Thani Oruvan review: "Dont be the thani oruvan to miss out on Aravind's mesmerizing show!!!"

In the last couple of days, I came across some FB posts praising Aravind Swamy's performance in a negative role that he essayed in "Thani Oruvan". This naturally aroused my curiosity after all I have seen him predominantly only in roles which are endowed with virtues. With M. Raja calling the shots & that too in the company of his brother, Jayam Ravi; I was kinda sure that it would be entertaining. But was it as awesome as some of the posts proclaimed???

Mithran (Jayam Ravi), an IPS trainee along with his friends used to discreetly assist the police whenever an opportunity arose. But with time it dawns upon them, that their efforts to quell crime barely made an impression as the culprits used to get off scot free due to the influence of honchos. This enticed Mithran to uncover the kingpins behind all the crimes happening in the city & takes it upon himself to put an end to it. However, the further he delved through the evidence; it becomes apparent that the renowned scientist & son of Home Minister, Siddharth Abhimanyu (Aravind Swamy) was the one pulling the strings. It was no mean task to take down a person with such impeccable credentials, but Mithran & his friends were determined to put an end to this menace. Little did they realise that Siddharth was always a step ahead of them. 

The moment that I heard that it was M.Raja's movie, I assumed this might be the remake of some Telugu blockbuster after all he is the king of remakes. However, if I'm not wrong, I believe he has come up with an original script this time around (I could be wrong) in the company of Subha & the aspect that they have emphasized on is given as the tag line: "Your opponent makes you realize your capacity".Though some of the sequences seemed far fetched & convenient, the well etched characters made it an engaging experience. In the technical department, Hiphop Tamizha's music was fine while Ramji's visuals were top notch as it provided that edgy feel required for a thriller. Thanks to the engaging narration & commendable editing by Gopikrishna, it doesnt make us look at our watches inspite of being 160 mins.

Usually when we talk about performances, it's quite natural to talk about the hero first; but the one we would root for here is the antagonist brilliantly performed by Aravind Swamy. Frankly speaking, I never knew he could ooze such cold blooded villainous aura with mere looks & subtle expressions. Jayam Ravi was impressive in his role who stands toe to toe with Swami. Unlike majority of the movies, the female lead here wasnt merely for eye candy & Nayanthara has done utmost justice to it. As for the rest of the cast, all of them have done aptly and while Thambi Ramaiah tickles the funny bone I felt he was a miscast as Swami's father. 

Verdict: It has already garnered decent returns in Tamil Nadu & with none of the Onam releases going great guns, it should reap rich dividends from our state as well. The praise that I have heard about the film prior to watching it is more or less justified as it does keep us engaged. In short, the script might not be top notch but the characters makes it appear so. So dont miss it!!!

Rating: 3/5

Regards...Ben

Phantom review: "Likely to be a phantom at the theatres in a few days!!!"

Onam...the very thought of this festival tingles our visual senses & salivary glands thanks to the sumptuous sadya along with the movie releases. Apart from the numerous Malayalam films, even Bollywood had one prominent release in the form of Kabir Khan's "Phantom". With "Bajirangi Bhaijaan" turning out to be the second biggest blockbuster of all time, Kabir had a whale of a time coming into his latest offering. So will Saif conjure atleast a fraction of the semblance of what Salman achieved with the same director???

26/11...a day which will be etched in our memories forever when LeT orchestrated a massacre in Mumbai. Almost seven years have passed since that fateful day, but due to our rather soft diplomatic demeanor or for some other reason known to only our Government, the masterminds behind that heinous act is still at large. RAW comes up with a covert operation to eliminate them & entrusts a disgraced Indian army officer, Dhaniyal Khan (Saif Ali Khan) to put their plans into it's rightful culmination. He is also helped in his mission by Nawaz Mistry (Katrina Kaif), a former RAW operative who provides him with the necessary resources. But will he able to take down the kingpins as planned???

If "Bajirangi Bhaijaan" focused on Indo-Pak brotherhood then Kabir's latest venture touches on the other extreme which is the topic of terrorism. However, unlike other espionage thrillers like "Baby" or "D-Day" this one fails to evoke similar excitement or rather to put it in simple terms, it felt like any other action movie inspite of the artillery on display. Based on Hussain Zaidi's "Mumbai Avengers", the script is an amalgamation of fact & fiction, but the problem is that the latter aspect fails to grip the audience. It's as if the makers were more interested in Sunny Deol's Gadar pattern of modus operandi before bringing the curtains down in Titanic style. The technical aspects were fine with some crisp editing by Arif Sheikh & Aditya Banerjee and credible visuals by Aseem Mishra. 

