World Cup 2011 opening ceremony Gallery
7 Khoon Maaf Review
Director: Vishal Bhardwaj
7 Khoon Maaf, based on a short story by Ruskin Bond, is about a woman’s quest for love. Only this woman, Susanna played by Priyanka Chopra, unerringly manages to find and marry the worst candidates, not once but six times.
She walks down the aisle with cheery optimism and the knowledge that if it doesn’t work, there’s always the other option. Why doesn’t she just leave or opt for divorce? Because, as her faithful butler explains, that is her nature.
This is a tough story to pull off and despite the voluminous talent on display here – from director-co-writer-composer Vishal Bhardwaj to Priyanka to co-stars like Irrfan Khan and Naseeruddin Shah – the film stumbles and fumbles.
The episodic nature of the narrative makes the plot predictable. You know that each husband is going to be killed – you are just waiting to find out how and why.
Bond’s slender story works marvelously because the author leaves much to the imagination. There are hints that most husbands were fortune hunters and at least one drank too much but their faults aren’t explicitly spelt out.
Here each one is assigned a fatal flaw – so if one is a sexual sadist, another is a gold digger. But few are memorable – there is one superbly creepy scene in which Neil Nitin Mukesh, playing a one-legged Army Major, caresses Susanna with his amputated limb - but most of them don’t make an impression. They seem more like walking targets than characters.
Thankfully Susanna has more texture. She is a chameleon – vulnerable and tearful in one moment and an unfeeling viper in the next. Susanna is vain and cruel and Priyanka doesn’t try to soften her. Instead she revels in the chance to go twisted, dark and frankly ugly. But beyond a point, even she can’t prop up the sagging plot.
The transitions from one husband to the next are nicely done as is the rollicking number Darling. But eventually the film becomes such a slog that when interval arrives with the warning that there are four more husbands to go, it almost feels like a threat.
Vishal loosely tethers his tale to reality – television, radio and newspaper headlines reveal which year we are in - but mostly this fantastical story happens in a dark Neverland. But this mysterious gothic world of murderous servants and their mistress who keeps cobras as pets, needed to be more fully realised and our journey into it needed to be far more seductive and engaging.
Final Verdict:
7 Khoon Maaf was a disappointment.
Varun Sandesh and Shraddha Das in HOT Affair
Affairs and link ups are a common treat in the cinema industry. And when it is the matter of young heroes and heroines, passions run high. Right now, the film nagar folks are gossiping strongly about a particular affair. They say it is making hot rounds in the circuit.
This is about Varun Sandesh and Shraddha Das. Sources reveal that both seem to be the latest lovers on the block. The buzz is that both are spending ‘private’ moments in many instances and passions are reportedly running high.
However, when asked about it, two of them are reportedly telling their close ones that they are just ‘good friends’ and nothing more. Well, guess we heard that a million times before. Point is, how long will the heat between the two last? That is the question from the cine folks.
This is about Varun Sandesh and Shraddha Das. Sources reveal that both seem to be the latest lovers on the block. The buzz is that both are spending ‘private’ moments in many instances and passions are reportedly running high.
However, when asked about it, two of them are reportedly telling their close ones that they are just ‘good friends’ and nothing more. Well, guess we heard that a million times before. Point is, how long will the heat between the two last? That is the question from the cine folks.
KSD-Appalraju-Review
KSD Appalraju - ** Film and Not Worthy film to watch.
Story
Appalraju(Sunil) from Amalapuram is an avid movie buff. He spends most of his day at Rambha theatre in Amalapuram watching films. When his dad(Chalapati Rao) chides his for the same, he swears not to come back to Amalapuram unless he becomes a big director in Tollywood and heads to Hyderabad.In the city, he has a friend Subbulu(Rajesh) who is left Amalapuram years ago to become a hero in Telugu films but in vain. Through him, he attends an audio launch of a film where Appalraju makes contact with Raakhi(Raghubabu) a producer who reads his script 'Nayaki' and decides to help him.Appalraju also manages to get the dates of heroine Kanishka(Saakshi) for his heroine oriented film 'Nayaki'. However, the manager at corporate firm which has to finance this film agrees to fund the project only if a big hero like 'Babu' is in the movie. Though Babu and Kanishka are initially in love with each other, they have a break up once the project is all set to take off. The rest of the story is on whether Appalraju convinces Babu and Kanishka, his troubles in financing the film, his unwilling compromises in the script, casting etc al.
