Profiles – Rigobertha Reviews

May 5, 2025May 5, 2025

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.

February 27, 2025February 28, 2025

The many faces of Vicky Kaushal: A look at his iconic roles

An overview into Vicky Kaushal’s versatile filmography and what makes him a fantastic actor and also a potential superstar.

Starting from his critically acclaimed debut in the very moving Masaan (2015) Vicky Kaushal has done a wide plethora of roles whether it is characters based on history or more contemporary roles.

Son of the well-known action director Shyam Kaushal, Vicky, before making his debut with Masaan, worked as an assistant director on the movie Gangs of Wasseypur (2012).

In fact, Masaan— Neeraj Ghaywan’s directorial— was co-produced by Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane under the banner Phantom Films.

Masaan saw Vicky in the role of a bright student from a marginalized caste. His character Deepak works in the cremation Ghats of the place Varanasi; it isn’t something he likes doing but Deepak has no other option. Vicky made a splendid debut, particularly in the portion where he expresses the centuries of discrimination that the marginalised caste people have been subjected to.

Before tasting huge commercial success with the action drama Uri in 2019, Vicky had a very good 2018 with first-rate performances in Raazi, Sanju and Manmarziyaan.

Playing to the strengths

Vicky Kaushal in Raazi — Vicky Kaushal in ‘Raazi’. (X)

In Raazi, Vicky played a Pakistani soldier contrary to the usual stereotypes. In terms of screen time, Vicky’s role was more of a supporting one, but the actor made his presence amply felt. Vicky has an endearing persona, particularly in the scenes where he romances Alia Bhatt’s Sehmat.

There is a visible sensitivity in the way he treats her. His character Iqbal was written as a sensitive soul and Vicky with his acting made the viewers feel for Iqbal.

A major strength of Vicky is this endearing quality both on and off-screen. He comes across as a very loving person, which explains the female fan following.

Another standout strength of Vicky as an actor is his physicality. To portray a warrior king in Chhaava, having a strong build is crucial; the audience must feel that the hero has the power to cut through countless enemies and become a real threat to the antagonist. Vicky naturally fits this role with his tall stature and solid presence, making him the perfect fit for such characters.

Following are some of Vicky Kaushal’s best performances over the years. This ranges from intense to slightly more comedic parts.

Chhaava

Laxman Utekar’s Chhaava has stirred up significant attention for various reasons. While the film has been lauded for its strong performances and its grand cinematic appeal, it has also faced criticism over the accuracy of its historical events.

Regardless of these debates, one thing is undeniable: Vicky’s dedication in embodying the courageous Maratha warrior on screen. He fully embodies the fierce king, presenting a character who is a true menace to Akshay Khanna’s portrayal of Aurangzeb. Beyond his physical transformation, Vicky masterfully conveys the emotional and psychological toll of being a warrior.

Beneath his warrior exterior, there’s a profound vulnerability—whether it’s the longing for his mother’s affection or the haunting nightmares involving his father. In Chhaava, Vicky’s tenderness shines through in the romantic moments with Rashmika Mandanna.

His tender moments, like calling her “Shri Sakhi” and adoring her with such genuine affection, enrich the character, giving it a rare emotional depth.

These layers of complexity add depth to the role, and Vicky Kaushal’s performance brings them to life brilliantly.

Sardar Udham Singh

In Shoojit Sircar’s nuanced biopic of the Punjabi revolutionary Sardar Udham Singh, Vicky Kaushal delivered a stellar performance, conveying the inner rage of a freedom fighter with nothing but his eyes.

Vicky skillfully portrayed the many emotions of Sardar Udham through subtle changes in his body language.

A special mention must be made of his performance during the Jallianwala Bagh sequence. Vicky’s portrayal of Sardar Udham’s anguish gives the audience goosebumps. He truly brought to life the various stages of Udham Singh’s journey.

Sam Bahadur

Meghana Gulzar’s biopic on the dynamic Sam Manekshaw may follow a predictable path, often playing out like a highlight reel, but Vicky Kaushal’s charismatic performance makes the movie worth watching.

He perfectly embodied the fearless attitude and dynamism of Sam Manekshaw.

There’s a Dev Anand-like demeanour to his portrayal, and Vicky was simply superb. He also excelled in the vulnerable moments shared with his wife, played by Sanya Malhotra.

Sanju

Although Ranbir is the main pivot of this Rajkumar Hirani directorial, Vicky Kaushal as Sanju’s best friend Kamlesh was also equally good.

In the initial portions, he brings in a lot of laughs but as the movie progresses, he also provides solid emotional depth.

He is exceptional, particularly in the scene where he encourages Sanju to not succumb to difficult circumstances and reminds him of how his father is facing an equally big battle.

In fact, Vicky Kaushal can be called the second lead of Sanju.

Bad Newz

The best way to describe Anand Tiwari’s Bad Newz is as a showreel of Vicky Kaushal. Apart from his nimble dance moves in “Tauba Tauba,” Vicky was fantastic as a typical happy-go-lucky Punjabi boy undergoing a transformation.

Vicky Kaushal played a major role in lifting the movie’s energy whenever the proceedings started to slow down.

Not only did Vicky bring the house down with his impeccable comic timing, but he also excelled in the emotional scenes. For instance, there’s a moment when his character, Akhil Chaddha, has a breakdown during introspection, and another scene where Vicky reflects on the loss of his late father. In both of these moments, Vicky showcased his versatility and all-around capability.

This is all about Vicky Kaushal’s current filmography. His ability in seamlessly jumping genres is what makes him a potential superstar.

Here’s hoping that Vicky Kaushal continues to entertain the audiences with different roles and genres.

(Edited by Sumavarsha)

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/the-many-faces-of-vicky-kaushal-a-look-at-his-iconic-roles/

February 16, 2025February 17, 2025

A look at blockbuster director Anil Ravipudi’s filmography

An overview into what makes Anil Ravipudi a very successful commercial filmmaker with both his positives and negatives

Anil Ravipudi entered the Telugu film industry as a screenplay and dialogue writer starting from the year 2009.

He co-wrote the scripts of the Dookudu sequel Aagadu (2014) and also the Bol Bachchan Bol remake Masala (2013).

Anil Ravipudi saw success as a screenplay writer with the 2011 Kandireega, directed by Santhosh Srinivas. The entertaining screenplay particularly the characterization of Sonu Sood, a typical villainous role with the comic undertones left the viewers in splits.

