Haricharan Pudipeddi

in Thesouthfirst

Haricharan Pudipeddi of The South First gave 4/5 stars and wrote, "Vaazhai, which is easily Mari Selvaraj's best work, is a piece of art and there are no second thoughts about it".

in Hindustan Times

It is after a long time we see that Chiranjeevi truly had a blast playing a character. This is an uninhibited performance and he brings out all the old-school charm that made Chiranjeevi what he is today. The plot is as old as the mountain but what makes Waltair Veerayya somewhat refreshing is that the film doesn’t try to glorify Chiranjeevi’s character. Instead, it allows him to get under the skin of his character and have so much fun. The film really portrays Chiranjeevi in the most crowd-pleasing fashion in a really long time. There are some films you watch for the story and there are some you just watch hoping to see your favourite star shine amidst all other things. Waltair Veerayya is the kind of film that falls in the second category and it’s perfectly fine being that way as it lives up to the expectations.

in Hindustan Times

One thing that really works in favour of the film is Mahesh Babu’s refreshingly different character. To see him shed his sophisticated image and play a character that has an impeccable sense of humour without any inhibitions and nail it is just what his fans needed. Parasuram doesn’t disappoint in the way he writes and presents Mahesh’s character. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about Keerthy’s character that’s so poorly written, and is totally without any purpose. Here’s a film that’s headlined by one of the biggest stars of Telugu cinema and it has him mouth a line about stalking a woman as ‘a boy thing’. If you overlook the heroine’s character, we get a film that pretty much checks all the boxes of a commercial entertainer. Mahesh Babu shoulders the film single-handedly, and he does a very satisfying job of anchoring the film even during its dullest segments.

in Hindustan Times

The plot of the film makes for an engaging investigative thriller. But there’s a parallel story about a soul seeking revenge that doesn’t work effectively. On paper, the idea to have a story told through two parallel threads may sound interesting; however, the execution isn’t convincing enough to have us hooked. It would’ve made sense if the film was either an investigative thriller or a supernatural thriller. Somehow, the attempt to merge the genres only complicates what could’ve otherwise been a cracker of a thriller. Even after merging the genres, the story somehow focuses more on Prithviraj’s character as he also happens to be a star. Sathyajith ends up cracking most of the case and there’s very little left for Medha to do. In the end, Medha’s side of the story hardly makes any impact and leaves one scratching their head.

in Hindustan Times

The situation as a plot point could’ve been explored more effectively. It had the potential to be made into an entertaining comic stretch, but the writing resorts to cliches and it dumbs down the rest of the story. The film relies heavily on MS Bhaskar, the veteran actor-comedian, to do all the weightlifting, and he’s terrific in his role. Vaibhav as Vani plays their respective parts well and click as a couple. Riya Suman has a decent screen presence.

in Hindustan Times

One of the prime reasons why the film works effectively and mostly stays relevant is because of its comical treatment. Yet, it does strike quite a few emotional chords without getting overly sentimental. Another reason Yogi Babu and his earnest performance. Mostly used to play silly comical characters in films, Mandela allows Yogi Babu to truly showcase his potential and he plays the titular character with so much sincerity. First-timer Ashwin’s writing deserves a lot of praise. Without ever making a mockery of the caste-politics, he deals with the issue with a lot of maturity. His understanding of how the oppressed are seen and treated as per everybody’s convenience is on point, and it never goes overboard in its representation. The film feels slightly long-drawn in the second half but the way it ends leaves a strong impact.

in Hindustan Times

As much as the film works due to Selvaraghavan’s quirky vision, it equally belongs to SJ Suryah, who makes it unimaginably funny with his over-the-top performance that works quite well in the film’s favor. I’m not sure if the same kind of performance from any other actor would’ve had a similar impact on the film as much as Suryah left. Regina Cassandra, who recently impressed in Vishal starrer Chakra, is incredibly good as Mariam, a role that fits her like a glove. Nandita Swetha’s role is sidelined for the most part of the film but is effectively used towards the end.

