"Bengal Tiger" Movie Review (Telugu)

My review:

https://www.telugu360.com/maa-tv-now-part-of-star-tv/

"Kick-2" (Telugu Film Review)

My Review of the movie: Kick-2:

http://www.telugu360.com/kick-2-review-an-over-dose-of-everything/

"Saarocharu" Telugu Movie Review

"Saarocharu" is Ravi Teja in "class appearence" (note the spelling of appearance again; just to drive home the point that most vernacular titles don't get vetted for class appeal when translating into English but thats digressing). Ravi Teja is always known for mass entertainers that make even the mundane sound raunchy. So, we were warned this is is his class appearance (correct spelling). Director Parasuram has picked up reputation for making sensible films with subtle messages. He made films like "Yuvatha" (talks about youth power and talent), "Anjaneyulu" (talks about responsible news channels). His last film "Solo" with Nara Rohit has been well-received as it shows why joint families can and must survive current nuclearisation of society. He has roped in good starcast besides Ravi Teja - Jaya Sudha, Kajol Agarwal, Richa Gangopadhyay, Srinivas Reddy, and a cameo by Nara Rohit.

The story is not very different from umpteen movies which came on finding the right life partner to connect with. Ravi Teja is asked to help his colleague Srinivas Reddy to win over a girl he is seeking. That girl's best friend is Kajol Agarwal who is obsessed with her own beauty, she is narcissistic and haughty to the point she tells it is difficult to fall in love with any man unless there are points of commonality. Soon she finds herself drawn to Ravi Teja, he tells her stories from his life and finds that he is actually married and about to divorce his wife (Richa Gangopadhyay). The story gets a bizarre twist in the middle when Ravi Teja confesses he actually made up the whole story in order to woo her as he finds her to be perfectly compatible with her. Kajol rejects Ravi Teja as she finds this deceitful. She is engaged to Nara Rohit (a cameo) and then the happy ending as she goes back to Ravi Teja. While the story is simple narrative, what is questionable in screenplay is that nowadays film-makers resort to a dishonesty on the screen by creating characters who never were meant to be. In this case, the hero created a character Richa Gangopadhyay whose life is lived out by another couple who get "love-married" and divorced. Such methods of screenplay and story-telling are actually wrong even though appear creative. This technique of showing characters which are a figment of hero's imagination was last shown in Prabhas movie "Darling" which met with average success.

But is the film good and clean despite the narrative loopholes? I think it is, thanks to director Parasuram and the characters played by Kajol Agarwal and Ravi Teja. For fans of Kajol, this is a revelation as Kajol delivers a fine performance which gives ample scope to show she can be mean and many-shaded. She steals the thunder from Ravi Teja which is not usually the case in his movies. Ravi Teja is going through the crisis that every Mass Hero goes through many times. At the peak of their careers, Dada Kondke and Govinda, after delivering record-breaking box office hits sudden make a 180 degree turn with movies that are atypical of their wont. It has to be seen whether Ravi Teja's attempt at being a decent guy with family values will appeal to the family audiences and class viewers. My guess is, Ravi Teja needn't become class-conscious as there are enough heroes in that genre.  He should continue to be mass-hysterical and madcap-oriented as he always is. As far as the film goes, its quite clean and entertaining despite the different looks. Comedy by MS Narayana in the flight fills the void created by Brahmanandam's absence. Music by Devi Sri Prasad is just average and hasn't given his best to Ravi Teja as in previous films. Parasuram attempts vaguely at the dilemmas of married couples and the blues of divorce and wastes the time in the movie with 150 minutes. Nara Rohit and Jayasudha make a commanding presence in the film despite the short length of their appearances. Richa Gangopadhyay is a star who cannot turn and may find offers deserting her. What gives the movie the best moments are Kajol Agarwal and Ravi Teja  - they have shown a different side to their personalities but I must admit you get the feeling it is more Kajol's film than Ravi Teja's. Good to be rated atleast 2.5/5.

"Daruvu" Movie Review (Telugu)

‎"Daruvu" means drumbeat - or sound of mass as the byeline says. Ravi Teja's movies always meant you switch off your brain and mobiles together. So we went expecting a couple of hours of nonstop entertainment and comedy and antics that will chill you in this scorching summer. It felt this time a bit longer. A little short of 3 hours, the movie is dripping in masala fare, comedy and entertainment. It ropes in almost all of Ravi Teja's favorite co-star comedians - Brahmanandam, Srinivas Reddy and now Vennela Kishore who pack quite a punch. To give it a family touch, Ravi Teja figures in triple roles apart from the title role of a small time thug. How does it all add up?

