Category: Movie Reviews

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Little Hearts: A youthful love entertainer about two misfits

Little Hearts written and directed by Sai Marthand isn’t plot heavy. The story often plays out like a series of comic sketches: but the engaging screenplay coupled with the performances makes this a fun weekend watch. A strong aspect of Little Hearts is the subtle coming of age with the heroine standing up for her love

Starcast: Mouli Tanuj Prasanth, Shivani Nagaram, Rajeev Kanakala, Satya, S S Kanchi, Jai Krishna and others

Genre: Comedy/romance

Director and writer: Sai Marthand

Producer: Aditya Hasan

Production house: ETV Win

Cinematographer: Surya Balaji

Music: Sinjith Yerramilli

Running time: 2 hours and 8 minutes

Little Hearts is a film which perfectly fits the tag of a nonsensical but fun entertainer. Unlike the usual larger-than-life heroes with no flaws this is a movie which isn’t afraid to poke fun at the protagonist. In this case the hero and the heroine aren’t the brightest bulbs, they are equally dimwits when it comes to studies. Sai Marthand who has written and directed Little Hearts does a fine job in creating a fun love story with all social media and pop culture references. The love story has a hilarious connection to the Bahubali films which I will get to later. Producer Aditya Hasan who is only one web series old needs to be applauded for backing this up.

Mouli Tanuj Prasanth and Shivani Nagaram

The storyline of Little Hearts primarily revolves around Akhil (Mouli Tanuj Prasanth) and Shivani Nagaram’s Khatyayini. Both of them fail in clearing their respective subjects and are compelled to undertake long-term coaching due to their respective fathers. Akhil has just gone through a bitter break up with his intermediate sweetheart. Initially his attraction towards Khatyayini feels like a temporary recourse but things take a serious turn with both falling in love head over heels. This is the story in brief.

A strong aspect of Little Heats is the entertainment quotient. Special mention must be made of the scenes featuring Mouli and Jai Krishna a fellow wastrel. The banter between them coupled with Jai Krishna’s constant predictions on how Akhil’s love is domed only to be proven wrong raises many chuckles. His disbelief on how Khatyayini falls for Akhil and vice versa is hilarious to say the least. A specific mention must be made of the portion where Jai Krishna does a translation of Khatyayini words thinking that she has broken up with Akhil only to fall flat on his face.

The love story of the leads has a constant comparison to the journey of Bahubali films. The initial mixed reactions of Bahubali one is compared with their romance. The assumption is neither their romance nor the film will soar. The cultimation of Bahubali journey with the second part becoming a massive blockbuster as well as Akhil and Kathyayini’s love story has been wonderfully connected.

Little Hearts also works because of the self-aware tone, the flaws of both the hero and the heroine with their quirks have been well written and enacted. Towards the middle of the second half the movie slips into a coming age of territory. Both the hero and the heroine decide that they had enough of engineering and medicine respectively. They decide to do something else with their future.

Sai Marthnand gives some agency to Kathyayini in the way she stands up for her love. The dialogue of Akhil on why Kathyayini is worth fighting for gives the movie some emotional heft. In this scene Akhil openly talks about his flaws making the protagonist relatable.

The music composed by Sinjith Yerramilli is funky going well with the movie’s tonality. A specific mention must be made of the humorous conversational song where the leads are seen missing each other deeply. There is also an amateur musical video sung and edited by Akhil as a surprise birthday gift for Kathyayini. This video coming at important junctures is another high point of the movie. The cinematography of Surya Balaji is also fair perfectly capturing the vibrant atmosphere.

Both Mouli and Shivani Nagaram perfectly fit the parts of bumbling youths coming of age. They embrace the quirky tone matching each other making the romance believable. Rajeev Kanakala as Akhil’s extremely worried father also does well bringing in a certain seriousness. His reaction to Akhil’s musical video is especially worth mentioning.

S S Kanchi as Kathyayini’s father also raises some chuckles particularly in the post interval portions. The rest of the cast add to the quirky scenarios with their wonderful acting.

Final word: Little Hearts is small scale but high on entertainment value. This deserves a theatre watch,

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Ghaati: An absolute abomination and Krish’s final nail in the coffin

Ghaati is one of those rare films with no striking qualities. Jagapati Babu playing a nonsensical police officer has some fun with his crass lines and shifting shades like a chameleon: however the movie is a tonal mess in spite of a gritty subject with much potential. Anuskha Shetty’s performance too lacks the required fire often coming across as monotonous.

Starcast: Anuskha Shetty, Vikram Prabhu, Jagapathi Babu, Chaitanya Rao, Ravindra Vijay and others

Genre: Action/drama

Direction and screenplay: Krish Jagarlamudi

Writer: Chintakindi Srinivasa Rao

Producers: Saibabu Jagarlamudi and Yeduguru Rajeev Reddy

Production Company: First Frame Entertainments

Music: Nagavelli Vidya Sagar

Cinematography: Manojh Reddy Katasani

Running time: 2 hours and 37 minutes

There was a point in time when Krish Jagarlamudi was a respected filmmaker, the director had a unique voice starting with movies like Gamyam, Vedam and Krishnam Vande Jagadguram. There was something different in the way he presented his heroes whether its Allu Arjun in Vedam, Allari Naresh in Gamyam and Rana Dagubbati in Krishnam Vande Jagadguram. These movies used to have a strong social core: however the last few years has been a very uneven ride for the director. The historical fantasy Manikarnika went through many tribulations with the director leaving the project midway, the ambitious NTR biopic Kathanayakudu and Mahanayukudu ended up as box office duds in spite of a solid Balakrishna.

