauji who was more rustic. Also, the duality in the characterization of Dada Bai has come out well. This can be particularly seen in the way he worships his mother every morning by washing her feet. The mother played by Supriya Pathak considers her son to be an epitome of virtue when the actual reality is different.

It’s a long time since Ritesh has done something outside comedy and the actor does a very good job in portraying the different facets of Dada Bai. The way he exudes menace mostly through the eyes is brilliant to watch. Raid 2 once again shows Ritesh’s ability in adapting to different characters. This is another impactful performance from the actor who has proved that he is capable of doing more than just comedies, easily Ritesh’s best work post EK Villain.

Mention must also be made of Saurabh Shukla and Amit Sial, they contribute to some very entertaining moments. Saurabh Shukla is an absolute hoot with his punch lines; specific mention must be made of the scenes where Tauji takes pleasure in the downfall of Dada Bai. Amit Sial too makes his presence amply felt with his witty one liners. He plays the eccentric nature of Lallan Sudhir perfectly raising ample chuckles.

Amit Sial as Lallan Sudhir

A major problem with Raid 2 is the familiar beats coupled with Ajay Devgan’s characterization. There isn’t much of an upgrade to the role, as a result there is nothing new that Ajay brings to the table. Of course, the actor slips into the role with practiced ease, the serious gaze and the overall body language helps. However, there is a stale nature to his scenes because as viewers you know that Amay is completely pure and will win the battle.

Vani Kapoor also doesn’t add much to the proceedings other than looking gorgeous. Unlike Ileana she gets more to do but the romantic track and the overall arc doesn’t contribute anything significant to the movie. Supriya Pathak as the naive mother who later gets to know of the reality about her son fares much better.

Vani Kapoor as the supportive wife

Songs come across as more of speed breakers; however Tammana does look sizzling hot in the special number Nasha. The actress exudes a lot of sensuousness with her belly moves. Having said that the remixed version of “Paise Ye Paise” from Karz movie does make an impact. The placement of the song is absolutely perfect.

Watch Raid 2 if you are in the mood for a utopian tale of social justice and Ritesh Deshmukh’s acting

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Hit 3: Nani’s mass jathara

Nani as the psycho cop from Hit The Third Case

The rooted texture of the first two Hit movies is absent here. The third part comes across as more of an ultra mass showreel for Nani, nevertheless the actor’s intense performance coupled with his swag as well as Sanu Varghese’s cinematography makes it a delightful watch for fans of violent investigative dramas, for the rest it might feel like an ovedose

Starcast: Nani, Srinidhi Shetty, Samuthrikani, Rao Ramesh and others

Genre: Action

Director and writer: Sailesh Kolanu

Producer: Prashanti Tripirneni

Production Companies: Wall Poster Cinema and Unanimous Productions

Music: Mickey J Meyer

Cinematography: Sanu Varghese

Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Sailesh Kolanu’s directorial debut Hit 1 also called as Hit- The First Case released with minimal expectations but surprised everyone with its taut storytelling. It was a major success for its leading man Vishwak Sen who hasn’t been to capitalize on the strong foundation given by the movie. In spite of the logical loopholes and a weak climax it came across as a fresh of breadth air from the formulaic storytelling. The second part of Hit with Adavi Sesh was an ever bigger success, now you have the third part with Nani. Over the last few years Nani’s stardom has increased significantly thanks to his versatile roles and overall persona. Among the mid budget heroes Nani has made rapid strides establishing himself as a star actor. An outsider who has risen to the top with sheer handwork.

Vishwak Sen, Adavi Sesh and Nani from the first three Hit movies and now Karthi in the upcoming Hit 4

The one line story for all the Hit movies would be police officers belonging to the Homicide intervention team dealing with twisted criminals. The third installment of this growing franchise is no different. Nani plays Arjun Sarkar a psycho cop with his own methods, he treats criminals in an extremely brutal manner often indulging in custodial violence. According to him a criminal who cannot reformed should be buried under the ground. The movie focuses on a series of murders following a similar pattern and how Arjun Sarkar infiltrates a particular psychotic gang.

