Movie Review
3 movie review
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Mind blowing performance of 3 future of tamil cinema. Combination of Kadhal kondein and Thuluvado ilamai is Dhanush’s character in 3 tamil movie. Good thriller, nice music, re recording, direction by Aishwarya R Dhanush.
Ishq Movie Review
0Kodi Baye Lachammadi’ song when released was off-putting but this looked great on screen. Nitin never looked so good, be it his appearance or work. He has thankfully done away with those dances that he did by kneeling on the floor that up and coming actors do to get recognition atleast in some area. He has loosened up a lot and clearly seemed to have enjoyed his work, infact he looked better than Nithya Menon. But did the film help him? Sadly, No.
Ishq looks to be a mildly enjoyable experience if you have the courage to sit through the first half of the film and patience in the second half. It suffers from an outdated story, the same crests and troughs in narration, sporadically interesting when either Ajay comes in or Ali makes his entry. Here too, the director loses focus on maintaining seriousness and just when you are relieved the conflicting point has arrived, the situation is earmarked for comedy, one knows what the villain is heading for. So where is the thrill, where is the excitement?
Don 2 Movie Review
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Don 2 most expected movie of the year end. Khan and Chopra did it well. Most stylish Don is here There we see his arm, part of his unshaven face, his dark glasses. As he travels up a meandering river in Thailand, we notice Khan’s rather odd looking long hair (a wig, of course), with dreadlocks. And there is cigarette smoke rolling around his face in slow motion. It is all very sexy and so cool!
Thanks to Akhtar’s terrific cinematographer Jason West. There is an unexpected, almost forced and laughable romantic moment between Khan and his co-star Priyanka Chopra. For a suspense thriller, Don 2 has no edge-of-the-seat moments, despite a decent car chase sequence and a scene when Don jumps off a tall building in Berlin.
Simbu Osthi Movie Review
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Dabanng was a sensational hit in Bollywood that set the cash registers ringing. Now all eyes are on Osthi, its Tamil remake, where STR plays the lead role enacted by Salman Khan in the original.Who said a police story had to predominantly revolve around an honest cop totting a gun fighting baddies with vigour.
Osthi is the story of a Robinhoodesque cop who fights injustice in his own way. With Dharani of Ghilli, Dhool and Dhil fame wielding the megaphone, the movie begins with pace from the word go and the vim and vigour is prevalent all through.
t is Simbu’s special all the way. The multi-faceted actor has preferred to play to the gallery. He as Osthi Velan, a funny cop with his own antics is entertaining and energetic. He fights, dances, romances and preaches too in his imitable style. No way one can compare Simbhu’s performance with that of Salman for STR has rendered it in his own style. His diction of Thirunelveli dialect is good. Especially when he rips his shirt towards the climax fighting Sonu Sood is a special treat for his fans. The young actor has impressed one and all.
Sonu Sood does what he did in the original. At places funny and at places a clichéd villain on Tamil screen, Sonu Sood leaves his impression in a movie which otherwise is occupied by STR’s massive screen-presence. He unlike villains in other Tamil films, get a major share on screen and utilize the opportunity well. He gyrates and speaks from the bottom of his belly at places.
Richa Gangopadhyaya, who is in a fine form thanks to stupendous success of her recent release Mayakkam Enna, consolidates her place strongly with Osthi. As Neduvalli, who is in love with Osthi Velan, she is homely yet glamorous. Her expressions and emotions are apt and Dharani extracts the best from his heroine. Santhanam emerges true champ with his one-liners that tickles our funny-bones. He is at his crackling best and scenes involving him and Simbu bring the roof down with laughter. Jithan Ramesh enacts the role played by Arbaz Khan as step-brother of Osthi Velan. He gets a meaty role to play and there is romance for him too. He is energetic too onscreen.
Dharani’s choice of star cast is apt for the masala venture. The likes of VTV Ganesh, Thambi Ramiah, Nasser, and Revathy add pep to the proceedings with a performance that is straight from their heart. The highlight being Bollywood sexy-siren Mallika Sherawat appearing for an item number equivalent to Munni Badnam.
Verdict:
An honest remake, Osthi is entertaining if you forget all logic and go inside cinema-hall for sheer joy, fun and entertainment. Dharani and STR have pulled it off in style. Three cheers to Osthi team.
The Dirty Picture Hindi Movie Review
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The Dirty Picture is a story about an actress of 1980s who is best known for her sexy body & sexy attitude “Silk Smitha”. The storey is based on ups and downs of her career. The struggling part of her life to survive in the film industry. She started her career as an artiste for B-Grade movies but soon she got a break in a movie for a small character. Later the movie shows climbing steps of Silk Smitha towards success.
Her dance numbers, semi-nude scenes and bold performances made the viewers crazy. She is getting a huge response for that and can able to get to the peak of her career.
Vidya Balan’s work in the movie as in the role of Silk Smitha is really deserved to praise. Other than Vidya, Naseeruddin Shah, Emraan Hashmi & Tusshar Kapoor’s work is also in a stage to be praised.
The Dirty Picture Songs are in the market before 4 months. Among all Ooh La…La…La… became a raise to a certain generation.
Porali Movie Review
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Porali’ is about a common man’s fight against the evils, his struggle to establish order and right in the society and the troubles he undergo during his fight! The film also has three other characters whose life takes to new twists with problems and how they come out from those situations is told in humour, sentiment and action.
Actor-director-producer M Sasikumar is just an actor and producer here. He has handed over the director job to Samudrakani. Sasikumar definitely excels as an actor in this film too. His getup and the very natural performance as an angry and responsible citizen reflects the emotions of the common man who is faced with troubles in his everyday life.
Swathi of ‘Subramaniapuram’ fame returns to Tamil with this film. She again, did not fail to capture your heart with her neat performance. Vasunthra of ‘Thenmerku Paruvakkaatru’ has proved again that she is an actress to reckon with as another upcoming performance oriented actress in Tamil cinema.
Remember the film ‘Kurumbu’ and Allari Naresh? This young talent is also making a come-back to Tamil with ‘Porali’ with another fine act.
Nivetha, Namo Narayana, Gnanavel, ‘Ganja’ Karuppu, Jayaprakash and Suri are other actors who justify their characters with their good acting.
