The biggest victory of Lokesh Kangaraj’s Vikram is how he balances the three immensely talented actors. The script has been written in such a way that all three get their moments to shine. In essence, Vikram is a stylish action drama. The first twenty-to thirty minutes of the film are a bit of slog with the overload of the information but as you go along the film starts getting better. Vikram is not as engaging as Karthik’s Kaithi which also belonged to the same genre, but it definitely fares better than the director’s last film Master.
The films begins off the supposed death of Karnan (Kamal Hassan). Karnan is the father of the martyred cop Prapachan (Kalidas Jayaram) We learn that a series of such killings has been happening, the people responsible for this are a group of masked men. This group calls it their war against the system. To stop these killings, the police chief brings in a black cops team. The head of this team is Amar (Fahadh Fasil). Amar starts digging into the past of Karnan. Vijay Sethupati plays a fearsome drug lord called Santhanam. Santhanam is searching for a shipment that would make him a king pin. Meanwhile, Amar is getting more and more puzzled by the many versions that he hears about Karnan. Was Karnan an alcoholic father grieving over the loss of his son, a womanizer or something more than that? But the bigger question is whether he is really dead.
The most intriguing part of Vikram is the investigation scenes of Amar and his team. These portions keep you hooked as you yourself are also trying to figure out who the actual Karnan is. There isn’t a lot of Kamal Hassan in this part but his presence can still be amply felt, both as an actor and also as a character.
The action part before the interval has a solid twist that makes you look forward for the second half. Post interval the plot becomes more straight faced. Just like Kaithi here too you have a bunch of cops holding against an army of gangsters.
The subplot of Karnan and Prapanchan’s baby gives the second half some emotional undercurrent. These portions are pretty good. Kalidas Jayaram has a small role but the actor does a good job nevertheless.
As I earlier said all the three actors get their moments to shine. Kamal Hassan packs a punch in both the action and the emotional bits. His scenes with the little grandson give some heat touching moments. Fahadh Faasil sails through his role with his usual aplomb. He shines the brightest in the first half. Vijay Sethupati’s Santhanam is an extension of what he did in Master but the actor still makes an impact with his villainous turn. His interactions with the family members raise some chuckle worthy moments.
What pulls down Vikram significantly are the overdose of action. There is no denying that they have been solidly choreographed, but these scenes come too frequently from the middle of the second half.
Also the suspense factor is no longer there once the identity of Karanan is revealed. The film becomes more generic after this in terms of treatment. As a result the film starts feeling very prolonged. The editing department is another minus for Vikram. At least thirty minutes of the film could have been easily chopped off. Because of the excessive length the impact of Surya’s cameo lessens down.
It also doesn’t help that the supporting characters with the exception of Kalidas are mostly gap fillers.
In a nutshell, watch Vikram if you are a fan of the three actors. But be prepared for all the bloodshed.
The attack of 26/11 is a subject that has found a prominent place in both movies and also web series. A good example of this is the Anupam Kher and Dev Patel’s Hotel Mumbai and also the web series Mumbai Dairies. Major directed by Sashi Kiran focuses on the real life major Sandeep Unnikrishnan. Sandeep Unnikrishnan was an NSG Major who sacrificed his life in fighting the terrorists on that fateful day. The beats of the story isn’t unfamiliar in any way. Most of us know how the attacks of 26/11 had played out and as an audience you also know that Sandeep is going to end up as a martyr. So the tricky thing is how you engage the audiences. But director Sashi Kiran keeps the audiences hooked. He is also helped by the mostly tight writing of Adavi Sesh, apart from acting, Adavi Sesh has also written the story and screenplay of this film.
The story of Sandeep is narrated through the parents played by Prakash Raj and Revathy respectively. Sandeep’s fascination with the uniform is established early on by the director. From a young age itself Sandeep is someone who doesn’t think twice before putting himself in harm’s way in order to save someone’s life. His parents aren’t exactly too pleased with his decision of joining the army. But there is nothing that they can do given the firmness of Sandeep’s decision; through the course of the film, Sandeep is confronted with what it means to be a soldier. Is it putting oneself first on the battlefield, or forgoing being a good husband etc. On that fateful day he had the option of staying back but he instead decided to fight the terrorists.
