Review of Qissa – The Tale of a Lonely Ghost

The Official Poster

Cast: Irrfan Khan (Umber Singh), Tisca Chopra, Tillotama Shome (Kanwar Singh), Rasika Dugal (Neeli), Faezeh Jalali, Sonia Bindra

Genre: Drama with a Social Message

Direction:Anup Singh

Production: Johannes Rexin, Thierry Lenouvel, Bero Beyer

Written by: Anup Singh, Madhuja Mukherjee

Cinematographer: Sebastian Edschmid

Music: Beatrice Thiriet, Manish J Tipu

Release Date: 20^thFebruary, 2015 (Initial Release: at Toronto International Film Festival - TIFF on 8^th September, 2013; Germany on 10^th July, 2014)

Language: Punjabi

Duration:1 hour 40 minutes

A still from the movie

Qissa, an Indian-German film, directed by Anup Singh in Punjabi. It is a 2013 film, first released in Toronto International Film Festival - TIFF, followed by its release in Germany in July, 2014 and now in India in Punjabi Language. Perfect timing for the release of this movie, since it resonates with what India declared this year: Beti Bachao, Desh Bachao. Do we understand the gravity of this slogan? The movie portrays the obsession of many households, where people feel that the son is the saviour of the family, as if their slogan is “Beta Jano, Vansh Bachao / Vansh Badhao”. What a sad discrimination between genders. Today also, there are many households in our country, where the birth of a boy child is celebrated whereas a girl child is not welcomed. India’s rural as well as urban lives face with this non-acceptance of diversity. Education has definitely made lot of difference, still, many people are trapped in the very same old thought that a son is required, son is the garur (pride) of the family whereas daughter is a liability. But, don’t they forget that they are violating the balance of the universe visualized by the creator. Even the biological fact is ignored that the very female is required to give birth to a child – whether a boy or a girl. This beautiful and intriguing plot is projected in Qissa (Qissa in Punjabi means ‘folk tale’ or ‘epic legend’). Qissa could have been a masterpiece with such a strong contemplative message, but somewhere, the theme ignored certain intricacies, adopts supernatural path to tell the story which creates some confusion in the minds of the viewers? Director also leaves certain vital information for the audience to infer and assume.    

The backdrop is the partition which happened soon after declaration of independence. Umber Singh (Irrfan Khan) is displaced from Pakistan and he has to migrate to Punjab in India. Amidst riots and violence, which emerged due to partition, Mehar (Tisca Chopra) gives birth to her third girl child. This scene is very painful, since on one side, lots of dead bodies are lying and on the other side, a baby is born. Umber doesn’t even want to see the face of the girl child, since he wanted a boy child. Umber moves to Punjab along with Mehar and three children. Though he lost everything due to migration, he works hard and resettles himself and family very well. Mehar is again pregnant for the fourth time. Umber strongly believes that they would be blessed with a baby boy this time. But to Umber’s despair, Mehar gives birth to their fourth girl child. Umber doesn’t accept the same and declares to himself and others that it is a baby boy. Mehar tells him- “Don’t do this to the baby”. But Umber is in no mood to accept it and ensures the upbringing of the child as a boy. ‘He’ grows up as Kanwar Singh, dresses as a boy, is trained for hunting, driving truck etc. 

But can Umber Singh challenge God’s creation? Can Umber defy biology? What happens when the female hormones start working? How does Kanwar deal with the inner conflict of the sexuality, a female heart but forced to behave as a male. How does the forced suppression of the gender identity impact Kanwar? Tillotama Shome as Kanwar Singh has beautifully expressed this pain.

The trouble starts when Neeli (Rasika Dugal) falls in love with ‘him’. How Umber deals with the same? What happens thereafter? Is Neeli able to accept the sexuality of Kanwar? To what extent Umber goes to make everything look perfect for the world? How the society deals with the same? How Umber deals with his own obsession of carrying the family lineage forward come what may? How Mehar, Kanwar and Neeli bear the brunt of the unreasonable ways of an oppressive patriarch? 

