An overindulgent second half does test the viewer’s patience but still there is a lot to savour
Aadujeevitam
Rating 3.5 out of 5
Starcast: Prithviraj Sukumran, KR Gokul, Amala Paul, Talib Al Balushi and others
Direction and Screenplay: Blessy
Based on: Book Aadujeevitam by Benyamin
Producers: Blessey, Jimmy Jean Louis and Steve Adams
Production Companies: Visual Romance, Jet Media Production and Alta Global Media
Music: AR Rahman
Genre: Survival drama
Running time: 2 hours and 52 minutes
Not so educated men going to gulf countries and working as labourers is a wide spread phenomenon. Their lack of education makes these men easy target and they often end up being slaves. Director Blessy has taken one such story from the novel Goat Days written by Benyamin. Survival dramas when done well make for gripping cinema and Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life) is a good example of that. It makes you feel strongly for the protagonist Najeeb and want him to come out safe.
Najeeb (Prithviraj Sukumaran) is a man living happily with his wife Sainu (a charming Amala Paul) when the movie starts. He is from Kerala. In order to earn more money and give a better life to his family Najeeb decides to go to the gulf with his friend Hakim (K R Gokul). Upon reaching Saudi Arabia they find themselves in a clueless situation without knowing who their boss is.
Suddenly a local Arab approaches them. Najeeb and Hakim think that this Arab is their boss. Najeeb’s dreams of a better future come crashing down when he is dropped off in the middle of a desert to look after goats and camels. Najeeb knows only Malayalam but that is of no use to him there. He struggles to communicate with the owner of that place known as Kafeel.
He eventually becomes a goat herder with days turning into weeks, months and even years. Hope comes in the form of another immigrant an African by name Ibraham Khadiri (Jimmy Jean Lousis). Ibraham Khadiri promises to help Najeeb and Hakim to escape. The rest of the story is about the various hardships that they face and how Najeeb finally manages to get out of the desert and is able to reconnect with his family.
At audio launch with AR Rehman
A strong aspect of Aadujeevitham is how Blessy has presented the life of Najeeb in detail without any hurry. The flashback portions of Najeeb’s happy life in Kerala and his present situation has been well juxtaposed. Najeeb’s scenes with his wife give much needed relief in an otherwise heavy drama, the transformation of Najeeb from a healthy man swimming with abandon in the Kerala backwaters to someone who becomes very thin and unkempt gives Goosebumps to the viewers. A scene which deserves a particular mention here is the one when Najeeb checks himself in the mirror of a van after a long time and is astonished on how much his body has changed.
Najeeb’s struggles in rearing the goats and how he develops a bond with them later has also been well depicted, there is a wonderful scene in the post interval portion where Najeeb breaks down while bidding goodbye to the goats and the camels. It is a heart touching scene.
Sunil K’s cinematography is another big highlight of Aadujeevitham. He does a splendid job in capturing both the beautiful back waters of Kerala and also the vast desert where Najeeb and Co undergo many hardships. His cinematography particularly stands out in the scenes of sand storm.
A.R Rahman’s songs and the background score also add much to the film. The BGM is a mixture of Arabic, Indian, Islamic etc. The songs come at the right juncture whether it is the romantic one with Amala Paul or the most intense theme song.
What pulls down Aadujeevitham though are the dragged post interval portions. The various hardships that Najeeb faces in going back home needed more trimming. While it is understandable that Blessy wants the viewers to empathise with the plight of Najeeb but a certain boredom creeps in making the audiences impatient. The character of Ibrahim is a little vague. We don’t understand why he is not tired, not thirsty like the other two.
Prithviraj, a superlative performance, with Amala Paul
A lot has been already said about Prithviraj Sukumaran’s performance and how he has gotten into the skin of the character. It is definitely a life changing performance for the actor. His physical transformation into a thin and unkempt man is on par with the best of international actors like Tom Hanks.
K R Gokul is another actor who stands out with his heart touching portrayal. Talib as Kafeel is successful in making the audiences hate him. Amala Paul does not have any heavy lifting but still she made her presence amply felt.
The subject matter of celebrating a middle class hero is laudable but Parashuram Petla’s execution leaves a lot to be desired. Vijay Devarakonda brings his usual earnestness but that is not enough to salvage the film
Out of the eight films that Parashuram has directed Geeta Govindam remains his best. Sure in hindsight it does look like a project to alter the image of Vijay Devarakonda post the hugely polarized Arjun Reddy. Having said that Geeta Govindam was a charming romantic comedy with many enjoyable moments, in spite of Vijay Devarakonda’s recent box office failures there were certain expectations from Family Star given how Geeta Govindam had fared. The music director of that film Gopi Sundar is the composer of this one too. Leading lady Mrunal Thakur has had a terrific start to her career in Telugu with two back to back successes in author backed parts. Unfortunately Family Star is a slog for most part in spite of having a subject that can make for an entertaining commercial movie.
Vijay Devarakonda plays Govardhan who comes from a middle class background. He is single handedly keeping the joint family afloat. Govardhan is also quite a miser. For example there is an amusing scene where he makes very thin dosas of different shapes to ensure that the dough lasts longer. Ravi Prakash often seen in Krish Jagarlamudi’s films is an elder brother nursing past wounds. He is a regular drinker entangled in the web of alcohol. Vasuki is the long suffering wife who puts up with her husband’s drunkenness. Govardhan feels that his words are the reason behind the elder brother turning into an alcoholic. So he just puts up with his brother’s behavior before the dam finally bursts. Another brother is struggling to establish his own business.
At this time you have the arrival of a postgraduate student Indu (Mrunal Thakur). She integrates herself slowly into the family and soon love blossoms between her and Govardhan. However there is a twist in a tale just before the interval, a secret about Indu is revealed that severs their relationship. Govardhan feels cheated and decides to keep himself away from her. The rest of the story is about how the reconciliation happens when Govardhan is forced to work with her by circumstances.
