Shashiishere Reviews

Animal (I) (2023)

Love it and hate it at the same time

[9/10 · 18 December 2023]

When you move out of the theatre after watching the obscene gesture by an aged Ranbir you are really offended that the director tried to play a trick with the audience but it really isn't so throughout the movie at all. Yes the violence is excessive, unnecessary and glorified inspired by many Korean movies I'm sure but the writer director keeps you hooked on for the most part of this 3.21 hour extravaganza.

You wonder if this is the inflection point of Indian cinema post OTT revolution which has made the audience more mature and the routine stuff doesn't work anymore. Yes the movie has immense shock value right from guns, sex, unabashed talk which takes guts to produce in a mainstream cinema though it is meant for adults. A fantastic ensemble of actors make the characters lively and Ranbir probably gives his best lifetime performance as the grayest character ever written for him.

Yes the movie becomes illogical when you have people singing in the midst of a all out attack, absolute absence of law enforcement, miraculous recovery (though a sick Ranbir is believable) mindless butchering and shooting. The editing is up and down there are moments in the initial part when it elevates the tension and there are moments when it seems you are left wondering what the characters would be doing and feel interrupted in the 2nd half. It makes you think all that the protagonist did with his animal instincts was finally down the drain as nature takes its course(this could have been portrayed better).

Even with all the negatives the background score and music elevate the viewing experience manifold so does the black comedy. It seems as though this director is equally unabashed like his main character in his writing. The emotional scenes do make an impact and you can connect with most of the characters though the actions of these are outrageous and therein lies the movie's biggest strength.

The Tashkent Files (2019)

Eye opener but flawed

[8/10 · 23 April 2019]

Has enough infotainment to keep you engaged but cinematically could have been much better. scenes appear disjointed, poor background score, unnecessary shouting by characters to create impact. But if you want to enjoy a murder mystery with facts and conspiracy theories strung together to make sensible conclusions about a forgotten hero, this is your choice.

Vada Chennai (2018)

Indian Godfather

[10/10 · 19 October 2018]

This movie has been in the making for a decade or more and its totally worth it and understandable! Every character, scene, dialogue means something and its so well etched that you have to accept it sets a benchmark for regional cinema. It is comparable to all the great gangster dramas that world has produced like the untouchables, godfather, and our own nayagan, satya and gangs of wasseypur. Amusing that directors find their best work in describing crime from its origin to effect.

Yes, this movie describes a reluctant young man's journey through the slums surrounded by crooks eventually into a leader and ganglord and is inspired by all those movies listed above. What stood out were few things among many, how the director has given attention to detail right from cinematography to dialogue to time period it feels as if the tale is unscripted, the superb acting from all the cast led by Dhanush, the editing which deserves multiple awards for carrying out non linear story telling with aplomb, the music which is not jarring and giea with the flow and above all the direction which is a cut above the rest taking the best out if his crew Vetri maaran gives his best work here.

Enjoy the intensity, political satire (for eg when a character asks if rajiv gandhi succeeded mgr as prime minister) the lawlessness, the dilemma of who or what is right and wrong, is it all by design or free will and many other uncomfortable questions.

You will definitely root for the lead character and have many moments with tears in your eyes and lump in your throat!

Arjun Reddy (2017)

Flawed Devdas..again!!

[7/10 · 26 August 2017]

It's a sad feeling that you get coming out of the theater, similar to what the main protagonist experiences throughout majority of the running time of the movie (whopping 3 hours). It's sad because such an unconventional, daring,bold, courageous movie couldn't come out if the shackles of a typical mainstream climax. Wish you could erase the final few minutes of the movie and rewrite the script to something mature and inspirational. But having said that, you would have experienced something that very rarely comes out of Telugu or Indian Cinema already which deserves rich applause to mainly the director and the male lead( which I'm sure is coming).