P Samudrakani, with his writing and direction, proves his mettle again. His talent and hard work is seen in every frame of the film. Kudos to him for coming out with this bold script! ‘Porali’ is a milestone movie for him!
Music is done by Sundar C Babu. Songs are good and the background score raises the strength of those crucial scenes.
Another big talent is S R Kathir. His camera work arrests you and helps the director in telling his script with lighting and angles! Editing department also gets the credit for this neat film.
‘Porali’ is produced by Company productions of M Sasikumar. Another good and bold attempt by Sasikumar under his banner! A big pat!!!
‘Porali’ is definitely an enjoyable entertainer with a big message.
A watchable movie, particularly for the ‘Porali’ filmmaker Sasikumar!
Mayakam Enna Movie Review
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All of us went joyfully to enjoy Selva’s typical movie starring Dhanush. Dhanush aspiring photographer who needs to preove himself to the world in between he corrected Richa heroine of the movie which she is his friends girl friend(remembering Kadhal konden. Finally he got award for his work equal to oscar. Whole Film shooted in night. Not worth watching and fans are really not feel entertained.
7am Arivu Tamil Movie Review
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Good story but screenplay is not upto the level
Overall muragadoss mixed with gajini in some scenes ,songs is total bore because we r already heared so many times in all channels
yamma yamma and muandhi is songs r for better to hear some wat
Stunts r amazing (international standard)
first half is really awesome and 2nd half dragging (especially bodhidharmar is total drama they r trying to give good movie but finally disappoints)
overall buildup only nothing inside because Muragadoss only disappoints me lot because each and every scene shruthi hassan is expalining some part of history ans stories ,i dont think b and c class will understand or not ,lets c
7am arivu learned lesson about over promotional makes failure ”
Direction: A R Murugadoss
Cast: Suriya, Shruti Hassan, Johnny Tri Nguyen
Music: Harris Jayaraj
Camera: Ravi K Chandran
Editing: Anthony
Producer: Udhayanidhi Stalin
Banner: Red Giant Movies
‘7am Arivu’ is yet another A R Murugadoss – Suriya combo’s magnum opus, after their big blockbuster ‘Ghajini’!
This Sci-fi epic drama film will be another mile stone venture in Suriya’s career as he plays two different characters – Buddhist Monk and a Circus man.
The film depicts the story of a 5th Century Pallava prince-turned-Buddhist monk called Bodhidharma, who was born in Kanchipuram and travelled to China renouncing his Kingship. The monk is considered the 28th patriarch of Lord Buddha and was responsible for institutionalizing and spreading Zen philosophy in the world. He is also said to be the creator of the martial art Kung Fu and taught it at the Shoalin Temple in China. ‘7aam Arivu’ pictures the greatness of this Tamil saint who is still revered and worshiped in China and Japan and all around the world.
7am-Arivu-Review
In the film, the story of Bodhidharma is related to the present setup with an incident and Shruti Hassan’s scientist character finds the connection between two different eras.
It was said that Christopher Nolan’s ‘Inception’, a Hollywood Sci-fi, has inspired A R Murugadoss to create this story. But Murugadoss categorically rejects and say, “’7am Arivu’ is a creation of 2 years of script work and my film’s shoot started well before the release of ‘Inception’!”
Suriya has again brought his six-pack physique for this film to show the power of the martial art. He has also put a lot of hard work in learning tough stunt movements to put a spectacular show in the film.
Along with Suriya, the martial art extravagance of an American-Vietnamese actor Johnny Tri Nguyen in the film going to be another feat for the film lovers. He plays the villain of the protagonist in the film.
Cute Shruti Hassan, who is donning a role of a scientist, has also given her scintillating performances in vital scenes and dance sequences.
Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Red Giant Movies has produced the movie at a whopping budget of 84 Crore. “As a producer I’m proud to be a part of this wonderful film. It is a milestone movie in the productions of my banner”, says Udhayanidhi Stalin, who at any point of time never stayed back in spending his money for the film’s production. The film boasts the expense of Rs. 7 Crore for just the intro scene of the film!
A R Murugadoss and Harris Jayaraj has already created that wonder in ‘Ghajini’. And, this success combo has come together again for ‘7am Arivu’ to churn out yet another musical magic!
The music of the film very much shows the enormous hard work that the composer has put in to bring out those extraordinary instrumentations in songs and background score. “I toured many oriental countries to find those traditional instruments for creating rare sounds for the Chinese content in the film for both the song and rerecording!”, says Harris Jayaraj!
Ezham-Arivu-Review
The film’s music album, whose rights were sold for a record price to Sony Music, has created ripples in the market by registering quick retail sales of the album. The songs have also become chartbusters topping the charts!
And, the visuals of songs one of the highlights of the film. From cute and colourful locations abroad to Chennai city crowded parts to the green woods and barren lands the crew has travelled widely and shot those perfect pictures for songs.
The song ‘Oh Ringa…’ was shot in the busy streets and crowded places of Chennai city with the involvement of more than 1000 dance performers was amazingly discussed by the tinsel town.
Ravi K. Chandran’s camera work, Editor Anthony’s cut and Sound art have taken the film, and our Tamil cinema, to another level of technical excellence.
The courageous and amazing thought and work of A R Murugadoss and the artistic and technical cooperation by his team and the staunch support of Red Giant Movies’ Udhayanidhi Stalin has brought out a Masterpiece called ‘7am Arivu’!
RA one Hindi Movie Review
1Director: Anubhav Sinha
Producer: Gauri Khan
Written: Anubhav Sinha
Screenplay: Anubhav Sinha, Kanika Dhillon, Mushtaq Sheikh, David Benullo
Story: Anubhav Sinha
Star Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Armaan Verma, Shahana Goswami, Tom Wu
Music: Vishal-Shekhar
Cinematography: Nicola Pecorini, V. Manikandan
Editing: Sanjay Sharma, Martin Walsh
Distributor: Eros International Ltd., Red Chillies Entertainment
Ra.One is an upcoming 2011 Hindi science fiction superhero film written and directed by Anubhav Sinha, and starring Shahrukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal in the lead roles. It also stars Shahana Goswami, Dalip Tahil and
Chinese-American actor Tom Wu in supporting roles, along with Rajnikanth, Sanjay Dutt and Priyanka Chopra making guest appearances. The film is jointly produced by Eros International and Khan’s production company, Red Chillies Entertainment, and was originally scheduled to release on 3 June 2011.
