The Climax Cop-Outs March 8, 2010
Posted by Shujath in Articles, Films, Movies, Reviews, Tamil, Telugu.Tags: Articles, blockbuster, Film, Gautham Menon, Leader, Movie, Naga Chaitanya, Rana, Reviews, Samantha, Sekhar Kammula, Telugu, Tollywood, Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaaya, Ye Maya Chesave
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First of all, it is so hard to come across genuinely good Telugu flicks – and when I thought I did; in comes a terrible feel-good climax to ruin what made me actually feel good about the whole movie. My grouse is mostly directed against Leader and to a small extent – Ye Maya Chesave. There aren’t any spoilers here so continue reading even if you haven’t seen any of the films.
To begin with Leader – I must say it was a really engaging political thriller but most importantly it was bang on when it came to highlighting the moral dilemma of being a good politician. There was point where the movie should have ended but Sekhar Kammula gives you a cringing idealistic conclusion which pretty much undermines the entire film. I thought the feeling of “being cheated” in the end could only be delivered by Hollywood psychological thrillers but now I have to extend that list. Go watch it and you’ll know what I am saying. In any case Rana delivers hands down the best performance by a debutante ever.
Coming to Ye Maya Chesave – honestly I wasn’t really complaining about how it should have ended. I just felt it was just a wee bit inconsistent (and somewhat feel-good) with what went before but nevertheless it was a still a sensible conclusion. Then a couple of days later I happened to read that Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaaya (the original Tamil version) ends differently. I then checked out the last 15 minutes of that film and was extremely pleased to find that it was exactly how I expected/wanted the film to end. I was also equally sad that Gautham Menon didn’t (or couldn’t) end the Telugu version in the same way. How can one blame him since he was forced to include a “happy” climax when he remade Kaakha Kaakha in Telugu a few years back.
I keep reading and hearing about how Telugu audiences do not like sad (or rather un-triumphant) endings and to have one clearly spells disaster. It is impossible to prove or disprove a proposition like that. But I am hard pressed to come up with at least one instance where an otherwise excellent film was rejected by the audience just because of an unhappy end. I’d be glad if anyone could point me to a few.
All said and done, don’t miss Ye Maya Chesave – as far as love stories are concerned this is as good as it gets. Naga Chaitanya fits in very well but I can’t imagine him as a “regular” hero for at least a couple of years. The one walk away with the accolades is Samantha (wonderfully voiced by Chinmayi). And then there is also A.R Rahman’s splendid score which complements the movie so well.
Yuganiki Okkadu (Aayirathil Oruvan) February 12, 2010
Posted by Shujath in Movies, Reviews, Tamil, Telugu.Tags: 2010, Aayirathil Oruvan, adventure, Andrea Jeremiah, blockbuster, Cholas, DVD, Film, G.V Prakash Kumar, Gore, historical, Karthi, Kollywood, Movie, Pandyas, Period, R. Ravindran, Reemma Sen, Review, Selvaraghavan, Sexuality, Sri Raghava, Supernatural, Tamil, Telugu, thriller, Tollywood, violence, Yuganiki Okkadu
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In production for almost two years, Selvaraghavan’s magnum opus is finally out. To be honest, though I had high expectations from this film I kinda figured out it might in the end turn out be that great – given the track record of modern “period fantasies” in Indian cinema. I couldn’t have been more wrong – Yuganiki Okkadu totally blew me away! It’s bold, it’s original and most importantly – absolutely engrossing till the very last frame. The latter aspect could also be attributed to the fact that almost 40 minutes of footage from the original Tamil version were chopped off for Telugu audiences.
Yuganiki Okkadu begins as a rescue mission to an unknown place find the whereabouts about an archaeologist who had gone missing in search of a lost Chola Kingdom. I cannot give away anymore of the plot without major spoilers. Selvaraghavan (who also wrote the film) beautifully blends adventure, historical fiction and the supernatural – and it is precisely this expert plotting that mostly earns the film its brownie points. It is also very humorous in some of the most unexpected places. This is also a film where the elaborate set-pieces and VFX seem so much a part of the film – rather that stand out as the lone USPs in plotless blockbusters. But then this isn’t a film for a casual viewer or someone whose idea of a film is a “family entertainer”. There is uninhibited blood, gore and raw sexuality which is sure to alienate a considerable number of people.
The casting is again spot on. Karthi (his second film after three years), Reemma Sen and Andrea are the naughtiest trio you’ll see on screen for a very long time – especially the risque moments between them are a hoot. Parthiban excels in a major supporting role. G.V Prakash again comes up with a great score. I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a Telugu movie so much in recent years and I can be pretty sure no one is going to bring out a movie like this in the future unless Selvaraghavan tries being even more awesome.