His project with Pawan Kalyan Hari Hara Veera Mallu also suffered the same fate as Manikarnika becoming a bigger disaster than the former. Ghaati is also a film which has seen several delays leading to less pre release buzz which now is far more abysmal than many would have imagined. The film tries to be a social drama while having the masala of Pushpa and the end result is neither here nor there. The romance between Vikram Prabhu and Anuskha lacks the required soul and the highly irritating villains led by the Mayasabha actor Chaitanya Rao only makes things worse.

The one line story of Ghaati is a woman seeking revenge and wanting to uplift her community. The setting is eastern Ghats. The local porters carrying marijuana are called as ghaatis, they are stuck in the cycle of exploitation with little to no alternatives.

Its hard to point out any positives in an extreme train wreck like this but Manojh Reddy Katasani’s cinematography is visually striking at least in the beginning portions. The vast landscape with the drone shots are nice to watch. Jagapathi Babu as already mentioned has a colorful role though his crass lines and the personality traits don’t befit the role of a police officer. His antics does provide some entertainment in an otherwise drab film. He keeps the audiences guessing as a shape shifter.

The major problem with a movie like Ghaati is wanting to replicate the story of Allu Arjun’s Pushpa. There’s a major Pushpa hangover in the portions featuring the different cartel heads. Pushpa for all its flaws at least had some innovation and the character graph of Allu Arjun came with a strong emotional core. This is missing completely becoming a poor imitation in the process. The love story between Anuskha and Vikram Prabhu again lacks the ex factor whether its the staging or the performances. Vikram Prabhu tries to do a Dulquer Salmaan but ends up falling flat on his face: nowhere close to matching the charisma of Dulquer.

Anuskha Shetty too leaves a lot to be desired. The required fire in portraying the transformation of Sheelavathi is majorly missing. The actress has very static expressions with flat voice modulation. The villain gang are mere caricatures instilling no fear whatsoever. The worst casualty is Chaitanya Rao. After an impressive turn in Mayasabha the actor irritates you with exaggerated body language and dialogue delivery leading to unintentional funny moments.

The story’s graph is as predictable as it can get with zero surprises: logically too the villains atrocious behavior towards Sheelavathi doesn’t make any sense. The music composed by Nagavelli Vidya Sagar is another downer, the tunes fall flat adding to the tediousness.

Final word: Ghaati is easily Krish Jagarlamudi’s worst film, even for die hard Anuskha Shetty fans this is a tough slog.

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Kotha Lokah chapter 1(Chandra): Indian Cinema’s Wonder Woman

Actor and producer Dulquer Salmaan deserves major appreciation for backing a female centric project like this. The film is a good mix of western tropes with strong folklore. At times the film bears a striking resemblance to the Tripti Dimri starrer Bulbbul too, in terms of the men targeted by the protagonists coupled with the strong personalities.

Starcast: Kalyani Priyadarshan, Naslen, Sandy, Arun Kurian, Chandu Salimkumar and others

Genre: Fantasy/action

Story, direction and screenplay: Dominic Arun

Additional screenplay: Santhy Balachandran

Producer: Dulquer Salmaan

Production house: Wayfare Films

Music: Jakes Bejoy

Cinematography: Nimish Ravi

Running time: 2 hours and 29 minutes

Before dissecting Kotha Lokah Part 1 (Chandra) a major appreciation should be given to actor and producer Dulquer Salmaan. Backing a female superhero subject on a big scale takes a different kind of thought process and Dulquer deserves every bit of appreciation for making sure that the film doesn’t come across as a compromised product. Technically speaking Kotha Lokah Part 1 (Chandra) is far ahead of the many big budget extravagances specially a movie like War 2 with its shabby VFX. Fortunately Kotha Lokah Part 1 is much more than just the visuals. It has a strong plot with the right fusion of west meets east. The film also benefits from Kalyani Priyadarshan’s strong act something which I will get to later.

Dulquer Salmaan the producer of the movie along with a small cameo

The storyline of Kotha Lokha Part 1 (Chandra) focuses on the mysterious Kalyani Priyadarshan She lands in Banglore and soon finds work in a coffee shop. Chandra is asked to maintain a low profile by a mystifying man Moothon (voice over given by Mammootty). Chandra tries her best to maintain a low profile but the past catches up soon due to the neighbor Sunny (Naslen of Premalu fame). Sunny is very curious about Chandra’s real identity and this leads to a stunning revelation. Parallelly the city of Bangalore is witnessing cases of organ trafficking, how these two tracks collide forms the centric basis of Kotha Lokha Part 1 (Chandra).

A strong aspect of the movie is the efficient world building done by Dominic Arun and Santhy Balachandran. Unlike the many big screen extravagances focusing on elevations this one takes its time to establish the world of Chandra and Sunny. The portions of Sunny with his wastrel friends may seem to be an unnecessary subplot in the beginning but how the director connects the two worlds is brilliant.

The integration of Chandra’s origin story with actor Vijayaraghavan’s narration is also fantastic. It comes in at the right moment giving a solid emotional touch. The haunting visuals of Nimish Ravi coupled with Jakes Bejoy’s music elevates this stretch further. The touch of Kerala Folklore with the template of modern superhero will be a delight for fans of sci fi and superhero movies.

A growing bond between Sunny and Chandra with an undercurrent of romance is also a treat to watch. By the ending you wish the two had met in different circumstances. As Sunny Naslen is an absolute riot with his expressions and one liners. There is an inherent sweetness to the part in spite of a certain lazy nature and Naslen does a very fine job in bringing that out. Mention must also be made of Chandu Salimkumar, he also brings in a fair share of laughs sharing a perfect chemistry with Naslen.

What also makes the film click are the real world issues through a conservative a police inspector Nachiyappa Gowda (a despicable Sandy). Nachiyappa Gowda is a traditionalist who doesn’t like women with modern traits. This comes out visibly in different occasions. So the character of Chandra represents a superwoman taking on patriarchal structures while standing up against the organ trafficking ring.

