Saguni Review

Saguni review

Director Shankar Dayal Cast Karthi, Pranitha, Santhanam

Karthi`s Saguni is a commercial mass masala movie made purely to work overtime at the box-office.

And it works to a large extent dues to its hero and his side-kick who provide the necessary ingredient in large doses.

Shankar Dayal formula is simple, a larger than life hero who comes to the city with a personal agenda. In the big bad city he is caught up in the turf war for power among rival politicians. Our hero, the street smart guy using brawn and machiavellian tactics cleans up the political system of the scums. He also gets what he wants from the new chief minister and takes the next train back home with the heroine in tow.

Don`t look for a story or logic, the hero has to win at all cost in commercial potboilers. The major highlight of the film is the rocking Tom and Jerry type comedy scenes between Karthi and Santhanam and the one-liners they say.

New girl Pranitha is there as Karthi`s love interest and the idea of naming these three characters as Kamal, Rajini and Sridevi brings the house down. And to add to the mirth there is Anushka playing a cameo as a Malayalee cop who falls for the handsome Kamal!

There are only black and white characters, an essential requirement for mass movies. So you have politicians as baddies - Prakash Raj as the malevolent and cunning chief minister, Radhika as an Idly Kada lady and moneylender who becomes the Mayor, Kota Srinivasa Rao as the idiotic politician, Kiran as the wicked and ambitious concubine of Prakash Raj and Roja as heroine`s mom.

The film laced with humour is packaged as a mass entertainer by Shankar Dayal who has woven certain recent political happening into the story. The film hints that money, muscle power and political horse trading are what win elections.

GV Prakash music is foot tapping and plays to the galleries. Velmurugan`s "Pottadhu Pathalai Maapillai.." has people dancing to the kuthu number while the melody sung by Sonu Nigam and Saindhavi, "Manasellam Mazhaiye..", is the pick of the lot. PG Muthiah`s camera is ok with some good top angle shots. Nani (Sreekar Prasad) forgot his scissors as the film needs trimming. On the downside the film at 2 hours 45 minutes is too long; characters disappear half way through the film.

Karthi is one reason to buy a ticket for the film. He has evolved as a bankable commercial mass hero and his dancing in "Vella Bambaram" song is a revelation. The moment Santhanam appears on the screen people burst out laughing, and he is too good. His comedy timing and his combination with Karthi is the perfect mix. Heroine Pranitha has nothing much to do other than looking glamorous. Radhika is impressive in a role with shades of grey, no better political villain in south screen than Prakash Raj .

On the whole if you are looking just for staple masala entertainment, Saguniis the right prescription.

Verdict- Time Pass Entertainer

courtesy :www.sify.com

Titanic 3D

 

Critic's Rating: 4/5

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Gloria Stuart

Direction: James Cameron

Genre: Romance

Duration: 3 hours 14 minutes

Avg Readers Rating: 4/5

Story: The love story between commoner Jack Dawson ( Leonardo DiCaprio) and aristocratic Rose Dewitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), set against the ornate yet tragic backdrop of the sinking luxury liner, sends out all the right signals. It talks of a love that is passionate, permanent, soul stirring, death defying and powerful enough to break all barriers of class and destiny. 

Movie Review: It took some 300 hundred people, 60 weeks, 279,000 frames and $18 million more (initially costing some $200 million) for director James Cameron to sink the Titanic all over again. Not to say, his earlier Titanic (1997) did not have its fair share of numbers to deal with: a movie stretching to 194 minutes; a movie bagging 11 Oscars that year. The fact that James Cameron managed to blend steamy romance with mind-blowing depiction of disaster made the film even more spectacular. Watching the Titanic sink, with all the attendant creaks and cracks, was truly a milestone moment in movie lore. That was then. For now, the Big Question: What is it that really makes Titanic (1997) look all different from Titanic (2012)? 

