Ivan Veera Mathiri review by NowRunning!

Usually, the rise of a common man against evil always results in violence and the immediate formation of an overnight leader. But our common man, played by Vikram Prabhu, is well read, comes from a decent middle class family, is currently job hunting and prefers to use brains over brawn when he has to handle a situation.

This common man is aware of the repercussions he might have to face for his actions and therefore always operates alone and in disguise. This is the story of an intelligent common man, someone you seldom see in society but are aware of his existence.

Ivan Veramathiri Pictures   27 Pictures

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A barbaric act in a law college provoked by a local minister makes headlines which catch the attention of our hero, Guna, who at first hardly pays any attention and instead laughs at the comments posted on the video from the incident on his friend's Facebook wall.

Guna is constantly reminded of the incident over the next few days, forcing him to do the unthinkable, and results in the inevitable. He kidnaps the local minister's brother, Eeswaran, who has come out on parole and instigates the opposition party to accuse the minister of hiding his own brother. Following the disappearance of his brother, the minister is forced to resign and is arrested.

Having succeeded in putting the minister behind bars, Guna lets go of Eeswaran who sets out to seek revenge.

We have seen several stories of the common man turning into a hero and a leader in Tamil cinema, but this film, although confining itself to commercialism, tries something different. "Ivan Vera Mathiri" literally translates into "He is Different", and the film indeed is different. Sadly however, not to a great degree. As initially pointed out, it's intelligent but also has instances that make it look dumb.

The entire episode of Guna taking Eeswaran captive is intelligently executed, is engaging and makes you almost empathise with the latter's predicament. It's another story of good versus evil that's spared the cliched treatment but somewhere towards the end it gets sabotaged by a disturbing climax, especially scenes featuring Surabhi being kicked in the face and gut.

I wish the climax wasn't handled so recklessly.

Director Sarvanan uses some key characters aptly to push our protagonist to rise to the occasion following the incident in the opening scene. But what I fail to understand is how can just another average common man turn out to be a good fighter who could pull off some extremely dangerous stunt sequences with ease.

Here, the film's stunt choreographer Raja Sekhar deserves a special mention. The stunt atop an incomplete building definitely stands out and some road chasesequences also draw equal attention. The fights draw more attention than the music and acting put together while the cinematography at some junctures is good.

I don't know if Vikram Prabhu was forced to use the same expression from start to finish but his acting didn't quite convince. It's alright if it was done deliberately but if not, then I suggest he start working on his expressions because he hardly displays any variations in his performance. Vamsi Krishna as the baddie is aggressive and acts well while debutant Surabhi can be impressive with some guidance.

Ganesh's cameo is powerful but he has more talking than action in the role of a cop. I still don't understand why cops always have to yap about being good citizens? It's so cliched and yet our filmmakers fancy that idea.

"Ivan Vera Mathiri" is a fairly different tale of a common man.

Rating:***
http://www.nowrunning.com/movie/12699/tamil/ivan-veramathiri/4499/review.htm

Drishyam Review From NowRunning!

With 'Drishyam', Jeethu Joseph emerges as a proficient film maker who skillfully blends words with visuals to craft a chillingly thrilling portrait of a man's struggle to prevent his much adored family from falling apart. Jeethu attempts a stunning mix of the real with the imaginary, and the result is an unpredictable cinematic artichoke that takes you by surprise at every turn. 

Georgekutty (Mohanlal) runs a cable TV business in a sleepy village called Rajakkad, that lies a few miles away from Thodupuzha. His dreams are minimal, and he is all content with the blissful family that he has been blessed with. His wife Rani (Meena) and his daughters Anju (Ansiba) and Anu (Esther), make fun of his tight fisted ways, and Georgekutty often willingly relents to their modest demands. When Varun (Roshan) walks in abruptly into their lives, the four of them and their togetherness are put to extreme test, in terrifying ways they have experienced never before.

Drishyam Pictures   93 Pictures

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Jeethu Joseph lets the tale stay on a steady, slow simmer, before raising the flame and letting it on to a high boil. For one, the core thought is terrific, and there is something riveting about the purposeful recreation of a life scene. Questions as to how much believable things that we see and hear around us are, arise, and all on a sudden they seem as incredible as the scenes that you watch on screen. 