The major ace for the film apart from the visuals is Kalyani Priyadarshan’s strong act. She is absolutely wonderful in the action sequences bringing in a strong agility. Apart from the physicality the actress is also good in bringing an emotional depth specially in the second half scenes with Sunny. In a short its a performance which has the right mixture of fierceness and vulnerability.

Talking about the cameos Tovino Thomas has an extended special appearance and the actor seems to be having a ball enjoying the whacky characterization. Dulquer Salmaan comes at the end, he has a stylish entry. In spite of the limited screen time the swag is unmissable.

Final word: Kotha Lokha Part 1 (Chandra) is a big scale experiment worth appreciating in theatres.

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Paradha: A powerful transformative journey questioning archaic practices

Paradha directed by Praveen Kandregula is a much needed social drama in the age of muscular heroes and pan India settings. The end portions do feel somewhat hurried as the resolution needed a more emotional high. Nevertheless Paradha is an important story celebrating feminism and sisterhood. Anupama Parameshwaran gets one of the best written female characters in 2025 and the actress absolutely nails it.

Starcast: Anupama Parameshwaran, Sangeetha, Darshana, Harshvardhan, Rag Mayur, Rajendra Prasad and others

Genre: Social

Story, screenplay and direction: Praveen Kandregula

Producers: Vijay Donkada, Sridhar Makkuva and Sreenivasulu P.V

Production Company: Ananda Media

Music: Gopi Sundar

Cinematography: Mridul Sujit Sen

Running time: 2 hours and 25 minutes

In today’s age of increasing pan masala stories strong women characters with agency is difficult to find. A good example of this are the latest independence day releases both Coolie and War 2. In Coolie Sruthi Hassan plays a perpetual damsel in distress either waiting to be rescued by Rajinikanth or becoming the object for violence. In War 2 Kiara is presented as a tough soldier doing hand to hand combat with Hrithik but the overall characterization leaves a lot to be desired. Having said that you also have films with strong women and these aren’t necessarily female centric. Good examples of these are Patralekha in Phule as Jyotiba Phule’s equal, also Tripti Dimri in Dhadak 2 an upper caste girl who fights for her love and questions the family members pretending to be modern. Also Ananya Pandey in Kesari Chapter 2 as the idealistic Dillret Kaur playing an important role in the courtroom proceedings.

Paradha directed by Praveen Kandregula is a significant addition to this list. The movie broadly tackles the themes of foolish traditions passed from generation to generation ad also the celebration of sisterhood. The film begins with the introduction of a fictional village. In this village all women must be strictly veiled outside the house. A woman who is seen without the paradha is considered to be a bad omen and the punishment for that is death only. This practice is linked to a village deity who is ironically a feisty warrior. Its hard to believe that places like these exist in 2025 but director and writer Praveen Kandregula makes the viewers buy into these archaic scenarios with a convincing build up. Anupama Parameswaran’s Subbalakshmi aka Subbu not surprisingly starts off as a young girl with firm belief in these outdated thoughts thanks to her mother. Things take a huge turn for Subbu when the veil gets blown away due to excessive wind. A wildlife photographer played by Gautham Vasudeva Menon clicks Subbu without her knowledge. On the day of her engagement a magazine with her photograph getting published as the front cover causes absolute mayhem. The rest of the story focuses on how Subbu gets out of this outdated thinking with the help of Sangeeta and Darshana along with a strong bond of sisterhood.

A strong aspect of Paradha is the characterization of these three women. Yes the transformation of Anupama Parameshwaran’s Subbu is the heart of Paradha, at the same time both Sangeeta and Darshana are crucial too with their individual journeys. Sangeeta plays a homemaker called Ratna. Ratna represents numerous homemakers who devote most of their energy and time on their husbands and children. On the other hand Darshana’s Amishti is a civil engineer. In a predominantly male dominated atmosphere Amishti is a rare exception. Amishti is a hugely ambitious woman with a solo focus on reaching top position, she is an Alpha male with a hot temper. Again many young girls/women would connect with the ways of Amishti.

How these three distinct backgrounds play out with their age gaps is very engaging. In the beginning on a trip to Dharmasala Amishti often Chides Subbalakshmi on her thought process which doesn’t go well with Subbu who complains to her aunt Ratna. On certain occasions Ratna becomes a referee between the two younger women.

How Subbu gradually let goes of the veil wearing after a haunting incident packs a strong emotional punch thanks to the powerful acting of Anupama. The conversation between the three women with Ratna and Amishti encouraging her to get out of this blind faith and the need to question practices makes a strong impact.

Paradha is a film which doesn’t completely resort to male bashing. Praveen Kandregula makes important points on how women can also be extremely judgmental about the choices of their fellow tribe. This comes out wonderfully in a sequence involving a woman cop. In a conversation with Amishti this woman talks about her love for shopping, make up and cooking while being a tough police officer. Amishti has a certain disregard for things like these which she considers as an obstacle.

The movie in a gentle but firm manner establishes the need to question practices and in the process bringing a perceptional change. Apart from the dramatic moments the movie also has some chuckle worthy scenes. This primarily includes Harshvardhan as the often exasperated husband unable to manage home duties with his job demands. The conversations between him and Sangeetha as she cooks up stories is a delight to watch. Sangeeta as the homemaker with new found freedom is first rate, specifically in the portion where she changes her voice as an old woman. Darshana as Amishti brings out both the feisty nature and the vulnerability in an impactful manner. Raj Mayur in his brief part as Subbu’s fiancée is good too. Rajendra Prasad in an extended cameo makes his presence amply felt, the scene where he narrates the tale of a bird wanting to discover the world is poignant, it adds to the transformative journey of Subbu.