For starters, the decor and dresses look more elegant, the ocean more blue and deadly, the ship more huge and gigantic. Not to miss out is Kate Winslet's very first entry with an enormous hat and an even more enormous bow. Spectacular. Next, it's the sweeping and romantic shot of Leonardo DiCaprioand Kate Winslet as 'king (and queen) of the world'. More iconic a shot in 3D. But then unfortunately, Cameron's real trick-n-treat visual wizardry is primarily seen during the last 30 minutes of the movie. Perhaps, that's why you just can't wait for the Titanic to snap. And snap it does, 3D ishtyle. Right from the luxury liner being hit by the oh-so-big iceberg, water blasting through the hull, those on board being washed away by violent waves... to the ship's final plunge as it breaks into two, is what makes Titanic different... and worth a watch ek baar phir! Special mention: 1) The section of the ship rising up perpendicular to the ocean 2) Hundred of lifeless bodies floating around in the cold water... in the middle of nowhere. 

So grab your 3D glasses and book yourself a tryst with the turn-of-the-century cinema all over again. And incase you feel the wait (for the special effects to set the screen ablaze) is too long, worry not. It's the overwhelming sentimentality of the liner, along with the then Kate-and-Leo chemistry, that still classifies the Titanic as an epic romance, 3D or no 3D. 

A word about James Cameron: No doubt Cameron is mastering the art of advancing technology, not just in the world of cinema, but his very own cinema. First Avatar (followed by Avatar 3D), now Titanic. 

Tip off: You know what's coming up next on screen. But rest assured, you still won't mind seeing the Titanic sink all over again - in 3D... exactly a hundred years from the moment it actually happened.

Courtesy: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

3 Movie Review

Review: 3 (Tamil) Dhanush & Shruti Hassan in 3 Film: 3 (Tamil) Director: Aishwarya Dhanush Cast: Dhanush, Shruti Hassan, Bhanupriya, Prabhu Rating: *** If you were planning to watch 3 just for the sake of Kolaveri Di, we’d ask you to rethink your plan — the film is worth so much more. Before we even start to review this movie, one must appreciate Aishwarya Dhanush for reinstating the hope that Kollywood can always redefine and reinterpret itself — how we’ve longed for a movie that felt, sounded and looked like 3. 3 is a love story at its very core, but around a love story that passes through almost a whole lifetime of the two lead actors, you find intricate narratives based on anyone’s life from middle-class Chennai. From the almost palpable teenage passion of love, spiced with cuteness and loads of reality, to the seriousness of a relationship forged in a hurry — the storyline and the final representation on screen is commendable and stays with you long after the credits roll. The first half of the film belongs to Shruti Hassan and prior to 3 we were convinced she couldn’t act. How wonderfully she’s proved us wrong and left us begging for more. Janani, her character, is a girl we’ve all known — studious, pretty and hell-bent on living up to her parents’ hopes and wishes in her. She however secretly just yearns for love, appreciation and passion, and when she finds it, she fights for it, stronger than you could ever imagine. Bhanupriya and Prabhu are in their element and while neither contribute anything relevant to the plotline, they’re fabulous as Dhanush’s parents. Rohini as Shruti’s mother however is mind-blowing and stirs up a riot of emotions. Needless to say, Dhanush is amazing! The man only surpasses his previous films and while bits of the storyline might remind you of Kaadhal Kondaen, the actor has far outdone his previous attempt at such a role. Kolaveri Di... might be the only spoiler in the film however, and we’re just warning you ahead. It’s been shot well and has some really neat choreography, but after the hype we’ve seen it create,we were a bit disappointed! We won’t let you in on what happens in the second half and even though we’ve given you several clues already, all we’re going to say is it gets serious, really, really serious. Be ready for a sob fest as emotions run wild, anger turns into rage and limits crossed in almost every scene. The storyline swings between poles and while it can be entertaining in terms of a performance, it can demand a lot of patience from a viewer, so be warned. We do not think anyone would want to watch the movie again, only because it demands too much from you emotionally. We however, plan to watch this movie once more and walk out during the interval, we’d advise the romantics to do the same. Courtesy : http://www.dnaindia.com

New year wishes

Wish u a ver Happy n Prosperous NewYear Friends

Jayalalithaa urges Kerala to abide by Supreme Court order

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Thursday requested her Kerala counterpart Oommen Chandy to ensure that his government abides by the apex court order allowing the water storage level at Mullaperiyar Dam to be raised to 142 feet.