Certain incredible moments are projected in an excellent manner: Kanwar is just trying to look at mirror and trying to deal with the inner conflict of gender. Kanwar wants to go and celebrate Lohri along with ‘his’ mother and sisters and other girls but is not able to do so. Mehar’s helplessness and restrained manner in front of husband Umber Singh. Mehar’s emotional outburst, when Kanwar questions her that why didn’t she protect ‘him’ the way she protected her other three girls. Neeli’s pain of falling in love with another woman and her not-to-give-up attitude till the last moment are very touching.

I just hope, the story should not have shifted from the core of Kanwar’s identity crisis struggle. It shall have avoided its surreal tone, though it can be considered as a symbolic representation. The music would touch your soul. The movie has been recognized in various international festivals for the direction, script and cast.     

Qissa (although has been abruptly dealt), is a painful, thoughtful and unconventional folk tale, with which you would certainly resonate.

Rating: 3/5 (Good)

Review of बदलाPur (Badlapur)

Cast: Varun Dhawan (Raghu), Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Liak), Huma Qureshi (Jhumli), Yami Gautam (Misha), Vinay Pathak (Harman), Divya Dutta (Shobha), Radhika Apte (Koko), Ashwini Kalsekar (Private Detective)

Direction: Sriram Raghavan

Produced by: Dinesh Vijan and Sunil Lulla

Written by: Sriram Raghavan and Arijit Biswas

Music: Sachin Jigar

Cinematography: Anil Mehta

Edited by: Pooja Ladha Surti

Production Company: Maddock Films

Distributed by: Eros International

Release Date: 20^th February, 2015

Duration: 135minutes

Language: Hindi

बदलाPur, Sriram Raghavan’s movie, a story of revenge. Its tagline says – “Don’t miss the beginning”, but I think, it should have been – “Don’t miss the end”. The last five minutes make the movie different from the usual revenge dramas. Definitely the style of presentation of Badlapur has been done in a different manner altogether. The movie has its own moments of darkness, grief, sadness etc. Kudos to Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Varun Dhawan for their performances. Yes, there are moments, when one gets in touch with Varun’s sadness, grief and inner turmoil. Also, there are moments when one ends up loving as well as hating Nawazuddin.

A Distraught Raghu

The movie begins with Misha (Yami Gautam) and her son becoming the target of unfortunate circumstances which occurred during a bank robbery. Liak (Nawazuddin) and Harman (Vinay Pathak) did the robbery together, threatened Misha and used her vehicle to flee. Misha’s resistance resulted in two deaths – hers as well as her son. Broken and grief stricken Raghav aka Raghu, Misha’s husband (Varun Dhawan - a successful ad professional), finds it really difficult to cope up with the unfortunate incidents. Liak asks Harman to run away with the money. Liak is nabbed but he doesn’t open his mouth about the partner’s name and whereabouts. Raghu himself goes to meet him, but is not successful in extracting the information from him. Liak appears to be harmless, but puts the blame of the murder on his accomplice without actually disclosing the name. Raghu chooses to go to Jhumli (Huma Quershi -Liak’s girl friend) and exploits her to get the information, but all efforts in vain. Finally Liak is convicted for the bank robbery and gets punishment for 20 years in prison. Frustrated Raghu, in his failure to understand the real culprit of his family’s murder, shifts to a place called Badlapur. And then the wait starts. The movie moves further to explore what happens to these characters after 15 years. 

Liak at his best...

Is Raghu able to understand, who is the real culprit? Does he take his revenge or is he able to forgive the culprit along with the passage of time? How does Liak move forward? What happens to Harman, Liak’s partner-in-crime? Does Liak get back his money from Harman and also Jhumli in his life? Watch the movie to explore the unfolding of this revenge and transformation saga.

Plus Points: Superb performances by Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Varun Dhawan. Varun has experimented with a different genre and he has excelled in it. Nawazuddin is simply brilliant, what a body language. Huma is also very good. Radhika Apte as Koko (Harman’s wife) and Divya Dutta are also good.