The biggest triumph of Major is way the character of Sandeep has been etched. The focus is on Sandeep as a complete human being and not just as a martyr. When the inevitable happens you not just mourn for a soldier who has lost his life, but you also think about the life that he could have lived.
Fascinating story of a braveheart
There is a deep emotional connect that the director brings. Sandeep’s interactions with his parents in particular are good. There aren’t many of those scenes but whatever what you get is heart touching. The film also works as a coming- of- age tale and not just as a soldier’s story.
Sandeep’s love story with his childhood sweetheart Isha (Saiee Manjrekar) is also fairly well etched out. Saiee gets a pretty solid role and she delivers a decent performance, but there are times where you feel that a more solid actress would have uplifted the love story.
A majority of Major’s second half plays out as a combat drama. The action set pieces by Naba are very good. You can clearly see that a lot of hard work has gone into it. The dialogues by Abburi Ravi are another standout feature of this film. Lastly, Patchipulusu also deserves credit for his cinematography. He ably captures the different moods of the film through his lens.
Adavi Sesh gets a role of a lifetime and the actor grabs the opportunity with both hands. It is a part which is demanding in both physical and emotional sense, and Adavi Sesh nails it with a terrific performance. He is convincing in all the stages of his character.
It is a film that is going to stay with you for a long time
Prakash Raj and Revati are experienced actors who don’t need any particular validation, as expected both of them bring in their immense experience to the parts. Their performances in the closing moments would move audiences to tears. Murali Sharma and Shobhita Dhulipala are effective in their brief roles.
In a nutshell, Major more than lives up to the promise made by the impactful trailer. It is a film that is going to stay with you for a long time even if the subject of army isn’t your cup of tea.
Among the younger crop of Tollywood directors Anil Ravipudi is someone who has quickly climbed up the ladder of success. From his first film Patas onwards the director has been successful in catering to the masses. His latest F3 is no different from the earlier ones. The film comes with a solo agenda of making the audiences forget the stress of real life. While F2 focused on the trials of frustrated husbands, this one talks about money and people’s greed for it. Much like F2 there isn’t much of a plot but it still keeps you entertained. There are two reasons for this; one is the conviction of the actors and two there is a method to the madness.
Venketash and Varun Tej reprise their roles of Venky and Varun respectively, but this time they are playing two individuals who are always after money. After failing to make it big they come across a video of a rich businessman played by Murali Sharma. He is looking for his lost son. So both Venky and Varun decide to go in as the lost son and inherit the crores of property. But they are not the only ones who are in desperate need of money.
Tammanha’s character also shows up at the place disguised as a male. In addition there is also the character of Vennala Kishore. He is brought there by Rajendra Prasad who has his own motive. The rest of the story is about who the actual son is and what happens to these characters.
A major strength of F3 is the entertainment quotient. Venky suffers from night blindness and Varun has stammering issues. A lot of the film’s humor comes from these two aspects (though it is incorrect to draw fun of these disabilities) Comedy is not something new to Venkatesh. It is something that he has always been good at. Here too the actor brings the house down with his comic timing. There are many inside jokes that make you chuckle. A particular reference must be made to the scene where he talks about his problems to a raging bull. Tears come out from the eyes of the bull after hearing his story. Raghubabu playing the sidekick comments that you can make not just the families but also animals emotional. This is in reference to the family man image of Venkatesh.
F3 IS NOT FOR THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR A PROPER STORY AND LOGIC. IT IS FOR THOSE WHO WANT A FULL ON MASALA FILM WITH ENTERTAINMENT PACKED AT REGULAR INTERVALS.
In the climax there is an instance where Venkatesh dresses up as Narappa. When Varun asks him about this get up. The actor says that this is for my fans as Narappa didn’t release in theatres.