Replying to Chandy’s letter dated Dec 1, 2011, the text of which was released here to the media, Jayalalithaa said: “May I take this opportunity to request you to kindly ensure that the Government of Kerala abides by the order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, which has taken into consideration all the safety aspects of the dam and allow the water level to be raised to 142 feet?”

While agreeing with Chandy’s views that Tamil Nadu and Kerala have mutual interests and co-operation on various fronts and they should be fostered, she said: “I would like to take this opportunity to bring to your notice unwarranted provocations from across the border and also our anxieties on the fear psychosis generated in Kerala.”

She said the apex court after considering the report of the expert committee formed by the central government ordered “raising of level of storage in the Mullai Periyar Dam to 142 feet”.

Jayalalithaa said the Kerala government amended the Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation Act 2003 in 2006 there by nullifying the apex court order.

She said the Empowered Committee under the chairmanship of the former chief justice of India A.S. Anand is looking into dam safety.

“The Government of Tamil Nadu had carried out a series of measures from 1980 to 1994 on the recommendations of the Chairman, Central Water Commission, to strengthen the dam and after all these measures have been carried out, the retrofitted Mullai Periyar Dam is as good as new. The Supreme Court of India had also factored this in while pronouncing its judgment in 2006, allowing Tamil Nadu initially to store water up to 142 feet,” the letter notes.

She said a series of studies/tests such a scanning the upstream face of the dam, testing of cable anchors, non-destructive tests have been conducted and some are in progress.

In response to Chandy’s reference in his letter to the 22 tremors in the last four months, Jayalalithaa said: “As per the Indian Meteorological Department data, there have been only four mild tremors in the last four months, that too far away from the vicinity of the Mullai Periyar Dam site, which did not have any effect on the seepage in the dam.”

“The seepage of the dam is well within the permissible limits as per the Indian Standards Code. The possibility of tremors of even medium magnitude does not exist in the Mullai Periyar Dam site. The possibility of the Mullai Periyar Dam breaching due to flood waters and collapsing is not logical since all eventualities have been factored in during the strengthening of the dam,” the letter notes.

Jayalalithaa stressed that informed decision making at the the government level should be based on reason rather than extraneous factors and one should guard against unfounded fears overtaking reason and ground realities.

Mullaperiyar dam facts by PWD

MullaiPeriyar Dam History & Technical Details by PWD Engineers

THE DIRTY PICTURE REVIEW

THE DIRTY PICTURE REVIEW

by J Hurtado, December 3, 2011 2:00 AM

DRAMA, MUSICAL, SOUTH ASIA

If there is any justice in this world, The Dirty Picture will do for Vidya Balan what Raging Bull did for Robert DeNiro. Balan owns this film so completely that it seems to collapse under it's own facade whenever she's off screen, which thankfully isn't much. The Dirty Picture is one of the best mainstream Hindi films of 2011, and Balan's performance supplants Priyanka Chopra's turn in 7 Khoon Maaf as the breakout dramatic performance of the year.  When The Dirty Picture is on its game, the film lights up an audience like few I've seen, however, it descends intermittently into soap opera melodramatics and that keeps it from being a truly great film, leaving it in the realm of the merely very good.

The story of a country girl breaking the chains that bind her to her rural upbringing and looking for success on the big screen is not a new one.  It's been told in Hollywood many times, however, this story played out for real in the south Indian film industries in the 1980's with the real life Silk Smitha. Silk's tragic tale is illustrated capably by director Milan Luthria, who struggles with an uneven script from Rajat Arora. The rise of this big screen siren is nearly as meteoric as her sudden fall from grace. The dichotomy could probably have been handled better, but the film chooses to address it in the most common of ways.

