Ra One is easily the biggest movie of the year

RA ONE MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Harish V Starring: Shahrukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Armaan Verma
Direction: Anubhav Sinha
Music: Vishal-Shekhar
Production: Gauri Khan

Ra One is easily the biggest movie of the year and thanks to the tremendous and well thought off marketing push by Red Chillies and Eros International, it has turned into an event film. Shahrukh's extremely high budgeted movie has launched a social game, a PS3 game, came out with graphic novels, merchandises, innumerable marketing tie ups, youtube tie up and the movie is going to be released in India in 3 languages simultaneously with more than 4000 prints all over the world. Can it get bigger than this? Well yes. The King of Bollywood - Shahrukh made the movie even bigger by pulling in Amitabh to do the narration and then did the impossible - he brought in Superstar Rajinikanth to act in a small scene. Well should we say more? The tickets vanished from the ticket counters in minutes and today is the judgement day. Can Ra.One mesmerize you? Can Ra One change the game? Can Ra.One take Indian film to the international level, something that Endhiran promised, but failed to do? The answer to all these questions is just around the corner ... And as the theatre starts getting dark and the screen in front brightens we expect nothing short of magic on screen.

And Magic it was. Ra.One shows reflections of several movies but it is mainly inspired by Terminator 2- Judgement Day. It has also taken few pointers from Iron Man(The core design), Astro Boy(the blue core red core), Endhiran(few shots) etc. And still, the film stands on its own merits which is the biggest plus for the movie and the director Anubhav Sinha.

Sekar Subramanium, a genius game developer's desperate attempt to impress his son leads him to create a game where the villain Ra.One is more powerful than the hero. At the same time, his company is working on a program to remove the wall that separates the virtual world from the real. Ra.One utilizes this program to come to life and all hell breaks loose!

He wants to kill the only person who has beaten him in the game. Who is this one man? Is it Shahrukh? Can Shahrukh vanquish the super villain? To know the answer you will have to wait for at least a week to see it in the theatres, if you haven't booked your tickets already.

The director did not have an impressive track record even though he has given 2 hits. But even those have got mainly average to bad reviews. After his last debacle ’Cash’ no one expected him to come out with a project of such magnitude, especially with Shahrukh Khan. But this time around, he has completely impressed with his direction. The movie is aimed at children and young adults while ensuring that even the elders can enjoy. So you will have to expect some kiddish scenes too.

The movie has no problem with the pacing as it is consistently fast. The Climax however could have been more impressive. The characterization of Ra.One could have been made more evil and terrorizing to heighten the tension and make the film gripping. The mystery as to what he would do next could have kept the audience at the edge of their seats. Ra.one’s ability to control human brain seemed too far fetched and could have been avoided.

Shahrukh does struggle with his Tamil, but is exceptional as Sekar and brilliant as G-One. His performance as a human and a virtual superhuman proves his prowess as an actor. Kareena has evolved wonderfully as an actor. She sizzles on screen especially in the world famous ‘Chhamak Chhallo’ track. She looks beautiful and delivers her role with élan showing how competent an actor she is. Armaan Verma is a delight to watch as Sekar’s kid. Arjun Rampal enters the scene in the second half and plays a menacing Ra.One quite well. The special appearances by Sanjay dutt and Priyanka Chopra are ok. The much talked about Chitti's (Rajnikant in Endhiran) appearance could have been much much better. However, Rajni’s appearance on screen received screams and cheering which reached maddening levels. The rest of the cast have little to do and they do impress.

Technically, Ra.One is by far India’s biggest and most expensive by the look of it. Cinematography by V. Manigandan is a feast to the eyes and the action swquences alone are shot by the legendry - Nicolo Pecorrini which has come out brilliantly. The animation and graphics compare to the best of Hollywood. The film actually leaves you wondering as to what is graphics and what is real. While it is good in the first half, the graphics is taken to an all new level in the second half. This film has clearly set a very high bar for computer graphics in Indian film Industry. The action sequences are impeccable. Whether it is the car chase sequence, G-One's introduction, Train sequence or the climax, the execution is of international level. Sabu Cyril's art direction should be lauded as the ace art director makes every single set picture perfect. Which is real? Which is a set? Which is graphics? You never know. Did you think the train involved in the pre-climax action scene was a real train? Well, think again. Music has already received rave reviews especially with 'Dil dara', Akon’s 'criminal' and 'chamak chalo' have caught on like wild fire. The picturisation elevates the song experience.

