"READY" Movie Review
After Dhee, hopes are high on Sreenu Vaitla's films. He has come out with a formula of sorts-one family with goons, one happy, normal family with a son so dynamic he wins over the goons and their hearts and their girl! And Brahmanandam in a pivotal role, used so effectively, you can just go to watch that track. Decent music and picturization, all main characters used to create comic relief throughout and strong characterizations are all a part of both Dhee and Ready.Plot An elopement drama, but Chandu picks up the wrong bride from the wrong wedding hall. This bride, Pooja, doesn't want to marry her suitor either and insists that Chandu and his gang drop her off at Kurnool. An America-returned orphan, Pooja is escaping marriage to her cousin, whose father and uncle (her two mamas) are warring over property. Chandu has already fallen in love with this girl, and he is ready to face any risk.
Story, Screenplay and Direction Every aspect of the movie, every track, every character has been explored before. But the plus is in how the director put it all together in a style that he has developed with each movie and ends it also in his trademark style. You remember how nothing really happens in Anandam till half the movie is over and done with? Well, there's been a bit of a deviation with Dhee and now Ready. Things do happen quickly, the story begins with scene 1 and continues till the end. All that outwitting-the-villain business that felt novel in the first few movies-from Dil to Dhee, looks a little lame already.
Brahmanandam enters post-break and contributes to the movie's asset quota. The chemistry of the lead pair is also good. The pace doesn't ever slacken and correspondingly, viewer attention doesn't waver. As mentioned before, it's all been done before; so now it's in SV style. The editing and cinematography are up to the mark.
The first half is just okay. The whole outwitting part obviously begins in the second half. So it's a fun forty minutes, where before it begins and towards the climax there are some fights et al, and some concluding dialogues. The director has this tendency to take the drama to a peak and just come to a hassle-free conclusion, as if he doesn't want any conflict just before a very happy ending. The movie signs off with a 'Punch'.
Performances Ram does a good job-he has it in him, and give and take a few years, he'll be a force to reckon with-if he gets to work with the right directors who will tap his talent and drive. Genelia still makes faces, but face it: she's perhaps the most consistent female lead out there today, in terms of performances and hits together. Shafi and Bharat as Genelia's cousins ham a little, Kota-__ and Jayaprakash Reddy- as her rival aunt-uncle pairs do their job well. All the members of Chandu's family, from Nasser to Bharani and others have soppy lines to sprout and soppy songs to dance to once in a while, which they've done justice to. Chandu's gang of pals, Srinivas Reddy, Vidya (with a fundo Telangana dialect) and others are believable.Song and Dance The music is not bad, and the picturization is just okay.
Last Word Timepass. A few laughs, some senti scenes and SV Special Happy Ending to ensure that you leave the hall with a smile.
End Credits :
Starring : Ram, Genelia, Brahmanandam, Suneel, Nasser, Tanikella Bharani, Chandramohan, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Jayaprakash Reddy, Sudha, Vidya, Saranya, Srinivasa Reddy and Others.
Action: Peter Hein.
Art: AS Prakash.
Dialogues: Kona Venkat & Gopi Mohan.
Choreography: Shankar, Suchitra Chandrabose & Prem Rakshit.
Cinematography: Prasad Murella.
Editing: MR Verma.
Lyrics: Sirivennela & Ramajogaiah Sastry.
Music: Devisri Prasad.
Story: Kona Venkat.
Direction: Sreenu Vaitla.
Producer: Sravanthi Ravi Kishore.
Banner: Sri Sravanthi Movies.
Release Date: 19th June, 2008.
Labels: brahmanandam, chandramohan, Genelia, Jayaprakash Reddy, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Nasser, Ram, suneel, Tanikella Bharani, tollywood
Plot Govinda Raju is a biotechnology scientist in the US who realizes the dangers of chemical warfare. The chip containing a potent chemical that can destroy billions that they developed goes missing, and Govinda is in search of this vial which travels all the way to India. Many events and people's lives are intertwined as the protagonist searches for this vial in this science meets faith journey.
Performances Kamal Hassan does the whole “Universal Hero” bit quite well, and gives a whole lot of Paisa Vasool for hardcore fans. Then there are the roles. The first role of a Vaisnavite, the old lady, the Tamilian cop, the sand activist and the protagonist role of Govinda Raju are the best five. The Japanese teacher, the American crook Fletcher and President Bush are also performed well by him, body language et all, but the makeup gets a little too unnatural here. The Afghani-Indian and the Punjabi pop star Avtaar Singh come last for the not-so-great makeup and not his best performance overall. But, wait a minute…many stars don't perform one role in the entire movie up to the mark sometimes, here this actor has done at least 8 convincingly! He just gets into the skin of the character, and even those who don't think the world of Hassan will have to appreciate first of all his determination to pull this off, and his sheer skill.
