Post Mortem : Namo Venkatesa

The complete film is a bad kichidi with mixture from many Venky’s & Sreenu Vytla’s movies. Saying the gist of the film in dialogues with reference to other film titles can’t help always. Here in the film Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Okkadu are used in some dialogues to speak about next happenings.

Venky loves Trisha in AMAV, but Trisha doesn’t love him but loves some other guy (Srikanth) who happens to be Venky’s friend. The same here again with a difference that there is no direct communication between Venky & Trisha, Bemmi is a mediator/cheat/culprit and Trisha loves Akash who is not a friend of Venky. But in the end Trisha develops sudden feelings over Venky & both get married to each other. Atleast in AMAV there was some stupid drama, but here there is nothing of such kind between the lead pair relating / strengthening this main thread.

Genelia has no parents but she is an owner of crores of property and her money minded uncle(s) want her get married to their son(s) in READY. Trisha’s role here is same with an addition of AMAV characterization as said above.

Dharmavarapu’s role (Santosh) in Ready is coming to villain’s den as a stranger and getting stucked till the end. Same role copy paste with a change, this time he is a relative to Villain.

In MALESWARI movie, Venky & Katrina will have a huge difference/gap w.r.t financial position. Here in this movie, in some dialogues they give the same feel again, as Venky is middle class person and Trisha has 100cr property on her name.

Seems we can’t get to see a Sreenu Vytla’s movie without “drinking & beating” comedy scenes.

Btw, who is the villain in this story? Mukesh Rushi or Bemmi?

Who is the FOOL in this story? Bemmi or Venky?

Coming to DSP’s efforts:

(song name) – [Tune similarity/resemblance/rehash mixture]

(Namo Venkatesha title song) – [Mr.Perfect from Arya2] , (Tuttadoi) – [Nenu nee raja raja from King], (Nee Kallalo) – [Naa Manasuni meetake from Manmadhudu] , (Ding Dong) – [Nuvvu ready nenu ready from King], (Non Stop) – [Uppenantha from Arya2 & Rekkalu Thodigina from Current]

DSP badly needs a break if we want fresh tunes from him [which he can give – like Anandam, Varsham, Manmadhudu, NVNV, Arya, Pournami, Bommarillu etc.] Film Makers; PLEASE give him a break, which is good for all of us!!!

Venky – Please take good care of Script selection. An actor of your caliber and experience cannot pass career acting/giving this kind of Bad Pulihora.

Sreenu Vytla – Please take a break. We expect you to comeback with some fresh entertainer, unlike kichidi mix of old wine that too of your own movies.

My Question to: Fight/Action Designers, Script Writers, Cinematographer, Hero, Editor, & Director.

When something hard falls on a rubber bed like thing, that fallen object and other those lying on it has a chance to jump high a little. [Reason behind: Rubber bed will have elastic nature] Will the same happens on a CONCREATE FLOOR?

In this movie, in the end of the airport fight episode, when Venky hits one guy hard to the ground [CONCREATE FLOOR, parking ground in Shamshabad Airport] other three lying on the ground jump high & fall again. Fight/Action Designers visualized and explained this to Script Writers who inserted it, with the sincere help of Hero & Cinematographer, Director picturized this and Editor left as it is, finally Director has shown me a MIRACLE / WONDER in this UNIVERSE which for sure has the best possibility of happening only in TELUGU CINEMA.

Note: Am not much concerned with copy/lift/resemble/similar scenes/threads/tunes all I am concerned is how far they made gel in to the script & executed well giving the required feel to the film.

Like this Namo Venkatesa, lifted the impression on “Tulasi” & “Chinthakayala Ravi”, those two are passable, bearable, in fact far better movies from Venky when compared to Namo Venkatesa!

Post-Mortem : ADHURS

I personally believe in “For a Movie - 1^st title should give a hint/clue & then audio should speak about the movie”. For this movie word “ADHURS” is kept as a title, which is not relevant to the movie, but this kind of titles give some pre-release positive buzz, also the after effects are equally bad if the movie shapes out bad. Here in this case the movie has fair chances to fall in to 2^nd category with this title.