However, due to extensive post-production work involving special effects and the 3D conversion, its release was postponed, and is now set to have a worldwide opening during the Diwali weekend of 26 October 2011. Ra.One is currently India’s most expensive film to date and will be released in both 2D and 3D formats across over 5,000 screens worldwide in 2D and around 550 screens in 3D,along with its dubbed versions in Tamil, Telugu and German.
Singham Hindi Movie Review
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The Golmaal buds are back to do what they do best, loads of dishoom dishoom, cars flying all over and Ajay Devgn projected as the super hero full filmi style in the Reliance Entertainment produced ‘Singham’. Apart from the fact that Ajay and Rohit started their filmi career together in an action film Phool aur Khaante as Actor and assistant director respectively, their first movie together as actor – director was also an action film Zameen but then Golmaal happened and the rest as they say is history. Add in the above average ‘All the Best’ too then the duo’s comedy film repertoire looks as envious as David Dhawan and Govinda’s partnership. But this is not a comedy film but the craze of remaking southern masala blockbusters in Hindi has caught the duo’s attention too and once again its time for Ajay to flex some muscles. Why not? after the stupendous Gajini, Wanted, Ready and rich southern flavoured ‘Dabaang’ who would say no to the Tamil blockbuster ‘Singam’?
The story is about a small town honest cop Bhajirao Singham(Ajay Devgn) pulled into the big city by a king pin, Jayakant Shikre(Prakash Raj) to show him his political power. With corruption strangulating the existence of Singham and Jayakant Shikre slowly getting more powerful than ever, Singham has to not just use his brawn but brains too to defeat the enemy. But can he do it?
The original Singham did get much recommendation from critics but became a blockbuster thanks mainly to the producers heavy marketing, Surya’s star status and some very nicely thought out scenes. The remake takes all the positives from the original and adds few maratha flavour and Singham is all set to roar heavily in bollywood too. But that doesn’t mean Singham is all green, it does get monotonous and slow by the mid second half and Rohit also tries a different climax from the original which heavily depends on Prakash Raj’s performance, he does succeed but somehow the end just looks like a rushed up job. Not entirely convincing. But that was one of the negative pointers of the original too. There are few scenes where southern flavor just gets too heavy especially the fight sequences but single screen audiences are just going to embrace it with hoots and cheers.
Ajay Devgn has enacted the role with sincerity but looks too tired in many sequences and the power packed scene where the hero challenges the villain in his own lair which was one of the most talked about scene in the original, looks just plain mediocre thanks to the dull recital of the fiery dialogue by Ajay and the support staff’s clueless acting. Kajal looks fresh as ever and looks completely at ease with mouthing Hindi language but has little to do acting wise. Prakash Raj seems to have finally captured bollywood too with his menacing performance. The master looks convincing as a Maharashtrian and carries the film effortlessly. Sonali Kulkarni is decent but her character could have been a little less confusing. Sachin Khedekar’s character does make you smile but is under utilized. The rest of the talents have done a decent job but nothing extraordinary to brag about.
Cinematography by Dudley is decent but the fake night scenes with artificial flares to light up the character’s face is a bad move. Editing by Steven H Bernard, is slick but could have been more brutal in the end. Art Direction by Narendra Rahurikar, is decent but far from realistic, the police lock up with two big windows is a big blunder. Music by Ajay and Atul is decent but none of the songs actually sticks on to you expect ‘Maula mere’. Choreography by Ganesh Achariya is not upto the mark and the step he has given Ajay in the first song is just too mediocre to be true. Amar Mohile’s background score enriches the visual drama. The action scenes designed by Rohit Shetty and executed by Jai Singh is a treat for action lovers. The ‘Red’ inspired action scene where Ajay walks out from the swirling car with his gun out brings the whole theatre down.
Overall its a paisa vasool entertainer which has action aplenty and is a sure-shot success in the single screens but with Zindagi and Delhi still bringing in the crowd it would be quite interesting to see how Multiplex audience welcomes this Singham.
Double Dhamaal Hindi Movie Review
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The four jokers, Adi (Arshad Warsi), Roy (Riteish Deshmukh), Manav (Javed Jafferi) and Boman (Ashish Chaudhry) are back with the laugh riot in Double Dhamaal. The film starts with a quick recap on the first part Dhamaal, giving a brief intro about the characters to the audience who have not watched Dhamaal and are clueless about the plot. The best part is that Double Dhamaal exactly starts from where the prequel concludes.
Nothing in the sequel changes, the four characters are still in competition to top the stupidity level, they are still useless, they still dream about a richie-rich life with no hard work. And then suddenly they confront their enemy, the corrupt Inspector Kabir Nayak (Sanjay Dutt). These four friends discover that Kabir is no more a cop and has become a millionaire. Out of the sheer envy they blackmail Kabir to make them his business partners. However, soon their dreams turns into nightmares. Kamini (Mallika Sherawat) Sanjay’s girlfriend and Kiya (Kangana Ranaut) are well aware of the mystery. Batabhai (Satish Kaushik) is well used to make the characters life miserable.
Director Indra Kumar has once again integrated a generous dose of light moments in the film. Though Dhamaal was one of his kind slap-stick comedy. The uncontaminated comedy in Double Dhamaal works big time. The airtight screenplay (Tushar Hiranandani) also takes a part of the merit. Kumar has perfectly executed the script with a brilliant comic timing. The credit of the film cannot be given alone to the script, the chemistry between the four boys is outstanding. Moreover, unlike the prequel, this one is added with the glam quotient with actress Mallika Sherawat and Kangana Ranaut as an inportant part in the film.
A big toast goes to the witty and brilliant dialogues (Farhad-Sajid). Soundtracks ( Anand Raaj Anand) in the film is well complimented, especially Mallik’s ‘Jalebi Bai act’. Aseem Bajaj’s cinematography is top notch.
Performances
Arshad, Riteish, Jaaved and Aashish are stars of the comedy world. Riteish is simply outstanding. It won’t be wrong to say that Double Dhamaal is his career-best work. Arshad’s is amazing with comic timing. Jaaved couldn’t have been more stupid. Aashish is a complete revelation. In fact, the four actors make the film look flawless and unblemished.