In fact, a major strength of Anil Ravipudi has always been his whacky storytelling. The scenarios are often outlandish, but there is a conviction that he brings to the table.

Director Anil Ravipudi

Anil Ravipudi’s debuted as a director with Patas (2015). Concept-wise the movie has similarities to Junior NTR’s Temper (2015), however, Patas is very much its own beast.

It featured Kalyan Ram as a police officer but not the usual grim cop. There is an easygoing nature to the character particularly in the first half. The viewers get to see an energetic side of Kalyan Ram.

Patas also benefited immensely from comedian Srinivasa Reddy playing Kalyan Ram’s sidekick. The scenes featuring the two were a major highlight of the movie. It went on to become a huge hit and since then there has been no looking back for Anil Ravipudi.

Raja The Great features Ravi Teja as a visually impaired man, but his character doesn’t seek sympathy. Trained by his mother, played by veteran actress Radhika, he leads a self-sufficient life and turns his disability into an advantage.

Though Raja The Great is a typical commercial entertainer with little focus on logic, it ended Ravi Teja’s flop streak in 2017. Anil Ravipudi brought back Ravi Teja’s energetic persona, which his fans had missed for a while.

He has gone on to deliver hit after hit with the likes of Sai Dharam Tej, Nandamuri Balakrishna and of course, Victory Venkatesh with whom he has done three movies including the latest Sankranthiki Vasthunnam.

Flaws in Anil’s filmmaking

Before going into some of Anil Ravipudi’s movies explaining his success it’s also necessary to look into some of the drawbacks in Anil Ravipudi’s stories. It’s a well-known fact that Anil Ravipudi’s storytelling is mostly outlandish with characters behaving in a farcical manner.

While the director’s conviction in dealing with outlandish scenarios is a plus, at the same time his brand of humour and lack of certain political correctness also becomes a major hurdle. For example, in Sarileru Neekevvaru (2020) there is a scene where Rashmika’s Sankruti accuses of Mahesh Babu raping her.

This is used as comic fodder leaving a very bitter taste. The entire portions on the train don’t give much entertainment for the viewers, even the climax portion where the antagonist joins the army just because of one fiery speech, borders on extreme ridiculousness.

Similarly in F3 (2023), most of the principal characters, both male and female, including an honest police officer, are driven by greed for money.

This makes them do questionable things. When it comes to the actions of both Venkatesh and Varun Tej there is no judgmental tone, but when it comes to the characterizations of Tamannaah and co they are unnecessarily vilanised.

There is also a very unnecessary track of Sonal Chauhan thinking that Tamannaah is a man.

While F3 is largely entertaining and also features an important message about what greed for money can make people do and how it should be respected in the right way, at the same time these aspects could have been taken care of by Anil Ravipudi.

Now let’s get into some of Anil Ravipudi’s most successful movies explaining his commercial success.

Sankranthiki Vasthunnam

Anil Ravipudi’s Sankranthiki Vasthunnam was an entertaining story of an ex-encounter specialist stuck between his wife and also an ex-girlfriend cum cop while handling an important mission of bringing back a reputed businessman. A strong aspect of Sankranthiki Vasthunnam was undoubtedly the characterization of Venkatesh’s YD Raju coupled with the actor’s brilliant comic timing.

Senior actor Venkatesh isn’t new to the genre of comedy; he has brought the house down on multiple occasions with his fantastic sense of humour most notably in Malliswari (2004) and Nuvvu Naaku Nachav (2001), still Anil Ravipudi brought out a different side to his comedy.

Venkatesh portrayed the multiple shades of YD Raju in a brilliant manner, aided by the hilarious writing.

Women characters

Anil Ravipudi crafted two strong women characters, Aishwarya Rajesh and Meenakshi Chaudhary. Aishwarya’s portrayal of Bhagyalakshmi, a supportive yet jealous wife afraid of her husband reconnecting with his old love, added an interesting layer to the mission. She aced the role perfectly.

Meenakshi Chaudhary, known for her traditional housewife roles in Lucky Baskhar (2024) and Matka (2024), was showcased differently in Sankranthiki Vasthunnam. She played an ex-cop still in love with YD Raju. Meenakshi stood her ground against both Venkatesh and Aishwarya, proving to be a great foil.

Apart from the leads, Bheemla Revanth Pavan, as YD Raju’s son, brought a lot of humour. His OTT-inspired curses had the audience laughing on multiple occasions.

However, a weak subplot about respecting teachers stuck out like a sore thumb. Anil Ravipudi often adds small messages to his films, like in F3, where the theme of greed worked well. But in Sankranthiki Vasthunnam, the teacher-respect theme felt forced and disconnected, more like an afterthought than an integrated part of the story.

Bhagavanth Kesari

Apart from his usual commercial movies, Bhagavanth Kesari starring Nandamuri Balakrishna was a pleasant surprise as Anil blended Balakrishna’s stardom with an important story of a young girl rising above a certain psychological trauma.

In a way, it was Dangal on steroids. Thankfully the troupes of the army aren’t used here for evoking patriotic feelings. It is more about Sreeleela’s Vijji overcoming her anxiety attacks and in the process becoming a resilient young woman.

In this film, general Anil Ravipudi’s comic troupes are kept to a bare minimum. The film also has powerful dialogues on good touch and bad touch delivered by the terrific Balakrishna.

The track of Kajal Aggarwal playing a supposed psychiatrist is the only occasion where we see trademark Anil Ravipudi touches.

Sreeleela as Vijji

A big strength of the movie was the powerful emotional bond between Balakrishna and Sreeleela’s Vijji. Balakrishna’s character is a foster father to Vijji.

To help Vijji become more resilient, he pushes her to join the army, something which Vijji hates. The portion of Bhagavanth pushing Vijji resulting in her hating him has a distinct hangover of Aamir Khan’s Mahavir Phogat in Dangal.

The movie’s underlying message emphasizes raising girls to be strong, like lions, and this theme comes across powerfully. A notable moment occurs in the pre-climax when, at a critical point, Anil Ravipudi shows Sreeleela fighting the baddies while Balakrishna pretends to be incapable.

There’s a clear reason for this. Both Anil Ravipudi and Balakrishna deserve credit for allowing Sreeleela to take centre stage. Her scenes, where she fights the baddies overcoming her anxiety, form the heart of Bhagavanth Kesari.

