Dream Girl: Will Make You Laugh Till You Drop

In this tech-savvy world, people have little time for bonding and not surprisingly, depression and anxiety has grown manifold. Taking this as the premise, writer Raaj Shaandilya sprinkles oodles of humor and hilarious one-liners in his directorial debut Dream Girl to drive home the message without being overtly preachy. If you have seen the film’s trailer, its plot is all in there.

Karamveer Singh (Ayushmann Khurrana) lives with his father Jagjeet Singh (Annu Kapoor). The latter owns a shop that sells materials used for the last rites of funerals. Needless to say, he isn’t financially stable and has debts to clear. Karamveer, blessed with the ability to sound (and also look) like a woman, whiles away his time donning the role of Sita in Ramleela plays or with his friend Smiley (Manjot Singh). By chance, Karamveer comes across a job at a friendship call center where he has to impersonate a woman to provide relief to several lonely customers.

With a lucrative paycheck on offer and the versatility of voice at his disposal, Karamveer doesn’t think twice before accepting the job. In between, he falls in love with Mahi (Nusrat Bharucha) and their romance progresses at a brisk pace. As you would have guessed by now, Mahi is unaware of Karamveer’s shady night shifts and his new job starts to take its toll on him coz of the number of customers that he has to deal with. In all this never-ending mess, will Karamveer find a way forward?

Movie Review, Movies

By Hariprasad Sadanandan

September 12, 2019

Can South Cinema Eclipse Bollywood?

In the decade 2000s, the Hindi film industry would often claim to define Indian Cinema. Bollywood’s sense of importance probably stems from the fact that Hindi films cater to the largest audience in the country. After all, cinema is a business at the end of the day and the industry with the maximum revenue can afford to boast, even if the yardstick is an irrational one. Cut to 2019, Bollywood finds itself on a sticky wicket as far as the Box Office is concerned for the top three all-time grossers in Indian Cinema have come out of the South: Baahubali: The Conclusion, Baahubali: The Beginning and 2.0.

To add to that, the Hindi version of Prabhas’ latest bilingual film Saaho became the most watched Bollywood film (in terms of ticket sales) in the first weekend this year, going past Salman Khan’s Eid release Bharat. The fact that Saaho managed to achieve this feat despite being a non-holiday release is even more remarkable. Of course, Prabhas is now a pan-India face thanks to the humungous success of the Baahubali series and unlike dubbed films, Saaho was shot in Hindi. Still, this development points to the influx of South Cinema into the Bollywood market.

Why is Bollywood lagging behind?

Entertainment, Features, Movies

By Hariprasad Sadanandan

September 8, 2019

Magamuni: Arya sparkles in this multi-faceted thriller

Films featuring actors in dual roles are generally the most redundant type in Indian commercial cinema. More so if the two characters happen to be siblings. Director Santhakumar in his second outing with Magamuni, dares to experiment with that outdated dual-role concept and manages to tread a different path. The film features Arya in a double role as Maga and Muni, identical twins, who were separated during their childhood. They are unaware of each other’s existence and live contrasting lives.

While Maga lives in the city as a cab driver and doubles up as Man Friday for a local politician, Muni is an organic farmer-cum-teacher who stays in the village. The former stays with his wife and young son while his sibling has his adopted mother for company. Their lives go on in a parallel universe until a series of events set their paths to intersect. As a rough plot, this might seem quite similar to the dual role films of yesteryear but Magamuni is original in its execution and all due must be given to Santhakumar who has penned the script too.

The treatment of the film is its biggest strength as the entire first half keeps us guessing about Maga and Muni even making us wonder if they are one and the same. This curiosity in itself is a victory for the screenwriter as engaging the audience in a thriller is no mean feat. Arya is the lifeline of the film with his exemplary portrayal of the title characters and he manages to bring in the diversity in the two roles with a remarkable amount of restraint.

Entertainment, Movie Review, Movies

By Hariprasad Sadanandan

September 6, 2019

Love Action Drama: A Festive Entertainer

The first thing that strikes you while watching the initial promos of Love Action Drama are the names of the characters of Nivin Pauly and Nayanthara—Dineshan and Shobha. Does that ring a bell? Who can forget the Sreenivasan-starrer Vadakkunokkiyantram, a social satire that featured Parvathy in the lead. Three decades later, it’s still fresh in our minds and hence, there’s a natural curiosity to see how Love Action Drama will play out—doesn’t fail—the sub-plot is similar. However, few minutes into the film and you know that this is straight out of the Vineeth Sreenivasan school of film-making.

That’s not surprising either, given that this is the directorial debut of his brother Dhyan Sreenivasan who goes a notch above his sibling in trying to give the Malayalam rom-com a Bollywoodish touch which is executed beautifully by the frames provided by Jomon T John and Roby Varghese Raj. Add to this the highly reliable Shaan Rahman’s music and background scores, and you have a product that’s not far off from its Bollywood counterparts in the genre. To begin with, the film has that predictable one line storyline that’s been done to death earlier and is attempted once more by Dhyan and Co.

Dineshan (Nivin Pauly) is a jobless and happy-go-lucky fellow whose primary goal in life is to get drunk and have a jolly good time. Sagar (Aju Varghese), is a distant relative and Dineshan’s partner-in-crime as well. It’s a Tom-and-Jerry equation between the two as they go around clowning. During a cousin Swathy’s (Durga Krishna) wedding Dineshan spots Shobha (Nayanthara), a working woman based in Chennai. It’s love-at-first sight for our hero who has had a history of failed relationships, including one with Swathy.

Movie Review, Movies

By Hariprasad Sadanandan

August 30, 2019

Saaho: All Hype and Hoopla

Indian film stars and their fascination for high-octane action thrillers is a never-ending tale. Especially when the canvas is of epic proportions. Saaho is the latest addition to the list, as actor Prabhas, fresh off the success of the Bahubali series, seeks to extend his stardom to a pan-India level. Very few genres create the level of money-spinning opportunity that a big budgeted action film provides and hence, this film was touted to be Prabhas’ vehicle to the top tier of stardom across the country.

Grapevine has it that director Sujeeth had initially planned for an action film in the budget range of approximately Rs 60 crores. However, with Bahubali-2 taking longer than expected, Prabhas and team decided to push the envelope with Saaho, subsequently converting it into a grand scale project that’s reported to have cost a whopping Rs 350 crores.

So, does the film live up to its immense hype?

Movie Review, Movies

By Hariprasad Sadanandan

August 16, 2019

Comali: A fine blend of humour and emotions

Jayam Ravi’s latest offering Comali has a novelty factor about it. And if you are a 90s’ kid, you are bound to feel nostalgic while watching the film.

Comali tells the tale of Ravi (Jayam Ravi) who wakes up one day to realize that he lost 16 years of life due to being in a state of coma. It was a result of a horrific accident that he suffered during his school days, coincidentally on the day he proposed to his classmate Nikitha (Samyukta Hegde). His best friend Mani (Yogi Babu) took care of him all these years and it’s now time for Ravi to pay him back, by solving the issues confronting his friend. In the midst of all this, he falls in love with Ritika (Kajal Aggarwal) through freakish circumstances.

There’s also Dharmaraj (KS Ravikumar), who has a connection with Ravi’s past in more ways than he could have imagined. How the latter sorts all this forms the crux of the film. There are a lot of relatable things in Comali, especially the childhood comparisons between the kids of the 90s’ and those belonging to the modern era. What starts as a comedy entertainer with plenty of laughs—both situational and slapstick—also has an emotional side to it. This unfolds towards the final 30 minutes of the film and lends solidity to the film.

Movie Review, Movies

By Hariprasad Sadanandan

August 10, 2019

Kalki: All over the place

As an industry that produces the highest ratio of realistic films in India, Mollywood has had an unusual dearth of ‘mass’ commercial films in recent years. In the past, Mammootty and Mohanlal had attained their superstardom by doing larger-than-life characters in mainstream commercial films. Perhaps, the current mantra of ‘content being king’ has something to do with the shortage of commercial potboilers in Mollywood.

Nevertheless, well-packaged commercial entertainers are guaranteed to rake in the moolah in Kerala—amply demonstrated by the fact that other-language big-budget films shot on a large canvas have many takers in the state. It’s not surprising then, that young actor Tovino Thomas decided to go down this route with Kalki. The teaser promised a lot, and it was expected to be a paisa vasool entertainer. Sadly, that was not to be.

Kalki is set in a fictional village, Nanjamkota, located in the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. A large number of people dwelling in slums have moved away fearing the ruthless nature of the local goon Amarnath (Shivajith) who also controls the major political party in the village. Everything happens according to his whims and fancies with no opposition whatsoever. The suicide of an honest cop sees a replacement officer (Tovino) who is fearless and quirky with a no-nonsense approach. The clichéd good versus evil narrative forms the crux of the film.

Movie Review, Movies

By Hariprasad Sadanandan

August 8, 2019

Nerkonda Paarvai: An inch-perfect remake

I still remember watching Pink in the theatre. The film left an indelible mark on my sub-conscious with its near-perfect script, dialogues and of course, not least, the inimitable Amitabh Bachchan. Over the years, it’s a film that I’ve revisited several times and each viewing only increased my awe of it. So, when it was announced that it would be remade in Tamil, my only concern was if it would uphold the dignity of the original. Nerkonda Paarvai does that perfectly.

The film narrates the tale of three independent working women Meera (Shraddha Srinath), Famita (Abhirami Venkatachalam) and Andrea (Andrea), all of whom are implicated in a case of attempting to murder a politician’s nephew. The girls are accused of having “objectionable character” and are sucked into the vortex of the case. Do they stand a chance of getting justice? That’s where former lawyer Bharath Subramanium (Ajith) enters the frame.

When Ajith was announced as the lead, there were mixed reactions—this wasn’t an ideal film for a superstar with such a huge fan following. H Vinoth, the director and scriptwriter of the film, extracts a great performance from Ajith, who is effortlessly sharp and precise.

Movie Review, Movies

By Hariprasad Sadanandan

August 3, 2019

Khandaani Shafakhana: A confused mishmash

Films on taboo topics have a potential to be a full-blown parody of society. That is exactly what Shilpi Dasgupta’s directorial debut Khandaani Shafakhana, set in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, sets out to do. The film revolves around a sex clinic founded by Hakim Tarachand (Kulbushan Kharbanda), who was cold-shouldered for his open stance towards sex education.

Tarachand’s eventual death sees the clinic in a state of crisis. Advocate Tangra (Annu Kapoor) reveals that Tarachand’s will bequeaths the sole ownership of the clinic to his niece Baby Bedi (Sonakshi Sinha). As a perpetually-travelling medical sales representative who is frustrated with her job and the economic struggles at home, Baby Bedi decides to take up the challenge and run the clinic.

But it comes with the rider that she spends six months in the clinic and appoints a registered doctor; if all goes well during this period, the ownership gets transferred to Bedi legally. Her family, which has always had reservations about Tarachand’s clinic, is totally aghast at Bedi’s decision. After all, majority of India, especially the small-town, still have unwritten rules on what women can and cannot do. The crux of the film deals with Baby’s struggles against such societal norms.

Movie Review, Movies

By Hariprasad Sadanandan

August 2, 2019

Jackpot: Two con artists will have you in splits

A madcap comedy, Jackpot tells the tale of two con women Akshaya (Jyotika) and Masha (Revathy)—earning their living duping people a la the legendary outlaw Robin Hood. While they are pretty successful at what they do, they aren’t stable financially and hope to better their position.

A chance encounter with an elderly woman in jail sets the story rolling. The woman spins a mythical tale about a magical vessel that has the ability to inexplicably increase the count of any object that’s placed within it. Totally taken in by her words, Akshaya and Masha want the magic vessel at all costs. No easy task this—the pot is believed to be buried in the property of Maanasthan (Anandaraj), a powerful gangster who has politically ambitions too. And if that isn’t enough there’s another road block to their riches and happiness—a violent bull.

Films on con artists generally have a thriller or a comedy setting. Director Kalyaan chose the latter and he has held it well—to pack the film with enough comedy elements to engage the viewers. While his writing isn’t in top gear at all times, the deft direction and performances ensure that the film chugs along without any major hiccups.

Movie Review, Movies

By Hariprasad Sadanandan

July 29, 2019

A1: A Film that doesn’t take itself seriously

In recent years, Santhanam has been making a conscious effort to cement his position as a leading star in Kollywood. For someone who ruled the roost as a comedy actor in his initial years, this transition hasn’t got the best feedback from the viewers. After all, it’s difficult for a humor specialist to transform into a mass hero overnight— some of his films have tanked at the box office but Santhanam continues to plod on. Thankfully, A1: Accused No 1 is more of a full-length comedy film, where Santhanam is in his elements.

Saravanan (Santhanam) owns a clothing outlet and is your typical boy-next-door who is always up to mischief with his gang of friends. Divya (Tara Alisha Berry), a fan of the film Thalapathy, is looking for a soulmate who has all the characteristics of the Thalapathy hero—macho type who can be downright aggressive and jump into a fight at a moment’s notice. If this isn’t weird enough, seeing Saravanan in a fight is what makes her heart flutter and needless to say she falls flat for him. Both are Brahmins and Divya assumes that he belongs to the Iyengar caste like her but that’s not the case. Her parents disapprove of Saravanan and his family that are too ‘local’ in their demeanor for them. Does Saravanan manage to save their relationship?

Right from the start, the film expects you to keep your logic and reason aside. Agreed that slapstick comedies do require you to keep your brains outside the cinema halls as they usually dish out mindless entertainment but the major issue with A1 is that it doesn’t take itself seriously and doesn’t expect the viewers to either. The story and screenplay are as thin as it could possibly be, but what pulls the film through, especially in the first half, is Santhanam’s comic timing. His inimitable dialogue delivery even makes ordinary jokes look like classic one-liners.

Movie Review, Movies

By Hariprasad Sadanandan

July 27, 2019

Dear Comrade: A roller-coaster of emotions

When the trailer of Dear Comrade was out, it had evoked a sense of déjà vu among movie buffs. The protagonist seemingly had anger-management issues à la Vijay Deverakonda’s Arjun Reddy (2017). Thankfully, Dear Comrade and Arjun Reddy are as distinct as they could possibly be.

Dear Comrade narrates the tale of Bobby (Vijay Deverakonda), an impulsive and short-tempered student union leader based in Kakinada. Lilly (Rashmika Mandanna) is a state-level cricketer who has just moved in to her relatives’ house beside Bobby’s. The two meet, interact and eventually, Bobby starts developing feelings for Lilly. However, Lilly isn’t convinced about Bobby’s temperament, something she feels could be detrimental to their future together.

Even as Bobby tries to convince Lilly that his volatile behavior wouldn’t be a hindrance to their shared future, a series of events end up putting a divide so deep that tests the duo’s love, patience and loyalty in a way they could have never imagined. A roller-coaster ride of emotions follows in this tale of love and companionship, with the film peaking towards the pre-climax.

Movie Review, Movies

By Hariprasad Sadanandan