My Title a simple, yet suitable one “SHIVASHAMBHO” or “DOUBLES” or “CHARI”

“oka character peru “SHIVAnanda Satry/Chary” inko character peru “SHAMBHU Prasad” ani pettukuni… Title: “SHIVASHAMBHO” ani pettukunte – daniki related oka Song, also alanti bits/vocals BGM lo vadukovochhu, apudu oka meaning vuntundi. Cinemaki sambandham lekunda oka songlo… cinema starting titleslo… cinema madhyalo.. “shambhoshivashambho” ani aravatam enthavaraku samanjasam… worst caselo chary character shiva bhakthudu kooda kadu.

When the basic idea of the story is not fresh or already seen, there needs a good hard work on characterizations & screenplay to engage the audience throughout grippingly. Here some good care taken for Chari’s character/role, but Narasimha’s characterization is just like an extension to KANTRI’s Kranti, which happens to be the recent last film of Jr.N.T.R. This created a bad feel from the behind, though Chari successfully accomplished task of entertaining the audience with his best efforts.

The usage of Jerkins to Narasimha’s character portrayal also helped the audience to think about Kranti from Kantri. In the 2^nd half where Chari steps in to Narasimha’s shoes & when both the brothers appear together they both appear in jerkins.

The introduction scene of Narasimha role is too bad [jumping out of a blasting container] in fact so silly/substandard among all the mass roles donned by Jr.N.T.R, which I have seen till date. When one want to use graphics part in a movie, needs special attention on the screenplay – here in the hero introduction fight when car slides on the road upside down in water & stops a foot in front of him, it is shown like water spills on him, but we find him completely in dry clothes, not even a single wet sign on him!!!

I liked the way Narasimha’s introduction scene starts & the 1^st fight is shown as part of “Shiyaji Shinde’ imagination & explanation to his sub-ordinate” in case investigation.

I did not understand why “kallu – eyes” word is being censored in a dialogue uttered by Brahmanandam “noru mantralu chadiveppudu , kallu kaaligne vuntavi kadara”. It looked funny, because though the word is cut, the expression fills the blank right again! So what is the gain?

Didn’t the Censor board find “nakesaru” word & mannerisms which comes for 3-4 times? Btw, the scenes involving Chari uttering this word, received tremendous response in theatre.

I liked the hint given by the writer/director, about Shiyaji Shinde’s character when he says “Narsi, ee deal chala peddhha deal, nuvu chala jagrathaga cheyali, idi nenu netho chesthunna/cheyisthunna last deal.

Jr.N.T.R & Nayanatara – pair looked odd! Nayanatara has to look after her makeup styles!

One of the main logics in the movie “villain cannot kill major until the weapon is ready & is handed over”. Even we catch this, but not our poor hero, Narasimha role, unless a comedian (Raghu Babu) reveals, that is why I say, the characterization given to this role is not good/strong. Though comedy is generated it mars heroism when comes to mass hero films. We can have an alternate scene/option there like … hero himself in front of villain & Raghu babu can say this logic with a dialogue like … “mee sthavaram telusukovatanike inthasepu silentga vundi, metho ikkadivaraku vachhanura… malli kaludhamu” & runaway

Not just in this film, about I felt this in many of our telugu films, please take care of scenes/shots when someone hits a glass/mirror, though graphics are used, make sure an appropriate blood stain is kept on that part. Here hero in a chase scene hits many window/door glasses, but I found no blood stains.

In “panchekattu” song, if to censor reasons, lyrics are changed – is any proper care taken while inserting new word? Old Lyrics are about “pilaka” & “niluvu bottu” changed to “paatha bike” & “old look” what is this “paatha bike” ? Chari doesn’t own any bike if you observe! If you change lyrics/words at one place i.e in one line, is it enough? There will be related words in other lines right? When it was “pilaka” in 1 line – “cut chesa” will suit as an answer, but did the writers think of how “paatha bike” will suit for “cut chesa” & vice-versa. Also for “niluvu bottu” = “cheripesa” , “old look”=”cheripesa”???

In the same song hero says I like this “French cut”, but I found no such beard style! Btw, he looks good in French , we saw him like that in a blink & miss dance bit in “CHINTHAKAYALA RAVI”.

In a scene, where Narasimha character hides behind a wall & follows Raghu Babu , the BGM shouts as CHARI! What does this mean maker? [Music Director & Director]

In the beginning of the M.S.Narayana’s “Athma” thread, when he gets down from the car and stands in front of Chari & Bemmi, I found shooting team in M.S.Narayana’s glasses/specs.