Overall it is s a paisa vasool. Take your kids and family for this event film and become a kid and enjoy the fun. Technically the movie does touch international standards but doesnt boast of an exceptional or unique storyline to impress international junta but its a Indian film which every Indian should be proud off. Expect every record in the record book re-written.

Tejabhai And Family Movie Review

When the current action hero of Mollywood, Prithviraj comes up with his first full time comedy movie, that too with Dipu Karunakaran- the director of 'Crazy Gopalan', the fundas are evident at the very outset. This is 'never ever going to be for those looking for path-breaking cinema, nor for the critics. As it turns out to be, it is one entertainer that attempts for laughter unlimited, but with logic that may take a complete backseat. Thejabhai and Family' is one such movie that try to follow that Priyadharshan route of entertaining the masses in the eighties, loaded with similar brand of wit and humour mostly around confusion dramas, that are still the order of the day.

The movie has Prithvi as super underworld don of Malaysia named Thejabhai, who falls for an ordinary Malayalee girl, named Vedhika, engaged in social activities in Kuala Lumpur. To impress her, Theja takes the name of Roshan Varma and starts behaving as if he is a do-gooder for all. But his plans go awry as the girl's father Damodharji expresses his interest to marry off his girl to a youngster from a reputed big joint family. Theja, who is an orphan, now with the help of a fraud Swami Vashyvajassu(Suraj Venjaaramoodu), moves on to Kerala to find out his family who deserted him at the age of three. Swamy now plays wiser as he posts a full page advertisement in a leading daily asking for candidates to fill in the posts of father, mother, uncle, aunts and their relatives for a young lad. And in comes the entire gang of comedians of Malayalam cinema to fill in the posts, at a pay of 1500 rupees per day. The movies follow the confusions and chaos that prevails in the 'built-up' family as Vedika and Damodharji (Thalaivaasal Vijay) arrives to check the background of Roshan Varma and to fix the marriage.

Teja Bhai on the look out for festival viewers, demands you to lock your brains in the cupboard and throw your thinking caps out of the window. The scripts, by the director himself, is loaded with nonsensical and juvenile humour that makes you laugh at regular intervals. The film, on the outset looks like an amalgamation of several well executed sequences, of many films starting from 'Kalyanji Anandji'. But discrepancies aplenty do sweep in, especially in the post-interval portions, as this comic caper has too many characters with narratives that goes on and off in the second hour. Some of the attempts on slapstick, where everyone is chasing everyone, fall flat. Also, the climax resembling 'Pokkiriraja' loses its sheen and looks hurried. But the glitches and blemishes may easily be overlooked if eyed through the perspectives of a masala comic entertainer.

In the positives, Suraj venjaaramoodu is the man who holds the entire movie together, evoking mirth all along. The sequences including that of Salimkumar's take on 'Mahabharatha' as their family story, the confrontation scene between Akhila and Prithvi supported with the scenes of TV and the visuals of the remixed 'Oru Madhurakinavin' are all well applauded by the viewers. Also is the slick production values displayed in the entire movie..

The performances of the entire cast are loud, but one doesn't mind that since the film is lighthearted in any case. Prithvi as Theja comes out with a decent performance and fine tunes his timing of presenting humour. And so is Akhila who is extremely attractive and photogenic, though she doesn't get much scope to display histrionics. The songs and BG scores by Deepk Dev are embellished with foot tapping elements, of which 'Pranayanila' is the pick. All the three songs are well picturised by Dipu, with the help of some interesting framing by cinematographer Shaam Dut and visual effects by editor Manoj.

At the box-office, the patronage by its target audience, fantastic promotions embarked by its makers and the opening response should help 'Thejabhai and family' for a relatively decent run in the coming days. All in all it's a mindless entertainer 'never ever' meant for those thinking types.