The movie just takes off from the word go where in flashbacks, we're introduced to a good looking,hot headed, topper in the final year of his medical college. He openly dares the dean, other medicos, gets violent very often and has all the habits a doctor shouldn't have. Still he is feared and revered by all. The scenes in the college where he falls for a fresher, the ragging, romance are all shot boldly with immense realism and shock value. But somehow you connect with the male lead who is his worst enemy. The director displays the same "I care for none" attitude throughout the film and you hardly get time to digest the new age, open and bold dialogues (majority beeped), PDAs & fights, but still you feel for the love story when it goes awry. That is where the hero and the film start a downhill course. You don't get to feel the real reason for the separation and subsequent pain, suffering, indulgence,recklessness, but that only a minor flaw because Vijay Sai makes you feel his pain and gives a character to root for even as he slides and slides into a deep pit.it is probably his best lifetime performance. The sidekick is fantastic as well even through the dark phases of drugs, alcohol, women and the rest. Alas,we don't get any perspective from the female side which is fine till out of nowhere you get a story which is unrelatable at the end. The music and background score are one of the highlights,so are the performances of all actors. The editing makes the movie overlong & repetitive. Kudos to the director to have done research about the medical field and for a very intelligent yet realistic premise which is hugely promising. It is flawed on a few counts but if you could wipe out those parts you will be thoroughly entertained.

Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu (2016)

Good times for regional cinema!!

[9/10 · 4 June 2016]

What an apt time to be watching GBSM after the release of another exceptional movie thithi in the same language. Augurs well for the future!! Well the trailer was pleasing and the movie is brilliant. You cannot imagine that its a debutant director calling the shots and convincing today's audience to stay invested for close to 2.5 hours in watching a son's "discovery" of his lost father. Its brutally honest to the core as you see Shiva- a middle class blue collar employee trying to move up the corporate ladder being insensitive to his father poignantly portrayed by Anant nag who has Alzheimer's. As the dad goes missing due to sheer negligence he shouts to destroy the doctor and the NGO taking care of him.What follows is a search within and without as he says in a beautiful scene "it seems my dad has Alzheimer but i am the one who has loss of memory". Don't get me wrong, this movie is nothing cliché as we are genuinely moved the search moves along with few flashbacks of a normal city brahmin family. It would still have been a good family drama just with this but what makes this flick outstanding is the intertwined crime drama involving corruption and murder. There's brilliant editing and execution and not once it feels contrived and unreal. The director gives depth to all its characters and even the thugs come across as genuine. Its not all hunky dory though as you hear too loud background songs which are out of sync with the narrative in the first half,the movie could be shorter by 15 min and the actions of the doctor are little hard to believe. But these are minor blemishes in an otherwise flawless venture which is sure to make your heart heavy and eyes wet at the same time with a smile on your face. Kudos to the brilliant acting by everybody this film is a winner.!

Lucia (I) (2013)

Donot forget your brains

[9/10 · 7 September 2013]

Well let me make it clear. I am a fan of any sensible cinema be it a mainstream one like Bacchan or an art-house/parallel cinema like Lucia.

I went into the theatre having almost no background information or hype and this movie pleasantly surprised me being a rarity in Kannada. Made like an edge of the seat thriller with a great twist at the end,this blink and you miss movie demands your complete attention right from the word go.Definitely not for the popcorn masala loving club sitting in the front row, one of whom who nearly got killed in the interval for recommending this to his friends!

In case you do want to know about the story, its about a common man who takes a pill called Lucia sold to him as a dream pill and his journey through it.

The director needs to be commended to have taken this challenge and its worth a watch just for his efforts to bring a difficult script come alive almost near perfection.The technical aspects are A class, comparable to any Hollywood creation, the non linear editing, the colors, the camera-work, cinematography and music (which surprisingly strikes a cord with the audience)

Not to forget the earnest performances by the entire star cast especially Satish Neenasam who is completely believable as Nikki.

The only pitfalls in the movie come (after the exhilarating 1st half)in the early to mid part of 2nd half when the script gets repetitive and tends to drag the movie and the climax where its not clear what makes the hero come to terms with reality.

That apart, this movie is ground breaking in many ways and its heartening to watch such stuff on the big screen which was probably unimaginable a few yrs ago. Do not miss it!

