Darling

Darling

2010

3/5 stars

In this Telugu-language film, Prabha (played by Prabhas at the height of his "young rebel star" period) is in love with his childhood friend Nandini (Kajal Aggarwal), despite not having seen her for the many years that have passed since she moved to Switzerland.  I don't want to spoil it by explaining the hows and whys of the romance, so will just say that the course of true love never runs smooth -- especially in Indian cinema.

This is a cute, if predictable, film.  Prabhas and Kajal Aggarwal give strong performances and have a good chemistry together.  The supporting cast is a veritable Who's Who of Telugu character actors, and they provide a firm backbone for the movie.  So, while it contains no real surprises and is typical of it's genre, Darling is still fun and enjoyable.

Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan

Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan

translates as "Someone's Brother, Someone's Love"

2023

Did Not Finish

Jagapathi Babu

Oh golly, y'all, this Hindi-language masala film was terrible! I'm a huge fan of many of Salman Khan's movies (evergreen and newish) but this stinker was just unwatchable.  I was especially disappointed because it collaborated with Telugu cinema and featured many familiar faces from that industry, including one of my favorites, the extremely talented Jagapathi Babu, who makes such a fantastic villian.    

The worst part of the movie was, frankly, Khan.  He's simply too old to play a romantic lead anymore, and he looked foolish and cringe-worthy.  (And just what was with that horrible reddish, long hairdo?!)

I haven't been impressed with Khan's costar, Pooja Hegde, in other movies (reviews here and here), and she had zero chemistry with him and little sparkle overall. The three that played Khan's brothers (Raghav Juyal, Jassie Gill, and Siddharth Nigam), were also underwhelming.

I stuck it out through the half-way point, but couldn't finish -- this coming from one who watched all of that dud Race 3 just to see how bad it would get.  Bottom line: let's just pretend this movie never happened.

Two More Starring Jr. NTR

Nannaku Prematho

(translation: "to father, with love")

2016 

3/5 stars

This is a tale of strong filial love, finely planned revenge, and two cunning minds playing against each other. Abhiram (N. T. Rama Rao Jr.) is determined to bring down Krishnamurthy (Jagapathi Babu) and his empire in retaliation for wrongs done by him to Abhiram's father in the distant past. 

The plot contains many twists, some genuinely surprising, and the movie is fully entertaining for that reason.  However, there are scenes that aren't explained well, and/or seem unnecessary to the plot, which weakens the film in the long run. Rao gives his customary strong and charismatic performance, despite the character of Abhiram not being fully likable; Babu, as usual, is an excellent villain. The supporting cast is solid, but Rakul Preet Singh (who plays the love interest) is generally unconvincing and has little chemistry with the hero.  The choreography is fun to watch, the songs good in general (with "Follow, Follow", sung by Jr. NTR, being particularly memorable), and the incidental music quite effective throughout.  Overall, Nannaku Prematho is truly enjoyable, but has enough flaws to keep it from being exceptional.

Kantri

(translation: "cunning")

2008

Did Not Finish

While silliness-of-plot is not a deal-breaker for me when watching Indian Cinema (I'm looking at you Shakti), thirty minutes of Kantri was enough to let me know that I didn't care for the story, disliked the romantic interest, couldn't get invested in the hero, and, most importantly, (despite Jr. NTR and Prakash Raj) wasn't being entertained.

Two Starring Jr. NTR

RRR (Rise, Roar, Revolt)  
2022

5/5 stars

starring: N. T. Rama Rao Jr., Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, and Alia Bhatt 
Giving much of the plot will spoil the surprises, so suffice it to say that this Telugu-language action film/period drama is a love letter to both male friendship and patriotism. RRR is funny, moving, and exciting, as well as consistently entertaining.  Filled with excellence -- music, acting, cinematography, and story alike -- it's easy to overlook the glaring historical inaccuracies and just enjoy the epic experience.  My only complaint, and it's a minor one, is that I'm not used to seeing Jr. NTR as a timid character; his talent, however, made it seem a natural role. By the end, both my husband and I were ready to take up arms against the British invaders.  Jai Hind!

Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava

transl. Veera Raghava along with Aravinda

2018

4/5 stars

This action-drama is a sometimes moving, occasionally humorous, but always entertaining story of factions, revenge, and a desire for peace. N. T. Rama Rao Jr. as Veera Raghava, a young man thrown into a war between two villages, gives his typical strong and charismatic performance.  Pooja Hegde, who stars as the romantic interest Aravinda, is less impressive, though Jagapathi Babu and Sunil, who also feature, are excellent, as is the supporting cast.  The incidental music is especially effective, and the songs and choreography are generally appealing.  The action scenes look fantastic and the cinematography is equally good.  Overall, while having one of the most violent opening fifteen or so minutes I've seen, this is a genuinely engrossing and engaging film. 

