Swapaanam

Swapaanam: The Chenda Rolls On (Mal) - Film Review

If you enjoy Shaji N Karun's typical slow-paced films, this one is watchable. Kudos to Jayaram and Siddique | Subhash Sabu, Yentha.com

Here it is finally. Jayaram's best bet for that elusive national/state award - Swapaanam.

Swapaanam is nowhere near Shaji N Karun's best works, Piravi or Vaanaprastham. Even when he manages to weave the cobwebs around a chenda artist's life with panache, the story remains clichéd, with some incidents reminding about Vaanaprastham, Nadan and Bharatham. Here too the artist in Unnikrishnan Maraar (Jayaram) falls into an extra-marital affair, something which is not alien to the industry.

       

Swaaanam tracks the life of the schizophrenic chenda artist Unnikrishnan maraar, his tryst with love, lust, jealousy, society, profession and his self - flying around like a kite out of control! Several conflicts, be it the one between him and his mother, that with his life, lover, guru, and astrologer competes to overpower the rest.

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Happy Journey

Happy Journey - Another Cricket Story (Mal): Movie Review
The film has its moments, sparsely scattered here and there. But at the end you are left confused feels Subhash Sabu, Yentha.com

There was a time when Mollywood focussed all its filmy lenses towards the darker side of the disabled, blind and handicapped. Featuring stories full of misery and sorrow.


Once the industry was flooded with such formulaic films, the trend fizzled out. As the industry rejuvenated itself within the last 3-4 years, films featuring the positive thinking paraplegics and handicapped also came to the fore, like 'Beautiful' for instance. Happy Journey is one such attempt which narrates the story of a blind yet vibrant cricketer Aaron, given life by the versatile Jayasurya.

Boban Samuel managed to make two hits out of his first two outings at the box-office. Jayasurya too on a high after the critical and commercial success of his last two films has joined hands with Boban for a film which has gone awry in spite of having a novel theme.

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Highway(Hindi, 2014)

Highway – A Journey Worth Taking (Hindi): Movie Review
What will you do if you get to escape from your normal life and you do not have to ‘act’ anymore?

A similar story may have been told before but this movie mesmerizes you with adventure, romance and attitude. It shows why someone from one of the most prestigious and influential families would prefer a dacoit's life. Why that dacoit is better than her sophisticated would-be? Perhaps it tells you what is real life and love.

A Highway is something that seems to never end. Similarly this film is more about the journey rather than its end or beginning. Director Imitiaz Ali has done a wonderful job. There was nothing exaggerated about the movie, but it had a continuous flow, never leaving you bored. 

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Top 10 extraordinary place

See which one inspires you to travel

 1. Mihir Gahr (www.mihirgarh.com), Rajasthan, India

2. Planet Baobab, Gweta, Botswana

 

3. Prendiparte B&B, Bologna, Italy

 

4. Qasr Al Sarab, United Arab Emirates

 

5. Cradle Mountain Lodge, Tasmania, Australia

 

6. Free Spirit Spheres, British Columbia, Canada

 

7. Taşkonak Hotel, Göreme, Cappadocia, Turkey

 

8. Thonga Beach Lodge, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa

 

 

9. Saugerties Lighthouse, New York State, USA

 

 

 

 

 

Gunday

Gunday - Delivering Promises In Bits And Pieces (Hindi) : Film Review

 

The movie tries to show us that hooligans too have a good heart. Above all, it portrays the ‘culture’ of freedom in them | Dinesh Kumar, Yentha.com

People are most happy when they are free. It helps if their actions can be justified. The heroes in this movie live a free life. They are gundas (hooligans) but they portray themselves as the products of the system. System never allowed them to do the right thing and never gave them what they deserved. Hence, leaving them with no choice but to snatch it. This is a simple dialogue in the movie but clearly shows why so many talented young men take the wrong turn. It depicts that the story is not a question of one or two individuals but of the society as a whole.

The movie is based on the Kolkata of 1970s. It is the story of Bikram (Ranveer Singh) and Bala (Arjun Kapoor), two refugees. The story hints that these two were made hooligans because of the system. No one was able to arrest their rise in the city. Satya (Irrfan Khan), a police officer, was given the task to convict them. At the same time, Nandita (Priyanka Chopra) enters their lives and both of them fall in love with her.

Pakida

Pakida - Not Worth The Money (Mal): Film Review

You may like it if you are a fan of such thrillers but I won't recommend it for all. | Subhash Sabu, Yentha.com

A happy-go-lucky youngster with no particular job hanging around with his friends. Usually with some sort of intoxication, be it by means of ganja or liquor, being a part of their daily routine.

Here too, Asif Ali is exactly what I described above. The plot is familiar, so are the friends on the big screen who are ready to give their life for one another. The thread is akin to many films like Joshiy's Sevens, where some youngsters get into trouble in search of money.

