Tuniga Tuniga

Tuniga Tuniga is debut movie of producer turned director M S Raju's son Sumanth Ashwin. As a producer M S Raju gave memorable hits to Mahesh Babu ( Okkadu), Prabhas ( Varsham) and Siddharth ( Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana), so when he launches his son under his direction with this movie, we surely expected modest firework, if not a big bang. But Tuniga Tuniga is a wet cracker that never fails even to catch fire forget the dhamaka.

The film's story (written by M S Raju and assisted by Bhupathi Raja, who is infamous for writing most slapdash scripts) is as old as Himalayas and scenes are taken from several old Hindi movies includingMaine Pyaar Kiya, Barsaat, etc.

Two great pals (Prabhu, Nagababu) stay together. As expected they have kids, one boy (Sumanth) and the other has a girl (Rhea). Both can’t stand each other. Some silly pranks to make you laugh follows. Cut. Girl sent abroad and comes after 12 long years. Love at first sight for the boy. He hides his identity. The girl who is oblivious to this later realizes this but by then is hopelessly in love with the boy. With the identity problem solved, what next? Girl’s family has someone else in mind to be her life partner. Huh! like we have not seen this problem before. Like a breeze our hero solves the problem. The end.

What was novel about this film? Nada (nothing). Other than good cinematography, even the presentation and narration offers nothing new. Sample this dialogue written by Parachuri Brothers: "Ugadi Pachadi Lo Uppu Undadu, Maa Manavadi Lo Tappu Undadu". The film has plenty of such outdated dialogues and scenes. But there are some chota mota things that did catch our fancy like beautiful cinematography (S.Gopal Reddy).

Sumanth Ashwin is a good dancer. He has potential to be a good actor. Rhea reminded us of Genelia. Second heroine (newcomer) lacks total appeal. Karthika Raja's composed title song is pleasing, other than that all songs lack fizz. Nagaabu, Prabu, Sayaji Shinde do justice to their roles. Rest are okey dokey.

M S Raju has not compromised on production values for his son’s debut. But that’s pointless, he should have given equal importance to the story. This middling storyline is definitely not the right launch vehicle for Sumanth Ashwin. 




Cast: Sumanth Ashwin, Rhea, Prabhu, Nagababu, M S Narayana, Seetha, Gita, and others
Dialogues: Parachuri Brothers 
Script assistance: Bhupathi Raja
Music: Karthik Raja 
Cinematography: S Gopal Reddy
Editing: K V Krishna Reddy
Produced by: Maganti Ramchandran
Banner: Padmini Arts
Story, screenplay and directed by: M S Raju 
Rating: 2/5 

Eega Review – Rajamouli Movie

Story:

Nani (Nani) and Bindu (Samantha) are lovers. Sudeep (Sudeep) a rich brat comes in between them and he kills Nani to get his hands on Bindu. Nani reincarnates as a housefly and avenges his death. He gets help from Samantha and how they execute their plan to kill Sudeep is what Eega is about.

Analysis:
Rajamouli told the story of Eega on the day of launch and people had expectations over how this film is going to be. Rajamouli exceeded all those expectations with his wonderful visual sense and executing his idea to the perfection.

Eega is an event. It can’t be put into words. It should be experienced to know the greatness of it. There are some mind blowing thrills and sequences that will sweep you off your feet. Housefly’s birth and the scenes that follow will arrest you with the detailing and wonderful research done.

First half breezes off with good romantic episodes and Sudeep’s powerful performance. Second half is dominated by housefly scenes. There are many clap worthy scenes in the film. One would can’t help but fall in love with Rajamouli’s visualization and his terrific narration. As the film has not much story the pace tends to fall a bit at times, but there are ample scenes to make it up for it.

Performances: 

Nani was good in his limited role. Sudeep was terrific as the bad guy. His stellar performance was one of the major plus points of the film. His screen presence will make you feel that there is no better option than him for this role. Samantha was a treat to watch. She has given a convincing performance. All others didn’t have much role to play, but everyone did fine in their respective roles. Watch out for Tagubothu Ramesh’s cameo!

Technicalities:

Dialogues were apt. Cinematography was excellent. Editing was up to the mark. Music by Keeravani is the major asset for this film. His background score stands out as one of his best works ever. There are few good melody songs too. CGI work was superb. Visual Effects will definitely rank among the best on Indian screen. Eega’s movements, dances and everything were done to the best possible levels. There was lot of time and hard work put into the film and the results are seen.

Eega is a technically well made film. Production values were top notch. Rajamouli has done a terrific job. His ideas and execution were superb in the film. There were many scenes where one would admire Rajamouli. He is undoubtedly the best director in Tollywood now.

Final Word:

Eega is one of the best films in recent times. It will be liked by kids. If you keep the logics aside, the movie will entertain you to the core. One of the rare films that has to be seen on big screen only. Go watch it!

Eega Movie Rating: 3.5/5

Banner: Varahi Chalana Chitram
Casting: Sudeep, Samantha, Nani
Producer: Sai Korrapati
Music: M.M.Keeravani
Direction: SS Rajamouli

Mem Vayasuku Vacham Movie Review

Mem Vayasuku Vacham is a perfect title for a story that deals with the college-going youth. There is no tension or excitement in the story but you just hang on till the film is over despite it being too predictable.

Why? Firstly, the casting of the heroine Neethi Taylor is bang on. She is cute, like a doll and also delivers the demands of the character. Love stories, we mean not the senior or matured ones always draw a crowd to the theatre, here there is a fulfillment in the form of a few dialogues which the young men associate themselves with.

Tanish, though he gives a jolt in the initial 15 minutes with his stubble, bespectacled and obese look later takes your focus towards some neat work, the last couple of minutes when he as Lucky, falls down helplessly and heart broken as his friend tells him there's no point visiting Dil (Neethi), is really competent. The restraint that Neethi shows adds to the character development and there is a third character in the prelude and in the last moments that completes the circle.

There is some Ye Maaya Chesave and some moments of Bombay and a regular joi de vivre love story and the movie is done. Lucky's girlfriend is breaking up with him as she sees Neethi's photo in his wallet and he clears the cobwebs, narrates his past. He falls in love with Dil, though not at first sight but she has priorities clear. The conservative Muslim girl announces her engagement and her decision to quit college in three days on the eve of the college function where she and Lucky are supposed to be part of a programme.

Three days is enough for the hero to slowly sow the seeds of love and even prompt her to elope with him. Mem Vayasuku Vacham, the title sums up the the story hereafter. It is about the young couple coming of age, taking a matured decision. The eloped couple go to a registrar office and the girl backtracks thinking about her family. Her fickle-minded attitude puts him in a quandary and she convinces him that she will talk about him to her father and as usual in the last minute gives him a royal ditch.

This is what works here for the crowd. The lines that Lucky speaks is about the heartless, selfish and fickle nature of girls and how they move in life without any regret. The director also shows how the heroine lacks the courage when it comes to hurting the family, how she is engulfed by a whirlpool of emotions when she realises she is in love but continues to be in a state of denial.

Another aspect that strengthens the mood of the film is the genuine, authentic backdrop of the old city and the characters. The costumes that Rama Prabha wears makes her look like a real Muslim. The Vellipove number comes after the final break and that is quite unnecessary and seems to just lengthen and drag the story, otherwise good music, cinematography makes the film an okay watch.

Mem Vayasuku Vacham is a decent film for Tanish after Ride despite it not being a fresh story. Everything fell in place and moves along without too many loopholes. The film has many cliches but it is not pretentious. Singdha fits into her character well and is adorable.

There is one amusing scene, a college student wears a damp shirt with floral prints; When asked why he sprinkled water on it he says, "To keep the flowers from withering away."

Sakuni

Synopsis:

Kamal Krishna (Karthi) is a soft guy based in Samarlakota. He strives hard to continue the charity work started by his parents. His ancestral house which is coming in the way of a Railway project will be ceased by the Government. He comes to Hyderabad to give a petition to the Chief Minister Bhoopathi (Prakash Raj) to save his house. He later comes to know it is actually the Chief Minister who is behind the project. Humiliated Kamal revolts against the CM and grows in politics by leaps and bounds. And the rise of Kamal in politics forms the actual story.

Performances:

Karthi is at his best in the character of Kamal. He gave his best for it but the director failed to use him completely as an actor. His attempt to dub his own voice is commendable. He had put in decent efforts in dancing and fights. His costumes are neat and styling suited to that of a political leader. He has good histrionics and face value which appeal for Telugu audience even though he is a Tamilian and it will do good in the long run in AP.

Pranitha played the character of Sri Devi who is Kamal’s mardalu in the movie. She has very limited screen presence and is okay in them. Radhika, Roja, Prakash Raj, Kota Srinivasa Rao are good in the limited roles they are offered. Santhanam’s comedy track is good and had almost equal screen presence to hero in the first half.