Vijay Devarakonda and Rohini Hattangadi
The positives in Family Star can be counted on fingers and Vijay Devarakonda’s performance is one of them. In spite of the exaggerated middle class quirks Vijay pulls of a wonderful act. Vijay conveys a range of emotions from aggression, simplicity and stinginess in an admirable manner. He stands out particularly in the emotional scenes.
Vijay’s scenes with Mrunal are quite charming in the first half. Particularly the portions where Indu calls Govardhan ‘yevandi’, something flutters in Govardhan’s heart whenever she calls him that. Mrunal Thakur’s Indu has two shades. In the first half she is a girl next door, in the later half we see Indu as a CEO who has a tough exterior with a compassionate nature. Mrunal does a good job in portraying both the shades.
Among the sprawling supporting cast veteran actress Rohini Hattangadi as the grandma is the only one who makes an impression. Her scenes with Vijay have been well written and are adorable to watch.
A major problem with Family Star is the superfluous writing. This comes out in a very glaring manner in the way the family members have been written except for Rohini Hattangadi. The discord between Vijay and Ravi Prakash’s character and why the elder brother is so neck deep in alcoholism is way too patchy and does not make any sense. What makes this scenario even more baffling is Govardhan’s self guilt about how he considers himself responsible for the elder brother’s downfall.
The redemption of Ravi Prakash’s character and the eventual reconciliation feels like more of an afterthought with extreme superficiality. The other brother played by Raja Chembolu has even less to do. His aspirations of opening own business feels like an unnecessary add on to increase the burden of Govardhan.
Family Star reminds the viewers of Geeta Govindham in more ways than one but not in a pleasant manner. For example here it is the hero who mistakes the girl’s intention and considers her to be a bad woman. There is a lot of ego tussle however unlike that film this movie has no soul. Often times Family Star feels like a lifeless imitation of that movie.
The US part in particular test the viewer’s patience. For example there is a scene where Vijay’s Govardhan is mistaken for a male prostitute. Cringe worthy would be an understatement to describe the entire scenario.
Vijay Devaraakonda calls his father Devarakonda Govarhana Rao his ‘Family Star.’
Another example of the extreme bad writing can be seen in the portions involving Ravi Babu as a loan shark who misbehaves with Vasuki’s character and asks her to sleep with him if the debt is not cleared; this happens in the first half. As excepted there is a mass sequence where Govardhan brings the entire family to Ravi Babu’s place in an auto. He breaks heads and beats men to pulp. The children look traumatized but Govardhan insists them to watch and learn from him on how to deal with bullies. What makes this sequence even worse is the final punch that Govardhan delivers to the bad guy. He threatens the villain with a rape threat involving the women of antagonist’s household.
Gopi Sundar’s music while not as good as Geeta Govindam does have its moments. A couple of songs do work “Nandanandana” and “Kalyani Vacha Vachaa”,
The idea of raising a toast to the star of every middle class family is admirable but the execution makes it yawn inducing.
Production Companies: Three Autumn leaves and Vcelluloid Official
Published in: Primepost
Mahi V Raghav’s Yatra 2 is the latest addition to the ever-growing list of political propaganda films. The agenda is very straightforward, the viewers should sympathize with what Jagan went through after his father’s demise. In simple terms the story focuses on how Jagan not only established a new political party but also rose to become the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. The two main adversaries are Chandra Babu Naidu (Mahesh Manjerakar) and Sonia Gandhi (Suzzane Bernard). For some strange reason the Congress has been named as Progress Party.
Keeping aside the predictable nature of the story there is no denying that Mahi V Raghav has created some powerful moments. Mahi V Raghav has also penned the dialogues for the film and they are definitely impactful. For example, there is a scene where Jagan (Jeeva) says that ‘the world may not recognize who I am but remember one thing I am the son of YS Rajasekhar Reddy.’ There is another important scene where Subhalekha Sudhakar’s character says ‘if we take a cat to a jungle, it will remain a cat, on the other hand even if you keep a Tiger in a cage it will continue to be a Tiger.’ Another dialogue which deserves a mention is ‘I don’t care if history will remember me or not but if it remembers me, I should go down as a son who did not sidestep the promise given to his father.’ Expectedly all these dialogues led to cheers in the cinema hall.
More than the political aspect what works for the film is the emotional drama. The various upheavals keep the viewers invested in spite of knowing where the film is heading. A special mention must be made of the portions where Jagan has to revive himself amidst the tactics of Chandra Babu Naidu
Jeeva Nails the role of Jagan with absolute precision starting from the body language. He does a wonderful job in portraying the different facets. Whether it is the head strongness or the fragility. Unlike the first part Mammotty’s role is more of an extended special appearance but still the legendary actor leaves a strong imprint in all his scenes. Another actor who stands out is Ashrita as Jagan’s mom. The actress plays her part with lot of warmth. The scenes between her and Jagan are one of the major highlights of the film. However here it has to be added that there is not even a single mention of Sharmila, let alone her character and this aspect comes across as very odd.
Mahesh Manjerakar as the conniving politician is more of a caricature but still, he is fine with what he does. However, Suzzane Bernard gets a very raw deal. Appearance wise she has an uncanny resemblance to Sonia which makes her a good fit. But the heavily accented Telugu comes across as jarring coupled with the characterization. There is a scene involving Jagan and her post the demise of YSR. Jagan is seen visiting many houses and consoling families who have lost fathers and other important members. Apparently, all these had died in the shock of losing YSR. Sonia Gandhi strictly tells Jagan to stop the Yatra. The impression that we get is of Sonia Gandhi being a cold-hearted lady.
Music composer Santhosh Narayan has delivered a rousing score. The songs uplift the drama at many places. The best example of that is the song ‘Choodu Nanna.’
This Yatra is worth taking particularly if you are a supporter of YSRCP or Jagan. Even if you aren’t a fan, the movie can be watched for the dialogues and the acting performances.
The storyline is clichéd but director Siddarth Anand packs in the right amount of masala. Fighter is a perfect Republic day outing for those enjoy patriotic action movies.
