Devudu Chesina Manushulu

Puri Jagan is on a roll. He's starting a new trend of wrapping up movies in record time. Ravi Teja and Puri have had a very successful stint barring Neninthe. Illeana is back too after a successful Julayi. Here's the lowdown.

Film: Devudu Chesina Manushulu
Cast: Ravi Teja, Illeana, Prakash Raj, Subba Raju, Brahmanandam, Ali, Kovai Sarala etc.
Music: Raghu Kunche
Director: Puri Jagannath
Producer: B.V.S.N. Prasad
Release Date: August 15th, 2012.
My Rating: 3/5

What's It About:
The film starts in Vaikuntham  where Vishnu Murthy (Bramhi) is coaxed by Lakshmi Devi (Kovai Sarala) into telling her a love story. The lord narrates a story of Ravi Teja (Ravi Teja), a mediator in  Hyderabad and Illeana (Illeana) a taxi driver in Bangkok. He uses a banana peel to create a series of chain events which cause Inspector Subba Raju(Subba Raju) to accidently kill Sandy a henchman of Prakash Raj (Prakash Raj) a mafia don in Bangkok. Prakash Raj suffers from a "short circuit" in his brain making him absent minded. His henchman "Fish" Venkat is asked to avenge Sandy's death by killing Subba Raju, who in turn asks Ravi Teja to mediate causing the pair to meet and fall in love. The interval bang gives you an alternate scenario where the banana peel is not used. Will the lovers meet in this case? What happens in this version of the story? These questions are answered in the rest of the movie.

Artist Performances:
Ravi Teja is as usual energetic and eccentric in his portrayal. His comic timing shines in the second half. Illeana performs well but I wish they had not chosen to use that horrendous wig on her. Prakash Raj has the opportunity of showing his negative and comical sides in the first and second half of the movie respectively. Ali and Subba Raju bring laughs. Bramhi and Kovai Sarala were okay as Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi Devi. However, I wished they chose some one else to play Lakshmi Devi.

This & That:
The basic story line is similar to a Tamil movie 12B. This is a movie about 2 people meeting in 2 very different circumstances. While the first story deals with the meeting in a cliched telugu movie format, the second story is what held my attention. The humor in the second half takes the film up many notches. The scenes where Ali prays to Goddess Lakshmi and the sequences that follow are hilarious as is the climax. Music by Raghu Kunche did not impress me much while I listened to just the audio. However, they do grow on you once you see them on screen. My picks would be Subba Lakshmi, Yemi Sethura on a audio level and Nuvvele and Nuvvante Chala Istham for the way they were shot. The hugely hyped item song of Gabriella disappoints. I didn't quite get why they wanted to paint up her face? One thing that I felt was a major missing factor is Puri's punch dialogues.It seems like Puri Jagan is experimenting in his recent movies and trying to get away from the existing formats. If only the first half had more humor and a non routine narrative, this could have been a sure shot winner.

Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, I know this review has come after a lot of negative reviews up on the web. All I want to say is, I go to watch a movie to laugh, have fun and relax. If these factors are present, it's usually a good watch for me. That's exactly what happened in this case.

The Final Word:
Go watch the movie for what it is - Entertainment.

Julayi

After being postponed for quite some time, Julayi releases today. There has been a tremendous buzz about this movie as Trivikram helms this one. Trivikram movies have always been entertainers and this one promises to be no different. It is an important one too for everyone involved as Trivikram, Arjun and Illeana are looking for hit after their last ventures Khaleja, Badrinath and Nenu Naa Rakshasi haven't done that well at the box office. Here's the review:

Film: Julayi

Cast: Allu Arjun, Illeana, Bramhanandam, Rajendra Prasad, Rao Ramesh, Tanikella Bharani

Music: Devi Sri Prasad

Director: Trivikram Srinivas

Producer:S. Radha Krishna

Release Date: August 9th, 2012

My Rating: 3.5/5

What's It About: 

Varadharajulu (Kota) is the chairman of a co-operative bank in Vizag who collects 1500 crores as deposits from his customers. The same time he is planning on usurping the money on the sly with the help of Bittu(Sonu Sood) and his brother Lala (Shafi). On the night of the planned robbery, Ravi (Arjun) ends up getting in Bittu's car, asking for a lift. Ravi is on his way to a bar where IPL betting is going on and he accidentally slips the info to Bittu who uses it to his advantage and alerts the cops to clear his way. Ravi ends up realizing his plan and helps the cops catch Bittu and ends up killing Lala. Bittu escapes the next day and Ravi is entered into a witness protection program by the cops, moving him to Hyderabad. He lives with ACP Sitaram(rajendra prasad) and his family and falls for a geeky Madhu(Ileana). What happens next forms the rest of the story.

Artist Performances: 

Allu Arjun's performance is full of energy and his comic timing is on dot in this film. He dances like a charm and has a strong screen presence that he shared with all the other characters of the film especially Rajendra Prasad. Contrary to rumors, Rajendra Prasad has a full fledged role in this movie and he shows why he is the king of comedy with his acting. He should get more roles like these. Illeana looks good and provides some glamor in songs as usual. Sonu Sood is top notch. Bramhi and M.S. Narayana are funny. Rao Ramesh and Tanikella Bharani have some well etched roles. 

This & That: 

You expect a lot of freshness when you go to a Trivikram film. He does not disappoint. He wrote some rib tickling dialogues. There is a lot of tongue in cheek humor all through  the whole film. There are a few scenes that have been inspired by hollywood movies. Like for example: The robbery scene looks like a direct lift from The Dark Knight and the climax scene is identical to The Italian Job. The scenes that I personally liked were the pre interval bang, the scenes where he tries to impress Illeana, Rajendra Prasad and MS Narayana's bus scenes and Bramhi's scene in the prison cell. Music by Devi Sri Prasad has been topping the charts and the choreography has been well done. My picks would be O Madhu and Julayi. The  The climax was a mix of action/emotion and comedy which impresses. Instead of having 5 minutes of fights, you have the hero and the villan talking in a casual and light manner. The first half moves fast with high humor but the second half felt a little dull and heavy. Overall, the movie is an entertainer and has repeat value. It should do well at the box office.

Did I Enjoy It?

 Yes, no dull moment in this film.

The Final Word:

Julayi impresses you in August! 

Tunes On Tuesday.

Today is my dad's birthday. My dad has always been an avid music lover. Ever since I could comprehend, he had these great collection of CD's and cassettes full of musical gems. My love for Kishore Kumar, Illayaraja and Yesudas have all been cultivated by him. It is thus fit to dedicate this Tunes on Tuesday post to my daddy dearest! Here are some of his favorites.

