The Common Man Speaks

Archives for October 2010

Rakht Charitra (Part 1) Review

October 25, 2010 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment


Bloody Affair!

Ratings – * * * ½

A man is murdered in the most gruesome of manners right in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue. This first scene from Ram Gopal Varma’s Rakht Charitra (Part 1) makes it clear as to what to expect in the biopic on the late Andhra Pradesh leader Paritala Ravi. In fact, as the film progresses one will have no doubt that this is the most violent film ever made in the history of Indian cinema.

In spite of that, Varma’s biopic is a powerful and hard hitting saga of revenge and power which, if you are able to excuse the violence, is also highly enjoyable because of the style of narration and top notch performances right from the lead actor to the support cast to the extras.

Pratap Ravi (Vivek Oberoi) returns to his village in Andhra Pradesh after his father (Rajendra Gupta) and brother (Sushant Singh) are killed by their own political party member after a conspiracy by the left hand of a party leader Nagamani Reddy (Srinivasa Rao Kota). Hence, a soft-hearted and non-violent person like Pratap is forced into the gruesome world of revenge.

From here on, it was no turning back for Pratap as he becomes the most feared person in the state by everyone but Reddy’s son Bhukka (Abhimanyu Singh), a devilish creature who is hell bent in settling scores with Pratap. During this time, Pratap gets an offer to enter politics from a filmstar turned political leader N T Rama Rao (Shatrughan Sinha).

Rakht Charitra is easily Varma’s better made films till date. He executes some out-of-the-box scenes, makes his actors deliver brilliant performances and most importantly makes sure that the focus and thrill doesn’t diminish even for a second.

Varma is highly blessed with a watertight screenplay, which not only keeps the audience hooked to the screen but also narrates the tale while giving enough importance to the numerous characters. In addition, some powerful and impactful dialogues and unusual camera angles (so typical of RGV) create further impact. However, the background score deserves special mention which creatively gels with different types of scenes making the viewing more interesting.

Contrary to the subject, the film is rich in terms of music as well. Songs Khaul Khaul Ke and Sar Jo Uthega (both title songs) suit the mood of the film perfectly because of the lyrics and the powerful sound. The songs definitely have a repeat value.

The only drawback is the overuse or abuse of violence which could have been limited. People are killed in a manner never seen before on the Indian screen. In fact, some scenes (in the first half) might well twitch your belly muscles. This will clearly limit the film’s reach to a wider audience.

With Rakht Charitra, Vivek Oberoi proves he is one of the most talented young actors around. His portrayal of the central character forces one to applaud a magnificent effort that will surely increase his fan following. Easily one his best performances (if not the best).

If Vivek delights, Abhimanyu Singh shocks with a stellar act. In my personal opinion, I have never loved to hate a bad guy this much before. It is just unbelievable how a human can play a monster so effectively. As stated earlier, the rest of the supporting cast (Sushant Singh, Shatrughan Sinha, Srinivasa Rao Kota, Zarina Wahab, Ashwini Kalsekar, Radhika Apte, etc) aren’t behind either.

Despite a large number of plus points, the film will have a limited success at the box-office because of the subject and the overuse of violence. However, the way the film ends, it surely builds up excitement for its next part.

19.02626572.838052

Filed Under: Bollywood Tagged With: Rakta Charitra Abhimanyu Singh, Rakta Charitra box office collection, Rakta Charitra climax, Rakta Charitra Hindi review, Rakta Charitra Part 2 release date, Rakta Charitra review, Rakta Charitra story, Rakta Charitra Vivek Oberoi, Ram Gopal Varma Rakta Charitra

Aakrosh Movie Review

October 15, 2010 by Keyur Seta 1 Comment


Hard Hitting Tit-For-Tat Saga

Ratings – * * * 1/2

Director Priyadarshan is considered a specialist in rib-tickling comedies or light entertainers as the filmmaker has churned out a large number of such genre of movies successfully in the past decade viz; Hera Pheri, Hungama, Garam Masala, Malamaal Weekly, Chup Chup Ke, Bhagam Bhaag and De Dana Dan to name a few.

However, he opens an altogether new chapter with Aakrosh. Although the director has provided some hard-hitting sagas in the past both in Bollywood, but this is the first time he has tried his hand in serious issue-based drama and has made an action thriller out of it. So does he succeed in the new venture? The answer (according to me) is positive as the film succeeds in generating thrill, throwing light on the issue of caste differences and caste politics and in giving a message of equality.