Pranayam Movie Review

A Blessy film is always special. Moving on with his exceptional penchant of creating worthy movies centred on human relationships, 'Pranayam' is one that matches the qualities of his previous endeavours. You need to hand it to him for picking up stories from a novel territory that defy stereotype and tell it with this sport of purity and simplicity that can win you over. And it also makes him undoubtedly, the best of the storytellers to have emerged in Mollywood, after late Padmarajan. The movie opens with the scenes of Achutha Menon (Anupam Kher), who had recently survived a heart attack, now trying to find right powered specs from a city eye hospital. He is currently living in a city apartment with his only son Suresh's (Anoop Menon) family. In the very same day while returning to the flat with the help of his granddaughter, he gets the glance of his ex wife named Grace (Jayapradha) in the elevator and faints down. Grace, after the divorce from Achuthamenon is married to Mathews (Mohanlal), a retired philosophy professor who is partly paralysed after a stroke and is at present left in a wheel chair.Now staying in the same flat with their daughter Asha (Dhanya Mary), the couples share an honest and chaste relationship, confiding the smallest of incident to one another. But this chance acquaintance with Achutha Menon after forty years, offer the three to walk down their memory lanes and to blossom the rarest of the relationships, ever to have portrayed on the Molly wood screen. This unique story is translated beautifully on celluloid, thanks to the director's deft handling of a finest script, creating a world that's so simple and relatable. There have been very few films in the past that have captured the relationship between man and woman with this kind of sensitivity. Of course, a story like this unwinds at a unhurried pace, but there's no denying that the proceedings keep you engrossed for most parts, as the complex relationships, their motives and the culmination is peeled off layer by layer. The climax, of course, takes the viewer by surprise and was the best way out to culminate the story. Casting the best available talent of Mohanlal and Anupam Kher for two pivotal parts and doing complete justice to their roles is tough. But the ease with which Blessy handles the tense moments, the considerate dialogues between the lead players and also the emotional finale shows his expertise as a master narrator. Blessy's choice of actors is perfect. And the characters they portray are real adorable, so close to life or so inspiring. Mohanlal and Anupam Kher comes up with scintillating performances, with loads of emotional precision in each of the heavy sequences. But the star of the show is definitely Jayapradha, who had enlivened the central role to such perfection that to state that she is exceptional would be an understatement. She as a charming, mid aged lady is flawless and a treat to watch that it will definitely be her role of a lifetime. Anoop Menon also uses his limited space to craft an unforgettable character, while all others in the cast are appropriate in their roles. The technical side of 'Pranayam' is topnotch with Satheesh Kurup supplementing beautiful visuals aptly matching the poetic ambiance of the narratives. RajaMuhammed in editing also has gone for the right cuts to build in real emotions, all along. And there is a killer title track and a few good songs by M Jayachandran in the lyrics by ONV Kurup. 'Pranayam' is for the family. It is well acted, deftly written, entertaining and broadly appealing drama. Watch it with someone you love!

