Category: Movie Reviews

After delivering four consecutive hits, Koratala Siva directed the ill-fated Acharya. Meanwhile, NTR Jr. returns to a solo film after six years, following his collaboration with Rajamouli, and confronts the long-held belief in a post-movie curse. Does their combination after Janatha Garage work its magic again? Let’s find out!

Siva’s strength has always been his writing — creating strong protagonists and embedding meaningful messages in his films. However, with Devara, it seems he’s abandoned his usual logic, delivering a routine story presented in a conventional way. While the protagonist remains powerful, everything else falls apart.

The first half focuses on Devara (NTR Jr.). Alongside the chiefs of neighboring villages, he loots ships carrying weapons for Muruga (Murali Sharma), with Bhaira (Saif Ali Khan) being one of the chiefs. Everything seems fine until Devara realizes their actions aren’t benefiting the villages (or the country), prompting him to stop. This decision sparks conflict, and Devara instills fear in his opponents before going into exile.

Old wine in a new bottle, right? While it’s a routine story, Siva clearly tried to present it differently in the first half. Unfortunately, it falls flat due to a mediocre screenplay and sloppy writing. There’s no clear reason why Devara is considered unbeatable — it feels like Siva simply built the plot around NTR’s image. The entire ship episode and the Ayudha Pooja sequences come off as cringeworthy.

However, the second half is a significant improvement. The screenplay is tighter, and while not all new characters add value, they at least bring some variety. It’s a relief to see moments that move beyond the constant violence, with more purposeful action and a clearer sense of direction than the first half. Overall, it just felt like he made the movie to cater to NTR’s star power.

NTR as Devara is a mixed bag, with his character poorly written. He appears fierce without clear motivation, and his sudden change of heart feels forced. Though he tries to breathe life into the role, his efforts only skim the surface. He’s much better as Vara, where he shines in better-scripted scenes, but I’d still argue he’s been underutilized.

Janhvi’s debut in Telugu films is brief, as she appears for barely 15 minutes. She plays the typical village belle, and while her performance is decent, it feels like a missed opportunity for deeper character development.

Saif Ali Khan delivers a strong performance, but his character is also weakly written. It’s puzzling to see such a talented actor like Shine Tom Chacko wasted. Srikanth and Prakash Raj are decent, but the rest of the cast is alright.

I expected Anirudh’s music to be a major asset, but it turned out to be a disappointment. While the Fear song is catchy, it didn’t fit the movie, and the background score was poorly mixed. Editing by Sreekar Prasad could have been much sharper, especially in the first half — scenes like the 10-minute ship loot could’ve been trimmed to avoid unnecessary cringe. Rathnavelu’s cinematography is solid, effectively showcasing Sabu Cyril’s production design, but at times, it was obvious we were looking at a set.

Story-Screenplay-Direction: 6/10
Technical Aspects: 6.5/10

Verdict: 7/10

PS: Daavudi song isn’t there is the movie. 

When I first heard about Project-K, (now Kalki 2898 AD) with Prabhas a couple of years ago, I wasn’t impressed or excited to be honest. Post Baahubali, Prabhas has been selecting unconventional scripts that have mostly been duds. Additionally, he has put on so much weight, making it seem like he can no longer carry a film effectively. But Salaar was a breath of fresh air, and my hopes went up for Kalki, especially with the casting choices. But does the film deliver? Let’s dive in!

With just two films under his belt, Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD aims for the stars. His vision is very similar to Ayan Mukerji’s, who made Brahmastra last year. Both these young directors had a similar ambition of wanting to make something spectacular, with grandeur akin to Hollywood movies. However, where Ayan failed and Nagi succeeded (though both had Amitabh Bachchan) is that Nagi had a proper script to back his conviction.

The movie starts about 6000 years ago with a couple of episodes from the Kurukshetra, and then fast forwards to 2898 AD, to a dystopian future where the world teeters on the brink of collapse, and the only surviving city is Kashi. The poor are on the street, while the lucky few live in this modern complex, with luxuries and good food, ruled by supreme ruler Yaskin (Kamal Haasan). Units are the currency required to enter a lavish complex, and our protagonist Bhairava (Prabhas), a street dweller, strives to gather the million units needed for entry with his AI sidekick Bujji (Keerthy Suresh). Meanwhile, fertile women are captured by Yaskin’s army and subjected to artificial insemination to produce a serum for Yaskin. SUM-80 (Deepika Padukone) is one of these women who manages to endure pregnancy the longest. Her baby’s life is under threat, and the rest of the story is about how the rebels and Ashwatthama (Amitabh Bachchan) save her. Or do they?

Nagi successfully combined mythology and science fiction, and I loved how he infused enough humor into this otherwise serious script. Though the movie is about three hours long, it never felt like a bore. However, the first half seemed unnecessarily long, and certain plot points in the second half feel rushed. There were also parts he could have done better (I wish he had skipped the bit with Disha Patani and Bhairava’s episode in the complex as they were the only cringe-worthy bits), but I’m still impressed with his screenplay and direction.