Veedokkade (Ayan) May 4, 2009
Posted by Shujath in Movies, Reviews, Tamil, Telugu.Tags: 2009, action, Akashdeep Saigal, AVM, Ayan, blockbuster, Blood Diamonds, Chitti, Customs, Deva, Devuda Majaaka, Drugs, DVD, DVD Piracy, Film, Friendship, Harris Jayaraj, K.V Anand, Koena Mitra, Kollywood, Likasi, Loyalty, M. Saravanan, M.S Guhan, M.S Prabhu, Movie, Prabhu, Review, romance, Smuggling, Suriya, Surya, Tamannaah, Tamil, Telugu, Tollywood, Veedokkade, Yamakasi
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I had seen the promos of the Tamil version during its release a couple of months back and I wasn’t impressed at all – especially with Surya S/o Krishnan still fresh in my mind. However the release of the Telugu version had me excited quite a bit given the glowing reviews and box office success which “Ayan” garnered.
Veedokkade turned out be a mixed bag but still making me wonder why the original ended up being such a huge hit. I found this one to be a better and well-packaged version of the beaten-to-death Telugu action film but apart from that there wasn’t anything to look out for. Director K.V Anand tries to fill in a bit of everything for everyone the result being a product which cannot completely satisfy anyone. Among the everythings the one being talked about most is the action – the much touted “Yamakasi” sequence is the highpoint of the enterprise. Actually, I didn’t know what it was before so for those of you who are wondering about what it might be – well it is the technical name for those awesome foot chase sequences you have seen in the last Bourne and Bond flicks. In this film too it has been wonderfully done and part of the reason I did not like this movie a lot was the result of heightened expectations at the end of this scene.
The most boring parts are the romance (on the brighter side, great to see Tamannaah return to normalcy after Ananda Thandavam) and the surprisingly insipid music by Harris Jayaraj. The background score was quite good nevertheless. This is Surya’s film all the way – from pirating DVDs to smuggling Blood Diamonds, from foot chases in Africa to car chases in Malaysia he seems be having a blast. Prabhu is also impressive in a meaty supporting role. The cinematography is also worthy of mention – especially in the foreign locales.
Veedokkade could have been a smart action flick had K.V Anand concentrated all his energies on the main plot – excising out some of the unnecessary parts would also have achieved that effect to an extent. It still is a pretty good watch provided you do not have lofty expectations.
Ananda Thandavam April 14, 2009
Posted by Shujath in Movies, Reviews, Tamil, Telugu.Tags: 2009, A.R Gandhi Krishna, Aananda Thaandavam, Aascar Films, Ananda Thandavam, DVD, Film, G.V. Prakash Kumar, Kitty, Kollywood, Madhumita, Movie, Pirivom Santhippom, Review, Rishab, Rukmini, Shot in the US, Siddharth, Sujatha, Tamannaah, Tamil, Telugu, Tollywood, V. Ravichandran
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Now that I’ve seen the movie, I think I might have figured out atleast to some extent the basic idea of what the original source material was all about. That’s probably the best compliment Ananda Thandavam can receive from me. A good number of folks who were in the audience with me can’t even say this because they didn’t even bother to hang on till the end.
Most of the times when highly anticipated films go horribly wrong; it is almost always because a concept which sounded good on paper doesn’t translate to the screen as expected. But this one is an exception. Here is an acclaimed director who sets about the task to translate an acclaimed writer’s most popular work on screen and the resulting film seems more as if the filmmaker wanted to get back at the (now dead) writer to settle a past lingering grudge. I seriously cannot find a better explanation than this.
I won’t speak about the plot because it might give you an much better impression of the film than it actually is. Coming to what went wrong the crappy screenplay comes instantly to my mind. However, even more vexing are the characters and the way they actually behave. Topping the list is that of Tamannaah. The intent of the filmmaker seems to be to project her thoughts and actions as childish but at the end of it she comes across more like a retarded slut. In fact there is a scene in the movie when the hero’s dad casts doubts on Tamannaah’s behaviour especially given that her parents are unusually eager to get her married to a guy they hardly know and much lower in social standing. At that point of time I guessed there really was some issue with the girl which would take the film in a new direction. Later I realized that was just the beginning of my disappointments.
