Mammootty's Best Actor is a Super Hit

BEST ACTOR - REVIEW

Best Actor is a Super Hit!!

Debutant director Martin Prakkat’s Best Actor is about a school teacher, who wants to become a film actor.
He has to go through hardships and some shameful treatments, just like any other wannabe actor, but things really go out of hand when he joins a goonda gang to earn some ‘original experience’. Well, it is a nice and simple story but the problem here is that it too predictable and lacks the fizz to a great extent.

Mohan (Mammootty) teaches in a school, but dreams about getting into films. He approaches several filmmakers for a role, without any success. His wife Savitri (Sruthi Ramakrishna) and their son, is confident about his credentials and always support him, in his attempts to get a break.

There is an inherent sincerity about the film, which is to be appreciated. Mammootty has given his heart and soul to his character, of a person who is never a conventional ‘macho-hero’. It is amazing that an actor of his experience and stature could handle the role in such an understated manner. But the film takes too much time in its narration and things often get painfully slow at several occasions.

Lal, Nedumudi Venu, Salim Kumar and Vinayakan are part of a criminal gang and the story gets some pace with their entry. The four make the whole atmosphere quite lively with their mannerisms and the peculiar ‘Kochi slang’. They pep up the scenes with some witty one-liners initially, but soon after some of those dialogues get unacceptably vulgar.

The story often moves ahead without a definite direction right from the beginning and the lack of an interesting script is evident mostly. The highly conventional way that the film unfurls also tends to be a letdown. Some of the scenes and even dialogues have been inspired from yesteryear films in the genre.

The visuals are good and the music is just about okay. Sreenivasan has a brief role as a film director and some of the mainstream filmmakers from Malayalam like Lal Jose, Ranjith and Blessy among others also appear in the film which gives some kind of believability to the storyline. The rest of the cast, including Kannada actor Sruthi Ramakrishna, has performed pretty fine

However, Best actor is in full swing and it is sure that it will become a Megahit of Megastar Mammootty.


MammoottySpecial Rating : 4/5 

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Mammootty turns Film Maker

The actor's first venture as a producer will be a follow-up to the award-winning Mathilukal

It's the last schedule of his debut Kannada film, Shikari, and Malayalam superstar Mammootty is already speaking a smattering of Kannada. "Kannada isn't very different from Malayalam and if you listen carefully you can easily understand it," says Mammootty. But more than the language, it's the songs that excite Mammootty about his stint in Sandalwood. "I've realised that Kannada films have beautiful songs. Like Malayalam, Kannada songs are heavily influenced by Carnatic music. That's what makes them special," he says.
With the Abhay Simha-directed Shikari set to go into post-production, Mammootty is ready to move back to home territory. His Best Actor is ready for release and Best of Luck and August 15 are shaping up nicely, he says as he flicks out his iPad and scans the posters of his forthcoming movies.

The next couple of months are going to be action-packed. Not only will he be busy with new films and a reality TV show, but also with planning his first home production. "Since we launched the production house, we were concentrating on distributing other films. But now the time is right to launch our own production, Mathilukalkapuram," says the actor. But it's not a sequel to the 1989 film Adoor Gopalakrishnan-directed Mathilukal, which won Mammootty a National Award for Best Actor. "It's an extension to Mathilukal. It takes off where Mathilukal ends," says Mammootty, adding that the search is still on for a female lead, "preferably someone who can speak fluent Malayalam."

The actor is also looking forward to coming back to the city with a cultural programme put together by Malayalam film artistes for the benefit of their association, AMMA. "The industry rallied together to make Twenty-Twenty to raise money for a pension fund for ailing artistes. We figured that cultural shows taken across cities raise funds far easier. One such show should see me coming back to the city sometime in February," he says.

WikiLeaks founder arrested

Julian Assange's lawyer was arranging to deliver the WikiLeaks founder to British police for questioning in a sex-crimes investigation of the man who has angered Washington by spilling thousands of government secrets on the internet.

Lawyer Mark Stephens told reporters in London that the Metropolitan Police had called him to say they had received an arrest warrant from Sweden for Assange. Assange has been staying at an undisclosed location in Britain.

"We are in the process of making arrangements to meet with police by consent," Stephens said on Monday, declining to say when Assange's interview with police would take place.

The 39-year-old Australian is wanted on suspicion of rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion in Sweden, and the case could lead to his extradition. Interpol placed Assange on its most-wanted list on Nov. 30 after Sweden issued an arrest warrant. Last week, Sweden's highest court upheld the detention order.

Assange has denied the accusations, which Stephens has said stem from a "dispute over consensual but unprotected sex." The lawyer has said the Swedish investigation has turned into a "political stunt."