Ulakam Chuttum Vaaliban Movie Review

What all are your expectations, when you are on to a film with Jayaram playing the sole hero. Yes, you all expect to bump into our hero amidst a family of financial difficulties, trying ways to find solace from his distress by masquerading and attempting different routes, finally landing into more troubles. Rajbabu's 'Ulagam Chuttum Vaaliban' is another such tale with all that Jayaram ingredients, nothing more...nothing less. The movie has Jayaram as Jayashankar, from a silent hamlet of Krishnapuram. Living a happy life as a wholesale vegetable vendor, with his mother and only sister Kalyani(Mithra kurien), his only big dream is to somehow marry off his sister to a good family. But as a bag with his ten lakhs is suddenly lost, Jayashankar is required to move on to the city to meet Sethuraman(Suraj venjaaramoodu), his distant relative and richest man in his family, to borrow some big money to make a return to his peaceful life. And when Jayashankar lands into the city, he bumps into the TV channel presenter Varsha(Vandana) and her brother Saajan Joseph, the circle inspector of police. Jayashankar also finds that his relative Sethu is running a big gang of pickpockets and petty thugs with the support of the local MLA Brahmadathan. Jayashankar is forced to join the gang, learns the tricks from the professional trainers in the circuit and emerge a big player in a few days. But everything goes upside down for Jayashankar as he is selected for the Sub Inspector Post, for which he had applied quite a few years back. The movie follows the life of Jayashankar, now an expert thief who suddenly starts his police life in the same station of Thrikkara, where he had been roaming free as the master pickpocket. 'Ulkam Chuttum Vaaliban' definitely has an interesting plot line and boasts of a few endearing moments, but the outcome is plain and simplistic. Director Rajbabu seems to be stuck in the masala potboilers of nineties but times have changed, Mr. Director. Also, the writing by Krishna poojappura is quite inconsistent; it involves you at a few places, but is inducing yawn most of the times and is a tad long at two hours and forty minutes. The only aspect that's amusing are the sequences involving Biju Menon and his son with an acerbic tongue. Some of the gags are genuine, but they are few and far in between. The movie has four songs, which all pop up at the wrong moments and are a total letdown, with the attempts on the visuals of the songs failing miserably to evoke laughter. .. Having said that, it's also true that the movie is better towards the latter reels, than its former half. Cinematography by Anandhakuttan is also just up to the mark. Talking of performances, Jayaram as usual, is dependable in a role that he had been to umpteenth times. Biju Menon once again sparkles in his shorter role as a stupid CI, who is more concerned about his beauty and personality. The ladies in the frame including Vandhana and Mithra kurien look graceful but don't get ample scope to display their emoting abilities. While Sureshkrishna as the MLA Duttan is in another regular villainous mould, the rest of the cast consisting of the comic faces of Mollyood including Suraj, Salimkumar and kalabhavan Shajon tries to evoke mirth with little success. On the whole, this old fashioned 'Ulagam Chuttum Vaaliban' doesn't travel with a perfect route and is often directionless, with a few funny moments. In the B.O., the holidays ahead may help its prospects at the big cities essentially, but in the villages it will be dull.

Doctor Love Movie Review

'Dr.Love' is a movie primarily aimed at the youth .An interesting plot loosely inspired from the Tamil flick 'Shahjahan', this debut attempt from director K Biju is a feel-good film and though it has its share of loose ends, the outcome leaves you feeling pleased than many of the recent entertainers. The movie has Kunchakko Boban as Vinayachandran, a struggling young writer, who is trying different ways to make a living. He has a friend in Gowry(Ananya), who is a staff in the local telephone booth. Mainly threading his plots for novels around love, Vinayachandran accidentally happens to meet Sathya Sheelan(Innocent), the P E Teacher of a college, who comes for advice to somehow fulfil his love for a fellow teacher in the college. And for that Sathyasheelan finds ways to post Vinayan as a supplier in the college canteen. Once inside the college, Vinayan instantly strikes a chord with the students helping some to reward with their first love. Instantly rechristened as 'Dr. Love- the Romance Consultant', he starts to deals with people who are affected with love and becomes the last word for youngsters in the college struck by Cupid's arrow and those who have a problem with their love affairs. The after-effects of his so-called 'guidance' and the consultant's own love story is what that takes the story forward. K Biju in his debut screenwriting relies on the tested formula, but packs in a lot of unpredictable situations that has been smartly woven in the screenplay to make it more exciting. The movie with a unrealistic, sometimes unconvincing plot lines, is interspersed with light moments aplenty and much of them have been handled deftly. Things are smooth sailing till the emotional angle comes up, where the narrative dips a little, but the experience as an assistant to many big names of Mollywood helps Biju to manage the climax with out much chaos. Dialogues deserve special mention, as the youth are sure to identify with them! The performances are topnotch. Kunchakko Boban seems to be riding in the best of the times in his career and here he gets ample scope to display his potential as an actor and he takes full advantage of the opportunity. Bhavana just manages to play to he demands of her Ebin, a tomboyish character who is the de facto leader of a group of friends in the college. Bhagath and Hemant are lovable while Manikuttan springs a pleasant surprise with his witty one-liners.! Ananya in another good role is completely natural with a fine performance. All others in the cast including Salimkumar, Vidhya Unni, Rejith menon and Kalabhavan Shajon come up with right performances to suit the demands of the roles they are on. Debutante Vinu Thomas's music is more than okay with a mix of good and melodious numbers, but those that stand out are the title track 'palapoo', 'Aakasham doore' and 'Ninnodenikkulla' for their honey-sweet tunes. Cinematography by Shaji is eye-catching and the beautiful ambiance of SB College are utilized to the maximum to give that colourful, chic look of the campus flick. All in all,' Dr.Love' has some interesting moments and the ensemble star cast pitches in real performances too. On the whole, the movie could' be an ideal popcorn flick targeted to strike a chord with the youth and those who relish candy floss and madcap entertainers. If you are not looking for wisdom and rationale in a light-hearted entertainer, We are sure you will savour this campus carnival .

