Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum review

2.5 / 5

A sequel to 2005’s sleeper hit Kyaa Kool Hain Hum, Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum has been positioned as India’s answer to the popular ‘sex comedy’ genre represented by Hollywood films such as The American Pie series and Van Wilder series.

Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum traces the escapades of a bunch of youngsters, Adi, Sid, Anu and Simran. As the film progresses, the action shifts from Mumbai to Goa where the fun and adventure just get doubled. Romance is also a part of the mix as expected with Adi getting attracted to Simran and Anu being lured towards Sid.

Tusshar Kapoor as the struggling actor Adi and Ritesh as the fun loving DJ, carry the movie to the winning post with their spontaneous humor and energy. Tusshar is on the mark in the scenes when he models for all sorts of personal care products. Ritesh has his moments when he uses his pug as a sperm donor to earn some money.

The girls are absolutely smoking be it the refreshing, ravishing Neha Sharma as Simran and the sexy Sarah Jane as Anu. Sarah emotes much better compared to her earlier outings in the South while Neha is a natural with a very likeable voice.

These two scorch the screens in ‘barely there’ costumes and Sarah in particular really ups the heat in her bikini scene. People with discerning eyes can even see the elusive ‘camel toe’ clearly in this particular scene. Woohoo. In the same way, Neha Sharma’s nipple pokies are also part of the freebies for the men.  

Anupam Kher and Chunky Pandey have madcap roles where the humor gets absolutely crazy. The pugs play a vital role in this episode with an insane Anupam believing that his parents have been reborn as pugs after being brainwashed by Pandey, who poses as a fake godman.

The humor involving the pug is completely sexual and these scenes borrow heavily from Van Wilder. 

There are enjoyable references to Singham and The Dirty Picture while other famous movies like Ek Tha Tiger, Dostana and Ra One have also been made fun of, in an enjoyable manner. Rohit Shetty has a small cameo in the earlier part of the movie.

The film is replete with double entendre and sexual jokes. But, they don’t get too cheap or distasteful. It is all within enjoyable limits. The youth who are already exposed to The American Pie movies and Van Wilder movies will enjoy what they see in this one. Even middle aged people who wish to have a good time revisiting their naughty side, would find the movie absorbing.

This is yet another Hindi movie with lots of funny scenes constructed around sexual orientation. Being gay continues to be a laugh worthy topic in Bollywood.

Among the songs, ‘Dil Garden’ and the end credits song ‘Volume High Karle’ are really pulsating. The picturization of these two songs brim with energy and youthful spirit.

There might be some critics who will continue to criticize such nonstop entertainers. But, Kyaa Super can serve as the perfect stress buster with its carnival like screenplay. The colorful scenes in Goa in the second half go in sync with the theme of the movie. The movie could have been a shade shorter though. On the whole, this is perfect popcorn entertainment for the youth with two smoking hot girls and nonstop madcap fun

VERDICT: Perfect fun recipe for the youth

Raaz 3 First Look

Release Date: 7th September. 

Such an exotic, erotic pose. Bipasha Basu SCORCHES to say the least with her DANGEROUS CURVES ... That lingerie on her sure is lucky :) 

She's got a physique that can match up with the best supermodels in the world. All that cosmetic surgery sure has helped her look a billion bucks. Emraan Hashmi, well, is gonna enjoy her in this movie. Emraan sure has been at the right place and the right time when it comes to hot women.

Kumki music review

3.5 / 5

Movie: KUMKI

Director: Prabu Solomon

Music: D. Imman

Producer: N. Subash Chandrabose

Lyrics: Yugabharathi

Cast: Vikram Prabhu, Lakshmi Menon

After the tremendous impact that Mynaa created, Prabu Solomon has teamed up with Imman again for this movie which marks the debut of Vikram Prabhu, son of veteran actor Prabhu. Touted as a visual treat and a wild love story, this film had its audio launch today. Onto the music review of this much expected flick.

Yella Oorum … THUMBS UP

Benny Dayal and D. Imman

This song talks about men who take care of elephants. As you must know, the hero is one such caretaker. The percussion and string patterns of this song are different and classy. Benny’s vocals create the necessary connect with the listeners.

Onnum Puriyala

D. Imman

The guitar has a prominent presence in this song. Imman has tried to make it very soulful with his rendition while there is a very cute chorus before the 2^ndstanza. The percussion picks up at certain points to add some rhythm to the song.

Ayayayoo Aananthamey … THUMBS UP

Haricharan

From the moment, the song starts, it soars. It indeed provides happiness as the song’s title says. Haricharan has tried a different style of singing and it has paid off. There is a grand orchestra of strings before the first stanza and the ‘dilrupa’ makes a cameo appearance all through the song. The way the song ends with a symphony of strings is again superb. Will be added to the list of favorites soon. CLASS.

Sollitaley Ava Kaadhala

K.J. Ranjith and Shreya Ghoshal

A soulful duet which has some ‘Mynaa’ hangover and the percussions have been packaged like a Hindi romantic duet. Both the singers contribute to the melody of the song and there are some nice flute instrumentals. The basic tune of the song is sure to strike the right chord.

Soi Soi

Magizhini Manimaaran

After a string of melodies, comes this scorching fast paced number. The ‘sangu’/‘vuvuzela’ like instrumental and the percussions set the pace while the singing is typically energetic like other fast songs. This one will remind you of ‘Aadungada Machan’ from Naadodigal.

Nee Yeppo Pulla … THUMBS UP

Alphons Joseph

This is a mellow pathos number by Alphons Joseph (of ‘Aaromale’ fame), whose range in the high pitch is amazing. The string instrumentals add to the dramatic mood of the song while the percussions are mostly kept understated. There is a subtle rock touch given, which impresses.

A Lady and the Violin

This is the female version of ‘Ayayayoo Aananthamey’ with striking violin instrumentals as the title says. Other than that, the guitar and some sudden spurts of percussions support the vocals

VERDICT: The Imman - Prabu Solomon combo has come up with another huge winner. There are tasteful melodies spread across the album while one nice foot tapping number is there as well, in the mix. If the visuals rock as expected, these songs will become cult-like.

Glares for 'GETHU'

Our cinema industry is blessed with a bevy of charismatic heroes with each of them having their own sizable fan followings. In their quest to add that extra tinge of heroism to their onscreen avatars, heroes take the help of a lot of accessories. That extra mass factor or the ‘gethu’ factor really plays a part in endearing heroes to the masses. Accessories range from stylish kerchiefs wrapped around the neck to ear studs to chains to bracelets.

Who can forget the superstar’s stylish bracelet in Arunachalam, which he used with a lot of punch.  In movies like Dheena, Attagasam and Amarkalam, Ajith used a variety of accessories to look the part as a street ruffian. Vijay has also done his part in promoting accessories in movies like Madura.

But, I’ve missed the mother of all accessories. One, which can be used to project a debonair look, a heroic look as well as a rough and tough look. Each of our heroes has played his part to ensure the iconic status that this accessory has in Tamil cinema today. Be it, a gangster’s role or a policeman or a thug or a college dude or just a jobless street Romeo, one thing in common to all these characters is the glares (or shades or sunglass or the cooling glass in everyday popular lingo).

Imagine the Superstar in countless movies, Ajith in his recent movies, Kamal as the heroic cop in Vettaiyadu Vilaiyadu, Vikram as the stylish Remo or even Arya as Boss. The glares have added so much style to the look of these characters. To give it to the heroes, they have also carried off these glares with such panache.

Not to mention, most of the songs picturized today will be incomplete without a set of these accessories on the lead hero, the beautiful heroine and even the side dancers in some cases.

Rayban, Fastrack, K-L, Police, Polaroid etc. must be indebted to our heroes for positioning their products in such spectacular fashion in movie after movie. Free marketing and free publicity for these brands. Why not an in-film branding / positioning tie-up with one of these brands? Tamil producers can think on these lines.

The glares have become such a part and parcel of Indian cinema, that you can’t even imagine a single movie without these. We also enjoy our heroes more when they put on some decorative eye wear.

