Category: Telugu Movie Reviews

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Waltair Veerayya: A Routine Vendetta Saga With All Style And No Substance

Summary

Waltair Veerayya (Telugu) 2 out of 5
Cast: Chiranjeevi, Ravi Teja, Prakash Raj, Bobby Simha, Rajendra Prasad, Shruti Hassan, Catherine Teresa, Vennela Kishore and others
Director: Bobby Kohli
Producers: Naveen Yerneni and Y Ravi Shankar
Music: Devi Sri Prasad
Running time: 2 hours and 35 minutes
Genre: Action drama/comedy

Chiranjeevi is an actor who came with no background but emerged as a megastar with his hard work. There is a huge fan base that Chiranjeevi enjoys. But of late the actor has been struggling big time ever since he made a comeback to cinema.

Apart from Khaidi No 150, nothing has clicked for the actor.

Waltair Veerayya is thus an important film to him as neither Acharya nor Godfather set the box office on fire, although the latter had good reviews.

The promos of Waltair promised Chiranjeevi at his massy best and the addition of Ravi Teja had made the audiences excited.

Chiru has a blast

There is no denying that Chiranjeevi had a blast playing Waltair and his energy at the age of 67 is indeed commendable, but the end result is still hugely underwhelming.

Chiranjeevi is a smuggler of luxury goods and liquor along with being a fisherman. In spite of having a criminal record, there is a certain respect that Waltair enjoys. He is so respected that even the Coast Guard takes his help when in dire need.

Even a police officer like Seethapathi (Rajendra Prasad) approaches Waltair to help him bring back a notorious drug dealer Solomon Caesar (Bobby Simha) from Malaysia. Waltair and co go to Malaysia to kidnap Solomon.

Here Veerayya’s path crosses with that of Solomon’s brother Michael Caesar (Prakash Raj in another routine villain role). Waltair and Michael have a past that is connected to ACP Vikram Sagar (Ravi Teja). Vikram Sagar and Veerayya are step brothers.

Commercial package

What follows is a template commercial package where the elder brother takes revenge on the enemies and restores honour to his dead younger brother.

The story of Waltair doesn’t make any bones of being different and the fan appeasement is very clear from the moment Chiranjeevi is introduced.

The first half is sporadically engaging, all thanks to the comic timing of Chiranjeevi. His fear of heights generates some chuckles. There is a particular slang that the actor uses and this leads to some entertaining moments.

The other members of the gang that include Srinivasa Reddy and Saptagiri don’t get to do much in spite of their proven comic skills.

Sruthi Hassan’s character has an interesting twist when she is revealed to be a RAW officer, but as in most big ticket vehicles, she is relegated to the background soon.

Things take a turn for the better at the interval point and the interval bang is where the real story begins.

Ravi Teja factor

Ravi Teja’s entry and his scenes with Chiranjeevi are easily the best part of the second half.

The scenes where both the actors reference each other’s films do bring a smile to your face. There is big friction between them but at the same time there is also an undercurrent of emotion.

In spite of knowing where the story is going to head, you are involved as long as Ravi Teja is there.

As ACP Sagar, Ravi Teja brings a certain intensity to his part. A particular mention must be made of Ravi Teja’s death scene and the one final conversation that he has with his brother.

But once the flashback ends, the film starts becoming a big slog with endless action scenes and the pre-climax involving vigilante justice leaves the audiences with a sour taste.

Both Prakash Raj and Bobby Simha are earnest in their parts, but these are roles that they can play even in sleep.

As in most Telugu films, there is a huge set of supporting actors; but, with the exception of Rajendra Prasad, none have anything much to contribute.

The music by Devi Sri Prasad is apt for those who enjoy mass entertainers.

Chiru needs better scripts!

As Waltair, Chiranjeevi undoubtedly has a blast. His performance in both the comic and emotional bits is a delight to watch.

But it is high time that the actor understands the changing tastes of audiences and chooses scripts accordingly.

It would be good if the senior actor takes the route of an Amitabh Bachchan or a Mammooty.

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18 Pages: Familiar Terrain, But Worth A Visual Read

Sarayu Roy shines bright as Nikhil’s friend.

18 Pages (Telugu)

  • Cast: Nikhil Siddhartha, Anupama Parameswaran, Sarayu Roy, Ajay, Dinesh Tej, Brahmaji, Posani Krishna Murali, and Raj Tirandasu
  • Director: Palnati Surya Pratap
  • Producers: Bunny Vas, Sukumar Writings and GA2 Pictures
  • Music: Gopi Sundar
  • Runtime: 2 hours 17 minutes

Stories of lead pair falling for each other without even meeting isn’t new. Ajith-starrer Prema Lekha is an example.

Therefore, as a writer, one needs to bring something new to the table within these familiarities.

Sukumar is someone who is known for a distinctive style of storytelling, both what he produced and what he directed. In 18 Pages too, as a writer, Sukumar integrates certain important social topics like how social media is affecting human bonding.

