Srikanths's 100th Film MAHATMA (2009) Movie Review by Greatandhra

Film: Mahatma

Banner: Golden Lion Films

Rating: 3/5

Cast: Srikanth, Bhavana, Jayaparakash Reddy, Jyothy, Uttej, Jagan, Brahmanandam, Paruchuri Venkateshwara Rao etc

Music: Vijay Anthony

Lyrics: Seetarama Sastry, Suddala Ashok Teja and Lakshmi Bhupal

Dialogues: Paruchuri Brothers

Cinematography: Sarath

Director: Krishna Vamsi

Producer: C R Manohar

Released On: 9th October 2009

The movie ‘Mahatma’ has been in news from quite some time by the virtue of publicity and controversies with songs. The expectations have been huge on the movie and let us see how it gelled with the anticipations.


Story:

Dasanna (Srikanth) is a rugged youngster who lives in a ‘basthi area’ and his life style includes only fights, daily intake of alcohol and non-veg. His livelihood depends on rowdism. In the process he happens to encounter an advocate Krishnaveni (Bhavana) who keeps on bailing him out whenever he gets into police case.

On the other hand a political rivalry runs between ruling party leaders Dattanna (Jayaprakash Reddy) and Kalarani (Jyothy). In the flow of events, Dasanna happens to become a tool between Datthanna and Kalarani.

But Gandhism attracts Dasanna all of a sudden. He stops alcohol, non vegetarianism and also fights. He starts the process of accepting mistake. How that affected him? How that helped his area? That forms rest of the story.


Performances:

Srikanth:
He did his best with utmost care. His expressions worked really well for every scene. He also tried to show some expertise in dances as well although choreography is pretty poor. The shades of his portrayal in Shankaradada Zindabad are seen on some scenes.

Bhavana:
She is the biggest minus for the movie and there is nothing more speak about.

Jagan:
Although a trivial role, he deserves a paragraph here. He appears in various get ups- NTR, Tanguturi Prakasam. Pingala Vekayya, Alluri Seeta Rama Raju, Potti Sree Ramulu and Gandhiji. The song ‘Kontha mandi inti peru…’ was shot on him.

Brahmanandam appears in guest comedy and that is just ok. Jayaprakash Reddy aptly grooved in the role of Datthanna. Jyothy is ok as Kalarani. Uttej and Paruchuri Venkateshwara Rao have played as side kicks to protagonist.


Charmee spilled glamour in an item song and Navneeth Kaur also made her hot presence on screen although appeared for a few seconds.

Editing has suffered some problems (Gandhi’s statue looks shabby for some time and clean and neat for other time in the same scene). Cinematography is good. Story is fine and screenplay could have been better. On a whole it’s a laudable attempt by director but could have carried the subject with more intensity.

Highlights:
Title song ‘Talayetti jeevinchu..’
Song on Gandhiji ‘Kontha mandi inti peru kaadura Gandhi..’

Disappointments:
Heroine
Dialogues (except ‘kattana..kottana’ and ‘amma ..neeyamma’)
No proper comedy


Analysis:
The take-off of the movie is pretty hysterical with the title song ‘Talayetti jeevinchu Tammudaa..’ But the actual story wouldn’t start till the interval bang. The beginning of second half promises bigger things but that goes with various ups and downs. First 45 minutes of the movie goes in run of the mill style and that could have been confined to 20 minutes jumped into actual story.

The song ‘Indiramma inti peru kaadura Gandhi’ that raised controversy was changed to ‘Konthamandi inti peru kaadura Gandhi’. But Censor didn’t bother to cut down the word ‘f...k off’ used by artiste Jyothy for Kalarani character in first half.

Director seems to have ignored masses and that is evident through his selection of heroine and the get up given to her. Any other heroine would have aptly fitted in the requirement.

On a whole, the spirit of non violence, truth, accepting the mistake and perseverance are conveyed in this attempt through some scenes. But more homework should have done to make it a better product since the title is ‘Mahatma’!!!

Krishna Vamsi's MAHATMA Audio Release Function - Coverage

Music of Mahatma movie was launched today at a function organized in Novotel hotel on the night of 21 September. Tushar Gandhi (great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi), Mohan Babu, Nagarjuna, Venkatesh, Ravi Teja, Nagababu, Allu Arjun, Tarun, SS Rajamouli, Charmme, Allu Arvind, Achi Reddy, Muthyala Subbaiah and Tammareddy Bharadwaja attended the function along with the cast and crew members.


Vijay Anthony scored music in this 100th movie of Srikanth. CR Manohar produces it in the direction of Krishna Vamsi. Supreme music bought the audio rights.

Mohan Babu launched the new logo of Supreme music on this eve.

Tushar Gandhi launched audio and gave the first unit to Mohan Babu.