Just a sample, in a scene in Mankatha, when Ajith drops his uber stylish Rayban glass towards the ground facing the camera, my friend sitting near me in the theater just leaned forward towards the screen in a gesture as if to catch those glares. As we all must have seen, those glares were a part of Ajith’s character and he blazed the screens in scene after scene wearing it. Billa 2 just reinforces that special relationship that heroes share with their glares. Even in the court scene when Ajith is going for a hearing or when he is arrested by the police, bizarrely, his glares are very much intact.

Some people might laugh at such obsessive use of the glares but we can say, glares accentuate ‘gethu’ and they are just irreplaceable and unmistakable for the all-important mass factor in the characters that our heroes play.

Classic Revisited: Udaan (2010)

Rohan is kicked out of boarding school for some mischief that he commits along with his gang of thick friends. He comes back home to his father after a period of 8 years and finds that his father is Mr.Terror reincarnate. He is forced to work at his dad's factory and is also put into an engineering course much against his wishes.

He also has to handle his younger step brother, Arjun, who badly needs the joy and care that one needs during childhood.

Rohan finds some solace in his understanding uncle and a group of college seniors. He sneaks out at night and whenever he can find some time he writes poems and satisfies his inner urge.

As time passes, he is just not able to handle his father who is so rude most of the times but shows a bit of humanity and understanding at other times. His father also gets married again to beat his loneliness while he continues taking heartless decisions regarding his two kids' lives.

This emotional potboiler reaches its crescendo in the climax when Rohan decides enough is enough and decides to move away from home for good. The bird with sprouted wings seeks its freedom.

The scenes when Rohan gives it back to his dad are true goose-bumps moments. The final race between the two and the moment when the brothers walk away happily are scenes that will stay with you forever.

Hits

• Beautiful soundtrack with mellow montage songs filled with meaning and a haunting piano theme
• Amazing acting by Rajat Barmecha and Ronit Roy. Ronit brings out that stiffness and strictness through his toned body, understated body language and firm baritone. Rajat is a revelation in the scenes when he recites poems with so much feeling. A total natural, this youngster is. Aayan Boradia as the young Arjun acts his age. He is so cute and endearing. Ram Kapoor really impresses as the caring uncle. The scene when he is insulted by his elder brother is a gem. 
• The friends, particularly the guys who act as Appu and Maninder, are kick-ass with their spontaneity. 
• The bonding between friends and the bonding between brothers have been brought out so naturally. Be it, the initial hostel scenes or the scenes when Rohan sneaks out to have fun with his college seniors ... SO MUCH FUN.
• The scenes at the hospital when Rohan takes care of Arjun and also regales an old man at the hospital with his stories, are again class. 
• The early morning jogging rituals of the father and son are again something new. 

Comments

• Ronit is the heartless terror one moment but, he looks like having some traces of humanity towards his kids at other moments. His character is a bit inconsistent. And also why he is so rude towards his kids and brother, is a mystery. 

VERDICT

Emotional potboiler. Almost flawless. MUST WATCH for any movie lover. 

The Dark Knight Rises review

After being branded a traitor for the murder of Harvey Dent, The Batman (Bruce Wayne) goes into exile for 8 yrs in his mansion. He is forced to come back and protect Gotham as a new villain rises in the form of Bane. Bane is also a member of the League of Shadows, and his only mission is to destroy Gotham according to Ra's al Ghul's wish.

Bruce Wayne and co. have to contend with a nuclear bomb that has been activated to blast Gotham, by Bane and another main antagonist who is introduced as a twist in the tale. 

Selina turns out to be Wayne's romantic interest after being introduced as a burglar earlier. Commissioner Gordon is undying in his duties and there is another young cop named Blake who is also sincere in his duties. Fox continues to provide the best of the gadgets and weapons to Wayne while Alfred continues to be the concerned guardian. 

There are a bevy of stars but it is Tom Hardy as Bane who has the best role as the formidable antagonist. His characterization is imposing but his voice is too painful to decipher. Subtitles are a must to understand this movie well. 

The other stars, all play a part in this blockbuster action fest. Christian Bale looks beefed up and isn't required to act much. The scenes in the prison when Wayne gets back his strength and escapes, are among the best scenes in the movie.