It is not an easy task for both the writer and director to present a love story where the hero and heroine don’t have a combination scene for the most part.

In spite of that, 18 Pages keeps you invested even when the film goes off the rail in the second half.

The story

The film begins with the introduction of an app developer, Siddhu (Nikhil Siddartha). Siddhu is in a solid relationship and he wants to take it to the next level. He decides to surprise his girlfriend but he gets a shock in return.

The incident pushes him into depression. Siddhu starts getting into the habit of drinking and losing his temper. In this situation, he comes across a diary written by Nandini (Anupama Parameswaran) who is vastly different from Siddhu, in terms of using technology.

In fact, Nandini doesn’t even have a phone. She is someone who believes in living the moment by expressing her happiness in the form of a diary.

Siddhu learns many interesting things about Nandini and not surprisingly, falls for her. His personality also undergoes a sea change.

From a technology addict, he starts giving more importance to human interactions. The diary ends on the 18th page, leaving Siddhu eager to meet Nandini.

He is egged on by his friend played by Saruyu. However, he faces the biggest shock of his life after going to Nandini’s village. Her grandmother tells Siddhu that she died in a car accident a couple of years ago.

The rest of the story is about what exactly happened to Nandini and whether she is really dead. If not dead, is Siddhu able to meet her is one question that keeps us invested in the film till the end.

Siddhu’s search for Nandini is also reminiscent of the Sharwanand and Allari Naresh-starrer Gamyam.

The assets

18 Pages wastes no time in setting up the personality of its leading man. Director Palnati Surya Pratap makes you feel Siddhu’s heartbreak. And as an audience, you want him to find his love.

The film becomes even more interesting with the arrival of the diary. The romantic chemistry between the lead pair is pretty much visible, even though it is only at the end of the movie that they meet.

After Karthikeya 2, Nikhil is once again in good form. He portrays the transition of Siddhu convincingly.

The scenes between Nikhil and Saruyu are another major asset of 18 Pages. Their camaraderie and the bond of friendship come across strongly.

Indeed, Sarayu shines the brightest in the supporting cast without any questions. Her scenes with Nikhil can be watched on repeat mode.

The simplicity of Nandini is a little overdone but Anupama Parameswaran manages to make it work with her acting. It is to Anupama’s credit that the audiences are still invested in what happened to her.

Music by Gopi Sundar is another big driving point. Most of the songs have a melodious feel which takes the story forward.

The first half has the perfect mixture of light and dramatic portions. The interval bang raises the expectations for an equally engaging second half.

However, it is in the second half that the flick starts slipping. The suspense involving Anupama’s character needed to be better etched.

The drawbacks

The flashback portions are fine but need to be stronger. The villains headed by Bramhaji and Ajay aren’t menacing enough. They come as regular villains with zero personality.

The proceedings slow down considerably in the last thirty minutes. As an audience, you want the ending to come quickly.

In spite of the loose second half, 18 Pages is still worth a watch, particularly for the actors’ performances.

Verdict

To sum it up, 18 Pages isn’t a seamless combination of romance and thrills. But then, it makes for a good watch.

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Hit 2: A Taut Police Procedural That Is More Gripping Than Its Predecessor

Leaves you excited for the third part.

HIT: The Second Case (Telugu)

  • Cast: Adivi Sesh, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Suhas, Rao Ramesh, Tanikella Bharani, Posani Krishnamurali, Komalle Prasad, Srikanth Iyengar, and Maganti Srikanth
  • Director: Sailesh Kolanu
  • Producers: Prashanti Tipirneni and Nani
  • Music: MM Srilkeha, Suresh Bobbili, and John Stewart Eduri
  • Runtime: 2 hours

Not much was expected when Hit (The First Case) hit the theatres. However, the film surprised many thanks to its arresting screenplay. Vishwak Sen was also applauded for his performance as the officer battling with post traumatic stress.

There were certain issues with the storytelling. The climax was a downer and some of the investigation scenes lacked cohesiveness, but still the film was appreciated for its novelty.

The sequel has Adavi Sesh taking over the reins from Vishwak Sen, but the characterisations of both the heroes are as different as chalk and cheese. Expectations from the sequel are far more thanks to the well-received trailer and its leading man.

The setting of Hit (The Second Case) is Visakhapatnam. Before we are introduced to SP Krishna Dev (Adavi Sesh) there is an important incident that sets the tone of the story.

It is about a man who accidently stumbles upon his wife’s extramarital affair. Expectedly he gets angry and orders her to go away.

The wife goes to a women’s organization and paints a picture of her husband mentally harassing her. This leads to the husband’s humiliation and subsequently he loses his job as well. Later on we also find out that he had committed suicide.

Enter Adavi Sesh

After this prologue the scene shifts to the introduction of Adavi Sesh. Unlike the brooding Vishwak Sen’s Vikram Rudraraju, Adavi Sesh’s KD is more relaxed in the way he conducts his investigations. KD is also a chai addict. For him visiting a crime scene can wait, but not chai.

