Hridayapoorvam: A Movie Review

One of the most anticipated movies this Onam -  Hridayapurvam - led brilliantly by Mohanlal and directed by Satyanandikar. This is one movie that you can just go to the theatres with your friends and family and just feel the calm. It's just so beautiful that I am sure that when you walk out of the cinema you will have this little smile.

There is a certain sincerity that flows through the story. Kudos to the screenplay writer Sonu who has done a brilliant job. It's very simple and the beauty lies in the dialogues and in the pauses. There is something very natural about it that it almost feels like the story is happening right in front of our eyes and we are also participating in that. There are multiple characters here and everyone has an arc and a role to play. They all are brilliant. There are three star-studded cameos which takes us by surprise and lets us cheer. 

Mohanlal with his subtle eye movements and pauses and blink of eyes and smile and gestures captures the character of Sandeep Balakrishnan very beautifully. There is this sincerity in the role he plays that we feel for him and we root for him. There is actually a small storyline that passes through the film which can become borderline controversial but it is managed and handled with so much delicacy that it's a delight to watch. We also get to see Sangeeta Prasad after a very long period of time which takes us through nostalgic. Malavika Mohan plays a  tricky character and she has done reasonably well. sangeeth Prasad and his timing is impeccable and hilarious. 

So go for it. It's a very very beautiful and feel good movie!

Coolie - Movie Review

Coolie,  written and directed by Lokesh Kanakaraj, is a wonderful ode to the superstar's style and acting skills. It captures his charm, mischief, humor, emotions and the villainous traits. And he just aces it with his usual addictive grace. In short, this is a paisa vasool for a fan who has enjoyed him in movies like Aarilirundhu Arubadhu Varai, Padikkadhavan, Basha, Thalapathy and even Muthu flashback. Hidden within his charm is a melancholy, often reflected in his eyes. That vulnerability dictates why he has been the undeniable superstar for 50 years! That's a minimum of 5 generations!!

Coolie is one of the rare movies where most of the assemble cast have a character arc. They leave a mark. Needless to say, Soubin Shahir is the show stealer as the menacing villain. Nagarjuna, to be honest, was too charming to be a scary villain. Sudeep has a wonderful supporting role. Aamir's character was the least expected, in a good way indeed. The glitch, if I must say, is Shruthi Hassan's character. It appeared underdeveloped and lacked any spunk. She aced the emotional scenes and mostly came across timid, damsel in never ending distress. I hoped for an Agent Tina like spin off. It was disappointing. On the contrary,  Rachita Ram's solid character was brilliant.

The saturated hues, close up shots of the superstar and the wide shots at the harbor are well done by the cinematographer, Girish Gangadharan. In one of the interviews,  Lokesh said there are separate bound scripts each for direction and editing. The crisp editing really works, especially considering the saga with multiple flashbacks are conveyed effectively. Good job by editor Philomin Raj. Honestly, I didn't enjoy any of the singles. But it totally worked as part of the movie. Uyirnadi Nanbane hit in a different level. And the unexpected BGM during the fight sequence at the mansion was entertaining. Anirudh rocks!

Overall, this is a wholesome entertainer. Glad that it has A certificate because the violence, as usual, is another level. Highly recommend it for a theatrical experience. Kudos to Lokesh for delivering a movie that aligns with his cinematic aesthetics yet blends artfully into the expectations of superstar's fans

Thug Life - Movie Review

The much-awaited collaboration of writer-director Mani Ratnam and Dr. Padmashree Kamal Haasan, Thug Life, has released in the midst of hype because of the grand success of Nayagan—which is one of the highest-rated IMDb movies ever made in Tamil cinema. It is also often used as a reference for good film making. I wanted to set this background because Thug Life is the opposite. In a way it is a success too, because it clearly says how a movie should not be.

The movie just did not make sense.

The story is a Nayagan spin-off at a base level — the protagonist, raises a baby who turns out to be the villain  which was so similar in Nayagan also. Also, how the acts of the protagonist—that is, Velu Naykar in Nayagan, or Rangarayan Shaktivel in Thug Life impacts not only their lives but also others both directly and indirectly.

Anyways,  while watching Thug Life I had to remind myself that I am watching a Mani Ratnam film. A. R. Rahman's magical music—sarcasm indeed - appeared as if I was scrolling through some reels or stories, you know, where you see something as a video but the audio is completely disconnected. The scene would be something and the song would be something else altogether, which made no sense at all. It’s so disjoint that it’s so confusing. It’s actually irritating, to be very honest.