Kanchana Movie Review

Larencce, once a choreographer, was promoted as a director by Nagarjuna with 'Mass'. His next film as director is 'Style' where he himself played the hero. Both the films were big hits. Some time later, he directed 'Muni' which was not that successful. But, he had decided to bring out a sequel to 'Muni' and that was how 'Kanchana' took shape. The film was a thriller and Lawrence worked out the entire script in an impressive manner and it was Saratkumar who brought life into the film, by portraying a different role. Story Raghava (Larencce) is a carefree boy and he loves to play cricket with friends. Though he is daring and dashing during daytime and could be able to thrash even goons, he is a timid fellow during night as he was scared of darkness and ghosts. He stays with his brother (Sriman), sister-in-law (Manobala) and mother (Kovai Sarala) and two children of his brother. While searching for a good playground, Raghava and his friends find a vacant place and clean it and make it a good playground. Unfortunately, that place belongs to one eunuch called Kanchana (Saratkumar). In fact Karthik, a boy was pushed out of home in childhood for behaving differently and for showing the signs of a girl, though he was a boy. Knowing that he is behaving like a girl because he was a eunuch, a Muslim brings him up with the name 'Kanchana'. Noticing that everyone hates eunuchs for no fault of theirs, 'Kanchana', who had an ambition to become a doctor, adopts another eunuch and gives her good education and makes her to study sincerely. Her efforts turn fruitful and that girl stands first in her plus 2 studies. The school which gave her education agrees to bear the entire expenditure for her MBBS course. But, Kanchana saves Rs 25 lakh for her education and she wants to spend the money to build a hospital and purchases land. Local MLA (Devan) unauthorisedly occupies that land. When Kanchana goes to the MLA to question him, Kanchana, the Muslim, who brought her up and his mentally challenged son get killed by the MLA. So Kanchana turns a ghost and decides to avenge her killing. It was the same land where Raghava and his friends cleared for playing cricket. Raghava unknowingly brings the three ghosts to his home along with him. Raghava's mother and sister-in-law find Raghava behaving indifferently by wearing sarees, using haldi while taking bath and wearing the bangles. Noticing this, they approach a Muslim peer in a dargah to throw them away. The Muslim Peer captures the ghosts and questions who were they and Kanchana reveal the entire flashback. The Muslim Peer ties a thread to Raghava and warns him not to remove it as it may bring back Kanchana. Whether Raghava removed the thread to help Kanchana avenge her death? Did Kanchana able to teach a lesson to the MLA? Did Kanchana�s ambition to build a hospital for her adopted daughter was fulfilled? Answers to all these questions form part of the climax. Performance Though Saratkumar made an entry just before the interval bang and appeared in a few scenes in the second half, he gave a superb performance and filled the life into the entire film. A hero of Saratkumar stature accepting to portray the role of a eunuch is something noteworthy and he lived in the character. Raghava Larencce, who played the lead role did justice to his role and he did the character with good ease. Lakshmi Rai, who played the ladylove of the hero, filled the glamour slot perfectly. Devan is justified as a politician with a touch of negative role. Other artistes did justice to their roles.