The same appears repeatedly in Sheela’s & N.T.R’s glasses/specs in “naa kallalo” song.

What is the purpose of a lengthy fight in Kolkata temple scene? It can be short.

Can’t they find any other option like changing positions/locations in the same temple, like sitting, standing, walking etc when bamma reveals the truth that both “Chari & Narasimha are twins”?

In the 1^st meeting itself Chari calls Narasimha as “ra”, “avunra”, “entra” etc, which sounded a bit odd, as it was all of a sudden, in the same single scene.

“Naa kallalo” song is so badly picturized in such a way that, I felt no one from other state, who doesn’t know about Jr.N.T.R already, will believe if I show him this song & say that “this hero is one of the best dancers of Indian cinema”.

In a scene where Chari will be explaining “kavalapillala katha” to Mahesh Manjrekar … Ashish Vidyarthi & Bemmi comes to tell the same … the camera/graphics/DI is soo bad putting this scene out of the movie.

I liked the concept & it’s presentation of two Jr.N.T.Rs dancing together in last song.

Narasimha character Killing Shiyaji Shinde, Sheela’s father with no proper related scene between Father-Daughter, which reveals his nature to Sheela & marrying her … this thread looked improperly etched.

In the Climax, when Chari turns Narasimha and fights with goons, the BGN of “types/kinds of Narasimha avatar” is a big fun!!! Following again Shambho Shiva Shambho … Shiv Shiv Shamho.

What is the purpose & logic for giving no good end to “Athma” thread?

Jr.N.T.R – Needs to take care in costumes department. He is handsome now & this is one of his best looks after Simhadri getup. If he maintains the same, it would be good.

Nayanatara – Think a while, before anyone takes her to the movie, put her conditions of changing her make ups and hairstyles.

Sheela – Needs a good length character, unlike sticking to shaking legs in songs.

Brahmanandam – It would be nice, if he does only selective (good) characters like this for which he is a must & also worth for his career graph, to maintain the legendary reputation.

Vinayak – Seems he is concentrating / depending more on comedy , though it’s good, putting aside all other important aspects of a film is too bad. We have other directors who make only comedy movies.

Post-Mortem : SALEEM

My Title: Saleem

My Tag Line: Thanu evaru anedi sariga cheppaledu, but definitega box-office daggara dammu chupaledu.

I love to watch Y.V.S’s films more than once, repeatedly in theatres & also on DVDs. But I was badly disappointed with his work w.r.t OKKA MOGADU. This time I thought & wished he would make a comeback with this film, giving a much needed break to Vishnu. But with this movie he cleared the confusion of one gossip/talk which was making rounds, though sounds funny!!! “Yes, Y.V.S only made OKKA MAGADU”.

I liked the basic concept/subject/plot/sub plots of the movie, excluding the geography he selected to make a 2.40 Hrs package.

- Family bonding, affection, after effects – between a telugu girl who grew up away from home, in western culture and her family.

- A girl leading a so-called love life without clarity between attraction & love.

- A triangle love story in which a boy changes & wins back his girl who ditched him badly for getting closer to other guy in the same of so-called love.

I felt these are the only important & useful points/plots in the story/movie. To make this a 2.40 Hrs package we need some geography, additions, songs, fights, comedy etc which altogether put in a good mix call it as screenplay or something else, which is very bad in this movie.

The points which I felt above, got totally diluted and in fact uninteresting at times with a biggest thing of choosing “Mafia” backdrop as geography. Taking this, Y.V.S couldn’t properly weave the various threads of love & relationship which are vital.

A good director has to give some hints well before related to the forth coming surprises, but it is bad of giving a hint and again trying to make one divert from it, I would sometimes term it as a cheating screenplay.

In a scene , Illeana speaks over phone, saying about her marriage proposal and asking the other person to come ASAP. Here the director gives a small hint that “there is / might be, someone in her life”, in the same scene, the person whom Illeana is speaking to is termed as a girl from Vishnu’s conception, when actually that person is a GUY and is a main part of this triangle love story.

It is clear that Vishnu is having a flashback, whenever he tries to say something he will be abrupted by the other person. But repeating the same kills’ interest of the audience in knowing about Vishnu’s flashback.

Well, the flashback, when revealed looks silly, it would be more fruitful if first it is answered “who is this saleem?” then saying cock & bull stories about “what he does?”. Here he is shown as a Gangster, without saying or showing anything about his family, parents, childhood, how he grew up?, how he became gangster? Etc etc.

