Katha Movie Review. Rating : 4/10

Film: Katha
Rating: 4/10
Banner: Just Yellow Media pvt ltd

Cast: Arun Adit, Genelia, Prakashraj, Shafi, Raghubabu, Tulasi, Jayalalitha, Ravikiran Babu, Praneeth, Srilatha, C M Kalyan and others

Dialogues: Gunnam Gangaraju

Lyrics: Anantha Sriram

Music: S K Balachandran

Cinematography: I Andrew

Editing: Marthand K Venkatesh

Story, Screenplay, Director: Srinivas Raaga

Producer: Gunnam Gangaraju

Release date: Dec 12 2009

Slated to be a romantic thriller and that too with the bubbly beauty Genelia in the lead, the film ‘Katha’ was meant to be an interesting treat. Whether it is really interesting or not, let us go into details. 

Essense:

Chitra (Genelia) is a school teacher who comes to Araku to teach school students. Krishna (arun) is an aspiring director who comes along with his team to make a movie at the same place. Soon, their paths meet and Krishna falls for her. However, there is a flashback for Chitra that is revealed later and to add to it, Chitra says she has witnessed a murder as well. Was it really true or a hallucination? What is the real ‘Katha’? All this forms the essence. 

Artistes:

The bubbly beauty Genelia has given her best efforts to do justice to the film but then her role was not given that depth and portrayed correctly. However, her chirpy looks and cute smiles make up for the score.

Arun Adit has shown confidence in front of the screen but then he is raw. There are a few things he has to work on like his expressions, posture, body language etc if he is looking at making a career in film industry. 

Prakashraj has given another decent performance, though he plays a crucial role and a brief one, he made his presence felt whenever required. No complaints on that one. 

The entire film revolves pretty much around Genelia so it must be said that the stand out act has been that of Raghu Babu who spreads good laughter with his witty dialogues and expressions. Shafi was not used to the fullest, Tulasi was standard and so was Jayalalitha, Ravikiran Babu was alright, C M Kalyan was usual, they were regular and contributed as required. 

Sign-Out Lines:

The film came out with an interesting concept but then it was caught between two genres – romance and thriller. That led to a lot of confusion and it must be said that there is a major flaw in the direction. The storyline was appealing but the narrative was very weak, presentation was good in many places. Dialogues were mild, the script lacked the spine, screenplay was erratic. Another flaw in the film is the background score which was overenthusiastic in every scene. To create an impact in a thriller, silence at the right time works best and the music director is busy giving a sentimental tune which is a major turn off. Editing was not crisp. Songs were not good either barring one which was a bit melodious. Cinematography was professional and the locations were good in few scenes.

The film runs on a very slow pace and given the lack of depth in the plot, it is quite boring. While the first half revolves around the lighter elements, the second half tries to get serious and there are one or two scenes where the audience interest is engaged. But soon, it loses its grip and gets back to a monotonous tune. The lack of comedy is another drawback and despite the presence of highly talented stars like Prakashraj, Genelia, Shafi, the director could not pull a good one. There is nothing for the mass audience, family audience might come for Genelia but lose interest in no time, and youth don’t have much to talk about it either. The film is mostly ending up as a dud at the box office.

Saleem Movie Review. Rating : 3/10

Coming from a front-line director, a successful production house and the combination of Vishnu-Illeana, with music by Bollywood brain Sandeep Chowtha, Saleem has been triggering the expectations of the audience since months.  Added to it, the boasting of of its high cost, which the producer pegged at Rs. 23 cr., certainly made the audience expect a fascinating technical stuff from the potboiler.  Bummer!  Yes, Saleem is a sour disappointment.

Watching the film, you will find it to be a fake exercise in doling out entertainment.  Thus, the name Saleem Faku, christened after the famous Radio Mirchi caricature, who speaks nonsense.  An able director like YVS Chowdhary, who bounced back with the youthful film Devadasu, has no sense of direction here.  The script does not know what it is up to.  Scenes are botched up rather sadly.  All the filmmaker wishes here is to make a masala entertainer, with generous skin show, tacky action, unappetising songs and mindless comedy.

What is the film all about?  Well, it is the story about how a brainless girl (Satyavathi played by Illeana) transforms from being a votary of Western culture (of the European variety to be specific) to a lover of the Bharatiya culture and its family system. (Making one, at the risk of being mocked at for trying to figure out a theme).  All it takes is just two or three scenes, spanning across the length of the film, for the heroine to convert.  So, what is all the rest of the film about?  You have the outrageously silly Satyavathi asking for three kisses from Munna (Saleem in incognito, played by Vishnu), wherever it is possible and even in a temple, Appala Nayadu (Mukesh Rishi, whose existence doesn't have a logic) baying for the blood of Napolean and his family, OJo (go and find out what it stands for, but Mohan Babu is playing it) who swoons in the presence of Kaveri Jha and goes on an indefinite fast-unto-death waiting for her for two days and runs a dreaded mafia in free time, and much more.  Desperately trying to make us laugh is Dance Master Ali (concept lekunda kalu kadapadu), who enters Napolean's household to teach dance, but who also fails, making us wonder why the respected head of the family would allow a skimpily-clothed sidekick to run amok in a chaste environment.

Coming to the plot, there enters one Munna into Illeana's household wanting to make her fall in love.  He tricks the family into believing that he is a purushottama and settles down as the important member.  While running his game plan, Munna (yes, he is an orphan) is converted by the affection showered by the family on their girl Satyavathi.  Keeping with the good tradition of the Telugu hero, he does not want to cause a stir in the family and break the idyll in the great Napolean household.  So, he tells Illeana that he can "close the windows" (pucca translation with due respect to the dialogue writer, which does a shoddy job) of his heart and leave the family (no faking, it's for real).  On her part, Satyavathi says that she is attracted to him and lustily follows Munna.  She wants, as already mentioned, to plant three kisses on him, each having its own  All we get to know before the interval bang is that she is only using the Munna with a ramrod valour to help herself elope with Krish, her Bangkok-based lover.

Hero moans and croons 'asathyavathi, asathyavathi.'  On board, Illeana clarifies to everyone that she felt suffocated with the love of a nuclear family.  Parents are heart-broken.  Hero now goes on a mission.  This is when you know Munna is a.ka. Saleem.

Watch the film at your own peril.  There are new-age mafias, where men are romantic and women are blood-thirsty.  The heroine does not squirm when her fiance invites lechers to quote a price for winning a chance to kiss Sathyavathi.

Performances are stupid, except Illeana who saves the day for her admirers amongst us.  Vishnu is pretty average. Mohan Babu must be thanked for allowing his assistant (Raghu Babu) to ridicule him.

Another disaster from YVS, who does not allow Okka Mogadu's legacy to die down.

Released on: 12th Dec, 2009