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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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Mili: An Engrossing Survival Drama Led By Brilliant Janhvi Kapoor

The genre of Survival drama lends itself to a vast array of human emotions. A film like Tom Hanks’ Cast Away is still considered to be a classic. Closer home Vikramaditya Motwane’s Trapped was a brilliant exploration of the loneliness in a big city, captured in a nail biting manner through the character of Rajkumar Rao. The protagonist in Trapped accidently jams himself inside his apartment. This year itself Fahad Fassil’s Malyankunju explored caste through the lens of a survival drama. Mathukutty Xavier’s Mili, a remake of his own Malayalayam film Helen is a wonderful addition to this list.

Structurally speaking Mili stays close to the original except for a few tweaks. For example in Helen the love interest of Anna Ben is a Muslim boy. Here the director makes Sunny Kaushal a Hindu boy who is supposedly from a different caste.

Milli starts off with establishing the daily routine of its lead character (Janhvi Kapoor).Before getting into the gritty space the director sets up the two important relationships in Mili’s life. One is with her father Niranjan (Manoj Pahwa). The other is with her boyfriend Sameer (Sunny Kaushal). Father doesn’t know anything about the boyfriend. Mili works as cashier at Take Out Mall in Dehradun. Before that Mili worked as a nurse. Milli has aspirations of going to Canada which the father doesn’t exactly approve of but he has no option. Things take a turn when father comes to know about Sameer and all hell breaks loose. The next night Mili gets trapped in the freezer room after a late night shift and no one has any idea of where she has disappeared. What follows is a race against time where the father and boyfriend unite together in search of the person they love. The director also explores the misogyny and the stereotypes attached to young working girls through Inspector Satish (Anurag Arora). 

The first half of Mili is mostly about setting the base and giving an insight into her personality. These portions may appear stretched but they play an important part in the scheme of things. The father and daughter bond gives the film some of its best moments. In both the emotional and lighter bits, the scenes between Janhvi and Manoj Pahwa have certain warmth that touches the hearts of the audience. Manoj Pahwa is one of those actors who can do a variety of roles, case in point being Article 15 and Mulk. Here too as father Manoj makes the audiences root for him. The desperation of a father is brilliantly brought out by the actor.

The love story between Janhvi and Sunny could have been better written; nevertheless their scenes are still good to watch. Sunny Kaushal has less to do but the actor still stands out with his amiable presence. He is successful in bringing out a boyfriend’s concern for Mili. Mathukutty Xavier does a wonderful job in showcasing how Milli’s father develops a fondness for Sameer in their search together for Mili.

For any survival drama the technical departments have to be very strong. Much like the original, here too the production design is one of the biggest assets of the film. Apurwa Sondhi does a brilliant job in converting the freezer room into a battleground. The shots of Janhvi trying to survive in the freezer room are sure to give goosebumps. The cinematography by Sunil Karthikeyan is also award worthy particularly in the freezer room portions.

The police characters may come across as generic particularly Anurag Arora who hasn’t got any redeeming quality but still his character of Satish is an important reminder of how certain stereotypes can become dangerous to young working women’s lives. Sanjay Suri as the other Inspector is the ante thesis of Satish and the actor infuses his part with the required righteousness. Jackie Shroff as the prisoner has a short cameo but his role is important to the proceedings. The senior actor makes his presence amply felt.

Now let’s move to the leading lady Janhvi Kapoor. Since Dhadak there has been a concrete effort on the part of Janhvi to prove her worth in the industry, as someone who is much more than just late Sridevi’s daughter. The actress has been making some right choices with Gunjan Saxena and Good Luck Jerry but with Mili she outdoes herself with a spectacular performance. She is particularly brilliant when the focus shifts to the freezer room. Janhvi makes the pain of Milli so real. The audiences almost pray for her to come out safe. Irrespective of Mili’s box office result there is no denying that the actress is far ahead of her contemporaries like Sara Ali Khan.

AR Rahman’s music isn’t of the popular type but the tunes go perfectly with the mood of the film, they complement the story. Tum Bhi Raahi is my most favorite song in the album. Sun Aye Milli is also a wonderful number. The background score, also composed by Rahman himself, is praise worthy.