Raanjhanaa (2013)

made my day

[8/10 · 23 June 2013]

This is one of those rare breed of movies in Bollywood that dare to go beyond the commercial crowd pleasers. Fortunately we are seeing more of such kind each day. Having said that, this is a highly entertaining paisaa vasool venture with substance. Kudos to the writer and director who gave us the soulful Tanu weds Manu but this time he sets his mark higher.

The movie takes you on journey with Kundan who is brilliantly plated by Dhanush right from his school days in Banaras to his ultimate destiny. Its very hard not to feel for the guy and cheer him,laugh with him, feel with him and it definitely makes one nostalgic and teary eyed at the same time.

There are many amazing sequences in the film which are so realistic that you can really feel the main man crying,smiling,puking at various stages of the movie.His transformation from a school boy with a crush, through a youth with stubble and only one real goal in life, to an atonement seeking person is palpable.

Mind you though its made to be a love story it almost never gets into stereotypes or clichés and keeps us on the edge of the seat with its thrilling twists throughout the course.

Of course the main character is aided by a wonderful support cast from his friend Murari who gets the best one-liners, his childhood girlfriend, Abhay deol who plays his role with ease and surprisingly Sonam Kapoor who has dared to do something different & succeeded.

But the movies greatest strength is Dhanush who can make you cheer for him even when he's slashing his wrist, or riding is love into the river when he realizes she in love with somebody else.

On the flip side his role as a political leader seems over stretched after the racy 1st half and some of the actions of the lead female towards the end are not understandable.

All in all if you want to watch desi realistic love story with raw human emotions and unpolished drama here's your chance. Don't miss it!

7 Khoon Maaf (2011)

Mesmerising!!

[8/10 · 19 February 2011]

Who says its difficult to find a good script these days!Direct those people to Vishal Bhardwaj who again shows us as he has done many times before that you just have to know where to look!

Agreed you know most of the story on the papers and TV, but is there anything else that could draw you attention to one of the most artistic yet satisfying movies of the year.

All the 6 husbands and the mysterious 7th one are played impressively and effectively by all the actors that you genuinely feel the difference in the characters. Everyone makes a lasting impression probably depicting various nuances of the male psyche and end up in the coffin just for doing so!

Having said that its far from a feminist movie, the director doesn't really want to elicit sympathy for Suzanna nor does he make a point that all the killings are justified.Therein lies the shrewd wickedness of the director who also manages to insert real life events of the past 2 decades into the script which are discreet yet unmissable.

Yes the narration is linear and simplistic, doesn't hold back any surprises, but after you sit down to watch the movie draws you in completely and gets satirical, black and comical at times as the story smoothly sails along.

Music and background score add to the artistry and Priyanka Chopra breaks new ground playing the difficult role of Suzzana with a daring elan.

Watch it for her and for the filmmakers who are taking Bollywood to a new level.

No One Killed Jessica (2011)

hard hitting and inspiring!!

[9/10 · 7 January 2011]

The movie is based on a true story that changed the way journalism and the judicial system were viewed in India. It is about 2 girls who decide to fight against the system which faltered in providing justice, while succeeding in the endeavor also manage to touch the hearts of millions of Indians.

In the movie the director fulfills his promise which was displayed in his earlier movie Aamir, with this brutally honest, yet rivetingly thrilling rendering which makes many points without being preachy or over dramatic.

The movie takes a dig at the aged Indian judicial system and how it is prone to be abused at the hands of the rich. The director looks after and gets right most of the little factual details in the film which is very appreciable and often missing in bollywood.

The movie strengths are that it is so close to the facts of case(visit the wiki page to check out)without sounding like a documentary or going over the top.It has a thriller like pace especially in the second half whereas the 1st half could do with a bit more of editing.

The music is loud but works well to keep the viewers attention when the movie drags a little.But undoubtedly the movie is worth watching for the actors and characters they portray. Catch Rani Mukherjee in perhaps the most daring female character ever written for a heroine in India with her oozing attitude not to mention the flying f words.She has guts to accept that role! Among the side roles only the police inspector's laid back role impresses.But the movie belongs to Vidya Balan who comes back to surprise us over again with a completely deglam, gritty and yet vulnerable role of Sabrina lal.She is amazing.Wish the lead ladies had more screen space together. Kudos to the team for a daring venture avoiding most of the clichés and showing the way forward for Indian movies in 2011.