I even felt that the interval is misplaced, and the first half is almost one and a half hours long. The movie itself is two and a half hours long, so you can imagine. And the sad part is, the trailer gave away a lot. So there were absolutely no plot twists that could potentially keep us engaged.

Also, there was no Mani Ratnam signature. Of course, there was a train sequence, there were a couple of mirror sequences and all, but it just looked forced—like someone gave permission to Mani Ratnam that he could use them. It really didn’t look like a Mani Ratnam film. It looked more like a confused dialogue between Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan, and ultimately, both of them just decided, “Okay, let’s just do something and get over it.”

Even the editing—you know—it looked like sharp cuts rather than a seamless edit. I think the cinematographer has tried to manage the colors and the palette abs lighting. But after a point, the movie just looks stylized for the sake of it, rather than organically 

Let's just say the screenplay is really lazy. It absolutely makes no sense.

A suicide in the beginning sets the tone of the film like that's the underlying reason, but it could have been any reason and it wouldn't have mattered. Then suddenly, Kamal Haasan strangely learns some martial arts from some Buddhist monks and therefore he is able to fight. I mean, isn't he a gangster? Shouldn't he ideally be known to fight? So there are all these small details that are thrown here and there, like how we throw some food to the birds and the birds come fluttering and they eat. But audience are not birds, you know. Like we're not waiting to be fed—or, I mean, we may be—but it has to make sense. It can't be random stuff, and this movie was random.

Kamal Haasan's acting? Okay, he has done a good job. I think it's a cakewalk kind of a role. I don’t think there was anything absolutely challenging for him. Abhirami, Trisha, Simbu, Joju, Nassar, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Vasivukkarasi, Ashok Selva—I mean the list is just too long. They all come and go. And out of nowhere, even Sanya Malhotra is dancing in the “Jingu Ja” song. But why? Its staging reminded me of the “Yaaro Yaaro Di” song in Alaipayuthey and “Sattru Munbu” song from Kaatru Veliyidai. 

I have always appreciated director Mani Ratnam for risking it all and trying something new and different. If it fails, that's fine. But this movie looked like no attempt. It just looked like people got bored or they just knew from the beginning that something is wrong and they were just trying really hard to make it work. Maybe that just tells you why A. R. Rahman added four extra songs for the movie. 

And the story is nothing new. And what is new, I would say, is... the derogatory projection of relationships, where men take the women for granted. That’s something I have not seen in Mani Ratnam films. That’s something new, because the character of Kamal Haasan is married to the character of Abhirami (Jeeva) and they have a daughter. But then he is also in an open relationship with the character of Trisha, named Indrani. There is a good background to it—you know, how she came into his life and all that—but that openness of it, and when the women are unhappy visibly, yet it is being conveniently ignored. Also the scenes with them involved a lot of groping, grabbing, biting, and whatnot. So it just appeared a little misplaced. 

Even the action pieces seemed forced and uninspired. 

As audience, we are forgiving. But at the same time, I felt that probably the screenplay is written more by Kamal Haasan than Mani Ratnam, because there was absolutely nothing Mani Ratnam-ish that I found in the movie. Maybe I had expected that, and because it was missing, I did not like it. And even otherwise, I don’t think it’s a great movie. 

I would say you can give a gentle pass for the film. But if you want to put yourself into a self-inflicted torture just the way I did, please hop in and join the club!

L2: Empuraan- Movie Review

Empuraan, written by Murali Gopi and directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, is the second installment in the "Lucifer" trilogy. It opens with a flashback to Zayed Masood’s childhood, but then transitions into scenes that depict intense violence against women, children, the elderly, and men—essentially, against humanity. This violence is reminiscent of the events in Gujarat in 2002, and it sets the stage for the rest of the story. The movie is, in essence, a testosterone overload. We see an abundance of violence, action, action set pieces, and slow-motion sequences, all crammed into a nearly three-hour runtime.

While "Lucifer" focused on emotion and explored the characters' psyches and motivations, "Empuraan" prioritizes action. For instance, Tovino’s character, Jathin Ramdas, who was a surprise in "Lucifer," is also a surprise here, but in a different way. We are left wondering why he is the way he is. We don't get an answer. Is it because "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely," as one of the quotes shown during the end cards suggests? The movie also employs a lot of symbolism with the letter "L" until it becomes exhausting and a non-linear narrative that is meaningless and only adds to the complexity. There's a lot happening on screen, often in slow motion. I didn't mind the slow-motion and pauses in Lucifer, but here, they feel deliberately inserted.

