Kai Po Che movie review

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3 / 5

Chetan Bhagat’s books are much in demand among Bollywood filmmakers for they are believed to lend themselves easily for on-screen adaptation. Bollywood’s biggest blockbuster 3 Idiots is the best example of how Bhagat’s book can be turned into a wholesome Bollywood template entertainer.

Kai Po Che is the latest to be adapted from one of Bhagat’s books, ‘The 3 Mistakes of My Life’. This book talked about three close friends, Govind, Ishaan and Omi, in the city of Ahmedabad and being set around the turn of the millennium, happenings, like the Gujarat communal riots in 2002 and the earthquake in 2001, were also woven into the narrative. Cricket was also a big part of the scheme of things and the epic India – Australia series in 2001 proved to be crucial to the lives of the three friends.

Kai Po Che is a faithful adaptation of the book and it is basically the twists and turns that happen in the lives of the three friends with the above said incidents also playing their own crucial roles in their destiny. With a lot of Bollywood pop-culture elements like bromance, cricket and politics, Kai Po Che turns out to be a wholesome potboiler with a feel-good finale.

The fresh actors go a long way in making the movie work with the handsome debutant Sushant Singh Rajput having all the makings of a solid hero. He wears his heart on his sleeve and makes the impulsive Ishaan a very likable chap. Raj Kumar Yadav has shined in the past as a character actor in movies like Talaash and Shaitaan. He proves his worth yet again and his shy, hesitant romance with the effervescent Amrita Puri (as Ishaan’s sister Vidya) is charming and understated. Amit Sadh as Omi has an emotionally heavy role and he pulls it off as well. Digvijay Deshmukh as the young cricketing prodigy Ali, who smashes 4s and 6s on the leg side and he is quite natural.

Though bonding between friends has been shown extensively in movies like Dil Chahta Hai and Rang De Basanti, Kai Po Che also has its own share of likable bromance sequences shown through the songs.
The movie is heavily lifted by the cinematography and music score by Anay Goswamy and Amit Trivedi respectively. The look of the film is truly international and it brims with bright and energetic colors. Anay's work in the Gujarat riots sequence gives the necessary tension and grip to the proceedings. Amit Trivedi is a master at giving soft and poignant songs and the three songs in Kai Po Che are sure to find a place on playlists all over.

The movie gives an impression of slightly meandering at places probably because we already know what is going to happen thanks to the book. And though the cricket coaching scenes have been done well, we somehow get a feeling that our movies can never authentically show what cricket is all about. The VFX is obvious in these scenes and we also have Ajay Jadeja making a cameo appearance as a commentator and calling a cover drive ‘classy’ when it obviously doesn’t seem so.

But such slight lulls aside, Abhishek Kapoor has given a worthy follow-up to his almost cult-like Rock On. Kai Po Che, though not an original work, has its heart at the right place, is technically strong and has a fresh cast which delivers.

VERDICT: A nice feel good trip to the theaters and a faithful adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s source material.

Aadhi Bhagavan review

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3.25 / 5

Ameerin Aadhi Bhagavan (AAB) releases today after being in the making for more than two years. The lead actors, Jayam Ravi and Neetu Chandra, have invested all their time and effort to make this movie worth the wait. Coming with the tagline ‘A Mafioso Action Love Story’, the movie majorly happens in Thailand and India. So, is it worth the wait and will it join the list of memorable gangster movies?

The plot of the movie revolves around the mafia as the tagline says and elements like betrayal, mystery and politics are also part of the mix. There is also one major spike which gives the movie a huge fillip just before the halfway point. And as expected, being an Ameer product, the film has its fair share of raw violence, gritty action and in fact there is a certain manic streak in the entire movie.

Pre-release, Ameer had said that if he had to work again with the same hero, he would opt for Jayam Ravi and now we realize why he said so. AAB is definitely Ravi’s most daring and gutsy performance till date. In two absolutely varying roles, the star has put his heart and soul into the movie. He is quick in his moves during the action sequences and the suspense behind his second role better be guarded, because that is when the movie picks up some pace and interest after a bland first half which moves along like Scarface. Characters like Sudha Chandran and Ravi’s sister that come in the first half are cliched and wasted. Ravi has also seemingly worked on his voice modulation to make it sound stern and rough.

Neetu Chandra’s character also throws a surprise before the interval after we expected her to be the typical ‘damsel in distress’ early in the movie. Her expertise at taekwondo comes in handy when she has to do some ass-kicking towards the end. But, her lip sync for her Tamil dialogs is below-par, truth to tell.

Babu Antony appears in the initial portions of the movie before disappearing after the action shifts to India. Former lead actress Sakshi grooves harmoniously for the ‘Yeisalamey’ number but her visage has aged obviously.

The movie definitely has its share of flaws like the overdose of Hindi in the movie. Tamil dialogues have been superimposed over the existing track and despite the disclaimer before the movie starts and before the interval, we get the feeling that we are seeing a dubbed movie. The lip sync for this ‘Tamil on top of Hindi’ routine, leaves a lot to be desired and this proves unsettling and one may feel the same about the other Ravi character’s mannerisms and gestures, as he has overdone some of them. The actor sure seems to have a taste for the theatrics as evidenced in his second role.