Paradha ultimately belongs to Anupama Parameswaran. The young actress is a revelation taking on a complex part, she delivers a nuanced performance portraying the vulnerability and the eventual transformation in an excellent manner. Often times Anupama conveys a lot with her body language.

Gopi Sundar’s music goes well with the movie’s tone. Its not of a chartbuster material, nevertheless the songs do a fine job in elevating the key emotional moments. The cinematography of Mridul Sen is of a fine standard, whether its the village portions with the dark tonality or the Himalayan mountains in the latter half. The color pallet goes perfectly with the mood changes.

One of the minor issues with Paradha is the end resolution, its too simplistic lacking the fire specifically considering the build up. Also the three women mostly coming across Telugu speaking population in Dharamsala feels too much of a coincidence.

Final word: Keeping aside the minor niggles Paradha is an important tale of feminism and sisterhood which needs to be celebrated.

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Coolie: A trademark Rajinikanth film with deliciously entertaining villains

Coolie directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj is a mixed cocktail combining numerous elements of previous Rajinikanth movies. There is a huge hangover of both Jailer and Baashha but the packaging is done right for most part, the film benefits immensely from powerful antagonists and also a strong emotional backstory for the titular protagonist

Starcast: Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna, Soubin Shahir, Rachita Ram, Satyaraj, Shruti Haasan, Upendra, Aamir Khan and others special appearance (Pooja Hedge)

Genre: Action/drama

Story, direction and screenplay: lokesh Kanagaraj

Additional screenplay: Chandhru Anabazghan

Producer: Kalanithi Maran

Production Company: Sun Pictures

Cinematography: Girish Gangadharan

Music: Anirudh

Running time: 2 hours and 50 minutes

In a short span of time Lokesh Kanagaraj has established himself as a successful commercial director. In spite of working with major stars like Vijay Thalapathy and Kamal Haasan Lokesh has developed his distinctive style. There are certain trademark Lokesh Kanagaraj elements you will find in most of his films presenting his actors in a different light. His latest Coolie though is more of a Rajikinath film rather than what Lokesh is known for. The story beats harp to the numerous masala movies of Rajinikanth, however its to Lokesh’s credit that he manages to make the film engaging specifically in the way he presents Nagarjuna as an out and out villain. Kuberra had elements of grey with some moral dilemmas, however Coolie presents Nagarjuna in his most unhinged avatar and the senior actor embraces the hammy nature with absolute finesse.

Coolie opens with the introduction of Rajinikanth’s Deva. He runs a mansion like hostel for the college students. The students are given free meals, and the rent is affordable too, however drinking is strictly prohibited. Not surprisingly Deva has a violent past along the lines of 1995 Baashha and his numerous other movies. Satyaraj is Rajshekhar an old friend, the tragic death of Rajashekhar drastically changes the life of Deva. In a major turn of events Deva has to infiltrate the gang of Simon (Nagarjuna). Soubin Shahir plays Simon’s second in command Dayal. Sruthi Hassan on the other hand is the typical damsel in distress either waiting to be rescued or being the object of violence for both Simon and Dayal.

A strong aspect of Coolie is how Lokesh intermingles fan service with some strong emotional beats specifically in the latter half. The second half has some interesting twists shocking the viewers. The best twist comes from the character of Rachita Ram. In the first half she is presented as a supposed love interest to Simon’s son however her real identity turns out to be something else, it comes across as a pleasant shock. Rachita Ram is very good fully embracing the negative shades with absolute precision, she also gets a kick ass action sequence equal to the male counterparts.

Mention must also be made of how Lokesh integrates the character of Upendra as Deva’s right-hand man. Upendra exudes effortless swagger while taking on the baddies, he hasn’t got many dialogues still Upendra impresses with his strong screen presence. Satyaraj in his brief role adds an emotional gravitas. Aamir Khan though gets a raw deal, neither his look nor the presentation helps.

Lokesh also deserves credit for how he has shaped up the roles of Nagarjuna and Soubin Shahir. The roles have been crafted with the right amount of evilness proving to be formidable villains. The styling of Simon also adds to the character of Nagarjuna, he looks very dashing with the long hair. The best part of Nagarjuna’s performance is the way he performs with the eyes and overall body language. Soubin Shahir too is excellent too in portraying the different shades of Dayal, he specifically stands out in the pre-interval sequence with Rajinikanth changing colors like a chameleon. His dance in the special song Monica is fantastic too, there is an uninhibitedness to the steps. Pooja Hedge in a special appearance sparkles as well with her sensuous moves.

Sruthi Hassan in the role of Rajeshekhar’s daughter has a lengthy screen time but the one note characterization makes it irritating. There is a constant wide-eyed expression with little nuances. As Deva Rajinikanth is mostly there to do fan service barring some emotional moments. He pulls off the part with expected charismatic ease with some fine acting in the few emotional moments.

Anirudh’s background score is thumping adding to the elevation shots. The songs go with the flow of the movie. Monica with Pooja Hedge and Soubin stands out for the energetic picturization.

Final word: Coolie is an enjoyable star vehicle for Rajinikanth and Nagarjuna fans. For those looking for meaningful cinema though its a different matter.