It seems like the filmmakers are trying too hard to align "Empuraan" with "Lucifer." Stephen Nedumbally is portrayed as a savior, tasked with saving the world and his family. He’s constantly in action mode. Indrajith Sukumaran, who reprises his role as Govardhan, essentially does the same thing he did in "Lucifer," with the addition of a Louis Vuitton shawl. The movie's locations are visually stunning, especially on the IMAX screen, highlighting its grandeur. The film attempts to convey that global events influence local situations, but this message was more effective in "Lucifer." While the story and intentions are good, the screenplay could have been improved. Rearranging some scenes, such as placing the iinitial scenes before the interval, and the interval scene at the beginning, could have maintained a better sense of surprise and pacing. Deepak Dev’s music, particularly the background score that accompanies Mohanlal’s appearances, creates impactful "fan moments." Manju Warrier’s character arc, transitioning from subtle person to a leader, is a highlight. However, overall, the movie feels overloaded with violence and action, lacking emotional depth. 

The U/A certificate rating is questionable, given the presence of young children in the audience, who were exposed to uncomfortable violence scenes.

Ultimately, "Empuraan" feels like a testosterone overload. The third installment might be better or make this one seem better. But as a standalone movie, this one falls short due to its lack of emotion. 

Any movie that fails to resonate emotionally is a failure. Everything else is secondary.

Captain Miller - Movie Review

Arun Matheshwaran’s Captain Miller is set in pre-independence era. It is the story of a naïve boy who decides to join the British army to gain respect. It hits us hard when he argues with his friend who is not happy about this decision. He asks, which freedom is he referring to? They are slaves of the king anyways. At least a soldier gets boots. When he is renamed as “Miller”, he looks at the mirror and self-proclaims as “Captain Miller” simply because it sounds good. But when he learns about the price he must pay, he takes matters to his hand. The rest of the story is about how such a simple man is tested time and again until he is proclaimed not only as the captain Miller but as a God sent gift too! Now that’s a macro aspect at a personal level. Then there are elements of untouchability, classism, cruelty by people in power – the king at one point and the British in another – then the British themselves. Also, there is a temple and the people living around the temple who are never allowed to step inside. We also get glimpses of freedom movements and dacoity. Then there is feminism expressed in many dimensions. In one sequence, we see Miller washing utensils and Nivedhithaa Sathish’s character is cleaning the riffle. She also fights at par with men and even rides a motorbike. Patriarchy is also discussed. There is a scene where the princess mocks at her sister when she talks about oppression of people. She says that women are oppressed regardless of whether they live in a palace or a tent. The open-ended ending seems to promise a sequel too. All this and even more makes this movie special and engaging.

The movie talks about politics in a realistic set up and a dramatic tone. There are elaborate stunts including a chase sequence pre-intermission. I really liked the fact that these actions are not just hero driven. As we know, they are fighting against a system, be it the king or the British. Therefore, there is support from several others. In the climax fight sequence, it is almost like the entire village is fighting for justice and their rights.  

I liked the innovative way in which the movie is presented as chapters. Each chapter also has interesting titles. It makes us feel like we are reading a book!

Special shout out to the art director who has wonderfully constructed the set. It really transports us back in time. The temple around which the story is based and revolves around is delightfully realistic. GV Prakash’s BGM is rustic. I specifically loved whenever the percussion instruments were used. Koranaaru song is sure to make us go crazy! Even the choreographed dance somehow seamlessly fit into that zone.

Then we have Dhanush! What an actor he is! The naivety in his eyes and smile during his interactions with his mother… the playfulness with which he talks to his friend Ayyahu… his hopelessness conveyed during his argument with his elder brother… the helplessness when he is ordered to do something as a soldier... the rage thereafter… Simply spellbinding. In one of the scenes he says, “I am Devil”. He indeed is. A Devil of an actor. He has this towering screen presence and it’s impossible to look at anything else when he is performing. It is refreshing to see a star of his stature always let the actor take the lead and not his stardom.

And Shivarajkumar – what a screen presence he has! There is a certain amount of vulnerability in his demeanor that we always root for him. He is presented at his best in slow motion. It was a delight to just see him on screen.