The psychological cat-and-mouse game that ensues between Georgekutty and the lady IPS officer Geetha Prabhakaran (Asha Sarath) has several moments that thriller buffs will dig into with delight. What is appreciable however is the adversary's acceptance of defeat, and the eventual respect that the two develop for each other.

The film's single most resonant image of a terrified Anu in the interrogation room, her eyes all aghast at the sheer horror that she is witness to, will remain with us for long. A few scenes later, as she rushes into Georgekutty's open arms, she asks if she had let them down. Hugging her close to his chest, Georgekutty assures the child that she never did.

There are these jolts that are delivered now and then, and in no time you realize that the movie has stealthily slipped under your skin. Ah, and then the final scene sashays in, and it's a whopper without doubt; perhaps the very best climax that I have seen this year!

'Dirshyam' could very well boast of Mohanlal's best performance in recent times, and the actor seems to be at remarkable ease playing the affable man, who would stop at nothing until he sees that his family is safe. Meena is back, and how, and she delivers a bravura performance, along with the two young girls Ansiba and Esther who are sheer bundles of talent. A very special word of appreciation is due to Kalabhavan Shajon as well, who breaks away from the conventional comic mould that we had got used to seeing him in. 

Sujith Vasudev makes sure that the visuals are indeed deceiving and the camera moves in, out and around stuffy rooms, liberally hurling revelations at us, one after the other. The musical score by Anil Johnson and Vinu Thomas have a refreshingly delightful tenor to them that deserve an applause for certain. 

'Drishyam' is a stellar spectacle that prompts an animated watch, without even as much as a blinking of an eye. I wouldn't be surprised if you eat away your nails while watching this highly unsettling and yet gripping film, that is a celebration of the power of exceptional storytelling.

Rating:***
http://www.nowrunning.com/movie/13828/malayalam/drishyam/4502/review.htm

Dhoom 3 Review from Ibn Live!

Dhoom 3 is a sloppily scripted sandwich of hammy acting and cheesy dialogue. Which wouldn't have mattered if it was at least as much fun as the previous two films, because this franchise has never promised much more than cool men on fast bikes, and hot women in short skirts. But the new movie lacks the required adrenaline rush of a Fast and Furious-type thriller, instead falling prey to the kind of melodrama and over-plotting that doesn't belong here.

Aside from some cool moments like Aamir's getaway on a Chicago waterfront or the climax staged on a dam, Dhoom 3 doesn't offer very much.

Saahir (Aamir Khan) is a talented magician who runs an Indian circus in Chicago, also using his unique skills to routinely rob a bank that he holds responsible for his father's suicide many years ago. He must stay out of the reach of surly cop Jai Dikshit (Abhishek Bachchan) and his motor-mouth sidekick Ali (Uday Chopra), who have been dispatched to the Windy City to crack the case.
Aside from some genuinely cool moments like Aamir's getaway on a Chicago waterfront or the climax staged on a dam, Dhoom 3 doesn't offer very much by way of novelty or inventiveness. What's more, the film's middle half gets weighed down by Saahir's dreary revenge agenda which gets derailed once a woman enters the fray. Aliya (Katrina) is part of Saahir's circus act, contorting her body into Cirque Du Soliel kind of rope gymnastics. But all this mid-air flexing barely drums up excitement. The film is missing the thrills that went hand-in-hand with the outrageous heists, screeching tires, and bad guy attitude associated with Dhoom. It's hard to go into any more detail about the plot without giving away the film's big twist, which reveals itself right before interval.
Unlike John Abraham and Hrithik Roshan in the previous films, Aamir doesn't quite make for a particularly sexy villain, and his character, with its inevitable plot twists, is overwritten and overplayed. Twitches, frowning, stammering are all used as crutches, while the camera lingers unwaveringly on his pecs, abs and bare back. Abhishek Bachchan spends most of the film glowering angrily, while Katrina seems to show up strictly for the song sequences. Uday Chopra is back in tapori mode as Ali, but to give him credit, he gives the character shape.
Ultimately, the film is let down by a convenient script and its inability to deliver solid entertainment. I'm going with a generous two-and-a-half out of five for writer-director Vijay Krishna Acharya's Dhoom 3. All you expect from the Dhoom movies is a thrill ride, but this one makes you feel like you're stranded in rush hour traffic

Rating:**1/2
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/dhoom-3-review-the-film-is-a-sloppily-scripted-sandwich-of-hammy-acting/440755-47-77.html 

Dhoom 3 Review by India Today!

