Sainikudu - Movie Review
November 30th, 2006 at 1:02 pm (Hot News)



Film: Sainikudu
Cast: Mahesh Babu, Trisha, Prakash Raj, Irfan Khan, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Ajay, Ravi Varma, Duvvasi Mohan, Kamna Jethmalini (item song), Telangana Shakuntala and others
Dialogues: Parachuri Brothers
Music: Harris Jayaraj
Cinematography: Balasubramaniam
Editing: Srikar Prasad
Action Choreography: Peter Haynes
Choreography: Raju Sundaram
Art: Anand Sai
Co-Producer: Swapna Dutt
Produced by: C Ashwini Dutt
Banner: Vyjanthi Movies Private Limited
Story, screenplay and directed by: Gunashekar
Release Date: November 30, 2006
CBFC Rating: U/A

What’s it about?

It’s all about a student leader taking upon corrupt political system.

Siddardha (Mahesh Babu) is a student. When a village in Warangal district devastated by floods, Siddardh and his college mates rescue them and volunteer to provide shelter. The local politician Pappu Yadav (Irfan Khan) siphons off the flood relief funds. Siddardh and his friends decide to teach a lesson to Pappu Yadav. On the day of Pappu Yadav’s marriage to his lover Varalakshmi (Trisha), Siddardh kidnaps her. Siddardh demands Pappu Yadav to fulfill the promises he’s given to the public during the election period if he wants his girlfriend back. How Siddardh brings revolution in state politics and also changes the mind of Varalakshmi forms the rest of the story.

Analysis

Sainikudu released amidst high expectations as successful duo director Gunashekar and Mahesh Babu have teamed up for the third time. More so Mahesh had just delivered the highest grocer in Tollywood, Pokiri and his popularity rocketed to sky level. So one expected fireworks on the screen. But all the expectations quash to the bottom soon after the film rolls on for 10 minutes. What we get is a soul-less mediocre film. It lets down hugely.

The entire first half is a big joke. As you just recovering from the shock, the run-of-the mill scenes in the second half unfold confirming the fact that Sainikudu has lost his bottle. Yes, the film is a colossal disappointment.

The film’s story is okay. But fault lies in the narration. There is not a single moment that glues to the film. It starts off in a flood situation in a remote village in Warangal district and soon it wanders through deft forests, Polavaram, and Hyderabad. Through out the film you get confused as to where the film is happening- in Warangal or Hyderabad. One moment hero fights in the backdrop of Warangal port and the next moment he lands in the premises of Police Headquarters in Hyderabad after a few walks (God, Can anyone walk 130 Kms that fast?).

Okay, lets talk about story. The message that youth should pervade into political arena to cleanse the system that is filled with rowdies is good. Did we not see the same message in Manirathnam’s Yuva? And Mani has made it 100 times better and in entertaining manner.

It seems Gunashekar is making a political statement through this film. Because Prakash Raj (Mondi Nanai) and Irfan Khan’s relationship reminds us of the real life incidents of Moddu Srinu and Suri. But the trouble is same episode has already been portrayed by Puri Jaganandh in Pokiri.

There is no comedy. The romance between Trisha and Mahesh Babu is uninspiring. Peter Hains action stunts are unrealistic. Hero jumps, plunges and bashes up all the time than performing the scenes. He walks through mines effortlessly, jumps from a 13-storied building, and flies upwards (What a superman feat).

And when we thought of the film has come to end, then follows Bila Bilemmo song, and another lengthy unnecessary song.

Performances

Mahesh Babu gives subtle performance. Mahesh’s screen presence is the only saving grace. Trisha plays village belle yet another time. So there’s no variety in her character or in her performance. The scenes between Mahesh and Trisha are cheap. Trisha always thinks of Mahesh raping her! It’s sad to see a fine actor like Irfan Khan is given boneless character. Prakash Raj is wasted.

Technically too the film disappoints in big way. The much-touted color grading by Mr Utsi from Germany looks farcical. While the Bollywood flicks like Dhoom 2, Don are excellently graded in India, here comes a supposedly Hollywod technician and brings the film ‘Eastman color’ look.

Multiple national awards winner Srikar Prasad’s editing is also not first rate. Haaris Jayaraj’s songs are good despite the fact that all are copied tunes (two of them from Rehman’s Dil Se and the song Go…Go ..Adigo is copied from Michel Jackson’s). His re-recording is just adequate. Cinematography by Balasumbramaniyam (of Shivaputurudu fame) is good. Anand Sai’s artwork is okay.

Bottom-line

All in all, Sainikudu is a huge disappointment. Uninspiring dialogues, lethargic screenplay and soulless characters are the factor that led to its collapse.

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cha ithu thamizh-la remake panni varaathu pOla http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/ashamed.gif

Who is gonna remake this movie ? http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...on_biggrin.gif

Has remake plan finalised http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...n_confused.gif

Ithellaam oru pozhappunnu alaiyaraanungadaa http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...s/banghead.gif

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Sainikudu

Movie
Sainikudu
Director
Gunashekar
Producer
Ashwini Dutt
Music
Harris Jayaraj
Cast
Mahesh Babu, Trisha, Irfan Khan, Prakash Raj
Post Your Review
By Moviebuzz
Wanted desperately: A story!

