Thalsamayam Oru Penkutty

Thalsamayam Oru Penkutty

(translates as "a girl on live")

2012

3/5 stars

A naïve village girl, Manjula (Nithya Menon), is chosen for a reality show planned by Zareena (Shweta Menon) of Real TV.  The point of the show is to follow Manju from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, watching as she deals with real life situations.  Manju and Zareena share a flat during the shooting, and become close, with Zareena acting as a mentor to Manju as she navigates the consequences, good and bad, of the show.  Manju meets Suryan (Unni Mukundan) and romance seems to be in sight, but things take an unexpected turn, and Zareena must make drastic decisions about the show.

(Cast also includes Maniyanpilla Raju, Siddique, and Baburaj.) 

This Malayalam language flim started off extremely good.  It is immediately engaging, with a compelling plot, both humorous and touching, and realistic characters. Manju is extremely likable, and was played excellently by Nithya Menon.  The chemistry between her and Unni Mukundan was perfectly played, and the relationship between the two women equally good.  Nithya Menon, Unni Mukundan, and Shweta Menon were all natural and convincing; the secondary cast also gave strong performances.  The music, while not prominent, was generally lovely.  The movie looked good as well, nicely filmed and realistic.

Why, then, the three stars?

In the last thirty-seven minutes, Thalsamayam Oru Penkutty fell into a complicated mess culminating in a dissatisfying and underwhelming conclusion.  I felt cheated and terribly disappointed.  

I would still recommend Thalsamayam Oru Penkutty on the strength of Nithya Menon's performance and the plot of the first two and a quarter hours, but with viewer warned in advance about the inadequate ending.

Bodyguard (2012, Telugu)

Bodyguard

2012

4/5 stars 

When his daughter (Keerthi, played by Trisha) is threatened by his enemies, Varadarajula Naidu (Prakash Raj) assigns bodyguard Venkatadri (played by Venkatesh) to protect her at college. Chaffing under Venky's constant presence, Keerthi plans a scheme to distract him: she will begin calling him, pretending to be an infatuated college student, Bangaram. The plan works well, with Venky falling in love with the imaginary Bangaram, but it also has an unforeseen consequence for Keerthi.   

(Saloni Aswani, Venu Madhav, and Ali also feature in this film.)

Bodyguard (a remake of the 2010 Malayalam movie of the same name) is an enjoyable masala movie. While the music was sadly bland, the story is well-plotted and nicely filmed, containing a few surprises. Though Venkatesh is not fully convincing either as a character 20 years younger or as an action hero, he plays his part with such sweetness and charm that it's easy to care for Venky.  Prakash Raj (a firm favorite of mine) doesn't give as strong a performance as usual, but Saloni Aswani and Trisha both do well, and the supporting cast is solid.  On the whole, while I prefer the 2011 Hindi version (my review here), this is a film that is both fun and touching, and certainly worth watching.

Trisha and Venkatesh

Ramayya Vasthavayya

Ramayya Vasthavayya
(translates as "Rama, you will come")

2013
4/5 stars

In this Telugu romantic/action/comedy thriller, Nandu (N. T. Rama Rao Jr.) falls in love with Akarsha (Samantha Ruth Prabhu) and slowly woos her by making friends with her substitute grandmother, Baby Shalini (Rohini Hattangadi). When Akarsha's sister is to be married, he is invited to attend. Once at the wedding, he learns that her father, Musallapadu Nagabhushanam (Mukesh Rishi), is being threatened and offers to help defend him. The plot then takes an unexpected turn, and follows Nandu on a path to revenge.

(Cast also includes Ajay, Tanikella Bharani, Pragathi, Rao Ramesh, P. Ravi Shankar, Hamsa Nandini in an item number, and an extended cameo by Shruti Haasan.)