Rating 3 Starcast: Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone, Anil Kapoor, Akshay Oberoi, Karan Singh Grover and others. Story and direction: Siddarth Anand Additional story: Ramon Chibb Producers: Ramon Chibb, Mamata Anand, Ajith Andhare and others Music: Vishal Shekhar Production Companies: Viacom 18 Studios and Marfix Pictures Genre: Action/drama Running time: 2 hours and 46 minutes
The genre of patriotic/ war movies have mostly been huge money spinners at the box office. There is a certain thrill associated with these films provided the filmmaker makes the viewers root for the men in uniform. Siddarth Anand’s Fighter very much falls under the traditional patriotic genre, but what makes this a different experience are the elements of aerial action. It offers a unique experience particularly if you are seeing it in 3D and IMAX format.
Hrithik Roshan
Fighter focuses on a squad called Air Dragons. The team includes Shamsher Pathania aka Patty (Hrithik Roshan), Taj (Karan Singh Grover), Basheer (Akshay Oberoi) and Meenal Rathore aka Minnie (Deepika Padukone). Anil Kapoor is Rakesh. He is their commander. There is a palpable tension between Shamsher and Rakesh. This is because of a tragic incident that had happened in the past. In brief the story chronicles the bravery of these men while protecting India along with their camaraderie and team spirit.
Deepika Padukone
A big USP of Fighter is its slick and enthralling action sequences. There are many shots of aerial combat and these are a treat to watch. The Action directors along with the cinematography department deserve a big applause. There are three action directors Parvez Sheikh, Sunil Rodrigues and Seyeong Oh. The trio have done a fantastic job in creating exhilarating stunts. Cinematographer Satchith Paulose also does a credit worthy job in capturing the action over the mountains, valleys and airbase through his lens.
Hrithik Roshan as Shamsher Pathania is an absolute treat to watch. The actor’s physique of course makes him a perfect fit for the character, but more than that his performance also stands out; the actor is charming, cocky and ferocious at the same time. Hrithik has some strong emotional moments and he does a swell job.
Deepika, Hrithik and Anil Kapur
The camaraderie between Shamsher, Taj and Basheer has also come out well. Director Siddarth Anand does a good job in etching out their friendship. Akshay Oberoi and Karan Singh Grover do a fine job in their respective parts.
Anil Kapoor plays a strict and brooding senior officer whose working methods are very different from Shamsher. This angle has also been well depicted. Rishabh Sawhney plays the main antagonist. He has a strong presence and manages to stand his own.
Karan Singh GroverandAkshay Oberoi
What doesn’t work for Fighter are the usual tropes of India and Pakistan. There are lines about the true meaning of religion and patriotism; but these dialogues have a jaded feel.
Deepika Padukone as Minnie pairs off well with Hrithik but the actor has shared a stronger chemistry with the likes of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra. Character wise also there is nothing special. She is supposed to represent women empowerment but the ineffective writing coupled with Deepika’s glazed expressions makes it difficult for the viewers to care.
Fighter is an engaging fare particularly if you are an action buff and enjoy watching Hrithik Roshan.
Sriram Raghavan’s latest doesn’t hit the high notes of his previous films but still this is an intriguing thriller
Rating 3 Starcast: Vijay Sethupathi, Katrina Kaif, Sanjay Kapoor, Ashwini Kaleskar, Vinay Pathak and others Director and writer: Sriram Raghavan Additional writers: Arjit Biswas, Pooja Ladha Suruti and Anukruti Pandey Based on: Le Monte Charge by Federic Dard Producers: Ramesh Taurani, Jaya Taurani, Sanjay Routray and Kewal Garg Production Companies: Tips Films and Matchbox Pictures Genre: Thriller/drama Running time: 2 hours and 25 minutes
Sriram Raghavan has established his credits as a thriller specialist starting from his debut film Ek Hasina Thi starring Saif Ali Khan and Urmila Matondkar. Except for Agent Vinod also starring Saif Ali Khan the director has created some delicious characters and has done an excellent job in capturing the dark nature of human beings. Additionally Sriram is also known for casting actors against the type. The perfect examples of these are Varun Dhawan in Badlapur and Ayushmann Khurrana in Andhadhun.
Katrina, Vijay Sethupathi and Sriram Raghavan, the director.
The director has continued his penchant for unusual casting with Merry Christmas. Not many directors would have thought of casting Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi together in a movie. This unique casting has created anticipation for the film. For those who are not aware Merry Christmas is based on a French novel Le-Monte- Charge.
Merry Christmas starts off as a date movie between two strangers. Katrina Kaif is Maria and Vijay Sethupathi is Albert. Both of them meet on Christmas Eve and end up forming a certain connection in a short span of time. Maria is stuck in a turbulent marriage much like Alia Bhatt’s Badru in Darlings. Vijay Sethupathi’s Albert has returned to the city of Bombay after a long gap. Here it has to be mentioned that the story takes place in the 90’s before Bombay had become Mumbai.
Sriram Raghavan’s dark christman with Katrina
Both Maria and Albert have some secrets which they are hiding from each other. As the story progresses the plot turns into a murder mystery when a dead body is found on the couch of Maria, what follows is a tale of deception, death and darkness.
A big strength of Merry Christmas is the recreation of the 90’s Bombay. The viewers feel a certain sense of nostalgia. Like Johnny Gaddaar and Andhadhun there is a certain retro touch which adds to the story.
The casting of Vijay Sethupathi and Katrina Kaif has raised many eyebrows given the huge discrepancy in terms of the acting capabilities. But it has to be said they do feed off each other. Katrina Kaif’s acting does fall a little short in a key emotional sequence related to her husband however it has to be said that overall she has given a proficient performance. Katrina has done a good job in conveying the different emotions through her body language particularly the portions where Maria has to come across as alluring. Additionally her character has also been designed well going from a gorgeous and vulnerable single mom to a hurt and revengeful wife.
