It sets the framework for what we're about to see - Rajinikanth from those days, until now. Karthik Subbaraj's Petta is exactly what he promised - a tribute to Rajinikanth, with the director's trademark twists. And like all of Karthik's films, sparks fly in parts of it.
The first half, in fact, suffers from acute Rajini it is, with Karthik unapologetically stuffing every frame with "mass" - or his interpretation of it. Rajini certainly looks stylish but you wish the director had given him something more to do other than alternating between flicking his sunglasses and hair, in between beating people up. We meet him as the temporary hostel warden at St Woods College and by the end of the film, I was still left dissatisfied by the flimsy explanation for why he was there in the first place.
Everyone's waiting patiently for Karthik to make the revelation and he prolongs the moment with one distraction after another. Rajini plays the Nammavar kind of mentor to the students, but when he's talking about setting things at the hostel right, the political undertones are hard to miss. Later in the film, he uses Jayalalithaa's punchline - "Seiveergala" - adding that it's not enough to ask if they will do it, they have to do it.
Simran looks lovely but one would have to be generous to call her role anything more than an extended cameo. She simply lends some 'mangalam' (her name in the film) to the proceedings before disappearing. Trisha's role is even smaller and the pairing with Rajini looks decidedly awkward. Malavika Mohanan leaves more of an impression than either of the two women actors.
But the film picks up pace in the second half, with Vijay Sethupathi and Nawazuddin Siddiqui taking over the mantle of antagonists from Bobby Simha and Aadukalam Naren. It also looks like Karthik finally decided to step into the driver's seat, having done enough to please the fan in him. Vijay Sethupathi is a delight to watch - his character is more layered than Kaali's, and he's effortless as a thug who struggles to win his father's approval. Much like Rajinikanth, who is equally good at playing the villain and the hero, in fact. In the scene when Kaali passes his cigarette to Jithu (Vijay Sethupathi), telling him that he's given up smoking because he's suffered enough because of it, it's almost as if Rajini is passing on the baton to the next superstar. And listening to the cheers from the crowd when Vijay Sethupathi first appears on screen, it might happen yet. The best scenes in the film are between these two actors, as Kaali attempts to play a cat and mouse game with his enemies.
One is not sure why Nawazuddin Siddiqui was chosen to play Singaran, a man from Madurai. He is indeed a terrific actor, but was it really necessary to import someone from Bollywood and have him lip sync to Tamil (nobody in his family, by the way, looks remotely related to each other)? The flashback sequence with Singaran, which drives the plot, could have done with some better writing. The motives of the characters fall back on cliches and the explanation is too rushed. Nevertheless, just through sheer acting prowess, Singaran makes for a convincing third corner in the hate triangle that Karthik draws for us.
The fight scenes are one too many, especially when you already know who is going to win. Perhaps it's because of this that the most enjoyable stunt sequence is when Rajini is practising a martial art all by himself in front of a fire. It's way more convincing than watching random goons falling like nine pins.
Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film's producers or any other members of its cast and crew.
NTR Kathanayakudu movie review: NTR: Kathanayakudu feels like a collection of episodes from NTR's public life without a strong pivotal moment. It hardly sheds light on the human moments of NT Rama Rao: his struggles, pain, heartbreaks, insecurities, self-doubts and challenges.
The dramatized account of cultural and political icon Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao’s life in NTR: Kathanayakudu is deeply entrenched in his legend. In other words, the film tells the legend of NTR, rather than the rise of a common man to the stature of a demi-god. From the beginning of the film, director-writer Krish’s screenplay treats NTR as a messiah. The director reinforces the idea that NTR was a modern-day deity of the Telugu people over and over again in NTR Kathanayakudu.
In the first few minutes of the film, NTR, an angry young man, resigns from the coveted job of a sub-registrar at Madras Service Commission, protesting the culture of bribery in his department. He goes back to his home and tells his family that he is going to Madras (now Chennai) to meet director LV Prasad, who has offered him an acting job. NTR’s wife Basavatarakam (Vidya Balan), without making a lot of fuss over him quitting a lucrative job, helps him pack his bag. She also gives him her gold necklace to sell, should he run out of money.
When LV Prasad sees NTR fighting with the security guard, who refuses to let him inside the house, he himself comes out, walks down the stairs, and receives the aspiring actor. We should remember that NTR was a nobody, while LV Prasad was the biggest director at the time. NTR needed the director’s help to become a film actor. But, the scene is presented in a way that it suggests the other way round. Prasad personally takes him to an audition.
Director BA Subba Rao is having a bad day as he can’t find an actor for the hero’s role in his film titled Palletoori Pilla (1950). But, when NTR enters the audition room with Prasad, even without an audition, Subba Rao offers him the film. Rao sees something divine in him. Just like that NTR has a film in his kitty. Again, Krish reasserts that the Telugu film industry needed NTR and it is not vice versa.
After waiting for several weeks, when Palletoori Pilla did not take off, NTR writes a letter to Subba Rao informing him that he was rejecting his film offer as he can’t wait anymore. It is Subba Rao who begs NTR to not leave, promising him that he will start shooting the film immediately. It is never explained how come a novice like NTR, who was yet to make his mark, enjoyed such clout, reverence and acceptance among the leaders of Telugu cinema. There is a passing reference of the directors swooning over him because they saw his stage performances. But, still, the construction of such scenes only serves the myth of NTR, which began to take shape after he started playing Lord Krishna in films. Not once, Krish has tried to show NTR through the human prism.
However, when you watch this film as a tribute to the legend of NTR, rather than his life’s story, it offers several moments that keep you interested in the narration. Especially, his contributions to cinema at a time, when advancement in filmmaking technology was decades away from reaching the shores of the country.
After playing Lord Krishan in Mayabazar, NTR essayed Krishna in 16 more films. The effect of his onscreen portrayal as Lord Venkateshwara in Shri Venkateshwara Mahatmyam on the real world was such that, pilgrimage to Tirupati was not complete for many without getting ‘NTR Darshanam’ at his house. He became the master of mythological stories, took many experimental risks, played multiple roles, he directed and acted at the same time. When he faced competition from young actors, he unbuttoned his shirts and danced with much younger heroines in rain to cater to the changing needs of the audience.
NTR: Kathanayakudu feels like a collection of episodes from NTR’s public life without a strong pivotal moment. In fact, NTR himself buys into his own legend in the film. In a scene, when his wife says: “In the film industry, everyone considers you as a deity. But, in politics, you will be a mere human.” He replies, “For the people, who turned me into a deity, I am ready to become a mortal again.”
Hopefully, Krish shows some real struggles of his subject in NTR: Mahanayakudu by steering away from his magic realism approach to a biopic.
Hero sivaji makes his views on #RGV Lakshmi's NTR Movie and director RGV .BJP wouldn't have survived if #chandrababu doesn't come to ruling says sivaji and some facts about olden days #TDP party politics
Hero Sivaji Reacts On RGV Lakshmi's NTR MOvie |RGV|Lakshmi Parvathy|NTR Viceroy Hotel Incident |Mana Aksharam
#Sivaji#HeroSivaji
Kajal aggrawal expresses her views on her marriage at shop opening cermony in tirupati. Grand welcome for the star heronie by her fans in tirupati and kajal answers to the media about opening cermony and her marriage views
