Category Archives: Movie Reviews by Telugu Box Office

LOFTY tribute to Jhansi Laxmi Bai – Manikarnika

Emotions never cease to exist when we get to know the character, integrity and patriotism of Queen Jhansi Laxmi Bai, as her life story unfolds in the form of the film MANIKARNIKA.

Rani Laxmi Bai’s courage radiates into a thousand chandeliers giving light and energy to people associated with her, and her kingdom of Jhansi. Her valour is an epitome for woman as an achiever. Fighting for weak and deprived is an added majestic charm to her royal crown. Trust and firm belief in her capabilities as a king among her people was an uncommon feat any woman warrior could dream for. Rani Laxmi Bai achieved it, and remained a true legend among the daughters and sons of Mother India. Kangana Ranaut nailed, the spirit and ethos of Rani Laxmi Bai and her people, of our past era, into the hearts of women and men of lndia living in the present era

A big salute to the director Krish Jagarlamudi for a sensitive portrayal of the film. Great writing by Vijayendra Prasad. Congratulations to the Producers Kamal Jain, Zee Studios, and other cast and crew the success of this outstanding film.

Finally KANGANA, KANGANA, KANGANA… you should admit now that God blessed you with this wonderful opportunity to enact Jhansi Laxmi Bai on the screen. And you lived into the character. Keep going… BRAVO.
Manikarnika Review


Kaala

Movie Review: Kaala

Rating: 2.5/5

Cast: 
Rajinikanth, Nana Patekar, Huma Qureshi, Eshwari Rao, Samuthirakani, Shayaji Shinde, Ravi Kala and Others

Music: Santhosh Narayanan

Cinematography: Murali

Producer: Dhanush

Story, Screenplay & Direction: Pa.Ranjith

Inspite of ‘Kabali’ disappointment, Rajinikanth teamed up with Pa.Ranjith again to make ‘Kaala’ which is based on the lives of slum-dwellers in Mumbai. Has they hit the bull’s eye at least in the second attempt? Let’s see…

Synopsis:

Kaala (Rajinikanth) is a leader who fights for the well-being of people living in Mumbai’s slum Dharavi. Political Leader Hari Dada (Nana Patekar) who controls rest of Mumbai couldn’t digest the domination of Kaala in Dharavi. Kaala objects his attempts to conquer the slum with Real Estate Mafia. What’s the outcome of the conflict between two powerful individuals forms rest of the tale.

Performances:

Rajinikanth’s screen presence, mannerisms and style quotient is pleasing to watch. He maintained such good energy levels even at the age of 67 and leaves a solid impact with his performance.

South Indians will realize the acting calibre of Nana Patekar with ‘Kaala’. He looks menacing despite remaining calm & his confrontation scenes with Rajini are delight to watch.

Eshwari Rao does a remarkable job. Even those who questioned her casting as Rajini’s Wife will appreciate her contribution upon watching the movie. Huma Qureshi, Samuthirakani and Anjali Patil did justice to their roles.

Pros:

Rajini-Nana Patekar Combo Scenes

Background Score

Pre-Interval Block

Cons:

Age-Old Story

Slow Narration

Second Half

Technicalities:

Songs composed by Santhosh Narayanan aren’t pleasing, particularly due to the Tamil Flavour. He did show his mark with Background Score & the contribution for Hero-elevation Scenes is priceless. Camera Work is impressive. Production Values are lavish. Dharavi set springs a surprise. Dialogues are well-written. Director Pa.Ranjith tried to correct few things which went wrong with ‘Kabali’ this time. He, however, wasn’t completely successful in delivering a wholesome entertainer. Ranjith not only failed to use Rajini’s charisma fully but also kept the narration painfully slow. 

