The Nandi awards (for 2005 and 2006) ceremony held today at the LB stadum resembled more like a film actors-led election campaign for the Congress party in Andhra Pradesh. Most of the the recipients were staunch supports of the ruling Congress government and they have been bestowed upon with many invaluable assets by the State Government.

The timing of the awards is just before the impending elections and a few sops have been offered to the film industry. The venue has been shifted from Lalitha Kala Thoranam to L.B.Stadium to allow superstar Krishna and Mahesh Babu's supporters to pour in. In fact, this was touted as political debut for Mahesh. Of course, Mahesh has said a big no to politics and even warned of skipping the event in case of any political connection.

Now the real story. The winners Nagarjuna and Mahesh Babu, have a great filmy flashback attached to this. Nagarjuna has promised to support Congress in exchange for permission to raise a commercial complex in Annapurna Studios in Jubliee Hills. As the Government rule prevents them from using the land for other than running the studio, Nagarjuna turned to the ruling government for the favor. Mahesh Babu's father Krishna has been a Congress supporter for long and Congress has been desperate to pull superstar Mahesh into politics to negate Chiranjeevi and Balakrishna. Krishna has been awarded NTR lifetime achievement. Dharmavarapu Subrahmanyam, a popular comedian and strong Congress I supporter, was on the dias right from the beginning. He was offered about 7 acres of land to construct a religious sanctuary by the government. It's reported that the land is under dispute.

With no actor from the Nandamuri tribe or and only Nagendra Babu from Chiranjeevi family present at the event, it turned out to be Congress show all the way.

PS: The whole event was shabbily organized. The anchor seemed to be in a hurry to rush back home to take his wife out for dinner.

It is surprising to find the review now. But life was too hectic for me and I couldn't catch this movie on big screen when it was released a couple of months ago. Got a DVD on Sunday and watched it only to get surprised.

The positives

1. Will Smith's brilliant histrionics as virologist. But the director failed to exploit his skills.
2. Fantastic visuals, specially the opening scene where New York is shown completely deserted.

The negatives

1. A lady appearing from no where and saving Will Smith from the devils.
2. Lack of exciting screenplay. Such films really need crisp screenplay. Though the film has been edited to last less than one and a half hour, the screenplay is really not gripping. The director should have showed the behavior of the affected species during nights and a couple of scenes showing the hero frustrated and venting out his anger, etc.
3. The climax of the film is really short, in fact looks like a sudden stop. The entry of the lady signals the beginning of the climax. Though the hero killing himself to justify the title is good, but doesn't suit the film.

A bit of more ground work and better handling of the script and climax would have made the film more exciting. In sum, I Am Legend is an average fare.

Yes! the most awaited movie in the recent times doesn't dissappoint you. In short, full paisa vasool. It has got everything except a great storyline. Yet the maverick writer director Trivikram ensured that there is plenty of fun and jalsaa. The movie is far better than any other recent Pavan Kalyan's movies in terms of screenplay, charecterisation and even presentation.

There is never a dull moment in the first half with Pawan Kalyan stealing the show. Even the flashback episode, supposed to be very very serious, is shown in a lighter vein without disturbing the actual point. When the audience start to feel that the film is heading nowhere, the director introduces Brahmanandam and then the laugh riot starts and it only gets over in the final shot.

Other assets of the film are Mahesh Babu's voice over which runs through out the film and the heroine Ileana. Though Trivikram has failed as a storywriter with this film, he has lived up to his expectations as a poetic dialog writer.

Finally, it was a great experience watching Pawan's movie on the first day and I am planning to go again this Saturday.

Watch it at least once for Pawan Kalyan's audacious and unique style and Trivikram Srinivas' dialogues.

Brahmanandam. The name is enough to evoke laughter and bring relief to Andhra people. He is a household name in Andhra and people often remember him every time they talk about comedy. Brahmanandam has done really done justification to his name by making people forget their pain, agony and stress with his histrionics.

Of course, any comedian in any film industry might create a similar impact, but Brahmanandam is someone special, without any doubt.

With more than 750 films and counting, Dr.Brahmanandam has recently booked a place in the prestigious Guinness Book for the same. Started as a TV artist, he grew with every movie and acted in most of the movies directed by his guru late Jandhyalagaaru, who brought new dimensions to Telugu comedy.

His opening shots get almost the same response that a big hero gets. There are a few films which ran just because of this great comedian. Money, Kshemangaavelli Laabhangaa randi to name a few. He is always greeted by a huge roar even when he comes in the middle of a boring film.

Though, I have missed some very good movies of him, the following few characters and films speak of his versatile acting.

Khan dada (Money)
Aragundu (Aha na pellanta)
Boondi Brahmanandam (chitram Bhalare Vichitram)
Chari (Dhee)
Soori Babu Lavangam (Manmadhudu)
Jambulingam (Kshemangaavelli Laabhanga Randi)
Gopal (Baavagaaru Baagunnara!)
Michael Jackson (Anaganaga Oka Roju)
Chitragupta (Yamaleela)

Though, he became monotonous during the mid nineties, he bounced back with the role of Khan in Money. Since then, he has never looked back.

Telugu film industry has the highest number of comedians since its early days, and to be able to remain for so long is simply unimaginable. I wish the comedy king all the very best.

Hope he brings cheers to all of us for many more years.

One can imagine the outcome of a movie when one person does all of the following in that movie

1.Story
2.Screenplay
3.Direction
4.Music
5.Dance choreography and
6.a Major role

It takes a lot, especially if the director has only a couple of films to his credit and the protagonist is a very big star.

I am referring to the latest Telugu release, Nagarjuna starrer Don. The movie starts on a promising note and Nagarjuna's entry was one of the best intro scenes in the recent times in the Indian cinema. The immediate scene (comedy) between Nag and the director Raghavendra Lawrence takes us back to 1970s. Then 15 minutes later, the villain's (Kelly Dorji) introduction scene again takes us to another world (a la Hollywood scene). The ensuing sequences where the hero romances the heroine always remind us of some old movies. The interval bang comes out as a big surprise with the two Dons (the hero and villain) challenging each other but in a very cool manner.

The second half is full of chases and three songs (of which two come as barriers to the fast-paced screenplay). The best scene is when Nag goes to Mumbai to meet his counterpart. Thus, the excellent and poor scenes play hide and seek with the viewers. The good thing is that the climax is very different from the routine stuff that Indian movies generate.

Coming out of the theater, one feels that they have seen a movie that would have been better had it been directed by someone more passionate and experienced than the dance director.

All in all, a movie which had the scope to become a huge blockbuster and a trend-setter, turned out an average flick.