Performances
Sunil who is innocent, genuine and honest in his performance. He had done a good job in portraying the vulnerabilities of an amatuer film maker and the grief one undergoes while compromising on the script due to commercial factors. His dance was superb and makes us drop our jaws to the floor.Swati is barely seen in the film and has no importance at all.One wonders why she has been chosing such insignificant roles off late. Her expressions too are so cliched and it is hightime she introspected her routine histrionics which she thinks is her USP.Raghubabu acted as if he was born to be the producer/manager of the film. His shinny shirt and thick gold chain with faded jeans are very well suited to his role. Bramhanandam who plays Shankar Anna, the goon and Venumadhav his gunman are the saving graces of the film. Tanikella Bharani, M S Narayana, Suman Shetty, Ajay and Adarsh are just about alright though nothing praise worthy.
Highlights
- The song criticising the directors of Telugu cinema was well choreographed. The pictures used, costumes and masks of actors are well timed.
- Dialogues making fun of Ramgopal Varma's Shiva and his other films made audience smile for Varma's jokes on himself.
- Bramhanandam's dialogues and the lyrics of songs he pens are overtly funny. For instance 'Ringu Road Kada Ranganayaki... Bongulanti Ninnu Choosi Prema Dilki' makes the audience laugh out loud.
- There are other Lol moments in Bramhy's dialogues. He says 'Kanti Tho Chooste Order...Kannu Tho Chooste Murder'.
- The lyrics of all the songs in this film are situational are whistle worthy for their catchy words.
- Swati sang the song 'Unbelievable this is Raju' and Bramhy sang his song ' Naa Peru Srisailam' which were shot on themselves and hence the emotion was perfect on their faces.
What let Down the movie?
- As the title suggests Katha-Screenplay-Darsakathvam, the film fails on all these three grounds.
- The details about film industry are extremely exaggerated and over the top.
- Anyone with a common sense will laugh at the way TV reporter was shown shying away to ask a heroine a question.
- Varma perhaps doesn't know that TV channels don't invite film critics to review movies live on air.
- The scenes where Sunil and Raghubabu argue in autos and infront of ice-cream parlour makes one cringe.
- The climax of the film is the nail in the coffin and doesn't make sense to the story.Besides a child like chasing scene is sure to give your patience a serious test.
- Firstly not a single frame in this movie looks like RGV's movie.
- The cinematography of this film is pathetic.
- The comedy scenes are yawn inducingly boring and cranky. -Actors Swati, Kallu Chidambaram, Kovai Sarala, Jayaprakash Reddy, Kota Srinivasa Rao had hardly anything to do in the film
Final Verdict :
KSD-Appalraju is extremely hyped and overrated film which was painful to view. Very badly made and narrated flick, absolutely not worth your money.
Movies Releasing on 18th Feb 2011(Friday)
Telugu:
1. Katha Screenplay Darsakatvam Appalaraju
Sunil, Sakshi Gulati, Swathi
Release date : 18 Feb 2011
2. Erra Gulabeelu
Sameera Reddy, Samantha, Veera
Release date : 18 Feb 2011
3. Khilladi
Vishal Krishna, Tanushree Dutta, Neetu Chandra
Release date : 18 Feb 2011
4. Aha Naa Pellanta
Allari Naresh, Ritu Barmecha, Srihari
Release date : 18 Feb 2011
5. LBW (Life Before Wedding)
Asif Taj, Chinmayi Ghatrazu, Abhijit Pundla
Release date : 18 Feb 2011
Hindi:
1. 7 Khoon Maaf
Priyanka Chopra, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Naseeruddin Shah
Release date : 18 Feb 2011
2. Kaccha Limboo
Vinay Pathak, Sarika, Rukhsar
Release date : 18 Feb 2011
English:
1. Unknown
Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones
Release date : 18 Feb 2011
2. I Am Number Four
Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Dianna Agron
Release date : 18 Feb 2011
3. Vanishing On 7th Street
Thandie Newton, Hayden Christensen, John Leguizamo
Release date : 18 Feb 2011
1. 7 Khoon Maaf
Priyanka Chopra, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Naseeruddin Shah
Release date : 18 Feb 2011
2. Kaccha Limboo
Vinay Pathak, Sarika, Rukhsar
Release date : 18 Feb 2011
English:
1. Unknown
Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones
Release date : 18 Feb 2011
2. I Am Number Four
Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Dianna Agron
Release date : 18 Feb 2011
3. Vanishing On 7th Street
Thandie Newton, Hayden Christensen, John Leguizamo
Release date : 18 Feb 2011
Dhoni Smashing TON Leads INDIA to Victory against NZ
Mahendra Singh Dhoni smashed a blazing century to set up India's crushing 117-run victory over New Zealand in a World Cup warm-up match on Wednesday.