In a scene Vishnu delivers a good dialogue which says like… “our culture treats sex as a divine thing used for creation , that too inside 4 walls, but western culture does the same as exhibition”. In this same movie there are some scenes between Vishnu & Illeana where he will utter some double meaning dialogues, about the structure of her body, where Mastar Bharath, younger brother to Illeana will be analyzing her figure measurements based on Vishnu’s dialogues. Where is the value given to our tradition & culture? What a culture are you projecting out?

First of all “Mafia” backdrop killed the essence of the basic subject, then why do we need graphics in this movie, that too for each & every unimportant situation. Also the graphics used are so substandard that they made those particular scenes more stupid. [Especially whenever an Airplane/Flight comes on screen, Vishnu’s stunts from a building top … more to add to this list]

What is the period of this story running in the movie? Hope it is current time, 2008-2009. Then where do we, in a village our A.P, still see a punishment something like “ooru bahishkarana” to villain. Please do remember PEDARAYUDU days are gone!!!

Mohan Babu is totally underutilized. Even for comedy sake can one imagine an English Teacher coming to teach him English, starts the course from A-Apple, B-Boy ? Am not searching for logics here!!! If that was taken in to consideration, a famous, big businessman in Europe can’t survive without English even though a translator is there.

In the introduction, in a scene, Mohan Babu, says that he used translator because he doesn’t want to speak English and wants to continue with his own mother tongue Telugu in Europe. In the same scene, when he is known that he got cheated by that translator, he immediately asks for an English Teacher to learn English in 26 days. If you know that there is a sudden variation, can’t you take a good care in dialogues which flow in the same scene?

Vishnu is a surprise here. His slim looks are impressive. He has shown good ease in dance movements. But sorry to say, all his best efforts for action sequences are purely wasted on screen with too much of wire/thread works & shoddy graphics. His efforts can be felt in doing justification to the character given, but screenplay let down his work.

Illeana – if she has something or major thing to do this in movie, then it is her regular – routine job, navel show, her trademark (?) shaking dance movements, irrespective of the song & scene. Not knowing, either choreographer feels it is apt or couldn’t they make her do anything new.

The major part of 1^st half was dealt in a home atmosphere using ATHADU house here, with a gang, just to show a large family. But here the head of the family is Napoleon, who is a bad choice. In fact, at one moment I felt they couldn’t take Nasir, as ATHADU resemblance will become more in quantity. [Hero is a shooter, killer, same HOUSE set, large family etc]

Except M.S.Narayana & Ali we don’t find any comedian, also their intro’s promise good and they ditch us finally.

What happened to Y.V.S, who is one of the best ever, especially in last 10 yrs , in picturising songs? Except “Mama Mia” & “Kalthi Kalthi” none are not-so interesting on screen. “Baby Baby” & “I wanna talk to you”, seems like having similar/same choreography of Illeana’s trademark (?) shakings, with different costumes and locations, where Vishnu will be just standing & roaming here & there!

In “I wanna talk to you”, Vishnu will be roaming with a Camera , shooting Illeana’s beauty, but in the same song, loads of Vishnu’s developed photos are shown hanging, what a contrasting creativity!!!

In “freak out” song, why some pad is used for Jaya Prakash Reddy, on his stomach, to show it huge? He is by natural a big size personality, right? Then what do you want to show/tell there by using some pad like thing under his kurta? [I felt so. Sorry, if am mistaken.]

Is there any good connection between 1^st half & 2^nd half apart from 2,3 dialogues used between lead pair? At least once, a small photo is being reused, especially anything worth to mention related to family? Are their sufferings, pain shown in middle anywhere?

This kind of things, improperly woven multiple threads would also lead to one serious feel to the audience, something like “SINGLE TICKET, TWO MOVIES – but SINGLE CLIMAX”

With respect to the basic concepts …

Krishna Vamshi’s - CHANDAMAMA & SASIREKHA PARINAYAM are mirror images.

Y.V.S’s – DEVADASU & SALEEM are not exactly, but can term in some aspects.

Y.V.S - I Still have good hopes on you. Eager to hear about your next immediate Project.

Vishnu - you are on track. Please take a good care of scripts & also directors.

Sandeep Chowtha - Please relate to telugu cinema especially in BGM work.

Best Wishes.

Mudra.