The intenseness develops right from the start when three Delhi University students go missing in the village of Jhanjhar. An ex-army officer Pratap Kumar (Ajay Devgan) and CBI officer Siddhant Chaturvedi (Akshaye Khanna) are handed over the task to investigate the case of the missing students after it becomes a national issue. Soon, Pratap and Siddhant realize their helplessness in a lawless land governed by the hooligan inspector Ajatshatru Singh, his comrades and local politicians. How Pratap and Siddhant, both diagonally different from each other, handle the investigation amidst a hopeless situation forms the rest of the story.

The biggest plus point for Aakrosh is Robin Bhatt’s screenplay, which keeps the audience glued to the screen throughout. The action sequences add thrill and gel well with the goings. Even Bipasha Basu and Ajay’s love story fits well without disturbing the continuity or dislodging the hard-hitting nature of the film. Overall, it’s the screenplay and the dialogues (Aditya Dhar) that make Aakrosh what it is.

Despite a number of plus-points, the film appears dry (especially to the entertainment hungry audience) in some portions. Some heroic deeds in between and some more punch dialogues by the two male leads would have added more mazaa for the audience.

The subject of the movie makes Pritam’s music go unnoticed. Sameera Reddy’s item number Tere Ishak Se Meetha is noticeable but because of the situation.

Ajay Devgan once again proves why he is a master in portraying serious and intense roles. It’s a pleasure to keep your eyes on him whenever he appears although he doesn’t mouth too many dialogues and speaks more via expressions and eyes. A real treat for Ajay’s fans. Akshaye Khanna was required to underplay his character and he does that exceedingly well. Although he plays second fiddle to Ajay, he shows his class in a number of sequences.

After playing a comic guy in a number of Priyadarshan’s flicks, Paresh Rawal this time plays a hardcore, ruthless and corrupt police officer and does that with utmost perfection. One just loves to hate him in this role where he also keeps his comic avatar intact. Bipasha Basu and Reema Sen also do well in supporting roles. Amita Pathak acts well in a cameo.

This hard-hitting saga by Priyadarshan surely deserves a watch. However, the film’s box-office collections do not look healthy as is the case with almost all serious films these days (when will the audience come out of the hangover of mindless comedies and romantic films?). Hence, this well made effort relies on word-of-mouth to succeed at the box-office, which looks unlikely looking at the box-office records of films released in last year or two.

19.02626572.838052

Filed Under: Bollywood Tagged With: Aakrosh 2010, Aakrosh Ajay Devgan, Aakrosh Akshay Khanna, Aakrosh box office, Aakrosh box office collections, Aakrosh climax, Aakrosh film review, Aakrosh movie, Aakrosh movie 2010, Aakrosh movie review, Aakrosh movie story, Aakrosh Priyadarshan, Aakrosh ratings, Aakrosh review, Aakrosh story

Like Us on Facebook

Pages

  • About Me

Categories

  • Bollywood
  • Cricket
  • Documentaries
  • Environment
  • Events
  • Food
  • Forgotten Moments
  • Gujarati Cinema
  • Health
  • Hollywood
  • Humour
  • International Cinema
  • Literature
  • Marathi movies
  • Miscellaneous
  • Mumbai
  • Music
  • National
  • Personal experience
  • Pictures
  • Plays
  • Poem/ Shayaris
  • Regional cinema
  • Rumour Alert
  • Short Films
  • Socio/Political
  • Spiritual
  • Travel
  • TV
  • Uncategorized
  • Web Series
  • Young Achievers

