Mankatha review: "Thala celebrates his half century in style!!!"

Whenever a festival season approaches, it's happy days for the film fraternity & if at all it coincides with the landmark of one of the biggest stars; then it's party time for the producers especially in the Tamil industry. Incidentally, this week marked the release of  "Thala" Ajith's 50th movie "Mankatha" on the occasion of Eid. With Venkat Prabhu known for his humorous yet engaging films such as "Saroja", "Goa" etc., calling the shots, there's a sense of deja vu that this is gonna be a smash hit. So was this feeling the creation of a delusional mind or will it rack in the good times???

Mumbai is chosen as the backdrop for this thriller with betting on the IPL matches being the core subject. Arumugam Chettiar (Jayaprakash), is part of the betting syndicate who routes the money to the tune of 500 crores from all the major investors through his dilapidated theatre  At this point, Arumugam's henchman Sumanth (Vaibhav) hatches a conspiracy to flick the moolah in the company of his friends which includes police officer Ganesh (Ashwin), bar owner Mahanth (Mahanth) & IIT graduate Prem (Premgi). But before they could implement the plan, suspended cop Vinayak Mahadevan (Ajith) gets a whiff of it & barges into the group with the intention of getting a share of the money pie. In the meantime, Special Task Force ACP Pritvi (Arjun) is hot on the the heels of the betting mafia which eventually leads him to the trail of Vinayak & the rest. Things take an unexpected turn with Mahanth & Prem pulling off a fast one on the rest of the gang. So will Vinayak & co. have their vengeance or will ACP Prithvi draw the iron curtains on the gang???

Just as in his previous ventures, Venkat attempts a liberal sprinkling of humorous one liners which though at times fails to live up to expectations. The script is written keeping in mind to make use of the aura of Ajith to the hilt & there's no doubt that he has succeeded that on all fronts. The biggest plus point is undoubtedly breaking off from the stereotypical mass hero style, as Ajith is shown more with shades of grey along with getting blows as well, which would have been unthinkable in normal circumstances. However, there are a couple of major pitfalls, as it stretches a tad too long & moves along predictable lines. As a matter of fact, inspite of having a thrilling climax; it doesnt tread into any unchartered territory as the audience will more or less guess the ending.

Coming to performances, it's an out & out Ajith movie as he unleashes his dark side with panache. His lazy gaze, sarcastic laughs & his unbridled greed for money just makes the audience asking for more. Arjun plays the supporting role with authority with ample scope to showcase as to why he is called Action King. The remaining cast does their part aptly, but more or less gets lost in the aura of Thala. As for other technical aspects, Yuvan Shankar Raja's music was definitely a highlight especially the title track while the visuals by Sakthi Saravanan was enthralling. Though the editing by Praveen & Srikanth were crisp, it could have been better.

Verdict: Ajith couldnt have hoped for a better half century as the film will garner a thunderous opening at the box office. It will definitely whet the appetite of Thala's fans & it should be the talking point for the next couple of weeks. In short, though the storyline is predictable; Ajith's mannerisms & grey shades makes it for an interesting watch. So if you do have some time to spare, it wont hurt to check it out!!!

Regards...Ben

Pranayam review: "Exhibition of brilliant performances!!!"

Blessy, the name that is synonymous with touching meaningful cinema has been the favourite of the public & critics ever since he burst into the scene with "Kazcha". Since then it has been the good fortune of Malayali audience, that each one of his films has been a unique experience in itself interlaced with a well conceived script & brilliant performances. So it was inevitable that the audience has been waiting with bated breath ever since it was announced that Blessy's "Pranayam" would be gracing the screens for this Onam. So does he manage to weave magic yet again ???