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Salaam Kashmir

Salaam Kashmir - Goodbye Too Soon (Mal): Film Review

Hardly impressive. Time for some introspection by the earlier generation | Subhash Sabu, Yentha.com

Salaam Kashmir is here at last. The film slated for an Onam release, after numerous postponements was released today. 

With Joshiy eyeing a comeback after the 'Lokpal' debacle has chosen Sethu of the Sachi-Sethu duo to pen the screenplay for Shyju Anthikad's cliched story. 

In the headlines since the very moment it was announced, notably for Suresh Gopi's comeback after a hiatus, post The King and the Commissioner, chances were high that it might end up biting the dust at the box-office.The storyline, with nothing new to lure in the viewers, makes Joshiy's previous flick Lokpal look like a classic!

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Balyakaalasakhi

Balyakaalasakhi (Malayalam) : Film Review

Basheer’s Characters take life once again. If only the duration of the film was longer… | Subhash Sabu, Yentha.com

I am not a voracious reader, nor an intellectual one. Yet there are some writers who made a mark in my mind, like Vaikom Muhammad Basheer in Malayalam and Chetan Bhagat in English. The directors who managed to give life to such popular characters, as from the eminent Basheer's pen on the big screen, most importantly without losing its soul, are few in number. My personal choice for adapting any novel on-screen today, without any second thoughts, would be Shyamaprasad. Pramod Payyanur's courage to adapt the novel as his debut film is worth appreciating. And who else other than a native of Vaikom (near Thalayolaparambu) can imbibe the character better? With an actor who mesmerised through his sheer voice modulations by playing another gem of Basheer in Mathilukal as the lead, is it a crime to expect another classic? Well, that expectation may pull it down. I came to know that the film was around 2 hours initially. But today when I saw it at the cinemas, the duration was a mere 96 minutes. What results is a film which fails to make an impact at the end.

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Om Shanthi Oshana

Om Shanthi Oshana (malayalam) : Film Review

 

A feel good mass entertainer that would make the families happy | Subhash Sabu, Yentha.com

If the hallmark of the typical time pass entertainers of the late 80s and 90s were the terrific performances of some gifted actors, the likes of say, Oduvil Unnikrishnan, Kuthiravattom Pappu, Jagathi, Sreenivasan, etc. and the effortless dialogue delivering style of Sankaradi, Paravoor Bharathan and their likes, now that has taken alterations. With the list of actors belonging to that league getting constricted to a few like Sunil Sugatha, now-a-days these feel good films are characterised by a bit innovative and special treatments right from the time the title credits start rolling, featuring caricature like characters, impressive BG score, peppered with light doses of fantasy, sometimes mixed with adult humour. Om Shanthi Oshana is one of that kind, with the latter kind of humour lacking, making it an easy choice for the families. A simple, feel-good time pass entertainer it is!! Nothing more, nothing less! It is content wise lacking but appealing to the layman.

 

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Bhaiyya My Brother

Bhaiyya My Brother (Telugu) : Film Review

The film has nothing extra-ordinary to offer other than being a typical colourful, mass masala entertainer | Subhash Sabu

The only reason for many to watch this flick may be Allu Arjun's figure on the posters. Well, if that is your reason and you are expecting a film giving equal space for both the Tollywood stars, you are mistaken. Allu Arjun has a cameo role on-screen for around ten minutes. The added attraction of this film is its multi-star cast. Apart from featuring Ram charan and Allu Arjun, the glam quotient is filled up by the female leads, Amy Jackson and Sruthi Hassan. It also has Kaajal Agarwal, playing a cameo as Allu Arjun's pair. As is the case with most of the Telugu films, you need to keep your common sense at home before watching this.

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London Bridge - Go With Minimum Expectations (Malayalam): Film Review

London Bridge 
Prithvi had his moments but the fact remains that it had nothing to challenge the actor in him feels Subhash Sabu

At times it hurts when you set your standards sky high. If 'Ayalum Njanum Thammil' balanced the student, professional and personal life in perfect proportions, ‘Celluloid' fetched a state award for Prithvi. 

And 'Mumbai Police' portrayed his boldest avatar, while Memories showcased the phenomenal actor in Prithvi. Regarding London Bridge, Prithviraj claimed it to be a simple triangular love story, prior to release. Of course, it is!! But is it up to his standards? 

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1983- The Passion Called Cricket (Malayalam): Film Review

1983

You do not have to be a Sachin to enjoy cricket- Dinesh Kumar, yentha.com

The movie starts with the cricket we see in our villages. The players are in the local attires of mundu (a garment worn around the waist in Kerala) with their crude language and, most important of all, enjoying the game. Malayalis will probably experience a few nostalgic moments while watching this movie. Though the movie revolves around cricket, it does portray life in the suburbs of Kerala.

The title ‘1983’ is apt for the movie since this is, more or less, the time when cricket fervor reached its height. The director, Abrid Shine’s debut work has few flaws which can be noticed. The movie has a continuous flow, though it narrates the long story of two generations of cricket lovers (the second generation is represented by a child). It is a wonder, how such a strong passionate subject has been peppered with humor.

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