It goes without saying that Nani’s histrionics is the biggest asset of Hit 3. The actor completely imbibes the intensity of Arjun Sarkar starting from the aggressive and ruthless body language. Arjun Sarkar is someone who comes with a streak of short temperedness making him very volatile and Nani absolutely nails the different nuances. At the same time he also raises ample chuckles even in serious situations. Nani’s use of Hindi language in a scene involving a Kashmiri criminal deserves a specific mention. In the action sequences the actor truly comes across as a one man army with the ferocious attitude.

Nani as the violent cop

However there is also a different side to Arjun Sarkar in the portions with the leading lady Srindhi Shetty. There is a visible softness in the scenes of understated romance and Nani completely turns the charm on.

Apart from Nani’s first rate act Sanu Varghese cinematography is also of a very high order whether it is the Kashmir portions or the second half when the movie moves into a survival drama. The way he has captured the high voltage action sequences of the second half is a delight for action junkies. The location of a dense forest set in Arunachal Pradesh becomes an important character in itself too. Mickey J Myer’s songs are all right but his background music is more impactful in the intense moments.

Srindhi Shetty starts off as a typical love interest but the way Sailesh integrates her track into the main one with a certain twist makes their portions more than just your standard love story. Srindhi Shetty gives a good account of herself. Samuthrikani as Nani’s father gives the movie some much needed light moments. The sequences of banter between Nani and Samuthrikani is fun to watch. Adavi Sesh in an extended special appearance makes his entry at a critical juncture, he reprises his role of KD from the second part. The actor is usual charismatic self.

Nani and Srinidhi Shetty

Talking about the portions of custodial violence on some occasions Arjun Sarkar is questioned about his brutal methods by his boss specifically in the Kashmir segment. A major unrest happens in Kashmir due to Arjun Sarkar’s handling, this eventually leads to him being transferred as well. Sailesh Kolanu doesn’t dig deep into the criticism that Arjun Sarkar faces and on numerous occasions the movie seems to be celebrating the violent attitude of Arjun. However the purpose for which Arjun is fighting makes a huge difference unlike SJ Suryah in Saripodhaa Sanivaaram an unhinged cop who takes out his frustrations on a group of innocent people.

A major problem with Hit 3 is the lack of a strong villain. Pratik Babbar as the leader of a twisted online gang is suitably psychotic but fails to make a major impact due to the weak characterization. Sailesh attempts to make a social comment on the consumption of violence with the scenarios resembling the Korean web show Squid Games but this track needed more texture.

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Phule: A hard-hitting tale of revolution and solid companionship

Director Ananth Mahadevan is very successful in making the viewers feel that they are travelling alongside Jyothiba and Savitri Bhai Phule. The initial documentary style approach does take a while getting used to but soon the viewers get immersed in their fight against various social injustices. A strong aspect of Phule are its crisp yet highly impactful dialogues particularly those of Pratik Gandhi. The movie also speaks to today’s times during an important sequence. The spine of Phule is the solid companionship that Jyotiba and Savitri share which is rare to find both of and on screen.

  • Starcast: Pratik Gandhi, Patralekha, Vinay Pathak, Darsheel Safary, Alex O Niel and others
  • Genre: Biographical drama
  • Director and writer: Ananth Mahadevan
  • Producers: Sunil Jain, Ritesh Kudecha etc
  • Production Companies: Dancing Shiva Films and Kingsmen Productions
  • Music: Rohan–Rohan
  • Cinematography: Sunita Radia
  • Running time: 2 hours and 15 minutes

The immense work done by the husband-and-wife Jyotiba and Savitri bhai Phule is very difficult to capture in a movie format. The major reason for that is the duo fought against many evils which still exist in some form or the other. Phule much like Sandhya Suri’s Santhosh has also been through censorship issues with the CBFC demanding certain modifications due to the dialogues related to Manusmriti. Fortunately for genuine movie lovers Phule has managed to hit the screens though very few unlike Santhosh which may never see the light of the day. Irrespective of the censorship modifications there is no denying that Phule packs a strong punch with its understated approach and sharp dialogues. Director Anant Mahadevan along with his team have done a very authentic job in bringing alive those times.