Varun Tej also gets his share of funny moments. The mannerism that he uses to cover up his stammer raises some chuckle worthy moments.
There is a moment in the climax where Varun Tej dresses up as Vakeel sab and beats the villains. It is one of those inside jokes that bring a smile on your face. Much like F2 here too the chemistry between Venkatesh and Varun Tej is on point. The supporting cast has many players and most of them make their screen time count. Sunil and Ali in particular stand out. Murali Sharma’s serious avatar is in complete contrast to the other characters. In the pre- climax you have an unexpected twist and also an important moral lesson on people’s greed for money, and the things that it makes people do.
One of the things that stick out in F3 is the character of Sonal Chauhan. Her character falls in love with Tammanh thinking he is a male. These portions weren’t at all needed. Also the characters in Tammanh’s family are unnecessarily vilanised. Their greed for money is portrayed with a judgmental tone unlike Venketash and Varun Tej’s
In a nutshell F3 is not for those who are looking for a proper story and logic. It is for those who want a full on masala film with entertainment packed at regular intervals.
Sequels are always a tricky business whether it is movies or web shows. The audiences have a certain set of expectations which are not easy to meet. But director Deepak Kumar Mishra does a very good job in exceeding those expectations with Panchayat season 2. Panchayat season 2 not only delivers laughs, but it also makes you introspect. Tight writing combined with solid performances makes this web series one of the better shows of this year.
For those who don’t know Panchayat season 1 followed the journey of Abhishek Tripati (Jitendra Kumar). Abhishek Tripati unwillingly accepts the job of a Panchayat secretary in Phulera. Phulera is a remote village in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. The first season was essentially about how he acclimatizes himself to the village. An important part of the show was his bond with the locals, particularly Pradhan (Raghubir Yadav), his wife and the actual Pradhan (Neena Gupta) and finally the two office bearers played by Faisal Malik and Chandan Roy, Season 1 also covered some important issues, but without any melodrama.
Season 2 takes off from where season 1 ended. Abhishek Tripati’s bond with the Pradhan and the others has become strong. There is also a hint of romance between Abhishek and the daughter of Pradhan. This season covers local politics, rivalries and also relatable issues like standing up for your friends.
It is easy to get repetitive with a premise like Panchayat. But director Deepak shows growth both in the characters and the story. We see new dimensions to the village of Phulera and also the residents living in it. The director smartly avoids the typical tropes of films set in rural India. He presents Phulera as a real place with real people. Most of the humor comes from the situations that people find themselves in. The director also nicely sets up Season 3 with a smart twist at the end.
Apart from delivering laughs, the series is also successful in dwelling into issues with simplicity. There are no lengthy monologues here. But Deepak Kumar Mishra gets the point across successfully.
The subtlety of the show also extends to the performances. Jitender Kumar shows once again why he is perfect actor to play Abhishek Tripati. Jitender has grown leaps and bounds; this is evident in the way he holds his own against the likes of Raghubir Yadav and Neena Gupta. Raghubir Yadav and Neena Gupta are actors who don’t need any particular validation. Both of them are in terrific form as always.
Faisal Malik and Chandan roy are more than just comic reliefs in Season 2. Towards the end there is a scene where Faisal Malik will get you close to tears.
One minor complaint about the series is the track of the foul-mouthed politician. It doesn’t serve any major purpose. Also you wish there was a little more of Neena Gupta.
In a nutshell, Panchayat Season 2 is going to make the audience impatient for Season 3.
Priyadarshan’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa was a remake of the Tamil film Chandramukhi which starred Rajinikanth and Jyotika. Chandramukhi itself was a remake of the Malayalam film Manichitrathazhu.Bhool Bhulaiyaa wasn’t as good as Chandramukhi but it was still highly watchable thanks to the comic timing of Akshay Kumar and also the performance of Vidya Balan in the post interval portions. It was also the time when Priyadarshan was in good form. Bhool Bhulaiyaa was a psychological thriller with ample doses of comedy.