Analysis:

Movie Lovers expect entertainment from films starring Rajinikanth. People crave for Thalaivar-mark hero elevation scenes irrespective of the story. ‘Kabali’ was a big disappointment as everyone expected Rajini to essay a larger-than-life role. Though Pa.Ranjith have good intentions, Telugu Audience couldn’t accept Superstar in such a weak character. This is why expectations on ‘Kaala’ have been pretty low right from the day first look posters were launched.

Once again, Ranjith preferred a story based on a social issue yet he tried sincerely to please Fans with hero elevation scenes. In ‘Kaala’, Rajinikanth appears as a man who represents the weaker sections. The Film is dead slow for the first 30-40 minutes. Pace picks up only in the pre-interval block. Confrontation scene between Hero & Villain before the Interval is a major highlight. The manner in which heroism was elevated without an action block is really pleasing to watch.

After this scene, Expectations increase on the Second Half. Ranjith fails in other aspects though the confrontation scenes between Rajini & Nana Patekar are designed well. The kind of entertainment Movie Buffs expect from Rajinikanth goes missing in the Second Half. Clashes & Painful Stories shown here mayn’t appeal to everyone. Running the film on a single thread is a bit let down. 

‘Kaala’ ends up as an ordinary movie after Rajinikanth launches a people’s movement. Lack of novelty in the story and repetitive scenes act as spoilers. Tamil Flavour in music and scenes mayn’t be appreciated by Telugu Audience. Overall, What’s being delivered by Ranjith won’t be pleasing even hardcore Rajini Fans completely.

Bottom Line: Half Rajini – Half Ranjith!


Review : Meda Meeda Abbayi- Allari’s bad run continues

The success of Meda Meeda Abbayi is so important for Allari Naresh that it can make or break his career. The film has finally hit the screens today and read on to see whether it will save his career or not.

Story:-
Srinu(Allari Naresh) is a die hard movie buff who wants to make it big in films. To realize his dreams he starts his journey to Hyderabad. In the train, he accidentally lands a selfie with the heroine Nikhila Vimal. But he does not know that very simple selfie of his will turn his life upside down and put him in sorts of troubles. What are those and how he comes out is the whole story about?
 
Performances:
For the first time, Allari Naresh has tried to put a straight face and made other do comedy. Looks like this also has not worked as Naresh looks quite dull and does not have much to do in the film. Hyper Aadi is the only man who provides some comedy with his one liners. His role as a sidekick works well all over the film. Nikhila Vimal makes a simple debut and does not have much greatness to talk about. 
 
Technical Aspects:-
Director Prajith has failed to recreate the magic from the original. He has made the film even worse with his horrible narration. Not once during the second half do things look good. Even though songs play in the background they are a torture. The point of getting a man into problems because of selfie looks quite silly. Production values are decent. The screenplay is so bland that things get boring for the audience right from the start of the second half.
 
Highlights:-
  1. Hyper Aadi’s comedy
Minus Points:-
  1. Basic theme of the film
  2. Boring execution
  3. Lack of enough entertainment
Summary:-
Looks like Allari Naresh has to wait even longer to get a hit. Firstly, he needs to get things right script wise. He is good at over the top comedy and he should stick to simple films. Films like Meda Meea Abbayi will not take him closer to success and you too our audience please do not go anywhere near this film.
 
Rating 2 

Review- Yuddham Saranam- 2.25 Silly Revenge Drama

Naga Chaitanya is trying out different films one after the other. His new film, Yuddham Saranam is out in the open and read on to see how much does it impresses us.

Story:-

Rao Ramesh and Revathi are both doctors and spend a peaceful life with their family. One fine day, they happen to see a brutal murder and Nayak played by Srikanth is behind it. Things get worse with time and they get killed in a mysterious situation. Left with no choice, the younger son(Naga Chaitanya) of the couple takes things in his hands and plans a revenge. How does he do that is the whole story about.

Performances:

Naga Chaitanya does well in his tailor made role. His body language and personality suit the film really well. His chemistry with Lavanya is good but has not been exploited well. Lavanya has nothing much to do in the film.

