Watching Vasantam and Priyamaana Thozhi Back-to-Back

These two identical films, Vasantam and Priyamaana Thozhi, were written and directed by Vikraman,  They were filmed in separate locations in different languages, but released on the same day in 2003.  I watched them back-to-back and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Plot Summary:

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

Both films feature the exact same plot and dialogue, so that part can be reviewed as one.  It is a charming, sweet story about the beauty and importance of friendship.  Though the feel-good plot isn't always believable, it's still a fun and pleasant experience.

Priyamaana Thozhi

(translates as "lovable female friend")

4/5 stars

In this Tamil-language version,  Madhavan stars as Ashok, Sridevi Vijayakumar as Julie, and Jyothika as Nandini.  The three leads have excellent, believable chemistry together.  Madhavan displays great energy and life, as well as open emotions.  The songs, both music and lyrics, are quite lovely, with some being memorable.  The cinematography is beautiful, with vibrant colors and effective backgrounds.  It may not be a five-star movie, but is worth watching, and definitely entertaining.

(Cast also includes Vineeth, R. Sundarrajan and Manivannan.)

Sridevi Vijaykumar and Jyothika

Vasantam

(translates as "spring")

3/5 stars

This is the Telugu-language version, and stars Venkatesh as Ashok, Kalyani as Julie, and Arti Agarwal as Nandini.  Venkatesh, a good actor in general, is miscast in this role.  The twenty-year age gap between him and both female leads is visibly obvious, and he doesn't project the joie de vivre that Ashok is credited with by the other characters.  Kalyani and Arti Agarwal have good friendship chemistry, but lack any with Venkatesh.  The filming is beautiful, bright and crisp, with effective backgrounds. The music is lovely, but I didn't have subtitles for the songs, so I can't comment on the lyrics.  It's still enjoyable, despite its faults, but of the two, it's not the one I'd recommend.
(Cast also includes Akash, Giri Babu and Tanikella Bharani.) 

Miss You

Miss You

2024

4/5 stars

In this Tamil-language romantic comedy/drama, Vasu (played by Siddharth) has an accident that causes a loss of two-years' worth of memories.   A few months after his recovery, he goes to visit a friend and falls in love with Subbulakshmi (Ashika Ranganath), a young woman in the same apartment complex.  What Vasu doesn't realize is that Subbulakshmi has a strong, valid reason to hate him.  What follows is a charming, moving love story about redemption and second chances.  

While there were no outstanding performances, the leads were convincing, especially with their emotions. The music, fight scenes, and choreography were just average, but the evocative incidental music and all around solid cinematography added much to the film. The storytelling was excellent, with the viewer learning only as much as Vasu knew, so that the plot unfolded slowly and compellingly, making it a film that I enjoyed tremendously.

Rewatching Bodyguard

Kapoor and  Khan

Bodyguard, Hindi language version, 2011 4/5 stars

starring Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor

(original review from March 2017 here)

Bodyguard, Telugu language version, 2012 4/5 stars

starring Venkatesh and Trisha

(original review from November 2020 here)

For the second half of 2023 and most of 2024, I watched mysteries on BritBox and hardly any actual movies (in any language).  

So far this year, I've rewatched Bachelor Mother (1939; my favorite Ginger Rogers film) and While You Were Sleeping (an all-time favorite from 1995).  I just haven't been in the mood for movies.

Until this week.

Trisha and Venkatesh

On Tuesday night, I rewatched the Salman Khan version of Bodyguard (Hindi, 2011) and over last night and today, the Telugu version (2012) starring Venkatesh. 

It was not my first time rewatching the Khan film -- it's a favorite and I've viewed it three or four times now, and I have enjoyed it every time.  This was my first rewatch of Venkatesh's version, though.  

I watched them originally three years apart, and at that time I said I preferred the Hindi version.  Watching them back-to-back, though, I've decided that I love the Telugu best.

They both have the same general story -- which has a great twist and is such fun overall -- but the subtle differences in personalities and the slightly varying plot nuances makes the Telugu version a notch better for me.  (Plus, to be honest, I prefer Trisha to Kareena Kapoor.)

And now, I'm in the mood for more Indian cinema!

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. 

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!)

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

Raavanan

Raavanan 

2010

5/5 stars

Dev Prakash  (Prithviraj Sukumaran), a ruthlessly determined police officer, is transferred to a province to capture Veera (played by Vikram), a local hero that has waged a bloody campaign against the area police.  Veera kidnaps Dev's wife, Ragini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), beginning a violent and bloody fourteen day chase that ends in a showdown between the two men.

(Karthik and Priyamani also feature.)

The acting is superb, natural, and believable, from the leads to the supporting artists.  Vikram is especially convincing as he treads the line between sane and unhinged, but Bachchan is equally impressive in her extremely emotional role. The camera work is stunning -- angles, colors, points-of-view -- and the entire film has a gritty, striking beauty.  The music (songs and incidental both) is often haunting and always highly effective.  As for the suspenseful story, it is chilling, well-plotted, nicely paced, and wholly engrossing.  Overall, it's simply a fantastic film, and while the violence and subject make it not universally suitable, I still highly recommend it.