Final word: Watch Mili even if you have watched Helen. It is a survival drama that makes you go through a roller-coaster of emotions. Janhvi Kapoor’s performance is the cherry on the cake.

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Ram Setu: More Adventure And A Younger Hero Would Have Been Better

Before the pandemic entered our lives Akshay was easily one of the most bankable stars in the Hindi Film Industry. The actor had created a brand for himself as a kind of nationalistic hero. Akshay expertly juggled between doing films where he saves the day and also slapstick comedies like the Housefull franchise. Raj Mehta’s Good news was an exception as Akshay’s Varun Batra was an elitist jerk. But since pandemic a lot has changed and Akshay’s brand of cinema has stopped working for people. Bachchan Pandey, Bell Bottom and Samrat Prithviraj are examples of this. Yes, Sooryavanshi was a big hit in 2021 but the film immensely benefited from the timing of its release and also from Rohit Shetty’s fan base.

2022 has been particularly a bad year for Akshay as nothing has worked for the actor. Ram Setu directed by Abhishek Sharma is similar to Nikhil’s Kartikeya 2. Both deal with important mythological characters. Kartikeya 2 was about the existence of Dwaraka and the historicity of Lord Krishna. Ram Setu on the other hand is about Lord Ram and the debate surrounding the bridge of Ram Setu. The film Ram Setu has an interesting premise which could have resulted in a complete edge of the seat thriller but the film doesn’t completely live up to its promise.

Ram Setu revolves around an atheist archaeologist Aryan Kulshrestha (Akshay Kumar). Aryan has been entrusted with the job of disproving the mythological origins of Ram Setu, the bridge between India and Sri Lanka described in Valmiki’s Ramayana. However upon further research Aryan comes to the conclusion that the structure may be actually man- made, implying that Lord Rama may be a historical person after all. Nushrratt Bharuccha plays Akshay’s wife. She is a strong believer in god from the start. Dr Sandra (Jacqueline Fernandez) is an environmental scientist. Senior actor Nassar plays the corrupt businessman. Last but not the least Satyadev plays the Lankan guide AP. He has a mysterious background which we don’t know till the end. This is the story in a nutshell.

Ram Setu works best when we see all the three protagonists in the thick of action. The scenes of Akshay and Co searching for historical evidence keeps you involved. You are curious to know about how Aryan changes from an atheist to a believer and how he will save the bridge.

The scenes which I particularly liked were the ones when the team goes on a trail to find Ravan’s Lanka. They have a certain thrill.

Special mention must also be made of the stunning underwater sequences. Director Abhishek Sharma does a wonderful job in capturing the grandeur of Ram Setu under the Indian Ocean. These shots look straight out of a Discovery documentary.

What also helps Ram Setu are the scenes of Satyadev with Akshay Kumar. Satyadev brings in the much needed energy with his charm and adds a layer of intrigue. He also generates some humor with his poked faced comedy.

Both the cinematography and the production design are also a treat to watch. They give a grand feel which adds to your viewing experience.

What pulls down Ram Setu is the casting of the protagonist. Akshay Kumar as the archeologist is a mixed bag. He is good as the atheist but becomes less interesting as the believer. One reason for that is we have seen Akshay do this in the past too. Also you get the feeling that a younger actor like Karthik Aryan who is light on his feet would have been better. This becomes even more apparent whenever the scenes of Akshay and Nushrratt come up. The significant age gap coupled with their inability to generate any warmth is a major put off.

We also don’t understand why Jacqueline Fernandez was cast as an environmental scientist. She looks beautiful as always but there is nothing that she does, except for mouthing some scientific terms.

The climax in the courtroom is way too elongated. The message is hammered in instead of being organically integrated. By the time the court declares that Ram Setu shouldn’t be demolished you feel thoroughly exhausted. In Kartikeya 2 you cheer for Nikhil when he is successful in his adventure but here there is no feeling of euphoria, just tiredness. As a result the revelation of Satyadev’s identity in the end doesn’t give the necessary high.

Final word: Ram Setu is definitely the best Akshay starrer in the recent past but that is not enough for the film to sail through. Watch Ram Setu if you are interested in mythology or if you want to see how Satyadev fares in his Hindi debut.

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Four Women And Alia

On a rainy night in Mumbai’s Kamatipura area an unusual get together happened.