 

 Revathi and Rao Ramesh do a superb job in their respective roles. Murali Sharma plays the cop with a humorous touch. Priyadarshi is wasted. And coming to Srikanth, his role starts off well but he is made a joker by the end of the film.

Technical Department:-

The film looks very classy and has been shot very stylishly. Music by Vivek Sagar is disappointing and his background score was even more horrible. Not once during the second half does he elevates the proceedings. 

 

The film is screenplay based but the young director failed to handle the screenplay well during the second half and creates confusion for the audience. The story and narration are ages old and have nothing new.

Highlights

Chaitanya Performance
Family emotions

Minus Points:

Second Half
Weak Villain
Bad Narration

Summary:-

There is nothing wrong in choosing an old revenge story for your film. But it is on the director to narrate the film with some good moments and racy screenplay. Sadly, all these are missing in Yuddham Saranam and makes for a boring watch for the audience. Just wrap up the first half and get out of the theaters as the film falls from there on.

Rating: 2.25 – Silly Revenge Drama

 


Review Paisa Vasool 2.75 Only for Nandamuri Fans

Nandamuri Balakrishna always shares a love and hate relationship with his fans but his fans love him to no extent. So, for them, Balayya has come in a mass avatar in the form of Paisa Vasool which is out today. With Balayya impress and give Puri his much-needed break, read on to find out.

Story:-

The entire police force is after a mafia don called Bob Marley who is based in Europe. So, in order to nab him, a cranky gangster called Teda Singh(Balakrishna) is hired. But the twist in the tales arises when a journalist(Shreya) also gets involved in all this setup and makes things even worse for Teda Singh. How will this cranky Teda Singh sets things right and what is his actual story is the film all about.

Cast and Performances:-

Balyya Babu is in full form as Teda Singh. He exactly gives what his fans want and that is fun. Balayya’s punch dialogues are a riot and the way he fights all the goons are laced with humor. Especially the mannerisms that Balayya does in the film will be a rage with the masses. 

 

Shreya Saran has a tiny role but looks drop dead gorgeous. Kyra Dutt looks cheap in the role of an ACP. Muskaan Sethi is cute but she has not been used well. Rest of the cast is the same tabla batch from Puri’s old films.

Technical Department:-

The film has some grand visuals and some songs are pretty good. Screenplay by Puri Jagan is routine and does not have that edge. Background score is pathetic and has no effect at all. Puri Jagan needs to be blamed for writing such a poor story for Balakrishna. 

 

It is nothing but a boring remix of his hit film Pokkiri. Not once does the plot excites you at all as all the proceedings are easily predictable and you know what is exactly going to happen next. 

Highlights :

Balayya’s role
Songs

Minus Points :

Copied story
Routine screenplay
Boring execution

Summary :

Paisa Vasool is one film which is only for hardcore Balayya fans. If you prepare you self in that manner then Balayya and Puri will give you full time pass. The only thing you need to ignore is the routine story and the jaded narration. This one is only for Nandamuri fans and no on else.

 


Review : Arjun Reddy – Tollywood Reaches New Heights

Arjun Reddy’s mania has hit all over the Telugu states. The film which is eagerly awaited has hit the screens today. Will it live up to its expectations, just read on to see and find it out yourself?
 
Story:-
 
Arjun Reddy(Vijay Devarakonda) is a surgeon who in a relationship with one of his juniors(Shalini) from college. But tragedy strikes the couple as the heroine’s father forces her to leave Arjun and gets her married against her will. This break up shatters Arjun’s dream and he goes bonkers. What kind of trauma does he go through and how does he come out is the story of the film.
 
Cast & Performances :
 
Vijay Devarakonda gives the performance of a life time. Such a wild and intense performance you might have surely not seen in the last five years for sure. The way he shows his agony and is unapologetic about it is the biggest plus. His role will shock you and at the same time feel bad for him. Newcomer Shalini is apt as the calm lover. Hero’s friend Rahul Ramakrishna is superb as the friend who supports the hero all time. His role is the biggest key for Arjun Reddy’s impact. Rest of the supporting cast is pretty good.
 