Priyanka Mohan as Velmadhi has very limited screen time. But she has a role to play. Aditi Baskar appears cryptic mostly. She just has a couple of scenes and she comes across very enigmatic.

In recent years since the pandemic, big movies with large scale, action set pieces and mass hero moments have been a crowd puller. But very few movies have a story of an underdog, through his mistakes and failures learns the way of life and achieves the heroic status. Most importantly, this is not a story of gangsters or undercover agents. This is just a story of a common man who is in an extraordinary situation. Therefore, we empathize with the characters more. Annaleesan was naïve and jolly until reality hits him when his mother dies. The next turning point comes as a soldier who is forced to do something which he knows isn’t right. This makes him feel guilty and he agrees to help a dacoit group to steal something. Finally, when he knows that even that action has resulted in severe repercussions, he decides to take things in his own hands. Thus attains the stature of a leader and a savior. It’s a similar arc for Velmadhi also. She is a princess who is also a trained doctor. She joins the freedom movement against the ruling king, her uncle’s wish. Then life takes her through situations and experiences that she realizes that killing maybe also be a form. There are many characters in the film and it seems like each character has a backstory. Maybe there is a sequel or maybe the director wanted us to imagine the what-ifs on our own.

It was 157 minutes well spent for me and I highly recommend that you watch it in the theatres for the wholesome experience.

Happy Pongal!

Dunki - Movie Review

Rajkumar Hirani's latest directorial and editorial venture Dunki, tells the story of uneducated and poor people who decide to leave their loved ones and even country to make their ends meet. However, acting upon such a decision is not so easy due to VISA restrictions. Eventually, they are forced to take the riskier "Donkey Route" aka Dunki to seize their dreams. Will their dreams come true? Most importantly, if they achieve the dreams, do that feel happy? This forms the rest of the story which is presented at a runtime of 161 minutes.

The story and screenplay is beautifully written by Abhijat Joshi, Kanika Dhillon and Rajkumar Hirani himself. It has a lovely blend of humor and emotions. And a tinge of romance and lots of love. Apart from the fact that this is based on true incidents, each character has an arc. This makes us remember each one of them even after leaving the theatres. Pritam's music is another highlight of the movie. More than the songs, I loved the BGM. 

Shahrukh Khan has been carefully choosing scripts of late. If Pathaan and Jawan were spectacular, this is out of the world yet rooted to the realities of life. He is the Badshah of Bollywood for a reason. And this movie further proves that point. Kuch kuch hota hai, tum nahi samjhoge every time he tears. This movie gives several such scenarios. Vicky Kaushal who has done an extended cameo touches our soul in a way nobody has. His angst and helplessness has been portrayed to the point of perfection. Tapsee Pannu, Anil Grover, Vikram Kochchar are all lovely. Bomman Irani is brilliant as always and it's pure pleasure to see him onscreen. All these people infuse so much life into the characters that empathising with them seems natural.

Most of the movies in recent times are so fast paced that we barely get time to savor moments. Dunki comes as a savior. It let's us absorb the gravitas of moments. There is no hurry! There are no over the top action sequences or drama. There are no super hero moments or high octane emotions. The story and screenplay takes full control of everything and everything just beautifully falls into place. It also talks about an important issue without being preachy or dramatic. This matter of fact treatment makes this movie easily the best feel good Bollywood movie of the year. 

Highly recommend this movie. Watch this with your friends and family. Laugh. Cry. And feel blessed that we are safe with our loved ones. Perfect way to end this year and welcome the new year!

Jawan - Movie Review

Jawan, written and directed by Atlee is a typical masala movie where the protagonist seeks vigilante justice with his “girl army”. There are emotional backstories with a generous dose of melodrama, menacing antagonist, songs with hundreds of dancers and an amazing Shahrukh Khan who plays double role as father and son. Then there is Anirudh’s electrifying BGM that elevates scenes, the stunts are often creatively choreographed, and the editing is pacy. The cinematography presents the movie in its vibrant glory for the present and has a rustic undertone for the flashbacks. There are a couple of cameos and they have done their job right, let’s say. Nayantara’s Bollywood debut requires her to do just what she has already done in Tamil movies, and she does with ease. Vijay Sethupathi delivers his best, as always, especially in the climax. Of course, the timing of the movie couldn’t be better considering the poignant message it carries. The various looks of Shahrukh Khan is impressive and garners whistles and cheers. The songs as such are underwhelming considering Anirudh’s past discography has been more promising. Overall Jawan is worth watching in the theatre. Please leave your brains at home because this falls under the mass-entertaining yet illogical masala movie category.