Welcome to the flying world of YRF's Dhoom 3. I say so because here a motorbike can fly efficiently and if the need arises then it can also become a speed boat and if you push it further it can also function underwater. Well it's not just cool bikes even an auto rickshaw can fly here!

Vijay Krishna Acharya's Dhoom 3 is another visual treat where you get to see a fancy foreign city, cool bikes, police cars and good stunts but that's about it. The Dhoom series theme music when clubbed with the action stunts in the latest installment provides some entertainment because what you end up watching is not all that bad. But if you are looking for any logic, you are watching the wrong film.

Sahir (Aamir Khan) loses his father because a Chicago bank doesn't allow him to continue his circus and asks him to shut shop. Since then his mission is to shut the bank down, he wouldn't settle for anything lesser! A talented circus boy grows up and continues to run the circus and rob the same bank living in the same city, but of course he is never caught because he is no less than a magician. Robberies are well planned and executed by him. In the United States no security agency has managed to catch him and no camera has captured his face while he is on the move. Post the robbery he returns to the circus as if nothing ever happened.

Since he leaves a message in Hindi each time he robs a bank the management calls for some help from India. ACP Jai Dixit (Abhishek Bachchan) and Ali Akbar (Uday Chopra) take charge of the case in Chicago and the local police take a back seat. As one would only guess, each time Sahir is one step ahead but what's surprising is how useless the entire security system is made to look. When Sahir hears of Jai's arrival, he immediately plans to meet him and take him into confidence which will help him understand his game-plan. Although what's questionable here is the very fact that why would a cop who is just handed over an important case come to trust an unknown person in an unknown country. It is far from my understanding at least.

As always you can make out Aamir Khan has worked hard for this particular role and it shows in many parts but it doesn't match to what Hrithik Roshan did in Dhoom 2. Neither does Aamir pull off the action very well nor the dance steps. Katrina Kaif plays Aaliya, Sahir's love interest; she has a very short role in the film. She puts a great show together in her opening scene and then she has very little to do. Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra's famous chemistry from the previous films does show in some portions. Music by Pritam and Julius Packiam is below average.

Dhoom 3 is full of loop holes, over-the-top acting and an overdose of action that doesn't fit well all the time. The timing is right so the film will run to packed houses but it's surely not a film that I would recommend as your last outing for 2013!

Rating:**
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/dhoom-3-movie-review-aamir-khan-katrina-kaif-abhishek-bachchan-uday-chopra/1/332052.html

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/dhoom-3-movie-review-aamir-khan-katrina-kaif-abhishek-bachchan-uday-chopra/1/332052.html

Drishyam Review by Rediff!

Mohanlal steals the show in Drishyam says Paresh C Palicha Mohanlal was endearing in roles where he played the common man. But, as his stature grew, we saw less of the kind of roles that had brought him stardom.

As a big star, he played those ‘larger than life’ roles that had the fans clapping and whistling at the superhuman feats of their idol.

The subtlety that was the hallmark of his earlier films became increasingly rare and the sly sense of humour gave way to a louder variety.

In his new film Drishyam, director Jeethu Joseph focuses on the endearing persona of the actor by casting him as Georgekutty, an orphan who had dropped out of school after the fourth grade.

He has come up in life by tilling his land. Now he is businessman running a cable TV service in a rural area. He is married to Rani (Meena) and they have two beautiful daughters.

Georgekutty is stingy and does not like to spend money on anything beyond the basic necessities. His only interest in life apart from his family is watching films. He spends most of his time in front of the TV in his small office.

He is so obsessed with movies that he takes every major decision in life by subconsciously taking an example from some film he has seen.

These details are revealed in a humorous manner in the first half of the film. There’s an obvious twist just before the interval. Georgekutty’s teenaged daughter gets photographed in the bathroom at a nature camp by a hidden cell phone.

