Rajinikanth’s next film Basha 2

Now that Shankar’s Robo is finished, Rajinikanth is reported to have agreed to act in the sequel to the 1995 super hit film Basha which is likely to be directed by either Murugadoss or Hari.

Basha was directed by Suresh Krishna and produced under the banner of Sathya Movies. Nagma was the heroine and the music was provided by Deva. According to sources, the producers of Basha approached Rajinikanth with the script of Basha 2 and he is said to have agreed to the proposal.

Presently, Rajinikanth is planning to finish the newly-added live portions to the animated film Sultan The Warrior directed by his daughter Soundarya

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Happy Happygaa - Movie Review

Film: Happy Happyga
Cast: Varun Sandesh, Sharanya Mohan, Vega, Ali, Ravi Shankar, M S Narayana, Ranjitha, Saptagiri, Telangana Shakuntala and others
Dialogues: Anil Ravipudi
Lyrics: Sirivennela Seetaramashastry
Cinematography: Venki A Darshan
Editing: K V Krishna Reddy
Produced by: Durgaprasad Vadlamudi
Story, screenplay and directed by: Priya Sharan
Release date: August 20, 2010
CBFC Rating: U

What’s it about
A happy go lucky guy Santosh (Varun Sandesh) runs a company that sends greetings personally. He derives happiness from helping others when they are in sorrow. This good-natured guy falls in love with Pooja (Vega), who just returns from UK. Santosh and Pooja become good friends, when he tries to express his love to her, she tells him that she doesn’t believe in love and has no good opinion about love marriage. Hoping to convince her later, he suppresses his feelings then. One day he hands over his love letters to her saying he has written thinking of his dream lover. When she asks him to show that dream lover, he casually shows a girl randomly and the girl turns out to be Priya (Sharanya Mohan), sister of the city’s don. Pooja vows to make Priya and his friend Santosh together and the triangle drama proceeds with twists and turns.

Analysis

Romantic stories are made dime a dozen in Tollywood. Most of them are made in similar pattern. But these days, most of the filmmakers are looking ‘inspiration for Korean movies’ for romantic dramas and adopting them to suit our Telugu audiences and failing to recreate the same magic of the original. Happy Happygaa is also poor copy of a Korean triangle love story but the first time director has made it in such a sloppy way that even before the interval comes, you start looking for an exit door. Till interval the movie doesn’t move forward. The film’s so-called twists and turns all happen in the last twenty minutes in a hurry, leaving the audiences in flurry of boredom. The director should be sent to crash course in direction; his narrative skills, his treatment and his selection of casting – all show lack of creativity and inexperience.

Except for Manisharma’s couple of good songs, Sirivennela’s meaningful lyrics and comedy scenes, the film is sheer boredom.

Performances

Even after doing five films, Varun Sandesh has not improved much as performer. His expressions and his dialogue delivery still are amateurish. The less said about the heroines the better - both Sharanya Mohan and Vega are best suited for ‘sister roles’ than heroine characters. Ali evokes some good laughter and he has lengthy role that is almost equal to the film’s hero Varun Sandesh.

Two songs are lilting and Manisharma on the whole has given better work for this movie. Sirivennela lyrics are also meaningful. Cinematography, editing, and other technical departments also don’t add any gloss to the movie. Some of the dialogues by Anil are good but the film’s main drawback is bad screenplay and poor narration. The first time director has not shown a single bit of creativity either in screenplay or in direction.

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Don Seenu - Movie Review

Film: Don Seenu
Cast: Ravi Teja, Srihari, Shriya, Anjana Sukhani, Shayaji Shinde, Mahesh Manjrekar, Brahmanandam, Ali, Raghubabu, Brahmaji, Surekha Vani, Sudha, and others
Story, screenplay: Kona Venkat
Music: Manisharma
Cinematography: Sameer Reddy
Editing: Gowtham Raju
Art: A S Prakash
Produced by: Venkat
Banner: R R Movie Makers
Dialogues and directed by: Gopichand Malineni
CBFC Rating: U/A
Release date: August 06, 2010

What’s it about!
As a child, Seenu (Ravi Teja) is fascinated with Amitabh Bachchan’s acting and his especially the star’s role of Don. His sole aim is to become Don; so he changes his name to Don Seenu. His stepmother scolds as he turning into a bad guy that prompts him to run away from home. Years later, he comes to Hyderabad and joins in a gang run by Machiraju (Shayaji Shinde) who wants to on another gang leader Narsing (Srihari). Machiraju sends Don Seenu to Germany to woo Narsing’s sister Deepthi (Shriya), to scuttle her marriage alliance with a big businessman’s (Mahesh Manjrekar) son. Rest of the drama is all about Don Seenu impressing Deepthi (Shriya) and revealing his true side in the end.