That’s the short review, please read on for the longer one with spoilers.  

If you are familiar with Atlee’s movies like Raja Rani, Theri, Mersal and Bigil, you would already know that he is really good with flashbacks. It brings context through which makes the movie more engaging. Jawan does that wonderfully. However, the flashback of Priyamani literally comes as flashes and looks like it was edited in the interest of time. Atlee’s obsession with multiple roles for the protagonist has been established in his last two movies and it continues here. This becomes the biggest plot twist. For those who are unaware of these movies are surely going to enjoy. But for the rest, this is going to appear like the old wine in a new bottle.

Shahrukh Khan gets an introduction that is just awesome, something the Badshah of Bollywood surely deserves. The metro hijack scene which is shown in trailer is one of the highlights of the film. These are moments where we see the seamless amalgamation of South Indian masala mass movies with the scale of Hindi cinema and the super stardom of the actor. However, several emotinal moments fleets hurriedly and therefore, it gives no time for audience to feel and root for the characters. Also, so many social and political issues are addressed that it just feels generic after a point. The long monologue in the climax, though has a strong message, comes across preachy and out of context.

The song with Shahrukh Khan and Deepika Padukone seemed thoughtless. Instead of coordinated steps and outfits, a montage showing their love and relationship would have been better.

The illogic overload:

-        The movie begins with an injured guy who turns out to be the senior character that SRK plays – Vikram Rathore. He is rescued and treated with love by local villagers. Vikram is unconscious and is awakened by the screams and shrills of the villagers who are attacked by goons with guns, swords, knives, and spears. They come in horses and kill everyone regardless of their age and gender. Who are these people? Why are they attacking? Well, no idea!

-        Who is Aiswarya, played unconvincingly by Deepika Padukone. She is shown to be stronger than her husband, Vikram Rathore. She fights and trusts her husband. But who is she? How is she so good at fighting and so fearless? No explanations given, which is strange considering this movie has a backstory for everything and everyone!

-        Random capital punishment for Aiswarya is also strange. And why? Because her dead/absconding husband is a traitor? Because she had to self-defend herself when a bunch of cops threatened to rape her?

-        Why a Tamil song for their wedding? Nobody is a Tamilian. At least not apparently so.

Cast	:	Shahrukh Khan, Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupathi, Priyamani, Sanya Malhotra, Sunil Grover, Deepika Padukone,
Director	:	Atlee
Cinematographer	:	GK Vishnu
Music	:	Anirudh Ravichander
Editor	:	Ruben
Producer	:	Red Chillies Entertainment
Release Date	:	September 07, 2023
Length	:	2 Hours and 49 Minutes
Language	:	Hindi

 

Kushi - Telugu Movie

 Kushi written and directed by Shiva Nirvana is the story love, marriage and thereafter of Viplav Devarakonda (Vijay Devarakonda) and Aaradya (Samantha Ruth Prabhu) who hail from different backgrounds from faith perspective. Aaradhya’s father (Murali Sharma) is a spiritual speaker who believes in God and rituals whereas Viplav’s father (Sachin Khedekar) is a famous atheist and scientist. They oppose the marriage due to horoscope mismatch for which Aaradhya’s father demands to perform some rituals and Viplav’s father rejects its outright. The rest of the movie deals with whether the couple can sustain their marriage despite their differences in faith and if they are different from their parents, as they think they are. This is presented in a feel-good pastel shade with extremely good-looking lead pair and a concluding message. Read on for the long review. Beware of spoilers.

In the beginning, Viplav is shown as an adventurous young man who wants to experience life and its grandness. He requests a posting to Kashmir because of the Mani Ratnam-AR Rahman influence. He meets Pitobosh (Vennela Kishore) who brilliantly supports the comic streak in the first half and very soon realizes that life in Kashmir is not as rosy as he had imagined. Then he meets Aardhya and falls in love at first sight though he thinks she is a Pakistani Muslim. The situations are so comical that most of the first half is breezy. There are beautiful people against the backdrop of beautiful locations and then there is love! There are a handful of scenes that celebrates The Vijay Devarakonda’s cult status and Samantha’s popular movies. His broken Hindi also yields some laughter. The cinematography captures the feel-good vibe and the snow-capped Kashmir mountains beautifully. Editing is alright, yet 2 hours and 45 minutes seemed too long. Music director Hesham Abdul Wahab’s songs are a big hit already and he has done an amazing work with the background score as well, letting silence linger when needed.