There's an introduction scene of the "yamalok" - Telugu audience's favorite entertainment haven outside of our planet which makes the Old Yama Satyanarayana Kaikala anoint a new Yama (Prabhu who looks good) and warn him not to take "panga" with Telugu youth; he warns of those who tried to upstage "yamalok" in the past - NTR (Yamagola), Chiranjeevi (Yamudiki Mogudu) and NTR Jr.(Yamadonga). And the story is bizarrely concocted from there with a mischief played by Chitragupta (MS Narayana). No doubt, the movie smacks of tonnages of entertainment, comedy. So, the scenes shift off speedily and sometimes jerkily - with Ravi Teja trying to give a heightened sense of performance in every frame - he does have the screen presence and the mirchmasala factor especially with his loud voice, gay mannerisms and a Telugu accent that is neither here nor there, sounding like our CM's Telugu pronunciation. But he creates a variety in roles - as Home Minister, as mass thief, and two other fleeting roles. Director Siva's sreenplay is too fast-paced and doesnt allow most scenes to registe because of uproarious output by the energy levels of the comedy gang and Ravi Teja. We know what happens when Ravi Teja and Brahmanandam share the screen. Brahmanandam does well too but the character is one that family audiences may detest - an effeminiate, gay dance master.

Director has concentrated on the entertainment aspects well but has also introduced several elements that connect with classes - mother care, anti-corruption, Karma theory, etc. This creates a big drag sometimes - you can't unwind from the profane to the profound so fast especially with an explosion of entertainment and energy. There has been less concentration on the music and heroine. Music by Vijay Anthony is loud and "dappu" only and there's not one melody song that you can remember, it is so cacophonous. I wonder if this is the same guy who scored music for "Mahatma". Tapsi, the heroine, is never important in the plot and she doesn't add the glamour also despite trying hard.

How Good is the movie? I wouldn't watch it again - despite the extra efforts and the output of comedy, the length of the movie and the lack of subtelety does get on your nerves. Finally, my take on the heritage of "yamalokam" used in Tollywood is that the audience is losing interest in the theme. While "Yamagola" and "Yamudiki Mogudu" have been hits, current generation hasn't showered applause for "yama Donga" - it was not a comparative hit. Mohanbabu also attempted the theme in "Yama jathakudu" but with less success. Maybe the theme fires well on screen if you keep it close to the knitting - but if you mix up all the themes in the world, flat will be the output. Despite limited violence and extra-ordinary entertainment, I felt stressed in the movie watching my time a number of times. Ravi Teja, may be Tollywood's Amitabh and Dada Kondke, but he neednt have tried so hard. Sometimes, you need break from entertainment too.

"Businessman" is indeed a hit!

Its now final - "Businessman" is a hit amongst the movies released for Sankranti in Tollywood.  ("Bodyguard" is also an average hit and has its supoort and patronage but thats not sufficient to upstage "Businessman"). And Mahesh Babu seems to be the New No.1 in Tollywood. Collections don't lie - from Rs.13 crs. gross +satellite rights of Rs.7.27 crs. It has already made money for the distributors and producers. Credit goes to both Mahesh and Puri for snatching a quick and cool hit - with tight schedule and tighter control on costs. If the trend continues this year, looks like Tollywood will be on a song because of more multli-starrers planned and faster rotation of reels between Superstars and technicians. If heroes like NTR, Mahesh, Prabhas act in 4-5 films per year and compete with the likes of Ravi Teja and Allari Naresh in more productions per annum - it is the best thing to happen for Tollywood desperate for more churnouts and more hits and more employability for its crew and cast. Last year, Tollywood saw a unique statistics. The no. of dubbed films in Telugu was 120 in 2011 whereas the no.of straight films in Tollywood were 118. That should tell how the technicians of Tollywood would have fared. Well begun is half the victory..So the tidings will be glad for another busy movie season coming up in February where many Star films are expected to release. Cheers Tollywood and Telugu Cinema.

"Don Seenu" Movie Review: Tollywood

 

"Don Seenu" puts the ageing but antics-rich Ravi Teja in a stylised role of an improbable Don  with enough referrences to A mitabh Bacchan. It is entertaining no doubt and adds the glamour touch with Shriya, comedy with Brahmandam and Venu but the story is bunkum - and your head aches after an hour with predictable nonsense. The movie is longer by atleast two reels but what more to expect in a formulaic film for a hero who is good entertainer but dragging his feet on precarious scripts. Music by Mani Sharma is average. The content in the movie is so flippant it will not even be  remembered after three months. The trend is not encouraging...