Violence erupts only intermittently in spite of the fact that the name of movie is Badlapur.

The song Jeena Jeena by Atif Aslam is too good.

The last few frames are also very good.

Minus Points: Lot of scenes are inserted without any specific logic. Raghu establishing physical relationship with Jhumli: How can a man who lost his wife and kid in an unfortunate incident get the strength to humiliate another woman, that too within few days? What is the justification of Sriram for this scene? How can Raghu assume that he can torture Jhumli in this manner and extract information from her, who already is a prostitute and who might have suffered a lot earlier? Why did Raghu choose to deal with women badly, and what was the logic behind Raghu getting intimate with Shobha (Divya Dutta, a NGO activist)? I wish, Yami’s screen time was a bit longer. A detective Ashwini was introduced in the plot but her contribution in trying to get the details about the killer were limited to short scenes (rest of her job was handled by Raghu himself).

Badlapur, is definitely not meant for everybody. It is a pretty descent effort by Sriram in this genre of action-crime-drama movies. If you like such intense dark films, you might anticipate keenly for the story to unravel.

बदलाPur, a revenge saga with a difference. Watch it for Nawazuddin and Varun’s performances.

Rating: 2.5/5 (Average+)

Badlapur Hindi Movie Review

Way to go Varun Dhawan !!! Shedding his chocolate boy tag, the guy has transformed brilliantly as Reghu in Badlapur Film to stake his claim among the top actors of the current crop. What he has did through this stellar performance is that his contribution in this Sriram Raghavan directed flick is the major highlight here. At the same time, one cannot ignore the contribution of Nawazuddin Siddiqui and rest of the supporting casts who all were brilliant in their respective roles to make Badlapur a must watch revenge drama.

Running at a very fast pace and backed by well structured screenplay, Badlapur has a solid and powerful story in its kitty. So right from the word go, there is no time to relax. Engaging from start till finish and Sreeram Raghavan shows his class and makes a strong comeback after his last movie Agent Vinod which was something that he shouldn't have done.
Set in Pune where our protagonist Reghu is living a happy life with his wife and son. His life is devastated through a bank robbery episode involving Liak and his friend that kills Reghu's wife and son. Liak is imprisoned for twenty years but Reghu is not ready to forget this dark chapter of his life and takes revenge in his own way.
Memorable and power packed scenes are there in plenty, thanks to the writing team behind the movie. Sriram has clear control over the proceedings that at no stage things go out of hand. Second half is a bit lengthier and lags a bit but a fitting and powerful climax compensates for all of that.
Varun as said is in top form and the character of Reghu no doubt is the best of his brief but successful career. Equally supporting was Nawazuddin and the script is written in such a way that at times we feel for his character Liak though he is the bad guy in the film. Among the female leads, Huma Qureshi, Radhika Apte, Yami Gautham and Divya Dutta were matching each other. Taking no credits away from the other female actors, it was Huma who was more impressive amon the four. If a mention is not made about Vinay Pathak, the review would be incomplete since his contribution in the post intermission part is not be forgotten. Sachin-Jigar's music is another factor to spice up the film and all songs in different genre are worth hearing again and again.
So what are you waiting for, just run to your nearest cinema halls and grab your tickets to watch this fully engaging and stunning film. I am going with four out of five for Sriram Raghavan's Badlapur. "Don't miss the beginning"; that's the tag line says but it is much more than that. It should be "Don't miss the film in its entirety"
Rating - 4 / 5

HARAM Malayalam Movie Review

HARAM has a very relevant and thought provoking theme in modern day lifestyle where breakup of marriages among young couples are too common and that too at a very early stage of marital life. Divorces and relationship breakdown rates are alarmingly high now and Vinod Sukumaran's debut movie deals with such a plot where two young people meet and fall for each other very quickly. They get married but soon realise that the institution of marriage is not a sweet bed of roses as they expected.