I am obsessed with Gandhi since childhood - Sirivennela
Speaking on the occasion Sirivennela said, "I asked Krishna Vamsi why he tends to make these kind of movies. I think he doesn't belong to the herd to churn out commercial movies. He has shown the new dimension of Mahatma Gandhi in this movie. A normal human being has it in to become a Mahatma. Krishna Vamsi narrated this point in a convincing manner. Mahatma Gandhi written a book called 'My Experience with the Truth'. Krishna Vamsi's Mahatma encompasses the gist of that book. Vijay Anthony was a sound engineer and sound mixing specialist before becoming the music director. And I am glad that he composed songs in such a way that music never dominated the lyrics. I am shocked at the intensity of dialogues written by Paruchuri brothers. Balu song a vital song that is penned by me. I am obsessed with Gandhi since my childhood. I am feeling fortunate to pen a song on him. The entire Gandhi's gist is encompassed in that 3 minute song. Srikanth gave a superb performance."


Srikanth is ajatha satruvu - Mohan Babu
Mohan Babu said, "Srikanth is a good actor and we acted together in a movie tiled Tappuchesi Pappu Koodu. Srikanth is also a good human being and he has no enemies. He never speaks ill about others. I am always fascinated by Krishna Vamsi's work and I wish that he would give a role to me in his movies. I wish that Srikanth's 100th film will run for 100 days."


Venkatesh said, "I worked with Srikanth for three movies - Kondapalli Raja, Abbai Garu and Sankranthi. Srikanth is the only hero in this industry who is friend to everybody. From the trailers, i made out that Mahatma is an intense movie and I am sure that it will become a big hit."


Tammareddy Bharadwaja said that Krishna Vamsi is the director whose films reflect Telugutanam after Bapu's.

I would runaway from directing films like Mahatma - SS Rajamouli
SS Rajamouli said, "I met Krishna Vamsi when he came to meet Gangaraju Gunnam at his house. I was working as an assistant director at that time. Krishna Vamsi delivered Gulabi and he was working on the script of Ninne Pelladatha. At that time he asked me to pen dialogues for Ninne Pelladatha movie. I was really surprised at his guts of offering a struggling assistant director to pen dialogues for such a big star's movie. If somebody asks me to direct a subject of Mahatma movie, I would runaway. But Krishna Vamsi is such a director who loves to make meaningful movies."


Allu Arjun said, "I had become more patriotic after watching Krishna Vamsi's Khadgam. My favorite movie of Srikanth is Operation Duryodhana. Srikanth is the only hero in Telugu film industry whom I call as Annayya."

A film like Mahatma should be encouraged - Tushar Gandhi
Tushar Gandhi said, "Initially I was skeptical about Mahatma movie because lots of people tried to contact me for various films made on Mahatma in the past. Lots of unnecessary liberties were taken. When these people contacted me, I asked them to send me the synopsis. I was surprised after reading it. Bapu always believed that even if there is some percentage of goodness in a human being it can be cultivated to drive out all other evil forces. Bapu always believed in the power of change. A film like Mahatma should be encouraged because it it communicates the principles of Mahatma in a language that a common man could understand."


Music director Vijay Anthony who is basically a Tamilian surprised everybody by speaking in complete Telugu. He said that he understood the potential of Mahatma when he was doing re-recording. He expressed his confidence over the commercial success of the movie.


Entire credit of Mahatma should go to Krishna Vamsi - Srikanth
Srikanth said, "I am very happy today. It was Ramoji Rao who encouraged me into films with Peoples Encounter. Tammareddy Bharadwaja made me hero with 1/2 movie. Rama Naidu gave a hit to me as hero with Taj Mahal movie. SV Krishna Reddy and EVV consistently cast me as hero in their movies. I would like to thank all the people who supported me throughout the journey. I am proud of doing Krishna Vamsi's Mahatma. The entire credit of Mahatma should go to Krishna Vamsi. It is a huge budgeted film and my friend Manohar came forward to produce it against all odds. I also want to thank my brother Anil for helping me."


Krishna Vamsi concluded it by saying that Srikanth is his friend for the past 17 years and Mahatma is going to be a memorable gift to him.

Srikanth's 100th film Mahatma Movie Launch Photo Gallery

Srikanth’s 100th film, Mahatma, had its formal launch on Sunday morning (February 15, 2009) at a special ceremony held at Aluminum factory.

Megastar Chiranjeevi, Karnataka former Chief Minister Kumara Swamy, Dasari Naryana Rao, Raghavendra Rao and other bigwigs from Telugu film industry attended the ceremony. The murtham shot was done on Srikanth bringing ‘Mahatma’ on his hands amidst bomb blasts.

The muhurtham sequence is very unique as the bomb blast consisting of tricolors of our Indian National Flag engulfed all the guests there.

Mahatma is directed by Krishnavamsi and produced by C.R.Manohar, politician from Karnakata and Srikanth’s best friend. It has Bhavana as the heroine.

Even before the first shot has been completed, the release date has been circulated. The notable aspect of this movie is that the story is kept under wraps, it is heard that even Paruchuri Brothers do not know the entire line. They have been revealed details only to a certain extent as they are dialogue writers and Srikanth, Krishna Vamsi are the only ones privy to the content.

Chiranjeevi sounded the clapboard for the muhurat shot, while Dasair directed the first shot and Raghavendra Rao. Kumara Swamy had performed the pooja while D Ramanaidu blasted the bombs for the muhurat shot.

Photo Gallery: