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Drushyam has been one of the most awaited films in the recent past. Remake of a Malayalamsuper hit with the same name, this film has Venkatesh and Meena in lead roles. We have been to a special screening and are bringing you the detailed review much in advance.

Story:-

Ram Babu(Venkatesh) is a honest cable operator in the small village of Rajavaram. He lives with his wife(Meena) and two teenage daughters and leads a happy life with his small but happy family.

One fine day, an uncanny incident featuring his elder daughter strikes his family, and puts them in deep trouble with the cops. Rest of the story is as to how Ram Babu manages to come out of his problems, and saves his family.

Plus Points:-

Firstly, I would like to commend Venkatesh for a doing a mature role like this. Time and again, he has proved that no one can beat him when it comes to family and sentiment films. He plays the character of Ram Babu exceptionally, and justifies it with heartwarming emotions. Venkatesh is especially good in the confrontation scenes with the police, and carries the whole film on his shoulders.

Meena is apt as Venkatesh’s wife, and supports him ably. Major highlight of the film is the way family emotions and the bond showcased between the family members connects with the audience. The girls who did the role of Venkatesh’s daughters were exceptional.

Yet another major plus point of this film is the suspense and thrill that is showcased throughout the film. Right after first fifteen minutes, till the very end, Drushyam holds you on to your seats completely. Once again Nadia does an superb job in the role of a police officer. She has a tailor made role and is ably supported by Naresh.

Minus Points:-

First fifteen minutes of the film looks pretty ordinary, and takes some time for the story to kick off. The so called romance that is showcased between Meena and Venkatesh looks unnecessary and forced.

Those who have seen the Malayalam version, will not enjoy the movie much. Some scenes and locations look similar to the original and could have been changed to suit the nativity.

Technical Aspects:-

Firstly, I would like to mention about the story, which is quite unique for a Telugu film. The way a family subject is interlaced with a thrilling mystery is quite entertaining. Music of the film is quite ok, and so is the background score.

Camerawork is pretty good, and showcases the film in good light. Editing is quite good, and adds a lot of depth to the film. Dialogues are good, and so are the lyrics. Screenplay of the film is quite brilliant, and the way the suspense is revealed is also good. Major credit should go to the director Sri Priya, who handles the subject quite cleverly.

Verdict:-

On the whole, Drishyam is one film which works big time in all departments. Right from the striking performances of Venkatesh and Nadia, to the thrilling suspense elements, Drushyam has everything for everyone. A must watch for the entire family.

123telugu.com Rating – 3.5/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Auto Nagar Surya has been waiting in the wings, for quite a long time to hit the screens. After facing a huge round of financial problems, this Dev Katta action entertainer has Naga Chaitanya and Samantha in lead roles. Let’s now see whether Chaitu gets his hatrick hit or not.

Story:-

At a very young age, Surya(Naga Chaitanya) looses his parents in an train incident, and grows up in the motor field area of Auto Nagar. The entire area is in under the control of a dreaded mayor(Madhu) and his gang comprising of Ajay and Jaya Prakaash Reddy.

Being a talented mechanic, Surya decides to build a vehicle which runs solely on battery and create a huge revolution in the motor field. As soon as he starts working on his project, he finds out that the complete area including the workers union is under the powerful mayor and his goons.

Rest of the story is how Surya, being a common man fights against the system, and becomes the famous Auto Nagar Surya.

Plus Points:-

Auto Nagar Surya, is an out and out Naga Chaitanya film. This Akkineni hero will surprise everyone with his improved acting skills.Those who have questioned Chaitanya’s acting skills, can go watch this performance which is one of his best.

The way Chaitanya goes about his character, and mouths powerful dialogues is very impressive. Naga Chaitanya has amazing screen presence in this film, and carries on a difficult role with ease.

Young actor Nandu, does a superb job as Chaitanya’s friend. He too has a meaty role, and does justice to it completely. The entire premise, and the way the story has been set up in Auto Nagar, will nicely connect with the common audience.

Some confrontation scenes between Naga Chaitanya and the villains, have been executed nicely. First half is gripping with interesting screenplay and performances.

Jay Prakash Reddy, Sai Kumar and a few other supporting actors, play their parts well. One or two scenes featuring Samantha and Naga Chaitanya have been designed well.

Minus Points:-

Auto Nagar Surya has some major drawbacks. Run time of the film is way too long. After the director sets us up for a gripping and interesting second half, the film falls flat on its face.

The second half itself starts with a disappointing Song on Brahmanandam. Not stopping there, yet another item songs comes out of no where and spoils the fun even more.

The way second half of the film is handled is weak. It has too much violence and the film becomes predictable. Climax is weak and has been completed in a hurry.

Samantha had absolutely nothing to do in the film, and was there only as a star attraction. A talented actor like Sai Kumar has been wasted in a simple supporting role.

Technical Aspects:-

I would like to start up with the dialogues of the film first. Dev Katta has done a wonderful job with his lines, and has nicely set them up against the story.

Screenplay of the film is just about OK. As said earlier, after setting up the tempo for an exciting second half, Dev Katta goes the commercial way, and adds unnecessary songs and scenes in the script.

Auto Nagar Surya had ample scenes for heroes elevation, but the director did not make much use of it. When ever you feel that this scene will have much heroism, that scene disappoints you completely.

Camerawork is good, and showcases the film nicely. A special word of mention, needs to go the art direction team which has done a wonderful job in building the rustic Auto Nagar area.

Editing is pretty OK, but could have gone at least without two songs, and some unnecessary scenes.

Verdict :-

On the whole, Auto Nagar Surya is one film which starts off with much promise, but dips down badly during the second half. Naga Chaitanya’s striking performance is a plus, but lack of basic entertainment, and a hurried up climax spoil the fun to an extent. Finally, Naga Chaitanya can be extremely proud of this film, as he is the only best thing in this average entertainer.

In Thiru’s Indrudu, the Telugu dubbed version of Tamil film Naan sigappu Manithan, neither do you have a hero to cheer for nor a typical villain. You don’t have a comedian and comedy tracks to keep you entertained. You have a second heroine but she doesn’t play the hero’s love interest. Yet what makes this commercial Telugu outing a laudable effort?

Indrudu stands testimonial to the fact that a simple story that has been milked dry over the years can still be narrated in myriad engaging ways. One such way is what we see in this film, which is not an exceptional thriller, but definitely has the potential to keep you hooked.

 What is it about: Vishal suffering from Narcolepsy, a sleep disorder that forces him to fall asleep whenever he experiences extreme emotion since birth, has to hunt down those responsible for an irreparable incident in his life.

What’s good: Most Indian films with rare medical issues in the narrative lack logical explanation. Indrudu doesn’t fall in that league of films and instead scores an ace for treating narcolepsy the way it is supposed to be portrayed on screen. For instance, songs are introduced from time to time in the narrative for commercial reasons, but the hero who happens to be happily dancing does fall asleep when he experiences extreme happiness. In another song, he merely walks in stylish designer outfits.By taking care of these trivial details, the makers have earned some respect from the audience.

The narcolepsy angle has been used very effectively from the story’s perspective. We are told that only water (in the shower or rain) keeps our hero from falling asleep and when we see how water becomes a very important aspect of the story, you smile in amazement. Of course, we don’t know if water does really keep narcolepsy patients from falling asleep, but we just have to accept that because in the film it does help the hero. It’s debatable but I wouldn’t argue because it makes sense the way it has been used in the film. Vishal portrays the pain of his character and expresses the required body language to perfection, while his co-star, Lakshmi Menon, shines in her brief role. She’s turning out to get better with each film and that’s a good sign for a lasting career.

Composer GV Prakash’s background score is reminiscent of tunes from films such as Man of Steeland Rush. Richard’s cinematography is impressive especially in scenes where we see the use of hand-held camera.

What’s bad: The twist in the second half hits you like a ton of bricks. You may or may not take it in the right spirit especially if you’re one among the highly emotional Indian citizens. Women and family audiences may find it hard to digest. The openness with which the makers present the second half to us raises several questions.Although Vishal has done a splendid job in Indrudu. This is the third time in a row he has essayed a revenge-seeking character. It’s time for him to play different characters before audiences start discarding his films. The songs in the film merely act as a speed breaker in the narrative, extending an already lengthier film by few more minutes.

What to do: Keeping the loopholes aside, watch Indrudu for a unique story line and brilliant performances.