• Oohala Uyalalu, Language: Telugu, Movie: Neerajanam
• Maha Ganapatim, Language: Telugu, Movie: Sindhu Bhairavi
• Sannaga Veeche, Language: Telugu, Movie: Gundamma Katha
• Yekkada Yekkada, Language: Telugu, Movie: Ladies Tailor
• Oka Sari Kalaloki, Language: Telugu, Movie: Gopaludu Bhupaludu
• Yaad Na Jaaye, Language: Hindi, Movie: Dil Ek Mandir
• Chingari Koi Bhadke, Language: Hindi, Movie: Amar Prem
• Gulabi Aanken, Language: Hindi, Movie: The Burning Train
• Are Yaar Meri, Language: Hindi, Movie: Teen Deviyan
• Anamika, Language: Hindi, Movie: Anamika

These are a few of my dad's old favorites which he plays frequently. Until next week, happy listening!

Uu Kodathara... Ulikki Padatara

UKUP is making news for the multi star cast. Balakrishna and Manchu Manoj together in a project which was proclaimed by the lead actor as his dream project only raised the hype. Manchu Lakshmi makes her debut as a producer in her home banner. Let's see what this movie is about.

Film: UKUP
Cast: Nandamuri Balakrishna, Manchu Manoj, Deeksha Seth, Manchu Lakshmi, Sonu Sood, Prabhu, Suhasini, Bhanu Chander, Sai Kumar etc.
Music: Bobo Sashi
Director: Sekhar Raja
Producer: Manchu Productions
Release Date: July 27th, 2012
My Rating: 2/5

What's It About: 

Manoj is a dishelved, hippie looking guy who lands at Gandarva Mahal, a palatial bungalow which has been sublet to tenants by its owner Rayudu(Prabhu). He teaches all the pesky tenants a lesson with a cooked up story about his past and gets them to mend their ways. He helps Rayudu in the marriage of his elder daughter Vishala and falls in love with his younger daughter Jagadamba (Deeksha). Manoj is haunted by the spirit of Narasimha Rayudu (Balakrishna) Rayudu's father. What is Narasimha's story? Why is he haunting Manoj? What does Manoj have to do with the Rayudu's? All these points are tied up in the second half.

Artist Performances: 

Manoj looks bad. He performs well in the comedy scenes and the action sequences which he apparently choreographed himself. Deeksha Seth needs a lot of grooming and acting/dance lessons before she can consider herself an actor. She is expressionless and has no grace in the romantic scenes/songs. Balakrishna is the best thing in this movie and he must be appreciated for blindly following the director's senseless storyline. Veteran actors like Suhasini, Bhanu Chander, Sai Kumar and Prabhu are wasted in cameo roles which are not properly etched. Comic relief in the form of Dharmavarapu Subramanyam, Raghu Babu etc brought a few laughs. Sonu Sood and Ajay were miscast in unbaked roles. Lakshmi Manchu, my sincere suggestion to you is to please go back to doing sitcoms like Las Vegas, your wooden expressions and anglicised accent is better off in Hollywood. Please stick to talk shows and production.

This & That: 

Manoj said that this project is a dream of this. Well, it felt like a nightmare. Insipid and slow first half, followed by a long drawn out illogical second half makes me wonder if the three years that they took for pre-production really make sense? Story/Screenplay are very bad and dialogues and editing make it worse. No seamless flow of scenes and the interval point is plain abrupt. Music by Bobo Shashi is good in places. My picks would be Anuraagame Harathulaye and Adi ani Idi ani. Choreography is not up to par. I guess the producers were aiming at a grand film in the likes of Chandramukhi and Arundathi. While they had the actors, the sets and the budget they goofed up on the story and the treatment. The climax felt like it was a platform for Ms. Manchu to showcase her acting abilities. People were starting to fidget in their seats. I overheard some one say "Chandramukhi teeyalunukunte, Nagavalli ayyindi" I guess you can read between the lines.

Did I Enjoy It?

No, It was really difficult to sit through the second half.

The Final Word:
The 30 crores, big budgeted dream movie has turned into a nightmare!

Billa 2/David Billa (Dubbed)

If you have been following me on twitter, you know how much I LOOOOVE Ajith. I've been waiting for this movie since a long time. I dragged my non-tamil friends along for the premiere. As everyone knows, this movie is a prequel to Billa dealing with the origins of David Billa and how he eventually turns into Billa the don who is wanted by 13 countries and who is impossible to catch! Here's the review:

Film: Billa 2
Cast: Ajith, Brunah Abdullah, Parvati Omanakuttan, Sudhanshu Pandey, Vidyut Jamwal etc.
Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Director: Chakri Toleti
Producer: Suresh Balaju, Sunir Kheterpal, George Pius
Release Date: July 13th, 2012
My Rating: 3.5/5

What's It About:

David Billa (Ajith) is a refugee who seeks aslyum in what looks like Rameswaram. He has no parents but a sister in Chennai, whose daughter is Jasmine(Parvati). He slowly starts to undertake some anti social jobs to survive. The story deals with how he grows step by step to reach Abbasi (Sudhanshu Pandey) a druglord and his girlfriend(Brunah). He impresses him and turns into his right hand henchman. Things go awry when David makes a deal with Dimitri (Vidyut Jamwal) a weapons dealer against Abbasi's wishes. David is told off by Abbasi which makes him rebel against him. How he rises without Abbasi's help and how he tackles the enemies he makes during this forms the rest of the story.

Artist Performances:

Billa is Ajith. He makes you feel like no one else can play the character other than him. He is ruthless, sauve and charming all at once. I've heard that he performed his own stunts in the movie, increasing my respect for him even more. Brunah and Parvati have nothing much to do. Sudhanshu Pandey is good. Vidyut Jamwal is nice. Yog Japee who plays Billa's henchman, Ranjith is also very impressive. Rehman who plays Jagdish, the interpol officer in Billa is shown in this movie as well, which  was a nice way of connecting both the storylines.

This & That:

Screenplay and dialogues by Chakri Toleti are tight and racy. Cinematography by R.D. Rajasekhar is beautiful. The locales are very picturesque. Yuvan Shankar Raja steals the show with his background scores and music. Especially the scene where Billa bumps off Abbasi. All the songs are my favorite but Gangster, Unakkule Mirugam were beautifully shot. Yuvan Shankar Raja shows his moves in the Gangster song that plays at the end credits along with the bloopers. My favorite scenes have to be the court room scene, the pre-interval scene and the one where he confronts the politician. Climax could have been a little better, but it doesn't take anything away from the movie.