All on one leaf
Vijay Sethupathi on the other hand is as brilliant as ever. He portrays the different emotions of grief, pain and others in his trademark style. The actor also leaves you in splits with the one liners.
The supporting cast comprising of Sanjay Kapoor, Vinay Pathak, Ashwini Kalsekar and others also do a good job in maintaining the mystery with their impactful performances. However it has to be said the supporting characters in Badlapur and Andhadhun had a bigger impact.
Talking about twists and turns some of twists have the trademark Sriram Raghavan touch but they are not entirely satisfactory. The climax in particular is a low point. It has not got the thrill and the heft of the last scene in Andhadhun where many people had come up with different theories.
Merry Christmas does not entirely live up to the standards that Sriram Raghavan has set but for Katrina Kaif this film is a new start. Here’s hoping the actress continues to take on challenging roles like this.
2023 can be easily called as the year of Mammootty both critically and commercially. The legendary actor had three releases this year and all of them are so distinct from each other. The Malayalam film industry did not see a lot of commercial successes this year but for Mammootty, who is 70 now, 2023 will always be hugely memorable.
It all began with Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam (Like an Afternoon dream). The film belongs to the genre of surrealism where a Malayali man enters into a Tamil village and starts behaving like a Tamilian. Though it looked absurd on the surface the audiences thoroughly enjoyed these unexplained situations. This is majorly thanks to Lijo Jose Pollissery’s direction coupled with Mammootty’s performance.
Next up was the police procedural Kannur Squad. The film was based on a real-life accident where a bunch of police officers had to head north in order to catch and bring back some criminals. More than the story what made the film gripping was the direction of Roby Varghese Raj and also the star power of Mammootty. The actor had some powerful mass dialogues coupled with well choreographed action sequences. However, Mammootty saved the best for the year end with Jeo Baby’s marital drama Kaathal – The Core. The homosexual angle was dealt with utmost sensitivity without falling into the trap of mainstream clichés. Jeo Baby also did a brilliant job in exploring the predicament of Jyothika’s character.
Among the other Malayalam actors Tovino Thomas found both critical acclaim and commercial success with the film 2018. It was a survival drama based on the Kerala floods that had devastated the state in 2018. The film had an ensemble cast with everyone doing justice to their parts.
Regarding Tamil Film Industry Siddharth struck gold with his production Chithha. Chithha is a hard-hitting drama about the bond between Eeswaran (Siddarth) and his niece Sundari (Sahasra Sree). While Eeswaran is like a father figure to Sundari, he absolutely adores her. The backdrop of Chithha is the killings of young girls by a pedophilic serial killer. Chithha is not a movie that is easy on the eyes, it has some highly disturbing visuals but this film is a must watch particularly for those who like intense dramas based on an important social topic.
Now let’s take a deep dive into the best of Malayalam and Tamil in 2023
Malayalam
1 Kaathal – The Core
In the last few years many movies and web series have depicted homosexuality in different angles. What makes this Mammootty and Jyothika starrer refreshing is the utmost humanness with which Jeo Baby presented the situation. The life of Mathew Devassy (Mammootty) takes a drastic turn when his wife Omana (Jyothika) files divorce after twenty years of marriage.
Kaathal – The Core unfolds in a very leisurely manner. This is a movie that needs to be watched with some patience as the story takes time to kick in. But once the plot and the conflicts are established there is no looking back.
A very strong aspect of Kaathal – The Core is how Jeo Baby has dealt with the relationship of Mathew and Omana. Omana has no personal animosity towards Mathew despite not having a fulfilling relationship with him. She understands his sexual orientation and not only wants to have a life of her own but also wants Mathew to make peace with his sexuality. There is an inherent decency in the way both the characters have been written and that is what makes this marital drama refreshing.
The courtroom portions also have some impactful dialogues and scenes. Mammootty undoubtedly deserves all the accolades that came his way. It is not just about accepting a path breaking role but the veteran actor also did a brilliant job in showcasing different emotions. Jyothika also stood tall with her graceful performance. On many occasions she lets her subtle expressions do the talking. Another actor worth mentioning here is R.S Panicker as Mathews’s dad Devassy. There is a heartbreaking scene between him and Mammootty when the latter apologises for forcing his son to get married in spite of knowing his son’s feelings.
2. Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam
In this film Mammootty played a man called James returning with his family from a pilgrimage. He has a peevish personality in terms of easily getting irritated and always being doubtful about people even if they do some good to him. On the way back from the pilgrimage James tells the driver to stop the vehicle at a certain place when others are in deep sleep. He walks straight into a Tamil Village and starts behaving like a Tamilian man called Sundaram. Everyone is puzzled but they wait patiently to understand who the man is because he was behaving exactly like the missing Sundaram. This leads to many amusing situations with both his old and new families.
Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam is one of those films where audiences can interpret the story in different ways because director Lijo Jose Pellissery does not give any explanation for the behavior of James. There is no particular medical condition that you can pin point and as a result the audiences are constantly playing a guessing game. This is a major plus for the film.
Cinematographer Theni Eshwar also did a brilliant job in capturing the beauty and the quirks of the village through his lens. There is surrealness to the frames. What also made the transformation of James into Sundaram a smooth process was Mammootty’s incredible performance.
3. Kannur Squad
Roby Varghese Raj’s Kannur Squad is a solid police procedural that engages the viewers in spite of some generic mainstream elements. The film is based on the real-life incidents that happened in Kannur between 2007 and 2013.
Roby Varghese struck a perfect balance between the commercial tropes and the grittiness needed for the subject. Mammootty in this film is ASI George who leads a special investigative team.
Kannur Squad takes a little time to get going but gathers momentum soon when the plot moves into a thriller mode. What also works for the Kannur Squad are the back stories of the team members. They have been well written and add a certain weight. An interesting aspect of Kannur Squad is that one of the officers is facing serious corruption charges but is still on the investigative team. Certain rifts happen in the team at a crucial juncture because of this.