KD has a live-in relationship with his girlfriend Aarya (Meenakshi Chaudhary). Rao Ramesh plays KD’s superior. KD is someone who is also known for his wit and sarcasm and this adds a different dimension to the character. Maganti Srinath reprises her role from the first part.

A tonal shift in the film happens when a woman is found dead in a gruesome manner. This brings to the fore questions of women’s safety. From here on the film moves to into the zone of an SP versus a psychopath. Two more gruesome murders follow, and the pressure mounts on the police to catch this serial killer.

What is common between the murders is that all three women were part of a women’s organization. At one point it appears that everything has been solved, but soon a big twist comes. And this twist jolts the audiences.

The rest of the story is about why the serial killer is specifically targeting this section. And, most importantly, whether KD is able to put a stop to all this.

The many pluses of Hit2

Hit2 is a film which works on many counts, starting from the technical team. John Stewart Eduri’s background score has the required tension. The effectiveness of his background score can be particularly felt when KD has to race against time.

Cinematographer Manikandan is effective in showcasing Vizag in a different light. The production design also deserves a special mention.

Meenakshi Chaudary in Hit2 has more to do than Ruhani Sharma in Hit1, and the actress does a good job. Both Adavi Sesh and Meenakshi have a good chemistry. Director Sailesh Kolanu treats their live-in relationship in a matter of fact way without making it a big thing.

KD’s scenes with Aarya’s mother (Geetha Bhascker) bring a certain fun element in an otherwise tense ridden film. The audiences miss seeing more of Geeta Bhascker.

The film also briefly touches upon extra-judicial killings and police encounters being celebrated. It is just a brief subplot but nevertheless Sailesh Kolanu makes some valid points.

Creating the back-story

The major area where Hit2 scores over its first part is in the motivation of the killer. The back-story of the villain and why he does what he does has been brought out superbly. Moreover, the actor playing the villain is somebody that the audiences would never have thought of.

Portions of the climax aren’t easy to digest, but as an audience you nevertheless come out satisfied.

Hit2 majorly rests on the shoulders of Adavi Sesh and the actor doesn’t disappoint. KD is a character with various shades and he plays it with a finesse that we have come to associate with him. He has been part of thrillers previously too but Hit2 showcases the actor in a different light.

Of the rest, Suhas and Maganti Srinath hold their own. Some of the senior actors haven’t been properly used by the director. And these include Rao Ramesh and Tanikella Bharani.

Another minor complaint: The scenes of Adavi Sesh with Posani Krishna Murali — they don’t add much weight to the film.

The music by MM Srilekha and Suresh Bobbili is functional. However, there is one romantic song which is both good to watch and hear.

Hit (The Second Case) leaves you excited for the third part, and also a possible crossover between the three heroes in the future.

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Yashoda: An Overstuffed Thriller That Bites More Than It Can Chew

Yashoda directed by Hari-Harish is an attempt at exposing the underbelly of surrogacy through the lens of good versus evil. Generally it is the male protagonist who takes on the baddies and saves the day but here the director has a female protagonist who is entrusted with this responsibility. Yashoda’s battle is both personal and professional.

Fans love Samantha Ruth

The film begins off interestingly enough with the murder mystery of a Hollywood starlet; there is also a business tycoon and a supermodel who are also bumped off in the film’s initial bits. Sampath Raj & Co are given the task of catching the murderers. Yashoda (Samantha) becomes a surrogate who is in desperate need of money. She is urged by the basti doctor to continue her pregnancy in a high-end facility called Eva. Eva is owned by Madhu (Varalakshmi Sarathkumar). There is also Dr Gowtham (Unni Mukandan). This facility is luxurious in every sense of the word. It is a dream come true for any pregnant woman; however things are not what they appeared to be. Yashoda is also not the helpless woman that she appears to be in the beginning. She has been sent by someone to bust Eva. Additionally her young sister is also trapped in Eva. Yashoda soon starts her secret investigation and this leads to tumbling of several secrets.

Samantha and Unni Mukundan who makes solid impression

The murder mystery and the track of Samantha go side by side leading to some unexpected twists which are quite engaging. But the missing aspect is a tight screenplay to bind things together.

Yashoda starts off on a high until Samantha reaches Eva but soon starts stagnating. The major reason for that are her Eva inmates and a forced attempt to show a bond between Samantha and them. These inmates have their own reasons to become surrogate mothers; however the problem is that audiences don’t feel anything for them. The humor also comes across as rather unwanted.

Varalakdhmi Sarathkumar with Samantha

Things take a turn for good when Samantha gets into her investigative mode. Of course, suspension of belief is needed here in terms of how easily Yashoda investigates in spite of the secret cameras and the tight security. The interval bang is very exciting indeed.

The second half starts off promisingly with the back-story of Varalakshmi Sarathkumar. Her back-story looks at the concept of beauty consciousness and the society’s obsession with the outer exterior. Madhu is a woman who never wanted pregnancy as it would ruin her beauty. However, there is a major issue in terms of how she has been portrayed. Through her character the director duo reinforces the stereotypes of how a woman who doesn’t want to become a mother must invariably be an abnormal psychopath. This hardly leaves space for any nuance.