Pratik Gandhi and Patralekha in the roles of the iconic social reformers

In simple terms the story of Phule focuses on the tumultuous and inspiring journey undertaken by the visionary couple during the times of British India. The movie begins in 1897 during a horrific plague leading to a mass migration. This horrific plague eventually results in the death of Savitri Bhai Phule (Patralekha). From here the story moves into a flashback zone where all the important events are covered starting from Savitri bhai’s early years and Jyotiba (Pratik Gandhi) educating his young wife.

Real life social reformers

A major strength of Phule are its brilliant atmospherics. Director Ananth Mahadevan along with his cinematographer Sunita Radia do a first-rate job in bringing alive the social atmosphere of 19th century Maharashtra. The movie has a lived-in feel transporting the viewers effortlessly into those times whether it is the portions of Maharashtrian hinter lands or a sense of claustrophobia in the caste ridden society of Pune. The styling of the actors is also excellent as the clothes they wear perfectly reflect that particular time period.

Apart from authentically recreating the time period Ananth Mahadevan also does a very fine job in showcasing the solid companionship that the two shared. The way both of them pretty much do every social activity together and the tenderness with which Jyothiba treats his wife is an absolute delight to watch. Special mention must be made of the scenes where Jyothiba gives equal credit to Savitri and how he defends her whenever the father tries to hurt Savitri and suggests second marriage. Jyothiba comes across as a true feminist, the love and affection that Jyothiba and Savitri have each other is tough to find in any married couple whether it is of the past and present. Often times a lot is communicated through simple gestures.

Talking about the social commentary the movie avoids a typical bombastic approach, instead the reliance is on sharp dialogues. A very good example of this is a courtroom scene where Jyothiba questions an upper caste lawyer on avoiding a barber by doing his own shaving. There is another important bit when Jyothiba is honored with the title of Mahatma. He makes significant points on how people are so easily provoked in the name of religion and caste, in a way he has foreshadowed today’s political atmosphere. He ends the speech by talking about the need to keep alive the spark of revolution.

Mention must also be made of how Anant Mahadevan has depicted his British characters. More often than not the British officials in Indian movies are presented in an extremely caricaturist way. Shoojit Sarcar’s Sardar Udham Singh is one of the few exceptions. Regular foreign actor Alex O ‘ Niel adds an interesting layer as the British collector who has genuine empathy towards Jyotiba and Savitri Bhai Phule’s social crusade, at the same time he is also bound by the constraints of imperialism. Alex O Niel plays his role with a lot of understatedness. Both the writing and acting make sure that his character doesn’t come across as a typical caricature.

The background score coupled with the music also add to the movies immersive tone. The love ballad Sathi in particular is very tuneful sung melodiously by Monali Thakur. It immortalizes the deep love that Jyothiba and Savitri bhai had each other. On the other hand, there is the revolutionary number, Dhun Lagi. This song works as a perfect companion piece in the portions of revolution.

Both Pratik Gandhi and Patralekha get into the skin of their respective characters coming up with stirring performances. Pratik Gandhi imbibes Jyothiba with a quiet intensity, his eyes particularly convey a lot of emotions whether it is showcasing pain at the plight of lower caste people or the determination to bring a revolutionary change. Mention must also be made of how he portrays the affectionate and tender nature of Phule. With this act Pratik Gandhi once again, proves that he is an extremely versatile actor. Patralekha too disappears into the role portraying the grit of Savitri bhai Phule. She perfectly captures the strong feminist spirit proving to be a perfect foil for Pratik Gandhi. A specific mention must be made of the scene where she is threatened by an upper caste man. Instead of retreating Savitra Bhai holds her ground with a solid response. The intensity with which Patralekha portrays the fiery nature is simply fantastic. The chemistry between Pratik and Patralekha in the moments of tender romance particularly stands out.

The supporting cast led by Vinay Pathak and Darsheel Safary also do a fine job. A mention must be made of Akshaya Gurav as Fatima Sheikh. She brings in the required fire proving to be a perfect support for the husband and wife. Through her role Ananth Mahadevan touches upon the angle of communal harmony too. Vinay Pathak in the role of Govindrao also makes his presence amply felt as the anthesis to Jyotiba’s revolutionary thinking.

Hope more people see the film in theaters given the relevance of Jyotiba’s ideology.