Break Ke Baad (2010)

Pretty but pretty bad as well!!

[3/10 · 27 November 2010]

The problem with this movie is the same which has been plaguing the so called romantic comedies in Bollywood recently- that it tries too hard to look fresh and cool and to the tune of the times.

It necessarily is just about two people who are in a long relationship since childhood with just marriage left on the cards when suddenly the female realizes she wants her space. Fair enough.But the guy doesn't want to leave her for anything in the world.

As per the movie modern males are insecure, too sweet, too nagging,have no real goals or ambitions and find cooking better suited than most other jobs in the world! not really.

Then there is the alpha female who wants her space, ambitious, risk taking, smokes in front of all elders in a wedding, basically wants to do whatever she fees like at any cost.Hmmm again little far fetched. Probably we would have more connected with the characters if the débutant director would have spent little more time in the character building than the unconvincing fights, quarrels and the break up which basically doesn't happen in the movie! in spite of repeated attempts by the characters.

The plot is thin, the climax is as predictable as it can get and though timed at a little under 2 hrs the movie gets so repetitive in the middle that when a character shouts Khatam kar dalo isko, about an hour into the movie we echo the same feelings.

Having said that, all is not bad. The biggest pus point of the movie is the music very hummable by Vishal Shekar,the witty dialogues which are the only cool things and the acting by the 2 leads Imran and Deepika who try to infuse some life into otherwise illogical characters.

Break ke baad doesn't really engage the viewer from the beginning to the end.If you want to see a modern bitter sweet break up story we still recommend Imtiaz Ali's Love aaj kal.

The Social Network (2010)

smart film no doubt but definitely overrated

[7/10 · 18 November 2010]

It is a smart film no doubt but definitely overrated.

The director's earlier movie "the fight club" had generated so much hype and when I finally decided to see it, I was very disappointed that the whole issue was so allegoric to the point of aversion. This is definitely a better movie where you see some fine performances by the leads, some whacky dialogues, a non linear screenplay which adds thrill to the drama and doesn't let your attention waver till the end as you see the protagonist wait for acceptance desperately. The biggest strength of the movie is that it is a true story based on a novel which lingers on the back of your mind throughout and you decide to excuse the director of some minor glitches like use of too much Harvard and geek jargon, slightly undercooked characters of Mark Zuckerberg and Sean Parker. One character you could easily connect with is his only friend Eduardo played by Andrew Garfield. "This is not a movie for everyone" is supposed to be an excuse for the overrating but in that sense even Avatar or Inception were not for all. This may be a smart movie but cinema is much more than being a nerd like his girl friend tells Mark at the beginning of the film. Going with 3.5 stars out of 5 for David Fincher's The Social Network. A movie you don't want to miss especially if you have a facebook account.

Vedam (2010)

regional cinema at its best!!!!

[10/10 · 10 June 2010]

wow!what an experience which compelled me into writing this..lets start from the beginning..

when i was told that this was an experimental movie in telugu, i was really circumspect because let me tell u i've been watching telugu movies for many years now & whenever someone tries something "different" more often it turns out to be awful.

but this one's one of those movies which stands for all the great things about this great medium.it shows,reflects,teaches & above all it inspires.

hats off to the director for pulling this off with a difficult subject,ensemble cast & an amazing way of story telling.

if u really are curious to know the story,it intertwines 4 stories which are very distinct on their own from the beginning to the end. just the characters meet very briefly & u keep wondering through the 1st half if there is any connection at all. and boy there is! its not just topical but a much deeper connection & the director keeps it ticking without a single dull moment with great élan.

its the triumph of human spirit that touches u in the second half. the scene where allu arjun (yes the same guy who did the horrible varudu)returns the money or manoj(fully intense throughout)takes on goons who really are hooligans in the name of religion or the superbly crafted climax that takes ur breath away.

this movie asserts everyone gets a second chance to redeem yourself no matter how terrible ur mistakes are.its just up to u to embrace it. it uses such dramatic situations to prove this that often makes u tearful and yet every character is so real that one can identify oneself in at least one of them.this is what makes this movie hit the jackpot.

the acting is fine by all leading stars.after seeing this u keep wondering y Allu Arjun chooses some horrible movies.manoj bajpai shines in his role as Muslim fighting against the system but the guy who stand out with his intense role a wannabe rock star unwillingly ending up a patriot is Manoj.

