Reviews

The movie felt like a mishmash of too many elements, resulting in a messy and lackluster screenplay. While Yuva Rajkumar showed promise in fight sequences and dance numbers, it wasn't enough to salvage the film.

The love story followed predictable patterns, typical of Ananddram's work, and Saptami Gowda's character lacked depth, with her performance falling short of expectations. The dialogue felt contrived with an abundance of cheesy one-liners - of course meant for the Rajvamsha fans. While the protagonist's hot-headed nature is understandable, it shouldn't result in a "Single expression" throughout the film. The movie failed to capture the authenticity of middle-class life, Unnecessary fight scenes and forced Mangalorean slang further detracted from the overall experience. It's disappointing to see such potential go untapped in Yuva Rajkumar's debut.

Despite its flaws, Yuva Rajkumar shows potential and could shine with improvements in expressions and natural acting. Ultimately, "Yuva" is a mediocre commercial film, only worth watching for its dance sequences and action scenes.

For too long, Kannada movie buffs have yearned for a genuine sci-fi adventure on the big screen. Despite a few films having sci-fi elements here and there, the genre remained largely unexplored. But now, a glimmer of hope emerges with 'Blink' - a film that not only delves into the world of science fiction but also adds a touch of raw emotion and drama.

Directed by a dubantante Srinidhi Bengaluru and backed by producer Ravichandra AJ, 'Blink' defies expectations by taking a bold leap into the world of sci-fi thrillers. It's a testament to their courage to tackle such uncharted territory, especially for debutants in the industry.

One might think Blink's storyline shares similarities with Ethan Hawke's 'Predestination,' however, it can be regarded as the director's personal interpretation of the Greek hero Oedipus, a theme subtly echoed within the film.

Apoorva, our protagonist, struggles to secure a steady job due to not clearing his exams. Desperate for employment and determined to pass his exams, he embarks on a search for part-time work. Throughout his trials, he finds comfort and encouragement as he leans on the support of his love interest, Swapna. However, Apoorva's world is shaken when a mysterious revelation from an old man unveils that his father is not dead, and also reveals Apoorva's unique ability to control blinking, turning it into a heavy burden to bear.

What truly sets 'Blink' apart is its masterful handling of parallel timelines. While many films stumble over such complexities, Srinidhi effortlessly intertwines past and present, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats as they journey alongside Apoorva through twists and turns, revelations, and mysteries.

The film also shines in its technical execution. Sanjeev Jagirdar's editing flows seamlessly; in other words, the editing is in perfect apple pie order. Prasanna Kumar's live music recording significantly enhances the movie, with brilliant use of sounds and folklore songs, while the overall music composition is impressive, complemented by impactful re-recording. Avinaasha Shastry's cinematography adds depth to the narrative, particularly in scenes depicting past events, distinguished by a distinct color grading to delineate between the two timelines.

The film's ensemble cast delivers commendable performances, with Dheekshith Shetty standing out for particular praise. His effortless portrayal is sure to captivate audiences and his ability to fully embody his character is commendable. I hope to see more Kannada filmmakers recognize Dheekshith's talent and provide him with opportunities to further develop his skills. While the other characters have less screen time compared to Dheekshith, each actor, including Suresh Anagalli, Vajradheer Jain, Gopal Krishna Deshpande, Chaithra Achar, and Mandara Battalahalli, brings their characters to life with utmost dedication, contributing significantly to the story.

Overall, 'Blink' is a film worth your time and attention. Show your support to this talented team by catching the film in theaters and spreading the word about its excellence. Kannada cinema deserves more gems like 'Blink.'

Saramsha isn't your average film; it's a captivating dive into the world of experimental cinema, crafted with care by Surya Vasishta. From the opening scenes, it draws you in with its raw, unfiltered storytelling. But what truly makes Saramsha stand out is the dedication and authenticity of its cast and crew.

The performances in Saramsha are truly remarkable. Each actor brings their character to life with such depth and sincerity that you can't help but become invested in their journey. It's not just the main cast that shines; the supporting actors also deliver performances that leave a lasting impact. Rramprasadd Banavara and Sathish, in particular, deserve recognition for their portrayal of characters that feel like old friends, adding a nostalgic charm to the story.

But it's not just the acting that impresses. The technical aspects of film are equally impressive. The cinematography captures the essence of each moment with stunning clarity, while the editing ensures a seamless flow to the narrative. The DI work adds a touch of polish that enhances the overall visual experience.

And then there's the music - haunting and evocative, it sets the mood for each scene with precision. The one-take song sequence featuring Shruthi Hariharan and the ensemble is a testament to the talent and dedication of everyone involved, leaving a lasting impression with its beauty and grace. 'Aparichitha' song struck a chord with me, adding to the film's allure.

But perhaps what resonates most about the film is its willingness to explore new ground. It doesn't shy away from tackling tough themes or asking difficult questions, challenging viewers to think and feel in new ways.

In the end, Saramsha is more than just a film - it's an experience. It's a reminder of the power of cinema to move, to inspire, and to provoke thought. So if you're looking for a movie that will touch your heart and leave you pondering long after the credits roll, this film is definitely worth a watch.

1888 stands as a commendable endeavor delving into the topic of demonetization, setting itself apart from typical movies exploring this theme.

The on-screen manifestation of Sourabh and his team's dedicated efforts shines through every frame. While the film begins at a slower pace, it gradually gains momentum as the story unfolds. The Cinematography, Editing, Music definitely added the value to my movie watching experience.

Although the screenplay isn't perfect, it is undeniably praiseworthy to witness the talents of the debutante director. I eagerly anticipate more thrilling movies under his direction.