This time around Blessy has touched upon the topic of love that extends beyond the barriers of age emphasizing that love isnt just about physical attraction but something that transcends way beyond that. Achutha Menon (Anupam Kher) has just survived an attack & presently living with his son's family in the city. It's during one of these days he meets up with Grace (Jayaprada), whom he had divorced 40 years back. Grace in the meantime was happily married to Mathews (Mohanlal), who was confined to the wheel chair owing to stroke rendering him paralysed on the right side. Achutha Menon yearns for her company but their acquaintance is detested by their children. So will they succumb to their children's pressure or live their lives on their own terms???

As opposed to his previous films, Blessy hasnt been able to engage the audience totally as there has been many sequences were it seems dragged or lacks the adequate depth. Inspite of these flaws I still feel that it does manage to touch the chords with some inspired philosophical dialogues. There has been a host of technical aspects which does require mention with the first definitely being the art direction followed by the misty visuals by Satheesh Kurup who delivers a whole different touch. Finally the music by Jayachandran was soulful & touching with some heart warming lyrics by the legendary O.N.V.

There are three protagonists in the movie who has delivered outstanding performances, but if I had to select one; it would definitely have to be the awesome Mohanlal. He essays the role with so much conviction & effortlessly that you can just marvel the brilliance of this actor. His mannerisms & diction were spot on, that you can just hope that other directors also gives meaty roles to Mohanlal to unleash his arsenal. Jayaprada's performance was praise worthy & her beauty can still give the young starlets a run for their money. Anupam Kher, also digs in gleefully into his role as he emotes perfectly the longing he still nurses for his wife. However his dubbing artist wasnt able to impart a similar effect on the audience.

Verdict: The movie is definitely off beat but Blessy's name along with an impressive star cast should ensure a decent opening. I dont believe that it's gonna make as much noise at the box office as compared to his previous ones. As far as my opinion goes, though the film fails to maintain the momentum; the brilliant performances by the veterans makes it a joyful experience. In short, dont miss it!!!

Regards...Ben

Teja bhai & family review: "Prithvi fails to make it his dream Onam!!!"

Finally, Onam is upon us & interestingly with Eid also falling a week prior to it; naturally a lot of money & expectations has been invested by the film industry this time around. One of the eagerly awaited movie among the Onam releases is undoubtedly, the Prithvi starrer "Teja bhai & family". After having handled serious genres with relative maturity, Prithvi has never actually lived upto the billing as the next big thing after the two big M's. So in order to prove his versatility & credentials as a worthy successor, he has picked upon the comic genre. The question what remains is whether the audience & producers be laughing or groaning???

"The truly Asia" nation, Malaysia is chosen as the backdrop for the initial half where Teja bhai's name (Prithvi) sents a shiver down the spine of one & all, as the dreaded underworld don. But there was someone who made Teja bhai's heart skip a beat as well & that was Vedhika (Akhila), a social worker. In due course of time, they fall in love only to realise that Vedhika's father, Damodarji (Thalaivasal Vijay) was adamant that his future son-in law should be the descendant of a credible lineage with an impeccable background. This forces Teja bhai to assume the name of Roshan Verma & with the help of Rajaguru Vashyavashassu (Suraj), plans to line up a set of paid artists as his relatives. So will it work out smoothly or is it the beginning of turmoil???

After having helmed Dileep's "Crazy Gopalan", Deepu Karunakaran is back with his latest venture where he multi-tasks between direction, story & screenplay. However, I have no qualms in admitting that Deepu has totally failed in his efforts as many of the comic sequences were in bad taste & fell flat. With a wafer thin plot, it was imperative that the screenplay be taut enough to sustain the interest of the audience but sadly to no avail. The only technical aspect which did impress me was Deepak Dev's compositions especially the remix version of "Oru Madhurakinavin" & "Pranayanilavan".

Prithvi can't be totally faulted for such a flawed performance as the character just didnt have the flesh & spirit. He ended up playing out the same expressions that he has been essaying day in & day out. Akhila had nothing to do other than look good & groove to the music. There is no doubt that Suraj's jokes are turning out to be too monotonous & stale; but he does manage to infuse a few laughs. As for the remaining cast, all of them just sleep walked through their roles.