A particular stretch that has to be mentioned here is the one involving the Tikri village in U.P. The action sequences in the dark were brilliantly shot. As viewers there is a certain tension that we feel about the safety of these police officers.
The role of a police officer is not new for Mammootty but the veteran actor shined bright as the determined squad leader. There are some delightful massy moments also involving Mammootty which the actor pulled off with great panache.
4. 2018
Jude Anthany Joseph’s 2018 is a well-made survival drama that engrosses the viewers throughout. The film is set in the village of Aruvikkulam. The first half an hour is devoted to establishing the lives of the villagers. Tovino Thomas plays a former army soldier. He drops out of army as he feared death. Among the other cast members there is Lal and Narain (Mathachan and Winston) respectively. They make a living through fishing.
For a survival drama like this it is imperative that the technical department puts its best foot forward. Thankfully the atmospherics of 2018 are solid. The VFX team in particular deserves appreciation as they successfully created a chilling atmosphere. Cinematographer Akhil George’s work is also A class.
Apart from extracting solid performances Jude Anthany Joseph also did a wonderful job in showing the unity between villagers in times of crisis across caste, religion and politics.
One area where 2018 could have been better is showcasing the role of the government and the media during those tough times. While the performances were brilliant all round Tovino Thomas deserves a particular mention for how he portrayed the different shades. His character transitions from fearing death to becoming a brave man who fights against all odds.
5. Thuramukham
Rajeev Ravi’s Thuramukham is a hard-hitting tale of the workers movement in Kochi. The film is based on the real-life incidents that happened in Mattancherry area. Apart from the exploitation of the workers Rajeev Ravi also showed how the headmen and the bosses pit the poor against each other.
What makes Thuramukham even more compelling is how the director integrated a family drama into this narrative. Mymood (Joju George) is a worker who is forced to leave Mattancherry because he raised his voice against the work site supervisor ‘moopan’. Moopans are part of a nexus that ensure the ‘Chappa system’ prevailing in the harbor. As a result of his leaving his wife Umma is forced to bring up their three children on her own. While the elder son Moidu becomes the leader of a gang working for the cruel contractors, the second son Hamsa joins the union fighting against the Chappa system.
In spite of the lengthy running time and the leisurely pace Thuramukham is a must watch for how Rajeev Ravi has documented the struggles of poor and oppressed in the format of a commercial pot boiler. He brings to life an important chapter in history that is forgotten. The cinematography and the music are in perfect sync with the rustic nature of the film. The director has done a good job in capturing the spirit of those who fought for labour rights.
The performance of the actors across the board also adds a lot of power with specific mention to Nivin Pauly and Poorna Indrajith.
Now to the best of Tamil films in 2023
1. Chithha (Uncle)
S.U. Arun Kumar’s Chithha is a powerful film on many levels. On one hand it is a solid emotional drama about a strong bond between a doting uncle Eeswaran and his niece Sundari (Sahasra Shree). S.U Arun does not waste any time in establishing how Eeswaran is a father like figure to Sundari. He bathes her and also combs her hair. On the other hand the film also offers a fresh perspective on how to help a sexual assault victim. It is not just only getting angry and swearing to take revenge.
The film also touches upon how men and women react differently to a crisis and what kind of approach they adopt. Nimisha Sajayan plays Sakthi. She and Eeswaran had a misunderstanding in the past but in the present they end up falling in love all over again. Their romance has some fine moments of tenderness that acts as a soothing balm to this otherwise grim story. However, Nimisha’s role is not pertained to just being a love interest. There are scenes where she asks some important questions and nudges Eeswaran to not get swept away in his aggressiveness. Chithha is for most part is a disturbing yet gripping watch but there are some scenes which needed trimming. These portions include the scenes of Sundari and the kidnapper. The very thought of a little girl being held captive by a serial rapist is hair-raising thought in itself.
2. Farhana
Farhana headlined by Aishwarya Rajesh and directed by Nelson Venkatesan is a gripping thriller about human psyche. In Farhana Aishwarya Rajesh played a middle-class housewife who joins a bank call center. Her husband and father in law run a shoe shop but the money isn’t sufficient for Farhana to manage the household. Farhana is initially reluctant to go for the interview but she gets through the exam with distinction marks.
In order to earn more money she shifts from the bank call center to a friendship chat center. Initially the lewd talks from the male callers disturb Farhana but soon she comes across a caller who talks to her in a sympathetic and sweet manner. She feels overwhelmed as she is not used to this kind of affection. But soon the story takes a dark turn.
A big strength of Farhana is how the title character has been written and performed. Farhana starts off as shy and under-confident but soon the character undergoes many changes and Aishwarya Rajesh did a brilliant job in showcasing the various nuances. The thriller elements were also very well done. The backdrop of this mystery man and how he ends up being a tormentor has some chilling moments. Similarly, how Farhana uses technology to get even with her tormentor gives a lot of high. In the second half the screenplay does become loose with some unconvincing scenes involving the husband but there is no denying that this thriller/drama packed a huge punch.
3. Por Thozhil (The Art of War)
Por Thozhil is a gripping whodunnit about two policemen whose working methods are very different from each other. On one hand there is Prakash (Ashok Selvan) who is heavily bookish. His way of doing an investigation is majorly inspired from the crime novels that he has read. Loganathan (R. Sarathkumar) is blunt and has little patience for the bookish ways of Prakash. Naturally they do not get along well but during the course of an investigation they end up forming a bond while coming across some shocking revelations.
In most psycho thrillers the theme of a disturbed childhood plays a key role. This one also touches upon a similar theme but the gripping execution of Vignesh Raja makes sure that the audiences don’t feel a sense of de javu.
Late Sarath Babu’s role is a major highlight of Por Thozhil. His character has been well designed and the actor has done a terrific job in evoking fear. As far as the two main policemen are concerned both R. Sarathkumar and Ashok Selvan have done a wonderful job. Jakes Bejoy’s background score coupled with Kaliselvan’s cinematography elevate the drama further.