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War 2: Watchable but doesn’t quite justify the tag of a popcorn entertainer

Hrithik Roshan and Junior NTR from War 2. The two stars lift the movie above the bumoy screenplay with their screen presence and performances

Ayan Mukherj’s War 2 is a significant improvement over the last spy installment Tiger 3 but the film relies heavily on gloss over substance. The absence of our neighbor and go to nation Pakistan is welcome but there is no escaping patriotism with the repletion of lines India first. Ayan’s direction shines best in the portions of high voltage clash between the two stars and also a poignant flashback in the second half

Starcast: Hrithik Roshan, Junior NTR, Kiara Advani, Anil Kapoor and others special appearance (Bobby Deol)

Genre: Action/thriller

Direction: Ayan Mukherji

Screenplay: Shridhar Raghavan

Story and Production: Aditya Chopra

Dialogues: Abbas Tyrewala

Cinematography: Benjamin Jasper

Music: Pritam

Production House: Yash Raj Films

Running time: 2 hours and 50 minutes

When EK Tha Tiger released in 2012 the movie was one of its kind, a love story between an Indian and Pakistani spy and how they have a happily ever after by crossing the various hurdles of both raw and ISI. There was a certain groundedness to the character of Salman while keeping the larger than life image intact. As the spy movies have increased with addition of new actors and larger set pieces the charm is somewhat reducing and the latest installment is a perfect example of this.

War 2’s director Ayan Mukherjee started his career with rom coms but Bramhastra Part 1 marked a significant shift with a larger than life scale and an ambitious plot. In spite of the striking visuals Ayan’s inability to handle a scale of that nature was very visible. In War 2 the director is more in control specifically in his handling of the two stars, but in terms of delivering a perfect popcorn movie Ayan still has miles to go.

The plot of War 2 focuses on Kabir (Hrithik Roshan) coming into contact with a deadly cartel called Kali. This syndicate consists of numerous individuals, they want to cause severe harm to the nation. In a shocking turn of events Kabir kills his father like figure and RAW chief Luthra (Ashutosh Rana). The assassination of Luthra leads to the introduction of Junior NTR’s Vikram. Vikram along with some more are assigned to bring Kabir down. This is the story in brief without giving away much of the twists and turns.

A strong aspect of War 2 are the twists and turns related to the characters of both Kabir and Vikram. In the beginning portions the audience have the feeling that Kabir has really gone rouge, an important dialogue featuring Ashutosh Rana and him spiting on Hrithik’s face saying that I had brought you up as a son and you turned into a betrayer raises the curiosity of the audiences.

Even in case of Junior NTR’s Vikram the role comes with different shades. He is shown to be a brave and a honest agent till the interval, at one point Kabir and Vikram team up as partners too after Kabir makes an important closure about why he is doing what he is doing.

The interval bang with a surprising reveal ends the first half on a high. The beginning portions of the second half featuring a key flashback has a strong emotional weight. This flashback establishes how Kabir and Vikram then known as Raghu came into contact developing a friendship bond. The two do stealing for a living, however one major incident in a remand home changes everything. The personalities of the two and how in the present they are up against each other has been well connected.

The film also benefits from the strong performances of both Hrithik and Junior NTR. As Kabir Hrithik combines his hunk like presence with emotional vulnerability. The actor specifically shines in the scenes of showcasing Kabir’s moral dilemmas and a certain loneliness from operating in the shadows. Junior NTR as Vikram/Raghu also does a fine job in his Bollywood Debut. He pulls off the grey shades convincingly, the actor clearly has a ball with the one liners chewing the scenery along with Hrithik. The high intense moments between the actors with the cat and mouse game leads to some engaging sequences.

A major problem with War 2 apart from the usual patriotism is the criminal underutilization of the supporting cast. Anil Kapoor replacing Girish Karnad from the Tiger movies has a strong beginning with just the right amount of mystery on whether he is good or bad, however as the movie progresses the character gets lost. The same applies to its leading Lady Kiara Advani. Kiara has shown her potential in a film like Satyaprem Ki Katha but here she is largely wasted except for the action sequences. She carries the required attitude of a tough woman but the role is too thinly written and the patchily written love story also doesn’t help matters.

Pritam’s music is another sore point for the movie, whether its the love ballad featuring Hrithik and Kiara or the dance face off between Hrithik and Junior NTR. The songs come across as major spreedbreakers. The VFX is also a mixed bag, it comes across as too shoddy for a film of this scale, sometimes the shoddy VFX becomes a major deterrent in enjoying the action set pieces too. The stunts of Bea Arreugui does provide some thrills more so in the climatic face off. Benjamin Jasper’s cinematography is also efficient. He does a fine job in capturing the large scale through his lens making it a good theatrical experience specially for the die hard fans of Hrithik and Junior NTR.

War 2 ends with an introduction to the world of Alpha through a deadly Bobby Deol. Here’s hoping the female centric spy movie later this year becomes a much needed game changer.

Final word: War 2 is a major mixed bag and personally quite a bummer after the mega success of YRF last production Saiyaara. Watch it if you are in the mood for some large scale action or want to see how Junior NTR fares in his Hindi debut.

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Dhadak 2: A visceral tale of caste horrors and rebellion

Tripti Dimri and Siddhanth Chaturvedi from Dhadak 2. Both deliver exceptional performances

Though a remake of Pariyerum Perumal Shazia Iqbal’s Dhadak 2 is a timely tale of how caste plays out in modern times. This spiritual sequel is far more bold than the first part taking a strong stand on thorny issues. The transformation of Siddhanth Chaturvedi’s Neelesh from a timid young Dalit man to fighting for his self respect is the best part of the movie. Mention must also be made of the feministic lens through which Tripti’s Vidhi is portrayed.

Starcast: Siddhanth Chaturvedi, Tripti Dimri, Saurabh Sachdeva, Zakir Hussain, Vipin Sharma and others

Genre: Romantic drama

Director and writer: Shazia Iqbal

Additional writer: Rahul Badwelkar

Based on: Pariyerum Perumal (Mari Selvraj)

Producers: Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Somen Mishra and others

Production Companies: Zee Studios, Dharma Productions and Cloud 9 Pics

Music: Rochak Kohli, Tanishk Bagchi etc

Cinematography: Sylvester Fonseca

Running time: 2 hours and 26 minutes

Dhadak 2 begins with a powerful and necessary quote for today’s times. “When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.” this isn’t just a throwaway quote used for surface level but the core message of Dhadak 2. Through the tale of star crossed lovers Shazia Iqbal along with her co writer Rahul Badwelkar deliver a highly charged political reinterpretation of Pariyerum Perumal. Of course Dhadak 2 comes with a dash of mainstream Bollywood too in terms of the protagonists rebellion, nevertheless this is an important film and Kudos to Karan Johar for backing a movie like this which is not afraid to wear its politics on sleeves.