The hero’s IQ also seems to be just one point more than that of our leading lady. In the midst of this there is one more guy – the philandering rich bald guy who everyone is supposed to hate; even here the director gets it wrong for the only thing you want to hate about him is his fake bald patch – tell me one instance in your life when you saw a brown skinned guy with a balding scalp painted in “white”. In spite of these and other umpteen causes I was still kinda interested know how this craziness would continue all the way till the end. A.R. Gandhi Krishna doesn’t disappoint in that aspect – the consistent imbecility delivered in each frame is really impressive. Even the talented G.V Prakash Kumar fails to impress except for the final song which is beautifully choreographed as well. I wouldn’t really blame the actors for their performances for I don’t see how they could have done more justice to their roles.
Ananda Thandavam is unarguably an instant “so-bad-it’s-good” flick but I think we might need to invent a new category for this – something on the lines of “I-actually-made-it-through-this” flick. Watch it if reading this piece has actually aroused your curiosity – I can’t offer any reason otherwise why you might subject yourself to this. Sujatha surely must be rolling in his grave.
Nenu Devudni (Naan Kadavul) February 9, 2009
Posted by Shujath in Movies, Reviews, Tamil, Telugu.Tags: 2009, Aghora, Aghori, Aham Brahmasmi, Arthur Wilson, Arya, Bala, blockbuster, disturbing images, dubbed in telugu, DVD, exploitation of beggars, Film, ganja, Ilaiyaraja, Kal Bhairav, Kanal Kannan, Masterpiece, Naan Kadavul, Nenu Devudni, physically disabled cast, Pooja, Review, Rudra, Suresh Urs, Tamil, Telugu, trade in beggars, Vasans Visual Ventures, violence
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Probably the only true auteur of Indian Cinema, Bala returns after a hiatus of 5 years with his latest work. It is rare for a film to be hailed as a masterpiece even before its release which only shows the effect his films have on people. If you thought Sethu or Pithamagan were bleak and depressing then Nenu Devudni/Naan Kadavul takes it to a new level altogether. For those who haven’t seen the film yet, it might seem to be an exploration about the life and practices of the Aghora cult (now popular in Telugu due to the recent success of Arundhati). But actually it only acts as a backdrop – the significance of which will only be clear towards the end of the film.
On the suggestion of an astrologer that he is a bad omen, Rudra (Arya) is abandoned as a child in Varanasi by his father. When his father goes in search of him after 15 years he finds to his astonishment that Rudra has become an Aghori – someone who considers himself to have attained to power to stop the endless cycle of rebirths by blessing the ashes of dead people who he thinks deserve that boon. On his father’s plea, Rudra’s guru allows him one final visit to his village. Once back there he shocks everyone who comes in contact with him. The main plot however is that involving the inhuman business of “begging”. If you’ve seen Slumdog Millionaire then be warned – the few sequences you’ve seen in that movie regarding the same issue would seem like kiddie stuff. Anyways, what happens from thereon is better seen than told.
Whether you subscribe to it or not, Bala has the ability to drag the viewer into his bleak merciless world and this film is far successful in doing that than any previous work of his. I don’t think I can get those visuals out of my mind for a long time and I bet you would have a tough time doing the same. However, as usual with Bala’s films the visceral experience comes in lieu of a coherent screenplay. What I actually found very disturbing is the seeming glorification of the protagonist and his cult. There is a huge difference between certain characters in the film revering Rudra and the film itself projecting him as a hero; and somewhere down the line the distinction seemed lost. What can seem acceptable or even justified as a sad state of affairs cannot really become an ideal. Thanks to a couple of irritating guys in the audience who were constantly whistling whenever Arya came on screen – my perspective about the film’s convictions might be a little skewed but I’d like to hear from others what they concluded about the movie.
Arya undergoes an amazing physical (rather facial) transformation for this role. He is really scary in that look but apart from a standard routine which he seems to perform in most of the film, there isn’t nothing much he is required to do. Pooja is also very good as the blind girl. The real heroes are the supporting cast comprising of real Sadhus and physically disabled people – again better seen than told. The guy who plays the main villain is also extremely formidable. The film is shot beautifully (Arthur Wilson) – right from the opening frame on the banks of the Ganges, the foreboding mood of the film is captured consistently. Ilaiyaraja’s score also enhances the film to a great level.
For all the bleakness in the movie, it must be mentioned that there isn’t any boring moment and uxexpectedly there is ample humor which goes a long way in lightening the proceedings. For all its faults, Nenu Devudni/Naan Kadavul is a testament to the power of the visual medium and Bala’s command over it – and that itself qualifies it to be a masterpiece. A word of caution – don’t venture in if you are not used to disturbing imagery and avoid taking children.
Sai and Shujath talk Cinema 