Atharintiki Daaredhi Movie Review

Power Star Pawan Kalyan and Samantha have teamed up for the film ‘Atharintiki Daaredhi’. The movie has been directed by Trivikram Srinivas and BVSN Prasad is the producer. AD has released across the world today, so let us check it out.

Story :

Goutham Nanda (Pawan Kalyan) is the grandson of a very rich business magnate based in Milan, Raghuram Nanda (Boman Irani). Raghuram has everything in life, but he is not happy. At 78 years of age, all he wants is reconciliation with his estranged daughter Sunanda (Nadhiya). Despite repeated attempts, Sunanda refuses to meet her dad.

Goutham now heads to India to try and convince his Atthayya Sunanda to come back. Sunanda is a headstrong but kind lady and Goutham must do all that he can to convince her. He joins her household as a car driver and tries to win her affection.

Sunanda has two daughters, Sashi (Samantha) and Prameela (Praneetha). What does Goutham do? Whom does he end up with? Can he win the affection of his Atthayya? That forms the story of this ‘Atharintiki Daaredhi’.

Plus Points :

Pawan Kalyan is simply outstanding in AD. He is stylish and he has good energy levels in this movie. But more than all that, Pawan Kalyan’s emotionally charged performance in the climax sequence is something that will have a very strong impact. Pawan carries the simple and linear story line on his shoulders and takes the film to another level.

Samantha is very cute in the movie and she looks gorgeous as always. She has a limited role in the first half,but gets prominent placement in the second part. Her scenes with Pawan Kalyan are adorable.

Praneetha looks good,especially in the Bapu Gari Bomma song. Nadhiya has given a classy performance. Boman Irani and Ali are neat. Raghubabu and M.S.Narayana are ok.

Brahmanandam steals the show in the second half with the Ahalya drama episode. Comedy quotient in the movie is very good, especially in the second half. Trivikram’s dialogues work well.

The interval sequence and climax episodes are really nice. Trivikram has succeeded in maintaining good tempo throughout the film. He has also presented Pawan Kalyan in a way that fans will love.

Minus Points :

The VFX scenes are not up to the mark and they could have been avoided altogether, especially in the fight where the jeeps dive into the river.

Technical Aspects :

Cinematography is a big asset for the film. Pravin Pudi’s editing is good. DSP’s music and background score are big assets for the film.

Trivikram needs to be applauded for handling Pawan Kalyan’s stardom in the right manner. He has penned some really nice dialogues and his direction is also good.

Verdict :

‘Atharintiki Daaredhi’ is a clean and hilarious family entertainer. You will see a new and energetic Pawan Kalyan in the movie. Samantha’s glamour, Trivikram’s humour and DSP’s music are all bonus points. Go watch the film this weekend with your family. It is worth it.

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Welcome Obama Movie Review

Before I begin this review, I would like to first state that I have the deepest respect for Mr. Singeetham Srinivasa Rao garu. He is a legendary director and his body of work is impressive and awe inspiring. At the age of 82, he has directed this film called ‘Welcome Obama’. Should we take his previous films and age into consideration when looking at this film? I tried to, but in the end, each film needs to be analysed individually and without any baggage. So, read on.

Story :

The movie is basically a remake of the Marathi film ‘Mala Aai Vhhaychy!’, but the makers have not highlighted that before. The director of the Marathi film, Samruddhi Porey, is given a credit in the film along with Mr. Singeetham Srinivasa Rao for Screenplay.

The story deals with the emotional issues surrounding the practice of surrogacy. Lucy (Rachel) is an American in search of a surrogate mother. An agent brings her to Yashodha (Urmila Kanitkar) and a deal is brokered. Yashoda needs money for the medical care of her daughter and that is why she agrees.

After Yashoda is clinically impregnated, Lucy stays with her to take care. But as fate would have it, Yashoda suffers a fall and Lucy suspects that the baby is going to have abnormalities. She disowns the kid and asks Yashoda to get aborted. An emotionally attached Yashoda disagrees.

After a while, a healthy baby boy is born and Yashoda brings him up with a lot of love. However, mother and son are in for a rude shock when Rachel returns, to claim her son. What follows is an emotional struggle that highlights the conflicts between biological parents and surrogate mothers.

Plus Points :

The basic plot of the film is quite novel and thought provoking. Among all the actors present, Urmila Kanitkar is the only one who manages to stand out with a decent performance. She has essayed the role of Yashoda in the Marathi version as well.