F2

F2 directed by Anil Ravipudi deals with familiar themes of frustrated men, in this case, it is Venkatesh’s Venky and Varun Tej’s Varun.

A poster of the film F2 — A poster of the film ‘F2’. (X)

Venky is a frustrated husband unable to cope with the system of marriage and the expectations which come with it. Varun on the other hand is a happy go lucky youngster who falls in love with Venky’s sister-in-law. Varun also ends up being frustrated unable to bear the eccentricities of his girlfriend.

The best part of F2 was the entertainment quotient specifically in the first half. Venkatesh played the “subjugated” husband to perfection raising many chuckles with his just his expressions and dialogue delivery.

A particular scene which needs to be mentioned here is when Venkay pours out his emotions about his marriage woes to a patient male dog.

This portion ends up with tears in the dog’s eye making Priyardarshi comment that you not only make families emotional but also dogs. The “juggalbandi” between Venkatesh and Varun Tej was a big plus for the movie enhanced by Anil Ravipudi’s writing.

Varun Tej with his rustic Telangana accent also got a good character and he did a fine job providing able support to Venkatesh.

The second half though went for a toss with some unnecessary characters and a climax which was both convulsed and chaotic; still, the movie was a good entertainer.

F3

F3, the sequel to F2 except for Venkatesh, Varun Tej and some other characters has no connection to F2.

The storyline here is completely different as it focuses on a bunch of men and women driven by greed. A strong aspect of F3 is its entertainment quotient even though it isn’t always politically correct.

Venkatesh and Varun Tej in F3 — Venkatesh and Varun Tej in ‘F3’. (X)

Venkatesh’s character suffers from night blindness; Varun Tej on the other has a specific mannerism to cover his stuttering. A lot of the humour is generated from this.

Much like F2 the “juggalbandi” between Venkatesh and Varun Tej was a major highlight. Talking about the humorous scenes, similar to the first part, there is a portion where Venkatesh talks about his problems to a raging bull, the bull subsequently has tears.

The way it is written by Anil Ravipudi coupled with Venkatesh’s acting makes it very entertaining to watch. Towards the end, there is an important moral lesson that Anil Ravipudi smartly integrates.

This is all about Anil Ravipudi’s strengths and weaknesses as a filmmaker along with what makes him a blockbuster director, here’s hoping that Anil Ravipudi grows from strength to strength and also explores new genres.

(Edited by Sumavarsha)

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/telugu/a-look-at-blockbuster-director-anil-ravipudis-filmography/

January 4, 2025January 4, 2025

Resurgence of Bobby Deol: An overview into the actor’s second innings with a variety of characters, both in theatres and OTT

While ‘Animal’ came across as a breakthrough performance, his performances on the OTT platforms with the web series ‘Aashram’ and the two movies ‘Love Hostel’ and ‘Class of 83’, also showcased his acting finesse.

Starting with the 1995 movie Barsaat, Bobby Deol has acted in more than 50 movies, including thrillers, action movies, and love stories.

From a boy next door in the likes of Barsaat the actor has transformed into a gritty actor with a diverse portfolio of characters. He has been a leading man, a supporting actor and has now transformed into a wonderful character artiste.

In the 1990s and 2000s Bobby Deol was a popular leading man primarily known for his stylish looks. However, as the years have gone by he has also proved his acting talent. While Animal came across as a breakthrough performance, his performances on the OTT platforms with the web series Aashram and the two movies Love Hostel and Class of 83, also showcased his acting finesse.

Standout performances in late 90s

In the late 90s and early 2000s too, the actor had a slew of fine performances to his credit. Among Bobby Deol’s earlier performances, his act in Abbas Mustan’s Humraaz (2002) deserves special mention. Bobby Deol’s character in Humraaz goes through many emotions, particularly in the second half. There is a palpable sense of distraught when Bobby’s Raj Singhania finds out that his wife has double-crossed him.

Another impactful character in Bobby Deol’s early career includes the romantic thriller Gupt (1997). In this movie, Bobby plays a young man wrongfully accused of murder. He portrayed the different nuances of the role in an impactful manner. Talking about comedy roles, Bobby’s act in Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (2007) as a mama’s boy was endearing to watch.

At one point Bobby’s career saw a dead end with no solid work coming. There were sporadic appearances but nothing substantial.

However, he rose to fame with the Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal, in which he plays a non-speaking person. The film released in 2023 December, opened many avenues for the actor— he is now the most sought-after villain.

In 2024, he once again played an antagonist in Suriya’s Kanguva. While the movie didn’t work as expected, Bobby Deol’s performance earned praise.

Now let’s get into a little more detail about Bobby Deol’s reinvention by expanding on the recent films and the web series mentioned above.

Animal

In Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal, Bobby Deol makes a late entry in the second half but leaves a lasting impact. His introduction scene captures two contrasting emotions. In the song “Jamal Kudu,” he dances joyfully with an alcohol glass on his head, celebrating. This is immediately followed by a moment of intense rage upon hearing of his brother’s death.

With his chilling eyes, Bobby’s character becomes a formidable opponent to Ranbir. In the climax, his emotional intensity shines through as he battles Ranbir.

Despite having no dialogue, his fiery eyes and body language convey murderous rage, making him an intimidating and deadly presence.

Class of 83

Class of 83, directed by Atul Sabharwal, is based on the novel by acclaimed crime journalist Hussain Zaidi. The film follows a cop, Vijay Singh, who is demoted to the dean of a police academy as punishment. At the academy, Singh selects a group of rookies to restore justice through unethical means. His plan works for a while, but things eventually fall apart.

Bobby Deol’s portrayal of Vijay Singh is far from the traditional larger-than-life cops like Salman Khan in Dabangg or Ajay Devgn in Singham. Instead, he plays a brooding mentor, conveying much through silence and his intense eyes. Deol effectively captures Vijay Singh’s inner turmoil with a powerful, internalized performance.

Aashram (Web series)

Bobby Deol in Aashram — Bobby Deol in ‘Aashram’. (X)

In his web series debut, Bobby Deol played a charismatic godman in Aashram, directed by Prakash Jha. His character, Baba Nirala, is revered as a messiah for the downtrodden, but in reality, he harbours a dark past. The three seasons of Aashram tackle various social issues, such as the caste system and reservation, in typical Prakash Jha style.