Did I Enjoy It?
You Bet I did!, It's a fun movie to watch!

The Final World:
Here comes the gangster and he will make you surrender!

Tunes On Tuesday.

I am excited for the rest of the year! So many movies are releasing these next couple of months! Looking forward to all of them. Here's what I have been listening to this week!

• Abbaba, Movie: UKUP,  Language: Telugu
• Julayi, Movie: Julayi, Language: Telugu
• Yemi Setura, Movie: Devudu Chesina Manushulu, Language: Telugu
• O Madhu, Movie: Julayi, Language: Telugu
• Eega, Movie: Eega, Language: Telugu
• Daaru Desi, Movie: Cocktail, Language: Hindi
• Second Hand Jawani, Movie: Cocktail, Language: Hindi
• Mukhatasar,Movie: Teri Meri Kahaani,  Language: Hindi
• Bol Bachchan, Movie:  Bol Bacchan, Language: Hindi
• Hey Walla, Movie: Jism 2,  Language: Hindi

On the aside, I am super excited about Billa 2, premiering this Thursday! Cannot Wait!

Eega

Undoubtedly one of the most awaited movies of 2012, Rajamouli's Eega has had nothing but positive buzz surrounding it (no pun intended!). Rajamouli has had an astonishing 100% success rate so far. He has teamed up with Nani, who is riding high as well as Samantha who also has a very tollywood innings. "Kiccha" Sudeep, a very popular Kannada actor makes his debut as a villain with Eega. Here's my review. 

Film: Eega
Cast: Nani, Samantha, Sudeep
Music: M.M. Keeravani
Director: S.S. Rajamouli
Producer: Sai
Release Date: July 6th, 2012
My Rating: 3.75/5


What's It About: 

Nani (Nani) loves Bindu who loves him back but does not reveal her feelings to him. Sudeep (Sudeep) chances upon Bindu while she requests some donation for her goodwill cause. Sudeep is shown to be a womanizer who kills his own wife for money. When Bindu does not fall for his charms, Sudeep kills Nani out of jealousy. Nani's soul enters a housefly (eega) and remembers his death caused by Sudeep. He is out to kill him and take revenge. How does Nani in the form of Eega kill Sudeep? Will Bindu ever find out about his re-incarnation? What happens next forms the rest of the story.

Artist Performances: 

First of all the star of the movie is Eega. Everyone else comes second. Nani has a cameo in this movie and he completely owns his character. I was wishing for some more screen time for him. Samantha is adequately cast and her chemistry with Nani is very good. Looking forward to their pairing in Yeto vellipoyindi Manasu. Kiccha Sudeep is marvelous as the villain and it looks like he dubbed for himself which adds to his characterization.The supporting actors were well cast especially Shekhar (The guy who plays Prabhas' friend in Chatrapathi) as Tandra.

This & That: 

Rajamouli is brave enough to reveal the story line of all oh his movies before they release, this one is no exception. Despite that fact, the movie needs to be watched to see the magic unfold in front of your eyes.The scenes where Nani reveals  that he is Eega to Bindu and how she helps him out in her own way are unique and well thought of. Special effects are on par with hollywood standards which elevates the movie on many levels. The background music by Keeravani adds tempo to the film. The logical explanation of the problems that Eega faces and how it overcomes it by using brains and Bindu's help have been nicely explained. The scenes where Sudeep is traumatized by Eega and his behavior in his client meetings are hilarious. The interval bang is solid and the climax is more solid.  The title song's picturization is a masterpiece. Rajamouli has been developing a knack for making his end titles song worth remembrance, the remixed track in this one too, does not disappoint. Nani should be commended for taking up this cameo, it will only elevate his position. Rajamouli should be given all the credit for taking a hollywood style animation movie and blending it with commercial elements and Indian nativity to suit the audience. I am sure that he will not be disappointed with the outcome. 

Did I Enjoy It?
Absolutely, I was rooting for Eega all the way!


The Final Word:
This "Eega"rly awaited movie is going to create a "buzz" at the box office!

Tunes on Tuesday.

This week's Tunes On Tuesday is about the best songs of 2012 so far. We are now in July and this calls for a half yearly review. Here are my picks for 2012's first half; in no particular order.

• Saar Ostara, Movie: The Businessman, Language: Telugu
• Jiyajale, Movie:  Bodyguard, Language: Telugu
• Dooba Dooba, Movie: Nippu,  Language: Telugu
• Lacchama, Movie: Ishq,  Language: Telugu
• Pista Pista, Movie: Mr. Nokia, Language: Telugu
• Raccha, Movie: Raccha, Language: Telugu
• Ruler, Movie: Dammu Language: Telugu
• Pilla, Movie:  Gabbar Singh, Language: Telugu
• Usumularasey, Movie: Daruvu, Language: Telugu
• Nee Choopule, Movie: Endukante Premanta,  Language: Telugu

These are my picks for 2012 so far. What are your's?

Tunes on Tuesday.

I just realized that this week does not have a movie releasing.(After almost a month of back to back releases.) I've been listening to new releases this week. Here are the top 10 picks.

• Anuraagame Harathulayithe, Movie: UKUP, Language: Telugu.
• Julaayi, Movie: Julaayi, Language: Telugu.
• Usumularsey, Movie: Daruvu,  Language: Telugu.
• Mast Jawani, Movie: Adhinayakudu, Language: Telugu.
• Gangster, Movie: Billa 2,  Language: Tamil.
• Madurai Ponnu, Movie: Billa 2, Language: Tamil.
• Yedho Mayakkam, Movie: Billa 2, Language: Tamil.
• Tumhi Ho Bandhu, Movie: Cocktail,  Language: Hindi.
• Papa To Band Bajaaye, Movie: Housefull 2, Language: Hindi.
• Pani Da Rang, Movie: Vicky Donor,  Language: Hindi.

As you might have noticed, Billa 2 is the only album am listening to in Tamil. Am super duper excited about this Ajith flick. The movie is expected to release June 22nd and I just can't wait!

Endukante Premanta

Endukante Premanta's team has been successful in their previous ventures, raising expectations with this flick. A few songs and the trailers have been appreciated. There have been many rumors circulating in the internet over the story line of the flick. Here's the lowdown on this movie.