Minus Points :

‘Welcome Obama’ feels like an unrelenting and merciless attack on viewers. Everything in the film is Loud, with a capital L. Rachel harassed viewers with her over the top performance in ‘Potugadu’. But in ‘Welcome Obama’, she takes it to the next level. Her performance is very irritating.

The title justification for the film is pathetic. It is a cheap and blatant attempt to garner publicity. The film is also excessively long and the second half seems to go on and on for ever.

Special mention must be made of the ‘comedy’ track. Lyricists Bhuvana Chandra and Anantha Sriram deserve special sporting spirit awards for agreeing to be a part of one of the worst Telugu cinema ‘comedy’ tracks ever conceived. The scenes involving Bhuvanachandra’s forgetful wife are just unbearable.

Screenplay is pathetic. There is no other word for it. Despite having such a promising subject as the base, the film never manages to make an emotional impact. The only emotion that will be felt by viewers is frustration.

There are a number of unnecessary and bad songs. They just destroy whatever little pace the film has. There are a number of loopholes in the plot.

Technical Aspects :

Cinematography of the film is bad. There are a number of shots where the images wobble. Colour grading is also not very good. Music and background score do not help the film in any way. While Rohini’s dialogues are ok, the lifeless screenplay and poor performances destroy the impact.

As for Mr. Singeetham Srinivasa Rao’s direction, I will just say that it is bad, out of respect for his age and legacy.

Verdict :

Legends rarely succeed when they come out of retirement for a second innings. They just end up tarnishing their legacy. Michael Schumacher is a good example for that. Someone like Mr. Singeetham Srinivasa Rao should have never attempted a project like this. ‘Welcome Obama’ is a sad and sorry film, with nothing in it for viewers.

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The Lunch Box Movie Review

‘The Lunch Box’, the Anurag Kashyap production starring Irfan Khan has been creating quite a buzz worldwide. It has also now joined the race to become India’s official entry to the Oscars along with putting Indian cinema into the global cinema genre. Directed by Ritesh Batra, the film also stars Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddique in other lead roles. Bollywood3 attended one of the special shows of the film and so let’s read on to see how the film is.

Story:
Saajan Fernandez (Irfan Khan) is a government official and a widower who stays alone in bustling metropolis of Mumbai. Saajan keeps to himself and prefers to do things on his own. He gets his lunch box delivered through the famous Dabbawalas of Mumbai and one day his lunch box is interchanged by another lunch box sent by Ila (Nimrat Kaur), an unhappy house wife, to her husband.
When Ila notices that the box is going to the wrong person everyday, she writes a letter to Saajan and sends it along with the lunch box. Saajan finds that letter interesting and replies back to Ila and as days go by, Ila and Saajan start sending letters everyday through the lunch box and end up becoming close friends without having met each other. The rest of the story is as to where these letters take the two of them over time and whether they eventually end up meeting each other.
Positive Points:
One cannot help but applaud the innovative story presented in the film. The manner in which the film has been narrated is pretty interesting and there is never a dull moment which in turn keeps the viewers intrigued till the end.
As usual, Irfan Khan nails the film with his extraordinary performance. He is sure to win many major awards for his performance as Saajan Fernandez. He looks so natural and plays out his character in a very realistic way. Nimrit Kaur is a revelation and does a fabulous job for her debut film. As Ila, she looks absolutely realistic and believable as a depressed housewife. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who plays Irfan Khan’s assistant at his office, also does a wonderful job and compliments Irfan Khan perfectly.
There’s something timeless about this movie even though it is set in present day Mumbai. The trains, offices, dabbawallas and the daily life of Mumbai are captured authentically.
Negative Points:
The Lunch Box is not your regular film that aims to entertain you. The film has no songs and those who are looking for a fun element can safely stay away from this film. This film is strictly for mature audience and film festivals. The way the climax has been handled is also a little unclear.
Technical Points:
The cinematography in the film is absolutely stunning with the middle class Mumbai life showcased in a realistic manner. The screenplay of the movie is very gripping and fires your imagination right till the end. The film has finely etched characters, genuine emotions and a cute and a clever love story that connects with everyone.
Director Ritesh Batra gives the film an unsentimental eye and even gives the real-life dabbawalas a central place in the screenplay. The editing of the movie is neat and the crisp run time also helps.
Verdict:
Overall, The Lunch Box is one film that will stay with you long after you are done with the viewing. Stunning performances by the lead cast and a gripping narrative will involve you completely. On the flip side, the movie will not find any takers at the box office and might mostly be limited to film festivals and award ceremonies.