The pace of the movie is laborious in the first half and Aadhi Bhagavan is definitely not one of those movies which scores on the brevity front

Yuvan Shankar Raja’s songs don’t have much of a presence in the movie, with two of the romantic melodies totally chopped off. One feels even the ‘Kaatriley Nadandhene’ track could have been done away with. The Bhagavan rap gels with the movie while the ‘Agadam Bagadam’ song towards the end dampens the proceedings just as they become tense. Yuvan’s background score is apt enough for the action genre of the movie.

The stunt sequences though, are definitely among the highlights of the movie. The action is really chaotic, raw and the cinematographer Devaraj has made sure that his camera has captured the action from close quarters. The chase sequence in Goa in the climax and all the fist combats in the both the halves have been done painstakingly. But, the action might hurt the eye too as the cuts are quick and abrupt.

The editor S.P.Ahmed could have made sure that the movie didn’t drag at quite a few instances. Though the end product is watchable and bearable, a little more sprucing and tightening could have helped matters even more.

So, after 6 years we have an Ameer directed movie and though this movie is in stark contrast to his earlier movies thanks to its commercial intentions, it is still worth a trip to the theaters thanks to Jayam Ravi’s versatility and the action set pieces in the movie.

VERDICT: Check out Aadhi Bhagavan if you like Jayam Ravi and if you have the stomach for raw action movies.

Zero Dark Thirty review

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Kathryn Bigelow has already given us a taste of her brand of gritty and intense cinema with The Hurt Locker. For her latest, she has taken the USA's capture of Osama Bin Laden as her subject matter and delivered another intense, hard-hitting and authentic movie replete with in-depth research. The greatest manhunt in history is among the greatest historical dramas produced.

The movie has been filmed in authentic locations including our own Chandigarh and Patiala, to pass off as Pakistan. The torture scenes early in the movie also give us a glimpse of what it is, to be involved in such operations. The last half hour or so of the movie when the US Navy Seals attack a house in Abbottabad, Pakistan suspecting that Osama is hidden in that house, is one truly gripping episode. This entire sequence is shown through the point of view of night-vision goggles and we are sent to the limits of anticipation as we eagerly wait to see Osama. But till the end, we aren't shown Osama's face properly, even after he is dead.

The movie's mainstay is Jessica Chastain as Maya, the CIA operative whose only motto in life is to nab Osama. Her character is inspirational as she is relentless and single minded in her focus. She knows when to raise her voice and when to play the ideal team member. When she says to the CIA director "I'm the motherfucker that found this place, sir.", it gives us an idea of how driven she is, to her goal of finding Osama. Her reactions after she comes to know that the Seals have successfully captured and killed Osama, are nice moments when the emotional load is lifted off her shoulders.

Jason Clarke as Dan holds the center-stage in the torture scenes in the prison and he has some memorable lines like "Can I be honest with you? I am bad fucking news. I'm not your friend. I'm not gonna help you. I'm gonna break you. Any questions?", "When you lie to me, I hurt you.", "This is what defeat looks like, bro. Your jihad is over.", "It's cool, that your strong and I respect it, I do. But in the end, everybody breaks, bro. It's biology."  

Jennifer Ehle and Mark Strong also have their moments as part of the CIA. Ricky Sekhon plays Osama in a makeover which sadly isn't revealed in its entirety.

In all, this is another sharp movie by Kathryn Bigelow which doesn't waver one bit and is a must watch; such is its theme and authentic detailing. The movie is divided into appropriately named chapters, akin to Tarantino's style.  

PS - Badly missed English subs, though. 

Haridas review - FIRST ON THE NET

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3 / 5

Director G.N.R.Kumaravelan, who gave us movies like Ninaithale Inikkum and Yuvan Yuvathi, is back with Haridas, a movie which intends to be an ode to fatherhood. Kishore and Sneha lead the cast list along with support actors like Parotta Suri, Pradeep Rawat, Yuhi Sethu and Raj Kapoor. Prithviraj Das plays the ‘special child’ in focus.

Haridas is basically a tribute to parental love and sacrifice shown through the characters Sivadas, Haridas and Amruthavalli. Sivadas (Kishore) is a cop who is suddenly thrown into a position wherein he has to take care of his 10 year old son Haridas (Prithviraj Das), who has special needs. A teacher at Haridas’ school, Amruthavalli (Sneha) is specially drawn to Hari and she starts exhibiting motherly care and affection on the child.

As his police duties keep begging for his attention on one side, Sivadas is also hell-bent on somehow proving to the naysayers and pessimists that his son can also create a promising future for himself. Will Haridas find his calling, given his father’s relentless persistence on him?

First things first, the director ought to be patted on his back for taking such a sensible subject and delivering it in a convincing manner. That said, we also tend to feel that he could have eschewed the comedy portions and in particular the police-gangster action pitting Sivadas and his colleagues against a group of gangsters led by Aadhi (Pradeep Rawat). Though the scenes dedicated to the police work have also been seriously handled, it takes the focus away from the main plot about Sivadas’ struggles to raise his son.

The director has been aided in his vision majorly by cinematographer Rathnavelu. Each frame is picture-perfect, has a specific color template and has been well-planned and executed. Awesome work by the ace ‘Enthiran’ cinematographer. Vijay Antony’s involved background score lifts the emotional scenes but tends to become loud at times too. Among the songs, the ‘Police Gaana’ provides some light-hearted solace with the other tracks going along with the movie as montages.