The pressure on WikiLeaks mounted from other quarters Monday: Swiss authorities closed Assange's bank account, depriving him of a key fundraising tool. And WikiLeaks struggled to stay online despite more hacker attacks and resistance from world governments, receiving help from computer-savvy advocates who have set up hundreds of "mirrors" - or carbon-copy websites - around the world.

Filmmaker Manish Acharya passes away

Young and maverick Indie film maker Manish Acaharya who shot into prominence with his very first film Loins of Punjab Presents ( he even co-wrote and produced it ) passed away a short while ago today.

Manish is the third filmmaker who has died young this year. First it was Sourabh Usha Narang, then Pankaj Advani, now Manish Acharya.

Manish was also associated with films like Luck By Chance and Sita Sings the Blues ( Narrator ) had done his MFA in Film Directing from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts. He also had degrees in Physics and Industrial Relations and was the founding member of a successful software startup that went public in 1998, after which he went to NYU.

Indiaglitz offers condolences and prayers to the departed soul and his family.

Gokulam Gopalan buys Manmadhan Ambu

Leading producer and distributor Gokulam Gopalan has purchased the Kerala theatrical rights of Kamal Haasan's Manmadhan Ambu. It is one of the most eagerly awaited Tamil films, which is due for release on December 17 worldwide. The film a romantic comedy is produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin and directed by KS Ravikumar has Kamal Haasan, Trisha, Madhavan and Sangeetha. Malayalam actors Kunjan and Manju Pillai is also there in the cast Recently the audio of the film which has music by Devi Sri Prasad was launched with a lot of fanfare. Manmadhan Ambu is likely to release in 70 to 80 screens in Kerala on Dec 17, depending on theatre availability. The film will be clashing with Malayalam biggies due for Christmas like Mammooty's Best Actor, Mohanlal's Kandahar and Dileep's Maryum Kunjadum.

Chikku Bukku - Review

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CHIKKU BUKKU - REVIEW


Debutant director Manikandan has remixed his mentor Jeeva’s success formula of filmmaking.


He has taken the basic thread from Bollywood rom-com’s, mixed it with exotic locations, eye catching picture postcard shots, stylishly shot songs, trendy costumes along with beautiful people.


The film opens in Karaikudi of 1985 and then cuts to London of 2010. Arjun (Arya) is a popular DJ who likes chasing skirts and updating his Facebook profile.


He lives with his grandmother, who asks him to go back to his home town in Karaikudi and reclaim his ancestral mansion, which is being dismantled by his relatives who have pledged it to a local moneylender.


Anu (Shriya) is a modern, happy go-lucky girl MBA student who is going back to her family in Madurai. Arjun and Anu meet at Bangalore airport, after their onward flight to Madurai gets cancelled. They pretend to be newly married couple so that they can travel on a cancelled reserved railway ticket to Madurai.


Meanwhile, Arjun stumbles on an old diary written by his father, which has been kept in his bag by his grandmother. The diary reveals his father Sekhar’s (Arya) romantic past in Karaikudi, when he fell madly in love with Meenal (Preetika), daughter of a school principal. Sekhar’s family was opposed to their love as Meenal was from a different caste.


The film then narrates both romances side by side using a very interesting device by casting Arya as father and son. The narrative inevitably flips back and forth between son Arya’s blooming romance with Shriya and father Arya’s deep rooted love for Preetika.


Ten minutes into the film and you know that you are watching a Tamil cocktail of Bollywood’s most successful romance king Imtiaz Ali’s-Jab We Met and Love Aaj Kal! It is watchable in parts, but moves like a slow passenger train. We have some poignant moments interrupted by forced comedy of Santhanam and co thrust into the narration making it irksome. There are some good scenes but unfortunately moments like these are few and far between.


Arya has slowly but surely turning into a dependable star as he is improving with each film particularly on his dialogue delivery and dancing. As both Sekhar and the charming Arjun he is consistently watchable. Shriya looks cute and fits into the role of chatter-box Anu to a T. However, it is debutant Preetika who is the surprise packet and she has a scorching screen presence. She is promising and knows how to use her eyes and body language to her advantage.


The film, despite its slow pace has great chemistry and mad cap moments.


(SIFY)

Review - Raktha Charitra

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Rakta Charitra - Review


After a strong criticism that it was nothing but brutality ripped out, Raktha Charitra – 1 won accolades from the masses, and it turned out to be a cool hit. Now, its sequel, Raktha Charitra-2 unfolds the blood and gore.

Yet, the entertainment comes in a convincing way, with a message overpowering it that behind the manslaughter and vengeful murders, there is bound to be a shocking story of bitter enmity between the two families, set in the backdrop of the dreaded faction cult of Rayalaseema.

