Film Review - Bahubali

 

Very Special Effects

Film: Bahubali

Cast: Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Tamannaah Bhatia

Directed by: S.S. Rajamouli

Duration: 2 hrs 29 mins

Rating:  * * *

Bahubali is a magnum opus from S.S. Rajamouli, the director who has given us films like Magadeheera and Eega (which was dubbed in Hindi as Makhhi). It is an ambitious film made on a grand scale and that is the most admirable part. This is perhaps the film where special effects have been used to such a great extent and in such an effective manner in Indian cinema. The basic plotline is a familiar one, this is a revenge saga set during a time when kings and queens ruled from the magnificent palaces. But as it progresses, we discover that there is more to it than just a revenge saga.

The names and places sound straight out of an Amar Chitra Katha comic book. In an impressive opening sequence a baby is smuggled out from the Kingdom of Mahishmati. He grows up to become Shiva (Prabhas) and eventually Bahubali, the man who will set right all the wrongs.

Instead of moving to the next gear it goes into reverse when he sees Avantika (Tamanaah of Himmatwala redux fame) and falls in love with her after seeing her swordwomanship. He is also keen to show off his own of skills and after a bit of fore and sword play, they are in love.

The one doing the most wrong is Bhallala (Rana Daguubati) the king who shows no mercy and has kept a woman in captive who turns out to be Shiva’s mother. Like Rakhee in Karan Arjun, she is hopeful that someday her son will come and rescue her.

The story picks up steam in the second half when via a flashback we are told that what transpired in the Kingdom once upon a time long long ago. Veteran actor Nasser plays a Shakuni mama kind of a character with similar mannerisms. The finale is a battle scene between the warriors of Mahishmati and a bunch of primitive looking people. Even though it is a bit extended, fair to say it is quite riveting and admirable the way it has been shot.

Rajamouli clearly has an eye for strong visuals, take the rain soaked action scene for instance, there is some terrific style on display there. Where he falters is when he decides to go by book and does something commonplace like item numbers.

We would love to see what he has to say and show rather than, what the audience presumably wants to see.

There isn’t much to harp about the cast, they are passable. With a running time of over two and a half hours, there is considerable flab that needs trimming. But all said and seen, the positives outweigh the negatives. And it is the kind of film that goes well with a lot of popcorn. 

Published in The Navhind Times on 12th July 2015

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Film Review - Pitch Perfect 2

Song Sung Blues

Film: Pitch Perfect 2

Cast: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfield
Directed by: Elizabeth Banks
Duration: 1 hr 55 mins
Rating:  *  * 1 / 2

With an extremely wispy screenplay, Pitch Perfect 2 has the Bellas return to what they do best, sing a cappella. The film passes the Bechdel test with flying colors but the same cannot be said about it when it comes to entertainment. But if you like fluffy entertainment, this could well be your ticket.

It goes horribly wrong for the Bellas, a group of singers, while performing for the President of the US. Amy (a feisty Rebel Wilson) literally ends up showing her posterior to the audience and the Bellas are disgraced. 

They aim to redeem themselves by participating in the world championships but the sailing in not smooth. Beca (Anna Kendrick) is the leader of the group but she won’t tell them about her other clandestine project. Emily (Hailee Steinfield) is the latest entrant in the group and she has more of a talent for writing rather than singing. Things are not going smoothly with the Bellas and they have to resort to a ‘retreat’ to bring the chemistry back.  Like ABCD 2, their rivals are Germans who seem to be at the receiving end these days.

The screenplay never takes it seriously; all the conflicts and their resolutions are artificial. As a result, there is no intensity in the proceedings. You know very well at every step how everything is going to pan out. 

It has a spirited cast though in the form of Anna Kendrick and the talented Rebel Wilson. This film is recommended to those who like chick flicks.    

Published in The Navhind Times, Goa on 5th July 2015

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Film: Terminator Genisys

Back To The Future

Film: Terminator Genisys
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Clarke, Jai Courtney, Emilia Clarke
Directed by: Alan Taylor
Duration: 2 hrs 5 mins
Rating:  *  *  *

“I am old, not obsolete” says Arnold Schwarzenegger more than once in Terminator Genisys, reprising that iconic role that made him famous all over the globe. That was when director James Cameron made The Terminator in 1984 (followed by Judgment Day in ’91) giving us two of the most memorable sci-fi action movies. There were couple of films later but the Terminator was not the same without Cameron. Terminator Genisys (the fifth film in the franchise) is more of a throwback on the first and second part with a lot of references.  And among all the films, this involves the most time travel, you have to keep a close eye on who is coming and who is going.

It opens with a little boy Kyle (Jai Courtney) being rescued by a man who turns out to be John O’Connor (Jason Clarke) who is leading the human resistance against the machines led by the program that has gone rogue, Skynet who sends a machine back in time to kill Sarah Connor (Emilia ‘Game of Thrones’ Clarke) while Kyle who has become John’s trusted lieutenant volunteers to go and save her. She doesn’t need a great deal of help because the Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger) whom she fondly calls Pops, is still around. But Kyle has to team up with Sarah for other reasons.
When Kyle rewinds back to 1984, a deadly android (playing Korean superstar Byung hun Lee) is already waiting for him – that’s not all, we are also treated to a good Arnold vs bad Arnold duel. You have to be familiar with the first two Terminator films to know what exactly is going on - Not just to understand the plot but also the characters. Besides, there are several other references some obvious ones which are actually quite enjoyable. In fact it is the humor and the self references that keep the film going.