Anees Bazmee’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 is an extension of that universe. This one plays out like a horror comedy, a genre which has brought good box office numbers. Karthik Aryan steps into the shoes of Akshay Kumar, Tabu on the other hand steps into the shoes of Vidya Balan. Tabu plays a double role in this one. The only cast member who is common between both the films is Rajpal Yadav. He returns back as Chota Pandit. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 is one of those wholesome entertainers that have something for everyone.
Strangers Ruhan Randhawa (Karthik Aryan) and Reet Thakur (Kiara Advani) meet at a hill station. Just like most Bollywood love stories there is an instant connection followed by a song and dance sequence. Things take a turn when Ruhan and Reet land up in an abandoned haveli where the spirit of Manjulika is believed to held captive for 18 years. Ruhan turns into Rooh Baba in no time and convinces people that he can talk to ghosts. Things are going well for Ruhan, but he invites self trouble when he accidently unleashes the spirit that has been locked for 18 years. The rest of the story is about why the spirit of Manjulika is so angry and will Rooh baba be able to handle the situation. The back story of Manjulika and the connection of the twin sisters form an integral part of the second half.
The best thing about Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 is how the director combines the elements of horror and comedy. The scares aren’t particularly new but still they do spoke you. The scenes of Karthik Aryan as Rooh Baba are an absolute laugh riot. His interactions with the family of Kiara Advani bring the house down. The subplot of Rajpal Yadav, Sanjay Mishra and Ashwini Kaleskar also raise some chuckles, even if the nature of the humor is somewhat questionable. The dialogues by Aakash Kaushik deserve praise for the way punch lines have been written.
Karthik Aryan gets ample scope to display his comic timing and the actor doesn’t disappoint one bit. Karthik is also very impressive in pre-climax scene where you have a big reveal.
Another thing that Anees Bazmee gets right is the track of twin sisters. After Karthik Aryan, Tabu has the meatiest role among the rest. She serves as the catalyst of the plot. The parts of the twin sister are as different as chalk and cheese. Tabu effortlessly switches between Anjulika and Manjulika. She gets her big moment in the climax and as usual Tabu kills it with her performance. The big twist here is quite satisfying as you don’t really see it coming. Special mention must also be given to the makeup of Tabu in the flashback portions. Tabu looks effortlessly young. Performances wise it is Karthik Aryan and Tabu who shoulder the film on their shoulders.
There are two areas where the film falters. One is the romance between Karthik and Kiara. There is a lot of flirting and also one kiss. But the chemistry is nowhere visible. In fact the romantic portions come across as speed breakers. The songs of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 are another major sore point. The only song that makes any impression is the reworked version of Hare Ram from the original. Karthik’s dance moves in that are quite fluid.
In a nutshell, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 is a wholesome entertainer that is going to keep its target audiences engaged. It is a film which is sure to break the dry run that Bollywood has been having since the success of Gangubai and Kashmir Files.
Divyang Thakkar’s Jayeshbhai Jordaar is what you get if you grind Ayushmann Khurrana’s formula of social films and also some Akshay Kumar ones like Toilet Ek Prem Katha.
The director takes up the issues of female infanticide and superstitions among others, he narrates it through the lens of entertainment. Even when the film moves into a dark zone the narrative style doesn’t lose its core.
Jayeshbhai Jordaar is definitely a breadth of fresh air among the spate of biggies like RRR and KGF 2. However you just wish that the director had paid more focus on the development of some characters, case in point being Shalini Pandey’s Mudra. It looks like the actress had hopped from the sets of Arjun Reddy to this one. Shalini tries very hard but the mostly one- dimensional character coupled with the forced Gujarati accent makes it hard to sympathize with her.