The uniqueness of Ram Gopal Varma is that he has brought to play history, fit for a documentary, in a commercial format, certainly a bold attempt which only an RGV could dare. RC-1 dealt with the raise of Pratap Ravi (replica of Paritala Ravi, the slain Penugonda strongman in Anantapur district) as a demigod of the underdog. Paritala Ravi).

The part-2 is introduces a new thread, though it has an unbreakable link with its prequel. Anyways, a mention to second part without dwelling into part one would confuse the readers. The major challenge before RGV is to make the sequel more gripping than its prequel.

Tamil hero Suriya (the replica of Maddelacheruvu Suri, the arch rival of Paritala Ravi in real life) enacts the role of Surya, vengeance personified. He is desperate to settle scores with Pratap Ravi. Failing in one of the attempts on his rival, Suriya surrenders before the court and gets jailed. From the jail, he enacts the cold-blooded murder of Pratap Ravi. More than characters, emotions speak a lot here.

There are many questions to be answered here. Who is Surya? Why does he want to liquidate his rival`s life? In what ways are the families involved in this bloodbath? Truly, RGV has injected the element of human pathos in its strong sense, rather than merely treating the subject from the point of view of entertainment.

This sequel is dominated more by the conspiracy theories which prevailed in the real-life circumstances between the two families. RGV showed a lot of concern for both the families and his urge to make the public know the facts as to what had really transpired between the two parties.

Performances are consistently of a towering quality. Vivek Oberoi finished his role with extraordinary perfection, delivering an equally powerful presence in thesequel. But, definitely, the cynosure is Suriya here. He turned into a powerhouse of aggressive and forceful performances, which the Indian cinema in the recent years has not felt.

Shatrughan Sinha (NTR) is relegated to a jiffy. Sudeep, with a silent package in RC-1 steals the show in the sequel. Priyamani (as Bhawani, Suriya`s wife) performed the role neatly, but rather deglamorised in tune with the demand for reality on the screen. Radhika Apte (playing Pratap Ravi`s wife) glues the audience to their seats when she starts confronting the situation. Subhalekha Sudhakar is a surprise, playing one of the vital roles. All others did deliver the best from their side.

The story is more or less based on the real life incidents between Paritala Ravi and Maddelacheruvu Suri families. As expected, RGV did not miss the infamous Jubilee Hills bomb blast episode, but the climax – the murder of Pratap Ravi - would rather be unconvincing to the hardcore watchers of the Rayalaseema facton cult.

The narration is slow, but the screenplay is gripping and in some scenes, it leaves the audience spellbound. The background score is the lifeline of the film, with the climax song – `Kathulatho Sahavasam`– reverberating in the ears of the audience as they leave the theatres. Cinematography is impressive. The action sequences look real, but blood and gore gross people at times. Being the sage of vengeance with violence, dialogues are laced with the required punches.

(SIFY)

Raktha Charithra - Review


This is perhaps the first time in Bollywood that a single story is broken into two parts (RAKHT CHARITRA and RAKHT CHARITRA 2) by the same director. And both parts have released in quick succession, which is a laudable effort indeed. Ram Gopal Varma's PHOONK 2, which was a sequel in true sense, carried the same story of PHOONK ahead, but there was a decent gap between the two films. On the other hand, GOLMAAL, DHOOM and MUNNABHAI series had completely different stories and there was a sufficient gap between two parts. Barring the main characters, there wasn't anything similar between the installments.

RAKHT CHARITRA 2 marks the entry of Surya in Bollywood. He wasn't part of RAKHT CHARITRA. A humongous name down South, he starred in the Tamil version of GHAJINI in 2005. Aamir Khan starred in its Hindi version in 2008.

Ram Gopal Varma continues the revenge saga in RAKHT CHARITRA 2 that he started in RAKHT CHARITRA. In case you missed the first part, fret not. RAKHT CHARITRA 2 starts off with approximately 25 minutes footage from the first part.

The films trace the life of Pratap Ravi (Vivek Oberoi). While the first part was about his rise, the second part is about how his enemy Surya (Surya) takes revenge. What Pratap did to Surya that makes him want to kill him is what RAKHT CHARITRA 2 is all about. Bhawani (Priyamani) plays Surya's wife. All the other characters are the same as the first part.

RAKHT CHARITRA 2 is not a bad film. It's disappointing because it falls in comparison with the first part. Although there is bloodshed, violence and gruesome murders that take place, RAKHT CHARITRA 2 is definitely not as gory as the previous part. Ramu doesn't carry on the momentum and tautness that he had established in RAKHT CHARITRA. It even lacks the drama which was the highpoint of RAKHT CHARITRA.