Pandurangadu is probably the best script K. Raghavendra Rao could get at this point of time. The story of a man who's gone wayward and then repents, thus becoming Lord Krishna's true devotee-this is a devotional but the director didn't have to struggle to get in the commercial element. Pandurangadu's wayward behavior includes alcohol, lies and women.
Performances Balakrishna does the best he did in the past 5 years, and this is not merely about a hit or flop. He has clearly delivered what the director required him to, and that is where he scores. As in Bhairava Dweepam where he was so convincing in the Janapadam style movie, in this devotional, Balakrishna seems to be on home ground.
Plot Bujji runs away from home after his neighbor and love interest Chitti refuses to speak to him over a trivial fight; promising to speak after 12 years and then marry him. Years later, Bujji who grows up away from his family in Chennai returns to Vizag to find that Chitti's family shifted base to Hyderabad. He gets stuck in a police case because of his friend Satti, a petty smuggler and gets a contract to kill in the jail. The target is Sivanna, whom his rival gang are trying to wipe out for the longest time. Bujji's in Hyderabad, searching for Chitti, who is also desperately trying to locate him. His attempt on Sivanna's life is futile but he lands up in Sivanna's house and his motives go for a toss.
Performances Prabhas gets rid of his sleepy look and drops his droopy eyed style and adopts a whole new style funda to make Bujji convincing as a character. His new lean and mean look will get admirers and is a whole lot better than his bulked up frame in Munna. He plays Bujji well, and is spontaneous in the movie.
The songs are good. There is some humor in the first half, and some very self-indulgent dialouges. NTR dances well, holds the show together supported by a few others. Story-wise, screenplay and sub-plots are very routine, with the direction actually becoming quite shoddy in a 20 minute and somewhat unnecessarily dragged track involving Tanisha. It beats the heat (there are some movies that make you want to prefer the hot sun instead) and it has some entertaining moments in it. Otherwise, a totally routine movie.
Performances NTR is good, and his dance moves really rock. He is not loud, doesn't have pages of dialogue and has strong presence. Hansika looks sweet, but has some lip-sync issues. Prakashraj does a good job, especially during the climax even though he has no lines. Subbaraju and NTR's buddy gang do justice to their roles. Ashish Vidyarthi and Sayaji Shinde fit their tailor-made roles well. The less said about Tanisha, the better.
Bommarillu is a tough act to live up to. But Dil Raju and director Bhaskar give Parugu their combined touch to make a stale subject watchable and what more, interesting till the end with pacy narration and a straightforward track.
Performances Allu Arjun does a good job, and plays the character of Krishna convincingly well. It's refreshing to see he learns from movie to movie, and there is definite improvement from his last movie for this young actor. Shiela is an unexpected choice for the director-producer to have made for this movie, not being quite established or glam, but the movie required someone like this so it makes sense. She looks at home playing a village girl and justifies her role (but the character itself is not as interestingly written as Ha-Ha-Hasini).
Performances Srikanth as Madan is justified. Suneel adds to the energy element, even in the drab first half. Prabhudeva's entry, although low-key, spices up the movie from thereon. Charmme plays her part well, Asha Saini has nothing much to do expect sizzle in a bikini or other similar garments, but she looks at ease after an obvious break. Kota Srinivas Rao as a failed actor who acts as Michael/Ravi's father is funny while Sarala who acts as his mother is loud as usual, but amusing in her own way. Brahmanandam has the meatiest role after Suneel (not even Madan who hovers in the background looking distraught or dreaming up dances). He will not top his Khan Dada, and James does not even come close to 'Chari garu' (Dhee), but it is one of the pluses in the movie. Venumadhav and Ali have litte to do in thier cameos.
Plot Bommana Brothers are theives whose parents are also petty robbers. They fall in love with Chandana Sisters, who are the daughters of Chandana Mohan Rao, a big businessman. The elder one Mani Chandana runs an orphanage, while the younger one Siri Chandana is highly devotional. They are engaged, but the Bommana Brothers win their hearts by pretending to be a blind Maharastrian guy who donates everything he's asked for to impress Mani Chandana and Rama Chandra pretends to be a devout and pious man singing Ramadasu songs in a Temple by hiring junior artistes to swoon that impresses Siri Chandana. They get married after a huge ordeal. But a bank manager they robbed previously, the Chandana's hired help (Suman Shetty) and a bunch of others are after the Brothers or after their property and the adventures don't stop.
Performances Naresh is one of the smartest young actors out there. That's because with whatever little he has, he makes the best use of it. He's never out of work, and what more, he's never out of hits to name. This is his second release in a month or so and God knows how many he's had this year. Hits and averages and flops, but he's eager and sincere and ready to give it all he has.
Plot Ramu escapes from home because he wants to set up a business rather than do a job as his father suggests, and Jyothi wants to become a model but her domineering grandmother has settled her marriage. Both of them meet in the train, and one thing leads to another where they get disillusioned by the outside world and decide to cheat others and live rather than get cheated. One thieving after another with an alias 'Romeo & Juliet', they are soon in the public eye and wanted by the police. The temperamental DCP Yugandhar wants to catch them, while they rob a drug dealer Veerraju and he wants to kill them. While they run from their chasers, they save the life of a sick child they just meet.