The culprit Varun (Roshan Basheer) is the son of an inspector general of police, Geetha Prabhakar (Asha Sarath). Varun is accidentally killed by Rani and her daughter when he comes to blackmail them. It is up to Georgekutty to protect his family from the long arm of the law.

Jeethu Joseph makes this into an ‘edge of the seat’ thriller in the second half by making Georgekutty stay two steps ahead of the investigators.

Georgekutty prepares his family to face the torturous interrogations. He also makes sure that his family does not psychologically break up in the face of coercive police tactics.

Mohanlal is spellbinding in this film. That is too simple a statement to describe the magic he has created on screen.

He plays a semi-literate man who is nevertheless intelligent. He is conversant in many languages, a skill that he acquired watching all those films on TV.

He was mischievous as a teenager, and when he flirts with his wife, but is incredibly mature when dealing with dire circumstances.

Meena as his wife Rani is a middle-class woman who aspires for a better lifestyle and social standing. She holds her own opposite Mohanlal and is one of the highlights of the film.

Kalabhavan Shajon who usually plays the comic sidekick of the hero, has made a successful transition to a villain in this project. He plays a corrupt police constable who has some animosity against Georgekutty. Drishyam can be credited for bringing Mohanlal back to form and pushing director Jeethu Joseph into the big league as he has made a cracker of a thriller.

Rating:***1/2
http://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-drishyam-is-mohanlals-film/20131220.htm

Biriyani Review From Rediff!

Director Venkat Prabhu, who is known for offbeat entertainers like Chennai 28, Saroja and the mega hit Mankatha, is back with a dark comedy called Biriyani. The film stars Karthi, Hansika and Premgi Amaren, along with a host of supporting actors.

Produced by Gnanavelraja's Studio Green, the film has all the ingredients of a Venkat Prabhu film. The sheer number of characters in an offbeat story with its unpredictable twists, liberally laced with humour and flavoured with great music makes Biriyani a well-packaged treat for the viewers.

Karthi, who seems to have had a style makeover with his trendy clothes, new hairstyle and coloured eye lens, plays the role of a casanova, Sugan. Despite having a gorgeous girlfriend, a media reporter, Priyanka (Hansika), Sugan flirts with all the pretty women he meets and they too, are besotted by him.

Premgi Amaren is his usual quirky self as Parasu, Sugan’s childhood friend and sidekick. Both travel to Ambur, for the inaugural of their Company’s new showroom.

The chief guest at the inaugural ceremony is a business tycoon, Varatharajan (Nassar), who is also suspected of several shady dealings and is currently being investigated by the CBI. On the return journey, Sugan insists that they stop at a roadside eatery for biryani, his weakness.

It is here that they meet the sensuous Maya (Mandy Takhar), who insists that they join her in her hotel room. Unable to resist the temptation, Sugan and Parasu accompany her and after several glasses of alcohol, they are totally disoriented and before they know it, it is morning and they are being hunted by the police for the murder of Varatharajan.

What actually happened in the hotel room and how Sugan and Parasu get out of this mess, forms the rest of the story.

The number of characters in the film is sure to make your head spin. Besides Premgi, there are several other regulars of a Venkat Prabhu film, who either play a supporting role or make a cameo appearance. Sampath Raj plays Riyaz Ahmad, a CBI officer; Jayaprakash is the Commissioner of Police, Nithin Sathya and Sam Anderson play Sugan’s friends, Uma Riyaz Khan, Subbu Panchu and Ramki play important roles. Hansika is forgettable while Uma Riyaz Khan gives an excellent performance.

Venkat Prabhu also continues his association with cousin Yuvan Shankar Raja, and incidentally this is Yuvan’s 100th album as a music director. He has made Biriyani special by adding some interesting touches, there are a couple of remixes, a rap song by Gaana Bala, but the highlight is the motivational song Edhirthu Nil sung by popular contemporary music directors, D Imman, G V Prakash, S Thaman and Vijay Antony.

On the downside, the film has a slow first half, and too many flashback scenes. Premgi is also getting repetitive and boring.

Though the film takes its own sweet time to get a move on, once it gathers momentum, there is no stopping till the end, where there is an exciting climax, as well as an anticlimax, in typical Venkat Prabhu style.

Rating:**1/2
http://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-this-biriyani-is-well-made/20131220.htm