The storyline looked okay but the narrative part let down the film. Its the sluggish pace of the story that brings boredom into the picture. Also an unconvincing and out of place sub plot in the latter half of the movie does no good and finally Haram end up on a disappointing note, only highlight being Fahadh Faasil and Radhika Apte making a brave effort on the acting front in spite of the sleepy nature of the screenplay. Sathish Kurup's camera work was another positive factor for the film.

Balu who is a supportive of the leftist ideology and Isha who had a break up from a Kannadiga boy work in a call centre. They meet and fall in love ending up in marriage but some situations in their life gets them separated. Movie focus on their pre and post marriage life that lands up on the door of divorce.

Director who is an editor and who was worked with some big shots from Bollywood like Mahesh Bhatt and Shyamaprasad from Mollywood should have infused some energy into his screenplay instead of making it slow to test the patience level. Definitely he showed promise and is here to stay, may be a better and polished script could bring out the best in him one day. Some unwanted scenes typical of new gen funda could have been avoided especially the one where the call centre receiving a wrong call and the corresponding discussion over the size of male reproductive organ. It was out of place and totally unwanted with no relevance or connection with the plot.

Coming to the acting side, both Fahadh and Radhika showed lot of intensity in portraying the characters of Balu and Isha respectively. Initially, dubbing of Radhika had syncing problems but later on it was okay. Their on screen chemistry was good but it could not be sustained due to the overall snail pace of the story. Surprisingly, Renji Panicker in a cameo as father of Isha was disappointing. Madhupal and a few other familiar and unfamiliar actors are also part of the cast. Among them the lady who portrayed the character of Amina was impressive.

Cinematography is a major highlight here with cool and rich colour and frames giving an elegant feel visually. Edits were okay but definitely the movie was stretched and some trimming would have helped. Background score by Govind Menon was good and songs tuned by Thykoodam Bridge was typical of their style they are famous for.

Haram test your patience with a dull storyline and slow pace. If you still need to watch it, it should be for Fahadh and Radhika who did their best, but all for a loosing cause. My rating for Vinod Sukumaran's Haram is two out of five.

Rating - 2 / 5

Fireman Malayalam Movie Review

If we take the last couple of films of Mammootty, there is either class or mass in it. His latest film Fireman doesn't have either of these but is a watchable experience and finally director Deepu Karunakaran has something to cheer about after his unsuccessful previous flicks that did not evoke much interest at the box office. Within the limited framework of our Malayalam film industry, director has succeeded in presenting a first of a kind mission operation of a fire rescue team that is not perfect in every sense but definitely the movie is an above average one that cannot be discarded.

Vijay is an officer of Fire and Safety wing and the film is centered around a rescue operation by his team. Their mission or task is to save city from a gas tanker from exploding that falls from its vehicle as a result of an accident.

Nothing unpredictable in the film from the start till the end and one can easily guess what will happen next. Also the film follow the traditional or conventional way of story telling without any of those "new generation stuffs". And to my knowledge and as claimed by the makers, a movie on a rescue mission from a fire fighting team is the first of its kind in Malayalam. If this piece is wrong, please correct me.

Direction has its flaws and dialogues at places did not go well but overall if you take the movie, it is presented well and did not make a boring experience on screen.

On the acting side, it was quite an easy role for Mammootty and from the look of things he had to put in some efforts physically as a Fireman to carry and operate those fire fighting equipments. Unni Mukundan could have been better while Siddhique, Sadiq, Nyla Usha and Salim Kumar played their part on the supporting side.

Technically the film is just passable. Cinematography and edits were okay. Visual effects were not that impressive and could have been done better. May be a bigger budget may have stopped the makers from spending lavishly on that aspect. No songs are in the film as per the demands of the storyline but background score from Rahul Raj was done quite well and created the right mood and tension.

Overall, Fireman dedicated to all the fire fighting staff of our country is a watchable above average film. Not a perfect fire fighting mission but in the end it does not let you down either and my personal rating for this movie is three out of five.