Saif looks suave & dashing, but as a rugged action hero,,,he is definitely not the right choice. I'm not saying he has to be expressive & over the top, but come on...pasting a scowl on your face isnt exactly how you portray yourself as being tough. Katrina Kaif was even more pathetic as she had the same "damsel in distress" expression throughout the whole movie with the irony being she plays a former RAW operative. As for the rest of the cast, none of them deserves special mention as they barely had much to do except sit around the table & discuss or click on their computers. 

Verdict: As per current reports, "Bajrangi Baijaan" has racked in 600 crores which will have Kabir Khan smiling ear to ear, but he will consider himself lucky if "Phantom" manages to huff & puff past 60 crores. The film might proclaim itself to belong to the genre of "espionage thriller"...but it fails to thrill for a major portion. In short, wont hurt to give it a try but on TV!!!

Rating: 2.5/5

Regards...Ben

Brothers review: "Bollywood exercises Right to Copy but officially for a change !!!"

On the auspicious occasion of our Independence Day, I would like to remind all my fellow Indians that we should strive to keep our freedom intact & not vile it away over petty issues like politics, communal violence etc. It might seem ironic but this week we have Karan Malhotra's "Brothers" hitting the screens which has a pair of brothers baying for each other's blood almost similar as to how some anti-social elements are trying to entice violence against our brothers & sisters. So will the movie cater to the tastes of the Indian audience???

Gary Fernandes (Jackie Shroff), an ex-fighter was released from jail after having served a jail sentence for the accidental murder of his wife. He was filled with remorse as he choked with guilt over the mishap that had happened primarily due to his addiction to alcohol. But it had virtually wrecked the life of everyone in his life as his two sons faced the brunt of it. His elder son, David (Akshay Kumar) who never forgave his father & cut off ties with his half brother after the demise of his mother was leading a contended life as a teacher with his wife & daughter. But a life threatening cardiac problem for his daughter meant he was squeezed for money & was forced to make some extra bucks through street fights. Monty (Sidharth Malhotra) was Gary's younger son who also made a living through fights & like his father was reliant on booze. It was around this time that Peter Bregenza (Kiran Kumar), a multi millionaire sports enthusiast arranges a MMA competition in the country & as one would expect both brothers enroll in it. But who will emerge victorious & at what cost???

Karan Malhotra is familiar to all of us as the one who had remade "Agneepath" which was quite a decent effort to be frank, Over here, he has taken the plot from the Hollywood movie "Warrior" & added heavy doses of melodrama to the point that it gets nauseating in certain sequences. The first half is interspersed with flash backs to showcase the equation between the father & his sons, while in the second half it had nothing apart from fights. So was it an absolute bore??? Well not exactly, as some sequences like the training sessions & fights were well choreographed. But unless you have a decent story to explain, it gets taxing after a certain time which is what happens here, None of the technical aspects deserves special mention as it was average at best.

Though Karan might have faltered in the script, I felt he has done a credible job with the cast that he has chosen. Akki was an apt choice as a brother who excels in martial arts & he has enacted his role with restraint making sure he didnt go over the top. Sidharth also has done a fine job as Monty & excelled in the fight sequences, though he needs to work on the emotional scenes. Jackie hams it big time in many of the scenes while Shefali Shah rocked in her brief role.

Verdict: It might sound surprising but I actually liked it more than the original but is it worth the time??? Hmm...well I have to say no...coz the script is as predictable as the conduct of our opposition party in Parliament. In all probability, it isn't going to make much of a tremor at the box office & you may as well spent this weekend watching Saina Nehwal's finals!!!

Rating: 2/5

Regards...Ben

  

Drishyam review: "Decently remade but lacks the punch!!!"

About a month back, I had written about "Papanasam" which saw Kamal Haasan show ample evidence as to why he is considered as one of the best actors in the country. Well credit for that definitely goes to Jeethu Joseph whose script & direction was top notch & which was made all the more impactful thanks to the peerless Lalettan. Anywaz that led to a remaking spree with the latest industry to be hooked onto it being Bollywood. So will it be able to create waves there as well after all the cultural differences is pretty marked between the North & the South???

Well I am not even going to attempt saying anything about the plot as it would be known to everyone by now. This version had Nishikant Kamat call the shots who got some pretty decent credentials having won the National Award for his Marathi film "Dombivali Fast" a couple of years back. The screenplay by Upendra Sidhaye has remained more or less true to the original but subtle changes has been made to the script with regard to the locales. So does it actually work atleast in terms of the thrill factor. There is no doubt that it's surely one of the well made thrillers in Bollywood in the recent past, but if you have seen Lalettan's or even Kamal's version, you are bound to be disappointed. Just to cite a few examples, the sequence where the family was brutally thrashed at the police headquarters or the climax between the two parties both of which was brilliantly canned in Malayalam & Tamil, but it barely had an impact here. None of the technical aspects deserves special mention, which doesn't imply it was mediocre but it doesn't quite catch your attention also.