Ranveer Singh and Shalini Pandey play a young couple living under the thumb of the overbearing elders. They have to bow down to whatever the elders say, and this includes a sex determination test too. Jayeshbai’s father is sarpanch Ram Lal (Boman Irani). His character is very reminiscent of those politicians who think that woman wearing short clothes leads to rape. There is a bizarre scene where Ram Lal bans soap to protect the ladies. Siddhi (Jia Vaidhya) is the daughter of Jayesh and Mudra. Ratna Patak Shah plays Boman Irani’s wife. Both Ram Lal and his wife want Mudra to deliver a boy who will carry forward the lineage. There is also a subplot involving a village in Haryana. The people in that village want help as it is an all- men’s village. The sex-ratio is terribly skewed. The rest of the story plays out like a road movie with Jayeshbhai desperately trying to save his wife. The daughter Siddhi is Jayeshbhai’s biggest support.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/fppJtxJ7RWY?feature=oembed The best part of Jayeshbhai Jordaaar is how the director maintains the character of Jayesh. Jayesh is a timid person who cannot oppose his father publicly, but he still stands up for his wife on many occasions making sure that she doesn’t get hurt. There is a scene early on when Jayesh is asked to beat his wife by Ram Lal. The reason being Jayesh’s sister is being abused in her martial home. Mudra’s brother is the husband of Jayesh’s sister. Jayesh closes the door and creates a charade that makes Ram Lal and his wife think that he is beating Mudra severely.
Jayeshbhai is someone who relies on his brains and not fists. At no point Ranveer turns into a Salman Khan of the Tiger series.
Ranveer’s scenes with Jia Vaidhya are the soul of Jayeshbhai Jordaar. Ranveer shares a far better chemistry with Jia than he does with Shalini Pandey. There are occasions where Siddhi behaves more like an adult but it still works. Jia Vaidhya is a definite a fire cracker in her role.
The sub plot involving the Haryana village is also smartly integrated into the narrative. The comic scenes are also quite good. A particular mention must be made of the scene involving the black cat. It is hilarious.
Ranveer Singh has always been one of those actors who brings something new to the table.
As Jayeshbhai the actor delivers another terrific act. His role here is a far cry from the flamboyant Ram that he played in Ram Leela, that was the last time that Ranveer had played a Gujarati.
One big minus of Jayeshbhai is that a majority of the supporting actors are mere gap fillers. Even someone like Ratna Pathak Shah doesn’t get much to do. There is a transformation which happens toward the end, however it is too sketchily written for you to buy it.
Boman Irani is appropriately menacing but the one note characterization gets tiring after a point. His character also gets a makeover eventually, but again it is difficult to buy it. The hangover of films like Toilet Ek Prem Katha and others are very visible. As a result there is a sense of déjà vu that creeps in.
Musically there is not even one song that you would remember which is sad given that banners like YRF and Dharma are known to deliver popular soundtracks irrespective of the quality of the films. Jayeshbhai Jordaar has an important story to tell but a sense of familiarity plays the spoilsport here.
Superstars playing characters with negative shades isn’t very common. Even if that happens an attempt is made at the end to sanitize the character. Generally things take a turn towards the climax. However debutant director Ratneena’s Puzhu is a different beast altogether, there are no redeeming qualities thrust on Mamooty’s character, neither have you got any quick whitewash. For much of the film you experience a combination of fear mixed with revulsion, it is akin to what the son Kichu (Master Vasudev) feels towards Kuttan. Essentially Puzhu is a character study of an unsympathetic guy through the lens of social, political and cultural degradation.
Mamooty plays a police officer called Kuttan. He is a widower who stays in a posh apartment along with his son Kichu. Kuttan has an overbearing nature that suffocates his young son. The son at times wishes his father to be dead; Kuttan starts to feel that someone is trying to kill him. He starts developing paranoia. This paranoia is further accentuated by the arrival of his younger sister Bharati (Parvathy Thiruvothu) who comes to stay in a nearby flat along with her husband who is a theatre artist. The husband name is Kuttappan. Kuttan shares a problematic equation with Bharati. The reason being she had eloped with Kuttappan. Kuttappan comes from a lower caste. This is just the synopsis of Puzhu, can’t reveal anything more since there are many more layers to the story.