The inner workings of the industry are kept to a bare minimum which is surprising given that he has a career span of almost four decades.
Comedy is a difficult art to master. Apart from timing spontaneous reactions to situations are also necessary. Bramhanandam has enthralled the audiences of different generations and has managed to stay relevant. The relevancy of Bramhanandam is easily visible in how his expressions are used as emojis in different situations of everyday life. Naturally there is lot of curiosity and excitement surrounding his autobiography. It recently came out both in Telugu and English as ‘Nenu mee brahmanandam’ and ‘Me Brahmanandam’ respectively.
Brahmanandam presenting his autobiography to Chiranjeevi
We all know that a comedian’s life need not be full of humour. It is never so. Nenu Mee Bramhanandam is no exception. The book covers different stages of Bramhanandam’s personal and professional life starting off from his life in poverty as a young child.
A significant incident in Bramhanandam’s childhood concerns the festival of Diwali. His father Nagalingachary could not afford to buy crackers for his children. But on one occasion when Bramhanandam was persistent about them his father took him along to borrow money from the local landlord. The observant child that he is he noticed his father’s hesitancy while asking for money. This incident made the young child understand the real meaning of poverty along with how to value money.
Bramhanandam’s bonding with his mother Lakshminarasamma also comes out strongly in the way the actor describes her. In one of the pages she gives an important advice to her son about how it is all right even if he doesn’t achieve anything significant in life; but don’t get into the wrong path, don’t get addicted to cigarettes and alcohol. He promised her never to touch them in life and kept it to this day. We are reminded of Gandhi’s mother here. Maybe most mothers give their sons the same advice but not all sons keep their word.
The other engaging chapters in the book are about the time of his studies and his period as lecturer. He recounts how different people helped him at different junctures and doesn’t forget to acknowledge them. Before becoming an actor Bramhanandam had participated in many mimicry shows. There was constant juggling that took a toll on his professional life as his fellow lecturers weren’t very understanding.
Coming to the acting career the chapters that particularly stand out are the ones related to the shooting of Kshana Kshanam and Money. He gives a good description about how the late Sridevi couldn’t control her laughter while shooting with him.
In the comedy thriller Money, Bramhanadam talks about how he was not very sure about playing Khan Dada in the film but still went ahead with it. Apparently the first copy of Money did not receive an encouraging response but the film went on to do big business along with immense appreciation.
Bramhanadam’s special love for late Jandhyala and EVV Satyanarayana can be seen on more than one occasion in the way he remembers them.
As for the disappointments –
One expected more insights into the treatment of comedy in Telugu Cinema. He could have shared his views on the use of slapstick comedy that often tilted towards the vulgar side. The inner workings of the industry are kept to a bare minimum which is surprising given that he has a career span of almost four decades.
Even about his latest film Rangamarthanda which brought him many accolades he touches about it only very briefly. After acting as a comedian in 1200 films he was doing a serious role for almost the first time. He himself said many people are referring his career now as before and after Rangamarthanda. Still he did not elaborate much on such an important shift in his career.
His belief in God was expressed in almost every sentence. Of course belief in god is an individual choice but to attribute every incident to the almighty was a little overdoing. A crisper edit would have made the book more readable.
The film can be described as Kannada’s Game of Thrones with the ambience of KGF films. Prithviraj Sukumaran makes his presence amply felt as the parallel hero
Dialogues: Sandeep Reddy Bandala, Hanumaan Choudary, Dr. Suri and others
Producer: Vijay Kiragandur
Production Company: Homabale Films
Based on: Ugram ( Kannada movie) by Prashant Neel
Genre: Action drama
Running time: 2 hours and 58 minutes
Published in: Primepost
Not much was expected from Prashanth Neel when the first KGF released but the action drama surprised one and all with its box office numbers. Originally made in Kannada, the film also released in Hindi clashing with Anand L Rai’s Zero and completely outsold the SRK starrer. The raw action and Yash’s swag coupled with the backdrop of Kolar Gold Fields made it a huge success.
The second part of KGF went on to do even bigger business. The buzz around Salaar has been huge since its inception, this in spite of Prabhas’s lackluster form in the recent past. A lot of hopes were pinned on Salaar and thankfully the director has given the perfect mass treat that rewinds memories of Chatrapathi. However Salaar isn’t for those who despise macho heroes and are not huge fans of the KGF films.
Shruti Haasan, Prashanth Neel and Prabhas
Salaar begins with establishing the ultra strong friendship of Deva (Prabhas) and Vardha (Prithviraj Sukumran). They have each other’s back in both good and bad times. The very first scene of Salaar has Deva fighting a seasoned wrestler just to get Vardha’s nathooni back (a particular nose ring that the clan wears). Later on we see Vardha saving Deva and his mother (Easwari Rao) from his father’s men. In this process Vardha also sacrifices a major part of the territory his clan owns. That night Deva and his mother vanish. But before going Deva takes a promise from Vardha that he should not hesitate in reaching out for his help in times of distress.
From here the story goes into a flash forward where Deva and his mother are living in Assam. Through some vague hints we understand that Deva has sworn to his mother to never touch a weapon again. The mother in fact is so touchy even when she sees a plastic knife. All this changes with the entry of Aadhya Krishnakanth (Shruti Hassan with a heavy American accent); her life is in danger for reasons that will become more clear in the second part. Things take a turn when Deva’s mother frees Deva from his promise, in order to save Aadhya. This results in Deva smashing a lot of people to pulp.
Shriya Reddy makes a solid impression
The second half is entirely devoted to a dystopian city of Khansar that has several tribes with distinct characteristics. The politics and the character dynamics of this dystopian city are similar to the popular web show Game of Thrones.
Not surprisingly the biggest strength of Salaar is the strong brotherhood showcased between its two main leads. Deva’s intense affection for his friend is reminiscent of Ranbir Kapoor’s character in Animal. There is also a Mahabharata touch in how they are shown to be fierce warriors.