I do agree that it's absolute injustice to even compare Ajay Devgan to a legend like Lalettan, but he is no lame duck also after all he has won the National award twice.  Being a person who have excelled in expressing anguish & helplessness through his eyes, I would have to admit that it was disappointing to see him unable to showcase that caliber here. However, Tabu absolutely rocked as the IG & I feel she has performed on par or even better than Asha Sharath. The way she showcases her ability to oscillate between the ruthless nature of her profession & the yearning of her mother's heart, was quite a treat. Rajat Kapoor as Tabu's husband was impressive (the best in all the versions) along with Kamlesh Sawant. As for the rest of the cast, Shriya Saran & the kids were average at best while the kid who enacted Varun's role was far from threatening. 

Verdict: With "Bajrangi Baijaan" & "Bahubali" ruling the roost, it wont be possible for "Drishyam" to make a dent in their collections. But to be fair to the makers, I feel they have done a praise worthy job & surely deserves an audience for their effort. So will it appeal to those who have seen the original or even the Tamil version, then the answer will be a big "No". Anywaz give it a try if you haven't seen either of the two or else forget it!!!

Rating: 2.75/5

Regards...Ben

Bajrangi Bhaijaan review: "Salman's most endearing film in the past decade!!!"

On the auspicious occasion of Eid, I would like to first start by saying that may Allah shower his blessings on all my friends & well wishers. So apart from the lip smacking delicacies that are part & parcel of this festive season; as always it's time for Salman to sent the box office into a frenzy. His gift for this Eid comes in the form of "Bajrangi Bhaijaan"which is helmed by Kabir Khan. So will it be as humongous a hit as their previous venture???

The films unfolds in POK where an expected mother names her daughter Shahida after the exploits of the swash buckler Afridi against their arch rivals. However, Shahida (Harshaali Malhotra) was born mute & after a near fatal accident her mother takes her to the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin in Delhi in search of a miracle. But as fate would have it, Shahida gets separated from her mother & lands up in Kurukshetra. Over there, she meets Pawan (Salman Khan) a simpleton & Hanuman devotee; who takes it upon himself to reunite Shahida with her parents. Little did he realise that it was easier said than done.

When it comes to Salman Khan, we can rest assured as to what we are going to be served with; even before the first scene is shown. Now since all his movies have been blockbusters, it makes sense for the film makers to stick on with the same formula. Surprisingly, that's exactly where this movie is different from the rest as it doesn't have the usual larger than life persona, punch dialogues or even the bare torso act. As a matter of fact, Kabir Khan seems to have imbibed the flavour of Rajkumar Hirani as his script made humour take centre stage when matters like religion, customs, stereotypical mindsets etc are touched upon. One of the major factor that the movie works is the lively screenplay & dialogues which has us in splits along with the endearing climax (a shade too melodramatic I admit but it works). As for other technical aspects, the visuals & music were fine at best while the film though long at 2.5 hours doesnt test our patience thanks to the likable characters. 

Salman bhai has done a fantastic job as the protagonist as it was refreshing to see him in this avatar & will surely appeal to people who are not his fans as well. Nawazuddin Siddiqui was brilliant as the news reporter, Chand Nawaz (slyly named after Chand Nawab whose video I am sure most of you would have seen in FB) & he gets some of the best scenes in the movie. If at all there was an award for the cutest kid, it would go to Harshaali as I havent seen a kid as angelic as her in all the movies that I have watched. Her innocent face, expressive eyes & beautiful smile more than makes up for her lack of dialogues. Kareena has done a fine job in the limited screen space along with the rest of the cast.

Verdict: As always it would take an earth shattering initial & in all probability be as profitable as their previous venture together "Ek Tha Tiger". It would surely appeal to the audience thanks to the refreshing change from the usual run of the mill stuff from Salman. In short, check it out as it's definitely Salman's most endearing performance in the past decade!!!

Rating: 3.25/5

Regards...Ben

Baahubali review: "Breathtaking visual spectacle which scores on all counts!!!"

The Indian film industry is the biggest in the world for the sheer volume of films which is being churned out every year. However, the budget which is being shelled are peanuts when you compare it to Hollywood. Well it actually makes sense after all the production team needs to reap profits which is kinda difficult if the costs are humongous especially for regional languages. But if the product is good, nothing should stop it from being a blockbuster which is exactly the reason why the producers have invested 250 C into Rajamouli's  magnum opus "Baahubali: The Beginning". So will it be as awe-inspiring as promised???

A significant portion of the first half showcases as to how the blue blooded Shiva alias Mahendra Baahubali (Prabhas) was raised by the tribal folks in the foothills of the mighty waterfalls. As destiny would have it, Shiva was spurred to cross the waterfalls in search of lands that lay beyond. Eventually he does it & meets Avantika (Tamannaah), who happens to be part of a rebellion seeking to rescue the Queen, Devasena (Anushka Shetty) held captive by the fiendish usurper Bhalla Dev (Rana Daggubati). Shiva takes it upon himself to save the Queen but little did he realize that his genes actually belonged to the kingdom of Mahishmati.

