Visakha Express

Movie Review: Visakha Express
Rating : 3/5
Banner : Markwell Entertainment
Cast: Rajeev Kanakala, Naresh, Preeti Jhangiani, Kota, Gulmi, Ali, Dharmavarapu , Sindhu Tolani and others

Music : Vijay Kurakula

Screenplay : Chandrasekhar Yeleti

Presentation: S S Rajamouli

Director: Vara Mullapudi

Release Date: February 08, 2008

Story

A cheap adaptation of a Hollywood hit, 'Visakha Express' begins in the train journey when Dr Raja (Kanakala) gets into a talk with Ravi Varma (Naresh) and as Raja starts sharing about the problem with his father Mohan Rao (Kota) who is an alcoholic, they start having drinks. In this process, they come to a sort of agreement which Raja does not realize in his drunken state. However, his father keeps causing him trouble from time to time and suddenly meets with an accident and gets admitted in the hospital that Raja works. He attends to his father like a dutiful son and gives him a medicine which results in the victim's death. Later, he is shocked to discover that his father's death was not accidental and in fact it was a pre planned murder. In comes Ravi who confirms everything and reminds Raja of his promise in Visakha Express. According to the deal, Ravi was supposed to kill Raja's father and in turn Raja would kill Ravi's wife Suchitra (Preeti). Now Ravi wants Raja to fulfill his commitment and he blackmails Raja to do it else he will expose the CDs and confirm the suspicion of the police. Escaping from the police and nowhere else to go, Raja is forced to come to Ravi's house and another shock hits him. Ravi's wife happens to be the same Suchi he knows while in college and apparently, they both were madly in love. But due to the problem of the short temper Raja has (he would be undergoing anger management sessions to curb this problem), things go wrong and they part ways. Now Raja has to kill the same girl he loves the most, else get convicted to the crime he has not committed. What happens in the end? Does the deal work out? What happens to Suchitra? All this forms the rest of the story.

Presentation

Director Vara has come up with a good plot which is more of a thriller genre but then he has failed when it comes to the presentation of the film. The connectivity between the scenes look haphazard and though he has been able to link 2 and 2 together in the end, the film runs on a rough ride with abrupt sequences and disconnected songs. The narration is okay. Vijay Kurakula has scored a music which is good when you listen to it but then when you connect it to the movie and the scenes, it has turned out to be too loud and disturbing. The audience tends to feel involved with the musical involvement and here Vijay has turned out to be very noisy which has spoiled the impact. The screenplay of Yeleti is not upto his standard, costumes and locations were okay. Rajeev Kanakala has put in a lot of efforts to come out with a heroic effort but then he must realize that he is too straight-faced to come up with some emotions that are a must to become a hero. He can shine only in second leads or guest roles. Preeti was pretty as ever and carried out her role with elegance. Kota was brief but theatrical. The comedy track by Ali and the others managed to get a laugh or two but could have been better. Sindhu Tolani was barely there for ten seconds, one wonders why she was chosen for such a small thing. The real show stealer was Naresh who depicted the negative expressions rightly and was able to give the required flavor to the film.

Conclusion

A poor imitation of 'A Perfect Murder' starring Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow, the film could have been much better if the direction was polished and in fact the impact would have been more on the audience if the cast reversed their roles. Naresh would have fitted well as the victim and Kanakala suits best for those sadistic bits. The first half went without anything to relate to and there was nothing gripping for the audience. It is only the second half and that too the climax which was well captured and kept the audience busy. Though the plot is good, the lack of proper direction and the annoyingly loud background score played the culprits. The film can survive only on the basis of Naresh's action.

REVIEW: 'SUNDARAKANDA'

Film: Sundarakanda
Rating : 2 /5

Banner : Chaitra Cinema Circuit

Cast : Charmy, Naresh, Ranganath, Prema, Kota, Sangeetha, Sunil Sharma and others

Cinematography: R K Raju

Music : Vidyasagar

Director : Bapu

Producer : Aparna

Release Date : February 08, 2008

Story

A typical Bapu product, the story starts with Ramgopal Varma (Sunil Sharma) who happens to be the son of the rich and royal Bobbili Raja ( Ranganath) and grows up in a very lavish and enclosed environment. He goes to a college picnic and chances upon another group of girl's college which comes to the same spot for a holiday. There, Ramgopal sees a girl and falls for her instantly. The picnic happens for three days and in this process he gets close to her, wins her heart and her physical intimacy and in a rather unbelievable situation gets married to her by the local tribes. He then brings her home, Bobbili Raja is shocked to see this and in that fit he gets a stroke of paralysis. While the entire family takes him to the hospital, Ram Gopal's wife is left alone and is told by Bobbili Raja's wife that she is the evil that has stepped into their house which has caused all this. Without waiting for a minute, the girl leaves the place and when Ramgopal get back , he is convinced by his uncle (Vizag Prasad) that the girl ran away with all jewellery and showed her true colors. Ramgopal remains a bachelor from then on. After sixteen years, enters Pinky (Charmy) a bubbly active girl who is full of energy and her goal is to unite the separated husband and wife and the family as a whole. Is she successful in her objective? What did she do in the end? How does her journalist friend (Naresh) help her? All this forms the rest of the story.

Presentation

Bapu's presentation of the subject was standard but then it lacked a message or a theme that can be carried home by the audience. The backdrop of the film looked a bit unrealistic and is nowhere in tune with the present times. It was more like a musical than a movie as most of the dialogues were flowing in the form of a poetical sonnet. Music had a major impact and was good enough. Camera was equally competent and it captured the right moments. Charmy was the one and all in the movie with her hyperactive behaviors and a lot of focus has been given on her. Naresh was a bystander and did not have much to offer. Prema looked slender and pretty. The other characters have done their role with ease. The make up department has to do some work as few shots showed excessive make up on few key actors.

Conclusion

A slow paced movie which ran more on a dramatic and theatrical level, the concept was slim and the presentation was not near the realistic lines. It will be difficult for the audience to gather the vision of Bapu as he conveys it in a format which is rarely understood by the general public. Mass is nowhere near the film and even the class audience will have a trying time to come to terms with the movie. One needs to get in with a very patient mode to understand the whole thing. Commercially not a good one, the film will hardly find its survival for more than three weeks.