I know some of u may not like the ending but come-on aren't we tired of the same old stuff?this is contemporary movie making at its best & its prudent for us to embrace it & encourage such movie makers who make us proud to be Indians!!

Nuvvu Naaku Nachchav (2001)

One of t best comedies in telugu

[9/10 · 6 June 2008]

This is one movie which u wont get tired of watching.. Having watched it umpteen number of times both wit friends and family u can still laugh whole hearted.. Not very often do u see a telugu movie where t hero is himself t main comedian. He's not more than a superbly scripted character still he comes out as a real hero..Forget all those fights, those punchy dialogues against t baddies,this is coming of age of telugu hero. Nd venkatesh gives his best performance till date in such a way tat u cant imagine any one else in his role..Vijay bhaskar of nuvve kavali fame produces a riveting script, wonderful dialogues nd a sleek screenplay.. If u really want to know t story its about a young girl who gets happily engaged in an arranged marriage till his father's friends son bowls her over. Prakash raj as usual is stunning.. There r certain sequences wit bramhanandam tat could've been parted wit nd r of no use to t script. U can forgive t director for such mistakes just bec he has given a movie to remember and cherish for a long time

Doc Hollywood (1991)

All t feel good emotions tat cinema can evoke

[7/10 · 30 May 2008]

Well this is not a kind of a movie where u can shout its amazing after watching but in very subtle ways it does leave its mark.. Ya its a touching film.. may seem trite but thoroughly enjoyable.. It Starts wit a big city doctor who's headed for a major interview to achieve his dream of becoming a plastic surgeon.. Unfortunately or fortunately he has an accident n gets stuck up in a small town where he's sentenced to community service in t hospital..Cant help but recognise t resemblance to t animated movie 'cars'! Yes there r a few predictable characters but many r really fresh n realistic.. T ending may not leave u jumping out of ur seats but this is a movie u can watch wit t entire family..Its moral is very sensibly portrayed n down to earth..Its heart is in t right place..

School of Rock (2003)

Simple satirical nd hilarious

[8/10 · 24 May 2008]

I was a real admirer of richard linklater's movies before watching this one which turned me into his fan. His before sunset had hardly 2 characters nd didn't it make u laugh all t way through. Well this one is a story of a loser jack black (who makes t character come to life giving it his everything) who really thinks he is greatly talented (as we all do sometimes) only to realize he's been thrown out of 'his' rock band and is on t verge of being thrown out of his house.He lands up as an impostor in a prep school soon realising t great potential of t kids to make his dream come true..Winning t battle of t bands.. The kids characters r distinctly carved out from one another nd though some may not be great actors u still feel all r real. This can easily qualify as a musical but its really intended to be comedy for children and adults alike..Which not many movies r able to do.. Don't miss this one

December Boys (2007)

Surely Watchable

[7/10 · 24 May 2008]

Not many ppl liked this one but i found it surely watchable though i agree completely it could have been a lot better.This one was mainly in t news because of harry potter daniel radcliffe in a 'so unlike' harry potter role. Full marks to him for shedding his image nd trying something as experimental as this.This trail of four adolescent orphans celebrating a vacation in a picturesque location in Australia waiting to be recognised.Their rivalry nd brotherhood at t same time nd various teenage activities are real enough to make us nostalgic.But there r some loose ends where u simply cannot explain t actions of t leading characters as real.And t ending is a big let down making a few wonder 'wats t point'.But u can accept a few blemishes in t editing nd script to walk down t memory lane one more time