Bhaagamathie to Bharat : Evolving Tollywood

From an industry which has been cashing in from commercial entertainers to an industry which is now churning out some amazing cinema, Tollywood has transcended over the past years. With talented directors like Rajamouli and Sukumar delivering exceptional films (with required dose of masala of course), film makers and played an important role in making some incredible movies for Tollywood over the past years and helped the industry grow over the past years.

Bhaagamathie, a riveting thriller with a touch of horror is an addition to the new era of telugu movies. With a strong plot and exceptional filmmaking, Bhaagamathie stands out due to its performances and direction. Director G. Ashok has done a spectacular job in crafting this thriller which has a horror element woven into it. Anushka delivered a solid performance while Jayaram surprises as the menacing villain.

2017 saw Tollywood Audience embracing Arjun Reddy for the raw romance depicted and the bold scenes. The same year saw Sai Pallavi reaching new heights of stardom through Fidaa, in which she played a quirky, bold village girl. Shekhar Kammula's fantastic direction proves that film making is an art and it has the ability to transform ordinary scripts.

Rangasthalam was a revenge story at its core, but again the Sukumar touch gave it a terrific makeover. The raw slang, the natural performances, the brilliant sets, the music and a rustic village tale - Sukumar knew how to combine these elements perfectly and also how to please his audience. When he tried something different with Nenokkadine in 2014, the result was disastrous as the audience couldn't connect with it. Rajamouli knows the pulse of the audience. His 100% success ratio in the industry speaks for him. His diverse range of movies shows his versatility and how he crafts a movie for the audience. From Eega to Baahubali, he amazed us everytime.

Koratala Siva's Bharat Ane Nenu is a classic example of how direction has evolved in Tollywood ! The grand success of Mahanati is proof that Tollywood has accepted the wave of change. This in turn is a boon to Indian Cinema. The success of commercial entertainers were never a concern - but the rejection of good cinema was. With an ordinary script, a good director can create a better film but with a strong script, a good director can do wonders.

It is a fact that Tollywood still runs on entertainment. It is all upto the directors to create quality amidst entertainment. This in turn, will transform the taste of the audience - though it will be a gradual process. Long live good cinema.

Kammara Sambhavam : Viewer's Guide

History is a set of lies agreed upon : Napoleon Bonaparte

With an incredible script penned by Murali Gopy and a powerful performance from Dileep, Kammara Sambhavam is a riveting period drama which will engage you to the core. In a 3 hour long film, direction has a huge role. Rathish Ambat has directed this film with finesse, like a veteran. Cinematography by Sunil. K. S. is the highlight of this movie. As a debutante, his work is exceptional and his frames add quality to the film.

Kammaran Nambiar is a milestone in Dileep's acting career. With grey shades added to his character, his performance becomes an unforgettable one. Siddharth's debut in malayalam becomes memorable with his character of Othenan Nambiar. The plot revolves around the past life of Kammaran Nambiar and what happens when a few businessmen decide to make his story into a cinema for a different motive. The movie is a bit lengthy at 182 minutes, but the fantastic direction and compelling performances keeps the audience engaged.

The script takes a brilliant satirical turn in the latter half which is a poke at the current political scenarios. On the whole, Kammarasambhavam is an engaging watch and shouldn't be missed.

Watch it or not?
Kammara Sambhavam starts off as a period drama and it will surprise you with its performances and the nuances the script has in store. It deserves a watch for the effort put in by the crew to create this epic film.

My Rating : 4.5/5

Shivaay : Viewer's Guide

A family man as he is, Ajay Devgn's directorial debut "U me aur Hum" was an intense emotional movie about love and family. A welcome change from the usual bollywood clichés, Ajay Devgn's latest directorial venture "Shivaay" is an intense action thriller with an emotional connect.

The plot revolves around what happens when an adventurous mountaineer's daughter gets kidnapped by a flesh trade gang in Bulgaria. Though the storyline is good and feels fresh, the screenplay settles for mundane proceedings. The action sequences and the narration keeps the viewers engaged.

Ajay Devgn delivers a solid performance as "Shivaay" and he makes a terrific comeback as a director through this film. Among performances, Erika Karr, Sayesha Saigal and Abigail Eames does their roles well. Aseem Bajaj's cinematography is the highlight of Shivaay. The snowy mountains, the raw emotions and the spectacular action sequences are very well captured in his frames. Action choreography is super stylish but gets a little over the top at places. Mithoon has composed a lovely album and "darkhaast" especially is a beautiful song.

Watch it or not ?
In Shivaay, Ajay Devgn narrates an emotional story in the backdrop of some high - voltage action and brilliant cinematography. Shivaay makes for a good watch with its emotional storyline, beautiful songs and amazing action sequences.

My Rating : 3.5/5

Rangasthalam : Viewer's Guide

As Raw and Rustic as it can possibly be, Rangasthalam is an engrossing revenge drama set in the 1980s. This Sukumar directorial stands out due to brilliant storytelling and powerful performances.

If film-making is an art, Sukumar knows it like the back of his hand. The story revolves around a fictional village "Rangasthalam" and  what happens when a new presidential candidate stands against the current president who has been elected unanimously for the past 30 years. With a plot as old as the hills and a screenplay which does not have anything exceptional to offer, Sukumar engages the audience completely with his terrific narration during the entire 180 minutes of the film.

Every actor has a breakthrough moment in their career. "Chitti Babu" in Rangasthalam is Ram Charan's breakthrough character. He has delivered a stunning performance in the film as the partially deaf Chitti Babu. All performances from the cast which includes Anusuya, Aadhi, Samantha, Jagapathi Babu and Prakash Raj are truly commendable.

Devi Sri Prasad has composed some classic countryside tunes for the movie and all songs are a treat to the ears. The movie is visually stunning as Rathnavelu's frames have given the movie the raw look it needs.

Watch it or not ?
Rangasthalam is a very well narrated tale of brotherhood, love and revenge. Emotion drives this movie while the narration & performances makes up for the simple story told in the backdrop. This movie deserves to be watched on the big screen for the terrific performances and the engaging narration.

My Rating : 4 /5