The pre-climax twist of Yashoda being policewoman and also Murali Sharma being a negative character does come as a surprise. The ending has an emotional high. However the elongated fight scenes test the patience of the viewers.

Hari Shankar and Harish Narayan, the directors, duo bite more than they can chew?

Samantha in the title role gives her blood and sweat and is easily the biggest reason why you stay with the film. She pummels the bad guys with conviction and also adds a certain gravitas to the emotional scenes. Varalakshmi Sarathkumar makes for a great antagonist; however she comes across as rather helpless in the climatic portions of the film. Unni Mukundan also makes a solid impression as Madhu’s partner in crime. Sampath Raj, Murali Sharma and others are good in the space that they have been given.

Music by Mani Sharma is just functional but the background score is good. The cinematography by M. Sukumar deserves distinction marks for a job very well done.

Final word: Yashoda is a treat for Samantha fans and an interesting experiment but that is not enough for this to sail through.

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Urvasivo Rakshasivo: A Refreshing Romantic Drama Which Belongs To The Heroine

The genre of romantic comedy/drama is one of the most overused genres in cinema across languages. Hence it is difficult to make an engaging romantic film given that only two kinds of endings are possible. One happy and the other sad, but when done well it is always a delight to watch a good Rom com like this one.

Allu Sirish and Anu Emmanuel in a rom com that is well made

Conflict points in romantic films have varied over the years. Earlier it used to be parental opposition. Often times this parental opposition used to come on the grounds of money and caste. However this soon became a cliché in movies (though not in the real world) and thankfully it has now taken a back seat. After money and caste next came the protagonists belonging to different communities. Abhishek Varman’s  2 states is a perfect example of this. The director gave a nuanced film about a Punjabi boy and a Tamil girl and how they overcome the barrier of belonging to two different cultures.

Bharadwaja, Allu Sirish, Anu Emmanuel, Allu Aravind, Balakrisna and director Rakesh Sashi

Currently the theme of live in relationship is hugely in vogue. Many Hindi films like Shuddh Desi Romance, Luka Chuppi etc have had stories of live in set in non metro areas. Urvasivo Rakshasivo directed by Rakesh Sashi deals with modern issues in love and also an interesting conflict point between marriage and a live in relationship. Keeping with the current trend of remakes Urvasivo Rakshasivo is also based on the Tamil film Pyaar Prema Kaadhal. Since I have not seen the Tamil film my review will be as a standalone.

Sree Kumar (Allu Sirish) gets smitten by Sindhu (Anu Emmanuel) who is working in a different office but soon joins him. Sree makes several attempts to woo her with the help of Sunil and Vennela Kishore. Sindhu starts liking Sree too but it isn’t love for her yet. On a rainy night they both get intimate and Sree proposes love to Sindhu but she doesn’t accept. The reason according to her is it happened in the heat of the moment. Sindhu has some very clear cut goals with ambitions of setting up a restaurant and marriage doesn’t really feature in that yet. Sree on the other hand comes from a conservative middle class family where the mother played by Amani wants a nice homely girl for her son. Sree gets heartbroken when Sindhu doesn’t accept his love but things change when Sindhu also falls for him. However, there is a big hitch. Sree wants marriage but Sindhu proposes live-in. After some thinking Sree agrees for live-in hoping that he can convince Sindhu for a marriage later on. They take a pent house and soon Sree is juggling between his live-in relationship and also being a dutiful son without the parents’ knowledge. This is the basic synopsis.

Allu Sirish stands his own and makes the tribulations of Sree relatable. He is a perfect fit for his part

The best thing about Urvasivo Rakshasivo is how the director does justice to the title. Sindhu is easily the trickier part out of the two leads both to write and also enact. On more than one occasion Anu Emmanuel may come across as spoiled with her opinions and dreams, but at the same time the audiences also understand where Sindhu is coming from and why she is so stubborn when it comes to not wanting marriage. Anu Emmanuel does a brilliant job in striking the perfect balance and makes the audiences fall in with love with her. This is easily her best performance till date. Kudos to Rakesh Sashi for not spoiling the core of Sindhu’s character even when the situation becomes ugly. The happy ending also doesn’t come at the cost of squashing Sindhu‘s dreams which is very satisfying.

Anu Emmanuel comes across as a strong leading lady

Rakesh Sashi also deserves credit for how he portrays the differences in the attitudes of his two protagonists. Both Sree and Sindhu come across as very believable persons and perfectly right in their own place. The chemistry between Sirish and Anu Emmanuel is on point and their love making scenes have been aesthetically shot.

Also the film never gets into the zone of preaching about live in relationships. There is enough entertainment particularly in the second half when the juggling act begins. Sunil and Vennela Kishore are majorly responsible for that. Their scenes with Sirish are a laugh riot. Vennela Kishore in particular is a hoot with his one liners inspired from the OTT terminology. My favorite bit in the second half is when Sree is running from his parent’s house to the pent house and vice versa becomes a representation of a batsman running between the wickets.