For those who haven’t seen the Mari Selvaraj directorial Dhadak 2 primarily focuses on the journey of Neelesh Ahirwar (Siddhanth Chaturvedi) he is a law student from an oppressed caste, Neelesh has big dreams and is very clear about steering away from campus politics and anything to to do with activism. Tripti Dimri is Vidhi an upper caste girl with a mind of her own and doesn’t shy away from asking uncomfortable questions. Soon friendship blossoms between the two with Vidhi becoming Neelesh’s confidante, she helps him a lot in his studies explaining things which he doesn’t understand. For Vidhi the struggles of Neelesh opens up a whole new understanding of the society. Soon love happens but a humiliating incident puts a major speed breaker. This is the story in brief.

The best part of Dhadak 2 is how Shazia Iqbal has retained the essence of the Tamil original with some additional elements. This specifically comes out in the character of Vidhi who has more agency than the one played by Anandhi. The film strongly critiques the idea of a so called family honor being attached to a woman’s behavior. On the surface Vidhi’s family may come across as modern but in actuality they are anything but that. A standout moment in Dhadak 2 is Tripti Dimri’s high voltage clash with her truly despicable brother Roonie (Saad Bilgrami). The way she tears into his patriarchal mindset gives goosebumps.

Mention must also be made of how the film tackles casteism head on whether it is Vidhi’s father leaving out Neelesh’s surname when she invites him for the sister’s wedding or the very disturbing moment of Neelesh being smeared with sludge just because he asserts his individuality. These scenes are packed with the required rawness.

Shazia Iqbal and Rahul Badwelkar also do a good job in touching upon the theme of reservation. The taunts faced by the lower castes mirrors numerous real life situations. There is an important dialogue in the movie where a character talks on how reservation came because of casteism and not the other way around. This small but important track also adds to the caste discrimination and violence faced by Neelesh.

The character arc of Neelesh has also been done well. His steady evolution from timid to more assertive happens gradually and not overnight. The pre climax portion where Neelesh chases Ronnie to his home and pours out his anguish is a treat to watch, it moves the viewers making them root for Neelesh and Vidhi to have a happy ending. Siddhanth Chaturvedi does a very fine job in bringing out the vulnerability of a Dalit man with a dream of better future. The actor specifically shines in the portions of rage using his eyes and overall body language to great effect. Tripti Dimri also makes a strong impact with her powerful performance. After a series of glamorous roles the young actress is back doing what she is best known for. Towards the end there is a scene where Vidhi lets out an animal like cry after an important revelation and Tripti absolutely aces it. Yes the ending may across as too mainstream Bollywood for the purists nevertheless it leaves the audiences on a high.

The supporting cast is also solid but the ones who stand out are Zakir Hussain and Saurabh Sachdeva. As the college principal Zakir Hussain lends a lot of warmth to his part. His conversation with Neelesh while opening up about his caste background and how he endured several taunts on his way in becoming a principal is very poignant. The portion ends with a motivational message giving further impetus to Neelesh’s fight. Saurabh Sachdeva as the self-appointed moral guardian is chilling too. His part is similar to the role of Bobby Deol’s equally chilling hit man in Love Hostel; both believe that they are doing some great social service. Saurabh Sachdeva does a very fine job in imbibing the character’s attitude and the way he meets his end is poetic justice done right.

The songs of Dhadak 2 don’t match up to Dhadak 1 nevertheless the compositions are soulful. Among the tunes Bas Ek Dhadak, Preet Re and Duniya Alag are good.

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Kingdom: A recycled tape of the chosen one

Vijay Devarakonda as the leader

Gowtham Tinnanuri does a fine job in dealing with the tumultuous dynamics between Vijay Devarakonda and Satyadev. The sibling relationship with the moral conflicts gives the movie an emotional resonance, both Vijay and Satyadev deliver strong performances. But the predictability of the core plot eventually makes it just about a decent watch. The film also suffers from the latest pan India obsession of dividing a movie into multiple parts.

Starcast: Vijay Devarakonda, Satyadev, Venkitesh, Manish Chaudhari, Bhagyashri Bose and others

Genre: Action drama

Director and writer: Gowtham Tinnanuri

Producers: Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya

Production Companies: Sithara Entertainment, Srikara Studios and Fortune Four creations

Music: Anirudh Ravichander

Cinematography: Girish Gangadharan and Jomon T. John

Running time: 2 hours and 42 minutes

Gowtham Tinnanuri’s Kingdom plays out like the pulp of Salaar, Kalki 2898 Ad and Khaleja if they were ever mixed in a grinder. The movie also bears a slight resemblance to the commercial classic Deewar directed by the late Yash Chopra. There is nothing wrong in being inspired from the past but it’s also necessary to give it a fresh spin as Mohit Suri proved with his box office tsunami Saiyaara. Kingdom on the other hand starts off well setting a solid base but runs out of steam in the later half with a hurried conclusion.

In brief Kingdom’s plot primarily focuses on the quest of a police constable Suri (Vijay Devarakonda) in finding his elder brother Shiva (Satyadev). As part of this Suri goes to Sri lanka . It’s a covert spy operation on the shores of Jaffna; the island consists of a refugee group under the control of a smuggling cartel. What starts off as a straightforward operation turns into something deeper with elements of reincarnation.