It was in a restaurant called Princess Plaza.

Badru was sitting at the cash counter when Gangubai walked in.

I am sure you know Badru; the battered wife in the movie Darlings. Now she started a restaurant after her cruel husband Hamza died in a train accident; when the entire nation heaved a sigh of relief. In Mumbai, I suppose, that is the easiest way to get rid of bad guys. But to be fair to Badru she did not push him under the wheels though she thought of it many times. It is he who got knocked down by a speeding train on his own accord while standing on the rail tracks shouting and threatening his wife till his last breadth. One thing is certain. He left at the right time; because if he had continued to live with Badru one of us would have definitely gone and smashed his head.

Coming back to the present Badru is now financially and emotionally a very happy person. On the third anniversary of the restaurant she decided to invite Gangubai, Veera and Bauria aka Mary Jane to her restaurant and spend some time with them. She wanted to know a few things from them.

In few minutes Veera and Bauria also joined them. They seemed to have met at the railway station. One was coming from Himalayas and the other from Goa. Both of them looked quite cheerful. There was an air of enthusiasm and anticipation in everyone’s face. Badru warmly invited them and after a round of introductions they sat down for a chat.

Snacks and chai followed with some light banter. After a while Gangubai asked Badru why she arranged this meeting. Badru looked at all of them and said “Any guesses?”

“All of us suffered in life for no fault of ours. Maybe you wanted to know how each one of us is coping with it now.” Veera was the first one to speak. She seemed to have given a lot of thought about the purpose of this meeting.

“Of course… that is one of the reasons. But did you ever think of whose faults we all suffered” replied Badru.

 “I am not very educated like some of you. But I can say that we women are also very gullible. Why did I elope with a man whom I hardly knew and leave my house? In my obsession to become an actor, a heroine I neglected my safety and paid the price” said Gangubai.

 “You might think it was your fault. But for many women like me there is no choice. My father died. I had no one look after me. I had to migrate for work. How would I guess I will land up with rapists and drug mafia? Many things are not in our hands” Bauria said.

 “True. Look at me. I am from a rich family. Ideally I should not have had any serious problems. But see what happened. My own uncle sexually abused me. I was a child. Even my mother could not protect me. The man who accidentally kidnapped me was much more decent than my own uncle” Veera recollected her ordeal.

Badru was silent for a long time. Then she looked at each one of them intensely. Slowly she started to speak.

 “For Veera it was her uncle. For Gangubai it was her lover. For me it was my husband. For Bauria it was the outside male world. I feel we are not safe anywhere – inside home or outside; with anyone – family or outsiders. Swimming in oceans and climbing high mountains are considered great achievements. People don’t realise we are no less achievers. We are the SURVIVORS of male cruelty. We are the ones who should be shown to the suffering girls and women of this country as the real role models, at least until the society changes for the better. I wish no woman should think of taking her life after seeing how we shaped our lives. I invited all of you to celebrate our new life.”

They looked at each other and broke into laughter. They all seem to agree with the new term they coined for themselves. “Let us change the name of this restaurant to Survivors and invite all our fellow survivors to this place” laughed Gangubai.

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Vikram Vedha: A Solid Remake Powered By A Terrific Hrithik Roshan

Remakes are always a tricky business, more so when you are remaking Tamil and Malayalam films. The reason being both these industries have a certain grammar of storytelling. Having said that the Tamil and Malayalam industries have also butchered acclaimed Hindi films like Special Chabbis and Andhadhun respectively, earlier this year Siddarth Sen did a wonderful job in remaking Nelson Dilipkumar’s Kolamaavu Kokila. The director retained the core but at the same time upgraded it as well by setting it in Bihar.

Gayatri Puskhar’s Vikram Vedha is considered to be a classic and rightly so. The director duo used the Vikram and Betal analogy to create a new kind of cop versus gangster film. In the Tamil film Madhavan had played Vikram and Vijay Sethupati was Vedha. Vikram is a cop who has a very clear boundary of what is right and wrong. But his life turns upside down after the entry of the dreaded gangster Vedha. Vedha makes Vikram question his beliefs each time that they meet. The questions of Vedha form the crux of this multi layered story. The engaging narration coupled with Madhavan and Vijay Sethupati’s performances made this thriller an engrossing watch.