Film: Endukante Premanta
Cast: Ram, Tamannah, Bramhanandam, Suman, Rishi, Anu Haasan, Shiyaji Shinde
Music: G.V. Prakash
Director: Karunakaran
Producer: Ravi Kishore
Release Date: June 8th, 2012
My Rating: 2.5/5

What's It About:

In 1980, Krishna (Ram) falls for Srinidhi (Tamannah) but she doesn't reciprocate his feelings due to family responsibilities. Krishna dies in an accident while trying to save Srinidhi. In 2012 Sravanthi(Tamannah) is the daughter of a Indian Embassy officer in Paris. She dislikes the heavy security around her due to her father's position and wants to lead a carefree life. Ram (Ram) is a happy go lucky guy in Hyderabad who always lands himself in trouble. Vexed by this his dad (Shiyaji Shinde) tricks him into going to Paris and work there. Both Sravanthi and Krishna try to escape from Paris and come to India for their own motives. What happens next? Will they remember their past? These questions are answered in the movie.

Artist Performances:

Ram is energetic in a role that has become his standard fare. He has a good comedy timing that he utilizes well in the movie. Tamannah is good in the variations of her character's sketch.Shiyaji Shinde  and Suman are good as the lead pair's parents. Anu Haasan did a full fledged role in Telugu and performs well. Richard/Rishi is good as the villian. Kona Venkat did a negative role in the movie but it didn't gel with his personality. Bramhi did a cameo role in the movie and brings lots of laughs whenever he appears on screen.

This & That:

The story line of this movie is such that I cannot  write much without spilling the beans. The concept is basically a fantasy drama. There was much more that the director could have done, which could have taken the movie in a different direction. There are a lot of twists in the movie right up to the climax.There is a sense of Deja-vu in the first half; its very similar to Darling, which incidentally was directed by Karunakaran also. The second half reminds us of Ready especially the family sequences. Some situations are outright illogical which hamper the narration. The length of the movie is too long and a couple of songs could have been omitted. That being said, the music by G.V. Prakash is good and the background music is better. There is ample comedy in the first half and 30 minutes into the second half. Ram dances like a charm. All the loose threads in the movie are well tied up in the end. Cinematography by Anthony is marvelous and the beauty of Paris and Geneva are shown well on screen.

Did I Enjoy It?
I enjoyed the first half but the second half is long and has way too many twists.

The Final Word:
Ram should have done the Gautam Menon movie instead of Endukante Premanta.

Tunes On Tuesday.

June 2nd is a very special day for me. First, It is my sister's birthday, my aunt's wedding anniversary and my god's birthday! By god I mean Isaignani Illaiyaraja. Since I could comprehend and appreciate music, this man has been my encyclopedia. The sheer range of his musical capacity baffles me. Having scored music for over 500 movies its very hard for me to pick up 10 songs to showcase his genius. I personally feel that Mani Ratnam and Illaiyaraja had the best combination, cinematically. More than Mani and Rehman. Since its also Mani Ratnam's birthday on June 2nd. I am doing a combined post on them. Instead of 10 songs. I've tried to pick 20 of my favorites.

• Mandram Vandha, Film: Mouna Ragam, Language: Tamil   (Reused by Raja in Cheeni Kum)
• O Priya Priya, Film: Geetanjali, Language: Telugu               (The Only Telugu Movie By Mani)
• Iravu Nilavu, Film: Anjali, Language: Tamil                         (Yuvan Shankar, Premji Amaren, Karthik Raja, Bhavatarani, Venkat Prabhu sang this song!)
• Ninnukori, Film: Agni Nakshatiram, Language: Tamil           (A classical raga turned into a commercial song. Kudos)
• Kattukuyilu, Film: Thalapathi, Language: Tamil                     (Mani + Raja's last collaboration)
• Pudhu Vellai Mazhai, Film: Roja, Language: Tamil                 (Mani + Rehman Pair up)
• Chandralekha, Film: Thiruda Thiruda, Language: Tamil         (The song's vocals amazed me as a kid!)
• Humma, Film: Bombay, Language: Tamil                             (Rehman sings,  RAP in Tamil films)
• Narumugaye, Film: Iruvar, Language: Tamil                       (Rahman mixes 2 ragas Naatai & Gambheera Naatai)
• Satrangi Re, Film: Dil Se, Language: Hindi                       (Sufism Influenced Song. Great Lyrics by Gulzar)
• MahaGanapatim, Film: Sindhu Bhairavi, Language: Tamil (Yesudas + Raja + Carnatic = Divine)
• Kanmani Ambodu, Film: Guna, Language: Tamil               (Sung by Mr. Haasan himself)
• Inji Idupazhaga, Film: Thevar Magan, Language: Tamil     (Re-used by Anu Malik in Virasat)
• Muthu Mani, Film: Chinna Gounder, Language: Tamil       (Swati Mutyamala in Telugu - Chinna Rayudu)
• Poovomaa, Film: Chinna Tambi, Language: Tamil       (Yenenno Andalu in Telugu - Chanti)
• Maate Mantramu, Film: Seetakoka Chilaka, Language: Telugu (Trust me on this just listen!)
• Kinnerasaani, Film: Sitaara, Language: Tamil                         (Vamsi + Raja  = Most Memorable songs in Telugu)
• Ekanthavela, Film: Anveshana, Language: Telugu                   (A question & Answer form with a very intresting Pallavi)
• Prema Ledani, Film: Abhinandana, Language: Telugu       (Classic Raja + Best Pathos song ever!)
• Asalem Gurthukuradu, Film: Anthapuram, Language: Telugu (Raja hums in this song! Awesome.)

What I've tried to do here is to pick the unique works of Raja and Mani Ratnam both together and individually. I know there are many more amazing songs that Raja has done; but these songs have something special in them in terms of composition. I wish Raja a very Happy Birthday and hope good blesses him with god health, wealth and happiness, so he can continue to give us the excellent melodies that we love.

2012 So Far - A Half Yearly Report

It's June! 6 months into 2012 already. I though it might be a good idea to put together a post of the movies in the first half of 2012 and see how they fared. Here's what I thought!

Film: The Business Man
Cast: Mahesh Babu, Kajal Agarwal
Director: Puri Jagannath
My Review: 3.75/5
Here

Film: Bodyguard
Cast: Venkatesh, Trisha, Saloni
Director: Gopichand Malineni
My Review: 3/5

What's Hot:

Songs by Thaman. Venkatesh's acting in the sentimental and romantic scenes. Comedy is good in Places.

What's Not:

No novelty factor as the story has been remade to death. Dragging screenplay in the second half. No story-line in the first half and a slow climax.