Saranya Ponvannan as Viplav’s mother aces it because it is a character, she has played many times. Rahul Ramakrishna plays Viplav’s friend (again) and does that with the irritating pitch he had used in Geetha Govindam. The Vijay Devarakonda plays the character with charming breeze. He looks cute and handsome as ever and tries his best to be the best. Samantha looks cute as ever and has tried to own the character as much as she can. There is good chemistry between them, but the conviction in the screenplay is missing.

The movie carries a message that humanity transcends beyond faiths and beliefs. While the message as such is a good concept, the overall presentation is generic.

The problem with writing begins in the second half. Montages over a song shows how happily married the couple are and that strangely is not convincing enough. Also, immediately after marriage, Aaradhya seems to be obsessed with getting pregnant and takes test month after month. Where did the adventurous streak that Viplav claimed to have go? After an emotional event, they start fighting so much that Aaradhya appears sad all the time and Viplav angry. Their falling apart is not organic enough. Then there are several scenes screaming misogyny. An elderly couple (Jayaram and Rohini) advise time and again that a wife could keep her husband happy if she cooks the food he likes. Therefore, the vegetarian wife cooks fish for him! However, in one of the earlier scenes, she runs away puking while she knows that the food that she touched had meat! Then there is a scene where Viplav preaches a guy who misbehaves with Aaradhya that when a woman visibly appears married with the black beaded chain on her neck and toe ring, he is supposed to understand there is a husband who could beat him to death. Well, does that mean it is alright to misbehave with unmarried women or married women who don’t visibly appear so? There is also a scene where Aaradhya’s manager acknowledges that she is his pet and one where a foreign client flirts with her in an office party. That kind of remarks are not encouraged in MNCs these days are disciplinary actions would be taken if such instances are reported. But these are included so that Viplav overhears and feels dejected his wife did not slap the foreign client for flirting. No woman with brains would do that. She would only try to walk away like how Aardhya does. Cherry on the cake comes when Viplav beats her manager because he didn’t allow him and his friend to have free alcohol reserved for the party! And of course, the wife bashing song erupts out of nowhere. In the climax, we even see Aaradhya explaining why God is important to her because there are things that she could share with Him only and we see Viplav nod without volunteering to be an empathetic friend first.

The backstory of the elderly couple was moving. But it seemed to be out of place and included only to teach the young couple a lesson. Movies like Alaipayuthe and Ok Kanmani also had such characters, but they were not preachy. Deliberately quoting Mani Ratnam films here because this one seems to have heavily inspired with references like Roja, Dil Se and an entire song with his movie names!

Last but not least, what was that with the end credits? It looked forced and generic. Overall, it is a feel-good film for the most part and could have been lot better.

 

Cast	:	Vijay Devarakonda, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Sachin Kedhekar, Murali Sharma, Sharanya Ponvannan, Jayaram, Rohini, Vennele Kishore, Rahul Ramakrishna
Director	:	Shiva Nirvana
Cinematographer	:	Murali G
Music	:	Hesham Abdul Wahab
Editor	:	Prawin Pudi
Producer	:	Mythri Movie Makers
Release Date	:	September 01, 2023
Length	:	2 Hours and 45 Minutes
Language	:	Telugu/Tamil

 

Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani (RARKPK)

Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani could be summarized as a story where boy meets girl, fall in love and face family’s objection; do they succeed in convincing their families whose backgrounds and thought processes are poles apart?

The movie has Karan Johar’s signature all over. There are branded clothes… lavish sets… stylish actors… catchy dialogs… lots of emotions and drama… laughter… and what not! Interestingly, what it also has is a progressive mindset. This makes the movie special and unique.

There are several characters portrayed by an ensemble cast who deliver remarkable performances. Old Hindi movie songs are used for the background which brings an element of nostalgia. The BGM is good, and the songs are picturized in a beautiful manner.

Overall, I highly recommend this movie as a family entertainer which could be relished on a big screen.