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Potugadu Movie Review - Nauty Entertainer

Manchu Manoj, who is known for trying out something new with every film, is testing his luck with the film ‘Potugadu’. The movie is a remake of the Kannada hit ‘Govindaya Namaha’ and Pawan Wadeyar is the director. The movie has four heroines and Achu has composed the music. Let us see if Manoj can entertain with ‘Potugadu’.

Story :

Govindu (Manoj) is a young fellow who decides to commit suicide. He goes to a lonely spot and decides to have one last drink. At about the same time, Venkata Rathnam (Posani Krishna Murali) also comes to the same spot to commit suicide. The two of them sit down for a chat to find out more about their respective life stories.

Govindu has four love stories to narrate. First up is his romantic track with Vaidehi (Simran Kaur), the daughter of a rich Brahmin guy. After a brief courtship, the love story fails because Vaidehi’s father is against the alliance. Govindu moves on in life and this is where the second love story begins. He falls in love with Mumtaz (Sakshi Choudhary) and romance blossoms between them. But Govindu throws away everything in a drunken stupor, where he makes some derogatory comments about Mumtaz.

Next up is a love story with a foreign lady named Stacy (Rachel). As expected, this story also fails. The last and final love story belongs to Govindu and Mary (Anupriya). For the first time in his life, Govindu experiences true love. He fully reforms himself and leads a normal life. But fate has other ideas. A shocking truth about Mary is revealed and Govindu is heartbroken.

This is what compels him to attempt suicide. Venkat Rathnam is moved by Govindu’s story. But this is not the end. The story comes full circle when something unexpected happens towards the closing stages.

What is that? Will Govindu find true love? That forms the story of ‘Potugadu’.

Plus Points :

Manoj’s mannerisms and dialogue delivery will entertain viewers. He has imitated Mohan Babu’s diction in a few scenes. Manoj is known for coming up with good fight sequences and he has done a very good job in this movie as well.

Posani Krishna Murali is a big asset for this movie. His expressions and reactions are hilarious. The comedy scenes between Manoj and Posani have come out well. Ali and Raghu Babu are ok. Sakshi Choudhary is very good looking and she has given a decent performance. Anupriya is ok.

The first half is a big asset for the movie. The pace is excellent and the dialogues are witty. B and C center folks will enjoy the ‘double meanings’. All the songs have been shot very well. But ‘Devatha’ and ‘Pyar Mein Padipoya’ stand out for their brilliant music.

The interval block and the twist in Anupriya’s love story are nice. The short run time is also an asset.

Minus Points :

Simran does not know how to act. Her performance is very bad. Rachel irritates in the role of Stacy. Filmmakers should stop trying to create the effect of foreigners speaking in Telugu. The third love story involving Stacy has been handled in a very poor way. It is loud, cliched and badly written.

Because all four love stories are very short, you never really get enough time to connect emotionally to the proceedings.

After a brilliant first half, the pace of the film dips considerably in the second half. If not for Posani and the songs, the second half would have become quite tedious.

The climax episodes are not up to the mark. While the twist is good, the way the story is wrapped up is a little superficial.

Technical Aspects :

Cinematography is a big asset for this movie. Editing is pretty good. It is quite tough to seamlessly edit a film which is nothing more than the sum of four short stories. But the editor has managed to do a neat job. Achu’s music and background score are big assets for the film. Sreedhar Sipana’s dialogues have good entertainment value.

Pawan Wadeyar makes a decent impression as a director. He has promise.

Verdict :

‘Potugadu’ has a very entertaining and racy first half. But it is let down by a loud and cliched second half. You can safely watch the film once, for the crackling performances from Manoj and Posani as well as for some great songs.

Movie Rating.......................2.5/5

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Kiss Telugu Movie Review - Nice not Spicy

Adivi Sesh and Priya Bannerjee have teamed up for the movie ‘Kiss’. The film has been directed by Sesh himself and Adivi Sai Kiran is the producer. Sricharan Pakala has composed the music. The film is supposed to be a romantic entertainer and it has released today in Andhra Pradesh. Let us see if Kiss is worth a watch.

Story :

Priya (Priya Bannerjee) is a Telugu girl who lives in San Francisco. Her father is a strict and conservative man and he imposes a lot of restrictions on Priya. Despite being unhappy with this, Priya never raises her voice and leads a life of compromise. But when her dad decides to get her married to a brash and headstrong guy called Ravi (Bharat Reddy), Priya is forced to take a desperate step.