Verdict: The lack of other big banners except for "Pranayam" & the promos featuring the retro classic, will ensure that the movie will have a good opening. But if at all, Prithvi is expecting for an Onam bonanza; I am sure he is going to be pretty disappointed. In short, if at all you dont mind puns & slap stick comedy, you may give it a shot; or else dont bother!!!

Regards...Ben

Aarakshan review: "No need to reserve your seats for this one!!!"

Prakash Jha is one of those directors whose films are always eagerly awaited by the public as they always tend to touch upon socio-political issues be it "Gangaajal", "Apaharan", "Rajneeti" etc. So this time around, he has decided to touch upon the topic of reservation system. This is definitely a sensitive issue as each & every individual as their own take on the matter, with some supporting it while some others believing it's robbing many of the meritorious students of their opportunities. Since this isnt a platform to debate on it, I would refrain from making my comments. Anywaz, with a power packed star cast in the form of Big B, Saif & Manoj Bajpayee to add to the hype already created, it remains to be seen whether this will deliver at the box office???

Just as the title states, the film unfolds with Deepak Kumar (Saif Ali Khan) being denied opportunity to work in a college just because he is from a Dalit background inspite of having certificates which speaks volumes of his academic excellence. Deepak is the favourite student of the renowned Professor & Prinicipal of the esteemed Shakuntala Mahavidyalaya, Prabhakar Anand (Big B). Prabhakar Anand was a personality of impeccable character & principles, who believed that education should be granted to one & all, rather than commercializing & reserving it as the right of the rich & mighty. This was however against the interests of the Vice Principal, Mithilesh Singh (Manoj Bajpayee), who was heading numerous coaching classes with the support of the politicos. It's around this time that the Supreme Court ordered the implementation of the Mandal Commission, which increased the reservation quota of the ST & OBCs by 27%. This sets off a furore among the students which eventually leads to Prabhakar Anand resigning his post. What then follows is the face-off between the idealistic Prabhakar & the scheming Mithilesh!!!

Jha is assisted in the screenplay by Anjum Rajabali, which goes a long way in building up an impressive first half. The subject matter is tackled expertly with frictions creating cracks in relationships being expressed effectively with some hard hitting dialogues by Saif & the rest. However, though the first half promised a lot; the latter half was a total let down as they virtually side stepped the reservation issue & it was more about how the idealistic Big B takes on the education commercialising ways of Bajpayee. It does have some impressive sequences but it was far & few; not to mention the running time of close to 3 hours which does take a toll on the audience.

Big B as always comes up with a praise worthy performance, though it doesnt offer much of a challenge for a person of his stature. Saif, finally offered a meaty role renders it impeccably in the first half while in the latter half he wasnt offered much of screen space. Manoj Bajpayee was convincing as the money minded educationist while Deepika essays the de-glam role of Big B's daughter aptly. Pratheik Babbar's performance left much to be desired as he seemed too wooden & miscasted.

Verdict: "Aarakshan" has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, which could act as a double edged sword. This will naturally add onto the hype that the star cast & Jha's track record has generated; however being banned in UP,AP & Punjab will impact its initials hugely. I do believe that the movie might break even, but nothing more. In short, you can give it a try if you like issue based movies or else give it a miss!!!

Regards...Ben

Chappa Kurishu review: "Crispier version would have enthralled more!!!"

Since the beginning of 2011, Malayalam film industry has seen a wave of encouraging changes in the variety of scripts being tried out. Though multi-starrers seems to be the flavour of the season, our audience has embraced this new genre comprising of realistic movies which at times might be off beat. Adding to this list is debutant Sameer Tahir's "Chappa Kurishu", who has impressed one & all with his cinematography skills in "Big B". With Listin Stephen taking care of the economic aspects after her much acclaimed "Traffic", there's naturally a lot of anticipation surrounding this release. So will it be a memorable debut for Tahir & will Listin be smiling yet again???

