Prithvi – A must watch for all Kannadigas and movie enthusiasts

While booking tickets to watch Prithvi on Saturday, I did not know a thing about the movie’s storyline. I only knew that it had the Milana pair in lead roles. I had watched Milana quite late after it had released and liked it. Incidentally, it was my first Puneet Rajkumar film as well. Not only did I like Puneet’s acting it, the actress was good and the movie was decent enough for a family watch. This element was what made me decide to give Prithvi a try. And boy, was it a good decision or what!
Prithvi is undoubtedly heralding new times in Kannada commercial cinema. Apart from containing all elements that cater to masses, it brings to fore that one element Kannada movie makers always missed – good dialogues. There was never a moment where I had to cringe in embarrassment because the line was extremely corny. Families can watch this film together and enjoy it. The songs are not misplaced, are good on the ears and merge into the story.
The story is the protagonist in this film. Corruption is brought down to its knees in the corridors that breed it – politics and administrative services. An IAS officer who takes up the post of Deputy Commissioner in Bellary fights a battle against mining lords, corrupt politicians and wins in the end. It is a story of good triumphing over the evil but it also gives another message – if everyone did their job as mandated, corruption would not stand a chance. Why do we forget this, I wonder? The film is hard-hitting throughout the 120+ minutes. The director has not minced words or incidents anywhere. He bravely gets his actors to mouth dialogues that come with the tag – pun intended! Reference to a puppet of a Chief Minister being one of them :)
The casting could not have been more appropriate. Puneet Rajkumar as Prithvi lives the character. He has emoted with accuracy from frame one till the end. The scene where he cries after meeting journalist Basavaraju’s widowed wife will go down as one of his best ever. Parvathi Menon plays the role of his wife with seamless ease. Not only has she done full justice to her character without going over the top, she looks beautiful without an iota of makeup.
I hope the director of this film continues to make more such films. I will definitely be there in the audience each time. I have never before been so proud of modern Kannada cinema.
For all those Kannadigas and movie aficionados, go ahead and watch this film. It is worth your while!

Aadhavan - A Review

I am probably the pall-bearer for what are called "masala" movies. These are movies that contain the word superlative in each frame. Every scene is dramatic and as far as possible from reality. I like a return on my investments, especially from the movies I watch. ROI here means a hero who can defy death, a heroine who is a synonym for a damsel in distress, 5 songs ( I do not mind Himesh Reshammiya at all), an over the top comedian, a nasty looking villain and a happy ending. I do not like movies that are supposed to make you think (no offence to those who make them and those who vouch by them). They are just not me. If I wanted to think, I would never go to a movie theatre. If you see movie reviews on this blog, they are always going to be of those films that get half a star out of five in the papers and of the sort defined in this paragraph.

Aadhavan is most definitely a pot boiler with all necessary ingredients along with Vadivelu. I mention Vadivelu here because, with this movie, I actually started liking the guy. He is probably the saving grace in an otherwise boring film. Aadhavan (Suriya) is a man who kills for money. He works for his father (Sayaji Shinde) whose sole ambition in life is to settle overseas. Aadhavan is known to be a killer who never misses his target. But miss he does. Stunned by his first failure, he takes it upon himself to complete the task of killing a magistrate (Murali). The magistrate has a truckload of family members who travel with him wherever he is posted. Aadhavan enters the family as Vadivelu's to be brother-in-law and thus starts the whole game of will he or will he not kill the magistrate. Does he succeed? If he does not, why? See the film to find out.

Highs - Vadivelu and only Vadivelu

Lows - Superimposing Suriya's face on a kid, the songs, the climax and the villain

Should you watch it? See it for Vadivelu if not anything else. He is wonderful to watch before the interval. You would have atleast laughed your eyes out!