As the cunning yet charming Baba Nirala, Bobby Deol brought immense charisma to the role. He skillfully portrayed the contrast between the god-loving persona he presents to his devotees and the darker side revealed once the curtain falls. Deol perfectly balanced the revered godman with subtle hints of his evil nature.

Love Hostel

In Love Hostel, Bobby Deol played a hitman named Dagar, who believes he is doing society a favour by killing young couples who try to break societal norms by marrying outside their caste or religion.

Deol portrayed the mostly emotionless Dagar with the perfect attitude, outstandingly capturing his self-righteousness. He also nailed the hinterland accent.

This is an overview of Bobby Deol’s resurgence. This list is by no means complete, as the actor’s second innings includes many more exciting projects.

These include Yash Raj Banner’s first female-led spy film, starring Alia Bhatt and promising new talent Sharvari Wagh. There is also Anurag Kashyap’s untitled thriller with Sanya Malhotra. In addition, Bobby Deol has Telugu films Daaku Maharaj and Hari Hara Veera Mallu, as well as the Tamil film Thalapathy 69. Here’s hoping Bobby continues to deliver solid work.

(Edited by Sumavarsha)

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/resurgence-of-bobby-deol-an-overview-into-the-actors-second-innings-with-a-variety-of-characters-both-in-theatres-and-ott/

December 21, 2024December 22, 2024

Nikhil Advani: From romantic dramas to gripping social thrillers

Nikhil Advani has aced many genres, including action thrillers like ‘Batla House’, sports dramas like ‘Patiala House’, and films on social issues like ‘Vedaa’.

Starting from the romantic dramas Kal Ho Naa Hoo (2024) and Salaam-e-Ishq (2007) Nikhil Advani has created a distinct space for himself both on the big screen and also in the OTT space.

In a career spanning from 2003 to now, Nikhil Advani has donned various hats as a director, producer, writer and also creator for web series like the two seasons of Rocket Boys (2022, 2024) and The Empire (2021).

However, over the years, Nikhil Advani has moved from light-hearted romantic films to gritty tales about society, and history.

For example, the 2013 movie D-Day is a significant milestone in his career. At the box office, it was an average grosser but the critical reviews were very good.

Although an espionage thriller with all the nationalistic elements, the movie was nevertheless gripping showcasing a different facet of Nikhil Advani. The trials and tribulations faced by the four undercover agents in capturing the late Rishi Kapoor’s character modelled on Dawood Ibrahim packed an emotional punch.

Another TV show POW Bandi Yudk Ke was also directed by Nikhil Advani. The show based on two prisoners of war was taken off the air due to low viewership despite critical acclaim.

Nikhil Advani has aced many genres, including action thrillers like Batla House, sports dramas like Patiala House, and films on social issues like Vedaa. He has also dabbled in the OTT space, giving series like the recent Freedom At Midnight, and Mumbai Diaries Season 1 and 2.

Now let’s get into a little more detail about a few other projects that have been helmed by Nikhil Advani, showcasing how much he has grown as a director.

Batla House

In 2019, Nikhil Advani directed the action thriller Batla House based on the real-life police officer Sanjeev Kumar Yadav. The film focused on the controversial encounter showcasing Sanjeev’s struggles in proving both the authenticity of it and also dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The movie isn’t entirely objective in its approach more or less siding with Sanjeev Kumar. Still, it was a taut film keeping the viewers engaged. Also, Nikhil Advani’s depiction of PTSD deserves major appreciation.

Nikhil Advani also pushed John Abraham beyond his action star image. On numerous occasions, the viewers see John battling with his inner demons, a particular mention must be made of the portions reminiscent of William Shakespeare’s play Lady Macbeth. Much like that play, here too John’s character is often haunted giving a much-needed emotional heft.

Vedaa

Vedaa (2024) headlined by Sharvari Wagh is flawed yet a gritty social drama about caste-based violence and discrimination. The movie was based on real-life events and Nikhil Advani did a fantastic job in showcasing the struggles of Dalits in climbing up the social ladder even after so many years of independence.

Vedaa deserved to be much more at the box office given its merits but unfortunately lost the box office battle with Amar Kaushik’s mega-blockbuster Stree 2.

A very strong point of Vedaa was how Nikhil Advani developed the character of its titular protagonist portrayed by the brilliant Sharvari Wagh. The character of Vedaa starts off as a timid girl but gradually she grows in confidence becoming a strong rebel refusing to bow down. This transition was wonderfully depicted by Nikhil Advani aided by Sharvari who didn’t miss a single beat.

Apart from Sharvari’s towering act, Nikhil Advani also created a strong antagonist in the form of Abhishek Banerjee’s Jitender Pratap Singh. As the man who firmly believes that one shouldn’t toy with the established caste system, Abhishek simply knocked it out of the park showcasing his immense range.

Mumbai Diaries Season 1 and 2

The two seasons of Mumbai Diaries directed and created by Nikhil Advani focused on two highly distressing real-life incidents.

A poster of the series Mumbai Diaries — A poster of the series ‘Mumbai Diaries’. (Instagram)

The first one was about the horrors of 26/11. Nikhil Advani along with Nikhil Gonsalves focused their lens on how medical professionals like doctors and nurses were pushed to their limits in a crowded hospital which is low on resources. The web series was also a tribute to the spirit of Mumbaikars.

A strong aspect of the first season was how it never portrayed the doctors as superheroes. All of them come with their own inner demons and have their backs to the wall both professionally and personally.

Nikhil Advani also did a very fine job in not pitting one religion or nation against one another. It was more about terror versus humanity. The strong acting performances led by Mohit Raina and Konkana Sen Sharma were another highlight of both seasons.

The second season of Mumbai Diaries focused on the rage of floods which had submerged the Mumbai city. Much like the first season this time too the focus was equally on both the doctors fighting against the unfavourable weather and their personal demons along with the fighting spirit of Mumbaikars.

A strong aspect of Season 2 was how Nikhil Advani along with his writers built a palpable sense of urgency. The viewers feel an emotional connection with the characters of Mohit Raina and Konkana Sharma among others.

The flood scenes were also authentically recreated, and the production design of Priya Suhass was simply top-notch.

Freedom At Midnight

Freedom At Might co-written by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins is a very difficult novel to adopt given the sheer vastness of the political turmoil.