Film: Love Failure
Cast: Siddharth, Amala Paul
Director: Balaji Mohan
My Review: 3.5/5

What's Hot:

Good cast, Dialogues, Screenplay. The changes made to the story to adapt from a short film to a full fledged one.

What's Not:

Music could have been better. Very Urbane so does not sit well with audience who have a commercial frame of mind.

Film: Nippu
Cast: Ravi Teja, Deeksha Seth
Director: Guna Sekhar
My Review: 2/5

What's Hot:
Music in parts. Ravi Teja's acting.

What's Not:

Comedy, Deeksha Seth, outdated storyline and a sloooow screenplay.

Film: Ishq
Cast: Nitin, Nitya Menon
Director: Vikram Kumar
My Review: 3.25/5

What's Hot:

Nithin, Nithya Menon and Ajay's acting. Music by Anoop Ruebens. Cinematography by P.C. Sreeram.

What's Not:
Lack of Comedy, Slow paced film and an abrupt Climax

Film: Poolarangadu
Cast: Sunil, Isha Chawla
Director: Veerabhadram
My Review: 3/5

What's Hot:
Sunil's six pack abs, dances and fights. A few songs, comedy.

What's Not:

Deja-vu feeling in the storyline. Especially the Maryada Ramanna feel. No sync between scenes. Underplaying the villains by showing them in a comical light. Sunil's makeup in the climax fight.

Film: Mr. Nokayya
Cast: Manchu Manoj, Sana Khan
Director: Anil Kanneganti
My Rating: 2.25/5

What's Hot:

Manchu Manoj's acting. Climax, Music by Yuvan Shankar Raja.

What's Not:

No Story or cohesion in the first half. Slow paced 2nd half. Editing in places.

Film: Naa Istham
Cast: Rana, Genelia D' Souza
Director: Prakash Toleti
My Rating: N/A

What's Hot:
Pairing up Rana and Genelia.

What's Not:

Story, screenplay, music by Chakri, acting, you get the point. Everything.

Film: Raccha
Cast: Ram Charan, Tamannah
Director: Sampath Nandi
My Review:1/5
Here

Film: Dammu
Cast: N.T.R., Trisha, Karthika
Director: Boyapati Sreenu
My Review: 3/5
Here

Film: Gabbar Singh
Cast: Pawan Kalyan, Shruti Haasan
Director: Harish Shankar
My Review: 3.25/5
Here

Film: Daruvu
Cast: Ravi Teja, Taapsee
Director: Siva
My Review: 2/5
Here

My Picks for 2012 so far are The Businessman, Love Failure, Ishq & Gabbar Singh.

Adhinayakudu

Balakrishna is back with his Political thriller Adhinayakudu. There is a lot riding on this flick as almost all of the artists and technicians associated with this flick need a hit to survive in the industry. The music of the movie released last year and has been postponed many times ever since. It's finally releasing today and here's how it fared.

Film: Adhinayakudu

Cast: Nandamuri Balakrishna, Saloni, Lakshmi rai, Jaya Sudha, Bramhi, Kota, Murali Sharma, Rahman, Sukanya.

Music: Kalyani Mallik
Director: Paruchuri Murali
Producer: M. L. Kumar Chowdary
Release Date: June 1st, 2012.
My Rating: 3/5


What's It About: 

Bobby (NBK) is a serial killer who looks at the character of a person before he accepts a hit job. He is sent on a mission to kill Rama Krishna Prasad (NBK) a well known politician in the Rayalaseema area who strives for the welfare of the region. Rama Krishna Prasad's enemies recruit Bobby not knowing that he is Prasad's son who is adopted by a crook, who raises him as a killer. Upon knowing the truth Bobby sets out to protect his father. In the process he meets Deepu (Lakshmi Rai) who is his maradalu. Why was Bobby adopted? Does he succeed in saving his dad's life? Will he re-unite with this family? This forms the rest of the story.

Artist Performances:

Balakrishna is seen in a triple role in this film. Of all the characters I personally liked the older generation character of Harischandra Prasad the most. It was in this role, that I felt I could see the actor in Balayya. I also liked the characterization of Rama Krishna Prasad's character. These are the kind of roles that one would like to see Balakrishna in. The third and the youngest character of Bobby did not suit him and his makeup and clothes were jarring. There is nothing much for the youngest character in terms of acting, merely used for songs and comic relief. Lakshmi Rai is adequate. Saloni has a guest appearance. Jayasudha steals the show once again and proves that she is indeed a sahajanati. Bramhi's comedy track is good. Rahman, Kota, Murali Sharma were all well suited for their roles. Sukanya is good as a mother.

This & That:

The director had a powerful story in his hands which he could have turned into a blockbuster. However, weak screenplay in the 2nd half and a routine 1st half proved otherwise.The film could have used a tighter screenplay for a better narrative. Comedy is good albeit a little vulgar, which is aimed at the mass audience. Balayya worked hard at dances and he does well in places. Music by Kalyani Malik is good. Adigo & Mast Jawani are the better picks. The background score could have been better. I liked the costumes and the dialect of the older charactors. Dialogues by Paruchuri Murali are nice and punch filled. Balayya should concentrate on roles like the older character which elevates him and stop dancing around the trees. I had a dejavu feeling of Simha while watching the movie. The flashback and the story lines seemed similar. On a personal note, I felt that Kota Srinivas Rao's character was modeled after Y.S.R and  Harishchandra Prasad and Ram Krishna Prasad characters were based on Paritala Sreeramulu and Paritala Ravi respectively. The film has enough ammunition to be a success at the box-office, provided some more publicity is done.

Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, It's got good comedy, a strong flashback and not too gory action scenes.


The Final Word:
Adhinayakudu is worth the wait. 

Daruvu

Daruvu starring Ravi Teja & Taapsee is releasing today with no hype. The actors need a hit to salvage their sagging career graphs. This movie has been postponed umpteen number of times and the music hasn't appealed the audience. Here's how the movie fared.