Among the performers, it is Sneha who turns out on top with Kishore coming a close second. Sneha’s role is among the most dignified in recent times and the actress has put her heart and soul into the role. Her character’s motherly intentions will surely leave a lump in your throat. Kishore proves that he can emote well in the sober scenes too, as evidenced in that heart-wrenching scene in the rain with his son. The actor’s physique and manly charm gel with his police garb.

The kid, Prithviraj, who is being introduced with this film, is a Coimbatore based lad and he is really genuine in his reactions and gestures. You would root for him, all the way. Audiences always have a soft corner for underdogs and Haridas is no exception. His transformation has been shown in a very gradual and realistic manner. The director has shown where the kid’s interest lies in a metaphoric manner with support characters like Yuhi Sethu and Raj Kapoor playing their own crucial roles in the boy’s transformation.

Parotta Suri’s antics and attempts at romance, though half-funny, stand out from the movie though he fits in to the scheme of things well-enough towards the end.

In all, had the director just focused on the kid’s coming-of-age journey and his father’s efforts pertaining to the same, this could have been a memorable underdog movie also paying handsome tributes to parenthood. Still, one may excuse the director’s shifts in focus and the over- dramatization at instances, as the movie provides plenty of uplifting and heart-warming moments.

VERDICT: This subject needed more single-minded focus but it’s still turned out as a glowing tribute to parental love and sacrifice.

Killing Them Softly review

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The movie happens in times of severe financial crisis in the US, in the fall of 2008. Based on the lead given by a man named Squirrel, two young rookies, Frankie and Russell, rob a Mob protected poker game thinking that they would escape scot-free thanks to the fragile perception on Markie, the proprietor of the poker ring that they plan to rob. Markie had busted his own poker game sometime back.

Post this robbery, an enforcer by the name Jackie Cogan is called upon to clear the mess. Squirrel, Frankie and Russell are pinned as the perpetrators of the crime and time is running out for them as Jackie is slowly but surely planning his moves cunningly.

Ray Liotta as Markie gets a real whacking and he is pulped in all possible means. Poor man, the violence that he is subjected to, isn't for the weak-hearted.

The film moves at a really slow pace and we are constantly reminded of the financial crisis in the country, thanks to videos and speeches of Bush and Obama. It's basically a dog-eat-dog world and the characters are selfish and desperate for money. Brad Pitt, playing Jackie Cogan, goes as far as to say that America is not a country but a business. He even takes a shot at Thomas Jefferson's values while authoring the Declaration of Independence.

Jackie Cogan has some rules and values while plotting the downfall of his targets as he says in one of his dialogues "They cry, they plead, they beg, they piss themselves, they cry for their mothers. It gets embarrassing. I like to kill 'em softly. From a distance"

After the entry of Mickey Fallon, another hit-man, an already slow movie becomes even more slower as he spends all his time boozing and fucking women. The movie has some stylized violence of visuals backed by a retro soundtrack. Brad Pitt looks evidently old but retains his style.

In all, this movie is not everyone's cup of tea and it may be skipped.

Lincoln movie review

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This Steven Spielberg movie shows the last 4 months in President Abraham Lincoln's life during which he made all possible efforts to somehow bring an end to the brutal and deadly Civil War between the Union (North) and the Confederacy (South). The South comprised states where slavery was still legal (slave states) while the Union was one where all the states were prohibited from practicing slavery (free state).

During this time, Lincoln also made relentless efforts to somehow pass the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution, one which outlaws slavery and involuntary servitude. He saw this Amendment as a key tool in ending the war and had to have this Amendment passed by the US House of Representatives (The Lower House of the US Congress, the Upper House being the Senate) comprising Democrats and Republicans with varying ideologies and opinions on the issue of slavery.

The movie is lifted totally by the performance of Daniel Day-Lewis as President Lincoln. The makeup is authentic, the voice modulation is perfect and the tall 6'4 frame also looks natural. He has already won 2 Oscars and a third one looks likely as the movie has been nominated for 12 Oscars in all, inclusive of the Best Actor nomination for Daniel.

Tommy Lee Jones's is another expert performance and as the radical Republican Thaddeus Stevens, his emotional reactions, to his colored housekeeper / lover after the Amendment is passed, are memorable. He has also been nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category and this authoritative performance deserves one indeed.

Sally Field as Lincoln's troubled and disturbed wife scores brownie points as well, though she gets emotionally overboard at times. Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Lincoln's ambitious son has a minor role which he plays with the usual intensity. Gloria Reuben as Lincoln's colored dressmaker scores in the scene when she opens her heart out to Lincoln about being a slave and about how the Amendment would result in better times for her clan. David Strathairn leads the rest of the supporting characters in one huge ensemble cast.

The movie has a lot of characters in the form of politicians and army men. It also makes sense to give a proper reading of how the US Congress is structured, about the two Houses, about the two political ideologies in the US, what the Civil War was about , what the 13th Amendment was about and many more related material. After reading all this, seeing the movie again is recommended.

The movie moves at a leisurely pace, is heavily dialog oriented but is definitely uplifting as the climax voting scenes in the House bring the necessary emotional connect in us. The way the movie ends with Lincoln's speech fading out to a close, is again CLASS.

The cinematography, costume design, the period production design and the musical score also play their own little parts in ensuring that Lincoln would be a worthy winner of the Best Motion Picture Oscar.