Sanjay Dutt is the catalyst in the film, the perfect man for the job. Both Mallika and Kangana are excellent. Double Dhamaal will make people realize that Mallika can handle comic roles with effortlessness. Kangna scenes with Riteish are sure to be noticed. Satish Kaushik is in outstanding with his one-liners. Zakir Hussain is adequate.
Over All
All said and done, Double Dhamaal is an eruption of laughter. It is definitely not for people who are looking for wisdom and rationale. People who enjoy light-hearted entertainer with a good laugh are called for a treat. Have a Double Dhamaal this weekend with the jokers on-screen.
Cast & Crew
Starring: Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Riteish Deshmukh, Jaaved Jaaferi, Aashish Chaudhary, Mallika Sherawat, Kangana Ranaut
Director: Indra Kumar
Producer: Ashok Thakeria, Indra Kumar
Screenplay: Tushar Hiranandani
Story: Tushar Hiranandani
Music: Anand Raj Anand
Cinematography: Aseem Bajaj
Editing: Sanjay Sankla
Green Lantern 3D Movie Review
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The buzz this weekend is about the premier of the Green Lantern movie starring Ryan Reynolds and Mark Strong as Hal Jordan and Sinestro. Why is this movie such a big deal? Well the only DC heroes that have made it to the big screen are Superman and Batman. This is one of the main Justice League of America members who has his own following and yet this is Green Lantern’s first big screen debut. Therefore, OF COURSE IT’S A BIG DEAL!
We here at Comic Addicts were naturally jumping at the chance to see this flick. So we donned our glowing Green Lantern rings and went for the theater. We still had to drive there because as the fine print says on the rings, “This will not enable you to fly”. Sad yes, but we made do.
First if you’re wondering, “Is it worth seeing it in 3D?” If you have the extra cash it actually is. The two biggest reasons are, firstly, the space scenes. You really get the perspective of depth. In other words; it truly feels like you’re floating out in space. The second reason is for the flight scenes. 3D allows you to follow Hal as he zips about the skies and it seems as though you’re right there in the air with him.
The big question of course has been, “How is Ryan Reynolds going to do as Hal Jordan?” It was hard to predict because Reynolds usually plays a dry wit sarcastic characters. Hal Jordan on the other hand has been rather serious with just enough of a sense of humor to see him through his trials. Reynolds starts out in his usual sarcastic tone, but as the film goes on you discover that it’s just a defense mechanism. The more he does the more that tactic seems to erode away. By the end of the film he much more resembles the Hal Jordan we all know and love.
Like with any other comic movie subtle changes were made to make things work better. The biggest changes that were made were with Sinestro and the Guardians. Don’t panic just yet. It’s actually not a bad thing.
Mark Strong does an absolute FANTASTIC job of playing the iconic character. In the film Sinestro isn’t evil. Remember that this is the origin story. Sinestro is Jordan’s mentor, so that’s accurate. What Strong brought to the character, with some help from the script, is that Sinestro is upset and frustrated. He feels this way because his mentor and friend have died and his replacement is a being from a planet where they still think they’re the center of the universe. He’s also upset with the Guardians because there is an enemy out there making its way to OA, killing planets along the way, and it has killed Green Lanterns but they withhold important information and act like it’s no big deal. So between the less evolved rookie and his fellow Lanterns being killed Sinestro has a lot on his plate. This is a new emotional aspect that hasn’t been brought to Sinestro before, but it works very well.
The Guardians on the other hand resemble the Jedi Council. They sit on their citadel in extremely high chairs and show no emotion and pass judgment on the actions of the Green Lantern Corps. They also give information on what they feel is a need to know basis. The attitude they have fits that of a race that has been around since the dawn of time. The downside? It really seems to irk everyone else to whom it comes across as apathy. For example as a last ditch effort Hal asks the council for help in stopping Paralax from destroying Earth. Pretty much everyone on OA views Earth as the short bus of the universe because humans are such a young and unenlightened species. The response Hal gets is, “Your intentions are noble, but yeah, we really can’t spare anybody. Sorry about that,”
Overall the movie is the right mixture of story, explanation, and action. There is plenty of back story, but always in context with what’s going on and it’s not overkill either. You follow Hal’s transformation from an unsure of himself test pilot to getting on the road to being one of the best Green Lanterns in the history of the core. One thing to note as you watch the film is to keep an eye on Hal’s uniform. As the film goes on it resembles more and more the costume that we’re all used to seeing in the comics. The more Hal gets better with the ring and the more his focus grows the more defined his uniform gets. It’s very subtle, but noticeable.
The effects were amazing and one of the biggest thrills was getting to see glimpses of the various alien races that make up the core. The crowd scenes on OA show the vastness of alien races that were chosen to make up the Green Lantern Corps. Which was something that was always touched upon but not really shown until later issues of Green Lantern.
Also, without giving too much away, we will say that they left it wide open for a sequel which could be epic. As you have probably seen in the previews the yellow element is introduced. The only other thing we will say is that you shouldn’t leave when the credit start.
Avan Ivan Tamil Movie Review
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Avan Ivan is a new comedy based film directed by Bala.This film is Bala’s fifth film. The film is being casted by Arya, Vishal Krishna, Janani Iyer and Madhu Shalini in the leading roles and Surya and Reema sen as guest appearances.This film is being produced by Kalpathi S. Agoram’s AGS Entertainment, and music by Yuvan Shankar Raja, cinematography by Arthur A. Wilson,lyrics by Na. Muthukumar and editing by Suresh Urs. The film is also being dubbed in Telugu as Vaadu Veedu and is in its post-production stage which would be released on June 17, 2011.
After the release of Naan Kadavul in February 2009, Bala, has announced that the next movie would be a full-length light-hearted film with a double hero subject. He also disclosed that the film was “fun till the last 15 minutes, afterwhich it turns serious”.