The plot seems predictable during the first half, but then springs a great twist.  The second half is also mostly predictable, but still engrossing.  The songs are great, and the incidental and atmospheric music were effective.  Jr. NTR, charismatic and full of vitality as usual, gives a generally believable performance, and shows off his excellent dancing to advantage. Samantha Ruth Prabhu was stiff at times and displayed limited emotion.  Shruti Hassan, though, was natural and convincing.  The supporting cast was strong.  I have seen reviews that comment on the violence as being excessive, but I can only suppose those viewers are unfamiliar with Indian Cinema.  Overall, Ramayya Vasthavayya kept me interested for the entire 159 minutes and, while not perfect, was definitely entertaining.

Rabhasa

Rabhasa
(translates as "chaos")
2014
4/5 stars
When Karthik (N. T. Rama Rao Jr.) returns to India after finishing his degree in the US, his mother expresses her desire for him to fulfill a promise she made years ago, and marry Indu (Samantha Ruth Prabhu).  Because of a family split, Indu's father refuses the match, but Karthik is determined to carry out his mother's wish.  He goes to Indu's university with plans to win her, but (not having seen her since she was a child) he mistakenly woos Bhagyam (Pranitha Subhash) instead.  This is just the beginning of the obstacles that Krathik must overcome to accomplish his goal, most of which involve him in mortal danger as he seeks to help those around him.

The plot is quite complex, and effectively reveals pieces of the story slowly in flashback sequences; the various threads of the tale come together nicely as the film progresses.  Jr. NTR's excellent dancing, energy, charisma, and fine acting shine throughout.  His chemistry with the two actresses was good, and they both gave believable performances.  The music, while not outstanding, was good.  The action sequences were well-choreographed, but the CGI additions were not convincing.  Overall, it was an entertaining movie that held my attention throughout.

(On a side note, I would have liked to see a larger part for Praveen, who played a supporting role, as he is an excellent actor himself.)

Shakti

Shakti
2011
4/5 stars

 Aishwarya (Ileana D'Cruz) goes on a road trip with friends, without realizing that she is carrying a magical diamond. A small, throw-back sect of Egyptians is trying to get the diamond and an equally magical trident that goes with it to gain the power these possess.  Shakti (N. T. Rama Rao, Jr.), a tour guide hired by Aishwarya, becomes involved in the protection of both her and the two artifacts.

The plot verged on ridiculous sometimes, with the scenes involving the Egyptians being the weak link of the movie.  The rest of the story, though, had some nice surprises and was entertaining.  Jr. NTR, who radiates energy and charisma, is a good actor and excellent dancer.  D'Cruz was mostly convincing.  The leads had good chemistry together during the music sequences, but not as good during the plot.  The supporting cast was solid.  The fights were nicely choreographed, but the CGI was not always believable.  The songs were great, as were the accompanying choreography, staging, and costumes. Despite the occasional silliness, it was enjoyable and I expect to watch it again.

Brindavanam

Brindavanam
2010
5/5 stars

Indu (Samantha Ruth Prabhu) has a friend who is in a jam.  Bhumi (Kajal Aggarwal) wants to continue her studies in America, but her father, Bhanu (Prakash Raj). wants her to return to their village and marry a relative (whose name is never revealed, played by Ajay), who is, unbeknownst to Bhanu, evil and dangerous.  To avoid it, Bhumi lies to her father saying that she is in love with someone else.  When her father demands to meet him, Indu persuades her own boyfriend, Krish (N. T. Rama Rao Jr.), to play the part.  What should have been a simple, short-term deception involves Krish in a bi-village rivalry, danger to his life, and complications in love.

First off: I loved this action-drama-romance-comedy! The plot is complex in a positive way, rich and layered, and, despite it's length (nearly three hours), fully engrossing.  Jr NTR is a good actor, an excellent dancer, and is loaded with charisma. His chemistry with both actresses was convincing, as were their performances.   The veteran supporting cast was great, as well.  The fight scenes, though unbelievable, were well-choreographed and quite entertaining.  While the music was not spectacular, it was still good, and also well-choreographed.   Costumes, sets, and locations were all beautiful, and the film work was gorgeous.  I certainly found this movie completely enjoyable.