Performances Lack of hits doesn't mean lack of talent. Tarun looks like he never took a sabbatical and he never lacked success. He looks fresh, having lost oodles of weight and looking young and ever and the eternal chocolate boy (how many of them are there now? Everyone wants to be Mass). He does a good job and pairs well with Ileana, who is convincing and better in the second half as the movie picks up.
Plot Kalidasu is a car-thief in Guntur who looks after his adoptive mother Kanakadurga (Jayasudha) and sends her son Jaydev to college in Hyderabad. In a car they steal, a girl is hidden in the trunk, clearly escaping from something but pretending to be insane. A procession of SUVs come and take the girl from the colony, destructing everything in their way and murdering Kalidasu's friend. Her phone has the photograph of herself and Jaydev together and this takes Kalidasu to Hyderabad to a gamut of land mafia, politicos, student bodies, revenge and obsession.
Tamanna is a natural in front of the camera and completely uninhibited. Clearly, she is not banking on a single hit and has substance, although she has little to do apart from acting mad, helpless or glaring at the villains while letting Sushanth take care of the baddies. Suneel's presence lifts up the first half. Jayasudha is convincing. Tanikella Bharani as the principal of the college owned by Archana's late parents is good. Ajay as the youth leader's (Vinodkumar in a good role after a long time) brother-in-law obsessed with Archana is justified. Rajan P. Dev as the home minister is cast in a mould yet again.
Savaal is director Jaya B.'s latest offering. She tries nothing different in the movie, but gets all the whistle-generating elements together and weaves them to form an interesting-enough plot that one can sit through effortlessly. If you've already watched a whole bunch of these movies (like Devadasu and others with that storyline), Savaal will seem repetitive.
Performances Bharat does reasonably well, and does his job well (even with eyebrows that look threaded-what's up, dude?). He shows promise, although it will take a couple more movies and trysts with more directors to hone his craft. Suhani passes off a pout for acting, and is okay. For Shinde, it is a repeat performance but a feat he does with ease, and does convincingly. Dandapani as the cruel pockmarked MLA is believable and Vinayak as his son is okay.
Plot Sanjay Sahu, and ex-Naxal is living his civilian life disrupted only by the appearance of three women, one after another. Bhagi falls deeply for him after he saves her from an eve-teaser, and he reciprocates after a while. Bhagi's father is against the match. And a land settlement Don of sorts, Damoder Reddy, wants to revenge himself upon Sanjay, who doesn't even know of his existence.
Performances Pawan Kalyan carries the movie on his shoulders, and does a good job. If ever he hammed in any of the previous movies, here he is fast and furious. It looks like he believes in the movie and gives it his all. Ileana is convincing and makes a good pair with PK. Parvati Melton and Kamalini Mukherjee do well in their cameos. Mukesh Rishi shines in his negative role.
Plot Apparao is a 40+ unmarried designer from Vizag into whose life walks in the beautiful Pravallika who he falls in love with. She wants Apparao to come with her to London where she wants to start a design studio. But she is in contact with John, a terrorist who is involved in recent bomb blasts in Hyderabad and looks exactly like Apparao. Apparao's life is in danger, and Pravallika's intentions mysterious while the former's adventures begin in Hyderabad while waiting for his visa.
Performances Krishna Bhagawan manages to get away with the title role(s) and gives it his all. This is obviously a one-off and the script helps him tremendously. Actually, there is just an episode or two in the movie that really tickles the funny bone and there he does a flawless job. Apart from that, the rest of the movie itself is average and so is his scope. Simran still has the oomph factor and it is unfair that her choices are so limited at this point. Had the script been even slightly better in the first half and not dragged in the second half, this combi and the little comedy would have really clicked.
Plot Jagan alias Chinna is industrialist Lion Rajendra's jobless son. He falls in love with Sunanda. Meanwhile he suggests that his father and his rival Raghunath get into a partnership to double up their efficiency. Without his knowledge his marriage is fixed to Raghunath's daughter, who obviously turns out to be Sunanda, but the families are not on great terms even after they fix the match. Raghunath is dealing in tobacco businesses that is actually owned by Bonala Shankar, a brusque and notorious MLA. Rajendra doesn't want to deal in that area, but Bonala threatens the board of directors too. Now Jagan has to deal with this corrupt politico and plays a game with him that shakes him from his very roots-spreads a rumor that he hit Shankar.
Performances Nitin's focus on dance puts him at a disadvantage. He needs to work on his dialogue delivery (Slow Down!!!) and voice modulation. Kajal has little to do, and makes faces throughout-she's done better work than this. Sivaprasad as Shankar fits the part well, has a good presence and a well-written character to portray. Nagababu is okay as is Jayasudha who plays his wife. Raghuvaran, people shall miss his uniqueness forever but thankfully it's captured on many a canvas.