The science gets a little more complex with references like parallel timelines but everything else that could have been explored involving Sarah, John, T1000 and Skynet has been done before. On the surface you might get the gist of it but to get to the minutiae, you will have to scratch your head to figure out the exact sequence of events.

True, Terminator may be old but it is not obsolete, and as the post credits reveal, there is more to come. 

Published in The Navhind Times, Goa on 5th July 2015

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Film Review - Guddu Rangeela

Khaps and Robbers

Film: Guddu Rangeela

Cast: Arshad Warsi, Amit Sadh, Ronit Roy, Aditi Rao Hydari
Directed by: Subhash Kapoor
Duration: 2 hrs 4 mins
Rating: * * 1 / 2

In Guddu Rangeela, director Subhash Kapoor pays a nod to the greatest story ever told, Sholay. In fact, it is more than just a nod. He uses the same template to tell a more contemporary story and has also made an effort to make it socially relevant by targeting the antics of the Khap panchayat –Khap ko jala ke raakh kar donga seems to his motto.  He manages to pull off some of it while bits of it are a let-down and at least it is not a film that makes you desperate to head out for the exit door.    

Set somewhere in Haryana, Guddu (Amit Sadh) and Rangeela (Arshad Warsi) are conmen, a bit like Jai and Veeru.   They roam around on a motorcycle with a sidecar in the Yeh Dosti mold and it one point, Rangeela even says “Loha garam hain, maar do hatoda.”

Ronit Roy plays a Billu pehelwan, a politician and khap leader with a mind-set that is older than the Harappa civilization. Samaj (society), rivaaz (traditions) is all that he cares about even if it means killing innocent people. His ire is specially targeted against couples who marry outside their caste.

Meanwhile, Guddu and Rangeela take up an assignment of kidnapping a girl (Aditi Rao Hydari) from Chandigarh and ‘delivering’ her like a package to Delhi. But there is a twist in tale and there is more than meets the eye as far as the girl is concerned.

In the second half, the screenplay hits a few road bumps as the khap gets involved and a woman (Shriswara) who suffers silently her whole life suddenly gets into the rebel mode in a not so convincing manner.  A tau at the khap panchayat even asks his fellowmen to keep quiet and let the woman speak, her preachy speech being directed to the audience.

But Guddu-Rangeela has its fun moments too, a couple of cops (Amit Sial and Rajeev Gupta) are hot on the chase of the duo and Gupta with his deadpan expressions evokes a few laughs.

Director Subhash Kapoor needed a tighter script, he certainly has the flair for story-telling and when he borrows styles liberally (like the Tarantino’isque climax) he knows how to keep you engaged.

All such sagas need a good villain and though Ronit Roy has been there done that, fair to say he is still the most menacing bad guy around. The ladies don’t have much of a role to play, symbolically the chief minister of the state is a shown as a woman but Kapoor has his heart in the right place when it comes to making a point about the plight of women and the attitude of extra judicial authorities like the regressive khap panchayats.

Amit Sadh and Arshad Warsi complement each other well. The supporting cast of Brijendra Kala and Dibyendu Bhattacharya make their presence felt. All in all, even if slightly, Guddu Rangeela is above average fare.

Published in The Navhind Times on 5th July 2015

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Film Review - Killa

Return To Innocence

Film: Killa (Marathi)

Cast: Archit Deodhar, Parth Bhalerao, Amruta Subhash
Directed by: Avinash Arun
Duration: 1 hr 43 mins
Rating:  * * * * 

Winner of the Crystal Bear at the Berlin Film Festival last year, Killa is another feather in the cap of Marathi cinema. Directed by debutante Avinash Arun who is also a cinematographer, the film is a nostalgic trip down the memory – you will cheer, you will laugh and you will also feel a lump in your throat during the course of the film.  Everyone will relate to the characters, especially the children and their days of innocence.

Set in the Konkan area (the film was shot at Guhagar, in Ratnagiri district) Amruta Subhash plays a widowed mother to little boy Chinmay (Archit Deodhar), he doesn’t like the village one bit and is longing to go back to Pune, where they came from.  She has just been transferred so her job demands that they stay in this idyllic village.

Chinmay makes friends with his classmates who are all of different temperament; Bandya (Parth Bhalerao of Bhoothnath Returns fame) is a loose cannon when it comes to language. Eventually they all become good friends and in that process we see some moments that not only touch the heart but also make us laugh. 

The characterization is superb, each and every one of them stand out in their own right. Chinmay’s mother becomes a victim of corrupt practices evoking enough sympathy. But above everything else, Killa is about childhood memories and while we all have our unique experiences, the screenplay brings it alive in a way you can relate to it. It is also about a sense of belonging and being rooted to one place.  There isn’t a great deal in terms of a story, there are just episodes involving the children but that is more than enough to keep you engaged with nostalgia and help the film sail through.  Full marks to the director, the way in some of the scenes are crafted is admirable. 

Integrating the story with absolutely stunning visuals and a very apt background score (Naren Chandavarkar, Benedict Taylor), the performances top notch. Parth Bhalerao’s acting caught attention even before the film was released and sense of timing and delivery is simply superb. Befittingly, he won a Special Mention at this year’s National Awards.  Archit Deodhar who plays the main protagonist conveys just the right expressions and National Award winner Amruta Subhash makes her presence felt in film that is dominated by the children’s performances.  Her performance is so effortless yet spot on that it takes a second viewing to realize that. 

Among other things, Killa reminds us that the best things in life are indeed free. 

Published in The Navhind Times on 28th June 2015
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