Film: Daruvu
Cast: Ravi Teja, Taapsee, Bramhi, Gollapudi Maruti Rao, Jayasudha, Sayaji Shinde, "Vennela" Kishore,  Raghu Babu, Sushant Singh etc.
Music: Vijay Anthony
Director: Siva
Producer: Burugupalli Sivarama Krishna
Release Date: March 25th, 2012
My Rating: 2/5

What's It About: 

"Bullet Raja" (Ravi Teja) is a small time goon in Chennai, with a sidekick Khaja (Kishore). He crashes the engagement of Shweta (Taapsee) and her bava Harbor Babu (Sushant Singh). He falls for her and tries to catch her attention by joining in her dance class run by Vidya Balan (Bramhi); as with every story  the girl falls for him. Meanwhile, in Naralokam, Yama (Kaikala Satyanarayana) is growing old and appoints his son Yuva Yama (Prabhu) in his place. Chitragupta (M.S. Narayana) dislikes being held back in duty by Yuva Yama; plots to get Raja killed unjustly and tries to teach him a lesson. To make amends for his mistake, Raja is sent back to earth by Yama as Ravindra; home minister of A.P. who is a corrupt politician and also his look alike. Does Raja succeed as Ravindra? Will he marry Shweta?  All these threads are linked into the second half.

Artist Performances: 

"Mass Maharaja" Ravi Teja is extremely good in his characteristic comedy, dialogue delivery and acting. He performs well in the role that was given to him. Taapsee does not know how to emote, which in this case is unnecessary as she is merely a prop whose presence is required solely for songs. Bramhi is good as Vidya Balan. Raghu Babu is hilarious as Pavitrananda. Srinivas Reddy and "Vennela" Kishore are good as hero's sidekicks. Jayasudha, Sayaji Shinde, Sushant Singh are adequate. Prabhu looks bloated as Yama. Kaikala Satyanarayana's and Gollapudi's age is catching up on them.

This & That:

The major flaw of Daruvu is the story. The director had ample scope of turning the script he had into something different but he chose the off beaten track in this case. Outdated story lines, scenes and insipid sequences don't sit well with the audience today. The people sitting next to me were predicting dialogues and the next scenes. That being said, there were some very good comedy sequences and dialogues in the movie, especially the first half. Dhinka Chika, Yamalokam, Nimmakaya scenes are hilarious.  The overdose of sentiment in the second half spoils the tempo. Was calling Bramhi's sidekick "Nitya Menon" a jab at the actress for refusing this movie? Music is average at best. No song holds your attention and the placement a big mistake. They should have gone with Ravi Teja's favorite Thaman instead of Vijay Anthony. The climax is cliched. I liked the montage of all the old Yama movies. Ravi Teja should stop giving chances to second heroines in his earlier movies. It's not beneficial for him, they are second heroines for a reason.

Did I Enjoy It?

Yes & No, I liked the first half, there is humor but the second half killed it for me.

Last Word:
Ee Daruvu ki Sound Takkuva, sodhi ekkuva.

Revisiting - Muthyamanta Muddu

This section is usually about movies that I've watched before. In the case of this movie, I'd have to make an exception. I did watch this movie, when I was younger, it scared the daylights out of me. I stopped halfway and never got to watching it completely. Today I am older and I'd like to think that I don't scare that easily. I've completed the movie and that's why this post is here!

Film: Muthyamanta Muddu
Cast: Rajendra Prasad, Seeta, Divya Vani, Ranganath, Murali Mohan, Sudhakar, Gollapudi Maruti Rao, Bramhanandam etc.
Music: Hamsalekha
Director: Ravi Raja Pinishetty

**Spoiler Alert** Plot revealed after jump.

Tunes On Tuesday.

This week has been hectic to say the least. This Tunes on Tuesday post will be about the songs that have been playing on my itunes this week.

• Madurai Ponnu, Movie: Billa 2, Language: Tamil (Love this one)
• Akhila, Movie: Oru Kal Oru Kannadi, Language: Tamil
• Asku Laska, Movie: Nanban, Language: Tamil (Vijay Prakash is becoming one of my favorites)
• Gangster, Movie: Billa 2, Language: Tamil ( I am an Ajith Fan. Period. Song's amazing!)
• Pilla, Movie: Gabbar Singh, Language: Telugu
• Ruler, Movie: Dammu, Language: Telugu
• My Name is Nani, Movie: Eega, Language: Telugu (Not very impressed with the music, waiting for the movie.)
• Allah Maaf Kare, Movie: Desi Boyz, Language: Hindi
• Tera Deedar Hua, Movie: Jannat 2, Language: Hindi (Emraan Hashmi's movies have good music.)
• Pungi, Movie: Agent Vinod, Language: Hindi

That's the list for this week. Until next week, Happy Listening!

Gabbar Singh

Pavan Kalyan is teaming up with Harish Shankar (of Mirapakaya fame) and Shruti Hassan for Gabbar Singh. Pavan Kalyan needs a hit to wipe away his recent failures. Shruti need a success to break her iron leg image in the industry. Devi Sri Prasad's hit music has also raised the expectations for this one. I just watched the premiere show in Dallas, where they had 4 shows due to the heavy demand. All the shows are houseful. Does it live up to the expectations?

Film: Gabbar Singh
Cast: Pavan Kalyan, Shruti Hassan, Abhimanyu Singh, Kota Srinivas Rao, Bramhi, Ali, Nagineedu, Ajay, Suhasini, Tanikella Bharani etc.
Music: Devi Sri Prasad
Director: Harish Shankar
Producer: Bandla Ganesh
Release Date: 11th May, 2012
My Rating: 3.25/5

What's It About:

In Kondaveedu, a young Venkata Ratnam Naidu (Pavan Kalyan) and his step brother (Ajay) bunk school to watch Sholay. Venkat's fascination of Gabbar Singh  is shown . His step father (Nagineedu) favors his own son and pampers him. Venkat's mom (Suhasini) remarried after his dad's death. He doesn't approve of her decision and rebels, as a result he is put in a hostel further developing his dislike for the step-dad. To quote the movie,"aa pillavadu peddayaka Pavan Kalyan avutadu". He is now a cop who prefers to be called Gabbar Singh. "Vaadiki konchem tikka undi, kaani daaniko lekkundi". True to his nature he is egoist and brash. He falls in love with Bhagyalakshmi (Shruti Hassan) who declines his advances to take care of her alcoholic dad (Kota). As a result of his un-corruptness he soon locks horns with Siddhapa Naidu (Abhimanyu Singh), a local goon with political ambitions. How Gabbar Singh wins his love and wins over his enemy forms the rest of the story.

Artist Performances: 

Pavan Kalyan has certain mannerisms which have a huge following. He looks like he is having a ball, playing this character. His dialects in different scenes, his comedy timing have always been his plus points which have been highlighted in this film. Shruti Hassan is okay but the dubbing could have been better, it felt kind of jarring. Abhimanyu Singh is adequate as a villian. Ali, Bramhi, Gayatri Rao, Nagineedu, Kota, Ajay are good. A special mention here for all the negative characters in the movie, they were Hilarious! Suhasini's cameo is good.