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Beautiful Billo

2022

3/5 stars

In this Punjabi-language comedy/drama, heavily pregnant Billo (Neeru Bajwa) arrives in London before her husband, currently in Scotland, has legalized their British papers. As an illegal alien needing somewhere to hide, events lead her to newly-married Navi (Roshan Prince).  He knows his wife (played by Rubina Bajwa) will disapprove of having Billo in the house, so he tries to conceal her there.  Misunderstandings and chaos ensue while Billo desperately waits for her husband's return, hoping he arrives before either their child is born or she is arrested.

Beautiful Billo is a mostly cute film, at times truly moving and genuinely funny at others.  However, the acting, music, and often repetitive storyline are all only average, making it forgettable in the long run.

Soggade Chinni Nayana
translates as "the young man is a charmer"

2016

Did Not Finish

The plot of this Telugu-language supernatural-comedy-drama was intriguing, it had some truly humorous moments, and the acting by the principles, Ramya Krishna and Nagarjuna, was excellent.  However, it is impossible for me to find an actively philandering husband either amusing or charming.  I made it as far as the intermission, but couldn't finish.

Sita Ramam

2022

5/5 stars

starring Dulquer Salmaan as Ram, and Mrunal Thakur as Sita, with Rashmika Mandanna and an exceptional supporting cast

To tell much of the plot of this Telugu-language period drama/romance will spoil the story, so I will merely say that it is absolutely fantastic.  Sita Ramam is filled with all round excellence: acting, music, storyline, locations, cinematography, and balance of light moments with serious ones.  It is just twisty enough to keep the viewer immersed, and so deeply emotional as to be immensely memorable.  I highly recommend this gem of a movie, with the caveat that you'll need a handkerchief.  (Sita Ramam  is currently on Amazon Prime, so go watch it!)

Yashoda

Yashoda
2022
4/5 stars

In dire need of money, Yashoda (played by Samantha) becomes a surrogate for a high-paying,  top-of-the-line organization with exclusive clients and a state-of-the-art residential clinic run by the director Madhubala (Varalaxmi Sarathkuma) and Doctor Gautham (Unni Mukundan ).  While living there, some concerning things happen and Yashoda becomes suspicious of the what goes on behind the scenes.  In the meantime, a group of police officers led by Vasudeva (Sampath Raj) begin to investigate a strange death, which puts them on the track of several murders, and a bigger conspiracy than they could have imagined
(Murali Sharma, Rao Ramesh, and Shatru also star.)

This Telugu-language action/drama is gripping and compelling.  Supported by a strong cast, Samantha gives a fantastic  performance.  I can't go into detail about her role without spoiling the plot, but she pulls it off masterfully.  The cinematography is gorgeous, but the movie does lack a memorable musical score.  The gradual reveals and great twists keep the plot moving forward while slowly giving answers that make the storyline more believable as it progresses.  While it may not be a five-star film, the entertainment value is certainly such.

Radhe Shyam

Radhe Shyam

(the title refers to Krishna and his consort Radha) 

2022

2/5 stars

Aditya (played by Prabhas) is a palmist with incredible powers of prediction; he knows the date of his own death, as well as the fact that he is destined to never know love. He meets Prerana (Pooja Hegde) in Rome and tells her honestly that he wants to spend his time there with her, but in a "flirtation-ship" not a relationship.  After at first rejecting the proposal, she falls for his charm and they begin to date, becoming more and more emotionally involved. Aditya realizes that they met in spite of fate, and that to be together the two must defeat their destinies and forge new ones. 

(Sachin Khedekar, Jayaram, and Bhagyashree also feature.)

The visual quality of this romantic drama is outstanding, with a dreamy feel, gorgeous locations, and effective atmosphere. The music is average and below.  The plot seems so promising, but it unfortunately has little life or credibility. The lackluster story combined with Hegde's colorless performance and the zero chemistry between the two leads creates a bland two hours.   I hesitate to call it a dud because the beautiful cinematography almost makes it worth watching, but overall it's dull enough that even the swoon-worthy scenes with Prabhas couldn't make this movie more than below average.

Prabhas