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!