Analysis

Most of recent Ravi Teja’s films are packaged in similar pattern with some good laughs, some action sequences, and a little bit of glamour. Don Seenu has the same elements. It is regular mass action entertainer. You don’t find anything new in the movie but gets some good laughs in the first half thanks to Ali and Venu Madhav and some more entertainment in the second half by Brahmanandam.

Don Seenu is clearly intended for Ravi Teja’s target audiences in B and C centers, so most of the scenes are designed in such way with liberal dose of double meaning dialogues. First half is racy but second half drags on. It needs urgent trimming. On the whole, it may be termed as a time pass flick.

Performances

Ravi Teja is first rate in scenes where he has to act as a mute guy. As a fan of Amitabh Bachchan he also mimics the superstar in dialogues. Shriya who is returned to straight Telugu film after long time adds glamour quotient. She is eye-catching in some scenes. The other heroine Anjana Sukhani hardly has heroine looks. Srihari lends credence to his role. Ali evokes laughter and so is Brahmanandam. In fact, both of them bring cheerfulness to otherwise dull proceedings. Shayji, Mahesh Manjrekar, Surekha Vani and others are okay in their roles.

Cinematography by Sameer Reddy is pleasant. Dialogues are witty sometimes. Script is weak. Kona Venkat’s screenplay runs on predictable manner (more like 'Adhurs' and 'Ready'). Music by Manisharma is okay. And new director Gopichand Malineni has not shown any trace of novelty in the film. Production values by R R Moviemakers are excellent. Looks like they have invested lot of money for grandeur.

Bottom-line!

If you are expecting typical laughs from Ravi Teja’s film, Don Seenu may seem good timepass. But if you are really looking some ‘kick’ entertainment, this film is not right choice. On the whole, Don Seenu is predictable but the package of glamour, some comedy and action makes it okay. Second half is big letdown

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Maryada Ramanna - Movie Review

Action: Peter Hein
Produced by: Shobu Yarlagadda and Prasad Devineni
Screenplay and directed by: S S Rajamouli
CBFC Rating: U
Release date: July 23, 2010

What?s it about!
Ramu (Sunil) loses his father in faction feuds in a village in Rayalaseema, so his mother takes him away from Rayalaseema to save her son. He grows up in Hyderabad and after his mother?s death, he tries hard to meet ends. One day, he receives a notice from the village to claim 5 acres of land, so he boards a train to the village. On board, he meets a beautiful girl Aparna (Saloni) who happens to be daughter of Ramineedu (Nagineedu). Ramineedu has been waiting to kill Ramu for years, as Ramu?s father killed Ramineedu?s brother. Aparna and Ramu become friends and Ramu comes to her house, there he learns that Ramineedu would kill him off he steps out of this house. Rest of drama is all about how Ramu saves his life.

Analysis

Three cheers to director Rajamouli, the top director of commercial entertainers in Tollywood. With Maryada Rammanna, he proves once again that he is capable of creating magic with any script or any star or non-star. Although Maryada Ramanna is complete departure from his style of films, starring a comedian as lead hero, he weaves a drama that glues the audiences to the seats without distraction. At 2 hours 10 Minutes, the film interests you till the last minute with focused narration. Near to one hour, the film runs revolves around a single house and yet you don?t feel bored. There Rajamouli triumphs completely as director and screenplay writer. Although there is not much entertainment or comedy, the narration holds the interest and puts you on guessing game how would the hero come out from the tricky position he is in and saves his life.