Kochi, the business hub of our Kerala; has undergone a sea of change in the last decade with MNCs & other industries being set up leading it to have a multi-cultural & metro lifestyle. Everyone is busy with their life & it's a race to survive the odds, to carve out a niche for oneself in the society. Some might be forceful, ready to go to any extend to attain their goals while there is another set who gets pushed around & goes with the flow. This is the very concept that "Chappa Kurishu" touches upon through the lives of Arjun (Fahad Fazil) & Ansari (Vineeth Sreenivasan). 

Arjun is in the booming construction sector & belongs to the upper strata of society, who believes that everything & anything could be bought with money or if not, attain it by any means. Ansari, on the other hand works in a supermarket & gets bossed around by all. Arjun has an affair going on with his subordinate Sonia (Remya Nambeesan), though he is engaged to his family friend's daughter, Ann (Roma). On hearing about his impending wedding, a quarrel issues between Sonia & Arjun, & in the process, Arjun loses his phone which is taken up by Ansari, without realising that the phone had some intimate moments between the other two. What then follows is a role reversal with the boss being bossed around. So will Arjun get his mobile before it's contents gets leaked out???

Star cast of the movie

Tahir has co-written the script along with Unni & it's certainly a take on today's lives. Though I have heard a couple of my friends saying that it's a copy; it wouldn't be prudent on my part to harp about it as I haven't seen the original. Whatever may be the case, the script does keep us engaged to the very end; though it does have it's share of flaws. The biggest drawback is that there are many sequences in the first half which more or less disrupts the flow of the movie. It gets dragged around aimlessly with hardly anything happening. If at all the editing had been crispier, it would have made it even more engrossing. Coming to the climax, it's imperative that I mention that it has one of the best choreographed fight sequence that I have seen in Malayalam in being both realistic & gruesome. 

Coming to performances, Fahad seems to be improving by leaps & bounds with each passing movie. He was spot on in his characterization as the suave & scheming boss. Vineeth has also done a decent job as the push over commoner. A lot of hype was generated by the bold act of Remya & she has done a fair job; though the second half doesnt offer her any screen space. Roma & Nivetha, doesnt offer anything to the story other than being extra characters.

Verdict: Impressive promos, French kiss & intimate moments have all created quite a bit of hype which ensured it to have a decent opening. However, the audience will be groaning at times owing to its dragging nature especially in the first half which will certainly be a turn off for many. Inspite of this flaw, I would suggest that you guys should give this movie a try as its quite a good effort in terms of being both realistic & engrossing!!!

Regards...Ben

Singham review: "Ajay's turn for a Dabaang!!!"

We are into the second decade of the new millenium & it seems Bollywood have taken a sudden liking for the brand of action movies which was prevalent in 1970s & 80s. As a matter of fact,ever since "Wanted" hit the jackpot; the South Indian spice seems to be the most sought after flavour. The angry young man image immortalised by Big B is being revived, with every actor trying their hand & the latest to join the band-wagon is none other than Ajay Devgan. So this week witnessed the coming together of Rohit Shetty & Ajay, with their action masala "Singham". The question now is, will the duo enthrall the audience with the bulging biceps just as they did by tickling the funny bone in the "Golmaal" series.

Sivagad is a sleepy village on the border of Maharashtra & Goa, which is under the jurisdiction of the honest & upright police officer, Bajirao Singham (Ajay Devgan). This village suddenly becomes a topic of discussion when the dreaded criminal, Jaikant Shikre (Prakash Raj) is adviced by the Court to register his presence daily at the station, for a period of 15 days as part of a bail agreement. Shikre tries to take the easy way out by assigning an accomplice to pose as him at the station, which is detested by Bajirao. From here, starts the rivalry of the protagonists & how it all pans out in this battle of good versus evil forms the framework of the movie. 

