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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

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.

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.

Raavan

Raavan
2010
5/5 stars

Dev Pratap Sharna (played by Vikram), a ruthlessly determined police officer, is transferred to a province to capture the dangerous tribal leader/villain Beera (Abhishek Bachchan).  Beera 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.

( Nikhil Dwivedi and Ravi Kishan also feature, with extended cameos by Priyamani and Govinda)

First off, let me say that a thriller of this sort is not my usual kind of movie.  I started it out of curiosity, merely wanting to see how well the married Bachchans acted together, only intending to watch a few minutes.  I finished it two hours and sixteen minutes later because they are great together (at times electric), because Abhishek is so convincing he scared the heck out of me, and because Vikram lives up to his glowing reputation.  Aishwarya is impressive in this extremely emotional role. Both the supporting cast and the cameo actors give solid, believable performances,  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.  As I said, not my typical film, but it was fully worth five stars.

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

3 Idiots

3 Idiots

2009

4/5 stars

Farhan (R. Madhavan), Raju (Sharman Joshi) and Rancho (Aamir Khan) meet as freshmen at the Imperial College of Engineering.  While Farhan and Raju are in college with the sole purpose of a degree for a job, Rancho wants to learn for sake of learning and has a nontraditional approach to education.  This causes him trouble with the Dean (Boman Irani), despite his obvious intellect and ability. Rancho's unusual view of life causes upheaval in the lives of Farhan and Raju, in both negative and positive ways, creating a deep bond of friendship. Rancho dropped out of their lives immediately after graduation, however, and hearing a rumor of where he is from a fellow classmate (played by Omi Vaidya), they set out on a road trip to find him. (Kareena Kapoor plays the love interest.)  

The well-written plot of this comedy-drama is charming, funny (though not ridiculous or over-the-top as the title might indicate), moving, and thoroughly enjoyable. .  The chemistry between the three leads is excellent; they are completely convincing as tight-knit friends.  Khan is outstanding, with Madhavan (a favorite of mine from Tamil films) and Joshi also giving strong performances. I usually find Kapoor to be stiff and not fully believable, but this somewhat small role was a good one for her, and she shone.  This multiple award winning film deserves it's accolades, and if the music had been better than average, would be a full five-star movie.

Madhavan, Khan, Joshi

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.

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 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

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.

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.