The Indian skipper cracked three sixes and 11 fours in a 64-ball 108 not out to help his team post an imposing 360-5 and virtually bat New Zealand out of the day-night match in Chennai.
New Zealand were bowled out for 243 after a brisk 94-run stand for the opening wicket between Brendon McCullum (58) and Martin Guptill (38) to suffer their first defeat in two practice matches.
Jesse Ryder (32), Nathan McCullum (29 not out) and Scott Styris (20) were the other main contributors.
Indian spinners, who played a big role in their team's win over defending champions Australia in a warm-up match on Sunday, again struck it rich as they shared seven wickets.
Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and part-time spinner Yuvraj Singh each took two wickets, while off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bagged one.
"It's a difficult task for any side when they have to chase six or seven runs an over. This is the way we should play all the time," said Harbhajan Singh, who took 2-17.
"When you set that total, teams have to chase and it gives you the chance to get wickets as their batsmen look to do something.
"We have won our two warm-up games, but we are not taking anything for granted. It's up to us now to keep it simple and stick to the basics."
Dhoni and Suresh Raina (50) earlier gave a superb display of power-hitting to help their side set a stiff target, plundering 124 runs for the fifth wicket off just 56 balls.
Raina hit three sixes and four boundaries in a 26-ball knock.
Dhoni's best came when he smashed paceman Jacob Oram for five successive fours, while Raina also punished the same bowler as he hit three sixes in an over. Oram conceded 70 runs in his nine overs.
Dhoni said India were able to achieve "a total that was above par".
Speaking about his own game, he said: "In the past few games I have been in a hurry, but my game is different. I take my time and then like to stay until the end for the slog overs. You have got to remind yourself of your strengths."
New Zealand stand-in skipper Ross Taylor said Dhoni had taken the game away from his side, adding: "Spinners are going to be a big part of the World Cup, and we have got to improve against them."
The stage for the closing-overs onslaught was set by Gautam Gambhir (89) and Virat Kohli (59), who put on 106 for the third wicket after India lost openers Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar for 42 runs.
Record-breaking batsman Tendulkar, who recently missed the last three one-day internationals in South Africa due to a hamstring injury and was rested against Australia, contributed just 17.
His eagerly awaited return lasted 23 balls before he was deceived by a slower one from paceman Tim Southee and bowled.
India suffered another blow when hard-hitting Sehwag (23) was bowled by an Oram delivery that kept low, but Gambhir and Kohli steadied the innings with their sensible knocks.
Gambhir hit 11 fours in his 85-ball stay while Kohli hit seven boundaries in a 68-ball innings.
India open their World Cup campaign against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Saturday, while New Zealand take on Kenya in their first match the following day in Chennai.
Telangana employees boycotted work!
Over two lakh government employees of Telangana region will boycott work from today as part of their non-cooperation movement launched to mount pressure on the State and Central governments to grant separate statehood.
Pro-Telangana parties have asked them not to cooperate with the rest of Andhra Pradesh from today.
"They would go to the office, sign in the register but they would not work. They would absolutely declare non-cooperation. They will not work for this government which is against the interest of the people of Telangana,"said Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) leader, K.T. Rama Rao.
According to sources, the TRS also plans to disrupt the Governor\’s address on the opening day of the Budget Session in the Assembly.
Several protests and shutdowns had brought Andhra Pradesh to a near halt last year as pro-Telangana activists pressed their demand for the separate state.
Maa TV acquired Mahesh Dookudu satellite rights for Highest!
Prince Mahesh Babu’s forthcoming film "Dookudu" shooting schedule has been completed in Gujarat presently. Presently Dookudu shooting is going on in Hyderabad and it will continue till March 3. Most of them know that a “Dookudu” movie satellite right has been sold for a whopping sum of 5.7 crores. Now the latest news is that popular channel Maa TV has bagged this satellite rights.