Puzhu has many complex layers starting with how the character of Mamooty has been written. Rateena doesn’t waste any time in establishing Kuttan. From early on we understand that Kuttan has deep hatred for those who belong to different communities and castes. You also understand that his parenting skills need a serious change over. It is not just unhealthy but it also borders on child abuse. His handling of the son is akin to the way he would handle a criminal.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/276aSWaJ7gM?feature=oembed However there are certain moments in the film which make you empathize with Kuttan. There are scenes in the film where he tries to connect with his son after Kichu openly rebels against his father. There are also a few occasions where Kuttan draws out laughs. For example there are scenes where he keeps visiting a suspect every time he escapes an attempt on his life. The lighter scenes are few and far in between but they momentarily relieve the otherwise tense ridden drama.
Mamooty is an absolute revelation in his part. The way he generates hatred just through the twitch of his eyes is simply remarkable. The senior actor once again shows why he is considered as one of the legends of Malayalam cinema along with Mohanlal. He captures the various nuances of Kuttan without missing a single beat. Mamooty does all this without going overboard even for one bit.
The characters of Bharati and Kuttappan are mostly side players but they have their share of moments too. Parvathy in particular shines as Kuttan’s warm and still hopeful sister.
Special mention must be made of Master Vasudev as well. He stands his own and manages to not get overshadowed, this in spite of sharing screen space with Mamooty and Parvathy. The element of theatre also plays an important part here. A comparison is drawn between Kuttan’s situation and an epic play performed by his brother- in law. This angle adds more heft to the film.
Watch Puzhu for the subject matter and also the terrific Mamooty.
Raj Singh Chowdary’s Thar is a well staged thriller which had the potential of being more. Much like Koratala Siva’s Acharya here too you have the real life father and son duo playing important roles. Thar is technically sound and also benefits immensely from Anil Kapoor’s screen presence but unfortunately the same cannot be said about son Harshvardhan Kapoor.
The story of Thar takes place in the eighties. A series of violent killings are happening in a remote desert town in Rajasthan. Anil Kapoor plays the local cop Surekha Singh. Surekha Singh is given the responsibility of nabbing the killers. Satish Kaushik plays a subordinate cum friend. His character comes from the lower caste.
At this juncture a stranger called Siddarth (Harshvardhan Kapoor) enters the town. He has a certain stoic presence with an aura of mystery around him. He gets involved with a married woman played by Fatima Sana Sheikh. Nothing more can be said about the plot since this is a thriller.
Director Raj Singh Chowdary wastes no time in setting up the plot. The scenes between Anil Kapoor and Satish Kaushik in particular are good to watch. The actors bring in their real life camaraderie to the table.
Anurag Kshyap is the dialogue writer of this one and the stamp of Anurag can be seen at several junctures, particularly the ones related to caste.
Another department that deserves a mention here is the production design and the cinematography. Both Wasiq Khan and Shreya Dev Dube are successful in capturing the rugged terrain of the place. There is a lived in feel with no sense of artificiality.
Not surprisingly Anil Kapoor towers over many of the cast members. It is a combination of Anil’s acting caliber and also the way the other characters have been written. He commands your attention from the word go. Satish Kaushik is the only other actor in the cast who makes an impression.
The one major drawback of Thar is how the character of Harshvardhan Kapoor has been written. In an attempt to create an aura of mystery the director forgets giving some emotional heft. The inadequacies also show up in Harshdvardhan’s performance. There is no denying that Harshvardhan has been making some brave choices like Vikramaditya Motwane’s Bhavesh Joshi. But he had to realize just making interesting choices isn’t enough.
Another issue with Thar is the forced romantic sub plot between Harshvardhan and Fatima Sana Sheikh. It adds nothing to the story. In fact it slows down the pace of the film considerably which is anyway moving at a sluggish space.
Lastly, the elements of dacoits, drug trafficking etc haven’t been properly explored by the director.
In a nutshell Raj Singh Chowdary shows promise, what he needs is a more fleshed out script.
