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.

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.

Recently Viewed

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!)

Oosaravelli

Oosaravelli
(translation: Chameleon)
2011
3/5 stars

Tony (N. T. Rama Rao Jr.) is a small-time crook who falls in love with Niharika (played by Tamannaah).  She's already engaged, but he is not discouraged, and is certain that if he keeps his way of life a secret, he can win her in the end. In the meantime, Tony becomes involved with a group of low-level gangsters, using his talents to help them rise in the world of crime, thus bringing himself to the negative attention of Ajju Bhai (Prakash Raj), a most dangerous professional villian.

(Vidyut Jammwal and Payal Ghosh also feature.)

The plot of this Telugu language film has some nice twists, but is a bit too convoluted to flow smoothly.  Some of the over-the-top action looked silly instead of impressive, and the songs were just average.  Jr. NTR was, as is typical, natural, energetic, and charismatic. It was fun to see Prakash Raj (one of my favorite Indian actors) as the bad guy; he gave a strong performance, as usual.   Tamannaah, on the other hand, was stiff and not believable at times, and while the supporting cast were good, they were not spectacular.  Oosaravelli  is undeniably entertaining while watching, but is a forgettable movie in the end.

Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai

Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai

(translates as "it's my friend's wedding")

2002

3/5 stars

Sanjay (Uday Chopra) and Anjali (Tulip Joshi, credited as Sanjana) have been best friends for twenty years.  When Anjali returns from a trip to America and announces that she is engaged to an American doctor (Rohit, played by Jimmy Sheirgill), Sanjay is stunned.  After his friend and flatmate, Ria (Bipasha Basu), awakens him to the fact that he is in love with Anjali, he determines to stop the wedding.

The movie has a predictable and light plot, with nice cinematography and average music.  Chopra and Sheirgill, while not fully lead material, are above average in this film, and have good chemistry together.  Sadly, neither had any with Joshi.  She is the weakest link in the movie, giving an unconvincing and unnatural performance, unlike Basu's generally strong one.  Overall, it's forgettable and I wouldn't particularly recommend it, especially to those new to the Indian Cinema experience.

Dil Hai Tumhaara

Dil Hai Tumhaara

(translates as "my heart is yours")

2002

3/5 stars

Shalu (Preity Zinta) is devoted to her sister, Nimmi (Mahima Chaudhry), but has a difficult relationship with her mother, Sarita (played by Rekha), who never seems to show her any affection.  Shalu meets Dev (Arjun Rampal) and, after a few misadventures, they fall in love.  Nimmi misinterprets Dev, thinking that he is in love with her, not Shalu.  Based on that, Sarita arranges for Dev and Nimmi to marry.  Shalu, wanting only her sister's happiness and desperate to win favor from her mother, stands aside and asks Dev to forget her.

(Jimmy Sheirgill and Alok Nath also star.)  

The movie is light, predictable, and forgettable, being obviously nothing more than a vehicle to show Zinta's extremely convincing acting and her usual delightful, bubbly self.  Chaudhry conveys her emotions well and mostly holds her own with Zinta. The striking Rekha is especially impressive, while Nath gives his signature benign performance.  Neither Rampal or Sheirgill are strong enough to balance Zinta, however, and they come across as weak and unconvincing.  The music is good, though, with "Dil Laga Liya Maine" being particularly memorable.  Unfortunately, good music and the excellent Zinta aren't enough to make this more than average due to the bland, sometimes ridiculous, plot.

Note: SCARY PUPPET ALERT!

Late Summer Viewing

First Time Viewing:
Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (2007)  3/5 stars
Parts of it were unappealing,  but it has two excellent songs and great performances by Priety Zinta and Abhishek Bachchan.  

Janatha Garage  (2016)  4/5 stars

Mainly a predictable vehicle for Jr. NTR, but enjoyable nonetheless, and with a strong performance by Nithya Menen.

Delhi 6  (2009)  3/5 stars
Started off really good, but by the end I was rather puzzled.  Abhishek Bachchan gave a good performance, but Sonam Kapoor was unimpressive.

Dhoom 2  (2006)  3/5 stars
Action packed and fun, except for Aishwarya Rai's performance --she was so unsuited to the character that it was painful to watch.

Rewatched:
Raavan (2010)  5/5 stars (my review here)
My husband watched it with me this time, and he felt pretty much the same as I did.

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006)  5/5 stars (my review here)
This was my third viewing and, if anything, I cried even harder.

While You Were Sleeping  (1995)  5/5 stars
I first watched this in the theater, and I can't tell you how many times after that.  This was the first time in a decade or so, though, and it stands the test of time.  It's a fantastic movie.

Funny Face  (1957)  3/5 stars
I loved this as a teen, but wasn't as impressed this time around.  The plot was thin, Astaire and Hepburn seemed mismatched, and her singing was weak.  Costumes were fantastic, though, and Kay Thompson gave a stellar performance.

Veer Zaara  (2004)  5/5 stars  (my review here)
I cried so hard this second viewing that I gave myself not only a headache, but a stomach ache as well.

Iru Mugan

Iru Mugan
(translates as "two face")

2016

3/5 stars

A mystery performance-enhancing drug is believed to be behind an attack on the Indian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  Indian Intelligence thinks that the once-presumed-dead criminal scientist, Love (played by Vikram) is behind it all.  Akhilan (also played by Vikram), a former RAW agent who has a personal vendetta against Love, is re-recruited to investigate the situation alongside junior RAW agent Aayushi (Nithya Menon). (Meera, Akhilan's wife, is played by Nayanthara, with Thambi Ramaiah as Muthaiah, a Malaysian police officer.)   

This action movie was not particularly interesting. All the fight scenes take place under the influence of a performance-enhancing drug, which makes the aspect that should be exciting into boring scenes, and the weak plot adds to the dullness.  The bright point of the film is Vikram, who is excellent, and fully believable as two completely different people.  Nithya Menon is also convincing as the fresh-faced novice, but Nayanthara  gives a cardboard performance and there is zero chemistry between her and Vikram.  The cinematography is good, but not spectacular, and the music is average.  Really, the only appeal of Iru Mugan is that of Vikram's double role, which makes it worth watching once, but overall it's not memorable or even fully entertaining. 

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.

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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.