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Sarangapani Jathakam: An interesting concoction of screwball comedy and social satire

Sarangapani Jathakam Priyadarshi

Sarangapani Jathakam marks a mini comeback for the respected filmmaker Indraganti Mohankrishna. In terms of of repeat value the movie doesn’t completely match up to the likes of Ashta Chamma and Sammohanam however there’s quite a bit to to enjoy for the viewers if you buy into Sarangapani’s eccentric behavior, the movie ends with a small yet an important message on the dangers of blind faith. The combo of Priyadarshi and Vennela Kishore are the films spine raising many chuckles

Starcast: Priyadarshi, Vennela Kishore, Viva Harsha, Roopa Koduvayur and others

Genre: Comedy

Director and writer: Indraganti Mohankrishna

Producer: Sivalenka Krishna Prasad

Music: Vivek Sagar

Production Company: Sridevi Movies

Cinematography: P.G. Vinda

Running time: 2 hours and 20 minutes

Indraganti Mohankrishna’s huge love for novels and how he incorporates them into his movies is a well known thing. Starting from his debut Grahanam the director has mostly taken inspiration from Telugu and English literature. A very good example of this is the Nani and Srinivas Avasarala starrer Ashta Chamma. The clear inspiration for the movie was Oscar Wilde’s hilarious play The Importance of Being Earnest. The novel was a farcical comedy dwelling into the themes of social expectations and class among others. The director did a fantastic job in Indianizing Oscar Wild’s novel majorly helped by the wonderful starcast . Sarangapani Jathakam is also inspired from Oscar Wild’s work, this time a semi comic tale Lord Arthur Savile’s crime. This absurd story followed the efforts of an aristocrat in committing a murder before marrying his fiancé, the reason being a palm reader says that lord Arthur would commit a murder and this man blindly believes in the prophecy leading to a lot of chaotic moments.

Director and writer Indraganti Mohankrishna places this story in the context of a young man’s obsession with astrology. Sarangapani played by a wonderfully eccentric Priyadashi attributes every good thing in his life due to a twist in his fate and miracles rather than his own personality and talent. The movie wastes no time in establishing Sarangapani’s obsession with astrology, in fact the movie begins with the protagonist tracking down horoscope predictions both on TV and in newspapers. In real life we often come across numerous individuals who have the traits of Sarangapani but here the eccentric nature is dialed up to a thousand. In simple terms the story focuses on how Sarangapani’s obsession with astrology turns his life upside down. The many problems that he faces both professionally and personally along with Sarangapani getting out of a self created mess.

Priyadarshi, Vennela Kishore and Viva Harsha

A major strength of Sarangapani is the whacky characterization of Priyadarshi coupled with his winsome performance. The way Priyadarshi portrays the sheer conviction of Sarangpani’s irrationality often brings the house down particularly if the viewers buy into his behavior. Priyadarshi brings the perfect mix of innocence and vulnerability showcasing a different facet of him after a serious role in Court. His conversations with Vennela Kishore needs to be specifically mentioned when the movie moves into a crime zone. The way Vennela Kishore’s Chandru plays along with his friend’s madness and the seriousness with which they make the plans of choosing an evil person raises ample chuckles.

Vennela Kishore with his dead pan humor and dialogue delivery perfectly compliments Priyadarshi’s histrionics. A particular stretch worth mentioning here is the track of a cantankerous old woman and a bewildered son. This portion delivers plenty of laughs with excellent wordplay. Priyadarshi and Vennela Kishore together majorly contribute to the movie’s entertainment quotient even when the proceedings start to get more absurd and illogical.

Mention must also be made of Viva Harsha’s Ramki. Ramki is a head waiter, he becomes a scapegoat in his friend’s elaborate plans. In spite of a very late entry Viva Harsha also raises chuckles with his quirky humor. The trio share a wonderful chemistry.

Just like Sammomohan Sarangpani Jathakam also critiques the media culture. In that movie Indraganti Mohankrishna mocked the gossip websites. In this one its about the troll economy, anonymous rage fueled by personal dissatisfaction. The movie also has some interesting pop culture references particularly a character’s obsession with alpha male. The movie also takes a jibe at the formulaic nature of mainstream Telugu screenwriting with a self aware tone.