Dookudu Movie Review

We guessed it right. Dookudu is really a big leap in Mahesh brand entertainment. There is, delightfully, a bonus. The film is a big leap in Vytla brand entertainment as well. To put it in a nutshell, this awesome film has got everything which you might have expected to see in Khaleja (2010) but did not find in it. Dookudu has got everything - comedy, action, romance. On the top of it, there is an intelligent screenplay that coalesces adrenaline punches with comic drama and sentiment. And when the sentiment involves a superstar like Mahesh Babu and an ace like Prakash Raj, who strike a perfect chemistry on screen, you cannot ask for more. It would be far-fetched to even suggest that Dookudu is a classic, as the hero had wanted it to be, but it is indubitably a must-watch film. Shankar Narayan (Prakash Raj) is a people's man, a Godfather for the inhabitants of Shankar Nagar, Hyderabad. Some villains (Kota Srinivas Rao and company) conspire to eliminate him and get rid of him successfully (though it turns out to be a temporary success). As it happens in every other film, the do-gooder father's son Ajay (Mahesh Babu) grows to be a heroic cop and is based in Mumbai. He and his team (headed by the inept Nasser) are on a hunt for the dreaded underworld don Nayak (Sonu Sood looks old but his performance is routinely fresh). Team Ajay head to Istanbul, Turkey, to nab Guru Talwar, Nayak's aide, to eventually catch hold of the big fish. Twenty minutes into the film, uninterrupted action and edge-of-the-seat drama gives way to a pleasant romantic track involving Mahesh and Samantha (as the wannabe fashionista Prashanthi). As Ajay and co prepare to outsmart Talwar, Shastri garu (Vennela Kishore as Mahesh's junior cop) makes us laugh by gushing about his Bamma, who has got a talent for predicting things as they will happen. This goes to show that Vaitla never rmisses an opportunity pepper the proceedings with humor). Some dialogues (Kona Venkat) show traces of Trivikram-style satire and humour in Istanbul. While Mahesh goes verbose (well, he says he has got noti doola), displaying much more maturity as an actor than he did in Khaleja, Samantha adds the glamour quotient. The monumental beauty of Istanbul, resplendent with magnificent buildings which form the backdrop in a duet, lends a rich feel. (Thank the camera of Guhan). It is not long before Ajay completes his Operation Istanbul and returns to Hyderabad. It is at this stage that Vaitla introduces his brand of comedy. The film is now set in the house in which Shankar Narayan lived. Shankar is back in the house but his return is kept in the dark. Ajay wants to make his father, who had lived in coma for years, happy by creating a make-believe world of lies around him. The rest of the film is all about how Ajay accomplishes the task of annihilating every villain who had backstabbed and wanted his father to be dead. Thankfully, the drama and action are not routine. They are laced with rib-tickling comedy and touching sentimentality. Vaitla blends all the commercial ingredients in his inimitable style and makes Dookudu an enjoyable fare for all and how? Well, here it is how he does it. Much like Dhee, Ready and King, this film too sees the the hero making everyone live in a fool's paradise: things go as the hero wants them. Nayak marvels at old Telugu classics and Ghantasala's rendition of the Gita; Brahmanandam, who believes that he is part of a reality show (this one, believe us, is top class), has you in splits as he is fooled around without a respite; MS Narayana's spoofing of Magadheera and Simha is superb; Prime Minister NTR, speaking on the ramparts of Red Fort in chaste Telugu, promises to bring black money back; Master Bharath participates in multi-crore land dealings and brings smiles. Even a get-to-gether of Mahesh, Samantha's families becomes an occasion for comedy of lies and bakras. Episodic treatment keeps your interest alive. Every murder comes with a touch of humour. Welcome to the world of Srinu Vaitla. As for the performances, Mahesh delivers one of his career bests. He can now safely claim, without inviting ridicule, that Dookudu is a slap on the face of those who declared that he is not good at comedy. He shows verve and energy in action scenes. He is convincing in the khaddar get-up. He is remarkable at spouting one-liners as the super-efficient cop. He is trigger-happy, but is immediately funny in taking digs at his stupid senior Nasser. All comedians and character artists do justice to their roles. On the flip side, however, Samantha is not seen much in the second half. But when she sizzles on the screen in Itu Raye number, you swoon. Tehnicially, it is proof what a Digital Intermediate finish can make a film look like. It is visually rich. Post Script: Babu land aithe opposition ku bande, Dharmavarapu Subrahmanyam says to a frightened Sonu Sood. Prince proves he is Numero Uno. The fight for top slot is over. Cool.