The first half of the film shows Silk's running away from home and beginning her career as the sexiest and raunchiest of item girls. The pre-intermission arc provides lots of laughs and generates lots of goodwill toward the commoner Silk as she crawls through the muck to land on top of the heap.  Helping, and sometimes hurting, her ascent is Naseeruddin Shah as Surya, an aging south Indian film hero from the one place left on Earth where the idea of an anti-hero hasn't yet caught on.  Yet, for all of his forthrightness on screen, he's kind of a creep in real life.  However, his relationship, on and off screen, with Silk provides for some of the finest on-screen moments for the both of them. Shah is a brilliant actor, and even though he's here to lampoon a certain style of acting and filmmaking in general, he never tips his hand.

Vidya Balan's transformation from the country girl Reshma to Silk the sex bomb is definitely worthy of note.  In the first half of the film, she proves that she's willing to do anything to become a star, much to the chagrin of a director with international ambitions played by Emraan Hashmi. As Silk rises, Hashmi's Abraham plots her downfall, and in the second half of the film, we see his plans begin to gel. The film takes a very dark turn as Silk turns to the drink and allows her ego to get the best of her. While her out of control pride leads to one of the best songs in the film in the form of a dance off with the new flavor of the week at a party, it's all downhill from there.

I could spend more time talking about Shah, Hashmi, and Tusshar Kapoor, the third man in Silk's life, but that's all just a smoke screen for this film's real raison d'etre. Vidya Balan is astounding in this film, and Milan Luthria, even though he can't quite seem to get a handle of his own film's dialogue at times, knows exactly what he's doing when Balan's on screen. She oozes sex in a way that Indian actresses don't.  Indian films are all about the tease and implication, but Vidya Balan, and the real life Silk Smitha, were all about seduction and raw, raunchy sexuality in a way that audiences of both sexes lapped up.

Silk Smitha didn't look like a typical Indian film star, either, she had some meat on her bones, and Vidya Balan gained about 25 lbs for the role, all of which are on display throughout the course of the film. One thing that I didn't notice at the time, but became more obvious as the film wore on was that the weight was always there, but for the first half of the film, Vidya was shot in such a way that it was extremely sensual and she looked bountiful and gorgeous.  However, as she began to crash, her posture took a nose dive, and what was sensual and curvy became lumpy. I've never seen any actress in an Indian film willfully look the way that Balan looks in The Dirty Picture, and it was all 100% intentional.  She uses her attitude, her dress, her affect, and even her posture to convey this complicated and conflicted character that required a lot more than most actresses would be willing to deliver.

Where the film stumbles is when it veers away from Vidya.  When the camera isn't on her, Luthria doesn't seem to quite know what to do.  Characters deliver long soliloquies to no one in particular, the scenarios move from homage to farce, and the actors seem to lose focus.  On several occasions, actors deliver lines of philosophical mumbo jumbo to the camera for no reason at all.  In fact, Vidya's only questionable moment in the film comes in the scene immediately before intermission when she accepts an award and goes on a rant to the audience that is not necessarily out of character, but very out of step with her performance as a whole.

The Dirty Picture succeeds because of Vidya Balan in the finest acting performance of the year out of India. She is able to overcome the clumsy writing to make her character sympathetic and the film incredibly engaging. The melodrama drags down the second half, but Balan's charisma keeps the audience from drifting in a way that requires a true and powerful talent.  This film offers big laughs, fantastic spectacle, big emotions, and a powerhouse performance from a brave and exciting actress. The Dirty Picture is a winner, and with the help of a good editor, could probably even make the art house rounds if it wanted to. However, I'll take Bollywood with all of its faults and excesses any day, and this is quality Bollywood.