(glamsham)

Preview - Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji

Produced by Madhur Bhandarkar’s Bhandarkar Entertainment and Kumar Mangat Pathak’s Wide Frame Pictures, DTBHJ is a romantic comedy starring Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, ‘3 Idiots’ famed Omi Vaidya in the male leads and Shruti Hassan, Shazahn Padamsee and Shraddha Das in the female leads. It is for the first time that realistic and hard hitting and National Award winning Filmmaker Madhur, who is known for making out of league films, is directing a Romantic Comedy on the slice of life. The music in the film is by Pritam.

The Story

With DTBHJ Madhur Bhandarkar, for the first time explores the genre of romantic comedy within realistic parameters. It is a slice of life film about three men and their encounters with love. A listless Naren Ahuja (Ajay Devgn), well into his thirties and going through a divorce, falls in love with a vibrant and bubbly June Pinto (Shazahn Padamsee) who has just stepped out of her teens. Milind Kelkar (Omi Vaidya), a naive poet and an idealistic lover, is besotted by an ambitious and practical Gungun Sarkar (Shraddha Das) who is determined to follow her dreams and a charming Casanova Abhay (Emraan Hashmi), starts feeling an alien emotion called love, when he feels increasingly drawn towards Nikki (Shruti Hassan), a modern girl who knows her wants and speaks her mind.

Struggling to cope with modern women and contemporary relationships, these three men go through a fun filled roller coaster ride of emotions with its constant highs and lows that usually accompany love. But will they succeed in their quest for happiness or love? Or does destiny have different plans for them? With its real characters and relatable situations, DTBHJ, takes a humorous look at love and the extent people will go to escape or attain it.

Thus 'Dil Toh Baccha hai Ji', with its real characters and relatable situations, takes a funny look at love and the extent people will go to avoid it or achieve it! It’s a film that promises to bring a smile to your face!

The Arrival

'Dil Toh Baccha hai Ji' is waiting to unfold on screens on 28th January 2011.

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey gets U/A certificate

The yet to be released Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey has been in the news for all reasons possible, and now yet again the film is in the spotlight, this time its for the film's certification. The Ashutosh Gowariker film has been given a U/A certificate, the justification for the same is that the violence in the film is towards children and therefore parental guidance becomes imperative.

The film based on Chittagong uprising against the Britishers, had a lot of kids who fought in it and most of them were underage. Therefore the film shows a lot of young actors in violent situations. Says Sunita Gowariker "The film has a lot children dying therefore censor board is of the opinion that kids must be accompanied with parents who can explain to them the relevance and context of it." When asked if she is happy with the censor board's decision she said "I am myself a mother of two kids and I completely understand the censor board's stance."

Madhuri Dixit Now on Twitter !!

Yes, the ravishing Mrs. Nene has now entered the micro-blogging block.

Recently the Dhak Dhak beauty Madhuri Dixit joined the social networking site Twitter and she was welcomed by her juniors in the industry.

"For all of my fans, finally I have joined Twitter. Love, Madhuri," quotes the actress’s first tweet.

In Bio section, her description goes thus – “Finally I have created a twitter ID and jumped on the web. This is the real Madhuri Dixit. So join me everyone.” Already the charming actress has nearly 11,188 followers.

Welcoming Madhuri, Hrithik Roshan on his site, "People!!!! Let's welcome the one n only @MadhuriDixit1 !! Twitter just turned BEAUTIFUL. Welcome mam! Love n respect! :)"

Following the suit, Sonam Kapoor retweeted it by adding "Super excited!!"

Madhuri Dixit is currently in Mumbai for few months. She will be judging a dance reality show.

Follow Maduri Dixit on http://twitter.com/MadhuriDixit1

Aamir Khan, Dhobi Ghat - Trailer

Review - Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey

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Review - Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey (Bollywood Hungama)
Adapting a work of literature into a movie is an arduous task. Satyajit Ray's 'Apu Trilogy' [PATHER PANCHALI, APARAJITO and APUR SANSAR] was based on two Bengali novels written by Bibhuthibhushan Bandopadhyay. Ray's SHATRANJ KE KHILADI was based on Munshi Premchand's short story of the same name. In fact, film-makers have always been fascinated by best-selling books/novels for adapting into feature films. Mira Nair's THE NAMESAKE, P.C. Barua, Bimal Roy and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's DEVDAS, Pradeep Sarkar's PARINEETA, Rajkumar Hirani's 3 IDIOTS, Atul Agnihotri's HELLO and the recent AISHA have been adapted from literary works. Even in Hollywood, LORD OF THE RINGS, HARRY POTTER, NARNIA and many more have been successfully adapted from novels by reputed names.