Krishnashtami

Krishnashtami

2016

3/5 stars

In this Telugu film, orphaned Krishna Varaprasad (played by Sunil) was sent to the U.S. as child by his uncle, who strenuously resisted letting Krishna return to India.  As Krishna ages, he wants nothing more than to go home and finally, unbeknownst to his uncle, does so.  His trip is extremely eventful, as he falls in love, finds his life in danger, and works to relieve a family of a decades-old hatred.

(Nikki Galrani and Dimple Chopade also star.)

The plot is a mix of action, drama, romance, and comedy, mostly predictable, but with a few nice twists.  The musical numbers were average.  The fight scenes were not realistic, but still amusing to watch.  Some of the comedy verged on the racy (for Indian Cinema) and didn't mesh well with the rest of the film.  The three leads gave good performances, though chemistry was lacking between Sunil and the two actresses.  The veteran supporting cast of familiar faces were generally solid.  Overall, Krishnashtami was entertaining, but not memorable - - a one time watch only.

(On a side note: It was fun to see a favorite villain, Ajay, in the role of a loving family man.)

Dimple Chopade; Sunil; Nikki Galrani

Summer Viewing

I changed my routine this summer, so I've not been watching as many movies, and most of what I have watched have been repeats.  Here are the new ones I have seen:

Good Newwz  2019  2/5 stars  Akshay Kumar, usually quite talented and funny, couldn't salvage this movie with it's unappealing "humor", stale acting, and lack of resolution.  It didn't live up to the hype, and frankly, I felt like I wasted my time.

Banarasi Babu ("The Gentleman from Banaras") 1997 3/5 stars  Govinda and Ramya Krishnan had good chemistry, and, both talented actors, gave good performances.  The plot was mostly good, though a bit racy (for 1990s Bollywood) and did get too silly at times.  Veteran supporting actor Shakti Kapoor's role and performance was off-putting, a definite detriment to the movie. The music was average, with "San Sanana Sai" being the exception.  Overall, it was fun to watch once, but not particularly memorable.

Aunty No. 1  1998  3/5 stars   This Govinda - Raveena Tandon classic has an extremely convoluted plot, is often too silly, and wraps up unrealistically.  However, the principals have good chemistry and that, along with a talented veteran supporting cast and a few good songs, makes it mostly enjoyable overall.

Kick (2009)

Kick
2009
2/5 stars

The complicated plot is interesting and engaging, with some nice twists. Unfortunately, the principal actor  (Ravi Teji) is particularly unappealing. His lack of charisma combined with an unconvincing performance as the hero, topped off with the twenty year age gap between him and the leading lady (Ileana D'Cruz) being distastefully apparent, make the movie nearly unwatchable. I would recommend skipping this version, and watching the 2014 Bollywood remake instead.

Bhagam Bhag

Bhagam Bhag
(translates as "running around")
2006
2/5 stars


Champak Chaturvedi (Paresh Rawal) is the director of a theater group whose heroine (Tanushree Dutta) attracts a British businessman into hiring them for a London show.  His two male leads, Bunty (Akshay Kumar) and Babla (Govinda), are both vying for the attention of said heroine and annoy her enough that she quits, leaving Champak in a lurch.  While in London, Bunty and Babla search for a replacement, leading to a mix-up with a drug ring, trouble with the police, a murder, and involvement with an amnesiac, suicidal actress, Munni (Lara Dutta).

With three superb comedians in the lead, and an excellent supporting cast, this suspense-comedy had such promise, but did not deliver.  There was little-to-no chemistry between any of the main actors, particularly between Akshay Kumar and Govinda, so most of the humor simply fell flat, or the situations were so silly that they just were not funny.  The thriller element  was good, but simply was not strong enough to override the rest of the movie. The songs were average or below, with one being particularly off-putting.  Overall, Bhagham Bhag was such a disappointment.

Rajaji

Rajaji
1999
3/5 stars

Rajaji (played by Govinda) is an unscrupulous, lazy wastrel who decides that he will marry a rich woman, so as not to have to work.  He meets Payal (Raveena Tandon), daughter of a millionaire, and deceives her into falling in love with him.  It is only after they marry, that Rajaji discovers that Payal is actually the daughter of a gardener.