In today’s political environment numerous filmmakers are seen playing to the gallery to please the ruling party but Nikhil Advani’s adaptation of the vast novel stands out for not just the brilliant writing but also the way in which he never takes sides. He let the audiences make their own judgements by placing them amidst the powerful leaders who had fought for India’s independence.

The dynamics between Gandhi and Nehru were a treat to watch in particular. Gandhi’s unwavering idealism and Nehru’s internal struggle leading to discord were both wonderfully written and enacted. The series was also technically top-notch particularly the portions featuring the riot-torn neighbourhoods.

The show moves the viewers on many occasions like the scenes of religious discord leading to communal violence. Cannot wait to see how the second season unfolds.

Apart from the ones mentioned above a couple of other web series worth mentioning here are Rocket Boys and The Empire. Nikhil Advani didn’t direct either of them but he was still creatively involved. Both these shows further demonstrated Nikhil Advani’s versatility.

This is all about the evolution of Nikhil Advani as a filmmaker. Here’s hoping that he continues to do stellar work.

(Edited by Sumavarsha)

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/nikhil-advani-from-romantic-dramas-to-gripping-social-thrillers/

July 2, 2024July 5, 2024

Kartik Aryan: From a comic actor to a versatile star

A rundown of Kartik’s journey from Pyaar Ka Punchnama to Chandu Champion

Starting with Pyaar Ka Punchnama Kartik has done 17 movies so far. He started out with lighter roles that have shades of comedy and romance but with movies like Dhamaka, Freddy and the latest Chandu Champion Kartik has proved that he has got good range. He also tried his hand at an out and out commercial movie Shehzada, a remake of Telugu smash hit Ala Vaikuntapurramulo, though the movie ended up being a disaster because of the weak direction. However to Kartik’s credit he did make for a credible all-round hero.

In Pyaar Ka Punchnama Kartik played one of the frustrated boyfriends; there is a particular scene where Kartik vents outs his anger in a lengthy monologue about issues that men face in contemporary relationships. It struck a huge chord with young boys making Kartik an instant hit. The sequel of Pyaar Ka Punchnama had an even bigger monologue that Kartik aced. For a long period Pyaar Ka Punchnama image stayed with the actor but thankfully Kartik managed to come out of those shadows.

Singing Ami Je Tomar in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2

One of Kartik’s biggest strengths has been his charming nature and an endearing goofiness. A good example of this is Anees Bazmee’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022); in this movie he played the role of Ruhan Randhawa. In the process of helping a girl he pretends to be a fake Baba convincing people that he has the ability to communicate with the spirits of dead people.

Kartik generated a lot of humor with his dialogue delivery and expressions. He brought the house down on many occasions particularly when he pretends to be an expert Baba.

At the same time he was equally intense in the song Ami Je Tomar where he pretends to be possessed by the devil. Apart from his goofiness what also makes Kartik a success is his ability to experiment and work in genres that people don’t associate him with.

Kartik Aryan as the disgrunted man in Dhamaka

Much before Chandu Champion there was Ram Madhvani’s Dhamaka released in the year 2021. In Dhamaka Kartik played the role of a former prime time anchor Arjun Pathak now demoted to a radio jockey. On the personal front too his life isn’t going well. In short he is a disgruntled man. The character is far away from the usual boy next door roles and Kartik did a wonderful job in portraying the different shades.

In the year of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 there was also Shashanka Ghosh’s Freddy a dark psychological romantic thriller about an introvert dentist who craves for companionship. Often times Kartik’s character of Dr Freddy Ginwala is mocked for his social awkwardness. In the title role Kartik aced the many aspects starting from desperation to the eventual dark turn.

kartik-aaryan Freddy showing the simmering rage within the calmness

The best part of Kartik’s performance was how he showcased the simmering rage beneath the calmness. Even in terms of body language one can see the big variation. In spite of similarities to Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker Kartik made sure that his performance has its own individuality.

Now to the latest Chandu Champion directed by Kabir Khan. The role of Muralikanth Petkar, a Paralympics champion is a tough one to portray both emotionally and physically.

Kartik in this movie also appeared as an older man for the first time in his career. Before the movie there was lot of chatter about how he went from 39 percent body fat to just 7 percent.

The physical transformation was definitely extraordinary getting the perfect look to portray an athlete. But more than the physical transformation what stood out was how Kartik showcased the despair of Muralikanth after getting paralyzed waist down. There is a deep sadness including a suicide attempt. Kartik made sure that the audience’s heart went out for Muralikanth, because of which audiences feel happy for Muralikanth when he creates a world record in the sport of swimming.

Kartik Aaryan Sattu (Satyaprem Ki Katha) from a simpleton to standing up for his wife

Talking about romantic dramas Kartik’s best performance in this genre is Satyaprem Ki Katha (2023). Directed by Sameer Vidwan Satyaprem Ki Katha was an impactful romantic drama focusing on the issue of date rape. Kartik’s Sattu starts off as a goofy guy but there is a solid emotional graph too as the movie takes a serious turn. The performance is particularly good in the high emotional moments. The evolution of Sattu from a simpleton to someone who stands for his wife was very well showcased by the actor.

This is a brief rundown of Kartik’s roles that showcase his versatility. Here’s hoping that this younger star goes from strength to strength and does many more versatile roles.

April 30, 2024November 7, 2024

Akshay Kumar and the need for reinvention

A rundown on how Akshay Kumar went from being a bankable star with numerous hit films to an actor struggling to get good openings.

Starting from the year 1991, Akshay Kumar aka “Khiladi Kumar” acted in over 100 films.

At the beginning of his career, Akshay was primarily known as an “Action Star” because of his physicality and fitness levels. The “Khiladi” tag was the result of the action sequences and this image has stayed with the actor to date.

However, thanks to acclaimed South Indian director Priyadarshan, the actor’s image took a huge turn with the film Hera Pheri (2000). In Hera Pheri, Akshay Kumar played a street-smart guy called Raju.

The film gave him ample scope to display his comic skills. The movie also had a couple of emotional scenes which he pulled off with ease.

Hera Pheri opened new doors for Akshay Kumar. The film did not get a good opening but emerged as a box-office success gradually.

It is considered to be one of the best comic films made in Hindi cinema. It was a remake of the Malayalam movie Ramji Rao Speaking (1989).