However, if you analyze the past, you will realize that not all movies adapted from novels/short stories have set the cash registers jingling at the box-office. Films like PINJAR, PAHELI, RAINCOAT and international experiments like BRIDE AND PREJUDICE and THE MISTRESS OF SPICES have found very few takers in the past.


This is not the first time Ashutosh Gowariker has adapted a book into a film. KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY is yet another book-to-movie adaptation by this talented storyteller [this one is based on the book 'Do And Die: The Chittagong Uprising 1930-34' by Manini Chatterjee]. Again, this is not the first time Ashutosh Gowariker has revisited the bygone era. He did it successfully in LAGAAN [period], then JODHAA AKBAR [historical] and now KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY [period].

Recreating the bygone era is indeed demanding, laborious and strenuous. It's a challenge to present the era convincingly. Besides extensive detailing to lend authenticity, the director carries the responsibility of making the characters come alive to the present-day generation. Gowariker has successfully done that in the past and does it successfully yet again in KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY.


Once the film-maker takes on the task of depicting a chapter from history, it's imperative that he/she remains factual to the depiction of the revolution, giving an accurate account of what actually transpired in that period. But details alone won't help, it needs to be well dramatized for the big screen. There's a vast difference in the style novels are written, but one needs to take extra care to make it film friendly. While I may not be able to comment on whether Gowariker has been faithful to the book or tampered with it or implemented some changes, which may be necessary to suit the tastes of the present-day spectators and make it more palatable, I would definitely like to say that what comes across on screen is very absorbing, truly informative and exceptionally inspiring. 


Final word? The expectations from KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY are minimal, but you can't overlook the fact that it's a genuinely honest effort that needs to be encouraged and appreciated. I would like to add here that the promotional posters/billboards/promos don't create any impact whatsoever. Wish the makers would've looked into this very important aspect as well! 


1930, British India: In the province of undivided Bengal lies the sleepy, peaceful port of Chittagong. In this unassuming little town, a revolution is about to begin; a revolution which will forever wake all of Chittagong and inspire the entire nation.

April 18. 1 night. 5 simultaneous attacks. A band of 64 - 56 innocent yet fearless young boys, 5 defiant revolutionaries, 2 determined young women, and an idealistic leader [Surjya Sen], a school teacher by profession.

This group of 64 represents a little-known chapter in history; a forgotten night that reigned terror on the British through a series of calculated attacks. This is a true story of these forgotten heroes and the narrative takes us through every step of the action from the initial trepidation, to the thrill of the attack, to the underground movement, daring escapes and tragic captures, and most importantly, their undying legacy.

A film-maker of extensive aptitude and sensitivity, Gowariker's tryst with period films continues. Seems like he has worked himself to the grind in order to attain perfection. The writing [screenplay: Raoul V. Randolf and Ashutosh Gowariker] and execution of the material are so credible that it influences you to wonder if the writers and director were part of the revolution. The Bengali ethos and the behavioral patterns of the characters, recreating the etiquette and body language of people who lived in a different era along with their attire and styling and also their dwellings come across as very pragmatic. In fact, Gowariker has left no stone unturned to make a film that does justice to the event. 


KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY has almost entirely been shot in Goa and not Chittagong [now Bangladesh] because the location that was there in the 1930s no longer exists in that shape, I understand. However, the film captures the spirit and intensity to perfection. On the other hand, with Gowariker's films, the length/running time of the film is always a topic of discussion and that's a problem with KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY as well. The film has a running time of approx. 2.48 hours and the editor [Dilip Deo] and director could've easily trimmed a few fight sequences in the second half, to make the goings-on crisper.

Musically, KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY is embellished with soft and soothing compositions, but I have an issue with that. Sure, the album is high on patriotic sentiment, but the songs in the first hour act as a roadblock in the narrative. Ideally, it should've been a songless film. However, the background score [also by Sohail Sen] enhances every scene, making it more impactful. The production design [Nitin Chandrakant Desai] transports you to that era. It's that authentic. The stunts [Ravi Dewan] are true to life. Kiran Deohans and Seetha Sandhiri's cinematography captures the era to perfection.

Abhishek as Surjya Sen suits the character right. His character appears very fervent, but at the same time truly tranquil, incredibly unperturbed and really unruffled, which merges very well with the character of an educationalist that he illustrates. A freedom fighter with these attributes hasn't been presented in a motion picture before. Abhishek gets to the character a certain authority. The rebelliousness and boisterousness are depicted to perfection.

Deepika sheds her glam look and looks every bit the character she illustrates. Kudos to her first of all for accepting a challenging role [of a woman revolutionary of the 1930s] so early in her career and then almost living that character in the film, continuing to prove her mettle far ahead of her poise and exquisiteness. 