(Cast also includes Kader Khan, Shakti Kapoor, Satish Kaushik, and Aruna Irani.)

The plot of this romantic comedy/drama is predictable, but still enjoyable.  The costumes are beautiful, and most of the scenes look lovely.  The music is average, with the exception of the memorable " Tere Pyar Ne" which is used twice in the film.  Govinda was convincing, nicely balancing between comedian and hero. He had good chemistry with Raveena Tandon, who gave an average performance.  The veteran supporting cast was solid.

The problem with the movie was the last twenty minutes or so, when an unnecessary subplot emerged, creating chaos for the last scenes of the movie.  The ending could have been strong, had this been absent and the emotional impact left intact.  Overall, though, it's worth watching once, especially for Govinda fans.

Dulhe Raja

Dulhe Raja
(translates as "the bridegroom Raja")
1998
3/5 stars

The oh-so-cute Govinda plays Raja, owner of a small eatery located beside a luxury hotel.  The hotel's new owner, K.K.Singhania (Kader Khan) feels it lowers the value of his property and attempts to buy out Raja.  When Raja refuses, the two become sworn enemies, even though Raja has fallen in love with Singhania's daughter Kiran (Raveena Tandon).  In the meantime, Singhania and Kiran argue over the man (Rahul, played by Mohnish Behl) that Kiran wants to marry, so to get revenge, Kiran becomes engaged to Raja, who thinks she is sincere.

(Johnny Lever also stars, as Singhania's personal assistant.)

The movie is predictable but often funny, with catchy songs, lovely costumes, and mostly strong supporting actors.  Kader Khan and Govinda give excellent performances, with great chemistry between the two.  Raveena Tandon is the weak link in the film, being stiff at times and never fully believable.  Over all, Dulhe Raja is an average movie that will be enjoyable for Govinda fans, but won't draw viewers back for a rewatch.

English Babu Desi Mem

English Babu Desi Mem
(translates as "English sir, Indian madam")
1996
3/5 stars

English businessman Vikram Mayur ( Shah Rukh Khan) learns that his deceased brother left a son, eight-year-old Nandu (Sunny Singh).  Nandu has been raised in India by his young aunt, Bijuriya (Sonali Bendre), who supports them both by dancing in a club.  Vikram goes to India to bring Nandu back with him, an event which leads to many emotional complications.

This movie was declared a flop at release, but it's really not bad.  The plot is predictable, but at times quite moving.  The acting from the leads was solid, but the child actors were fantastic.  Young Sunny Singh gave a compelling performance and the actress who played the child Bijuriya was a natural.  (Unfortunately, I've been unable to find who this child was for certain, but it may have been Baba Brahmbhatt.)  Bijuriya's near-vulgar dance routines are particularly unappealing, however, giving the film a sleazy feel not compatable with the innocence of the rest of the movie. While English Babu Desi Mem is not a stand-out movie, it's mostly enjoyable, and the child actors make it worth watching once.

Anbe Anbe

Anbe Anbe
(translates as "my dear, my dear")
2003
3/5 stars

Cheenu (played by Shaam) is part of a tight-knit, loving extended family. The only thing marring this is the unfriendly rivalry between Cheenu and his cousin Shiva (Yugendran). When Cheenu and Shiva fall in love with the same girl (Vishali, played by Sharmelee), Cheenu must decide between his love for Vishali, and his desire to see his family happy.

The predictable plot is is generally enjoyable, but is hampered by a detracting side-plot.  The music is average, with two not-very-appealing item numbers.  The acting by the supporting cast was quite good, but Shaam and Vishali were not fully convincing. Yugendran, on the other hand,  gave a good performance, and was a much more interesting character (either due to acting or written part) than the other two leads.  On the whole, this isn't a bad movie, but it's certainly not memorable.

ABCD

ABCD
2005
4/5 stars

This romantic drama follows an honest, upstanding young man, Anand (played by Shaam), as he meets three lovely young women, who are in three very different life situations: Bharathi (Nandana Kumar), Chandra (Sneha), and Divya (Aparna).  He forms a friendship with each individually, and due to his goodness and kindness, each falls in love with him - - a situation which can only lead to heartbreak.