There is no denying that Gowtham Tinnanuri does a good job in setting a solid base specifically in the word half. He along with the cinematographers create an immersive world. The rugged landscape of coastal Sri Lanka coupled with the gritty texture makes the viewers feel that they are also part of the conflicts. Anirudh’s background score is also perfect amplifying the key emotional beats. The songs also jell with the texture of the movie. Specific mention must be made of the tune “Anna Antene” establishing the sibling bond.

The movie’s pace again in the first half is crisp. The developments happen at a good place without any unnecessary distractions. The reunion of the brothers in the backdrop of an action sequence has been wonderfully written and enacted.

Soori’s entry into his brother’s gang with the thread of Tribal history and the criminal cartels adds the necessary spice too. The interval bang with Soori’s real identity and Shiva’s shock sets a solid base for an equally gripping second half, however the film falters badly in the second half with overused tropes. There’s a key line from Manish Chaudhari playing Soori’s handler. It goes like this “There’s something in this soil that turns humans into demons”.

Gowtham Tinnanuri could have explored this aspect much more instead the line is strictly surface level not adding much to the proceedings. The nuanced first half is undone by a more predictable and hurried tone in establishing the reincarnation theme.

Its not that the second half is a complete downer. The emotionally charged moments between Vijay and Satyadev do make an impact and a key revelation connected to their childhood does make an impression, however the familiar action sequences coupled with the jaded narration makes it difficult to care for the proceedings.

It goes without saying that Kingdom is largely reliant on Vijay Devarakonda and Satyadev, both do a very fine job in pulling of the moral complexities. The best part of their roles is that neither are completely heroic nor entirely compromised. They are significantly shaped by the brutal systems. It also helps that Satyadev’s Shiva isn’t just a bystander to Soori, his journey is also textured.

Mention must also be made of Venkitesh as the cold-blooded villain. Its deliberately hammy however the actor sells it with the right mixture of cockiness and sadism. Manish Chaudhari as the cold-hearted handler does a fair job too as does Bhagyashri Bose. But the subplot of Soori and Bhagyashri Bose’s Dr Anu needed much better writing.

Final word: Kingdom can be watched for fans of Vijay Devarakonda and Satyadev. Don’t expect something earth shattering it will be an engaging experience.

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Hari Hara Veera Mallu ( Part 1 Sword VS Spirit): An overstuffed buffet running out of steam

Both Bobby Deol and Pawan Kalyan deliver spirited performances, but the movie lacks the visual and dramatic flair of Laxman Utekar’s blockbuster Chhaava also set in the same Hindutva space. The terrible CGI of the later portions only makes things worse

Starcast: Pawan Kalyan, Bobby Deol, Niddhi Aggarwal, Nassar, Sunil, Subbaraju and others

Genre: Historical fiction

Directors: Krish Jagarlamudi and A.M Jyothi Krishna

Screenplay and story: Krish Jagarlamudi

Dialogues: Sai Madhav Burra

Producers: A.M Rathnam and A. Dyakar Rao

Production Company: Mega Surya Production

Music: MM Keeravani

Cinematography: Manoj Paramahamsa and Gnana Shekar V.S

Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Hari Hara Veera Mallu (Part 1 Sword VS Spirit) has been in the making for a very long time. There have been numerous reasons for this. Beginning with the COVID affect leading to production delays, on top of that schedule problems with both Krish Jagarlamudi and Pawan Kalyan. The actor political resurgence has only added to the movie’s delay. Meanwhile Krish Jagarlamudi stepped out of direction midway much like his other historical fiction Manikarnika. After a tumultuous journey of 5 years the movie is finally out, the effect of production delays and change of directors is clearly visible specifically in the second half.

Without giving much away the broad storyline of Hari Hara Veera Mallu focuses on a Robinhood like figure played by Pawan Kalyan. He steals from the rich and distributes it among the poor, however there is much more to Veera Mallu. A past connected to the atrocities of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (a regal Bobby Deol) on Hindu deities. Part 1 primarily focuses on how the paths of these two intertwine setting the clash of an epic fight.

The first half of Hari Hara Veera Mallu is fairly engaging. The character establishment of both Bobby and Pawan Kalyan is done well. Specific mention must be made of a sequence involving a feudal lord in which Pawan Kalyan gives a voice to the suppressed who till then don’t even look into the eyes of their ruler directly. The action sequences in the beginning portions have also been staged with skill. These include the port fight in Machilipatnam establishing Veera Mallu’s bravado. The Charminar battle is also good with some neat stunt work and the effective scale.

The love story between Pawan Kalyan and Nidhi Aggarwal playing a supposed damsel in distress also has its moments. Nidhi Aggarwal has a striking presence and the twist around her character sets a good base for the second half.

However, the movie falls significantly short in the second half. The backstory of Pawan Kalyan with emphasis on Santhana Dharma values feels like a tribute to the actor’s personal beliefs, it also doesn’t help that the flashback portion doesn’t have the required emotional gravitas.

Numerous sequences in the second half feel stretched with a deliberate holding back. This makes the viewer restless, the terrible CGI only compound the woes. For a movie which has been in the making for so long the production values are not consistent. There is a dramatic sequence involving a stormy weather and big stones falling from the hills while Pawan and co are on a mission. The portion has enough potential for thrills but the way it has been staged leaves little to no impact.

There is also a CGI sequence involving a pack of animals, this only adds to the length of the movie. The dialogues about human animal conflict are relevant to today’s times but in the context of the film the portion feels like an absolute misfit.