(This film was shot in Hindi and Tamil simultaneously, with slightly differing casts.  My equally glowing review of the Hindi version can be found here.)

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.

Shaadi Mubarak

Shaadi Mubarak

("Congratulations on the Wedding")

2001

4/5 stars

When Satya's (Drishya Raghunath) mother is injured, Satya agrees to help her with one of her wedding bureau clients, Madhev (played by Sagar).  Madhev is scheduled to see three prospective brides in one day, and Satya accompanies him.  While spending this time together, they fall in love, each without the other knowing, but there seems no possibility of them ending up together.

Though predictable, this low-budget film is sweet and fun, and even caused me to tear up.  The plot starts extremely strong, but does weaken a bit in the second half.  Music is not as large a part in this movie as is typical with Indian Cinema, and the songs are not particularly memorable. The supporting cast is solid, and Drishya Raghunath, who gives a believable performance, has good chemistry with Sagar.  Sagar, though, steals the show with his thoroughly natural and completely charming acting.  Shaadi Mubarak may not be an exceptional experience, but I found it engrossing and enjoyable, and certainly worth four stars.

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.

Bhaskar Oru Rascal

 

Bhaskar Oru Rascal

"Bhaskar is a Rascal"

2018

4/5 stars

In this Tamil language film, Aakash (Master Raghavan)  lives with his father and grandfather.  His father, Bhaskar (Arvind Swamy), is a tough and unpolished man with questionable business practices, and Aakash is ashamed of him.  Aakash's best friend, Shivani (Baby Nainika), lives with her widowed mother, Anu (Amala Paul), and desperately wishes for a father figure.  To give Aakash a gentle mother and herself a protective father, Shivani is determined to bring the two together, despite Anu's distaste for Bhaskhar's rough ways.  When danger from Anu's past threatens, however, the two adults find themselves drawing closer.

The engaging plot has a nice twist, isn't always predictable, and is sometimes moving.  While the music is average, the action scenes look good, and the cinematography is lovely.  Swamy has a sort of bashful charm and a surprising amount of charisma, and is convincing throughout. Paul is credible, though not outstanding, and the supporting cast is generally solid.  The child actors, however, are fantastic -- believable and natural and super cute.  Overall Bhaskar Oru Rascal is an entertaining, if typical, example of Indian Cinema.  

Arvind Swamy, Baby Nainika, Amala Paul, Master Raghavan

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. 

Sketch

Sketch
(2018)
4/5 stars

Sketch (played by Vikram) works as a repo-man, and excels at his job. He meets Amuthavalli (played by Tamannaah), a college student, when taking her friend's scooter and eventually falls in love with her. When she sees past the rough exterior to the kind man inside, she begins to care for him, too, despite her parents' objections. Later, to settle an old grievance for his boss, Settu (Hareesh Peradi), Sketch works out a plan to take the classic Fiat of a local gangster, "Royapuram" Kumar (played by Baburaj), an action that sets off a tragic chain of events for Sketch and his friends. 

               
The main story, that of Sketch doing his job, fighting bad guys, and caring for his friends, is entertaining and even occasionally moving.  The romance part of the plot is the weak link; there is little chemistry between Tamannaah and Vikram, and though she gives a good performance in general, there is no zing in their scenes together.  In the other aspects of the film, however, Vikram is fully convincing as Sketch.  The songs and background music are only average, but the cinematography is nicely done and the action scenes are fun. There is a most surprising twist, and the movie is worth watching if only for that.

Vikram and Tamannaah

Kadaram Kondan

Kadaram Kondan

(translates as "Conqueror of Kadaram")

2019

4/5 stars

A medical intern, Vasu (Abi Hassan) has an unknown patient (KK, played by Vikram) in his ward; as the patient was involved in an accident, the police are interested in discovering who he is. Later, Vasu is knocked unconcious at home, and his heavily-pregnant young wife, Aatirah (Akshara Haasan) is kidnapped. Vasu is informed that she will be returned when the unnamed patient is smuggled out of the hospital.  Vasu attempts to do so, but instead finds himself on the run with KK, in a desperate race to save his wife.

Let's face it -- this movie is nothing more than an over-the-top vehicle to show off Vikram and his badassery.  That being said, it's a lot of fun.  Vikram plays his taciturn tough guy perfectly.  Akshara Haasan and Abi Hassan (in his debut) have nice chemistry and are convincing in their emotional roles.  Other than one song, the music is below average and not used effectively.  The action scenes look good, as did the cinematography in general.  The plot, though unbelievable, is still engaging and enjoyable.  Overall, if you aren't looking for a deep story, this action-packed film will certainly provide two hours of thorough entertainment.