Allu Arjun, Allu Sirish’s proud brother, praising the film with Sirish, Anu Emmanuel and Rakesh Sashi in the background.

The portions between Anu and her on screen father Prithvi are also good to watch. There is certain sweetness to them. Prithvi as the modern dad works as a contrast to Amani’s traditional mother.

Allu Sirish as Sree is a perfect fit for his part. He does stand his own and makes the tribulations of Sree relatable. However, there is one bit which sticks out and that is the scene when Sree gets drunk.

The songs by Achu Rajamani and Anup Rubens are mostly a delight to watch except for the break up number.

The one area where Urvasivo Rakshasivo could have been better is the first half. The conflict point could have come earlier with a cut down on the office scenes.

Final word: Urvasivo Rakshasivo is a rom com with enough entertainment and more importantly a strong leading lady.

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Godfather: The Return Of Chiranjeevi

Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Lucifer was a competent political thriller within the realms of what is considered mainstream in Malayalam. Mohanlal’s charisma was one of the primary reasons that the film worked. Vivek Oberoi was also terrific as the bad guy. Prithviraj Sukumaran’s direction wasn’t flawless but still the actor director did a good job in capturing the socio-political scenario.

Mohan Raja’s Godfather on the other hand is a massier version of Lucifer. There are ample slow mo shots of Chiranjeevi accompanied by a thundering background score of S. Thaman. There are punch dialogues which are aimed to make the fans happy. But at the same time Mohan Raja makes sure that the film hasn’t got any unnecessary subplots like a forced romantic track or a crude comic subplot.

Much like Lucifer here too the political drama keeps you invested. It also immensely helps that young actor Satyadev makes for more than a worthy antagonist to Chiranjeevi, this is something which I will elaborate on later.

Godfather begins at an Interpol facility in France where a high- ranking agent hands over a confidential case of an elusive mastermind Abraham Quershi to another agent. From here we move to India where PKR, the supreme leader of a political party is no more. The death of PKR has sent the state into a crisis and a new leader must be elected. The key players in this musical game of chairs are introduced by director Puri Jagannadh making his acting debut as investigative journalist Govardhan.

Brahma (played by Chiranjeevi) is an intelligent and popular leader among the masses and is also the backbone of the deceased CM. This ideally should make him the perfect candidate. However senior leader Narayana Varma (Murali Sharma) and PKR’s son-in-law Jaidev (Satyadev Kancharana) have other plans. Additionally PKR’s daughter Satyapriya (Nayanathara) is also thrown into the mix. There is also Salman Khan in a swashbuckling extended cameo as Masoom Bai, although there is nothing masoom that the actor is doing here.

The best thing about Godfather is how director Mohan Raja sets up the plot. It keeps you hooked. There are many unexpected twists and turns regarding the supporting characters that keep you glued to the screen. The best examples of these are the characters essayed by Sunil and Shafi. Initially we see that Sunil and Shafi are working for Chiranjeevi and Satyadev respectively. However there is a twist in a tale that you don’t see coming.

The director also deserves credit for how he showcases Chiranjeevi as a mature politician. Chiranjeevi hasn’t got many dialogues but the actor still packs a punch with his eyes. His screen presence and settled performance is a treat to watch.

NAYANTHARA BRINGS A CERTAIN DEPTH TO HER ROLE.

The emotional bits featuring Chiranjeevi and Nayanathara will also move you. Nayanthara brings a certain depth to her role. It is not a part with a wide arch but it is to the credit of Nayanthara’s acting talent that you root for Satyapriya.

However the biggest strength of Godfather is easily Satyadev as the antagonist. The way he holds his own opposite Chiranjeevi is remarkable to say the least. He is the major reason why this political tussle never feels one sided.

The interactions between Chiranjeevi and Satyadev are terrific to watch. The best example of this is the jail episode where Satyadev taunts Brahma. This film should ideally open new doors for this talented actor.

AS MASOOM BHAI THE ACTOR CLEARLY HAS A BALL, EVEN THOUGH HIS FACE HAS BEEN CLEARLY DE-AGED.

The entry of Salman Khan is also perfectly timed. As Masoom Bhai the actor clearly has a ball, even though his face has been clearly de-aged. The climax fight where Chiranjeevi and Salman take on baddies is a treat for the fans.

The film has also got some well written political moments particularly in the first half. Puri Jagannadh as the investigative journalist is successful in representing those who are frustrated with corrupt politicians.

Godfather isn’t without its flaws. The second half is comparatively less interesting and the likes of Murali Sharma etc could have been used better. Also the music of Thaman is a big downer. The background score is definitely a banger but there are times where it swells too much.

Final word: Godfather is a welcome return to form for Chiranjeevi after the debacle of Acharya. It is an enjoyable political ride even if you have seen Lucifer.