What's Passion? To work or put efforts on something repeatedly until you get it absolutely right, which one loves and holds close to the heart without getting distracted even for a second. In one of the interviews Prashant Neel, the Director had said that he has watched KGF more than 150 times while editing. He wanted to make his KGF, a near perfect craft. While shooting, Bhuvan Gowda, the cinematographer used to carry around 40kgs of the camera and its accessories on top while canning the sequences in windy and dusty region. The gigantic sets used to come down crashing after heavy wind and rains yet the Art Director, Shivakumar used to go back in erecting the same sets as they stood earlier. Yash, used to give multiple retakes with no sign of fatigue or feeling bored in that dust bowl.

KGF will be made in two chapters. The chapter 1 is out and at the outset, it traces with pre-historical chronology world of events letting the audience know the importance of owning Gold and the battles for it. The chapter 1 deals with micro level of unorganized crime, Mafia and underworld. The Chapter 1 depicts about the greed and the race for one-up man-ship within many characters in getting the control of Goldmine, KGF. To enter into the Macro level of an orbit of world crime syndicate, one has to clear his way at the micro level. The dirt has to be cleaned to make way to the top. The chapter 1 ends at the doorstep of Chapter 2, which is meant to open for the Triangular battle between International mafia (for Gold), The interruption of India's Govt and Rocky (who valorously emerges out of KGF slavery, as a Messiah)

The film is narrated through the author's (Played by Anantnag) First hand experience to a News Editor (Played by Malvika Avinash) As his book gets banned by the Central Govt. He traces the journey of rocky from his birth to establishing himself as the feared crime lord from Mumbai docks to Bangalore to finally his destined place KGF. The mother sentiment is well crafted and placed appropriately throughout the film. Though the story line is predictable and replicates Ugramm template. In KGF also just like Ugramm, many characters get introduced and thus challenges one's memory to remember the count of characters. Yash's introduction in an elaborated action sequence keeps everyone engaged and makes glued to the screen. KGF falters at few places in the first half. Yash-Srinidhi scenes could have been better. The army of supporting characters may be revealed more in the Chapter 2. It's the second half, which meets the expectation and ends with retaliating climax, leaving multiple threads open only to be tied later in Chapter 2 on another day.

KGF, from start to finish, is full of high octane action sequences, The dialogues are sharp and effective, Music is average, but gets compensated through an outrageous BGM (some influence from the soundtrack of Hams Zimmer's "The Oil"(Dunkirk).

On Technical front: The captain of KGF mines, Prashant Neel, the Director should take a bow for bringing his vision on screen. Editing is very sharp, multiple scenes are played parallel and also intellectually blurred at few places to showcase that the character had no idea about the things to come. Ravi Basrur's music is a downer, but his BGM raises the milieu in all the sequences. The cinematography by Bhuvan Gowda is top-notch and world class (he will get all the awards if nominated functions PAN India level in 2019). The never say die attitude of Art Director Shivakumar should get all the accolades for erecting such massive sets of mines, in the midst of the dust bowls. KGF has used 90% of sets and just 10% of VFX for filming. KGF- Chapter 1 sets the stage for a macro-level showdown in chapter 2.

Bahubali(series)confidently set the trend that content will do the strong talking by having its release on non holiday and got the footfalls in massive numbers. Today Shankar's 2point0 is the second most film which had maximum bookings on a non holiday for Day One.

Shankar's films have always been either socially relevant hard hitting themes or ahead of times and this time he ventures with 2.0 having best of both the worlds yet remains on top of his game with all his proven commercial elements in place.

Being a fan of his films since Gentleman days, his love for special effects have always been a top priority right from those stalking arrows in Chuku-buku Raile song( Gentleman) to this day's 2.0's extravaganza VFX. Being a Diploma holder, a Technical person, he knows how to incorporate those through his great vision.

2.0 took a while before it finally hit the marquee (today) And the result is Hara-kiri all over India. 2.0 is well-thought and well -researched sci-fi theme. 2.0 is a film which simply delivers the ultimatum to the Human world - Live and allow Nature to survive. We have seen in the recent past, the aftermath of nature's fury is always devastating the Human world after we continuously abused it possible in every filthy way.

The Technology literally endangered everything under the sun be it Human relations, nature and the birds-animals. It's true that Mobile radiations play havoc on any form of life (The extinction of species is alarming. We hardly get to see the kind of birds, for once we vouched in our childhood days specially the sparrows. These days, I don't even get to see those even in my village).

Shankar's forte has always been his flashbacks in all his films and the flashback of 2.0 once again connects emotionally with the main story. The theme of 2.0 picks from mobile radiations & its effect on the life. The formation of Fifth force, a negative energy to attack back the Human World in the most furious way forms the crux. In the final hour, It takes Vasikaran's Chitti to rescue the human world by calming down Shanker's Pakshi-Rajan (Played by Akshay Kumar).

Superstar's simple entry in 2.0 is ditto to his entry in part 1. He once again excels in both forms and Akshay Kumar takes the major chunk, glides gleefully in all the three forms: The elderly, emotional form, body gummed with mobiles form and the menacing bird-Human form. Akshay Kumar also becomes the rare superstar to act with the Superstars from different film Industries: Vishnuvardhan (Kannada), Amitabh Bachchan (Hindi) And now Rajnikanth (Tamil).

Shankar's vision, his team's dedication and VFX work catapults the film to the top and makes it visual splendor. ARR's continuous shuttling between Chennai-London for BGM recording reasoned brilliantly through his Techno BGM score.

PS: Apart from all this, the three scenes i also loved the most, were of short durations yet impactful 1: An Aerial shot of a temple situated on hilltop (with Tande-na-na BGM), 2: College students watching Swami Nityananda "Preaching" (only audio) On their mobiles and of course the last, the hilarious third: Microbot riding on a pigeon.