Rating - 3 / 5

Preview of Barefoot to Goa

Genre: Social / Humanitarian Drama

Director: Praveen Morchhale

Producer: Praveen Morchhale, Satyajit Chourasia

Cast: Farrukh Jaffar (Grandmother), Saara Nahar (Small Girl Diya), Prakhar Morchhale (Brother Prakhar), Ajay Chourey (Typist), Purva Parag (Mother), Kuldeep Dubey (Father), Sharad (Biker), Guarav Patel (Police Officer), Pankaj Mali (Farmer), Sangita Mali (Farmer’s wife), Rajendra Bhatia (Truck Driver), Arvind (Tempo Driver)

Screenplay: Praveen Morchhale

Music Composed by: Jack Francis, Farrukh Jaffar, Rohit Sharma

Banner: Barefoot Pictures

Duration: 80 minutes

Language: Hindi

Release Date: 10^thApril, 2015 (Showcased at various film festivals worldwide, mentioned later in this preview)

Farrukh Jaffar

Barefoot to Goa would definitely give one a reason to think. We are living in a world, where relationships are turning to be just a formality. The concept of family has evolved (or de-evolved) from big joint families to nuclear families to ‘nano families’. Relationships are suffering in this fast paced society. Gone are the days, where a family used to sit together to have meals. We idolize ‘values’, but are we actually living any of those ‘family values’? I think, these days, it is the story of most of the households, where the aging parents have become a liability, the beautiful relationships between storytelling grandparents and grandchildren are somewhere lost in the hustle bustle of complexities of life.

A Still from Barefoot to Goa

Barefoot to Goa is the story of two siblings (school kids), who run away from their house to meet their ailing (and abandoned) grandmother and start their road trip from Mumbai to Goa to get her back. It explores the nuances of loneliness. Its subject is both the futility of life and the pointlessness of death. It also celebrates the innocence of the young, mocks the indifference of the adults. It also portrays the children’s experience of urban life versus rural life, the different mindsets, perceptions of people. Reviewers who have seen this movie at various festivals say that this heart-wrenching story has been conveyed in minimal words, which definitely creates a strong impact. It is a mourning of the death of values and beliefs without being mournful. It is a bright film about sadness. 

Barefoot to Goa is releasing on 10^thApril, 2015. The best part about release of this indie film (a film by independent filmmaker) is that lot of Proud Funders (240 people) have contributed fund through its Proud Funding Campaign so that this movie reaches the theater. I am sure, this is going to be a meaningful movie with strong social message. Please block your calendar with its release date. 

Praveen Morchhale (Director)

What Praveen Morchhale (Director) has to say:

Barefoot to Goa is original view of today’s India with its contradictions. A kaleidoscope of modernity, economic expansion and traditions.

In today’s nuclear family era and race of materialistic achievements, aging parents are being ignores and they are assumed as burden. It might be due to the pressure of city life, space constraints and economic limitation. All these lead to the disintegration of the family and old age parents are left to fend on themselves at the fag end of their life.

Barefoot to Goa in Festivals Worldwide:

It has been invited to many national and international film festivals and continues travelling. The various festivals, where it participated are as mentioned below:

• Mumbai Film Festival : International Competition Section, October 2013,
• Columbian International Film Festival, Bogota: International Completion Section, 2014
• Chennai International Film Festival: Indian Panorama, December 2013
• Peloponnesian International Film Festival, Greece : International Competition Section
• Bengaluru International Film Festival: Indian Cinema Competition Section
• Indian Film Festival of Melbourne: May 2014
• London Indian Film Festival: July 2014
• Indian Film Festival of Hague: October 2014
• Indian Film Festival, Montreal: October 2014
• CMS International Film Festival: May 2014

Official Trailor

Links to Media Coverage / Reviews: It has received wonderful reviews from all across the globe mainly because of its soulful subject. Many reputed world cinema critics are comparing it with well known films. Also, it is being considered by critics in the league of Lunchbox, Ship of Theseus etc.