Hari Hara Veera Mallu also suffers from lack of character development with Pawan Kalyan hogging most of the limelight. Pawan Kalyan has stepped into the zone of historical fiction for the first time however the movie presents the actor politician in the same way a people’s leader. There are zero moral complexities keeping in mind the actor’s limited capabilities nevertheless Pawan Kalyan brings in a star aura. In spite of the long delays Pawan Kalyan looks dapper as always. His performance in the dialogues involving Santhana Dharma is noteworthy and would appeal to the die-hard fans.

Bobby Deol as Aurangzeb has a regal presence. The actor disappears for a long period after a solid introduction, still Bobby makes a strong impact getting into the headspace of Aurangzeb’s fanatical ways with ease. He plays the part with subtle menace and the fiery body language definitely helps. Among the rest Nassar, Sunil and Subbaraju as part of Veera Mallu’s team have their moments specifically in the first half, but they are soon relegated to the background.

The music of MM Keeravani is fairly good. The folk number Kollagottinadhiro has an upbeat tune but for a movie of this scale the songs needed to be much better. The background score though uplifts the action episodes.

The cinematography of Manoj Paramahamsa and Gnana Shekhar VS is also mixed, in some sequences standing out, in others an eyesore. The production design of Thota Tharrani has grandeur but suffers on the account of a familiar pallet. Its a massive letdown from the production designer after a solid work in Kuberra.

As far as direction goes its difficult to pin point one in particular but the screenplay’s attempt at juggling nationalism, rebellion etc feels too cluttered.

The cliff hanger does promise an epic fight going forward but chances of part two are very bleak and would be probably best to drop.

Final word: Hari Hara Veera Mallu is worth watching only if you are a die hard Pawan Kalyan fan or just want to see grandness without soul.

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Saiyaara : An intense romantic drama with boyfriend goals

Ahaan Pandey and Aneet Padda from Saiyaara. Both of them are rock solid in demanding roles

The core plot point of Saiyaara doesn’t make any pretense of being new, in fact it’s a classic Vishesh Films territory with a YRF soul. However, what makes the film click is the emotional core involving the two leads. The soulful music by various composers and its integration is also wonderfully done. Both Ahaan and Aneet get the tone of their characters perfectly, the close-up shots in particular where they have to emote just through body language is simply brilliant.

Starcast: Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda, Geeta Agarwal, Rajesh Kumar, Varun Badola and others

Genre: Romantic drama

Director: Mohit Suri

Writers: Rohan Shankar and Sankalp Sadanah

Producer: Akshay Widhani

Production house: Yash Raj Films

Music: Mithoon, Tanishk Bagchi, Sachet Parampara etc

Cinematography: Vikas Sivaraman

Running time: 2 hours and 35 minutes

Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara has had a fantastic prerelease buzz transforming into very good openings, additionally the movie has also struck a chord with numerous audiences something which even some of the big films have failed to do. On paper Saiyaara is a romantic drama harping back to the times of Rockstar and Mohit’s own Aashiqui 2. It’s about passionate love bordering on madness. However, the film still works because it’s a familiar tale well told.

The broad storyline of Saayiara focuses on two individuals Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Panday in his debut) and Vaani (Aneet Padda in her first major role). Krish Kapoor is talented, but a hot-headed musician, his hot headedness and angst is established early on where he gets into a brawl, it’s related to the heated topic of nepotism. A big reason for Krish Kapoor’s angst is the alcoholic father played by Varun Badola. Vaani on the other hand has a way with words but suffers from confidence problems., she carries a major emotional baggage. This is due to her ex-boyfriend, he had ditched her at the last moment of a register marriage. The two meet by chance leading to a tumultuous romantic journey, two broken souls healing each other and a medical condition threatening to destroy their happily ever after.

The best part of Saiyaara is how Mohit Suri along his writers build up the love story. How Krish and Vaani find solace changing each other’s lives has been well depicted. A specific mention must be made of the portion where Krish Kapoor talks about his desire for fame and not wanting to die in poverty. The subsequent scene involving Varun Badola and Vaani also opening up about her emotional baggage leading to a fresh start moves the viewers. The pre interval block with a major revelation also doesn’t feel jarring because there is enough foreshadowing.

In the second half the viewers see a different side of Krish. A devoted boyfriend who puts his love above the desire for fame, he gives major boyfriend goals much like Ranveer Singh in Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani. The romantic moments are heartwarming also aided by the striking chemistry between the two leads. Yes, some parts of the second half like the return of Vaani’s ex-boyfriend and the scenes between them do act as a speed breaker but as viewers you are still invested in the proceedings.

The music composed by Mithoon, Tanishk Bagchi and others also lift the movie. Specific mention must be made of the title track sung by Faheem Abdullah. It’s an absolute earworm both singing and composition wise. The song comes at the right juncture and is also aided by Ahaan Pandey’s performance.

Mention must also be made of how the movie dwells into digital journalism and the culture of instant gratification songs. There is an important dialogue where Vaani talks about the songs that have endured the test of time and how these were created.

It goes without saying that Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda successfully carry the movie on their shoulders. Ahaan Pandey seamlessly captures the different shades of Krish from the hot-headed nature to the gradual transformation. The simmering anger feels authentic and there is a certain boyish charm. Aneet Padda also gets into the skin of her role particularly in the emotional scenes of the second half. Portraying a character with serious illness isn’t easy but Aneet scores full marks for a job very well done. In fact, both Ahaan and Aneet establish themselves as potential stars going forward.

In the supporting cast Geeta Agarwal and Rajesh Kumar provide good support as Vaani’s concerned parents, they lend in a lot of warmth. Varun Bodala as the alcoholic father also has his moment during an apology sequence but the shift in the dynamics could have done with better writing. Shaad Randhawa in a brief appearance as a rapper singer moddled on Yo Yo Honey Singh suffers from a sketchy characterization not bringing much to the table.

Final word: Sayiaara is worth watching for those who like passionate romantic dramas with soulful music.