Prabhas is the right choice for Bhairava. His comic timing is great, but his expressions were often obscured by his beard and bulky face. Amitabh has a meaty role, and he does full justice. I loved that he dubbed for his character (for most scenes). Deepika and Shobana deliver decent performances. Kamal Haasan’s brief role relied heavily on CGI, leaving little to remark about his presence. The rest of the supporting cast performs well; I’m glad that Nagi picked relatively new faces for these roles, bringing a sense of freshness.

Music by Santhosh Narayanan is a huge disappointment. I agree that there is not much for him to play with considering the script, but the tunes felt outdated and didn’t resonate with the film’s epic proportions. Thankfully, the background score is decent. Cinematography by Djordje Stojiljkovic is stunning, with sprawling cityscapes, intricate set designs, and breathtaking special effects that create a believable futuristic world. Barring a couple of scenes, the CGI work is very good. Some of the action sequences are well choreographed, but this can’t be said for all (especially the first fight). Editing by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao could have been better; some scenes cut abruptly to the next, and care should have been taken to avoid such amateur mistakes for a film of this scale. Dubbing is way better than what we saw in the trailer but there were inconsistencies in the voices which didn’t help. Despite these flaws, Vyjayanthi Movies need to be commended for putting so much time and money into Nagi’s conviction.

Overall, Kalki 2898 AD is another monumental achievement in Indian cinema, pushing the boundaries of genre and storytelling. Yes, it is inspired (or copied, whatever you want to call it) from various movies, but bottom line, it’s a film that dares to dream big and achieves its goal. It does have its fair share of imperfections, but despite the minor issues, the film manages to maintain a cohesive vision, driven by its strong performances and visual grandeur.

Is it worth your time and money?: Yes, absolutely! This is another bold attempt in Telugu cinema, an ambitious and visually stunning epic paving it’s way into the new genre of Indian science fiction. Can’t wait for Part 2!

Worth mention: The grandeur, visuals and production values.

Acting: 8.5/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 9/10
Technical Aspects: 8/10

Verdict: 8.5/10

After Ante Sundaraniki, Nani is back again with another offbeat film. Okay, maybe not so offbeat as we’ve had films with similar rustic 90’s setup come in the recent past (Pushpa, Kantara, KGF). The trailer was impressive, and with all the promotions and releases in multiple languages, does Dasara live up to the expectations? 

Directed and co-scripted by debutant Srikanth Odela, Dasara is set in 1995, and tells the story of Dharani (Nani), his best buddy Suri (Dheekshith) and his lover Vennala (Keerthy). Dharani and Suri are drunk coal pilfers, and as anticipated, they get entangled with local village politics. One thing leads to another and Suri gets killed (this should ideally be a spoiler, but you knew this was coming from the word go!) We’ve seen tons of movies with a similar premise, and you’d think that this is heading in the direction of another Rangasthalam or more recently Narappa, but what differentiates Dasara is the grounds for the murder. This twist is handled well by Srikanth, but I thought it was revealed a little too early. 

Nevertheless, the direction is neat. His vision is clearly evident on screen, which says a lot about a debutant. The screenplay, however, could have been a little more effective, particularly in the second half, as the movie was too predictable but for the one small twist revealed too soon. Films like these need to be more gripping, and that’s where Dasara fails to engage the audience. I also felt that Srikanth was trying too hard to incorporate all his inspirations into his first film (last shot in the climax was almost a replica of Kshatriya Putrudu, and even the post-climax episode was clichéd and unnecessary!)

On the casting front, Nani, Keerthy, Sai Kumar and Jhansi are the only familiar faces on screen. Oh wait, there was Samuthrakani as well, but was it really him? Anyways, as you’d expect, this was Nani’s show all the way. He puts everything into the character and does a fantastic job; his attire, body language, dialogue delivery, everything is just perfect (his mannerisms reminded me of yesteryear Rajinikanth). Keerthy is not far behind; her performance, specifically in a tragic death scene, is praiseworthy. Dheekshith Shetty is alright as the buddy. Shine Tom Chacko makes an impressive debut in Telugu films; he looks menacing, but I felt his character could have had more depth. Jhansi makes her presence felt, while Sai Kumar and Samuthrakani are both wasted. 

Music by Santosh Narayan is a definite asset. Apart from “Dhoom Dhaam Dhosthaan” and “Chamkeela Angeelesi”, the background score during the cricket match and the climax fight are really good. Editing by Naveen Nooli is adequate. Cinematography by Sathyan Sooryan is excellent; “Dhoom Dhaam Dhosthaan”, the pre-interval bit and some of the climax elements are very spectacularly shot. It took a while to understand the dialogues in native slang, but you eventually get past this hurdle. 

Is it worth your time and money?: Yes for Nani and Keerthy’s acts. But otherwise, the story is way too predictive, and the extreme violence doesn’t help. If only Srikanth refrained from the commercial elements and illogical fights but instead put efforts into a gripping screenplay, the movie could have been more impactful.