The combo of Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan entertained the audiences further in the likes of Garam Masala (2006) and Bhagam Bhag (2005) — also a remake of the Malayalam classic Manichitrathazhu (1993).

In these films, Akshay Kumar raised many chuckles with his comic timing.

A special mention must be made of the scenes in Garam Masala, where his character juggles multiple girlfriends.

However, it wouldn’t be fair to categorise Akshay as just a comic actor.

More than a comedy actor

Akshay Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan in ‘Waqt: The Race Against Time’. (X)

There are the likes of Aankhen (2002) and Waqt: The Race Against Time (2005), among others, where Akshay Kumar proved himself as a versatile actor.

In Aankhen, he played one of the blind men whom Amitabh Bachchan uses as a pawn to take revenge against the bank where he was working and humiliated.

The Bollywood actor got the nuances of the role spot on and was very impressive, particularly in the face-off with Bachchan.

In Waqt: The Race Against Time, the actor played a spoilt son who undergoes a metamorphosis the hard way. He was both goofy and also intense in equal portions.

Akshay Kumar as a social commentator

There was also a period when Akshay Kumar found success with films dealing with social issues but with commercial ingredients. Case in point being Toilet: EK Prem Katha (2017), and Padman (2018).

What made Akshay’s performance in Toilet: Ek Prem Katha commendable is how he transforms himself from a son, who is scared of his orthodox father, to bringing a change in the mindset of an entire village. There is a visible effort in getting into the skin of the role.

Another movie worth mentioning in this category is R Balki’s Padman. It was about an entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganatham who made low-cost sanitary pads for women in rural areas.

The actor did a wonderful job of conveying the determination of a man who is mocked constantly and considered a madman by the people around him.

There are scenes in Padman that not many leading stars would have attempted. A case in point is the portion where Akshay’s character tests a sanitary pad on himself with disastrous results.

You also have a speech in the pre-climax at the United Nations, which is very moving.

An impressive Airlift

Apart from the above-mentioned ones, Akshay Kumar was also hugely impressive in the thriller drama Airlift (2016).

He was seen as a businessman who helped in the evacuation of Indians in Kuwait during the invasion of that country by Iraq’s supremo Saddam Hussain. This invasion is the beginning of the Gulf War.

Akshay’s character Ranjit Katyal starts as an arrogant businessman for whom profit is the only thing that matters. But soon, we see him vulnerable and helpful.

There are occasions where Ranjit is down and out but he still keeps going. Airlift is easily one of Akshay’s best performances.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Akshay Kumar was having a mostly dream run with hits upon hits.

In fact, the actor’s box office figures were much superior to Shah Rukh Khan who was going through a lean patch at that time. But all that changed drastically post-pandemic.

Malfunction of formula

Akshay Kumar in ‘Samrat Prithviraj’. (X)

The formula that worked so well for Akshay all those years has now come crashing down.

It is a well-known fact that the actor hops from one film set to another in a stipulated time. He likes having many releases in a year and method acting has never been his forte.

Akshay’s co-stars have often joked about it openly during movie promotions. Sure this strategy paid big dividends in the past, but now, it backfired with the actor becoming the butt of many jokes.

Certain jadedness came both in terms of script selection and also the actor’s attitude.

A good example of this is the movie Samrat Prithviraj (2022). It was clear while watching the film that the actor looked upon the project as just another film instead of getting into the skin of a very important historical character.

What he ought to have done was something like Hrithik Roshan in Jodha Akbar (2008).

The rumour has it that producer Aditya Chopra asked Akshay to grow a real moustache but Akshay refused to do it.

Even if you look at the movie Mission Raniganj (2023), there is no effort in getting into the headspace of Jaswanth Singh Gill — an engineer who risks his life getting the trapped miners out.

Even the Punjabi accent is more put on than anything else.

Latest failure

Akshay Kumar in ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’. (X)

But the most shocking of all is the recent Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (2024). In fact, the genre of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan fits perfectly on the radar of Akshay Kumar — a combination of action and comedy.

However, the Bollywood actor appears as a pale version of his Khiladi avatar.

In fact, Tiger Shroff was in much better form with some genuinely funny one-liners. At least he appeared to be enjoying himself, unlike Akshay, who was literally sleepwalking through the role.

This is a sad scenario because Akshay is a capable actor who has shown that he can deliver good performances.

It is high time that Akshay Kumar does some serious introspection both about the kind of films he is choosing and also his working pattern.

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/akshay-kumar-and-the-need-for-reinvention-in-films

April 8, 2024November 9, 2024

Kareena Kapoor Khan: An actor who stays relevant and is a strong force to reckon with

An overview of how Kareena Kapoor Khan is flourishing with author-backed roles and spreading joy among her fans.

Published in: Southfirst

Starting from her debut film Refugee in 2000, Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor Khan has been part of over 60 movies, including special appearances and dance numbers.

The special appearances include Zoya Akhtar’s Luck by Chance (2009), Priyadarshan’s Billu (2009), and Lovely Singh’s Kya Love Story (2007).

In a career spanning well over two decades, Kareena Kapoor has carved a niche for herself — as a glamorous heroine and a good performer.

In Refugee, she was offered a performance-oriented role which she pulled off with finesse.

Of course, there are films where Kareena came across as too over the top in pitching her performances, like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) and Prem Ki Diwani Hoon (2003).

Karan Johar once commented that Kareena was not even aware of for whom she was crying in one scene. But having said that, the actor also proved herself to be a versatile performer in many movies.

Kareena Kapoor, a versatile actor

Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor in a still from ‘Jab We Met’. (X)

A good example of this is Sudhir Mishra’s Chameli (2003). In the movie, Kareena Kapoor Khan played the role of a sex worker who speaks a rustic language.

It was a brave choice, particularly considering the glamorous image of the actor, but Kareena sunk her teeth into the role playing her part with empathy and conviction.

In the film Dev (2004), directed by Govind Nihlani, the Bollywood actor played a deglamorised role. She shared screen space with the likes of Amitabh Bachchan and more than stood her own.

A scene that deserves a particular mention is when Kareena’s character comes forward to expose the powerful men responsible for the riots before the police commissioner.

The actor effortlessly conveyed the grit of a determined young woman.

Ken Ghosh’s Fida (2004) is another important film in her career. In the flick, Kareena appears as a girl next door with a lot of tenderness. But in the second half, the character takes a huge turn and she is the villain who dupes Shahid Kapoor’s character.