In all, Lincoln is a solid historical drama about one of the most important men in the history of world politics.

Murder 3 review

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2 / 5

The previous Murder movies were known for their deadly combo of sex, thrills and good music. Actresses like Mallika Sherawat and Jacqueline Fernandez got a huge boost thanks to these Murder movies which were a big success at the box-office as well. While Emraan Hashmi was the male lead in the earlier movies, Randeep Hooda fills in for this edition of the franchise with two alluring women for company in the form of Aditi Rao Hydari and Sara Loren.

Murder 3 is the official remake of the Colombian movie ‘The Hidden Face’. The plot revolves around a big shot fashion photographer (Randeep Hooda), his missing girlfriend (Aditi Rao) and the new girl (Sara Loren) that comes into his life as a result of his girlfriend’s mysterious disappearance. The first half moves at a snail’s pace with songs and some intimate moments thrown in. Post the interval, the mystery about Aditi’s disappearance begins to unravel interestingly.

The movie abides by all the stereotypes and clichés associated with Indian thriller movies like an old palatial house which is deserted, a mysterious servant and creepy props like a painting. The music, by Pritam and the band Roxen, is also decent like other Murder movies while the movie has a sleek and glossy look. The dreamy locales of Cape Town are another treat for the audience.

Both the girls make sure that the male members in the hall have no reasons to complain, thanks to their generous skin showcase. While Sara Loren takes the skin-show honors in the first half, Aditi Rao makes up in the second half. There are some bathroom scenes and lots of tight close-ups on the girls’ assets to abide by the ‘Murder’ glamor template that is well-known by now. Sara Loren's side boob is actually visible after one of the love-making scenes in the first half of the movie. Aditi Rao is seen in hot pants and a tight top for most of the second half, thereby providing a veritable feast of her boobs and thighs.

Randeep Hooda looks imposing and manly but the movie doesn’t demand much of his performing capabilities. There are just two more investigating police characters in this movie which majorly revolves just around the lead pair and the girls in particular.

Thanks to the original source material, the mystery in the second half is exciting and definitely succeeds in interesting an otherwise laidback audience. The climax though could have been more gripping given the way the finale was set up. The sluggish pace in the first half, though justified in the second half, could have been spruced up a bit more. And the way Sara Loren, playing a waitress, falls so quickly for an utterly drunk Randeep in the first half and even drives him safely to her home is hard to believe.

To sum up, Murder 3 is another typical movie from the Bhatts with its fair share of thrills, good production values and titillation. But given an interesting source material, a lot more was expected from this remake than the solace in the second half.

VERDICT: Thanks to ‘The Hidden Face’, the thrills in the second half save the movie to an extent.

Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story review

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2 / 5

Vivek Oberoi made a good impact in movies like Company, Omkara, Raktha Charithra, Shootout at Lokhandwala and Saathiya. But, somehow the box-office hasn’t been very kind to this mercurial actor. Now he is back to entertain his fans with Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story, directed by Vinnil Markan and opposite Neha Sharma.

The trailer showcased the tale behind the movie, one of simple romance between a street ruffian and an attractive young girl who moves into his locality as his neighbor. Both the actors go a long way in ensuring that the movie is likable, thanks to their natural charm. While Vivek, as the loud and boisterous Jayanta is a riot with his crowd-pleasing one-liners, the natural Neha has all the makings of the next dream girl that the male populace would crave for. She is cute, hot, petite and expressive, all at the same time. Her stylist and designer have also given her some extremely hot outfits which she carries off with ease and grace. In all it’s a Neha skin feast - boobs, thighs and the complete package.

Vivek has style, which is for sure. He has mastered the local Mumbai lingo and some of his phrases like ‘Joking Re’, ‘Bhailogy’ and his attempts at pronouncing some English words like ‘restaurant’ and ‘saloon’ play to the gallery big time. And despite Vivek being a ruffian in the movie, the director hasn’t upped his mass quotient needlessly. Jayanta is just a local thug who wants to strike it big with his proactive aggression. Till the end, his character graph is maintained consistently.

The chemistry between Vivek and Neha works big time and this ‘chalk and cheese’ combo is indeed memorable. The scene where Vivek rushes to the hospital with an unconscious Neha fixed on his back like a monkey is lively. The love that develops between the two isn’t an instantaneous one and the director has made sure that it is a gradual process, even though the phenomenon of attractive girls falling for street thugs is strictly cinematic. The two also share some lip-locks and other intimate moments which earn the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from the young members in the hall.

The movie’s serious scenes which show Jayanta’s bosses, his struggles with an unruly cop (played by Nassar) and his relationship with his understudy, peter out a bit and take the focus away from the main romance.

The music of Sachin – Jigar is already popular and is a major plus for the movie along with the Neha – Vivek pairing. There are just 4 songs but each of them is a winner and earns the audience’s applause. Other than this, the movie doesn’t have major production standards and it is evident that it has been made on a minuscule budget by the producers.

In all, school and college kids are bound to enjoy this movie more than the cine buff that comes for some serious stuff. Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story is unpretentious, doesn’t have any lofty intentions and is just a simple popcorn entertainer. And despite some pace issues at times, the movie is just over two hours long.

VERDICT: The charming lead pair and their romance make the movie worth a watch.