Sikander Kher leaves a terrific impression. He excels in several scenes. Vishakha Singh is a complete natural. She catches one's attention instantly. Samrat Mukerji, Maninder and Feroz Wahid Khan, each actor is earnest and sincere to the core. In fact, every actor in the film looks most convincing in their respective parts. I would like to make a special mention of the young artists [most of them seem like first-time performers], who have a very unpolluted/uninfluenced approach to acting. Brownie points to each one of them.


On the whole, KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY, based on the Chittagong rebellion, is an enlightening experience of a poignant, but little-known chapter in history. It's a film of immense significance which evokes a colossal patriotic fervor. A motion picture like KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY isn't created targeting the box-office solely. It's also made for the gratification of the senses. And that it does in sufficient measure. In an industry obsessed by opening weekend business and box-office records, this is one of those rare films that doesn't compromise on its gracious objectives for the sake of becoming more box-office friendly. At the same time, a film like KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY, although very well made, may not appeal to those who relish the customary kitsch and masala. Therefore, the film will have to rely on a very strong word of mouth to create any kind of an impression or impact at the box-office.


score - 4/5

Spotted at Airport : Shahrukh Khan & Piyanka Returns after Don 2 shoot

Amir Khan New Look with Different Moustache and Hairstyle

Rakta Charitra - Preview, Review

Raktha Charithra is based on lives of two bigwigs of Andhra Pradesh; Parithala Ravi and Maddalcheruvu Suri. In which, Vivek Oberai playing the role of Paritala Ravi on whose life the movie is based on, Surya portrays the character of Maddalcheruvu Suri, and Paritala Ravi’s opponent.


Cast: Vivek Oberoi, Suriya, Shatrughan Sinha, Abhimanyu Shekhar Singh, Sushant Singh, Zarina Wahab, Aashish Vidyarthi
Director: Ram Gopal Varma
Producer: Sheetal Vinod Talwar, Madhu Mantena
Music: Sukhwinder Singh, Bapi, Tutul
Sound: Jayesh Dhakkan
Cinematography: Amol Rathod
Editing: Nipun Gupta
Story/Writer: Prashant Pandey
Action Direction: Javed Eijaz

Ragada - Movie Gallery

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Nagarjuna's Ragada slated for release on Dec 23

King Nagarjuna’s ‘Ragada’ directed by Veeru Potla and produced by D Sivaprasada Reddy on the banner of Kamakshi Enterprises is all set for release on December 23 across the world.

Speaking on the occasion, producer says, ‘Nagarjuna is doing yet another prestigious film on our banner titled ‘Ragada’. We are planning to complete all the formalities and release the film on December 23 through out the world.

There was a tremendous response to the audio which was released recently. We are getting reports from all the areas that all the songs were good to listen and melodious. We are very happy that our film had become a musical hit.

Our film had all kinds of elements that could attract all classes of audiences. We produced film lavishly without any compromise. The grandeur could be watched on the screen. We are confident that the audiences would make our film a big hit.’


Nagarjuna's Ragada has completed its entire shooting except for a song.

At this rate the film is expected to hit the screens on December 17th as announced earlier despite the release of the other biggie, Venky's Nagavalli on the same day.

Looks like Venky and Nag, who are relatives, are now going to compete at the box-office.

But in Nagarjuna's case, two of his movies are releasing in the same month, Ragada and Gaganam. Now this is why we call December an exciting month.

Kollywood v/s Tollywood - Twenty:20 Cricket Match

A Twenty: 20 cricket match between Kollywood and Tollywood is being organized by actor Abbas in Dubai on December 2. 

It will feature all young stars from both these industries. 

Abbas said: "Five years back I had hosted a film star cricket match in Dubai, which was a huge hit. Now we hope to make it even more entertaining as the most of the young stars in both the sides have played club cricket. There is a huge population of south Indians in Dubai, who are sure going to turn up for the match".

He is going to be the captain of Kollywood cricket team consisting of the young guns like- Madhavan, Arya, Bharath, Jayam Ravi, , Jiiva,  Shanthanoo, Jai, Adharva, Vikrant and Nanda. The Tollywood team will be captained by Tarun and will have stars like Ravi Teja, Srikanth, Ayappa, Allari Naresh, Tarun and quite a few others.

Kanimozhi - Review

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Kanimozhi - Review (Sify)


Kanimozhi has tremendous title value, especially in the current political scenario. The film is basically a love story with an overdose of emotions, and yes, the characters have handled the scenes quite skillfully.

Rajesh (Jai) is an average middle class guy, his mothers pet, darling of his friends and added to that he takes everything in life in a positive manner. He has a fetish for writing diary and most of time; he takes a different route by scribing things that go wrong in his day-to-day life by giving it a happy ending.