This & That: 

As everyone knows, the movie is a remake of Dabbang, which was a massive hit. The director Harish needs to be commended for adding humor and tweaking the story a little to attract the native audience. The Kabbaddi Sequence in the first half and the Antakshari sequence in the second half are the biggest highlights of the movie. Pavan Kalyan must be appreciated for his sportiveness. Not many actors are comfortable with being imitated in a lighter vein right in front of them on the big screen. Background songs from Pavan Kalyan's and Chiranjeevi's movies are aptly used according to the situations. Songs by Devi are good. Akasam Ammayi and Pilla songs are my favorite for the way they were shot. Pavan Kalyan copied Salman's style of dancing in the movie. Trivikram Srinivas is mentioned in the opening credits and I saw a little bit of his touch in the punch dialogues by Harish. The climax felt rushed and it ended abruptly and could have been better.

Did I Enjoy It?

Yes. Go watch it for the comedy.

Last Word:
Gabbar Singh is Keka!

Tunes On Tuesday.

If you have been following me on twitter, you might have heard my woes with my patchy internet connection. This whole week, I've had internet for about 5 hours in total. While I had a great time catching up on reading and hanging out with friends, my blog posts have unfortunately suffered. This week for Tunes on Tuesday, I've planned to post my favorite songs from the 90's. Here are a few of my picks.

• Chamaku, Movie: Kondaveeti Donga, Language: Telugu
• Kanyakumari, Movie: Bobbili Raja, Language: Telugu
• Papa Hello Hello, Movie: Varasudu, Language: Telugu
• Tera Aana Tera Jaana, Movie: Judwaa, Language: Hindi
• Dil Dil Dil, Movie: Aatish, Language: Hindi
• Koi Jaaye To Le Aaye, Movie: Ghatak, Language: Hindi
• O Lal Dupatte Waali, Movie: Aankhen, Language: Hindi
• Anjali Anjali, Movie: Duet, Language: Tamil
• Azhagiya Laila, Movie: Ullathai Allitha, Language: Tamil
• Kadhal Kaditham, Movie: Jodi, Language: Tamil

These are a few favorites from the 90's. It really was a great decade in terms of music. Until next week, happy listening!

Tunes On Tuesday.

Today is my favorite Thala Ajith's birthday! Ajith's 51st movie Billa 2's audio is releasing today too! So it calls for a special celebration! I had a different selection planned for this week's post. Instead am going to do a Tunes on Tuesday Ajith edition. Here are some favorites from Ajith's 50 movies.

• Meenamma, Movie: Aasai, Language: Tamil
• Mottu Mottu, Movie: Kadhal Kottai, Language: Tamil
• April Maadathil, Movie: Vaali, Language: Tamil
• Enna Solla Pogirai, Movie: Kandukondein Kandukondein, Language: Tamil
• Sollamal, Movie: Dheena, Language: Tamil
• Innisai, Movie: Varalaaru, Language: Tamil
• Sei Yedavathu Sei, Movie: Billa, Language: Tamil
• Hey Saala, Movie: Aegan, Language: Tamil
• Machi Open The Bottle, Movie: Mankatha, Language: Tamil
• Gangster*, Movie: Billa 2, Language: Tamil ( Movie hasn't released but Looove the song)

These are a few of my Ajith favorites. Happy 41st birthday Thala :)

Mini - Review: The Businessman

I wanted to do a mini-review of movies that I have watched in 2012, but haven't done a full fledged review on. It will be a shorter version of the actual review with more emphasis on the analysis of the movie.

The combination of Mahesh and Puri has yielded a super blockbuster in the form of pokiri. Naturally the expressions were sky high with this flick. Thaman's music was topping the charts. I watched the movie first day early morning show in Hyderabad and absolutely loved it! I had the privilege to meet Puri and Mahesh Babu on the 14th of January and if you follow my tweets you know how impressed I was with their down-to-earth nature.

Film: The Businessman
Cast: Mahesh Babu, Kajal Agarwal, Nasser, Subba Raju, Prakash Raj, Bramhaji etc.
Music: S.S. Thaman
Director: Puri Jagannath
Producer: R.R. Movie Makers
Release Date: January 13th, 2012
My Rating: 3.75/5

The Story:

Surya (Mahesh) comes to Mumbai to make a living. He cleverly takes advantage of situations and helps a local politician, with whose power he becomes Surya Bhai, a mafia don. The commissioner of Police (Nasser) wants to abolish the don system in Mumbai and tries to stop Surya's growth. Surya wants to make mafia an establishment and crime an institution. He also falls in love with Chitra (Kajal), the commissioner's daughter. Will Surya realize his dreams or will the commissioner win? What happens to his love story with Chitra?; all these threads form the rest of the story.

What's Hot?

Mahesh all the way. The protagonist has shades of grey, he is ruthless, corrupt and cunning. It is not a routine character of heroism that we are  used to in Telugu movies. Dialogues by Puri are as usual creative and at the same time they depict the hero's ideology. Devuda nuvvu bavundali, puli-jinka, andariki families untayi are my favorites. Music by Thaman is good. My picks are Saar Osthara, Amchi Mumbai. The concept of mafia as a system and the methods used are innovative.

What's Not?

Excessive use of foul language especially in Kajal's case. The flashback is not very effective. Climax feels abrupt. The item song is boring and was unnecessary.

Did I Enjoy It?
Absolutely, It really was different.

Dammu

Dammu is Boypati Srinu's 4th movie. All of his movies have been superhits so far. N.T.R has had 2 major upsets last year with Shakthi & Oosaravalli. Both the director and the actor need a hit to reinstate their position in Tollywood. Expections are high. I have just come out of the premiere show in Dallas, here goes my review.