Initially Soundarya Rajinikanth’s Ocher Studios were said to be the producer of the film,but Kalpathi S. Agoram finally decided to produce it under the banner of AGS Entertainment. On 25 January 2010., in the official press meet Bala also told that unlike his earlier films, Avan Ivan would have an “extra dose of comedy, besides action and family entiments”.In response to Vishal’s popularity in Andhra Pradesh, Vishal’s brother, Vikram Krishna, decided to dub the film in Telugu as Vaadu Veedu and will release it under his GK Films Corporation banner simultaneously with the Tamil version.
For the two lead male characters in the film,several actors from the Tamil film industry were considered and were at last bagged by Arya, renewing his association with Bala after Naan Kadavul, and Vishal Krishna.Both actors had changed their looks and they tonsured their heads for their roles.Vishal sports a squint charecter and wore braces throughout the film. He has become the first actor to attempt a squint look in a feature film,which was considered for an entry in The Guinness Book of World
AARANYA KAANDAM TAMIL MOVIE REVIEW
0After being in the crosshairs in the International circuit for its awards and in the National sector for the struggle with the censor board, Aaranya Kandam produced by SPB Charan and directed by newcomer Thyagarajan Kumararaja has finally hit the screens today.
Aaranya Kandam is a gangster flick that records the events that happen in the life of a few of them on a particular day. It is about normal people caught in unexpected situations and their transformations.
The expectations about the film have been on the high and the team has not disappointed their fans. It is hard to believe that AK is the maiden directorial venture of Kumararaja because the director has structured every frame and character in his film with brilliant dexterity. The manner of narration and screen play is commendable. The major players who help him deliver his aces are his pivot leads, music director, editor and cinematographer which goes on to reiterate the fact that cinema is only a team game.
AK does not follow the usual structure of First Half-Second Half, but sticks to the formula of Act 1, 2 and 3. This may look quite odd for our audiences for it takes more time for the conflict to pop up. And Kumararaja has not resorted to any unnecessary frills anywhere.
Well etched out characters mark AK. Jackie Shroff, the yesteryear dream hero from Bollywood makes his Tamil appearance with authoritative aplomb. His portrayal as the ageing gangster Annachi is commendable and his body language when he attempts to jive and remove his cloths with arrogance in his eyes but weakness in his body is just a sample. The opening scene where his anguish at not able to perform with Yasmin Ponnappa is a treat to watch. Wonder if such masculinity deficient protagonists were shown earlier in our films.
Sampath as the thinking Pasupathy sashays through his role effortlessly and his eyes speak for most parts. Somasundaram as the disgraced Zamindar in debt delivers a superior performance and so does Master Vasanth as his son. Though at times, we may feel that young boy is over-reacting it’s justified through the situations. We see him dominating his father, but at the same time, his childishness is also exhibited suggesting the paradox in such a character.
Wow, is it Ravi Krishna? The lad has lost oodles of weight and looks much younger and his essaying of the naïve Sappai is effective. Although Yasmin Ponnappa’s dialogue delivery creates an impression of a lower IQ girl, the debutant delivers what is needed for the role with ease.
Realistic and natural dialogues spice up the proceedings of AK. Sample this during the final touch-up between Sampath and the young boy when the former asks the latter ‘Unakku appava rumba pidikkuma?’ and the boy replies ‘Appadi yellam illa, aana Appa’. The profundity of this simple phrase is striking. And also Yasmin’s final statement “The best thing about being a woman is in man’s world’ is bound to be a hit with all women. Kumararaja makes amends with his women audience in this pithy expression for his statements of women in the earlier part of the film. The analogy of dhoti with rich and poor is noteworthy and so is the defining of a character by their preference for Rajni or a Kamal film.
The justification that comes through the example of ‘ecological web chain –worms, fish, man’ is appreciable. The flawed human nature is brought out when Somasundaram lamenting about his luck on losing the telephone number doing a complete volte face on receipt of the same.
Intelligent humor is sprinkled all over and is enjoyable. While the major story proceeds as a conflict between Jackie Shroff and Sampath, the ultimate twist during climax is something unpredicted and makes the proceeding all the more worthwhile.
Yuvan Shankar Raja is one of the major plusses for AK. His experiments with different pattern of BGM are brilliant. The solo violins, guitars and mild fill-ins (credits to sound engineer) enhances the visual feel. It is heartening to hear such pleasant sounds in place of the deafening notes that are generally found in such a premise.
Cinematography by Vinod is a treasure for the film. He has avoided using unwanted tones and his placement of angles is appreciable. Transition through editing is simple and neat. The picturization of the climax action sequence between Sampath and Gajendran is done in an interesting manner and deserves loud plaudits.
The only minus point if any, or in fact the movie’s biggest plus point is that it is made keeping in mind experimental and true cinema lovers. Entertainment cinema lovers might find the proceeding a little slow at few instances. But at the end of the day, hope every cinema lover embrace such movies so that more filmmakers come forward to experiment with such products.
AANMAI THAVAREL TAMIL MOVIE REVIEW
0Films that delve into the actual nature of crime, the machinations of those involved in it, the virtual industry that is built around it, are very rare. Most films tend to go on a path where the hero’s saga of courage is more focused upon. Aanmai Thavarel is one film that attempts to portray the crime more than anything else and that makes it stand out.
Based on the woman trafficking nexus, Aanmai Thavarel follows the kidnapping of a young urban lady from a prominent public place in the wee hours of the day. The script traces the path that the ‘professional network’ takes in moving the victim rapidly away from the location, following what it seems like a well sketched plan that will leave even the police dumbfounded. At the same time, the script also shows how the police move in its trace for the victim; knowing where to knock for the right kind of information. But, political and administrative borders hinder fast movement of the investigation. How it all culminates? Is the girl retrieved? Or does she become just another ‘sold product’ taken up in an auction?
At first, congrats to the team for coming up with such a bold subject. The standard of execution of the plot in AT puts the film at a higher level. The director has a clear focus, to show the way in which crime and police operate, and he succeeds in most parts. The most interesting portion of the film are the kidnapping, subsequent movement of the victim, simultaneous tracking by the police and the final bidding process where the woman is put up for sale. These portions have been shot and edited at a tempo that keeps you riveted to the proceedings. The police investigation mechanism especially is interesting.