Anne Hathaway and Marion Cotillard look sexy and play a solid role in the proceedings. Hathaway has got a killer structure and a seducing voice which she uses to great effect. The way she rides the bat-mobile in her super tight black costume is a drool-worthy sight. Such curves, she's got.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt really promises as the young cop while Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine are earnest like in the earlier Batman movies. Oldman has put in a lot of effort in the action scenes towards the climax. 

The Batman's automobiles and wagons are marvelous to say the least. The cinematography by Wally Pfister and BGM score by Hans Zimmer lift the movie and make it a large screen experience undeniably. Zimmer's score in Inception was much better though. Nevertheless, the score is thumping. Editing by Lee Smith isn't entirely seamless as we can see some jumps in the narrative.

This tale by Christopher Nolan doesn't place any demands on the mind and is a simple movie. The twist in the tale is also not shocking by any means. That said, the making is what lifts the movie. The action scenes are terrific particularly Bane's and The Batman's intro stunt sequences. 

The ending is uplifting and we crave for more parts of this superhero movie. In fact, the entire movie is inspiring with heroic dialogues, amazing visuals and the noble intentions of Wayne, Blake and Gordon. 

VERDICT: Customary superhero movie by Nolan and co. The ending is uplifting while the twist in the tale isn't great. A compulsory 'big screen' experience. 

Rajesh Khanna trivia

Indian cinema lost a big legend recently as Rajesh Khanna passed away at the age of 69. He was widely regarded as India's first Superstar and his romantic songs are evergreen even with today's generation. Behindwoods presents you a few 'must know' facts about the man who is fondly known as ‘Kaka.’

• He acted in 180 films in a career that spanned 40 years, of which 163 were feature films.
• In the time span of 1967-1991 alone, 73 of Kaka's films were Golden Jubilee hits and 22 were Silver Jubilee hits. Some theater or the other in India would have always been playing a Rajesh Khanna movie in this extended time period. Such was the run his films enjoyed.
• He was also India’s highest paid actor in the 1970s and 1980s.
• Kaka enjoyed a Godlike status in the period 1969-1976 when his legion of female fans used to write letters in blood to him.
• When he was the reigning Superstar, a textbook prescribed by Bombay University contained an essay titled ' The Charisma of Rajesh Khanna'.
• Known for the superb songs in his movies, Kaka always insisted on Anand Bakshi to write lyrics for his songs.
• Composer R.D.Burman and singer Kishore Kumar created magic for Rajesh Khanna in countless songs along with Anand Bakshi’s lines. The RD-Kishore- Rajesh Khanna combination worked in 32 films and Rajesh also personally contributed a lot to the success of his movies’ songs.
• Kaka also had awards to show for his efforts. He has won the Filmfare Best Actor Award thrice and was nominated 14 times in all. His first movie ‘Aakhri Khath’ was also India’s official entry to the Oscars in the best foreign language film category.
• Talking of his heroines, Hema Malini is the actress with whom Rajesh Khanna was romantically paired with, the most number of times, a whopping 15. He also had a 100% success ratio with actress Mumtaz in the form of 8 blockbusters.
• Other top heroines who shared screen space with Rajesh Khanna include Sharmila Tagore, Asha Parekh, Mala Sinha, Tanuja, Nanda, Rakee, Neetu Singh and Parveen Babi.
• Speaking of family, he was married to Dimple Kapadia and later divorced her. He was the father of actresses Twinkle Khanna and Rinke Khanna and the father-in-law of noted actor Akshay Kumar who is married to Twinkle.
• He was also actively into politics as a Member of Parliament for the New Delhi constituency from 1991-1996. He was an active Congress loyalist since 1984.

This man is truly irreplaceable after such an eventful life. May his soul RIP.

Mugamoodi music review

3 / 5


Movie: Mugamoodi
Cast: Jiiva, Narain and Pooja Hegde
Producer: UTV Motion Pictures
Director: Mysskin
Music composer: K

Mugamoodi is Tamil cinema’s first superhero movie. Starring Jiiva, Narain and Pooja Hegde, Mysskin directs this and UTV Motion Pictures are the producers. Young composer K provides the music for this much hyped venture. Let’s see if he delivers.

