Cast: Chiranjeevi, Karishma Kothak Srikanth, Sadha, Sayaji Shinde, Raja, PawanKalyan (SA)

Music: Devi Sri Prasad

Producer: Ravishankar and Gemini Kiran

Direction: Prabhu Deva

Likes : I made a strong note to myself before watching the movie that 1) This movie should not be compared with Lage Raho Munnabhai and 2) Also not to expect young Chiru performances as he used to do in Gang Leader or Gharana Mogudu.These two thoughts I believe by themselves dilute the whole movie experience."Shankardada Zindabad" , the sequel in the Shankardada series is perhaps the most eagerly awaited Chiru movie of the year .This one was supposed to be a sequel like Lage Raho Munnabhai it has a story of its own and its refreshingly original and no connection with the first movie except the Chiru and Srikanth and their gang.First half was like a cool breeze with light comedy and Chiru steps.The title song does have some mega star steps with surprise appearance of few known actors in the song.Devi did a good job with couple of songs by matching the beat required for Chiru. As always Chiru excels in the role of Shankardada and he is well companioned by Srikanth. I felt director Prabhu Deva did justice to Srikanth in the movie by making him appear in most scenes of the movie,The first of the sequel (MBBS) had Chiru for entire length of the movie on the screen.

Dislikes : Second half is a drag and a bit boring with poor editing. Music is also some what weakest link of this film. Though couple of songs by themselves did not blend well with the story and songs are not that catchy that you want to throw CD in your car to listen multiple times during your commute. I believe that is inherent problem with Devi's music that you always feel that you have heard this tune before which makes the song uninteresting.The actress 'Karishma Kotak' did not suit to Chiru as well as to the story.Being a radio jockey , Kotak looked dull and I felt the chemistry between Ciru and Kotak bombed and traditionally knowing only few actress blend well with Chiru style and steps, directors repeatedly do this mistake.Trisha and Aaarthi Agarwal cannot match where as Sonali Bendre or Radha (yeah our old Chiru Radha) combination is what makes Chiru movies golden and platinum jubilees.The actress is biggest disappointment to the movie.

The emotional scenes of Chiru during press conference of chemical imbalance is not directed and edited properly.The whole movie I felt fell apart during these scenes.I expected Chiru to do 'Apathbandawadu' style emotional performance.Knowing the director 'Prabhu Deva' probably every one expected there will be some unique chiru steps but hardly we noticed any in this movie.Also looked like Chiru did put on some weight in this movie.

On the whole "Shankardada Zindabad" is okay movie to watch. If you are a die hard fan of Chiru like me then you will enjoy every chiru moment of the movie.

Labels: chiranjeevi, movie review, Movies, Shankardada zindabad

Film Cast : Amitabh Bachchan, Tabu, Zohra Seghal. Swini Khara, Paresh Rawal
Music: Illayaraja
Direction: R.Balakrishnan

Story Theme: She is 34 and he is 64 and story revolves around age factor and how their marriage is accepted by girl's father.

Likes : This story made lots of sense compared to recent Jiah Khan against Amitab of movie Nishabd.Tabu looks older than 34 and Amitabh looked younger than 64 which made chemistry between these two actors seamlessly natural in this flick.I like the introductions of Tabu and Amitab.Tabu's portrait of a Hyderbadi origin was introduced with Hyderabadi subtlety and yes it is true no other place in world can copy the taste of Hyderabadi zalfrani pulav. Amitab's introduction as angry old man suits his past angry young man stature. Dialogues are way natural in either comedy or emotional scenes.The little girl has lots of future and her character shows the caring nature of 64 old Amitabh.The scenes where which character (little girl or Tabu) takes precedence (Hospital scene where Amitab thrashes developed world not finding cure for blood cancer , Last emotional scene to touch the hands at the pillar site for little girl) in Amitab's life is directed marvelously by Balki. For all those movie criers there are tons of emotional drama that one and only one Amitabh can do. Though short in character Paresh Rawal did has best by portraying himself as Gandhiyawadhi.Songs are goos in the background and not to mention that as music is from Illayaraja



Dislikes : I felt bit of drag in the movie of Amitab convincing Paresh ravel to marry Tabu. What made Paresh rawal accept Amitab as Son-In-Law is not directed effectively.Comedy track is offbeat some times.