Another noteworthy performance in Kareena Kapoor’s filmography is Vishal Bharadwaj’s Omkara (2006). Her role (Dolly) goes through many emotions from love, awe, fear and bewilderment.

The Hindi actor does not have many lines but she made a big impact with her expressions.

Imtiaz Ali’s Jab We Met (2007) is, of course, a monumental film in her career. Kareena’s Geet has many shades. From a bubbly and overtly talkative young woman, the character goes through heartbreak in the second half.

But still, there is an inner resilience. Kareena Kapoor delivered an award-worthy performance.

A strong screen presence

Kareena Kapoor Khan and Aamir Khan on the sets of ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’. (X)

When it comes to married female actors, there is a tendency to slow down post-motherhood and have long breaks. But Kareena Kapoor Khan’s speciality lies in maintaining her glamorous image even after two children and getting author-backed roles in different genres.

These films include Laal Singh Chaddha (2022), Good Newwz (2019), Jaane Jaan (2023), and the latest Crew (2024).

In spite of Aamir Khan playing the title role, Kareena registered a strong impact in Laal Singh Chaddha. Her Roop is a conflicted woman who loves Laal Singh and dreams big for herself.

Kareena Kapoor played her part with a lot of compassion, additionally, she also looked stunning.

In Raj Mehta’s Good Newwz (2019), the Bollywood actor appeared as a working woman named Deepti Batra, who has been trying to get pregnant for a long time.

She had a meaty role and she did a swell job. The actor was particularly good in a dramatic monologue with Akshay Kumar.

In Sujay Ghosh’s Jaane Jaan, Kareena played a single mother, who escaped an abusive marriage. Things take a dramatic turn when the past catches up in the form of her abusive husband played by Saurabh Sachdeva.

Kareena’s Maya D’Souza was a mixture of steely resilience, vulnerability and charm, among other things. She delivered a knock-out performance.

Crew, an absolute riot

Now, to her last release Crew. In this film, Kareena Kapoor Khan plays an air hostess who is unapologetically greedy and doesn’t mind taking a shortcut to get rich. At the same time, there is also a deep loneliness.

The Hindi actor did a wonderful job of portraying the different facets of Jasmine. Additionally, her scenes with Tabu were an absolute riot.

Kareena Kapoor also got into production with Hansal Mehta’s directorial The Buckingham Murders (2023), which premiered at the London Film Festival on 14 October last year. Her performance has been much appreciated.

This is a brief outline of Kareena Kapoor’s past and recent roles. Here’s hoping that the senior actor continues to shine bright and spread joy among her fans with varied roles.

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/kareena-kapoor-khan-an-actor-who-stays-relevant-and-is-a-strong-force-to-reckon-with

March 24, 2024November 16, 2024

Mammootty : An actor who constantly reinvents himself and pushes the barriers of a traditional superstar

Mammootty’s brilliance lies in the fact that even at 72, he has a burning passion to excel and challenge himself as an artiste.

Mammootty has acted in over 400 movies so far, mainly in Malayalam but a few in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, English, and Kannada as well. He left a solid imprint in all the languages.

The actor won three National Awards for Best Actor and nine Kerala State Film Awards. He also has a record of 13 South Filmfare Awards.

It is easy for an actor to get complacent and play safe when you are in the industry as long as Mammootty. But his brilliance lies in the fact that even at 72, he has a burning passion to excel and challenge himself as an artist.

The passion to challenge himself as an artist is visible in the subjects he chooses.

In Peranbu (2018), he played a father to a daughter suffering from cerebral Palsy. The character goes through many emotions and there are times when Mammootty’s Amudhvan comes across as helpless and very much vulnerable.

On the other hand, in the film Puzhu (2022), he played a caste bigot and a single father with an overbearing nature. The way he treated his son is similar to how he would handle a criminal.

Both these characters are as different as chalk and cheese in terms of how they are written. Mammootty excelled in bringing them to life.

Mammootty as a cop

Then there are the cop characters like the ones in Unda (2017) and Kannur Squad (2023).

In Unda, Mammootty was seen as SI Manikandan. He leads a group of freshly trained policemen on election duty in a Maoist area. Though Mammootty plays the primary character, there is nothing invincible about him. Mammootty blends with the surroundings and never overpowers the story. Manikandan is a man who is both scared and vulnerable, but there is also a strong inner strength. Mammootty brings these aspects with his trademark gravitas.

The actor also cracks you up on many occasions with his subtle humour.

In Roby Varghese’s directorial Kannur Squad, Mammootty played an ASI leading a special investigative team.

The role of ASI George is not a big stretch for Mammootty but the actor shines bright as the determined squad leader.

He also had some delightful massy moments, including an action stretch in the dark. The physical agility of Mammootty in the mass sequences is praiseworthy.

Many facets of the Malayalam Superstar

In Kaathal-The Core, the Malayalam Superstar plays a homosexual who has not made peace with his sexuality yet.

Mammootty deserves all the accolades for not just accepting this bold role but also doing a brilliant job of portraying the different emotions.

The actor particularly shines in a heartbreaking conversation with his father Devassy played by RS Panicker.

In the 2023 flick Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam, Mammootty plays a Malayali man James who starts behaving like a Tamilian farmer named Sundaram upon entering an unknown village. There are many quirks to the role.

In the hands of a lesser actor, the whimsicalness of the entire scenario would have fallen flat. But Mammootty, the legendary actor that he is, transforms James into Sundaram and back to James smoothly.

Rorschach (2022), directed by Nissam Basheer is another film which shows a different facet of Mammootty.

In the movie, he plays the role of a mysterious stranger Luke Anthony. He is a man with secrets and has a mission to accomplish.

Director Basheer did a brilliant job of exploring the psyche of a man whose thirst for vengeance is not fulfilled even after the enemy dies.

Mammootty magnificently embodied Luke Anthony’s endless appetite for revenge.

Bramayugam, directed by Rahul Sadhasivan, showcases another shade of Mammootty’s on-screen villainy.

In the beginning portions, his character Kodumon Potti appears to be a benevolent man. But, as the story progresses, his actual personality is revealed.

Mammootty terrified the viewers with just his body language. It was clear that he had a blast in portraying the wickedness.

Other language films

Regarding the other language films, late K Vishwanath’s directorial Swathi Kiranam (1992) is widely considered one of Mammootty’s best films in Telugu and his overall career and rightly so.