Easwari Rao plays Prabhas’ mother
Prabhas shares most sparks with Prithviraj and that is clearly visible on more than one occasion. For example there is a scene where both of them take on some drug infested zombies. It is a sequence that enthralls the masses. The two actors are also seen indulging in banter amidst the fight and have some hilarious punch lines.
The world building of Khansar has also been done well. Bhuvan Gowda’s cinematography is top notch. He effectively captures the tumultuous atmosphere of this fictional city. Some of the themes explored in the second half are right to leadership and loyalty among others. Prashanth Neel has done a good job in exploring these themes. Ravi Basur’s soundtrack goes well with the mood of the film. Thankfully there is no forced romantic subplot between Prabhas and Shruti.
Shruti Haasan’s American accent is irritating
Shruti Hassan’s put on American accent is irritating to say the least. In fact most of the women characters in Salaar are relegated to the background (of late most big action movies are doing the same). The only actress who makes a solid impression is Sriya Reddy. She plays the firebrand daughter of Jagapathi Babu’s Raja Mannar.
The second half has an overdose of violence which will be off putting for a section of audiences. The film’s runtime is almost three hours; some portions of the film could have been trimmed or chopped.
Prabhas plays a mostly brooding character who does not even break into a smile. The actor has not got many dialogues but he is successful in portraying the raw aggression. Prabhas particularly shines in the scenes with Prithviraj.
Prithviraj Sukumaran as a parallel lead more than makes his presence felt
Prithviraj Sukumaran as a parallel lead more than makes his presence felt. The actor does a solid job in portraying both the vulnerability and the determination of a future successor caught in the power struggle. The actor’s own dubbing of Telugu does take some time in getting used to but it is not a major hindrance.
Salaar part 1 ends on a cliffhanger that sets a good base for the second part, there are indications that this brotherhood may turn into enmity.
The ace director is once again successful on taking the audiences through an emotional rollercoaster particularly in the second half
Dunki (Hindi) Rating 3.5 out of 5 Starcast: Shah Rukh Khan, Taapsee Pannu, Anil Grover, Vikram Kochhar, Boman Irani and others extended special appearance (Vicky Kaushal) Director and writer: Rajkumar Hirani Additional writers: Kanika Dhillon and Abhijat Joshi Producers: Gauri Khan, Rajkumar Hirani and Jyoti Deshpande Production Companies: Jio Studios, Red Chillies entertainment and Rajkumar Hirani films Genre: Comedy/drama Running time: 2 hours and 36 minutes
Rajkumar Hirani is one of those filmmakers who has struck a chord right from his first one Munnabhai MBBS. The director has successfully developed the knack of bringing social issues to the fore in a way that is accessible to the mainstream audiences. The one exception though is Sanju as that was an autobiographical work.
With his latest Dunki Rajkumar Hirani has focused his lens on Donkey Flight (illegal immigration). The film opens with the characters of Manu (Taapsee Pannu), Buggu (Vikram Kochhar) and Balli (Anil Grover). They have been in London for the past 25 years but now they are homesick and want to return to India. But this is not possible for reasons that cannot be revealed here.
Taapsee Pannu and Shah Rukh Khan
The only person who can get them back to the country is Hardyal Singh Dhillon aka Hardy (Shah Rukh Khan). Manu, Buggu and Balli plan a meeting with Hardy in Dubai. The irony here is that once upon a time three of them were desperate to make a good living in London. The story shifts to a flashback where we are introduced to a group of people apart from those already mentioned. Their biggest dream is going to London in search of better prospects. Unfortunately all of them are poor in terms of both social status and education. In this scenario Hardy comes to that town situated in Punjab. Boman Irani plays Gulati. He runs an English speaking course. In this group of friends only one manages to pass the IELTS Exam. Manu and Balli manage to overcome their disappointment. Vicky Kaushal’s Sukhi though is not able to swallow the bitter pill. Sukhi’s reasons for going to London are different from Manu and Balii. He wants to save his ex girlfriend from an abusive marriage. Just before the interval there is the disturbing scene of Sukhi committing suicide by burning himself. Now Hardy takes it upon himself to make sure that Manu, Balii and others reach London even if it is through the illegal and dangerous means of Dunki.
Shah Rukh Khan with Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Vikram Kochhar and Anil Grover
The first half of Dunki mostly has a breezy tone to it. There are many instances of Raj Kumar Hirani’s trademark humor in the portions featuring Boman Irani. The humor here hasn’t got the quality of the directors previous ones particularly the Munnabhai films and PK. The punch lines in fact come across as forced on certain occasions. However there are scenes which tickle your funny bone too.
There are also cute moments between Shah Rukh Khan and Taapsee that bring a smile to the viewers face. Through this love Rajkumar Hirani focuses on the serious subject of illegal migrants. How they resort to dangerous routes in order to reach foreign countries. Many of them do not even make it and die in the process.
There are scenes in the second half where we see the characters going through several ordeals in harsh terrains. These moments are disturbing to watch.
Raj Kumar Hirani, the successful director
Rajkumar Hirani is also successful in making some pertinent points about the struggles of Non English speaking Indians.
What doesn’t work for Dunki apart from the inconsistent humor are its foreign characters. They are mostly reduced to stock caricatures.
Talking about the performances Shah Rukh Khan blends well into the world of Raj Kumar Hirani. He particularly shines in the second half when things get serious. Taapsee Manu is also solid as Manu. She shares a good chemistry with SRK. Her Punjabi dialect is also spot on bringing back memories of Anurag Kashyap’s Manmarziyaan.
Shah Rukh Khan plays the soldier
There are portions in the film where SRK and Taapsee are seen with grey hair reminding the viewers of Khan and Preity Zinta in Veer Zara. The prosthetic work is neat and as a result the audiences feel that they have convincingly aged.
Vikram Kochhar and Anil Grover also lend good support. They don’t feel burdened by the presence of SRK at any point. Vicky Kaushal in an extended special appearance makes his presence amply felt.
