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Browsing All Posts filed under »Cinema: Telugu«
HIT, with Vishwak Sen and Ruhani Sharma, is on Amazon Prime: A rewind of this classy investigative thriller
In this whodunit, directed by Sailesh Kolanu, the sophistication in filmmaking is matched by a sophisticated worldview. But it needed a better closing stretch. Spoilers ahead… I want a pair of headphones that can replicate the sound from a theatre experience. I know a lot of home-theatre set-ups have speakers that surround you, but […]
Video Essay: “Duality” in K Viswanath’s ‘Swathi Muthyam’
March 26, 2020
This is a video-essay extension of the piece I wrote here: https://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2017/05/04/two-shots-two-songs/ For more, subscribe to FILM COMPANION SOUTH: http://bit.ly/2xoNult Copyright ©2020 Film Companion.
Vijay’s ‘Master’ will fetch him Rs 80 crore, and he deserves it, so what’s the problem?
March 18, 2020
What we have in Kollywood is the complete ascendance of the hero, at the cost of every other stakeholder, from the distributors to even the producer. Spoilers ahead… In 2013, a little before the release of Dhoom 3, I interviewed Aamir Khan for The Hindu. I said that this seemed to be a project that […]
Film Companion South turns 3!
March 1, 2020
With so many psychos in theatres, a look at Fatih Akin’s ‘The Golden Glove’, which premiered at Berlinale 2019
February 6, 2020
Read the full article on Firstpost, here: https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/psycho-aswathama-anjaam-pathiraa-in-the-season-of-serial-killers-revisiting-the-golden-glove-from-berlinale-2019-8006681.html This is the season of serial killers. In Tamil, we have Mysskin’s Psycho, where women are beheaded and their headless corpses – clad only in underwear – are put out on display for the public. In Malayalam, we have Midhun Manuel Thomas’ Anjaam Pathiraa, where cops are […]
Readers Write In #141: Indian historical pieces and why they suck- a rant
February 5, 2020
(by Sudharshan Garg) A Rani of Jhansi jumps almost what seems to be a 100 feet from the rampart of a castle on a horse, the horse must be “Superhorse” as it lands without injury and she rides away, to fight another day. Tanaji Malsure (I refuse to use that numerology derived Tanjhaji) must have […]
200k subscribers
January 29, 2020
200k subscribers for Film Companion South. A big deal for a small team. Thank you SO much. Copyright ©2020 Film Companion.
‘Sarileru Neekevvaru’, ‘Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo’ and the Manmohan Desai brand of madcap masala
January 22, 2020
Read the full article on Film Companion, here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/sarileru-neekevvaru-ala-vaikunthapurramuloo-and-the-manmohan-desai-brand-of-madcap-masala/ If there’s any place the masala film is truly alive and kicking, it must be Telugu cinema. What stands out is the effort that’s gone into writing the outrageous, “illogical” and OTT moments. Spoilers ahead… Sarileru Neekevvaru is a Mahesh Babu vehicle, but of course we […]
Interview: Vijay Deverakonda on his angst over Arjun Reddy criticism
December 6, 2019
For more, subscribe to FILM COMPANION SOUTH: http://bit.ly/2xoNult Copyright ©2019 Film Companion.
Asif Ali is part Ayushmann Khurrana, part Arjun Reddy in ‘Kettiyolaanu Ente Malakha’
December 4, 2019
Read the full article on Film Companion, here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/asif-ali-ayushmann-khurrana-arjun-reddy-kettiyolaanu-ente-malakha-baradwaj-rangan/ This could be a fascinating case study of how “arrogance” on screen (like in ‘Arjun Reddy’) makes it less easy for us to fully embrace a character, while innocence and humility make us sympathise more readily. Spoilers ahead… On the surface, Nissam Basheer’s Kettiyolaanu Ente Malakha […]
Readers Write In #118: Why Kamal is not an actor
November 30, 2019
(by Ramamoorthi N, written on his Facebook page a few years ago) In the small Railway town I grew up, my mother (God bless her soul) would dress in a dotted saree and dark “cooling” glasses whenever she stepped out of home, thus creating the effect of one of the many middle aged heroines the […]
Ilaiyaraaja’s masterclass at the International Film Festival of India
November 27, 2019
Read the full article on Film Companion, here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/ilaiyaraajas-balki-masterclass-at-the-international-film-festival-of-india/ Balki gave Raja a situation and asked for the score to be composed on the spot. It was a privilege to watch the great man at work. The Ilaiyaraaja masterclass took place this Wednesday evening. Balki was moderating it, and I met up with him for […]
Tuning In: Gautham Vasudev Menon on the music in his movies
November 27, 2019
For more, subscribe to FILM COMPANION SOUTH: http://bit.ly/2xoNult Copyright ©2019 Film Companion.
‘Ungal Naan’: In search of the “greatest” Kamal Haasan-Ilaiyaraaja album
November 18, 2019
Read the full article on Film Companion, here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/kamal-haasan-ilaiyaraaja-album-greatest-baradwaj-rangan Given the number of fabulous scores the maestro has crafted for the actor, here’s an attempt to settle on one being above all others. From the first film they worked on (16 Vayathinile, in 1977), the Kamal Haasan-Ilaiyaraaja collaboration is one for the ages. While it […]
FC Recco: ‘Chi La Sow’
November 5, 2019
A weekly series where I recommend a film-based book, a foreign film or an Indian movie. For more, subscribe to FILM COMPANION SOUTH: http://bit.ly/2xoNult Copyright ©2019 Film Companion.
“Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy”… Chiranjeevi is rousing in a weakly written historical drama
October 2, 2019
Even the biggest star needs the gravity of a strong screenplay, and that’s where the film falters, and ultimately fails. Spoilers ahead… You can read the full review on Film Companion, here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/sye-raa-narasimha-reddy-movie-review-chiranjeevi-historical-drama-sudeep-vijay-sethupathi/ In the pantheon of ageing-yet-ageless stars of the south, Chiranjeevi has been missed the most. In Tamil cinema, Rajinikanth still lights up […]
Readers Write In #97: Why I Loved Nani’s Gang Leader
September 24, 2019
(by Aman Basha) “Gang Leader” is arguably one of the massiest flicks that came out in Telugu, more than two decades ago. Its star, Chiranjeevi was the man who brought mass to Tollywood, the ultimate star whose success is yet to be repeated by others who keep making movies, similar to the potboilers he made, […]
Interview: Prabhas
August 28, 2019
For more, subscribe to FILM COMPANION SOUTH: http://bit.ly/2xoNult Copyright ©2019 Film Companion.
Creating a conversation around trans characters in cinema
August 27, 2019
Read the full article on Film Companion, here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/creating-a-conversation-baradwaj-rangan-around-trans-characters-in-cinema/ A look at how ‘Super Deluxe’ depicts a trans character as neither villain nor saint, but as simply flawed and all-too-human. By now, I think it’s safe to say the “gay film” (i.e. films about two men in love or in a relationship) or the “lesbian […]
Interview: Sudheer Varma
August 12, 2019
For more, subscribe to FILM COMPANION SOUTH: http://bit.ly/2xoNult Copyright ©2019 Film Companion.
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