ABCD has an engrossing plot, with believable characters trying to make the best of difficult circumstances.  The acting was excellent from all four leads.  The music was generally good, despite the surreal and rather disturbing video accompanying one song.  The humorous breaks didn't fully fit in with the movie, and detracted somewhat.  Overall, this film is absorbing and moving, just falling short of five stars.

Jay Jay

Pooja, Madhavan, and Amogha

Jay Jay
2003
3/5 stars

Jagan (played by Madhavan) falls in love with Jumuna (Amogha), without knowing her name or address.  She is a strong believer in fate, and so writes her details on a 100rs bill, and tells Jagan that if it reaches him within a year, she will marry him.  After spending six months searching for her, Jagan -- through no fault of his own -- becomes engaged to Seema (Pooja), the sister of two dangerous politicians.  Meanwhile, Jumuna realizes that she cares for Jagan and begins to search for him as well.  The two continue to miss crossing paths, while the date for Jagan's marriage draws ever nearer.

The plot of this romantic drama is predictable, and not well-written enough to be convincing.  The music is mostly enjoyable, but the Amazon streaming version of this film does not have subtitles for the songs, so it's impossible to comment on the lyrics.

Madhavan delivers a good performance, and Pooja does equally well.  Amogha, however, has one main facial expression throughout the movie: dimwitted.  She flounders throughout giving the impression of a clueless airhead. 

Overall, Jay Jay is an average film, not terrible, but definitely not memorable.  I can't see myself rewatching it, or recommending it to others.

Ramji Londonwaley

Ramji Londonwaley
(Ramji, the man from London)
2005
3/5 stars

Ramji (played by Madhavan), an excellent cook from an Indian village, takes a job in London to pay his sister's dowry.  When he reaches London, disaster strikes and he finds himself with no identification and no job. He finds help from new friends, and forges an unexpected relationship with a London girl, Samira (Samita Bangargi,) who is his opposite in every way.

This is a cute, feel-good movie somewhat based on Hollywood's 1990 movie Green Card.  Madhavan is a good actor and his portrayal of the sweet, naive, and honorable Ramji is well done.  Samita Bangargi is not as convincing, and their chemistry was unexceptional.  The songs were just average, but incidental music was effective.  Overall, while it's not particularly memorable, Ramji Londonwaley is entertaining, and at times moving, mainly due to Madhavan's strong performance.

Saathiya

Saathiya 
("companion")
2002
3/5 stars

Aditya (Vivek Oberoi) falls in love with Suhani (Rani Mukerji) and, after some time, wins her.  Both of their fathers are against the match, but they choose to marry anyway, sure that love will overcome all problems.  Instead, they discover that marriage is a difficult game of give and take, and they struggle to keep faith with each other.

This romantic drama is a remake of the 2000 Tamil film, Alaipayuthey (my review here), which gives a realistic view of marriage.  Oberoi and Mukerji have generally good chemistry, and make an attractive couple.  Mukerji gives a convincing performance throughout, but Oberoi's emotions are not convincing in the end scenes.  Shah Rukh Khan and Tabu give an extended cameo appearance, but their chemistry is decided lacking, and what should have been some of the most moving scenes fell rather flat.  However, Tanuja, who plays Suhani's difficult mother, gave an excellent performance. The songs were mostly beautiful, with the incidental music being used quite effectively.  Overall, I found the movie to be entertaining, but with an ending too abrupt to be fully satisfying.

Alaipayuthey

Alaipayuthey
(translates as "waves are moving")
2000
3/5 stars

In this romantic drama, Karthik (played by Madhavan) falls in love with Shakti (Shalini), woos her for some time, and eventually wins her. They marry, against the wishes of their fathers, and find that marriage is much more difficult than romance.

The realistic portrayal of marriage is excellently done and the plot is well written.  However, it was hard to sympathize with Shakti, whether it was the character or Shalini's acting; Shakti was too sharp and smug, especially when compared to Karthik's openness and innocence (or Madhavan's generally good, award winning performance).  The music was mostly good, with one song particularly memorable.  I expected to fully enjoy this movie, based on reviews, but the difficulty with Shakti and a lack of convincing emotional buildup kept me from completely connecting with the film.