However, this good film is not without its pitfalls. The initial portion where there is a bit of romance between the hero and heroine does not impress much though one can understand that it is necessary for subsequent movement of the story. Thus, when you think that AT is one film that does not believe in unjustified hype or build up of its characters, comes the rather pompous introduction of a police officer. Things look very cinematic here. But, subsequent portions involving him are well shot and salvage proceedings. The biggest let down however is a bomb explosion from which a character inexplicably escapes unscathed and the climax fight which stops below mediocrity.
With all these shortcomings Aanmai Thavarel is still an interesting product which looks at film making from a different perspective. The debutante director shows skill that belies the fact that he has not apprenticed under anyone formerly. He must also be commended for keeping the film free from vulgarity, even while dealing with such a subject.
But, cast and performances could have been a shade better. The hero looks out of place and needs to work a lot on his emotions and reactions. Sampath is his usual intense self. Other technical aspects of the movie hold up well with the standards set by the script.
Aanmai Thavarel comes with a message. Crime has its roots deeper than we imagine. No matter how much the police or other forces try to curb it, crime will be part of our society. Our safety has to be guaranteed by none other than ourselves. In other words, ‘take care’.
Ready – Hindi Movie Review
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Are you ready to endure two dozen noisy characters for one underplayed Salman Khan? If the answer is yes, Ready is the film for you.
Salman Khan almost gets into real-life role-play as Prem Kapoor, the most eligible bachelor in a Hum Saath Saath Hain kinda extended joint family. Enter Sanjana (Asin), a runaway bride who poses as a prospective bahu in the Kapoor clan. Anees Bazmee’s fascination for keeping the audiences hanging on and his actors suspended from hilltops ( No Entry, Welcome ) continues as Sanjana and Prem ‘fall’ in love.
But Sanjana is sandwiched between two ham-burger mamajis (Akhilendra Mishra, Sharat Saxena) who are behind her ancestral assets. Prem befriends the chartered accountant (Paresh Rawal) common to both mamajis , to get close to their families. Bazmee almost revisits his earlier film Welcome , as Prem goes on a family furbishing mode by taming the rowdy ruffians and reuniting the separated siblings in their sixties.
Remade from the 2008 Telugu film Ready (Genelia D’Souza, Ram), the screenplay is adapted in fast-food format with clichéd conflicts and so many characters that you lose count after a point of time. Understanding the character correlations is a task that could even baffle the Barjatyas. The director keeps his task simple by sticking to his brand of loud comedy, over-the-top acts, caricatured characters and silly slapstick.
The first half involves running around the trees (read beating around the bush) while the actual story starts only in the second half. The graph of the narrative does pick up somewhere in the second half but the tempo falls intermittently thanks to the convoluted writing and the protracted proceedings. By the time the film reaches its melodramatic high-voltage climax giving Salman simulated scope to go topless, it leaves you exasperated.
The entire villain tribe is unusually unkempt and intentionally irritating. The sidetrack of the pampered spoilt grandson (Mohit Baghel) being subjugated by Salman’s buffoonery is annoying. Sajid-Farhad’s dialogues don’t elevate the humour much and when Salman expresses romance with lines like ‘ main kutta hoon, yeh kutiya hain ‘, you know the film is going to the dogs. The music is inspired and the action has impact though thankfully not overdone.
Salman Khan looks suave, has smashing screen presence and seems in his comfort zone employing his standard set of dancing, acting and action skills. Quite unusual of him, he underplays his role in the second half and does a decent job at it. Asin looks good and shares comfortable chemistry with Salman. Mahesh Manjrekar, as a person who is at loss of words, reprises almost the same kinda character that Suniel Shetty played a decade back in Awara Pagal Deewana . Paresh Rawal is regular. Standup comedian Sudesh Lahiri gets the funniest scenes. Akhilendra Mishra hams outrageously as if he still is in the hangover of his Chandrakanta days. Arya Babbar is reduced to a junior artist. Nikitin Dheer is unrecognizable, not that he is a popular face. Child standup comedian Mohit Baghel is annoying. Amidst cameos, one wonders what Chunky Pandey was doing in the film?
Ragini MMS – Movie Review
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I strongly feel that if you do not have a colossal budget on hand, then you need to make up for that with an even better concept. Let’s not forget, big ideas work big time. In fact, hi-concept films made in skeletal budgets is the new mantra in Bollywood. The next time budgetary constraints prevent you from working with an A-list star, don’t sweat. Formulate hi-concept films instead!
Take an interesting concept. Make it within a stipulated budget, not exceeding Rs 2 cr/Rs 3 cr. Spend a good amount on its marketing. Create ample awareness. Chances are you might find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Ekta Kapoor has been doing this successfully. Recall Love Sex Aur Dhokha. Now Ragini MMS, which has been made at a shoestring budget of Rs 1 cr [or slightly more] in two versions – Hindi and Telugu.
Ekta’s new offering is making noise for the right and wrong reasons… The stand-off between the real Ragini and Ekta, angry locals pulling down hoardings of this film, even blackening the faces of the lead pair on its posters, usage of a popular song from Jewel Thief, censors finding a few scenes very explicit, the threesome party hosted by Ekta a few days ago… Ragini MMS is the most discussed film of recent times.
The horror genre hasn’t been tapped to the fullest in India. Most horror films made in Bollywood are just not petrifying enough to make you break into a cold sweat. What works in favor of Ragini MMS is the fact that first-time director Pavan Kirpalani chooses a scandalous, real-life story and garnishes it with sex and horror. It can’t get more lethal than that. It works with those with an appetite for horror films and also with those who love titillation and skin show.
Like Love Sex Aur Dhokha, Ragini MMS has been shot as if in real time, in an unconventional way. The film is voyeuristic in nature. It’s like watching the footage on a handycam and getting those thrills. But, of course, not all of Ragini MMS is sex and scandal. There’s a ‘third person’ watching the act as well, plus there’s a story behind this haunted mansion. However, it’s terrifying enough to make you jump on your seat. Let me call it a creepy, spine-chilling date movie!
The movie teases the viewers at different points as the sequence of events unravel. Scenes remain silent and still; not for long though, but long enough to make you fret. There are ample blood curdling moments and also sequences that spice up the proceedings. It’s a voyeuristic experience for the viewer. It’s like the guy in the movie bugging the place and showing you his personal encounters.