She runs out off from home and decides to commit suicide. But she is rescued by a young fellow named Sunny (Adivi Sesh). Sunny is a jovial young fellow who is about to head back to Hyderabad after failing to make a mark in USA.

He convinces Priya to enjoy life and the two of them set out to explore the city of San Francisco, to chill out. Meanwhile, Priya’s parents and fiancee freak out and a search starts to trace the missing girl.

As the two of them go around the city, they start liking each other and romance blossoms. What will Priya do? Will she succeed in going against her father’s wishes? Will she marry Sunny? That forms the story of the film.

Plus Points :

Priya Bannerjee makes a good impression. If she can work on her expressions a little, she will be a promising actress. Adivi Sesh looks smart in a few scenes. Shafi is ok.

There are one or two good romantic moments in the film, where Priya Bannerjee’s bubbly energy livens up the proceedings. The city of San Francisco has been showcased quite beautifully in the film.

Minus Points :

The pace of narration is very slow. This is especially evident in the second half, where things seem to drag on and on and on and… well, on. The editor should have trimmed off a number of scenes in the last 20 minutes. There is no freshness in the plot or in the treatment.

Bad screenplay and some very poor performances make matters worse. The lady who has appeared as Priya’s mom in the film gets on your nerves with over the top histrionics. The guy who comes in as Priya’s Mavayya has no clue about what is going on around him.

The guy who tries to imitate Mahesh Babu’s mannerisms and dialogues is downright irritating. Bharat Reddy has been wasted in a poorly written role.

The film has a very amateurish feel. For romantic comedies to work, sizzling chemistry and witty writing are an absolute must. Sadly, both of them are missing in this movie. Entertainment quotient in the film is near zero.

Technical Aspects :

Cinematography is pretty good for a film of this budget. As I said before, San Francisco has been showcased quite beautifully. Background score is decent, but at times it is out of sync with the dominant emotion of the scene. Editing is bad.

Adivi Sesh is a decent actor, but he fails to make an impression as a director. His handling of the film can only be called amateurish.

Verdict :

Kiss is a romantic comedy that is slow and stale. Bad performances and poor screenplay never let the film take off. Priya Bannerjee’s beauty and good Cinematography are the only positive aspects of this movie. Except for multiplex crowds who are desperate to watch a movie, this film might not find any takers.

Movie Rating..............3/5

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Satyagraha Movie Review

The father of political films, Prakash Jha is back with yet another engaging drama in Satyagraha. The film has an ensemble cast of biggies like Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal and Manoj Bajpayee. The film has hit the screens today and lets see how it is.
Story :

Amitabh Bachchan(Dwarka Anand) is a retired school teacher who strongly opposes evil forces in the society. Manav (Ajay Devgn) is Dwarka’ son Akhilesh’s friend who believes in starting up his own business.
Akhilesh gets married to Sumitra (Amrita Rao) and after three years, dies in an accident. Minister Balram Singh (Manoj Bajpai) announces compensation which Akhilesh’s wife Sumitra does not get despite repeated attempts from Dwarka. One fine day a huge argument in an government office leads Dwarka to slap an arrogant official and in the process gets imprisoned
A visibly upset Manav starts a campaign to free Dwarka. He uses the social media, ropes in wannabe politician Arjun Singh (Arjun Rampal) and journalist Yasmin (Kareena Kapoor) in the movement.
As time moves on students, hungry labourers and angry middle class citizens join the movement. Rest of the story is as to how Dwarka and Manav manage to accomplish their Satyagraha movement towards the corrupt politicians of the country.
Positive points :
As per the reports, Satyagraha is surely not a sequel to Prakash’s Raajneeti. The strongest part about the film is the way it creates an awakening against corruption and showcases the power of youth and social media. It is a call that was needed by the masses and a step towards political crimes, scams, corruption and greedy netas.
Speaking of performances, each character carries the movie on their shoulders in their own style. Amitabh Bachchan is in his usual self with his performance. Ajay Devgn convincingly portrays the role of a youth fighting against political fraud. Kareena Kapoor is extremely believable in her character and Amrita Rao looks apt for her role.
Special mention goes to Manoj Bajpayee, who steals the show here. His dialogue delivery, expressions and timing is plain perfect and adds a lot of weight to the film.
While the first half is all about the protagonists march towards the movement, second half creates an awareness about the different ways through which the society can be changed into a better place.
Negative Points :
Even though Satyagraha is a film that is much needed for the society, it is not a type that is wanted by the masses. You cannot just enter the movie hall and look for some entertainment quotient, except for Manoj Bajpai who adds in a little bit of humor here and there.
Arjun Rampal has not been given much scope to showcase his talent. The intimacy shown between Ajay and Kareena could have easily been cut off from the plot.
The weirdest part of the film is when Kareena, who plays a journalist, is allowed in all confidential political meetings and is also the part of the decision making. The climax of the film is not up to the mark and has been dragged unnecessarily.
Technical Aspects :
Music of the film goes well with the screenplay, especially the title track. The lyrics by Prasoon Joshi are top-notch. Cinematography is decent as the camera covers the violence and protests in a realistic way. The editing is a bit disappointing as a few scenes are disconnected in the second half. Screenplay is good and so is the background score.
The movie has been exaggerated in a few sequences in the second half and too much drama spoils the pleasure. Prakash Jha has nicely showcased a number of real life aspects such as the Anna Hazare movement, the telecom scam and the people’s reaction against hoax government initiatives.
Verdict :
On the whole Satyagraha leaves behind a powerful and noteworthy message for the society. The effect could have been even more if it was well executed. So, go ahead and join this Satyagraha revolution without any hesitation.