Vaayamoodi summa iruda … THUMBS UP
Aalaap Raju
The guitar notes are a beautiful backdrop to this cute number which has a simple tune. Aalap Raju is truly spellbinding. The chorus makes the song even more endearing while the dialogs interspersed are engaging. Sure to make a mark for the sheer melody and the simple yet classy instrumental accompaniments.  A great start to the album.
 
Lullaby for loss Theme
This theme is very sober with gentle guitar notes. It will surely sooth your senses. Interestingly titled as it definitely does sound like a lullaby. Towards the end, the theme picks up and becomes more intense and dramatic.

Kudi vaazhthu
Mysskin
After ‘Kannadasan Kaarakudi’, this is yet another number rendered by Mysskin based on the TASMAC crowd and the culture of boozing to forget all worldly worries. The tempo is slow and the percussions have also been toned down. The lines ‘Bodha Illadha Sandhoshama, Raja Illadha Sangeethama’ pack a punch in a song where the lyrics stand out even otherwise. There is a mellow instrumental track before the first stanza to add more drama to the song.

Blue panther on the prowl Theme … THUMBS UP
This is the heroic theme that played along with the trailer. It has enough tempo and pace to send the pulse racing. Would sound great along with some nice chase sequence on screen. The starting of the theme has a distinct Hans Zimmer touch

Maayavi
Chinmayi
This one has more than a fair share of seriousness in it. Chinmayi sounds different in this song compared to her general peppy numbers and the instrumentals before the second stanza stand out. Somehow it turns out to be a typical Myskkin number which we have heard in his earlier films.

Cape of Good Hope Theme
This interesting theme again starts off akin to Hans Zimmer’s style. There is a nice orchestra of string and brass instruments, with minimum percussive beats.

Hell Heaven and the Ladder Theme … THUMBS UP
Really intense despite being a short theme. The violin makes a lot of impact. Superb, one must say.

Come let’s fall in love Theme
Beautifully titled, this one is very soothing. It takes off from the “Vaayamoodi summa iruda” number.  Nice guitar, piano and violin bits add to the relaxing mood. Very long for a theme, though.

Maayavi Flute Theme
This is the flute rendition of the earlier number by Chinmayi. The flute as such is a divine instrument and it sounds typically mellifluous.

Vaayamoodi summa iruda with Guitar
Aalaap Raju
In this version, there are some extra guitar additions to the first number. It just adds more taste to the ultimate outcome. Aalap Raju can count this as yet another chartbuster in his list.

Don’t drive your car with this music On Theme … THUMBS UP.
Another long theme and an eclectic one at that. The beat is really thumping. K has invested a lot of effort into making this one, a theme to savor. Who got such a title for this theme? Pretty indigenous.

VERDICT: K’s themes really lift the album and make us look forward to the movie’s BGM score. Among the songs, Aalap Raju’s number takes the cake. On the whole, the music has provided a good platform for the superhero to soar

Shankar's "I" first look

This is it. Shankar's new movie with Vikram in the lead, curiously titled 'I'. Amy Jackson is one of the female leads while another female lead is yet to be confirmed. Aascar Ravichandran is the producer.

A.R.Rahman joins forces with Shankar yet again while ace cinematographer P.C.Sreeram will be the man behind the lens for this one. PC has been very selective off late and this movie must definitely be special.

Subha, the famed duo, are the screen writers. They have blockbusters like Ko and Ayan to their credit. The movie is said to be a romantic thriller. Earlier there were rumors that this movie was about the election commission but Shankar brushed away those rumors.

Trust this one also to be grand. Hope Shankar has something original after Nanban which was a frame by frame xerox copy. Nobody even remembers Nanban as a Shankar movie. Hope 'I' is something stunning that we generally expect from this blockbuster filmmaker. 