He is smitten by a beautiful girl (Shazahn) (whose name he doesn’t know till the end) and starts believing that she likes him the same manner in which he does. After a series of incidents and scenes stitched together, he decides to express his love to her but what happens? This is the twist and what happens to our hero and how takes this forms the story.

Debutant Sripathy Rangasamy directs this wafer-thin-story with an easy hand, allowing the actors enough room to interpret their characters, but it's the writing here that's mundane. Most scenes lack the energy that was required to elevate this film into a different level, that it was intended to be. What you get is a promising but sadly tiresome film that feels too long even though it's less than two hours (115 minutes) in running time.

On the downside, the other-wise interesting premise is presented in an amateurish manner with hardly any cinematic touches. There are more problems in the film's second half but the climax makes up for it as the hero’s positive attitude in life comes across in a cute manner and you leave the theatre with a smile on your face.

Of the cast, Jai who is there is every frame of the film is endearingly likable and has come out with a natural performance, while the same cannot be said about Shazahn. She looks pretty and has been photographed well but could have invested more energy and emotion to her character as she has the same expression throughout.

Swathi of Subramaniapuram fame who comes in just one scene in the climax scores. The supporting cast mostly newcomers has all done their best. Music by Sathish Chakravarthy are just about ok but come as speed breakers.

Few filmmakers stick their necks out to tell difficult and different stories in these days of Made in Madurai films and mindless mass entertainers. For their intentions alone, the makers of Kanimozhi deserve a thumbs-up.

Kanimozhi - Review (OneIndia)

Considering that it was named Kanimozhi, many were under the impression that the film would have some relation to today’s political condition in Tamil Nadu. Fortunately or unfortunately, it does not. On the contrary, it is an age old love story with an overdose of philosophical twists. Both the screenplay and the story of the Tamil flick has failed to impress. But we must say that Sripathy Rangasamy had done a good job considering that this is his debut venture. At least, he has handled the lead characters well giving them individual spaces, albeit very few, to showcase their acting skills, but the actors refuse to make use of it to deliver a very lacklustring performance.

The story centers on a middle class boy Rajesh (played by Jai), who falls in love with a girl (played by Shazahn Padamsee). The strange thing is he never makes an attempt to know the name of his love interest till the end of the film! However, this boy believes that everything in life delivers positive results and hence the girl loves him too. It is when he decides to express his love that everything in his life changes. Will it change for good or for bad is something that you will have to visit theaters to know!

Even in this extremely poor storyline, Jai puts up an average performance as Rajesh. But lead actress Shahzahn Padamsee is an utter disappointment. She manages to look good but puts on only a single expression throughout the movie. The only good part of Kanimozhi is its running time. With less than two hours of screen time, it means less torture for viewers of the Tamil flick.

Nandalala - Review

New Feature in South Showbiz : We are providing different reviews of the specified movie, You can compare between Reviews.

Nandalala - Review (MSN)

Mysskin's 'Nandalala', which has finally hit the screens long after it had been completed, has come out as a movie with artistic features without losing the popular elements.

Though the accusations that he has 'adapted' the theme of Japanese film 'Kikujiro' are quite reasonable, there is no denying the fact that Mysskin has proved yet again that he is a good filmmaker. He has the talent to transfer the emotions on screen across to the audiences - which is something unique.

'Nandalala' is all about two people who are in search of their mothers. Destiny puts them together. They travel through several places to reach their respective destinations.

The journey by Bhaskar (Mysskin), who is mentally disturbed, and Akhilesh (Ashwath Ram), a schoolboy, has been told in a gripping manner.

Their journey turns out to be a revealing experience that changes their lives for the better. Both walk around without knowing the harshness and striking realities of the world around them.

Battered and bruised by many, they also meet some good people who help them a lot. The travel reveals the greatness of human life. Many times hostile people turn out to be good after realising the real position of both of them. Their innocence, helplessness and affection change others too. The scene that shows a physically handicapped person moves the audience. Even the climax is quite emotional and heartening.

Cinematographer Mahesh has done a marvellous work. The visuals are quite amazing. The way he has captured the landscape of Tamil Nadu is excellent.

Ashwath Ram, Mysskin and Snigdha have done their parts very well. Their performances lift the film to another level.

Mysskin, who is known for shaping even the small characters well, has done it again. The characters of the tender coconut seller, granny, maid, policeman, lorry driver and ice cream seller are pleasant to watch. The dialogues are realistic and poignant.

On the flipside, the fact that Mysskin has got inspired from 'Kikujiro' does cast a shadow on the merits of the filmmaker.

Though he has deftly adapted the original to fit into the Tamil milieu, the repetition of the characters like the bald two-member biker gang guys, the farmer and the lorry driver from Kikujiro seems to be too much to digest.