Movie Rating........3.5/5


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Madras Cafe Movie Update Review

Director Soojit Sircar broke all barriers in Bollywood with his cult hit Vicky Donor. He is now back with a intense political thriller in Madras Cafe. Joining hands with actor-producer John Abraham, Soojit has managed to create quite a buzz for his movie. Also starring Nargis Fakhri and Siddharth Basu in other lead roles, Madras Cafe has hit the screens today. Let’s see how it is.

Story:-
Vikram (John Abraham) is a RAW agent who is deployed in Sri Lanka by the Indian government and his mission to carry out covert operations that will bring some peace in the strife-ridden country. His major aim is to counter Anna Bhaskaran, the chief of LTF who is dictating terms for the rights of Tamils in Sri Lanka.
Once Vikram gets going on this challenging mission, he not only discovers a huge conspiracy but also finds out about the different third parties involved in this sensitive civil war. What facts and truths does Vikram find out? How does it affect the Indian government and its VIP’s? And what role does Vikram play in this complex web is what the rest of ‘Madras Café’ is all about.
Positive Points:
To start with, ‘Madras Café’ gives us a brief glimpse of the decade long civil war led by LTTE in the north east regions of Sri Lanka. One can safely say that the film’s true star is its story that builds up to a tragic end.
John Abraham suits the script perfectly and his character will be his coming-of-age role. John gets a chance to play out range of emotions ranging from troubled, angry and helpless and he plays it all with intense sincerity. Nargis Fakhri fits in well as a journalist and she plays out her character exceptionally well. Siddharth Basu is a revelation as this senior television quizmaster portrays the role of an Indian Chief whip to perfection.
While the first half showcases John’s exciting mission in Sri Lanka, the second half will blow you away and take you back in time when India lost one of its most charismatic leaders.
To its credit, Madras Cafe boldly captures the aspects that no Bollywood filmmaker has ventured to touch before. The film does not support any cause or organization and instead sticks to its plot and makes up for a well-crafted gritty entertainer.
Negative Points:
Very rarely does one see a film from Bollywood where you would not look for entertainment and Madras Cafe is one such film.
The story takes some time to grow on you and the audience who might be unaware of the political scenarios of the 90′s might take some time to adjust to the flow of this film.
A better background score could have elevated the film much more. Those who are looking for regular popcorn entertainment can stay away from this one.
Technical Aspects:
Kamaljeet Negi’s cinematography is brilliant and showcases stunning visuals of violence in the strife affected areas in Sri Lanka. There are no songs in the film which makes it a smooth and a breezy watch. The screenplay by Shoojit Sircar is brilliant as it holds your attention right till the end. The editing is sleek and showcases the scenes in a proper way.
Madras Cafe does not have any unwanted drama and sticks to whats it intends to show as the narrative. Shoojit’s storytelling is brilliant as he narrates the whole film with complete craftsmanship. The so called drama and exaggeration that Bollywood films are typically associated have been eliminated in this film.
Verdict:-
On the whole, Madras cafe is one of the best Political thrillers Bollywood has ever produced. The realistic drama, sleek narration and the last half an hour of the film will make you edge out of your seats. Very seldom does Bollywood produces such kind of films so don’t dare to miss this one.


Movie Rating...........4.5/5

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