• Review by Hindustan Times – ex film critic Jugu Abraham on world cinema blog: “Movies that make you think”

http://moviessansfrontiers.blogspot.in/2013/10/152-indian-film-director-praveen.html

• A UK based magazine has listed “Barefoot to Goa” as one of the best indie films of 2014 from India along with Ugly, Qissa, Margarita with a straw, Citylights etc.

http://bollyspice.com/95893/reflections-2014-best-indie-films-2014

• Review by Murtaza Ali – a film critic of world cinema: “Barefoot to Goa is the crowning jewel of this new avant-garde movement in Hindi”

http://www.apotpourriofvestiges.com/2013/10/barefoot-to-goa-2013-praveen-morchhales.htmlvcnbc

• Review in Hardnews Magazine

http://hardnewsmedia.com/2013/10/6082

• Review in a blog “Passion for Movies”

http://movieretrospect.blogspot.in/2013/11/barefoot-to-goa-contemplating-solitude.html

• http://keralascan.hubpages.com/hub/Sliced-diced-and-served-raw-Barefoot-to-Goa-in-review

• http://bollyspice.com/86228/liff-special-movie-review-barefoot-goa

• http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/each-in-his-corner/article5523953.ece

Do you want to become Proud Volunteer: In case, you feel intrigued with the theme of the movie, please be a proud Volunteer for Social Media Promotion Campaign for this movie.

Barefoot’s offer to Proud Volunteer:

• You may promote this movie on social media by posting, sharing and making comments on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Blogs, and engage and invite the people and friends for these two months period. Barefoot expects their posting on social media be further shared by you.
• You can independently post in various FB groups about this movie / trailer / posting.
• Barefoot can create FB group for your city for the film and invite people.
• Inspire your friends and people to be volunteer for the film.
• You can share with Barefoot any interesting innovative online activity / idea of yours.
• Barefoot aims to make people aware online, promote the film, and inspire people to go and watch it in theaters when it releases in April 2015.

Rewards for being the Proud Volunteer:

• Special Invitation to you (maximum 2 tickets) for film’s special screening in your city
• Barefoot will ‘shout’ your name with a photo (banner) on FB / Twitter / its website as “Proud Volunteer for Social Media Promotion” (You may visit www.facebook.com/barefoottogoa to understand how they have shouted about their proud funders before).
• At the end of campaign, a souvenir and a letter for appreciation for being this film’s “Proud Volunteer”
• Barefoot will provide you material / topics / posting everything ready to share / promote etc.

Barefoot wants film making, distribution and promotion / publicity participative. Visit their website www.barefoottogoa.com

The few first steps:

If you feel inspired to be a Proud Volunteer or atleast promote the movie in any possible manner and henceforth create a new environment for good cinema, please do any or combination of the following:

• Simply share this post of mine on your timeline.
• Like the page – www.facebook.com/barefoottogoa
• Contact me at binducherungath@gmail.com for any further information
• You can also contact the Director Mr. Praveen Morchhale at:

Barefoot Pictures,

1604, Sejal Tower, Off Link Road,

Goregaon (W), Mumbai – 400104

Mobile: 09820240940

praveen.morchhale@gmail.com

Come and be part of campaign of a meaningful and soulful movie. I am a Proud Volunteer for Social Media Promotion Campaign for the film Barefoot to Goa.

Yennai Arindhal BoxOffice Collection Reports from Kerala

For the Yennai Arindhal Review HERE

    Shankar's 'I' has created history in Kerala box office by becoming the highest grossing Non Malayalam Movie. Yennai Arindhal is the ready to follow up the trend by making it big here in Kerala. At first, 'I' as well as Yennai Arindhal were scheduled to release together. The delay for release has certainly helped to rise the excitement among the cinema circles. Ajith enjoys quite a sum of fans in Kerala and a huge Initial day collection is gauranteed. Yennai Arindhal is scheduled to release in around 100 screens all over kerala.

     Yennai Arindhal is receiving mixed WOM around the country. The third cop story of Gautham Menon has opened well all over India. The first day collection of the movie from Kerala is 1.20 Crores.
      Despite the average WOM and lack of competition, the overall collection has collapsed despite a huge first day collection. First week box office collection from Kerala seems to be 4.35 Crores. The potential viewers of Yennai Arindhal will get divided as Dhanush's Anegan is set to release.