Sillunu Oru Sandhippu review

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1 / 5

Yet another movie which gives a false hope to young males that falling in love with a beautiful girl is child's play. In reality, if girls get attracted to a guy so easily, then I would have had thousands of girlfriends by now.

Sillunu Oru Sandhippu  (SOS) also throws light on some so-called issues like compatibility in love, the spark of first infatuation and the burgeoning number of divorces. We are actually shown an old pair in their 70s applying and getting divorce!

Vemal (earlier Vimal, this being version 2.0) is miscast yet again as the city dude who has not one but two women for company. He speaks as if he has a perennial hangover. We don't notice any difference in his dialog delivery for the scene when he gets drunk for he always sounds like being drunk. This actor must count himself lucky for having made it this far as an actor with such a limited talent. In SOS, we also see this guy as a schoolboy, with a thin mustache supposed to make him look convincing for the part.

While Oviya is the childhood flame who later grows into an attractive female sporting tight tops to accentuate her tits, Dipa Shah is the clueless dumb chick who looks homely yet attractive in her salwar suits. Oviya realizes in the end that she can never be happy with Vemal because of their constant differences in opinions while Dipa realizes that she can't get a better man than the hero. Either way, Vemal gets to take home, one of the girls at the end of the movie with the other playing the 'broker' between them.

Manobala continues to irritate in the name of comedy. For some strange reason, he even has dual roles with one of them sporting the 'Chitti 2.0' garb. Pathetic irritant, this actor is.

The music director F.S.Faizal has given some passable songs with none of them staying in the audience's minds. His BGM score is too loud and doesn't offer even a small space for silence. The songs keep popping now and then and just elicit more and more lazy moans from the audience. One such song about a bus sees the voluptuous and raunchy Brinda Parekh making a comeback; huge tits et al.

In all, this movie is hardly a Valentine's Day treat. It is old-fashioned, predictable, boring and has a dull hero. What more do you need to avoid a movie. This SOS is also a distress signal, Save Our Souls ... 

Vana Yuddham review

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2.5 / 5
Director A.M.R.Ramesh is known for his hard-hitting films which are woven around real-life incidents; his previous works like Cyanide are a case in point. For his latest, he has chosen the notorious late forest brigand Veerappan as his subject matter and has presented Vana Yuddham as a tribute to the police force and the governments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, who worked tirelessly amid a lot of sacrifice and loss of lives.

Even Indians with a fleeting interest in politics would be aware of the circumstances surrounding the death of Veerappan and the exploits of super-cop Vijayakumar IPS, the brain behind ‘Operation Cocoon’. Ramesh has culminated his biopic with this operation as the icing.

The director has also touched upon other aspects of Veerappan’s life like his pious ways, his dabbles with the illegal elephant tusk trade and his much publicized abductions of Kannada superstar Rajkumar and politician Nagappa. The relentless efforts of a number of policemen, their mode of working, their network of informers and their ultimate sacrifice are also part of the director’s spread which has involved a lot of research and attention to detailing.

His effort has been majorly aided by his two main men, Kishore and Arjun, as Veerappan and Vijayakumar IPS respectively. Arjun is fit and smart as always and the actor nails cop roles like none other. Kishore is hairy for a change and the customary Veerappan mustache looks good on him. The menacing actor is the perfect choice, we tend to feel. Suresh Oberoi as Rajkumar is an apt choice too and the actor has imbibed the mannerisms of the Kannada superstar well.

But, the other actors are uninspiring and insipid including Lakshmi Rai in a fleeting role as a journalist. And Vijayalakshmi is nowhere to be seen at all in the final edit. Actor Jayachitra plays the TN CM Jayalalitha who helmed the state during Operation Cocoon and she is actually a nice choice. Sampath Raj as Sethukuli Govindan, one of Veerappan’s main men, has a sizable presence and so does writer Jayabalan.

Ramesh’s efforts are enhanced even more by the exotic forests and the authentic hilly locations. We are absorbed by the happenings as a result and Vijay Milton, the cinematographer’s expertise behind the lens is also perceivable. The climax scenes are a riveting treat thanks to the ace lensman’s work which involves the usage of a lot of natural lighting.

There aren’t any commercial compromises in the name of song - dance routines, cinematic stunts and larger-than-life buildups. As narrated at the voiceover in the start, the movie is unwavering and achieves its intended goal of being informative as well as being entertaining to a certain extent.

The Kannada to Tamil dubbing leaves a lot to be desired though and there are a lot of sound mutes too which prove to be unsettling. Other than that, Editor Anthony has made sure that the movie moves at a pretty swift pace despite some lulls in the screenplay which is spread over around 125 minutes. Music composer Sandeep Chowta’s background score is loud and the movie could have had a better BGM score given its heavy premise.

In all, this attempt by the director warrants a watch for its interesting subject matter; the dubbing mishaps may be excused.

FINAL WORD: An authentic and honorable attempt which has turned out as a decent tribute to the achievers concerned.

Settai music review

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2.5 / 5

Settai is the Tamil remake of the cult Hindi comedy Delhi Belly. S S Thaman delivers the music for Settai, which features a lot of stars like Arya, Hansika, Anjali, Neetu Chandra and Santhanam ...

"Agalathey Agalathey"  
The song has a bass groove which recurs all through the song as the base layer. There is another recurring harmonica-like instrumental interlude which is the highlight of the number. The other instrumentals are all synthesized like general Thaman numbers. On the whole, it is a pretty ear-pleasing tune with Vijay Prakash and the sweet Megha sharing vocal duties.