in Hindustan Times

It is very essential for any crime thriller or murder mystery to work wholesomely; they need to have a solid payoff. Tamannaah Bhatia’s November Story, an extremely well written, slow-burning thriller, has pretty much everything to stand out, but it does get let down by a slightly underwhelming payoff. Nevertheless, it’s a show that deserves a lot of praise, especially for the writing which succeeds in keeping one hooked right from the first episode. In spite of the disappointing end, there’s so much to like in the show and how it builds some solid cliffhangers in each episode.

in Hindustan Times

It’s a character-driven story and Sukumar needs to be lauded for effectively establishing the character of Pushpa, whose growth couldn’t have been handled more satisfyingly.

in Hindustan Times

After the underwhelming Cold Case, Kuruthi is a solid film for Prithviraj both as actor as well as producer. As the hate-mongering Laiq, someone with no morals, he turns in a powerful performance. At some point, the action and the violence does get repetitive, but you understand the intent behind it when you realise what the film wants to convey – just how dangerous hate is. Roshan Mathew and Murali Gopy deliver impressive performances and the latter shines despite his limited screen time. The action choreography and cinematography play crucial parts in elevating the viewing experience and kudos to the team for pulling it off efficiently.

in Hindustan Times

Even though the movie talks about a sensitive matter about a woman’s right to embrace motherhood, it takes a light-hearted approach to make its point. This approach works to a large extent because the message it tries to deliver never gets preachy which comes as a breath of fresh air. The film doesn’t try to showcase motherhood as a burden but it allows one to introspect on the sacrifices women have to make to raise kids. It also talks about how patriarchy has made raising kids solely a woman’s job as the men are the breadwinner. There’s also a line about misunderstanding choices for feminism which is how, unfortunately, most perceive it today.

in Hindustan Times

Every time the movie shifts the camera on a female character, we see her in the kitchen or attending to the men in the house. While the women toil and break their backs in the kitchen, the men are lazing around, scrolling through videos on whatsapp and leaving behind food waste on the dining table for the women to clean. The film’s most beautiful but haunting shots take place in the kitchen. As the camera zooms in on the food being prepared, all one could think of is how lip-smackingly delicious it could taste. But as the camera pans on the women who are making those dishes, working in the most horrible conditions, it’s a stark reminder of the reality and how patriarchy has enslaved women.

in Hindustan Times

With a very promising core idea, the film could’ve been a lot more ambitious, but it settles for less.

in Hindustan Times

When was the last time a Telugu mainstream film dealt with topics like live-in relationship and pre-marital sex without getting into preaching mode? Here’s a film that tells us it’s ok to be in a complicated relationship and it’s normal to have feelings for multiple women at the same time. It would’ve been problematic had the film tried to normalize or glorify this behaviour. Thankfully, Ravikanth and Siddhu Jonnalagadda, who also doubles up as the writer, know how to deal with the protagonist’s emotional problem without making him look like a creep. There’s also a mature sup-plot involving Krishna and his estranged father.

in Hindustan Times

Sudha Kongara’s segment is about equal relationships. It is centred on a transgender (Thangam) and his yearning to be loved like anyone else. Set in the 1980s, the film also deals with themes like inter-faith marriage and transphobia. This segment features Kalidas Jayaram, Shanthanu Bhagyaraj and Bhavani Sre. Kalidas Jayaram is a revelation in the role of Thangam, and he couldn’t have played the character more convincingly. He owns the role – usually considered a taboo in mainstream cinema -- with a rare degree of dignity and maturity. More importantly, you never find his performance dramatic; it’s measured and well essayed. Shanthanu and Bhavani also play their respective parts quite well. Vetrimaaran’s short explores the relationship dynamics between a father and his daughter, who is pregnant from a marriage to a boy of a different caste.

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