On the flipside, the film stagnates for a few minutes in the post-interval portions, but perks up again and maintains the pace till the very conclusion. Though the film is short in duration, with a running time of approx 100 minutes, you still feel that things could’ve been spruced up towards the middle of the second half. Also, the card at the end, which shares vital info on the characters and the conclusion, could’ve had a longer stay for it to register well. Yet, all said and done, these are minor blemishes that don’t really take away much from the efforts of the rest of the film.
The quintessential couple, Ragini [Kainaz Motivala] and Uday [Raj Kumar Yadav], set out to have a dirty weekend at a friend’s farmhouse on the outskirts of Mumbai. The weekend getaway quickly changes gears as they find themselves in a house that has been rigged with cameras in Bigg Boss style. The cameras that were meant to capture love-making are witness to something that is beyond the realm of human understanding… something metaphysical…
Within the confines of this house, Ragini and Uday are now at the mercy of an unexplainable paranormal force. With sundown approaching, what will the new entrants of the house do?
Ragini MMS is one more film that signifies the altering face of Hindi cinema. A fry cry from the horror films churned out till a few years ago, this one borrows inspiration from the talked-about Paranormal Activity [the technique of shooting both films is same] and gives it the desi feel. Actually, a film like Ragini MMS is not for those looking for conventional horror films, with women in white saris singing songs and disappearing in the night. This one has a very western approach, yet is very desi at heart.
Along with the horror genre, there is a certain emotional aspect in the story as well, which shows how the guy lures the girl under the pretext of love in order to take a video clip of her and sell it. The director as well as the DoP [Tribhuvan Babu] ensures that the hand-held camera footage as also the cinematography in general are in sync. There’s no scope for songs in the film and portions of the songs, inserted at places, are well juxtaposed in the sequences. However, I’d like to make a special mention of the background score [Faizan-Agnel]. It’s more than just throbbing music, digitized screams and high-pitched shrieks.
Both Raj Kumar Yadav [seen in Love Sex Aur Dhokha] and Kainaz Motivala are truly wonderful. Shedding all inhibitions aside, the actors deliver striking performances. The steamy scenes between them look realistic and those explicitly intimate moments only add to the realistic mood of the film.
On the whole, Ragini MMS amalgamates components of horror, paranormal and sex seamlessly. It titillates, it petrifies, but most importantly, it tells you a story which is daunting, imaginative and unconventional. The lethal combo of sex and horror should entice not just the average moviegoer, but also Gen X and the more evolved audience that values and embraces innovative themes and new genres of cinema.
KO MOVIE REVIEW
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Click, click, and click! You might wonder why the review is starting with a meaningless piece of literature, but well, it is a tribute to the star of this film – the camera. Director KV Anand who was previously a photo journalist has made this film amidst high expectations and with extreme care. It has every ingredient of an entertainer – a juicy premise, a good star cast, foot tapping music and of course interesting foreign locations and the director’s love for making stylish and flamboyant films.
Ko is the story of the entwined lives of an adventurous, honest, astute photo journalist Ashwin (Jiiva) and an aspiring young politician Vasanthan (Ajmal). Renu (Karthika) and Saro (Piaa Bajpai) are Ashwin’s colleagues and fellow journalists who also get sucked into Vasanthan’s political aspirations and election campaigns. Does Vasanthan achieve his goal? What does he do to achieve them? Ko answers these questions.
The director has aptly mixed intelligent and commercial cinema in Ko. The film making is nearly flawless and excels in places where he brings in slice of life incidents to invoke humor. The way the photo editor always finds a fault with Ashwin’s pictures despite them being good is an example. The events that hold the film together are fresh and albeit a straight forward story, it offers some interesting twists and turns that makes the audience eager for more. Another commendable aspect is that both the heroines actually have a role to play and are not mere glam dolls.
Jiiva as Ashwin once again proves that he is a versatile actor. The body language and obsession of a photographer to click pictures are brought out well by Jiiva and we wonder if anyone else would have done this role as well as he has. Among the others in the lead cast it is Piaa with her comic timing who scores a tad higher than Karthika and Ajmal. Her small yet meaty role gives her scope and she has a good screen presence. She shows her prowess in the scene where she gets emotional knowing Ashwin loves Renu and not her. Karthika has very expressive eyes and looks good in saree but her costumes in the song sequences could have been better. Ajmal is a perfect choice to play an aspiring politician – his looks, build and dialogue delivery elevates the character he plays.
Special mention to Bose Venkat who makes a huge impact with his acting and proves that one doesn’t need big roles to make a mark. He shines in the scene where he makes some revelations to Jiiva. He mouths strong and sensible dialogues that will evoke applause from the audience. All these five actors have managed to overshadow the performances of seasoned artists like Kotta Srinivasa Rao and Prakashraj. Jagan who plays the role of Ajmal’s friend has a mix of humor and seriousness in his dialogues that makes us think and laugh at the same time.
Dialogues are one of the strong points in the film. Songs which are already chartbusters have been picturised well and are a feast for the eyes and the ears. Yennamo Yedho, Amali Thumali and Venpaniya are visual treats from cinematographer Richard. Surprisingly, Aga Naga which features several celebrities like Tamannah, ‘Jeyam’ Ravi, Harris Jeyaraj etc doesn’t live up to the hype it garnered. The special phantom camera used in the climax is a good effort and Peter Hein’s stunt together makes it more gripping. Art direction in the opening bank heist, set in backdrops of a hotel in Pondicherry, needs a special mention. Colourful and insightful photographs that make an appearance as the credits are dished out is creative.
On the downside, the narration of the film is a bit slow and at times has songs cutting into the interesting narrative, making the audience impatient for the scenes to resume. The Venpaniye song in the second half of the film is misplaced and is an example for what is said above. The movie spans for over 2 hours and 45 minutes which might also prove to be a dampener, though there are no scenes in the film that is unimportant. Cinematic liberties are allowed but the director has slightly overdone it. The very beginning where Jiiva does somersaults in his bike to capture photos is an overdose of cinematic liberty.
The most admirable aspect is the fact that despite the slumps in narration, the film manages to engage and has us hooked to the proceedings from the word go and carries us to an interesting and intelligent climax. The twist in climax is the biggest plus. Overall, Ko impresses, entertains and is likely to click with all kinds of audience.