"Arjuna Arjuna"
The sensual Suchitra and the bankable Karthik are in charge of this number which travels at a leisurely pace. The shehnai finds a place in the song prominently. In all, Thaman makes this one a passable song which might be lifted by some sexy visuals on screen.  

"Edhathaan Kanduttey Nee Pudhusa"
The ‘Kalasala’ kuthu template has been replicated exactly here, inclusive of the thumping beats and the trumpet, nadaswaram instrumentals. Gaana Bala lends the song his earthy vocals and makes it enjoyable. Hope Premgi makes the song a memorable laugh riot on screen.

"Laila Laila"
Guess Andrea was really ‘turned on’ while singing this number for she sounds really orgasmic and seductive. The song has a Middle-Eastern template and has a lot of electronic sounds. We have to see how the song turns out on screen, hoping for some cleavage fest from Neetu Chandra. This one seems to be the Tamil answer to the Aamir Khan guest song 'I hate you like I love you'

"Poyum Poyum Indha Kadhalukkulle"
This ‘Harris Jayaraj’esque number will probably be a winner. The song is breezy thanks to the guitar base and its safe treatment akin to other peppy romantic duets. The little sax interlude is neatly done.

"Theme music of Settai"
The original Bhaag DK Bose tune has been cleanly lifted and re-positioned for the Tamil version. The little guitar embellishment stands out but it’s the sheer spunky tune of the original which helps this theme to deliver as well.

FINAL WORD: The album has a limited shelf-life but nevertheless it offers some enjoyable numbers in typical Thaman template. Expect it to visit the charts just as long as the movie is in public memory. 

Taken 2 review

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The film takes off from where Taken left as the father of one of the thugs that Bryan Mills vanquished in Paris, is baying for his blood. It is a simple quest for revenge at Istanbul as the thugs target Bryan, who is also joined by his kid Kim and estranged wife Lenore.

Kim has a greater role to play in this part, than just be the victim, as she is involved in some terrific narrow lane car chase scenes in the streets of Istanbul along with her dad. The wife Lenore is the victim here as Bryan has to track her down using his strength as well as his extra-ordinary intuitive capabilities.

The scenes when Bryan guides Kim on the phone to come to the warehouse where he is tied up, are very intelligent as he uses the sounds of the grenade blasts to decipher the distance between Kim and him. The car chases are expertly done and the combat scenes are quick and violent. The visuals of Istanbul are scenic and give the movie an energetic and raw look.

On the whole it is a simple movie of the all-conquering hero eliminating his enemies singlehandedly. Liam Neeson is tailor-made for such ‘rough and tough’ movies while the cute Maggie Grace acquits herself well in the action scenes. Famke Janssen goes through quite a physical struggle and her pale and tired looks prove her suffering.

On the whole, Taken 2 is worth a one-time watch.

Special 26 review

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3.5 / 5

After delivering the path-breaking ‘A Wednesday’ in 2008, director Neeraj Pandey is back after a long hiatus with ‘Special 26’, a movie based on notorious true-life incidents. Akshay Kumar dons a role which is totally a volte face compared to his customary presence in comedy masala entertainers. Other bankable actors like Manoj Bajpai, Anupam Kher and Jimmy Sheirgill also share the center stage along with the petite Kajal Aggarwal.

‘Special 26’ shows a group of four dare-devil con artistes who are out to make a quick buck. To achieve their objective, they take the guise of CBI officers and conduct raids on the filthy rich, spread across the key cities of the country. When mischief mongers are around, the law also inevitably looms large in their shadow and we have Wasim Khan (Manoj Bajpai), a real CBI officer, and Ranveer Singh (Jimmy Sheirgill), a cop who has experienced a taste of the quartet’s medicine, representing the charge against them.

The movie wavers from its main course at times to show the romance between Ajay (Akshay), the mastermind of the group, and Priya (Kajal), a teacher in his locality. We also have a few songs, devoted to the pair, which pop up as speed breakers.

But by large, the movie offers plenty of fun, drama and the interest levels rarely dip. There is also a twist thrown into the mix towards the end which is well-conceived.

We get to see Akshay Kumar in a totally new avatar, which is devoid of his usual antics and buffoonery. The hunk carries impressive screen presence but his stylish clothes and accessories don’t gel with the 1987 setting of the movie. But the director has taken care of the period setting in all the other aspects like the vehicles used in the movie. There is also a sepia tone in the movie to portray the dated era. The usage of sets in certain instances, to showcase key landmarks in the chosen cities, becomes obvious.

Anupam Kher and Manoj Bajpai are powerhouse performers and they are convincing and genuine in their respective roles. Special mention to Manoj’s firm and manly voice. Anupam gives the movie its share of lighter moments with his ease at histrionics. Jimmy Sheirgill is bankable as always while Divya Dutta has a minuscule part which she has done well. Kajal Aggarwal’s portions with Akshay don’t have any connection with the main plot of the movie and the pretty woman doesn’t get much screen time either. Character actor Rajesh Sharma shines yet again in a decent support role.

The BGM score is loud, dramatic but has one repetitive track which is unmistakably groovy. It gels with the 80s setting of the movie. Among the songs, there is one peppy Punjabi style track ‘Gore Mukhde Pe Zulfaan Di Chaavan’ which sets the foot tapping.  