Technical Department :
 
The set up is so contemporary that no Telugu film has come out like this in the recent time. The film looks raw, sober and at the same time quite wild. This is ably supported by the brilliant background score and amazing camera work. Director Sandeep Reddy is a man to watch out for as he has put the Telugu cinema on to another level. He has dreamt of things which no one could and has also succeeded in it which is a great thing in Telugu films. 
 
Highlights:-
 
Vijay Devarakonda’s performance
Hard Hitting break up scenes
Superb Narration
 
Minus Points:-
 
Lengthy Run Time
 
Summary:-
 
Arjun Reddy is one film which will stay with you even after you come out of the theaters. It is one of the most progressive films made ever on Telugu screens and will be a rage with the youth. It is shocking, intense, riveting and entertaining in its own way. Don’t miss such films as they are made very rarely
 
Rating 3.5

 

 

 


Review : Vivekam- Overdose of Action

Ajith’s Vivekam which was being promoted quite heavily in Tamil was not much known in Telugu except for the A centers. Now, the Telugu version has also released and let us see whether it has any depth in it to survive at the box office.
 
Story:-
 
Ajith is an army officer who gets cheated by his own friend played by Vivek Oberoi. Not only does he gets cheated, he also is named as a serious terrorist. There is more to the story as Vivek Oberoi is also on a nuclear mission which will destroy India on a huge level. Rest of the film is all about how a wounded soldier prevents this deadly attack and save his country.
 
Cast & Performances
 
Ajith is the only one who saves the film from becoming a disaster. His hard work shows on screen as he has worked hard on the body and also on the action part. As he looks quite handsome, he is top notch as the army man. Kajal has absolutely nothing to do in the film but she looks good. Vivek Oberoi is always good in negative roles and here too, he impresses nicely.
 
Technical Department
 
Director Shiva lost the plot completely as he only focused on the action part. His narration lacked the grip and made the viewers get irritated with over dose of action. Anirudh’s background score was even more painful and left everyone bleeding in their ears. Locations were amazing and the film has some amazing camera work. Production values were good and the money spent was clearly shown on screen. Second half was better when compared to the first.
 
Highlights:-
  1. Ajith
  2. Locations
Minus Points:-
  1. Overdose of Action
  2. Unclear narration
  3. No Entertainment
Summary:-
 
Vivekam is only for hardcore Tamil Ajith fans. The makers have cleverly packaged all of Ajith’s mass elements which would work in Tamil Nadu but in Telugu states, the film will not be liked because of the heavy dose of action. If you are the one who loves action films and don’t mind an aged looking hero, you can give this film a go. But the rest, watch Arjun Reddy instead.
 
Rating : 2

Review: Anando Brahma – Time pass horror comedy

[review]

Too many horror comedies are made in Telugu and now one more film in the same genre has come out which is titled Anando Brahma. The film which has Taapsee has managed to hit the cinema screens today. Well, let’s see how much difference does it make.
 
Story:-
 
The story is about four bunch of losers who want money at any cost. One among them played by Srinivasa Reddy manages to find a job which is to stay in a haunted house for two days. And if they manage to do it he gets a lot of money. For this, he brings three of his friends Vennela Kishore, Shakalaka Shankar and Tagubothu Ramesh to take on the mission. Will they be successful or not is the whole film about.
 
Cast and performances:-
 
Srinivasa Reddy is the main stay and he evokes good humor with his heart problem syndrome. Vennela Kishore is hilarious as a partially blind man. His combination scenes with Reddy are very good. Tagubothu Ramesh is apt for his kind of roles but Shakalaka Shankar steals the show with his hilarious act. Time and again he has been giving out these stunning performances which elevate the film well. Rajeev Kanakala does the negative role quite convincingly.
 
Technical Department:-
 
The film is made on a low budget and the makers will earn good because of the good collections that the film will receive. There are no songs which are a huge plus. Dialogues are a lot of fun. Editing is sleek as the film is only 2 hours long. Director Mahi is the winner as he narrated the simple script without any confusion and lot of entertainment. The second half is good when compared to the first making this film a good time pass.
 
Highlights:-
 
Shakalaka Shankar
Vennela Kishore
Second Half
 
Minus Points:-
 
Slow First half
Lack of Story
 
 
 [review]
 

Review : LIE- Good script with average execution

 [review]

The makers of LIE have invested a lot of money on Nithin who is high after the super successful A.Aa. The action thriller has hit the screens today and has debutante Megha Akash as the female lead. Read on to see what sort of fun has Nithin in store for us. 

Story:

Satyam(Nithin) is a happy go lucky youth from Hyderabad whose only dream is to earn huge money. For this, he plans to head to the US and marry an NRI and settle down in life. His dream is made true with the help of Megha Akash who also accompanies him abroad. But to Satyam’s bad luck, both he and Megha get locked in the deadly conspiracy of a criminal called Padmanabhan played by Arjun. What is this chaos all about and what is the LIE all about?

 
Cast & Performances :
The film is completely Arjun’s show to the last scene. Even though Nithin is the hero, Arjun’s bad guy role is what will impress you right away. His looks, mannerisms, and different get ups are to die for in the film. Debutante Megha Akash looks below average and does not bring any eye candy to the film. Finally, Nithin looks handsome and does his role to the T. He has developed his dialogue delivery and is now at ease in front of the camera. Hero’s friend Madhu irritates you to no extent.
 
Technical Department:-
 
For the first time, director Hanu Raghavapudi has come up with a heavy subject and his plot is very good. But the man faltered in the way he narrated the film as many things go wrong. Firstly, the run time of the film is quite high which it should not be for a thriller. Then the heroine and hero’s love track is outright silly and does not evoke any romance. Background score is very good by Mani Sharma and the film also looks very rich in scale. The hero-villains track is good but the rest becomes boring and predictable at times.
 
Highlights:-
  • Arjun
  • Rich Visuals
 
Minus Points:-
  • Lack of Emotions
  • Over the top scenes
  • Lag in narration
 [review]
 

Review : Darsakudu- Fails to Entertain

 
[review]
 
Post the success of Kumari 21F, Sukumar has given a chance to yet another director for his new home production Darshakudu which has hit the screens today. Read on to see how the film is.

Story:-

A struggling director played by Ashok wants to make a love story to prove his mettle. After a lot of struggle, he somehow manages to get the film. He starts making a love story but in order to get a real feel for his film, he traps a costume designer(Esha Rebba) and puts his own love story facets in the film. What problems do these situations pose to the girl is the whole story about.

Cast and Performances:-

Debutante Ashok is strictly okay looks wise but suits the role well. However, his performance is not that good and a better actor should have been chosen for this film. Heroine Eesha Rebba is beautiful and is at ease in her role of a costumes designer. She is convincingly good and will have a long way to go in Telugu cinema. YouTube star Sudharshan played hero’s sidekick and has done a decent job.

Technical Department:-

Sai Karthik’s music is very disappointing as not even one song is worth a mention. But the BGM is some solace to the film as it elevates the film nicely. Cinematographer Praveen Anumolu showcases the film nicely even though it is a medium budget film. Director Jakka Hari Prasad’s debut is very disappointing as the film does not have that masala or grip that a film based on the industry has. The narration is bland and does not give you any high. 

Highlights

Esha Rebba
Interesting Story Line

Minus Points:-

Lag in narration
Hero’s performance
Lack of entertainment

Summary:-

Films based on the film industry need to be very entertaining or quite realistic. But Darshakudu does not fit in any of those categories and does not provide any novelty from Sukumar and his production house. Even the new faces do not help matters and make this film a daunting experience for the audience.

[review]