Naan Ee review

The Plot
This is the most unlikely revenge story in the history of cinema. The dead hero getting rebirth as a housefly to take revenge on the villain is something that's highly crazy as an idea. The reason for his death is his romance with the beautiful heroine who is coveted by the womanizing villain, while she secretly reciprocates our hero, who is a typical good hearted romeo who has been pursuing her since 2 yrs.

What works

• The amazing VFX. The best seen in Indian cinema. Amazing detailing for the housefly (with glass, mask et al). The initial scenes detailing the fly's birth, its struggles to fly and to survive on a daily basis, endear the fly to us straightaway.
• Each scene where the fly troubles the villain is highly imaginative and funny. Sudeep has done a killer job as he must have done all those histrionics imagining the housefly near his face. Sudeep looks venomous yet classy as the rich villain. His costumes score while his suffering histrionics have bowled over the kids in particular. 
• The interval block is rocking to say the least
• Nani really impresses in the short part he appears as the romantic hero with a heart of gold. His youthful charm endears. 
• The songs by Keeravani especially Lava and Eeda are terrific. The melody songs are good too. The VFX for the Eeda song must be seen to be believed. His BGM is what takes the movie to the next level. Each emotion has been supported by the music. Marvelous work with the RR
• You'll root for the housefly all the way. Such heroism and such persistence in its pursuit for revenge. 
• All the steps that Sudeep takes just to prevent the fly from entering his space are intelligent yet funny. 
• Santhanam and Crazy Mohan ensure hearty laughs even in the short time that they appear on screen. 

In the Balance

• Samantha looks cute but is very puny and nothing special. Her character gets some value when she starts helping the fly with some indigenous ideas. 
• We need to overlook logic and just enjoy the fantasy. How can a fly be so intelligent and intuitive? That's cinema and S.S.Rajamouli has made it fantastic. 

What doesn't work

• The dragging climax when Sudeep wrecks havoc on his own house by opening fire just to kill our fly. This sequence goes on and on but it isn't boring
• The sequence in the 2nd half when black magic is called upon, to kill the fly. This sequence also drags.

VERDICT

The most unlikely revenge story and a tremendously entertaining one at that. 

Cocktail review

2.5 / 5

Coming with the tagline ‘Sometimes good friends may be too good to share’, Cocktail is a love triangle as expected with Saif Ali Khan and 2 lovely tall women, Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty, being the protagonists. Directed by Homi Adajania, this film is presented by Eros International and Saif’s own Illuminati Films. 

Three youngsters Gautam, Veronica and Meera congregate in London and as time passes by, they forge a lovely bond of friendship. While Gautam and Veronica are really chilled out and are casual about relationships, Meera is very conservative, ‘desi’ and is the victim of a hoax marriage. The similarity in their characters attracts Gautam and Veronica towards each other, while circumstances bring Gautam and Meera closer despite their diametrically opposite ideologies. Now, with love in the air, does their friendship suffer and finally who gets who are questions that Cocktail answers across 2 hours and 30 mins of its running time. 

Cocktail is a heady combination of friendship, love and a whole lot of fun. There is a certain light hearted and flirty treatment that is there in most of the scenes. Saif Ali Khan is natural and underplays well. He is at home in the casual sequences and also while mouthing funny, sarcastic dialogs. Deepika Padukone is a revelation and this role would be a milestone for her. She has flaunted her long legs as she doesn’t wear pants in most of the scenes. Her bikini scene is an added bonus for the male viewers. Diana Penty looks notoriously similar to Deepika and is very classy in her looks. She is understated in her acting style. 

Boman Irani (as Gautam’s mama) and Dimple Kapadia (as Gautam’s conservative mother) impress in the scenes that they come in, and they add to the fun quotient of the movie. Randeep Hooda has a guest appearance as Meera’s husband. 

Shot in London and Cape Town, the movie is very picturesque and Anil Mehta’s frames are picture perfect. Pritam’s songs are a rage already, ‘Tumhi Ho Bandhu’ in particular.  Sreekar Prasad’s editing could have cut down on some of the melodramatic scenes that crop up in the 2^nd half. The pace suffers as a result. The dialogues are realistic but at instances the characters babble too much and the pace suffers even more. 