It's already a well known fact, that the movie is the remake of Surya's blockbuster "Singam". Just as in the original, the hero is an embodiment of all virtues while the villain seems to have gathered all the negative vices available. Whenever this type of a story is concieved, it's all about how to get the pulse of audience racing & Hari seems to have got all those bases covered. Rohit Shetty has gone on to show that he can also tackle the action genre with as much ease as comedy. The major plus point is undoubtedly the raw power & action sequences by Jai Singh which reminds us of the South Indian flair. As for the downside, it's just a hardcore regular masala venture which might not whet the appetite of the so called lovers of meaningful cinema.

Ajay Devgan has always given his cent percent irrespective of whatever role he dons. Here too, it was all about delivering bombastic dialogues & bashing up the goons single handedly. In short, a comparatively easy role by his standards except for the fact that he has pumped in quite a bit of iron enabling him to have a well sculpted torso. Rubbing shoulders against him, is none other than the awesome Prakash Raj; who emotes his anger & frustrations as easily as the blink of an eye. Kajal Agarwal doesnt have much to do than look good & she definitely was gorgeous. The remaining cast were mainly pawns to add in some spice to the story.

Verdict: The movie will have an outstanding opening in the single screens while the Multiplexes are unlikely to garner much interest. It definitely has all the ingredients of a hit as it caters to the taste of the masses. In short, I am expecting it to be a hit; however I doubt many of you guys will relish it after all its just routine masala stuff & Surya was better in the original!!!

Regards...Ben

Deiva Thirumagan: "Vikram comes up with an Award winning performance!!!"

Gone are the days when the Tamil film industry used to churn out movies which had just one agenda in mind i.e no matter how illogical the plot might be, the hero emerges victorious at any cost. The last 4-5 years saw the emergence of a steady change in the variety of scripts with new talents coming up. Vijay is one such director belonging to this new breed  who had impressed one & all with his previous venture "Madrasapattanam". This time around, he has chosen the talented Vikram to enact the role of a mentally challenged individual in his latest effort titled "Deiva Thirumagan". So will this combination cook up a winner???

Before divulging into the plot, its imperative to mention that it's the copy of the Sean Penn starrer "I am Sam", with a couple of minor changes. Krishna (Vikram) is a mentally challenged individual whose daughter, Nila (Sara) has been taken away by his rich & powerful father-in-law, Rajendran (Sachin Khedkar). Krishna seeks the help of the lawyers Anu (Anushka) & her partner Vinod (Santhanam) to get her back, but standing in their way is the successful & cunning lawyer,Bhashyam (Nasser). The film basically focuses on the relationship of Krishna & Nila, & his efforts to win the case. So will the law allow Nila to live with her mentally challenged father???

Vijay has come up with a winner yet again in terms of content, performances & treatment. Though it's basically a copy, he has done total justice to the plot as it manages to tug at our heart chords in various sequences. There is no denying the fact that he has been adequately supported by Nirav Shah's visuals & Antony's editing. However, there are a couple of shortcomings as it tends to be a touch too long especially in the second half. But the touching climax more or less made up for the flaws from my point of view. The music by G.V Prakash Kumar was fine with "Vizhigalil Oru Vaanavil" rendered by Saindhavi being the best both in terms of picturisation & rhythm.

Coming to performances, Vikram was absolutely awesome which is befitting of a National Award, however even if he doesnt win that there is no second thoughts that he will all the other awards starting from State to Filmfare. Equally impressive has been Baby Sara who was innocence personified & emotes the expressions with perfection. Their incredible chemistry is the life of the movie with two scenes namely one on the first day of school & the climax court scene being absolutely heart warming & tear jerking. Anushka was splendid as she totally utilizes the meaty role along with Nasser. Amala Paul though given a small role has done total justice while Santhanam provides the comic relief without ever exceeding the limits.

Verdict: Just like any other Vikram movie, this will also have a killer opening & should go on to do good business. But its offbeat nature & slow pace might be a turn off for many, which could impact its collections in the long run.  However in my opinion, I would suggest that you guys to definitely check this out!!!

Regards...Ben