What added to Swathi Kiranam’s brilliance, apart from the gripping narration, was Mammootty’s stellar act as an egoistic musician.

The actor conveyed the feelings of jealousy, remorse etc in a very impactful manner. Swathi Kiranam introduced Mammootty’s brilliance to the Telugu audiences much before the Yatra films (2019 and 2024).

In Tamil, Thalapathi (1991) is a significant film in the actor’s filmography. Acclaimed director Mani Ratnam pulled off a huge casting coup by casting Rajinikanth and Mammootty together.

Rajinikanth played a character modelled on Karna from Mahabharata in this contemporary take. Mammootty, on the other hand, was the modern Duryodhana.

In spite of Rajinikanth’s star power in the Tamil industry, Mammootty dazzled the viewers with his fabulous act. It is hard to take your eyes off the screen whenever the actor appears.

Mammootty also made a huge impact on the international shores with the English and Hindi bilingual Dr Bahasaheb Ambedkar (2000).

He got into the skin of one of the most revered personalities of Indian history with utmost ease. He skillfully portrayed the tenacity of Dr Bahasaheb Ambedkar while at the same time showcasing his vulnerabilities.

This is just a small appreciation of Mammootty’s recent roles. The list is by no means exhaustive given his long journey in films.

Here’s hoping this legendary actor continues enthraling the viewers with many more varied roles.

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/mammootty-an-actor-who-constantly-reinvents-himself-and-pushes-the-barriers-of-a-traditional-superstar/

February 6, 2024November 22, 2024

More Glamour Than Acting: A Critique Of Deepika Padukone’s Recent Choices

It is to the credit of Deepika that she took a big risk with her glamorous image when she produced and acted in ‘Chhapaak’ (2020).

published in southfirst

Deepika Padukone has always been a glamorous star. But earlier, she used to balance glamour with acting.

But of late, it has been more glamour and less acting.

Starting with Gehraiyaan (2022), Pathaan (2023), Jawan (2023) and now, Fighter (2024), all followed the same route — all in two years.

It is not that Deepika did not have her share of good performances.

For instance, in Shoojit Sircar’s Piku (2015), the actor shared the screen space with the legendary Amitabh Bachchan and the late Irrfan Khan. And still, she held her own opposite these stalwarts.

Lost in Bhansali’s grandeur

Deepika Padukone in Padmaavat — Deepika Padukone in ‘Padmaavat’. (X)

In her first collaboration with Sanjay Leela Bhansali — Ram Leela (2013), Deepika Padukone delivered a performance that had the right mixture of spunk and vulnerability.

In Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) and Tamasha (2015), there was both glamour and acting.

In Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, her character goes from being a nerd to a more confident woman.

Deepika pulled off the different shades with finesse.

In Tamasha, the actor had less screen time. Nevertheless, she did make her scenes count.

The song sequence “Agar Tum Saath Ho”, in particular, deserves a mention.

But Deepika Padukone was disappointing in two of Bhansali’s big films — Bajirao Mastani (2015) and Padmaavat (2018), where she was central to the plot.

The Bollywood actor could have done so much more but confined herself to looking glamorous.

In both these films, Deepika was overshadowed by Priyanka Chopra and Ranveer Singh respectively.

Her choice of roles

It is to the credit of Deepika Padukone that she took a huge risk with her glamorous image when she produced and acted in Chhapaak (2020). The Bollywood film was based on a real-life acid attack survivor named Lakshmi.

Performance-wise, Deepika was good, and credit has to be given to her for taking a risk like Chhapaak. However, the movie suffered from a documentary-style approach, and the key flashback portion required more heft in terms of writing and acting.

The financial failure of Chhapaak seems to have had an impact on Deepika’s selection of roles. This is visible from Gehraiyaan (2022).

Directed by Shakun Batra, Gehraiyaan was a keenly anticipated film, given the critical and commercial success of his Kapoor and Sons (2016). It was a complicated relationship drama. In the name of performance, Deepika Padukone was mostly seen doing only intimate scenes with Siddanth Chaturvedi’s Zain.

The focus was more on glamour rather than delivering a solid performance. In fact, Ananya Pandey was much better in the few emotional scenes that she got. The characterisation of Alisha also did not help Deepika Padukone. The best example of this is the portion involving the pregnancy drama.

Lost in action

Deepika Padukone in Pathaan — Deepika Padukone in ‘Pathaan’. (X)

In Pathaan, Deepika Padukone made for a good action heroine. The actor was fluid in her movements as the Pakistani agent named Rubai. But there was no stand-out emotional scene. Even the love story between her and Shah Rukh jumped out of nowhere.

The highlight of Deepika’s presence remained the controversial “Besharam Rang” song. In Atlee’s Jawan, Deepika Padukone comes only in the second half as the wife of father Shah Rukh Khan.

In that extended special appearance, she has only two moods — one is anguish, and the other is sadness. On top of that, Deepika’s portions majorly slowed down the proceedings and brought the screenplay to a grinding halt.

Now, in her latest outing Fighter, Deepika Padukone’s character is supposed to represent women’s empowerment. She goes against her father’s wishes to become a fighter pilot.

However, for most of the flick, she is required to flirt and look at Hrithik Roshan’s Patty with adoration. She is supposed to heal him. Even the strained relationship with her father ends only because of Hrithik’s character. There is a glazed look that Deepika Padukone carries, throughout Fighter, which is painful to watch.

Even the scenes of her operating the fighter plane resemble a man driving an auto. Glamorous characters can also have substance, a case in point being Deepika’s Cocktail (2016). In the film, she plays an angst-ridden rich girl. The actor looked stunning as always and was impressive performance-wise.

Deepika Padukone and the power position

Deepika Padukone is in a position where she can pick and choose roles that showcase both her beauty and acting. The actor need not settle with the likes of Pathaan and Fighter. It is high time that the Bollywood actor gives more importance to the role she plays rather than acting with big male stars.

For example, when Vicky Kaushal acted with Alia Bhatt in Raazi (2018), he was not such a prominent name as he is now. Similarly, Shantanu Maheshwari was a rank newcomer when he worked with Alia in Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022).

In both films, Alia Bhatt gave more importance to the part and the story rather than focusing on the commercial viability of her male actors.

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/more-glamour-than-acting-a-critique-into-deepika-padukones-recent-choices/