**** That’s my short review and the detailed review is below… Read at your risk… Spoilers ahead****

The trailer came across as a simple or rather a silly love story. There were comparisons with movies like 2 States and Bommarillu. But the movie turned out to be beyond that. It addressed several biases that we experience daily. Domestic abuse, body shaming, gender repression and typecast, etc. The gender neutrality is advocated with such nuances that it stays in our hearts. For instance, men can’t take dance as their profession because it is not a good enough profession… a woman should give up on her dreams after her marriage… kitchen is a woman’s place… a woman should move into her husband’s family after marriage… Women who are career oriented would not have strong family values… a woman can’t safeguard herself… and so on…  However, they don’t become preachy and blends beautifully into the narrative.

Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt breathe life into Rocky and Rani respectively. They look good and share a great chemistry. Ranveer makes Rocky seem charismatic because the character is such that one mistake could make the character seem annoying, stupid, and spoilt. Similarly, Alia also makes sure that Rani is well-educated, well-read, and well-aware who has opinions than someone who is arrogant or egoistic. The love story between Shabani Azmi and Dharmendra is heart melting. There are several confrontation scenes involving various characters until there is a closure for everyone and those are well-presented. While some are over the top – the one between Rocky’s parents or the breakdown of Rocky’s sisters – some are heart touching. Especially, the one between Rocky and Alia’s parents. The lovely spin off of the Dola Re song from Devdas is something to watch out for. While the movie talks about women empowerment, it also addresses the need for men liberty. Men are also a victim of social expectations and gender norms. The only thing I didn’t understand is why Jaya Bachan’s character is always stern and rigid. The flashback is generic and doesn’t clarify.

Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani is a visually stunning emotional dramedy which presents progressive thoughts in vintage style. I am sure the songs and the movie are only going to grow with us over the time…

4.5/5

Cast	:	Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Tota Roy Chowdhury with many others
Director	:	Karan Johar
Cinematographer	:	Manush Nandan
Music	:	Pritam
Editor	:	Nitin Baid
Producer	:	Dharma Productions and Viacom18 Studios
Release Date	:	July 28, 2023
Length	:	2 Hours and 48 Minutes
Language	:	Hindi

2018 - Everyone is a Hero

Jude Anthany Joseph's directorial venture, 2018 - Everyone is a Hero - is a beautiful ode to the spirit of humanity when a crisis hit the state of Kerala back in 2018. It is co-written by him with Akhil P Dharmajan and has a load of characters. Most of these characters are portrayed by familiar faces making this a star studded extravaganza. 

The movie is inspired by the true events of 2018 Kerala floods. It first captures the joy that rains bring. The schools kids using their new colorful umbrellas being one of them. Slowly, it transitions to showcase what a dread rain can be and it was in 2018. It also addresses draught in a neighbouring state and how they just wait endlessly for rains and fresh water.

The movie is all about 2018 Kerala floods, the massive havoc it created and how people came together to face the natural disaster. The first half mostly focuses on introducing an endless array of characters and their inter-personal relationships. And post-interval brings the flood and the dread it caused. There are several emotinal moments in the movie, of triumphs, humanity, selflessness, hope, death, uncertainty and so many more. But there was no time given to the audience to experience it and let it sink. The editing by Chaman Chako felt hasty, jumping from one instance to another unrelated instance. Or maybe it was a thoughtful choice to keep it that way. When we are confronted by a natural disaster, so many things would happen around us that there would be no time to sit back and ponder. This is exactly what happens when a key character dies and his children are forced to continue on their rescue mission because there is simply no time for anything else.

The character arc of Anoop (Tovino Thomas), Nixon (Asif Ali) and Sethupathy (Kalaiyarasan) would stay with you for the longest time. Anoop is an ex-army officer. In fact, he ran away from the job for selfish reasons (to live!) by providing false medical certificate. When the floods hit, his character transforms. Similarly, Nixon is an aspiring model from a fishermen family. His transition is also interesting. When Sethupathy witnesses humanity and the greatness of it from simple acts, he changed too. All these three characters bring goosebumps.

There is symbolism throughout the movie. When fishermen raise their hands to go on rescue mission in their fishing boats, we see Jesus's statue with raised hands. In that given moment, everyone was God because they raised above their situation. Similarly, we get to see Tovino Thomas's character temporarily pause to reach out his friend's whereabouts near Jesus's statue and there would be a lizard on the statue's back. Interestingly this lizard plays an incredible role later.

Nobin Paul's music just gels with the narrative. The VFX of the movie is top notch. 