Special mention to the interview scenes in the second half which really strike a chord with the audience thanks to the boisterous humor. The dialog ‘Asli power dil mein hoti hai’ is another instant winner with the audience.

The movie ends with the scope and promise for a possible sequel and the director might even be thinking of making Special 26 a franchise. We have to admit he has started convincingly. Do we have India’s own answer to the popular Ocean’s franchise?

FINAL WORD: Even a bunch of fakes can turn out to be special.

Annakodiyum Kodiveeranum music review

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3 / 5

Legendary director Bharathirajaa is back with Annakodiyum Kodiveeranum, a typical village based flick which the director specializes in. G.V.Prakash joins hands with the director for the first time. Has he lived up to the acid test?

Aavarangaatukulla, Singers: Sathya Prakash & Chinmayi
Lyricist: Vairamuthu
This is a folksy tune with the ghatam providing the rhythm for the song. The song also has pleasant flute notes peppered across it and a small sarood-like portion. Both the singers bring the dialect across, adequately. On the whole, an instantly likable native composition.

Puthi Vecha, Singers: G.V.Prakash & Prashanthini … CHEERS
Lyricist: Arivumathi
The flute continues to take a prominent place in this song as well. This one has ‘hit’ written all over it thanks to its purity and soulful quality. GV and Prashanthini complement each other beautifully while also taking care of the dialect.

Nariga Uranga, Singers: Santhosh, Pooja & Harini Sudhakar
Lyricist: Vairamuthu
The lively female vocals bolster this typical folksy song. In particular, the ‘Nariga Uranga’ refrain which has a tinge of melancholy is impressive. The interludes are packed with native string instruments, the omnipresent flute and other typical sounds of a village like the bleating of goats and other animals. The beats of the dhol give the song its rhythm.

Poraale, Singers: S.P.Charan … CHEERS
Lyricist: Gangai Amaran
This one is a deep pathos song rendered with the right amount of feeling by S.P.Charan and the female singers. The array of string instruments also serve the purpose of bringing in more gloom. The second interlude is a pretty involving experience thanks to a touching female humming piece layered over the string instruments. Expect this one to make a big impact if positioned properly in the film.

Anname, Singers: G.V.Prakash & Pooja
Lyricist: Egadesi
The song has a beautiful cello driven buildup to the vocal portions. It doesn’t have any percussion backing and is totally dependent on the vocalists to give it its soul. It is evident that the singers have been sucked into the pathos mood of the song. Kudos to GV for the different framework that he has tried in this song.

Kola Vaala Edungada, Singers: “Padayappa” Sriram, Maya & Raihanah
Lyricist: Egadesi
For any village based movie, a loud racy number with native instruments is almost a must. This one abides by the above said template. The vocals have a fierce drive but the number doesn’t have anything new and brings the album to a clichéd close.

VERDICT: G.V.Prakash’s music matches the movie’s rural sensibilities and has some good melodies. A listen-worthy album for sure!

Vishwaroopam review

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4 / 5

After so many delays, Kamal Haasan's Vishwaroopam has finally managed to hit theaters across TN amid terrific buzz and expectations.

In the trailer, Andrea says that all the lead characters in the movie have double roles. Kamal in fact has triple roles - that of an effeminate Kathak dancer and two more avatars which ought to be caught on the big screen.

The basic plot is about Jihadi terrorists and their mission of vanquishing the US. Their 'modus operandi', their resources, their network, their environment among others have been shown in fine detail by Kamal.
   
For each of his makeovers, Ulaganayagan Kamal looks the part thanks to authentic makeup. His effeminate act brings a fine chuckle among the audience. The Brahmin slang, the walking style, the minor gestures and reactions etc. are crowd-pleasers. The stills also show how apt he looks with an Islam style beard.

Pooja Kumar turns out be a really luscious charmer with her Anglicized Brahmin Tamil being a highlight. She looks damn stylish thanks to her background and has also put on a feast of her tits in some scenes early in the movie. Her character, that of a nuclear oncologist, is of great use in the latter part of the movie when the thrill quotient is at a real high. I really hope we get to see more of Pooja. She has a lot of talent indeed :)

Andrea, in comparison, doesn't have much to do than be a part of the 'Unnai Kanadha' number and also partaking in the chases and thrill rides. She is sort of a medical expert, we assume. That she is cute and sexy goes without saying. Shekhar Kapur and Jaideep Ahlawat have decent support roles while Rahul Bose's makeover is pretty real. You would definitely believe that he is a Jihadi thanks to the authentic facial hair. The scene, when he puts down the female doctor who comes to check on his wife at home, portrays his authority. The scene, when he doesn't like the fact that his younger son speaks fluent English, depicts the fierce mindset of Jihadi soliders.

Watch out for Kamal, the director, as he weaves terms like the Faraday shield, Geiger counter and (the radioactive) Cesium into his narrative. The basic idea of injecting Cesium into pigeons and using them as devices of deception is also highly highly impressive.

The work that has gone into the Afghanistan portions has to be seen. The sets, the weapons. the backdrop, the landscape look so real. No one would believe that the Afghan landscape was actually created in Chennai. Art director Lalgudi Ilayaraja, take a bow.