Much like the recent remakes here too you have original directors helming the project. The setting of the Hindi one changes from Chennai to Lucknow. The plot is largely the same expect that you have a fresh set of actors, Saif Ali Khan as Vikram and Hrithik as Vedha respectively. The character of Vedha in this one is also a bit massier compared to the original. Vikram also comes with his own set of quirks.

Much like the original the biggest strength of this too lies in the equation that the lead characters share. Both Hrithik and Saif get equal opportunities to shine. Yes Hrithik has the meatier part but Saif also stands his own as the cop who is forced to question his own morals. He particularly shines in the confrontation scenes with Hrithik. There is also some sly humor which the makers have added and the actor delivers it to perfection.

However there is no denying that Hrithik Roshan is the star of the show. As earlier said his role is massier compared to Vijay Sethupati and this works in the favor of the film.  As Vedha, Hrithik lets his eyes do most of the talking. His facial features and body language are a delight to watch. Hrithik is effortlessly menacing, ruthless and yet extremely emotional in parts. The Greek God looks have sometimes come in the way of people acknowledging the actor’s insane talent but with this role Hrithik firmly reestablishes his position as an actor/star who is not afraid to push the bar.  Much like the remake of Amitabh Bachchan’s Agneepath here too Hrithik makes Vedha his own. It is a treat to watch the actor embrace this rugged avatar.

The setting of Lucknow also gives the film a different touch. The director duo of Gayatri and Pushkar have done a good job in making sure that the localities of Lucknow are also an integral part of the story.  

The action scenes have also been choreographed well. My favorite bit is the pre-interval block where the police are searching for Vedha and you have Vedha escaping to a container yard. The confrontation that follows is a treat to watch.

Vedha’s emotional bond with his younger brother Shatak (Rohit Saraf) is also neatly done. It is not as effective as the Tamil original but still it does tuck at your heartstrings. Rohit Saraf is a great choice for the role. He brings in that required innocence. Special mention to also Sharab Hashmi, he stands out in the supporting cast as the ambitious sidekick. Radhika Apte hasn’t got a lot to do as Vikram’s wife with a different set of ideology, but their scenes are still good to watch

Coming to the flaws Yogita Bihani comes across as a weak link. Her love story with Shatak comes across a speed breaker unlike the original where Varalakshmi SaratKumar aced the same part. You also wish the makers had dwelled a bit more into the workings of the UP Police.

Final word- Vikram Vedha is a largely satisfactory reworking that does justice to the original. Hrithik Roshan is the garnishing that adds more flavor and makes it an appetizing meal.

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Ponniyan Selvan Part 1 – More Of A Docu Drama Than A Historical Epic

The genre of big scale epics has seen a huge revival thanks to filmmakers like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, SS Rajamouli and even Ashutosh Gowariker to an extent. The likes of Bajirao Mastani, Bahubali 1 and 2 and Jodha Akbar have created a deep impact in the audiences mind. With Ponniyin Selvan Part 1 legendary director Mani Ratnam attempts a genre which he has never done in the past. For those who are not aware the movie is based on a novel by the same name. Since I have not read the novel I will be purely judging the movie as a standalone piece.

Ponniyin Selvan tries to be a gripping combination of thrills, intrigue and emotions.  However, in its effort to be plot heavy the film ends up being neither here nor there, particularly for the Telugu and Hindi audiences.

The story is majorly centered on the character of Vanthiyathevan (Karthi) he is entrusted by Aditya Karikaaludu (Vikram) with the task of delivering important messages to Karikaaludu’s father and sister (Prakash Raj and Trisha respectively). As per the messages plans are being laid out by princely kings to bring down the Chola Empire. Vanithiyathevan’s duty is to find out what are the evil plans and who are hell bent on tarnishing the glory of the Chola Empire. Aishwarya Rai plays princess Nandini. Nandini is someone who comes with a mysterious past, this mysterious past is connected to Karikaaludu. Other important characters include Jayam Ravi as Ponniyin Selvan.

What follows is a complex drama that is hard to keep up with.