Mappillai Movie Review
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Starring: Dhanush, Hansika Motwani, Vivek, Manisha Koirala
Direction: Suraj
Music: Mani Sharma
Production: Sun Pictures
After a lull in Tamil silver screens owing to World Cup Cricket, the summer season begins with the Suraj-Dhanush combo Mappillai, whose last outing Padikkadhavan impressed quite a few. Expectations surrounding Mapillai are high primarily because it is the remake of Rajnikanth’s yester year hit of the same name and his real life son-in-law plays the role essayed by the superstar himself with consummate ease in the past. Secondly Dhanush, after establishing himself as a versatile actor in Aadukalam, is stepping onto a mainstream commercial venture once again and thirdly the humor quotient associated with Suraj and Dhanush concoction also aids in augmenting the anticipation levels.
Story wise, Mapillai adheres mostly to the original premise but Suraj has added a few and deleted some portions from the old to suit to the current times. An established and a proven template already lies in front of the director and all that is required from him was to retain the original magic and add pizzaz to the proceedings.
Having chosen to remake a hit and that too of a superstar film, Suraj has to bear the burden of comparison. It is only but natural. To sail through this, it is evident that he has relied heavily upon the caliber and capabilities of Dhanush and the talented actor has not let him down. In fact it is Dhanush’s nonchalant performance and screen presence that takes the audience through the happenings. The false compliance when he first meets Manisha, the look on his face when he checkmates her in the climax and the scene where he lectures Hansika in the mall are a few samples.
Vivek as the ardent Namitha fan with coiffured hair attempts at comedy but annoys for the most parts with his accent and logorrhoea. Thankfully, as JP, he makes up for his quirks and provides the necessary laughter that was intended.
Mapillai suffers from weak characterization especially of its lead character Manisha Koirala and this cannot be pardonable as the main premise itself is the confrontation between mother-in-law and son-in-law. There is no zing or fizz in the altercations between the duo which is where the epicenter of the film rests. One cannot but stop remembering the brilliant performance of late Srividhya and her body language.
Manisha as Rajeshwari provides a frail foil to the effervescent Dhanush and this evinces an indifferent reaction from the audience. It is like a lopsided match. To top it all, the lip sync of both Manisha and Hansika does not match making it difficult to relate with the characters. Rohini dubbing for Manisha has done a good job but Manisha mouthing the dialogue should have brought out more power emoting them. Hansika makes her debut and the girl looks plump and cute and excels in midriff exposition. The costume designer has done a good job and Manisha’s sarees and accessories are stylish reflective of her opulence.
Mapillai opens up with the comedy track of Vivek, Sathyan, Balaji and cell Murugan and its lengthiness tires. There are many logical loopholes. While Suraj can take umbrage under the mainstream cinematic lenience for few scenes, for some he cannot. An entire village unable to handle Dhanush because he is the son of a thasildar and Manisha very quickly accepting Dhanush meekly as her son-in-law are a few samples. There is no mention anywhere about Manisha’s husband. Mapillai is sprinkled with such foibles.
Some dialogues from Dhanush’s previous film have been used with a twist like ‘onnai parthale pidikkanum, paakka paakka pidikka kudadhu’.
The climax scene though illogical evokes humor especially with the gymboy Gemini Ganesan and the dialogues spoken by Asish Vidyarthi who is wasted in Mapillai.
Music by Mani Sharma is peppered with the aroma from Andhra and ‘ready readya’ number is passable but the remake ‘Ennaoda Rasi’ falls below expectations.
Suraj has attempted a remake of super star’s film but has only been half way successful in his task.
Kullanari Koottam – Tamil Movie Review
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Kullanari Koottam is an out and out romantic and comedy entertainer which has Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu fame Vishnu and Remyaa Nambeesan in the lead roles. Kullanari Koottam too joins the list of the films made around Madurai, the temple city.
Apart from lead roles Bairavan, Appukutty, Suri, Pandi and Sundar from ‘VKK’ are also added to the cast. Directed by Sribalaji the film carries all the commercial elements and will appeal all sections of audiences. This is going to be the best time for the films release as many films are keeping themselves away from the big screens due to World cup and elections fever. The filmmakers are expecting that youngsters may throng as it is a love story blended with comedy and action.
The whole unit team is high on expectations as the outcome is outstandingly brilliant.
Film: Kullanari Koottam
Starring: Vishnu, Remyaa Nambhessan, M.Soori, Appukutty, Sundar, A.Ramesh Pandian, Iyappan
Director: Sribalaji
Producer: V.Aashish Jain
Banner: Darshan Creations
Music: V. Selvaganesh
7 Khoon Maaf Movie Review
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Movie : 7 Khoon Maaf
Director : Vishal Bhardwaj
Rating : 4 Stars
7 Khoon Maaf is based on Ruskin Bond’s story, Susanna’s Seven Husbands.
1. Naseeruddin Shah (oldest husband)
2. Neil Nitin Mukesh (youngest husband)
3. John Abraham
4. Irrfan Khan
5. Annu Kapoor
6. Vivaan Shah (Naseeruddin Shah’s youngest son)
7. Aleksandr Dyachenko (Russian actor)
Priyanka Chopra will be seen playing a negative character in 7 Khoon Maaf
A woman marrying several times and killing off each of her husbands is the kind of story you don’t get to see too often in Bollywood, and if anyone can do justice to that kind of a dark theme, it has to be Bhardwaj. There wasn’t much that could go wrong with this one.
Bhardwaj gives each husband just about enough of a lifetime, while keeping 7 Khoon Maaf essentially Susanna’s property.
He gets on with the story doesn’t waste any time in establishing the characters. We get to know more about the characters as the story progresses. The narrative is intriguing and slowly grows on you. It makes you wonder, what would you do if you were in Susanna’s shoes.
Neil, John, Khan, Kapoor, Dyachenko and Naseer play their parts well, never returning to haunt the film once they are dead and gone. Ruskin Bond appears in a cameo towards the end.
The mood of the film is dark and scary and the haunting background score adds to the sinister aura making your heart skip beat at times. The film belongs to Priyanka and she magnificently rises to the occasion by splendidly portraying the 7 stages of her life.
at last, no words can fully express the wicked experience of 7 Khoon Maaf. Go catch it for some ‘bloody’ good performances and a great storyline.