Technical Performance:

Director Shankar Dayal is the black sheep. He let the movie down with awful screenplay and bad narration. The entire first half of the movie is wasted with out going in to the story. He did not take care to add enough ‘build up’ to the hero character which is very much needed in the political dramas. Cinematography by Muthaiah is good. Sreekar Prasad’s editing should have been better in the first half. GV Prakash’s songs are good. All of them are well picturised. And the back ground score is a total let down.

                                                    click here to download songs

Final Say:

The first half of the movie is bad and second half could have been better. It has to be very gripping in a political drama from the start to end but the director failed to maintain the tempo of the movie. However, AP audience can connect themselves to the second half as there are several scenes relating to current political scenario like Sympathy factor, Vote for Money, Corruption, Lack of people’s confidence on opposition etc. The movie is not great and not bad either. Its a one time watch!

Rating: 3.0/5.0
Banner: Dream Warrior Pictures (Original), Sri Sai Ganesh Movies (Telugu)
Cast: Karthi, Praneetha, Prakash Raj, Radhika, Santhanam, Roja, Kota Srinivas Rao and others
Art: Rajeevan
Editing: A Sreekar Prasad
Cinematography: PG Muthaiah
Music: GV Prakash
Producer: Bellamkonda Suresh (Telugu) and Antony Xavier (Original)
Story-Screenplay-Direction: Shankar Dayal
CBFC rating: U/A
Release date: 22-06-2012

Oka Romantic Crime Katha - A crime story with a message

P Sunil Kumar Reddy is not the one who makes films without a social message. If Sontha Vooru and Gangaputrulu mirrored the 'sell-out' of the village land (SEZs) and the exploitation of the coast, respectively, Oka Romantic Crime Katha has a message too.

The film is a take on the issues like teen love, teen sex and abortions, which have become commonplace in the modern society. Says the director, "Owing to various social factors and technological advancement today's youngsters are undergoing many psychological stresses. Boundaries are fast blurring. Set against this backdrop, ORCK tells the stories of a tenth standard, an intermediate and a degree girl." Although the problems have been dealt with in his serious style, the film is high on entertainment quotient.

The film features Manoj Nandam, Sai Anil, Gayathri, Divya Swapna, Bobby and others. It has cinematography by Sabu James. Music is by Praveen Immadi. Sunil has written the story and screenplay.

Produced by Yekkali Ravindrababu, 

Endukante Premanta Review – Ram Movie

   Ram (Ram) and Sravanthi (Tamanna) meets in Paris in an unusual situation. They turn friends and both their destiny is the same. They need money and passports to get away from there. Sravanthi helps Ram to reach India from Paris and she too finds a way to come there. However, Ram comes to know that there is something he doesn’t know about Sravanthi. This will set a goal for him in life.

Analysis:

Endukante Premanta is a complicated storyline which deals with illogical elements. In a way it is a romantic fantasy. Director failed to get the perfect balance between fantasy and reality. The film is illogical throughout. Despite offering few entertaining scenes here and there the film falls short of entertainment.

Director didn’t do much homework on the script and it is evident in each and every scene. None of the scenes touches you. Love story is half baked. The chemistry between the lead pair is absolutely absent. May be the storyline doesn’t demand intimacy between the lead pair, but that doesn’t mean love should be non-existent.

Endukante Premanta is inspired from the film Just Like Heaven. Director failed to adopt it to our style. Due to lack of proper work on the script it falls flat. On a whole Endukante Premanta is a badly done film with half baked story.

Performances: 

Ram was energetic. He did his best to the role. His performance was lovable and his presence was adorable. He has put in extra efforts in the dances to enthrall his fans. Tamanna did well as the damsel in distress. She was gorgeous in close ups. Rishi was just Okay as the villain. Sayaji Shinde was nice. Brahmanandam provides few laughs. Anu Hassan was decent. Kona Venkat didn’t make his presence felt. Krishna Bhagavan was alright. Rest of the cast did a fair job.

Technicalities:

Prakash Kumar’s music was a letdown. Much needed Melody was completely missing. Background score was not up to the mark. Editing could have been better. Cinematography was an asset. Andrew’s camera work stands out. Dialogues were neat.

Karunakaran, who is known for making feel good romantic entertainers, faltered this time. Story and screenplay were the weak links. The director in him could have lifted the spirits but somehow brand Karunakaran was absent in this film.

Final Word:

Endukante Premanta lacks the soul and feel that are much needed for this type of films. Except for few funny sequences, the film offers nothing to any section of audience. The concept too isn’t universally acceptable.

Endukante Premanta Movie Rating: 2.25/5

Banner: Sravanthi Movies
Cast: Ram, Tamanna,
Direction: Karunakran
Music: GV Prakash Kumar
Producer: Sravanti Ravikishore