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Oke Oka Jeevitham: A Good Attempt At Mixing Time Travel And Mother Sentiment

Time Travel as a concept has been much used in western novels and movies. If we talk about Telugu Cinema Aditya 369 directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao was a successful fantasy film. In Oke Oka Jeevitham director Shree Karthik uses time travel as a background to explore the lives of three close friends. The director mixes different genres like science, sentiment, thriller etc. Oke Oka Jeevitham could have been crisper as it does drag in the second half; also Sharwanand comes across as a weak link. But all things considered, Oke Oka Jeevitham has its heart in the right place and is consistently watchable.

Amala brings certain grace to the character of a strong mother

The film begins off with an experiment that a quantum physicist (played by Nassar) conducts along with fellow scientific partner and friend. This experiment is regarding a time machine, but unfortunately for Nassar and his friend it turns out to be a disaster. From there we move to the introduction of Adi (Sharwanand), Sreenu (Vennela Kishore), and Chaitu (Priyadarshi). Each of them has their own set of problems. For example Adi suffers from severe stage fright which is related to the death of his mother (Amala) at an early age. He has lot of passion for music but he starts getting nervous when he is in front of public. Ritu Varma is the supportive girlfriend whose sole purpose is to prod her boyfriend and make him get out of this stage fright (Similar to Ayan Mukerji’s heroines). The father, on the other hand, feels that Adi is wasting his time.

Sharwanand, Akhil Akkineni, Amala and Nagarjuna

Vennela Kishore plays a house agent who constantly regrets on not taking his studies seriously. Unfortunately for Sreenu, his marriage with his uncle’s daughter gets cancelled because of his job status. Chaitu on the other hand is not able to get married; he finds faults with every girl he meets. During his childhood there was a girl who liked him but Chaitu didn’t care for her much. Now that girl has grown into a beautiful woman and is going to get married. It is at this stage that the three friends come into contact with Paul through Sreenu. Paul first convinces Adi to go back in time, after Adi gets convinced Sreenu and Chaitu also decide to join in. Apart from the above mentioned characters there are also three children who play the younger version of Adi, Sreenu and Chaitu. What follows is an emotional drama set against the backdrop of time travel.

Shree Karthick, the director who excelled in mixing time travel

The best thing about Oke Oka Jeevitham are the scenes featuring Amala. Amala brings a certain grace to her part. She does well in her role of a strong mother who cares for her son and tries to help him overcome his shortcomings. She is particularly good in the key emotional bits.

The dialogues by Tharun Bhaskar are another major win for the film. There are a lot of witty-one liners, especially the ones between Vennela Kishore and Priyadarshi. The humor brings a smile to your face. My other favorite bit in the time travel are the scenes where Vennela Kishore pleads with his younger self played by Nithyaraj, to focus on his studies. Both Vennela Kishore and Priyadarshi hold the film afloat and keep you engaged even in the stretchy second half.

Adi, Sreenu and Chaitu characters played by youngsters very ably

The cinematography by Sujith is good as he successfully showcases the difference between the two time zones the 1990’s and 2019. Director Sree Karthik is also successful in integrating the twists and turns which keep you engaged. The scenes featuring the three children are also good, my favorite though is Nityaraj.

Oke Oka Jeevitham fumbles from the middle of the second half where things start getting convoluted. The track of Nassar doesn’t add much to the film beyond a point. He only serves as a catalyst for the three protagonists to overcome their fears and nothing else.

Nitu Varma, the supportive girl friend

The love story between Sharwanand and Ritu Varma is thankfully kept to a minimum but it is something that the makers could have done away with. Sharwanand as Adi is strictly one note in both characterization and performance. The actor looks rather tired and this proves to be a roadblock.

Also the cameo of Ali comes out from nowhere and you are left scratching your heads about why the senior actor is taking up these parts, first Liger and now this.

Final word: Oke Oka Jeevitham is a competent experiment particularly for the audiences of Telugu cinema.

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Liger: A Crossbreed That We Didn’t Need

Not long ago Puri Jagannadh was considered as one of the most successful commercial directors in Tollywood. The director had made a niche for himself with Ravi Teja’s Amma Nana O Tamil Ammaye and Pawan Kalyan’s Badri among other films. Puri reached his peak with the blockbuster Pokiri starring Mahesh Babu.

Vijya and the super rich Tanya, Ananya Pande

But since Pokiri Puri Jagnnadh has seen a dip with many indifferent films like Kalyan Ram’s Ism, Allu Arjun’s Iddarammmayilatho etc. These films lacked the solid masala that the director is known for. In the recent past only Junior NTR’s Temper and Ram’s Ismart Shankar have brought in some profits for the director. When Liger was announced people were excited to see what Puri would bring out from Vijay Devarakonda. Karan Johar backing it along with Mike Tyson’s special appearance made Liger an exciting project. Thanks to COVID Liger has been in the making for over two years and has finally released in a period of huge uncertainty. An apt description for Liger’s quality would be dead on arrival. It is a hotchpotch with zero direction.