Sainikudu is a perfect example of what goes wrong with big-budget movies with huge hype and hoopla. Gunashekar and Mahesh Babu, the highly successful director-hero duo fails to have the most fundamental element - A script, which has been completely ignored and the screenplay is embarrassingly amateurish.

It is nowhere in the league of Gunashekar’s previous films. It starts with a bang but moves at snail pace and falters in the end. Gunashekar who had discovered new way of projecting heroism (through subtle performance laced with high-voltage action) has failed miserably this time in narrating a wafer-thin story. The plot is nothing new and we have already seen the same premise in Mani Ratnam’s Yuva. But he puts in another backdrop – flood situations and has also taken the heroine falling in love with the hero from Runaway Bride.

Siddardha (Mahesh Babu) studies in Osmania University. Floods hit Warangal and along with his friends, he saves the villagers. Government sanctions funds for flood relief but politician Pappu Yadav (Irfan Khan) diverts them. In the ensuing by-elections, he wins and becomes the Home Minister! Knowing this, Siddardha kidnaps his bride Varalakshmi (Trisha) on his wedding day. He demands Pappu Yadav to give back the funds to the villagers and build houses for them to get back his bride. Meanwhile, love blossoms between Varalakshmi and Siddardha. How Siddardha brings the change in political system and teaches lesson to Pappu Yadav forms of the rest of this boring yarn!

The major problem with Sainikudu is the characterization of Mahesh Babu. He wants to bring revolution in political system by infusing youth blood but ironically the antagonist is also youth. And the rivalry and war between Mahesh and Irfan Khan defy the logic. With Pokiri, Mahesh has brought realism to the action sequences but in Sainikudu it is the opposite – formulaic without any logic.

Its hard to believe and defies logic that a Home Minister of a state cannot take on a single guy with no political connections. Too many clichéd characters (Trisha as 6th standard failed village belle and Irfan Khan as corrupt politician), predictable situations and unbelievable action scenes make it a torture. The cardboard sets, song placements and picturisation are a big let down and the much publicized “technically superior film” is actually tacky! At a time when Dhoom-2 and Don has world class DI, here the outcome is amateurish.

There is only one thing that might lure you into this mindless film. It is the awesome screen presence of Mahesh Babu who holds the film together. He is one of those rare actors who is not only abundantly talented and is simply, the heart, soul and spirit of Sainikudu. Trisha does her village belle act to perfection and her comedy scenes with Mahesh area welcome relief. A fine actor like Irfan Khan has been reduced to a buffoon. Prakash Raj is just okay.

The camera of Balasubramaniam is topnotch. Harris Jayaraj’s seems to be inspired this time though Orugilla Pilla… is the pick of the album. But Peter Haines stunts follow the same pattern of what he did in Aparichitudu and makes the audiences laugh seeing the absurdities of it! Sreekar Prasad must have fallen asleep while editing this film, as the film needs urgent trimming. Totally devoid of any original snatches of writing, Parchuri Brothers dialogues make the film plod.

On the whole, Sainikudu turns out to be a not-so-wonderful experience, after all that hype.

Verdict: Disappointing

`Sainikudu`- A flop?
By Moviebuzz | Saturday, 02 December , 2006, 09:20
The much-hyped Mahesh Babu's Sainikudu lost its steam on the very first day of its release. The unanimous talk in the trade is that the film is going to be an epic disaster at the box-office.

The film ran into troubles a day before its release as the prints could not reach many parts of the state. On November 30 th, it opened only in few centers with morning show. In rest of the state the film began showing from Friday (Dec 1).

SMS messages were dong the rounds that Sainikudu is pain to watch!Even die-hard Mahesh Babu fans are not enjoying the film. Disappointed with the film, some of his fans set the screen on fire in Nizambad, a prominent town in Nizam!

On Friday, Mahesh Babu's statewide president Diddi Rambabu openly criticized producer Ashwini Dutt for the failure of the film and blamed him for the entire fiasco.

Though the film took a great opening, the bad word-of-mouth is sure to have an adverse effect on collections. The trade feels that the film is likely to collapse by Monday!

In Chennai, considered to be a Mahesh Babu fortress, the film has fallen. It released in three Chennai screens and Jayaprada where Mahesh's Pokiri ran for 175 days, the ticket rate was as high as Rs 150! But by Friday noon, tickets were available in all releasing theatres!

Trade pundits say that Sainikudu is a disaster, just like Naani in Mahesh Babu’s career!

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That contradicts with this "news" from Trisha herself...

Trisha optimistic about Sainikudu
IndiaGlitz [Tuesday, December 05, 2006]


Trisha is optimistic that Sainikudu would collect huge revenue and emerge a blockbuster.

Sainikudu, starring Mahesh Babu and directed by Guna Sekhar, was made on Rs 30-crore budget.

Amidst great expectations the movie got released last week.

Trisha, currently shooting for director Selvaraghavan's Telugu movie in Rajahmundry, says, “I gave my best in the movie. Personally, I feel it is one of the best films that I have acted in. The opening has been fabulous and I am confident that it would sustain the collection.”
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