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 46 other subscribers

Archives

  • June 2025 (5)
  • May 2025 (4)
  • April 2025 (7)
  • March 2025 (5)
  • February 2025 (1)
  • January 2025 (4)
  • December 2024 (2)
  • November 2024 (3)
  • October 2024 (2)
  • September 2024 (4)
  • August 2024 (2)
  • July 2024 (3)
  • June 2024 (4)
  • May 2024 (1)
  • April 2024 (2)
  • March 2024 (2)
  • February 2024 (4)
  • January 2024 (4)
  • December 2023 (2)
  • November 2023 (3)
  • October 2023 (3)
  • September 2023 (4)
  • August 2023 (3)
  • July 2023 (2)
  • June 2023 (2)
  • May 2023 (4)
  • April 2023 (4)
  • March 2023 (2)
  • February 2023 (1)
  • January 2023 (3)
  • December 2022 (2)
  • November 2022 (6)
  • October 2022 (7)
  • September 2022 (2)
  • August 2022 (2)
  • July 2022 (2)
  • June 2022 (4)
  • May 2022 (4)
  • April 2022 (4)
  • March 2022 (4)
  • February 2022 (3)
  • January 2022 (3)
  • December 2021 (3)
  • November 2021 (2)
  • October 2021 (3)
  • September 2021 (4)
  • August 2021 (3)
  • July 2021 (5)
  • June 2021 (2)
  • May 2021 (5)
  • April 2021 (3)
  • March 2021 (4)
  • February 2021 (4)
  • January 2021 (4)
  • December 2020 (6)
  • November 2020 (4)
  • October 2020 (6)
  • September 2020 (4)
  • August 2020 (6)
  • July 2020 (3)
  • June 2020 (2)
  • May 2020 (3)
  • April 2020 (4)
  • March 2020 (3)
  • February 2020 (3)
  • January 2020 (2)
  • December 2019 (3)
  • November 2019 (4)
  • October 2019 (3)
  • September 2019 (2)
  • August 2019 (4)
  • July 2019 (6)
  • June 2019 (6)
  • May 2019 (4)
  • April 2019 (1)
  • March 2019 (2)
  • February 2019 (5)
  • January 2019 (5)
  • December 2018 (6)
  • November 2018 (4)
  • October 2018 (4)
  • September 2018 (3)
  • August 2018 (3)
  • July 2018 (2)
  • June 2018 (4)
  • May 2018 (2)
  • April 2018 (2)
  • March 2018 (2)
  • February 2018 (3)
  • January 2018 (3)
  • December 2017 (3)
  • November 2017 (3)
  • October 2017 (3)
  • September 2017 (3)
  • August 2017 (1)
  • July 2017 (4)
  • June 2017 (2)
  • May 2017 (3)
  • April 2017 (2)
  • March 2017 (3)
  • February 2017 (3)
  • January 2017 (4)
  • December 2016 (4)
  • November 2016 (3)
  • October 2016 (4)
  • September 2016 (2)
  • August 2016 (5)
  • July 2016 (4)
  • June 2016 (2)
  • May 2016 (4)
  • April 2016 (4)
  • March 2016 (4)
  • February 2016 (4)
  • January 2016 (5)
  • December 2015 (6)
  • November 2015 (4)
  • October 2015 (4)
  • September 2015 (8)
  • August 2015 (6)
  • July 2015 (5)
  • June 2015 (5)
  • May 2015 (10)
  • April 2015 (7)
  • March 2015 (4)
  • February 2015 (9)
  • January 2015 (11)
  • December 2014 (9)
  • November 2014 (10)
  • October 2014 (11)
  • September 2014 (9)
  • August 2014 (7)
  • July 2014 (7)
  • June 2014 (2)
  • May 2014 (4)
  • April 2014 (5)
  • March 2014 (1)
  • February 2014 (2)
  • January 2014 (4)
  • December 2013 (6)
  • November 2013 (8)
  • October 2013 (4)
  • September 2013 (2)
  • August 2013 (5)
  • July 2013 (2)
  • June 2013 (2)
  • May 2013 (7)
  • April 2013 (8)
  • March 2013 (11)
  • February 2013 (10)
  • January 2013 (14)
  • December 2012 (11)
  • November 2012 (6)
  • October 2012 (12)
  • September 2012 (15)
  • August 2012 (18)
  • July 2012 (14)
  • June 2012 (15)
  • May 2012 (7)
  • April 2012 (12)
  • March 2012 (15)
  • February 2012 (12)
  • January 2012 (17)
  • December 2011 (13)
  • November 2011 (12)
  • October 2011 (7)
  • September 2011 (4)
  • August 2011 (14)
  • July 2011 (6)
  • June 2011 (5)
  • May 2011 (5)
  • April 2011 (11)
  • March 2011 (4)
  • February 2011 (3)
  • January 2011 (6)
  • December 2010 (3)
  • November 2010 (2)
  • October 2010 (2)
  • September 2010 (1)
  • August 2010 (2)
  • July 2010 (3)
  • June 2010 (3)
  • May 2010 (1)
  • April 2010 (1)
  • March 2010 (3)
  • February 2010 (4)
  • January 2010 (3)
  • December 2009 (3)
  • November 2009 (4)
  • October 2009 (2)
  • September 2009 (2)
  • August 2009 (6)
  • July 2009 (3)

Copyright © 2025 · eleven40 Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in