It is entirely Rajamouli?s film. You don?t find double meaning dialogues and excessive gore (although there is plenty of action and swords, fights, chases). Rather Rajamouli focuses on the suspense and tense moments. With some good songs by Keeravani and superb background score, the director turns the simple story into an engrossing movie.

As a narrator, what Rajamouli does best is not deviating from the plot and not inserting unnecessary comedy track by other comedians. He should be commended for it.

However, Maryada Ramanna is not devoid of minor flaws. It lacks comedy, the supposed comedy on Sunil and his antics, with bicycle talking is not that funny. And doesn?t have any awe-inspiring moments that we regularly find in Rajamouli?s movies. Other than those, Marayada Ramanna is clean fun and good fast-paced entertainer.

Performances


For any actor, shouldering a movie to almost 2 hour run time, a tough task. Especially the actor is not charismatic. But Sunil with his innocent looks and sincere performance holds the movie. He looks agile after reducing weight drastically. He doesn?t do much comedy but his expressions and the tension that he evokes is perfect. Sunil can now be a bankable lead actor.

Saloni is cute with her expressive eyes. She looks glamorous and a good pair to Sunil. Nagineedu in the role of a faction feud has right looks but his performance is not that effective. Brahmaji seems more of an uncle to Saloni than Bava. Rest of the cast is okay. Ravi Teja has lent voice to a bicycle in his typical manner.

One expects a Rajamouli?s film to be visually grand and the film doesn?t fail on it. Ram Prasad gives best output for a small film (one shot where Sunil is put up in a room, and camera is seen from the key hole angle is superb). Artwork by Ravinder is good. As the most of the movie runs in the house, his set of the house has enough space and more rooms to make the drama effective. Keeravani always give best output to Rajamouli?s movies and for Maryada Ramanna all his songs are melodious. Especially the background score and some bit songs are terrific. Production values for a low-budget movie are good. Writer S S Kanchi?s dialogues are apt for the movie. It is entirely Rajamouli?s show and he does his best. As a director, he is topnotch.

Bottom-line
Rajamouli has crafted a movie that not only elevates his name and fame but also gives paisa vasool entertainment to the audiences. Maryada Ramanna is fast-paced drama with tense moments. Sunil?s performance, good camera work, superb music and Rajamouli?s perfect narrative skills are plus points of the movie. Enjoy it.

Rating: 3.5/5

Inspiration

The film?s basic plot is taken from Our Hospitality (1923), a Hollywood silent movie. But they adopted it so effectively.

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Khushiga movie Ileana out, Trisha in

Top actress Ileana these days is taking all the wrong decisions. She is already losing her top position to Anushka. Now she is losing another big film. Trisha would replace her in the remake of Love Aaj Kal starring Pawan Kalyan in the role. Ileana, who has given bulk dates to Shankar’s 3 Idiots, has no dates to accommodate to this movie as this film has been delayed for various reasons. So in comes Trisha. But Pawan Kalyan who returns to India next week from Jerusalem will take the final call. But it is almost confirm that Ileana won’t be doing the film and Trisha is their next choice.

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Sreenu Vytla acts in ‘Parama Veera Chakra’ cenimas

Appearing on silver screen is not new to director Sreenu Vytla. He did before in V N Aditya directed Rain Bow. But acting under veteran director Dasari’s direction is different ballgame altogether. When Dasari asked him to do a small role of a film director in his 150th movie, Parama Veera Chakra, Srinu Vytla immediately said yes. For rarely does one get chance to act with this veteran director. He shot for the film for two days and finished his part. In the film, Balakrishna plays dual role and one character he portrays is that of a film star. So Srinu Vytla acted directing Balakrishna, the star in the film.

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Brindavanam's music to come out on Sep 12,2010

Music of NTR's Brindavanam would be releasing on Sep 12. Producer Dil Raju announced the film’s release date too. Except for two songs, the film has been finished its principle shooting. “We are planning to release music composed by Taman on Sep 12. Film will hit the screens on October 1,” he said.

He also added: “We are confident that the family audiences would definitely like this film, not only for its cool title but also going by the healthy content with which we have dealt. We earnestly hope that the film would bring accolades to our banner and to director Vamsi Paidipalli as well. Music director Taman had put in the best efforts for the successful audio.”

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