A major drawback for Sarangapani Jathakam is the weakly written love story. Roopa Koduvyaar as Maithali has a lovely presence and plays her part with poise. The good thing about Maithali is that she is no push over however for the emotional drama to work better the love story needed more depth which is severely lacking here. The comedy takes a front seat as a result the love story gets majorly dialuted. Also the movie could have done with more psychological insight into the reasons behind Sarangapani’s obsession with horoscopes and astrology. The likes of VK Naresh and Tanikella Bharani also don’t make much of an impact majorly due to the loosely written characters. Srinivas Avasarala in the role of a flamboyant soothsayer has an interesting character design and he makes complete use of it in spite of the limited screen time. Vivek Sagar’s music is not of the standout variety but it goes with the flow of the movie.

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Sinners: An amalgamation of supernatural horror and poignant social commentary

Michael B Jordan in a double role as Smock and Stack

Sinners is a heady cocktail of several things like Afro American history and the threat of white supremacy. The movie takes a while to get going with a lot of first half established for the set up but soon the plot picks up pace when it moves to the supernatural zone. Director Ryan Coogler deserves utmost praise for how he gives a new twist to the vampire genre

Starcast: Michael B Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton and others

Genre: Horror

Director and Writer: Ryan Coogler

Producers: Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian etc

Production Companies: Warner Bros and Proximity Media

Cinematography: Autumn Durald Arkpaw

Music: Ludwing Gorannsson

Running time: 2 hours and 17 minutes

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is set in the period of 1930’s Mississippi. It follows the story of twin brothers both played by Michael B Jordan. After serving for long in world war 1 of Chicago the two return to their small southern town in the hope of making a fresh start. As part of this they open a juke joint. The purpose of the juke joint is for the local black community to enjoy themselves through a certain type of music, in this process having a sense of freedom. For the twin brothers the juke joint is a symbol of resistance and joy from a racist society. Everything seems to be going well but the joy is short lived due to a mysterious man Remmick (Jack O’ Connel). Soon the movie turns into a survival drama where one of the brothers along with some more are not just fighting for their lives but also the community’s soul.

Jack O Connell as Remmick

The first half of Sinners has a slow burn nature to it and this can become a major problem for those expecting more thrills. There is a lot of historical insight with establishing the numerous characters along with the interpersonal relationships. However this deliberate slow burn nature is also a plus because it helps in raising the emotional stakes when the story moves into the zone of race against time.

The best part of Sinners is how Ryan Coogler has used the vampire genre. He gives it a fresh twist by intersecting it with race, class and also the inheritance of American sin. The vampirism isn’t confined to being a metaphor here, it becomes a tool for examining power and survival.

The horror elements in the movie are not used for cliched jump scares but its more about the atmospherics and the terrible situation of seeing their loved ones perverted into something outwardly.

The vampires led by a delightfully devilish Jack O Connell represent the exploitation of black culture and how their cultural aspects are used and profited without any respect. In simple terms the character of Jack O Connell stands for the colonial power and the threat they pose to the black’s creativity.

One of the strongest sub plots in Sinners is the track involving Miles Caton as Saamiee also called as Preacher Boy. The evolution of Saamiee from a wide eyed young man to a scarred survivor gives the movie some of its best moments. The best part of the role and the performance is how Miles Caton never losses the core gentleness which Saamiee has. Miles Caton plays the complex character with absolute ease enriching the movie’s emotional core.

The movie also benefits from powerful dialogues like “They like our music, but not us,” The social commentary can also be seen through the presence of a clan called Ku Klux Klan. It acts as a perfect subtext for the real life horrors. Ku Klux Klan is an Christian extremist group with a lot of hate towards the black.

In the role of twin brothers Michael B Jordan does a very fine job in bringing out the subtle nuances through the use of body language. Another actor which needs to be specifically mentioned here is Hailee Steinfield. She too delivers a solid act bringing both tragedy and tension in equal part as Mary.

The period of 1930’s has also been skillfully recreated by Autumn Durald Arkpaw. The dusty landscapes are in complete tune with the period. At the same time the way he captures the tense moments through his lens is also equally praiseworthy. The blues soundtrack also becomes a character in itself.