Overall a good movie to watch.

Movie trailer:

Labels: amitab, cheeni kum, movie review, Movies

No doubt many of us asked our self this question. Maybe you were sitting in a movie theater watching the movie when all of a sudden an actor whose talent you had admired or whose style had seemed so imprinted in your brain pops up in a average movie like Sivaji. A movie so not above your expectations, in fact, that it not only tarnishes them but makes you feel guilty for once believing in the director. After all, you had invested all your hopes on this person (Shankar), and now they're out there destroying every ones expectations.

Unless if you're a die-hard Rajni fan (like me), "Sivaji" is perfectly a mixed average movie experience.

Watching "Sivaji" you get the feeling that entire film was written, produced, shot and edited with out matching to Rajni's type and his style.

Let's look at the facts here - we've got one big and bunch of semi-big actors (big enough names for people to recognize, like Suman and Raghuvaran) in a relatively high-budget, high-scale flick created and produced by trendy much acclaimed and modern thinker the Director Shankar. You can tell they possibly expect us to take this movie seriously by releasing in the middle/end of a summer season with mega-budget, blockbuster music from A.R.Rahman and superstar.

The key to pulling off a message oriented movie like Sivaji is as simple as the reformer vs. anti-social,corrupted system, etc. is to keep the message clarity with realistic sample incidents (one black money case to build from) and dialogues. Well, "Sivaji" does dabble in that area both for campy humor and confusing theme, but also to seriously push the story along specially the first half.The lame comedy and first half shreya love sequence is some what offbeat to the movie and did not glue into the movie message.

Shankar did that perfectly of 'love sequence with the message' when Arjun and Manisha Koyirala acted in that one day chief minister movie.


There isn't much to say about the plot other than the obvious - it's about how black money can be put to good cause.

Second half is some what engages us in the movie.With many corrupted politicians and Suman in a kingmaker role stealing the show, but Sivaji’s portrayal of the conversion of rich to poor and from rags to riches being handled with subtlety.Super star as always gave his best in these sequences.

Overall I felt that movie would have been tailored to suit Super star status and style.

Note : Your movie experience might be different all here I'm trying to give my perspective on Shankar directing Rajni. Your experience may be very well different from mine.

Labels: movie review, Movies, sivaji

Movie Name : Nishabd
My Rating : ☼☼☼
Genre: Drama
Director: Ram Gopal Varma
Film Cast: Vijay (Amitabh Bachhan),Jia (Jiah Khan),Amrutha (Revathi), Sridhar (Nasser), Ritu (Shradha Arya) and Rishi (Aaftab Shivdasani)
Story : Vijay (age - 60) falls in love with his daughter's friend Jia (age - 18).The movie revolves around how social norms when broken creates complex family situations with wife , daughter and his friend.
Picture to left (courtesy Wiki).
Likes : The movie locations (reported in IMDB as Munnar,Kerla) are very good and camera man's picturisation showed the eye of photographer justifying the role of Amitabh in the movie as the fashion photographer.I like the way Ritu (Amitabh's daughter) clarifies Jia (Ritu's friend), the common misconception that photographers in India are seen as wedding or events photographers - projecting his dad as pro photographer does for fashion and hobby.The screenplay is good where the movie is built on how Vijay falls for his photography subject(Jia) when Jia wets herself with water.Young at heart but aging character instincts was nicely acted by Amitabh specially the one laughing scene at dining when Jia tickles him and grieving scene when news was revealed to the family.Jia's role as careless free going teenager whose troubled past made her looks rightly suited for the role.Isn't she looks like Manisha Koyirala in some angles ? I felt so at many instances probably my 1942-a love story, Manisha photo print in my brain.
Dislikes : It is not Ramu's type of movie.All his previous action/drama hit subject movies worked with mere words and more expressions.I felt the message of Jia's infatuation and Amitabh's love was not conveyed properly or not directed as effectively and these stories are against to social norms and difficult to absorb.More dialogues with minimal expressions might have given some relief.Revathi's role is minimized and should have given some weight at least some feelings of her role as Vijay's wife.
Movie trailer :

Labels: amitab, movie review, Movies, Nishabd