Overall, an emotional movie depicting the times of Kerala Floods in 2018 which would be best experienced in theatres.

Highly recommend!

Ponniyin Selvan 2 - Movie Review

Kalki Krishnamurthy’s Ponniyin Selvan was first published as a series in a Tamil weekly over 3.5 years. Then it was compiled together in a 5-book series with about 2000 pages! And I recently listened to the audio book at 1.75X speed. It took me one entire month. In fact, I completed it just 5 minutes before the movie began. Well, I am saying all this to set a context – the book is huge! Without cinematic liberties and thoughtful choices, a movie cannot be made of it. Not even if it is presented in two parts. Cinema may be an astounding experience, but it is chained by time limitation.

Although we all know that the movie is an adaptation of the book, it is important to view this specific movie as a movie and stay disconnected with the book for best experience. I am saying “this movie” specifically because Ponniyil Selvan 1 was a loyal adaptation of the book and this one is not. So, there could be a disappointment for book lovers.

Well, I was disappointed. But that’s ok. Because…

Ponniyin Selvan 1 ended at a high note with the big reveal of Oomai Rani swimming under water. The sequel begins where the prequel ended - in water. This time there is innocence instead of cyclones and fights. The innocence of childhood, the purity of first love and longing that follows. Sarah Arjun as young Nandhini radiates. She looks vulnerable. Thus sets the tone for the rest of the movie – the circumstances that would have led to the transformation of this young vulnerable Nandhini into a vindictive seductress.

One of the reasons behind the craze behind Kalki Krishnamurthy’s Ponniyin Selvan is the sheer depth and shades in characters. The author has achieved this by constantly changing the perspective of narrative. Ponniyin Selvan 2 chooses to stick to the perspective of Nadhini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) and Aditya Karikalan’s (Vikram) love, longing, separation, hurt, vengeance, and regrets. The entire movie comes together to bring a closure to their relationship. In the process, there are songs, fights, chases and a tinge of humor and romance. The movie is fast paced with several critical events arrayed one after the other. The editor has made sure that such drastic shift in gears is understandable and not confusing.

The performance of the cast is top notch. The free spirit of Vandhiyadevan, the poise of Kundavai, the righteousness of Arulmozhi Varman, the self-loathe of Aditya Karikalan and the enchantment of Nandhini is captured well by the actors. Although actor Jayaram has very limited screen space, he makes sure that we laugh. His disguises and the chemistry with Vandhiyadevan is brilliant.

Kalki Krishnamurthy’s Ponniyin Selvan is mostly conversational. Director and cinematographer have given much thought into the staging of each one of them. While the first meeting between Kundavai and Vandhiyadevan evoked the memories of Alaipayuthe when the princess asks, “Indha sozha naattu nadhiyil kudhiyungal” in Ponniyin Selvan 1, the staging of the conversation between Kundavai and her father reminds us of Iruvar. The close-up scenes ensured that this movie is a story of interpersonal relationships and not really about politics and war. However, the frequent rotating shots were dizzying.

A R Rahman’s songs of Ponniyin Selvan 2 is a chartbuster already. They don’t hinder the narrative flow and are mostly used in the background. I specifically loved how the lyrics of Devaralan Attam song from Ponniyin Selvan 1 has been reused to a new tune in this one. However, the sudden infusion of the PS-1 Anthem during the climax sounded weird because the Anthem is more modern and didn’t sync with the overall tone of the movie. Wish it was kept for the end credits only.

Overall, this is a grand cinematic experience powered by high intensity emotional drama. In order to appreciate it, we should be disconnected from the book. If we compare it with the book, then this will be a great disappointment. But remember to blame the limitation of time than the movie itself!

Cast	:	Vikram, Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha. Sobitha Dhulipala, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Prakash Raj, Jayaram, Prabhu, Radhakirshnan Parthiban, R Sarathkumar, Prabhu, Vikram Prabhu, and several others!
Director	:	Mani Ratnam
Screenplay	:	Mani Ratnam; B. Jeyamohan; Elango Kumaravel Based on the novel by Kalki Krishnamurthy’s Ponniyin Selvan
Cinematographer	:	Ravi Varman
Music	:	A R Rahman
Editor	:	A Sreekar Prasad
Producer	:	Madras Talkies and Lyca Productions
Release Date	:	April 28, 2023
Length	:	2 Hours 45 Minutes
Language	:	Tamil (Also dubbed in Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu)