Showing posts with label Puli Murugan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Puli Murugan. Show all posts

December 8, 2016

"Manyam Puli" (Telugu Film Review)/ "Puli Murugan" (Malayalam Film Review)

There were not many films shot in dense reserve forest areas so this one called “Manyam Puli” made us wide-eyed once we saw the last frame of the 141 minutes of a panoramic film rich with spectacular visuals. The film in its original Malayalam version “PuliMurugan” raked in over Rs.100 crores and we thought it is a regular commercial film but it turned out to be a surprise packet of extraordinary visual beauty and effects. The story is not uncommon: Mohanlal is a wood-cutter who lives with his wife Myna (Kamalini Mukherjee) and daughter. His reputation in the village as a tiger-hunter is legendary and every time a man-eating tiger is on prowl, the buck stops at Mohanlal’s doorstep. Mohanlal’s brother is a crucial link in the story who unwittingly pulls in his legendary brother into a vortex of culpable crime that involves criminal conspiracy and drug mafia and extortion – the villain being Jagapathi Babu. There are few other villains thrown in the ring but they make an impact in few scenes and make their exit. What holds the narrative is an astonishing overdrive into the deep-water-falls infested thick jungle where Mohanlal maneuvres people out of the clutches of the tiger. There are atleast five mesmerizing action sequences involving the beast and MOhanlal which builds an excitement and tension into the screen. And few other fights which make you wonder if you are watching one of the magnificent action films of the Samurai variety where sharp weapons fly off the bodies and people are slain in split-second speed. The film has only one song in the first half but the tension is built up gradually with elements of an interval bang, a second half that loosens a bit and a rich pre-climax and climax. Vysakh is the director and Uday Krishna the story writer who create a dazzle of larger-than-life images and thrills – of the kind never seen before. Even earlier films like “Mrugaraju” of Megastar Chiranjeevi appear amateurish in front of the breathtaking scenes with a CGI Tiger and an agile Mohanlal. After lying low with two Telugu films which show him in lesser light, this film is a real treat to Mohanlal fans or anybody who wants to figure out the complete actor’s range of acting skills and screen presence. The risks in the angles of some of the shots make you gasp for breath but Mohanlal pulled it off in style. If not for the story, the treatment and the action sequences make this a worthy joy-ride with family. Music by Gopi Sundar once again elevates the forest moods to peaks. Cinematography by Shajikumar is outstanding. The Telugu version is trimmed by atleast 22 minutes which makes it even more watchable. The ending is predictable but the journey to the end is worth it. Performances by Jagapathi Babu is jaded while all others excel. Kids will freak out on the tiger scenes - something that Indian films have never cared to find out but I don’t get why a man who shoots an endangered species should be hero-worshipped. Such are the ways of Indian films. No wonder we are made to stand up for our sins of watching them by singing the National Anthem in a few days from now. Go for it. But beware of high-grade violence.
My rating: 3.25/5

"Jailor" (Telugu/Tamil) Movie Review: Electrifying!

        "Jailer" is an electrifying entertainer in commercial format by Nelson who always builds a complex web of crime and police...