Shankar Ehsaan Loy's background score really picks up momentum in the thrilling scenes. The title track is the best experience in the movie when early in the first half, we are shown that Kamal isn't as docile as the Kathak dancer made us believe so. That fight sequence is one of those really uplifting 'adrenaline rush' experiences that you can get, more so if you are a Kamal fanatic. The use of techniques like slow motion and 'freeze frame' really come in handy for director Kamal Haasan. He has tried something along the lines of film-makers like Guy Ritchie, with these techniques.  

'Thuppakki Engal Tholile' is a nice training montage song while 'Anu Vidhaitha Boomiyile' comes at a poignant time in the movie. 'Unnai Kaanadha' serves as Kamal's introduction in the movie. This song has been nicely choreographed with Kamal, the supremely expressive dancer, in full form.

The movie has some major explosion scenes and Auro 3D would come in handy for experiencing the blasts as really as possible. Vishwaroopam is definitely technically superior to Kamal's previous magnum-opus, Dasavatharam.

Among the movie's blips include the Tamil spoken by most of the characters in the movie. It is hard to comprehend and definitely warranted subtitles. That everyone has dubbed in their own voice is appreciable but not at the expense of clarity. There is a lot of English in the movie as well as sprinklings of Pashto and Arabic. Though these portions have subtitles, one wonders if the layman can pay as much attention as Kamal wants them to.

One also feels that the sequence showing an extremely agile Kamal 'stunt double' jumping from pillar to post and doing Parkour routines is really tacky. And we might also note that the height of Kamal's character in the movie is 5'10. We all know the reality though.

The Afghan portions in the first half have some streaks of inactivity. But there are many memorable characters in this portion like Rahul Bose's small kid who wishes to be a doctor and the childish youngster who is later used as a suicide bomber. Nassar is also a part of this portion in an inconsequential role. We are also shown Osama Bin Laden!. This Afghan setting is something that only Hollywood movies have dared to show in such detail. Hats off to Kamal and crew for the effort. The wide angle shot of a road passing through the sands of the land will stay with you.

The movie really zooms along in the second half and the promise of Vishwaroopam 2 in the climax is a major lift. On the whole, Vishwaroopam is a true experience and is worth revisiting again. One viewing can't encapsulate Vishwaroopam in its entirety. The effort invested by Kamal Haasan needs to be experienced again to appreciate it completely.

Will update the review as and when I see the movie again ...

David review

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2.5 / 5

The trailer and stills of David made it clear to us that the movie was about two characters in different time eras and different places, but with the same name. Goa, 2010 and Mumbai, 1999 are the scenes of action with Vikram and Jiiva being the protagonists respectively.

While love is the bone of contention in Vikram’s story, Jiiva has a greater mission on hand as he has to get even with the politicians who have scathed his father’s name. Vikram doesn’t have any job on hand and he is a typical Goan for whom drinking is a way of life. Jiiva, on the other hand, is an aspiring guitarist who is dying to make it big and get some freedom from his over-pious father.

The movie shows both the stories in a parallel fashion in a non-linear narrative which switches quite often. The director has also tried his best to make the two stories meet convincingly on a common ground.

The story doesn’t require much from the handsome Vikram as he is in an inebriated state all through the movie. He just needs to be hung-over and behave in a sluggish manner throughout. Jiiva on the other hand is spunky as the emotional youngster. His styling is trendy and he looks the part as the Mumbai youngster.

Among the other actors, Tabu and Lara Dutta have similar roles, that of a moral support to the two male leads. Both these former hotshots have aged and matured. Tabu has more weightage compared to the two. Isha Sharvani is an angelic face and has acquitted herself well as the deaf and mute girl who bowls over Vikram. Nassar is majestic as always as the devout Christian Father.

The movie suffers from a heavy ‘dubbed movie’ feel particularly in the Goa portions as the entire Goan setting, inclusive of the actors, has been retained in both the Hindi and Tamil versions. The dubbing is out of place and jarring for most of the actors in Vikram’s story.

In Jiiva’s story, the Tamil spoken by characters, like his elder sister (played by Sheetal Menon), is passable as you can say that is how people would speak Tamil in Mumbai. The main politician in this story is another character whose Tamil dubbing leaves a lot to be desired.

Rathnavelu has shot the Goan story and a lot of places like Mangalore, Alleppey, Kapu and Kuttanad have been used to match the beach-side backdrop of the story. The visuals are exotic and pleasant as expected. P.S.Vinod has shot the portions involving Jiiva and the general tone for this story is gritty and energetic.

The main talking point of David before the movie’s release was its highly imaginative soundtrack. But sadly the way the songs have been woven into the narrative is underwhelming. Fans who were expecting good screen time for the beautiful songs would be disappointed. Only a few lines from all the songs find a place in the narrative.

On a lighter note, the song ‘Pondaati’ from Osthe is sung by Vikram’s friend in one of the scenes in the movie. This story is supposed to be happening in 2010 while Osthe’s soundtrack was released in 2011. One feels the director could have paid heed to such trivial things.

In all, this attempt by Bejoy Nambiar is an interesting idea on paper. But Vikram’s story doesn’t have anything going for it and is very hollow. Jiiva’s track, on the other hand, has more purpose and drive and one feels this story had the potential to have been made into a full-blown movie on its own, given the serious subject that touches upon religion and politics.

FINAL WORD: A different attempt but it lacks nativity and pace.