The movie as such is targeted entirely at the multiplex audiences and in that sense; they have delivered what was promised in the impressive trailer. But there is a ‘Love Aaj Kal’ hangover in Saif’s character and the pace of the movie could have been better. Had the light hearted treatment been maintained till the end, Cocktail could have been a perfect stress buster. But, there are moments when the movie tests your patience and these could have been avoided. 

VERDICT: The light hearted fun and romance resurrect this cocktail.

Billa 2 review - FIRST ON THE NET

2.5 / 5


Releasing today amidst humungous expectations, Billa 2 has widely been acclaimed as being India’s first prequel. Audiences are already familiar with David Billa as a character, thanks to the impact that Billa 2007 created. The aura, the daredevilry and sheer guts of this man were much appreciated.


Now, Billa 2 traces the roots of David Billa. How he became what he is and what are the circumstances that resulted in this monster of a man, are detailed in this movie. He is a man who is always on the lookout for the next big thing and loyalty counts as his biggest virtue. The various stumbling blocks for him are the backstabbers who just can’t keep pace with his ambitions. The journey that Billa goes through in his quest for total control and domination is what Billa is, in a nutshell.


It is a typical gangster movie with loads of villains and an invincible hero who has truckloads of charisma and style.


The first half of Billa 2 which happens in coastal Tamil Nadu and later Goa, moves at a rapid pace and is very engaging. Right from the moment, Ajith is introduced with a ferocious fight sequence through the indigenous title credits, it is gripping. The dialogs by Era Murugan are the biggest highlight in this segment. They are filled with punch and meaning. Sample this “Na Agadhi da, Anaadha illa”, “Mathavanoda Bayam dan nambaloda Balam”. There are more such dialogs that are guaranteed to please Ajith fans.


The second half loses its pace and the tempo that was maintained in the 1st half is somehow missing. The two heroines Parvathy Omanakuttan and Bruna Abdullah are more like guest cameos. Parvathy in particular is plastic and doesn't live up to the hype. Bruna Abdullah looks ravishing and the scenes when she flaunts her bikini body are jaw dropping.  


The villains Sudhanshu and Vidyut are majestic and have terrific screen presence. Vidyut’s prowess at stunts has been positioned in his introductory fight sequence. Sudhanshu has to remain the cold and calculating don and doesn't get to flex his muscles like Vidyut.


Rahman has a blink you miss type cameo while Manoj K Jayan, Krishna Kumar and Sriman have negative roles which they have done adequately. Ilavarasu impresses in the first half and he is missed in the second half when the action shifts gears.   


Ultimately, this movie is made for Ajith fans and the star arrests you with his screen presence. He looks fit in the 1st half while in the 2nd half we get to see him in his typical suave avatar. The ferocious eyes in the fight sequences are Ajith’s biggest strength. His daring guts in the climax helicopter stunt has already been well documented but one does feel that the impact created by this aerial fight isn’t as great as expected  


The fight sequences done by three separate stunt masters stand out for their ruthless nature. The fist cuffs are fast and they are violent to say the least. The A certificate seems justified.  There are lots of stylish gun shots and blasts that send the pulse racing. But, the impact created by all these explosions isn't great.


The editing by Suresh Urs could have been tauter. The ‘Yedho Mayakkam’ song and the needless short belly dance number in the 2nd half hamper the movie’s flow. That said, the editing and VFX in the ‘Unakkulle Mirugam’ song remind you of the flashy style that you see in Guy Ritchie movies. It is disappointing to see the ‘Gang Gang Gangster’ song being reduced to a mere end credits song.


R.D.Rajasekhar’s cinematography has made sure that the movie has a grand look. The songs look glossy, the picture resolution is extra-ordinary thanks to the Red Epic camera and his work in the helicopter sequence will earn extra brownie points.


To conclude, Billa 2 will please hardcore action fans and Ajith fans in particular. The emotional connect goes down thanks to a laborious 2nd half. But, the idea of making a prequel and the grand scale of the movie make sure that the movie isn't a tiresome experience. Given the expectations, somehow you feel that the end product hasn't delivered.  


VERDICT: Typical gangster movie that doesn’t pack a solid punch