Ever since the movie was announced, the hype & expectations surrounding it was understandable after all it was helmed from Rajamouli; the maverick behind "Magadheera", "Eega" etc. Anywaz his latest venture has lived upto expectations as his screenplay (inspired from Mahabharata) was engrossing for most parts except for the romance sequence which stuck out like a sore thumb. In the technical department, almost all the aspects were of supreme quality & totally worth the money spent on them. The VFX effects were mind blowing for most parts though the avalanche seemed kinda odd. Hats off to Sabu Cyril for his brilliant sets & Senthil Kumar for the breathtaking visuals. Last but the least, kudos to Keeravani's BGM & music which was in sync with the mood of the movie.

It's the first time that I have watched a movie of Prabhas & I should admit I was pretty impressed with the aura that he brings to the screen. Apart from his bulky physique, he fitted the character of the protagonist pretty well. Equally impressive was Rana Daggubati who seemed more than an equal match for the machismo Prabhas, But the pick among the lot for me was Remya Krishnan & Satyaraj who were exceptional in their respective roles. As for the rest of the cast, Anushka ought to be applauded for her de-glam look while Tamannah & Nasar were apt in their performances.

Verdict: The film has released in over 4200 screens around the world & from the reports coming in, it has shattered all opening day records by grossing about 60 C. It's definitely worth all the applause coming its way & I would have to admit I just cant wait for the second part to release. In short, you definitely got to watch this!!!

Rating: 4/5

Regards...Ben

Papanasam review: "Remake does justice to the original in all aspects!!!"

Over the years, numerous remakes has flooded the theatres but only a handful of them actually managed to do justice to the original. Invariably, a significant number of Malayalam movies has been remade such as "Kireedam", "Manichithrathazhu", "Traffic" etc...& the latest to join this group is Jeethu Joseph's blockbuster "Drishyam". It's already been made in other languages such as Kannada, Telugu with Hindi in the pipeline as well, but the Tamil version was helmed by Jeethu himself with Kamal Haasan in the title role. So will the remake appeal to the audience especially for the ones who have seen the original???

Since the storyline is pretty much known to everyone, I believe that I dont have to go into the details of it. Except for the names & places, the basic premise has remained faithful to the original. Suyambulingam (Kamal Haasan) was a hard working individual who led a contented life with his small close knit family. Inspite of having studied only till the 4th, he was a person who was well versed with the happenings around the world which was partly due to his avid love for movies. Things moved along serenely in his household, until an individual who seemed capable to wreak havoc in their lives announces his presence. How Suyambulingam rises upto that challenge forms the crux of the movie.

"Drishyam" is the biggest blockbuster of our industry (maybe "Premam" might overtake it) & the full credit for that goes to Jeethu Joseph. The reasons were pretty obvious as apart from impeccable execution he had penned that brilliant script as well. Even in "Papanasam", it is indeed applaudable that though the movie runs close to 3 hours, it never takes a toll on the audience as we are totally engrossed in it. If at all there was a significant difference between the two, it was with regard to the character of the protagonist as Lalettan seemed calculative and more restraint in his emotions while Kamal displayed more of an emotional side amply showcased in the climax sequence. All the technical aspects were impressive be it Sujith Vaassudev's visuals, Ghibran's music (though I felt Anil Johnson's original score & BGM were much better) & Ayoob's editing.

It's true that it's unfair to compare, but when it comes to remakes it's inevitable to be frank. If Lalettan had made Georgekutty memorable, in Tamil the mantle was on another legend Kamal Haasan & he has performed brilliantly. It wouldnt be prudent to accept the fact that we finally got to see the character rather than the star which had restricted his ability to showcase his acting skills in the recent past. Gowthami was average at best as she seemed kinda rusty & also it was a role which was tailor made for Meena. Coming to Nivedita Thomas, she seemed better than Ansiba while Esther didnt seem quite at ease here. As for the rest, Asha Sharath rocked while Kalabhavan Mani (I expected more from him as I personally feel he is more talented than Shajon), Anant Mahadevan etc have done a fine job.

Verdict: Undoubtedly, this is definitely one of the best movies that have come out in Tamil in recent times. Just like "Drishyam" was a landmark in Malayalam, I wouldn't be surprised if it's remake turns out to be one as well. In short, give it a try as its a well crafted remake. On a lighter note, though Jeethu rectified the flaw he made in the original with regard to the phone call; he forgot that "Anjaan" was released only on August 15th while Suyambulingam & family saw it 10 days earlier!!!

Rating: 3.75/5

Regards...Ben