Ilaiyaraaja's music is a huge plus point to the movie. His background score adds immense value to it. The sequence when Mysskin meets his mother and the lullaby that Ilaiyaraaja sings in the background would bring tears to anybody's eyes.

Despite lacking originality, 'Nandalala' works in a big way with its stunning visuals, music, script and performances.

Nandalala - Review (Sify)

Dark and disturbing has been the leitmotif of director Mysskin’s cinema. In his latest Nandalala, he hasn’t changed his style or characterization except that he himself plays the protagonist.

Mysskin has come out with another heart wrenching story. He tries to create a hero out of a mentally challenged person and an 8 year old school boy, who he befriends on a road trip as both of them are in search of their respective mothers.


The film works in bits and pieces, as the pace is very slow and not even. The running time is 2 hours and 5 minutes with the first half dragging on for 80 minutes and post interval it is just 45 minutes. In a nutshell the film is a road trip of two unlikely buddies who bond and become inseparable in their quest for motherly love.


The premise for the story is interesting as a lonely boy Akhilesh (Aswath Ram) living with his grand mother, embarks on a journey in search of his mysterious mother armed with her photo and a map .Early in his exploratory trip he comes across a mentally challenged person (Mysskin), who joins him on the trip.


They journey across the state bumping into various kinds of people and situations, which bring out the different facets of human behavior. Along the way, a commercial sex worker (Snigdha) joins them. Finally they realize the ugly truths, which they should never have gone looking for and realistically withdraw into their shell.


The plus point of the film is Ilayaraja’s outstanding melodies and background score, it is soothing and in harmony with the theme of the film. ‘Melle Oorundhu..’ sung by the maestro himself is the pick of the lot. Another major highlight is Mahesh Muthuswamy’s camera, which is eye-catching and makes Pollachi and surrounding locations look better and greener than English country side. Mysskin for a first timer is ok, though he speaks like the way Kuruvi character spoke in Anjathey. The boy Aswath Ram is impressive in his first outing.


Now coming to the big question- Was Mysskin inspired from the Japanese Kitano Takeshi film Kikujiru ? The answer is a loud and clear “Yes”. He has taken the basic framework of the Japanese film reworked it to suit local nativity with loads of human emotions that work with our audiences.


The over the top characters that they meet during their journey like the bald two member biker gang guys, the farmer, the lorry driver were there inKikujiro! There are too many scenes in the first half which are unbelievable like cop not suspecting a boy in school uniform travelling with an insane man. However the scene of Mysskin bashing the beer bottle on the head of the teaser boys in their yellow car is hilarious.


On the whole if you are the art house type who likes films that explores the realms of anguish and despair, Nandalala is worth a look. If you are looking for another Anjathey, you will be disappointed. So make your own choice.

Priyadarshan completes three decades in showbiz

Well-known filmmaker Priyadarshan is extremely delighted with the fact that he has survived in the film industry for three decades with a fair degree of success.

"Certainly, I owe it to god for all the blessings I have been showered with. I would not have come this far without that. The industry is really competitive and to survive this long is a tough act," Priyadarshan told us.

He forayed into showbiz in 1984 with 'Poochakkoru Mookkuthi'. Over the last three decades he has directed over 80 films with Malayalam movies leading the list, followed by 27 Hindi ventures besides Tamil and other South Indian language films.

He says his hard work has earned him success.

"I have been living out of a suitcase. I am based in Mumbai, while my wife Lissy is in Chennai and my two children are studying in Singapore. My daughter is now moving to the US for higher studies in advertising and marketing, while my son is in Class XI in Singapore, so it is a hard life for all of us," said Priyadarshan.

Some of his popular Malayalam movies are 'Boeing Boeing', 'Thalavattam', 'Vandanam', 'Thenmavin Kombath' and 'Kala Pani'. In Hindi, he gave hits like 'Hera Pheri', 'Hungama' and 'Garam Masala'.

"See, I know one Malayalam film from me is long overdue. But with expectations so high, I just can't afford to take a risk. I have been working on a script, but without a neat and clean script I will not do a Malayalam film. I am hoping I can do one Malayalam film soon and of course, it would be Mohanlal who would do the lead role," said Priyadarshan.

He was here to attend an event organised by a leading media house to honour him for his success.

"Today (Thursday) I am leaving for Oman to attend a function there and then would be in Dubai to take part in a stage programme. I am busy all the time moving from one place to another," said Priyadarshan.

On his current projects, he said that the first schedule of his Hindi movie 'Tezz' got over in London recently. The film stars Anil Kapoor, Ajay Devgn and Mohanlal.

"My next Hindi film is a project for Subhash Ghai and it will be launched in May next year," said Priyadarshan.

(Source - msn)