One of the few redeeming factors of PS-1 is some of the performances starting with Karthi. The actor is a delight to watch whenever he is on screen. His comic timing and the general energy that he brings to the screen is something that uplifts the film at many places. His interactions with both Aishwarya and Trisha bring a smile to your face.

Vikram as Karikaaludu has less screen time but the actor’s intense performance is a treat to watch. Jayram Ravi makes his entry in the second half but the actor makes his presence amply felt.

Both Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Trisha look like million bucks thanks to director Mani Ratnam and the costumes by Eka Lakhani. Mani Ratnam along with Sanjay Leela Bhansali are one of those few directors who best understand how to use Aishwarya. Here too Mani Ratnam casts her smartly as the enigmatic queen with her own secrets.

Cinematography by Ravi Varman also goes perfectly with the requirement of the film. He does a good job in showing the grandeur of Cholas through his lens. The production design by Thota Tharrani also adds to the richness of the frames.

The biggest issue with Ponnin Selvan- 1 is the numerous subplots integrated into the story by the director. Too many things are happening simultaneously and as a result it is difficult to catch up the plot.

The film is also filled with many characters that don’t make any impact whatsoever. Perfect examples of these are ones played by Prakash Raj, Sarat Kumar and Rehman.

The film’s editing is also subpar as the drama moves at a very slow pace, particularly in the second half. Some of the scenes are way too lengthy. A perfect example of this is the climax where Karthi and Jayam Ravi take upon some villains. The fight scene happens in a ship with thundering rain as a backdrop. It is definitely jaw dropping but this action block goes on way too long. Because of this the cliff hanger at the end doesn’t really make an impact.

Music by AR Rahman is pleasant but nothing spectacular. It is nowhere close to their previous associations.

Final word: Watch PS-1 if you are a fan of Mani Ratnam or you like slow paced historical dramas. The rest can give it a skip.

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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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Ready To Fire: More Compelling Than The Movie

Ready to Fire co-written by Nambi Narayan himself is a book that leaves you with many thoughts much like the movie Rocketry which was released earlier this year. It makes us think about the heavy price that Nambi Narayan had to pay, because of his hefty dreams. It also makes us angry towards those who framed him as a traitor, and built up a false case against him. However, there is one major difference between the movie and the book. There is no denying that Madhavan’s directorial was a touching account of the brilliant scientist, but the book is definitely crisper. The book has two aspects. One is his scientific journey, and the other is the trials and tribulations he faced both professionally and personally. The chapters involving his wife are less but they still move you. Also there is less of technical jargon compared to the movie Rocketry.

In a nutshell, Ready to Fire covers the various aspects of ISRO spy case, Narayan’s development as a scientist and the passion that he had for his pet project Vikas among other things. This project Vikas played a major role in the PSLV and GSLV success later on. The book also touches upon the power struggle between Left v/s Congress in a subtle but impactful way.

The book is 350 pages but we don’t feel the length much. Ready to Fire is interesting for those who are not so much into science as well, because beneath the science it is a moving human story. Don’t know who has written more pages but the writing style of both Nambi Narayan and also Arun Ram keeps you engrossed.

One of my favourite chapters in the book is regarding the evolution of ISRO. The journey of ISRO from the inception to its present is filled with many interesting details. These anecdotes give a different dimension to the book. They are both hilarious and stunning.

The chapters involving the police investigation is painful to read, but there is also a fair amount of sarcasm in the way Nambi Narayan writes about the obvious loopholes in the case registered against him. You can clearly tell that police were under a great deal of pressure to prove that Nambi Narayan was indeed a traitor.

As said earlier the chapters involving his wife are less, but you are not likely to forget her. Her animal like cry on seeing her husband after a long time is easily one of the most disturbing parts in the book. She suffers a severe psychological condition leading to depression also. Finally she comes out of it with the help of her husband.

There is a part in the book where Nambi and his wife step out after a long time to attend a reception. During lunch Nambi gets a call that he has been declared innocent by the Supreme Court of India. At last justice is done. We feel immensely happy.

Lastly the bond of Nambi Narayan with Vikram Sarabhai and Abdul Kalaam also makes an interesting read.

Ready to Fire is a story of human spirit that one shouldn’t miss reading. Both the book and the movie should definitely be on your bucket list.

https://www.primepost.in/ready-to-fire-more-compelling-than-the-movie/