Early Tollywood: SHEELA

1.13.2010

Jr.NTR's ADHURS Review : By Greatandhra.com

Film: Adhurs
Rating: 3/5
Cast: Jr NTR, Nayantara, Sheela, MS Narayana, Brahmanandam, Tanikella Bhrani, RajYA Lakshmi, Raghu Babu etc
Editing: Goutam Raj
Fights: Ram Laxman
Story: Kona Venkat
Music: Devi Sri Prasad
Lyricst: Chandra Bose
Producers: Vamsi Mohan and Kodali Nani
Screenplay, Direction: VV Vinayak
Released On: 13th Jan 2010

The movie ‘Adhurs’ has been in current affairs due to the Telangana agitators and that resulted in huge openings for the movie. It became Herculean task for many fans to get tickets at box office price across the state. Theatres were gushed with film lovers since dawn on ‘Bhogi’ day.

Story:

It’s a story that runs on no suspense but humor. Like in many old movies, the twin brothers get separated at the time of birth. A Brahmin lady loses her child just a few minutes after his birth. The news first comes to the notice of an old woman in the family and she secretly replaces the dead-infant with a healthy baby from adjacent mother who delivers twins.

The adjacent mother leaves the hospital with single child assuming the other one died. Thus one boy grows up in Brahmin family as Chari (Jr NTR) and another grows up at his mother as Narsimha (Jr NTR).

While Chari is orthodox in speech, act and thought..Narasimha is rugged in every way. How these two brothers unite forms the climax. Chandrakala (Nayantara) pairs up with Chari and another cosmo-girl (Sheela) becomes the love interest of Narasimha.

Performances:

Jr NTR lives up to the expectations in everything. He brought many laughs in theaters with his Brahmin character and hilarious characterization. Narasimha part is quite routine. His dances took away the breath of audiences. Especially his steps in ‘pilla na valla kaadu’ received once-mores in theatres. But the costumes part is very weak. Why did he put on jackets in every scene? That’s not understood.

Nayantara is slim and sleek while Sheela looted young hearts with glowing skin and sensuous garments. Nothing more is left for heroines than this to discuss.

Brahmanandam is ok as Bhattu but more is expected from him in last 30 minutes as well. The film would have brought better feel with that. Raghu Babu is good and MS Narayana is better. Tanikella Bharani aptly grooved in Brahmin’s role.

Highlights:

* Kondavalasa (in Amitabh Bachchan get up) as hero in Chakkera Takkuva (Cheeni Kum remake) brought laughs.

* ‘Maa Baava Kallallo Aanandam Choodali’ dialogue of Ananth also brought hilarious attention.

* The change of lyrics from ‘Where is that Panche Kattu, where is that pilaka juttu, where is that niluvu bottu…Chaari’ to ‘where is that panche kattu, where is that paatha bike, where is that old look…Chaari..’ is not good but should be accepted due to Censor reasons.

* VV Vinayak appears in a single frame in the song ‘Sambho Siva Sambho…’and that resulted in loud whistles and shouts in theatres.

* NTR’s dances stood on the top.

* Brahmanandam’s comedy as lover to Nayanatara impresses.

* Bad guy Mahesh Manjrekar also tried to make people laugh to some extent in the role of big Don.

* All songs are good visual treats.

Disappointments:

* Sayaji Shinde’s character is half baked. Audiences didn’t understand if he were a positive or negative character. On a whole, the characterization graph is not complete.

* Climax is trash with senseless weapon theme. No one understood the logic and possibility of such a weapon that appears from air!!!

Analysis:

Well, coming into the analysis part, it’s a ‘King’ kind of narration but action dominated comedy. Audiences got vexed up watching sentiment and violence in this type of story line, but prefer it when blended with loads of comedy. Although attempts are made with the characters like Bhattu (Brahmanandam) and Atma (MS Narayana), the dose isn’t sufficient. The requirement is certainly more.

First half brings an average feel while the second half breezes little better with more comedians. But the climax is predictable and abrupt. That is very well within the expected limits of common audiences. What marred the movie from attaining greater heights is only the weapon-episode and climax part.

On a whole, it’s a treat for movie lovers as NTR appeared on screen after a very long gap.

Bottom Line: Watch it for NTR’s dances and his hilarious Brahminic performance.