Film: Dammu
Cast: N.T.R, Trisha Krishnan, Karthika, Nasser, Suman, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Venu Tottempudi etc.
Music: M. M. Keeravani
Director: Boyapati Sreenu
Producer: K. S. Rama Rao
Release Date: April 27th, 2012
My Rating: 3/5

What's It About:

Two warring families in Veeradurgam village have killed each other causing the villagers a lot of pain. A local M.L.A suggest that the 2 days before Sankranthi, should be the only days that they fight and no law enforcement officials will interfere in their clashes. The parties agree and Vasireddy family keeps winning every year but loses all their male progeny in the process leaving Suman as the sole male offspring. His wife gives birth to a still-born male child; he keeps this a secret from his wife and village inhabitants and lies to them that the child is alive and he will be brought up far away from the village only to return once he is 25. The following year he loses his life in the battle and the rival family head (Nasser) declares that every male child born in Vasireddy's village will be killed; thus leaving them with no other male child except for Vasireddy's son. Cut to present RamChandra (N.T.R) is an orphan who falls in love with Satya(Trisha), the daughter of a wealthy businessman. She says that Ram's family should be okayed by her father. Ram comes to know that Vasireddy's father-in-law is looking for someone whom he can adopt in Vasireddy's son's place and he gets adopted by him, to get a rich family and impress Satya's dad.  He now enters Veeradurgam as Vijaya Simha Vasireddy. What happens next? Does he help win the war? Will his secret come out? To know more, you must watch the movie. 

Artist Performances: 

N.T.R is back to his mass elements after a gap having experimented in other genres. He excels in expressions, dances and dialogues. His voice has always been his forte and he uses it to his full advantage. Trisha and Karthika don't really have much to do except dance, look pretty and try to entice the hero, which they do with much gusto. Venu has done a movie after a long time and he has arguably, the best character role and he leaves a good impression. Kota is apt for the grandfather's role. Bramhi as Boshanam , Ali have little to do and the comedy is not upto mark. Suman and Bhanupriya are okay.

This & That: 

Songs are average. My picks would be Ruler(great presentation), Vasthu Bagunde & Dammu. Background music by Keeravani needs a special mention. On a side note, the violence is gory and the movie does have an A certificate because of that. The film drags in places especially before the interval bang and the second half. The interval bang is good. The dialogues are good and M. Ratnam needs all the credit.The twist in the second half is different. Climax is cliched but works.

Did I Enjoy It?

Yes, It's a little too violent for my taste but nevertheless I enjoyed it.

The Final Word:

Dammu dummu lepesthundi :)

Revisiting - Gupt

What does one look for while choosing to watch a movie? For me the first is genre, followed by music and then the cast. In the case of Gupt, its a murder mystery with chartbusters from Viju Shah and Bobby Deol as the leading man accompanied by Kajol and Manisha Koirala. For me it was a win-win combination. Gupt was the 4th biggest hit of 1997. It does feel weird to mention movies that I have grown up watching in this column, shows me that I am getting older :)

Film: Gupt
Cast: Bobby Deol, Kajol, Manisha Koirala, Paresh Rawal, Raj Babbar, Om Puri, Priya Tendulkar etc.
Music: Viju Shah
Director: Rajiv Rai

** Spoiler Alert** Plot revealed after jump.

Revisiting - Rajinigandha

I love watching old movies. There is no jarring humor, unnecessary fights, no item songs and the stories are so simple yet different. My favorite movies are usually comedy, mystery/thriller/adventure. When you ask people their favorite comedy movies of all times, 6/10 people will mention Basu Chatterjee & Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Rajinigandha is Basu da's movie. It is the first movie for both Vidya Sinha & Amol Palekar(who went on to do more films with him). The movie is based on a short story called Yahi Sach Hain by Manu Bhandari.

Film: Rajinigandha
Cast: Amol Palekar, Vidya Sinha, Dinesh Thakur
Music: Salili Choudary
Director: Basu Chatterjee

**Spoiler Alert** Plot revealed after jump.

Tunes On Tuesday.

This tuesday a faulty internet connection left me playing with my 8 GB Itunes library.

Have you ever downloaded a song and never played it once? I have and apparently quite a few, so I chose to show those songs some love and played them. Here's the list.

• Chahiye Thoda Pyar, Movie: Lahoo Ke Do Rang, Language: Hindi
• Dekha Na, Socha Na, Movie: Bombay To Goa, Language: Hindi
• Hai Hai Yeh Majboori, Movie: Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, Language: Hindi
• Tareef Karu Kya Uski, Movie: Kashmir Ki Kali, Language: Hindi
• Saahasam Na Padam, Movie: Maharshi, Language: Telugu
• Andamga Lena, Movie: Godavari, Language: Telugu
• Malli Malli, Movie: Rakshashudu, Language: Telugu
• Illamai, Movie: Godfather, Language: Tamil (Thala Ajith + A.R.R How'd I miss It?)
• Sudamani, Movie: Arul, Language: Tamil
• En Anbe, Movie: Satyam, Language: Tamil (Bombay Jayasree's song - always a winner!)

Some forgotten songs, now a few new favorites. Until next Tuesday, happy listening!

Raccha

Sampath Nandi has been in the news for his second directive venture Raccha, which stars Mega-Power Star Ram Charan and Tamannah. Charan has been in a slump lately with Orange and Tamannah has given two flops Oosaravelli and Badrinath. All of them need a hit with this movie. The verdict?

Film: Raccha
Cast: Ram Charan Teja, Tamannah, M. S. Narayana, Sudha, Paruchuri Venkateswara Rao, Mukesh Rishi, Venu Madhav etc
Music: Mani Sharma
Director: Sampath Nandi
Producer: Super Good Movies
Release Date: April 5th, 2012
My Rating: 1/5


What's It About:

Betting Raju (RCT) as the name says is a middle class boy who survives on bets. In one such bet he defeats James (Ajmal). His adoptive father (M.S.) suffers from a liver problem and he needs money to be operated. James challenges Raju to make Chaitra (Tamannah) fall in love with him in 30 days, following which he will get the money for his dad's operation. Raju agrees and how he goes about winning the bet and what happens next is the crux of the story.

Artist Performances:

Ram Charan imitates his dad which irritates the audience. He is good in dances and that's about it. I have heard that he went to China to learn some martial fights which was shown in the movie. Total waste of time and money. Tamannah is just there to ooze glamour. Ajmal is wasted. M.S. had a serious role. Bramhi has a small role which brings a few laughs. Mukesh Rishi has a routine villian role. Parthiban as the hero's father is good.

This & That:

Music by Mani Sharma is average. I liked the title song and Dillaku. RCT is good at his dances. The much hyped Vaana Vaana song is ruined. One word - Older version is better. Story is of the 80's. Nothing new. The screenplay is choppy. There is no sync between two scenes. Dialogues are of the 90's. Hum bahar se accha, hum tere liye idhar vaccha, hum tum mile to Raccha...really Paruchuri Brothers? Climax gives you a deja-vu feeling.

Did I Enjoy It? No, I was playing Fruit Ninja on my Iphone.

The Final Word: Ee cinema chusi nenu Chaccha :)