Worth mention: Nani and Keerthy’s performances!

Acting: 9/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 7.5/10
Technical Aspects: 8.5/10

Verdict: 8/10

PS: I don’t think there was any need to make this a Pan-Indian film, especially in Hindi. There are a lot of local native superstitions which are too much for non-Telugites, especially North Indians. 

When Chiranjeevi decided to remake Lucifer into Telugu, I was actually excited for I thought he’d be the only one who’d be able to do justice. But at the same time, I had my apprehensions as to if they would change his character to make it massy and cater to his star power. Thankfully, they didn’t alter the core of the Malayalam blockbuster, and I think I can say “Boss is back!”

Helmed by the remake master Mohan Raja, Godfather tells the story of Brahma, a mysterious yet dangerous man funding the government, who comes to the forefront of state politics after the death of the CM PKR. Jaydev, PKR’s son-in-law, is a corrupt mastermind vying to be the new CM, and smuggle drugs into the state. Brahma doesn’t approve of this, and the rest of the story is about how he saves his family and the state from Jaydev.

Mohan Raja makes the film his own rather than copying the original. He made quite a few changes to the original ensuring more screen time for Chiranjeevi, but at the same time, doesn’t deviate too much. He does a commendable job to highlight Chiranjeevi’s character without ever overdoing it. The direction is neat, but I thought the screenplay could have been a little crisper. I also thought that he failed to extract the best from other cast members. 

It’s a cakewalk for Chiranjeevi and he does justice to the character. I wish he danced a little more in the Thaar Maar song. Nayanathara is decent as Sathya, PKR’s daughter, but I thought she could have emoted better; she had the same straight face for most of the film. Satyadev is brilliant as Jaydev and kills it. Salman Khan has a good cameo. Murali Sharma is okay, and the rest of the cast are alright but underutilized. 

While the songs are mediocre, the background score by Thaman is decent. Edited by Marthand K. Venkatesh could have been better; the film was longer than needed and some scenes should have definitely made the cut on his table. Cinematography by Nirav Shah is of top-notch quality. The VFX too should have been better. And I was so very disappointed with Prabhu deva’s choreography for Thaar Maar.

Is it worth your time and money?: Even if you have watched Lucifer, Mohan Raja’s Godfather is still a good watch for the director makes it his film. At the same time, the film isn’t great because it has flaws common to most Telugu films (unnecessary item songs, some illogical sequences, etc.). Nevertheless, megastar’s magic works on screen.

Worth mention: Chiranjeevi and Satyadev’s performances. 

Acting: 8/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 7.5/10
Technical Aspects: 7/10

Verdict: 7.5/10

From the trailers, Sita Ramam seemed like a romantic love story from the 1960s, with a war backdrop. Does this age-old romance work in the current era?

Scripted and directed by Hanu Raghavapudi, Sita Ramam narrates the non-linear back-and-forth story of Afreen (Rashmika), a Pakistani student from 1985 who reluctantly travels to India to handover a letter written 20 years ago by Lieutenant Ram (Dulquer) to a woman named Sita (Mrunal). While trying to locate Sita, she learns about Ram, his heroics in the Indian army, his undying love for Sita, and a little about how she’s connected to them.

From the first frame, it is clearly evident that Hanu wanted to create a love story like Roja, a Mani Ratnam classic. While combining war and the army into love stories is not new, I thought Hanu tried too hard to make everything fit into the storyline. He succeeds with the love story element; an army officer receiving letters from strangers claiming to be his family when he says he’s an orphan is well conceptualized, and how this ignites Ram and Sita’s love story is beautifully handled. The twists and turns along their journey and how it’s integrated into the army operations work well until a point, but eventually starts to feel artificial and unrealistic, primarily because of the slow pace of the film. Movies like these need to have a crisp screenplay and keep you engrossed all through, and that’s where this movie falters.

Dulquer Salmaan is brilliant as Ram. His characterization makes you fall in love with him. Mrunal Thakur scores big on her Telugu debut; she looks lovely and utilizes her expressive eyes effectively. Sumanth has a meaty role and does justice. Rashmika’s act could have been better; it felt like she did the film just for the heck of it. There are numerous actors from across industries in the film but almost all of them either have a single frame or are under-utilized.

Music by Vishal Chandrasekhar is alright but nothing great. Editing by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao is decent considering the slow screenplay; at almost 2 hours 45 minutes, the film is too long, but I doubt he could have done anything about it. Cinematography by P. S. Vinod and Shreyaas Krishna is a major asset to the film. The Kashmir valley is stunningly picturized, and so are the buildings and frames of the 1960s. Production by Vyjayanthi is commendable.

Is it worth your time and money?: Sita Ramam is a beautiful love story with its moments, but it falters because of its slow paced and shoddy screenplay. So, watch it if you have the time and patience.

Worth mention: The chemistry between the lead pair.

Acting: 8/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 6/10
Technical Aspects: 7.5/10

Verdict: 7/10