Dumm Dumm Dumm

Dumm Dumm Dumm
(literally: the sound of wedding drums)
2001
5/5 stars

Ganga (played by Jyothika), having scored second in her state in school board exams, wants to go to Chennai to study engineering. Adhi (Madhavan), from the same village, is currently in Chennai studying law, and enjoying his freedom from home. His father and her father greatly esteem each other, and arrange a match between Ganga and Adhi. The young people are in agreement that they do not wish to marry, and secretly work together to stop it. Their attempts fail, and they have just decided that perhaps marriage isn't such a bad fate when a terrible misunderstanding occurs between the two fathers and the wedding is called off. Ganga goes to Chennai to study, and Adhi runs into her there. To their surprise, they fall in love, but the enmity between their fathers is too great.

This movie is a delightful mix of drama, romance, and comedy. All the acting is solid, and Jyothika and Madhavan have excellent chemistry together. With one exception, the music is enjoyable, and there are two particularly nice dance scenes. The plot, though mostly predictable, is engrossing and entertaining. Overall, this is a charming film, and one that I will certainly watch again.

Rowdy Fellow

Rowdy Fellow
2014
4/5 stars

Rana Prathap Jayadev (Nara Rohit) is extremely wealthy, with an insanely big ego.  Because of a perceived slight by a senior policeman (played by Ahuti Prasad), Rana uses his money to gain a  position as a sub-inspector in the same district with the intention of causing trouble for the ACP. A missing-person case leads back to the powerful MP of the district, Asuragana Durga Prasad's (Rao Ramesh), and Rana begins to take his position seriously, seeking justice for the common people by whatever means it takes.

Vishakha Singh plays the love interest; the cast also includes Ajay, Posani Krishna Murali, and Praveen.

Rana is a well-written anti-hero, and Nara Rohit does a great job walking that thin line between good guy and bad. While Vishakha Singh is not always fully convincing, and Ajay overacts at times, both Praveen and Posani Krishna Murali are excellent in their comedic roles.  The songs are catchy, memorable, and appealing, and the film makes good use of incidental music.  Rowdy Fellow is compelling, often amusing, and an overall solidly good and satisfying film that just falls short of five stars.

Singh and Rohit

Priyamaana Thozhi

Priyamaana Thozhi
(translates as "lovable [female] friend")
2003
3/5 stars

Julie (Sridevi Vijaykumar) and Ashok (Madhavan) have had a deep, platonic friendship since they were children. When Ashok becomes engaged to Nandini (Jyothika), Julie is ready to make any changes needed for the happiness of the marriage. By the same token, when Julie and Michael (Vineeth) fall in love, Ashok is willing to sacrifice his dreams for the benefit of her future.

This is a sweet, but sometimes sappy, movie about the beauty of true friendship.  The plot, while not fully believable, is enjoyable.  The acting is generally good, but Madhavan's emotions were not always convincing.  The music is quite lovely, though the choreography leaves much to be desired.  Priyamaana Thozhi won't necessarily be memorable, but it is still entertaining.

Sridevi Vijaykumar and Jyothika

Un Samayal Arayil

Un Samayal Arayil
(translates as "in your kitchen")
2014
5/5 stars

Kalidasa (Prakash Raj), a gourmand, is still single in his 40s. A miss-dialed phone call introduces him to Gowri (Sneha), also single in her 30s. They begin a phone friendship based on cooking, which becomes deep enough that they want to meet in person. When the time comes, though, Kalidasa becomes nervous due to insecurities and fears, and so sends his nephew Naveen (Tejus) to scout out the situation first. Unbeknownst to Kalidasa, Gowri, for the same reasons, also sends her young friend Meghana (Samyukta Hornad). This sets up all four for heartbreak.

Un Samayal Arayil is a gentle movie with a compelling plot and believable characters. All four principle actors do a wonderful job, especially Raj, who displays emotions so well. In this film, music does not play as important a part as usual in Indian Cinema, but it is still lovely.  This is a beautiful movie that I can recommend universally.