Saaradhi Malayalam Movie Review

Saaradhi directed by Gopalan Manoj is never an underwhelming experience but it could have been far far better had a bit more care been taken while executing the movie. Narrating a one day incident in the life of an ambulance driver, the movie begins not that well but with a better second half and climax, Saaradhi ultimately become an average watchable flick.

On to the brief synopsis, Christy is an ambulance driver called upon to move dead body from a hospital. But the journey from hospital is not that smooth for the protagonist here as there seems to be some mystery surrounding that body that Christy realised only halfway through the long travel. Rest of the movie showcase the unveiling of the hidden truth and how Christy comes out of the mess he has landed in.

As said earlier, the first half lacked a perfect start required for these type of films and only from the second half, the gripping tale takes the real beginning. The dialogues could have been better especially the first half that had the regular cliches to make things bad. Direction is just ok but considering the first attempt of Gopalan Manoj, the faults are acceptable on the assumption that it would get corrected in his next venture.

Sunny Wayn as Christy was passable and good but in parts. The actor looked somewhat rusty especially in the dialogue delivery in the romantic sequences while in some serious moments he was felt wanting. Also, the character deserved a much better introduction scene rather than that 'Koothu' song that looked totally out of place. Sreenivasan as the police officer was okay while Vishnu Raghav did a decent job. Baiju, Madhupal, Sunil Sugadha and Thalaivasal Vijay are also part of the supporting casts.

Not a pleasing work behind the camera. Gopi Sundar's background score perfectly lifted the film and is one of the major highlights. Edits were fine.

Overall, though it has its flaws with poorly written dialogues and moments in the first half, a better second half saved Saaradhi from sinking making it a watchable end product. I will go with two and a half out of five for Gopalan Manoj's Saaradhi.

Rating - 2.5 / 5

Anegan Tamil Movie Review

K.V.Anand has a distinct style of movie making that makes his films something special and successful barring a very few. Same trademark style is there to be seen in his latest film Anegan where Dhanush is playing the lead role. Anegan is a good entertainer with a fully packed Dhanush show with an experimental and highly risky plot being narrated. All credits to the director for pulling up an above average winner making his comeback after a not so impressive Maatran a successful one.

The film tells the love story of three generations that are interconnected starting from the early 1960's in Burma. From there the movie shift to Chennai for the other two stories to unfold and in all three plots there are certain common factors and from here you need to watch the film to know the real side of the storyline. Any further revealing of story would definitely act as a spoiler.

First half has enough entertaining elements with all factors contributing equally in providing wholesome entertainment with the suspense part kept on hold. The second half too goes along well to compliment what was offered in the pre interval portion. The only glitch or negative factor was that unrealistic climax. Not the climax in full but a particular moment in the end could have been presented in a much better way to give the ending a perfect finish.

On the direction side, KVA has enough grip and control over the screenplay that at no point things go out of place. Complimenting his direction was Dhanush right through the entire movie as he portray three different characters all with different shades all with total conviction and once again he is proving to be one of the best when it comes to acting when you compare him with his peers.

Same goes for Amyra Dastur , the female lead who also portray three different characters and all three of them have come out so well. It is also a welcome change to see a heroine making a strong presence unlike the regular Tamil heroines we are seeing these days. Yesteryear actor Karthik was a surprise package. Though he was overacting initially, the portions towards the end was a neatly presented effort from him. Aashish Vidyarthy and Lena are other two actors who were also good in supporting roles.

Cinematography was a bright aspect for Anegan. Music director Harris Jayaraj joining hands with KV Anand for the fourth time has given some fine songs worth hearing few more times from the first hearing.

Overall Anegan doesn't disappoint and is an above average entertainer good for a one time watch. With good making, direction and impressive performances from the lead pair, this movie is a paisa vasool stuff that deserves a rating of three out of five.

Rating - 3 / 5

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