Vijay’s physical appearance as MMA fighter is bang on

Balamani (Ramya Krishna) and her son Liger (Vijay Devarakonda) move from Karimnagar to Mumbai. Balamani wants to make her son big in the world of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). Balamani makes her life by selling tea. The father was also an MMA fighter who died some time back. Liger has the appearance of a hulk with stammering issues. His stammering is ridiculed at certain points in the film. Ronit Roy plays the tough coach. He has a connection with Liger’s father; Ronit Roy teaches Mixed Martial arts for free to Liger. Both the coach and the mother give a warning saying that girls are a distraction and Liger shouldn’t get distracted.

This is the cue for Ananya Pandey’s super rich Tanya to come in. She is a social media celebrity with Hollywood aspirations. Tanya is impressed with Liger’s fighting skills and soon love happens. What follows is a cross pollination of genres that leaves your head scratching.

Liger, the largest cat in the world

Liger’s only redeeming qualities are the performances of Vijay Devarakonda and Ramya Krishna.  Vijay gets the physical appearance of an MMA fighter bang on, it is quite clear that the actor has worked on his physicality. He also pulls off the stammering part pretty well; to the credit of Puri Jagnaath the stammering aspect does bring a new dimension in the initial portions. Ramya Krishna also does justice to her part as a feisty mother with big dreams for her son. Sure Balamani comes across as screechy on more than one occasion but the fault here lies with the director and the writers. The mother and son bits are the only scenes where audiences feel some kind of emotion.

Vijya Devarakonda, the poster that shook the nation

The biggest issue with Liger is the lack of clarity on the part of the director; even the weakest Puri Jagnaath films had more cohesiveness than this one. The initial part of the film gives you an idea that it is going to be a mother and son story with the backdrop of MMA. But soon the love story takes way too much attention than needed.

Ramya Krishna justifies her part as a feisty mother and Vijay Devarakonda

Man woman relationships in Puri Jagnaadh’s universe have never had any political correctness but here the director takes it to a whole new level. Tanya falling in love after seeing Liger’s fight is the most clichéd thing you will ever see. Her flirting with Liger is more cringe worthy than fun. Right through the first half she is depicted as Menaka who is going to sabotage Liger’s ambitions. These are just some of the clichés that the director piles upon on. In the second half there is a forced attempt at patriotism with a chaiwalla representing India on the stage of mixed martial arts. There is zero creativity in the way the scenes involving the mixed martial arts have been shot.

The love story makes reappearance in the last twenty minutes where the twist about why Tanya dumped Liger is revealed. This leads to the most bizarre special appearance that you will ever see in the climax. You just wonder what Mike Tyson saw in his part to accept this drivel.

Ramya krishna, Vijay Devarakonda, Ananya. On quite a lot of occasions the cameraman focuses on her midriff. It is sad to see the actress in role like this after a fairly decent part in Shakun Batra’s Gehrayiyaan

The songs and their picturisations give another major headache. The abrupt placements also don’t help. Vijay and Ananya have zero sizzle in spite of the way Ananya is presented. On quite a lot of occasions the cameraman focuses on her midriff. It is sad to see the actress in a role like this after a fairly decent part in Shakun Batra’s Gehrayiyaan.

None of the supporting actors register a strong impact. Ronit Roy is suitably dapper but he is mostly reduced to giving speeches and giving serious glares. Senior actor Ali is thoroughly wasted in an inconsequential role. You wonder what made Ali do a role like this.

Final word: It is high time that the makers think of what they are making in the name of pan India cinema, because this isn’t pan India.

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Sita Ramam: This Tale Of Star Crossed Lovers Touches Your Hearts

Hanu Raghavapudi’s Sita Ramam is a poetic love story that works on many levels. The twists and turns keep you hooked. Most importantly the chemistry between Dulqer and Mrunal works like magic. The director also looks into the Indo-Pak conflict with Kashmir. He smartly integrates this subplot into the film and makes sure that it never comes across as just an add on.

Rashmika Mandanna tasked with uniting Dulqer and Mrunal

In the mid-1960’s Lieutenant Ram (Dulqer Salman) falls in love with a stranger (Mrunal Thakur as Sita) after an exchange of letters. Ram meets Sita and she also reciprocates his love. But Sita has problems due to her family, cut to 20 years later Afreen (Rashmika) is assigned with the task of delivering Ram’s letter to Sita by her grandfather-army general (Sachin Khedar). Afreen has no inclination to deliver the letter but she has no other option, the reason being her grandfather’s will, Afreen is a Pakistani Muslim who hates Indians. The rest of the story focuses on why the letter is so important and what is the connection between Ram and Afreen’s grandfather.

For a love story like this to work the casting of the lead pair is very important, director Hanu Raghavapudi gets the casting absolutely spot on. Both Dulqer and Mrunal deliver wonderful performances. The chemistry between them is a treat to watch. Dulqer turns on his charm fully and makes the audiences fall in love with him. The actor is in splendid form in both romantic and emotional scenes. The surprise package though is Mrunal. She makes a stunning Tollywood debut. She not only looks gorgeous but also performs with ease.