Prakash Raj and Sneha

Solo

Solo
2011
4/5 stars

As a result of growing up in an orphanage, Gautham (Nara Rohit) desperately wishes to experience the love and relationships of a joint family.  He becomes attracted to Vaishnavi (Nisha Aggarwal), and when he learns that she is part of a joint family, Gautham is convinced that she is the one for him.  After wooing her for several months, he wins her love, but when her father (Prakash Raj) discovers that Gautham is an orphan, he refuses to give his blessing as he wants Vaishnavi to have the support of her husband's joint family when she marries.

The plot of this drama focuses on the importance of love, both romantic and familial, and the need to balance both. The ending, however, is a bit abrupt, and as such not fully convincing.  Both Rohit and Raj give strong performances, but Aggarwal is wooden at times.  The incidental music is effective, and the songs good -- with the exception of the truly terrible club scene/item number (performed by Mamaith Khan). While sentimental and predictable, Solo is still compelling, enjoyable, and worth watching.

Shourya

Shourya
2016
4/5 stars

The film begins with Shourya (Manchu Manoj) and Netra (Regina Cassandra) preparing to elope to the UK the next day.  That evening, however, Netra is brutally attacked and, as she is near death and unable to clear him, Shourya is arrested.  CBI Officer Krishna Prasad (Prakash Raj) works with Shourya to be certain he gets treated fairly, while the public and press are convinced of his guilt.

The plot of this romantic thriller is engrossing, and twisty enough to keep the watcher guessing to the end.  The backstory of the romance is told effectively through Shourya's memories, and adds to the viewer's uncertainty.  Manchu and Regina have great chemistry, and they, along with Raj, were convincing in their roles.  I was dubious at first as to whether I could believe Manchu as a romantic hero -- but that lasted only a few moments.  His cheerful demeanor, everyday manner, and un-glamorous good looks completely charmed me.  The music is just average and below, keeping this otherwise excellent suspense movie from a full five stars.

Ishq

Ishq
("Love")
2012
3/5 stars

College student Rahul (played by Nithiin) meets Priya (Nithya Menen) at an airport.  After spending a day together in Goa due to a flight delay, they fall in love.  When they reach Hyderabad, Rahul has plans of speaking to Priya's brother, but discovers it is Siva (played by Ajay), with whom he has a bad history.  Rahul and Priya see each other without Siva's knowledge, but it is only a matter of time before Siva finds out and attempts to put a stop to their romance.

The plot of this Telugu romantic-comedy-drama is predictable, but still fun, though with one bit laughable: how is one expected to believe that Rahul, with his slight frame, could defeat a man of Siva's stature?  The music, with the exception of the horrible club scene, is catchy and enjoyable.  Nithiin and Nithya Menen have good chemistry together, and were generally convincing.  Nithiin's character, though, was a prankster and it was hard to have complete sympathy with him due to his sometimes hurtful jokes.  While not a memorable film, it is entertaining.

Dil Chahta Hai

Dil Chahta Hai
(translates as "the heart wants")
2001
5/5 stars

Akash (Aamir Khan), Sid (Akshaye Khanna), and Sameer (Saif Ali Khan), just graduated from college, are the closest of friends.  Sameer falls in and out of love regularly, while Sid is too involved in his painting to be interested in women.  Akash, a cynic, doesn't believe that love truly exists.  This coming of age drama follows their first tastes of real love, a devastating break in their friendship, and their eventual maturing.

The film also stars Dimple Kapadia, Priety Zinta, and Sonali Kulkarni.

This was a most impressive movie.  The three male leads were believable and natural as they gave award winning performances.  Zinta, and veteran actress Kapadia were also particularly good in their roles.  The soundtrack was uniformly enjoyable.  The plot is funny, moving, and engrossing, enhanced by excellent cinematography.  It is obvious that the screenplay writer/director, Farhan Akhtar (27 at the time), is talented and able to bring out the best in his cast.  It's easy to see why this film has become a cult classic.