Pritam’s music is not a chartbuster but goes well with the mood of the film. Lutt Putt Gaya has a catchy tone. O Maahi and Nikile The Kabhi Hum Ghar Se are soulful in nature.
Watch Dunki for the top notch performances and the social relevancy of the subject.
Hi Nanna works a perfect balm for those who had a tough time with the violent father and son dynamics in Animal. Nani pulls of his role with the expected panache but it is Mrunal Thakur who steals the show
Rating 3.5 out of 5 Starcast: Nani, Mrunal Thakur, Baby Kiara, Priyadarshini, Jayaram, Angad Bedi and others Story, direction and screenplay: Shouryuv Additional screenplay: Bhanu Deeraj, Rayudu, Vasanth Sameer and Pinnamaraju Dialogues: Vamshi Bommena and Nagendra Kasi Producers: Mohan Cherukuri, Murthy K.S and others Production Company: Vyra Entertainments Genre: Romantic drama Running time: 2 hours and 35 minutes
There has been a heavy dose of father oriented stories this year. Whether it is Shah Rukh Khan’s double act of a father and son in Jawan , or Pankaj Tripati’s turn in OMG 2 as a disgruntled parent who slowly becomes a revoluntary for his son. Even Vijay Thalapathy who is generally known for his mass characters delivered an affecting performance in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Leo as a family man with a dark past.
Baby Kiara and Nanni in a song sequence
Hi Nanna directed by debutant director Shouryuv is an emotional rollercoaster that makes the viewers feel many things. Sure the pacing is slow and the story does take a little time to get going however the end results are mostly satisfying. But it has to be said that the movie isn’t for fans of high octane entertainers.
Viraj (Nani) is a professional photographer and a single father. Mahi (Baby Kiara) is the 6 year old daughter. Viraj has always kept the story of Mahi’s mother in the dark. Whenever she asks about where her mother is Viraj simply skips the matter. Things take a turn when Viraj promises Mahi that he would tell about her mother provided she scores first rank. Mahi does score first rank but Viraj doesn’t adhere to his promise. Expectedly Mahi gets very angry and leaves the home. She almost faces an accident but is saved in the nick of time by Yashna (Mrunal Thakur). The rest of the story is about what had happened between Viraj and his wife along with how Yashna changes the lives of Viraj and Mahi.
Nani and Mrunal Thakur
As mentioned above the pacing of Hi Nanna is slow. Director Shouryuv takes his own sweet time in setting up the plot. The initial minutes are devoted to the bond of Viraj and Mahi. The story gathers momentum with the entry of Yashna. Viraj narrates his past in a fairy tale format. In these flashback portions Mahi imagines Yashna as her mother. Viraj’s love at first sight is slightly clichéd but it doesn’t get too bothersome thanks to the chemistry between Nani and Mrunal Thakur. The characters of Viraj and the wife are contrastingly different from each other. Viraj is someone who is eternally hopeful irrespective of what the situation is. The wife on the other hand has anxiety issues that primarily stem from growing up in a broken home.
She is someone who is very clear about not getting into the complications of a marriage having seen her parents constantly argue with each other. However she does end up marrying Viraj much to the annoyance of her mother. There is a lovely scene between Viraj and his prospective mother- in- law where the economical differences are highlighted. What makes this scene special is how he deals with the situation in the most empathetic way. The viewers instantly root for Viraj. Viraj initially says that they need not have children but that changes later on. There is a huge argument between Viraj and the wife followed by a heartwarming moment. This scene is a major highlight of the film and a perfect example of the sizzling chemistry between Nani and Mrunal.
Angad Bedi makes his debut with Hi Nanna
Towards the end of the first half director Shouryuv gives a major twist to the character of Yashna. The second half is heavier. In spite of some predictable scenarios the viewers are still invested in how the tale will end. This is majorly because of the strong emotional cord. A drunken banter between Nani and Mrunal Thakur does come across as a respite from the otherwise heavy drama.
What doesn’t work though is a party song featuring Shruti Haasan. It looks completely out of sync with the overall tone of the film. The extended special appearance of Sruthi Haasan could have been easily scrapped. Angad Bedi plays a character modeled on Salman Khan’s Amar in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. He is pretty good but lacks the charm of what Salman Khan brought to the table as the third wheel.
Priyadarshi plays the friend cum colleague part with his usual effervescence. His comic timing is spot on as always and his camaraderie with Nani is fun to watch. Another member who stands out in the supporting cast is Jayaram. The actor delivers a nuanced performance as Mahi’s grandfather. He particularly shines in an emotionally charged sequence at a critical juncture.
Debutant director Shouryuvmakes the viewers feel many things
Apart from Nani and Mrunal’s sizzling chemistry another strong point of Hi Nanna are the father and daughter scenes between Nani and Baby Kiara. They simply melt your heart on many occasions. Baby Kiara performs like an absolute pro with the right amount of innocence and vulnerability.
Hesham Abdul Wahab’s music and background score another big strength of Hi Nanna. Except for the Sruthi Haasan number the rest are a delight to watch and listen. My favorite numbers are Gaaju Bomma, Ammaadi and Samayama.
Priyadarshi’s comic timing is spot on as always and his camaraderie with Nani is fun to watch.
The cinematography of Sanu John Varghese is a visual delight particularly the flashback portions in Connor.
For Nani the role of Viraj is a cake in the park but nevertheless the actor is a delight to watch. He does a splendid job in portraying the different shades of Viraj whether it is the boyishness of a young lover or as a father later on who will do anything for his daughter. However it is Mrunal Thakur who steals the show with an outstanding performance. She plays a complicated character with ease. Mrunal conveys the various feelings with just her expressive eyes showing once again the bundle of talent she is. It is a performance that is a step ahead of last year’s Sita Ramam in many ways. Chinmayi’s dubbing adds to the impact.
Hi Nanna is a heartwarming story of a father and daughter along with a mother battling her own inner demons, a definite breadth of fresh air which needs to be seen.