Rashmika Is Not A Heroine But The Hero Of This Film! - Movie News
Rashmika is not the heroin of the film but a very important character

Hanu Raghvapudi has handled the portions between Dulqer and Mrunal in a classy manner. Some of the emotional bits featuring the lead pair give you goosebumps.

The director has also made sure that the supporting characters come out well. The roles of Sumanth and Rashmika are beautifully woven into the story. Both the actors do a splendid job in their gray shade characters.

Indo-Pak conflict mixed with a love angle is something that Indian audiences are always keen to watch. The film reminds you a bit of Veer Zara in the sense that Dulqer’s Ram is prisoner in a Pakistani jail. The scenes involving war makes you tense about what will happen next.

There are twists and turns at regular intervals and the last one leaves you teary eyed.

Sita Ramam teaser is visually appealing | Telugu Cinema
Dulqer in army uniform bringing in war atmosphere

Technically also Sita Ramam makes for an eye pleasing product. The cinematography by PS Vinod and Shreyas is of very high standards. The music by Vishal Chandrasekhar is soothing and suits the mood of the film perfectly.

Sita Ramam is not without its flaws though. Some of the comic portions are oddly placed. The track of Vennela Kishore could have been better etched out. Also there are some logical errors. For example Mrunal Thakur’s character doesn’t de age for a bit even after twenty years.

Sita Ramam is a feast particularly if you are a fan of Dulqer and also intense love stories.

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Virata Parvam: A Tragic Love In The Time Of Revolution

Venu Udulgula’s Virata Parvam has created a lot of buzz for two reasons. Along with the star cast comprising of Sai Pallavi and Rana Dagubbati, the real life story that it is based on has also added to the hype. Earlier also you have had films with the backdrop of naxalism but here you have a love story at its core. The film’s title is taken from a chapter in Mahabharata where the Pandavas had gone into exile.

The story of Virata Parvam is set in the period when the naxalite movement was at its peak. Vennela (Sai Pallavi) belongs to an oppressed caste. Vennela is heavily inspired by the revolutionary poetry written by a famous naxalite Ravanna (Rana Dagubbati). Without even meeting Ravanna Vennela falls in love with him. Vennela is so infatuated with him that she even leaves her home. She makes several attempts to meet him. In a big turn of events her path finally crosses with that of Ravanna. The rest of the story is – whether Ravanna accepts her love? What problems Vennela faced in her journey? And most importantly what happens to her at the end.

DIRECTOR VENU UDUGULA WASTES NO TIME IN SETTING UP THE CHARACTER OF VENNELA AND ALSO HER FASCINATION WITH THE POETRY OF RAVANNA.

Director Venu Udugula wastes no time in setting up the character of Vennela and also her fascination with the poetry of Ravanna in the beginning itself. But the big issue with the first half is it is difficult to buy the love that Vennela has for Ravanna. The director puts a spin of Krishna and Meera bai but it doesn’t make much sense. It is a theory which is difficult to buy in the scenario of this film.

The attempts of Vennela in reaching Ravanna take up most of the first half, as a result the audience start feeling restless. The story becomes stagnant with nothing much happening.

The film finally picks up pace when Vennela and Ravanna have a face to face conversation just before the interval. From here on the drama becomes more engaging.

A scene which deserves particular mention is the conversation between Sai Chand and Sai Pallavi. Sai Chand is once again the eternal father after Kondapolam and Fida. Sai Pallavi’s expression after the dialogue of Sai Chand is something that stays with you.
Another impactful scene worth mentioning is the one between Rana and Zarina Wahab playing Rana’s mother. Ravanna avoided seeing his mother for a long time but he finally gives in because of Vennela. The poem that he recites is sure to make the audiences emotional.

TECHNICALLY THE DIRECTOR DOES A GOOD JOB IN RECREATING THAT PERIOD. THE CINEMATOGRAPHY AND THE ART DESIGN DESERVE PARTICULAR MENTION.

Technically the director does a good job in recreating that period. The cinematography and the art design deserve particular mention. But the editing definitely needed to be far tighter. Instead of two and half hours the film could have easily been just two hours.
Needless to say that Sai Pallavi is the star of Virata Parvam, as Vennela she perfectly captures the innocence and also the adamant nature. It is a role which is very much up her ally and the actress doesn’t disappoint.

RANA’S RAVANNA WORKS AS A PERFECT COUNTERPART TO VENNELA. HE INITIALLY COMES ACROSS AS A VERY STOIC PERSON BUT AS YOU GO ALONG DIFFERENT LAYERS COME OUT.

Rana’s Ravanna works as a perfect counterpart to Vennela. He initially comes across as a very stoic person but as you go along different layers come out. The actor lets Sai Pallavi hog the limelight but he also makes his presence amply felt.

Nandita Das, Priyamani and Naveen Chandra are impressive in their parts but no one is very memorable.

In a nutshell Virata Parvam doesn’t quite turn out to be the epic love story that it promised, but nevertheless the emotional second half makes it worth watching.