1.14.2009

[+/-]

Maska (2009) Review : By Greatandhra.com

Film: Maska
Rating: 3/5
Banner: Sumanth Arts Productions
Cast: Ram, Hansika Motwani, Sheela, Sunil
Dialogues: Paruchuri Brothers
Story: Surya
Art: Rajiv Nair
Action: Ram-Lakshman
Music: Chakri
Lyricist: Kandikonda
Cinematograohy: Sekhar V Joseph
PRO: BA Raju
Producer: MS Raju
Director: B Gopal
Released On: 14th January 2009

It is true that Sankranthi releases grab attention especially in AP as audiences find more leisure to watch films with families. The film 'Maska' happened to get the publicity as the only big budget family entertainer in this season. Has it got the expected entertainment quotient? Has it reached the anticipations of film lovers? Let us go into the details.

Story:

Jagarlamudi Krishna Kanth aka Krish (Ram) is a street smart guy who lives with his elder brother (Naresh) and sister-in-law (Jhansi). He is just a plus 2 guy who roams with his friend (Sunil) aimlessly. He decides to settle in life by marrying an intelligent and earning girl abroad. Hence he glues an artificial image for him as an educated guy and earning big. He falls in the crush of Manju (Sheela) and bluffs her with an imaginary romantic story that suits her taste. He proves successful by pulling her heart towards him. But when she is about to propose him, a shock hits the screen. The imaginary girl Meenu (Hansika) in his story happens to appear beside him. How the story takes turn from then? Whom does Krish choose between the two? That becomes rest of the romantic plot.

Apart from that, 2 MPs Simhachalam (Mukhesh Rishi) and Sivaji Shinde (Pradeep Rawat) fight each other for getting the power of Minister. Sivaji tries to abduct Meenu while Simhachalam wishes to kill her. What's the link between Meenu and these two MPs? And what's the link between her death and their Minister chair? How Krish solves the problem for peace? That forms the action part.

'Desire for power' dies in front of love and blood relation. Real politician of today prefers power to life. That forms the expression of truth in this film in climax.

Performances:

Ram performed with his archetype histrionics and body language. His performance is tending towards a balanced state when compared to that of his previous films. The plus point that appears in Ram is 'confidence' that's making him grow as a complete actor in small time.

Hansika and Sheela stood as epitomes of glamour. Both of them have made the movie a visual treat without vulgarity and obscenity. While Hansika is beautiful, Sheela is voluptuous. Sheela proved a bit better than Hansika in the matter of exhibiting expressions and required histrionics.

Sunil is ok as side kick to hero. His comedy could be better especially in the first 20 minutes. But he appeared in 3-4 wonderful get ups (as cowboy, African and western nomad) very convincingly and humorously.

Naresh is adequate as brother for Ram. Jhansi excelled in her performance with Nellore slang dialogues. Interesting part is that she remains pregnant from starting to end of the film. Once again, this Nandi award winning lady comedian proved worthy than many.

Mukesh Rishi and Pradeep Rawat filled the movie with enough of action quotient.

Dialogues writers Paruchuri brothers have shown their mark in climax scene especially. They have also tried to bring some conviction in the fights between slim Ram and hefty Pradeep Rawat (Ram says to Pradeep Rawat: "Personality kaaduraa..punch mukhyam). It being a mass oriented entertainer, the dialogues of that sort obviously bring some enthusiasm among front benchers.

Story is simple and this film needs only narration to entertain. MS Raju's screenplay really made sense.

Especially, the following scenes are impressive:

Hansika's introduction
Gun-game between Hansika and Sheela (although old, it triggered interest among audiences)

Minus points:

Lengthy scenes
Boring narration of some episodes
Lack of punch in dialogues in many instances

Ram-Lakshman deserves right mention for composing 'four-car collision' shot so interestingly. Special effects and graphics part also supported the film well. The scene of Ram's falling from the terrace also is worth mentioning. But the Jackie Chan sort of stunts in the beginning during Ram's introduction sounded routine despite taking pains to do that.

Coming to music part Chakri gave an above average product this time:
The songs-
'I'm in love…' on Hansika and Ram, 'Aa vaipunna ee vaipunnaa…' and 'Maska…' are well composed.

Director B Gopal has taken necessary care in not bringing his old style on screen. He proved successful in tuning with the trend and time.

Analysis:

It's a movie that's intended to entertain masses in particular, families in specific and class audiences optionally.

We may not say that the film runs with non stop rib tickling humor but on a whole it leaves a pleasant feel at the end. First half runs slow in the beginning and picked up pace after a while. Second half goes plain and it would have been better had it packed up with twists and turns.

The makers made enough of attempts to fill the film with comedy in the form of Sunil, Jhansi and Brahmanandam. The scenes are also filled with humor with the matter of triangular tryst among Ram, Hansika and Sheela.

On a whole it's an entertainer and not either good or great, but the purpose seems to have fulfilled. It may breathe well as no other film with same genre is in ring to vie with this.

source : greatandhra.com