"Super" - Directed and Acted by Upendra
(Disclaimer: This review is not an effort towards offending anyone's linguistic emotions. It is nothing more than my first hand perspective on the film I saw today - The possibilities of me going wrong is enormous)
I just came back after watching the Kannada movie named "Super" starring Upendra, Nayan Thara and a few others. This is just the second Kannada movie I have watched in a theater, coincidentally, both occasions have been in the same venue - Sagar Theater, Near Majestic.
Went with one of my good friends, Hemanth with whom I have repeatedly discussed on the prospect of going to a Kannada movie. Today we thought we could and we did.
The start was pretty good (If ever I use that red lettered word again in this blog, you can consider that to be a typo) with the portrayal of how India - Mysore rather - will be in the year 2030. The Gorgeous airport, neatly dressed Indians and one thousand rupee note fetching thousands of dollars in return were all nice to see. But their imagination went a little too wide and wild, when a few white men were showcased as beggars and running-behind-people taxi drivers.
The introduction scene of Upendra was the craziest I have seen after Vijay's in Sivakasi. I
was unable to comprehend the sequences (and am sure the director too was) , they were thoroughly unlinked and irrelevant.
Our Hero proposes love with this bouquet, the heroine throws it up in the air, Uppi is not disheartened - he flies vertically and gets one (only one) of those roses in his mouth on way back to earth - Fantastic imagination I should say, but isn't it easier to catch with your hands? - OH!! Hero right!!
But I have to admit, he is a more that decent actor, doesn't look aged and his expressions and dialogue delivery are apt. He certainly has tried different hair styles but all but one of those were terrible. Instead of wasting his time and efforts on thinking about how to structure his hair, he could have spent time in explaining Nayan Thara (Indira) her role. Because she has looked totally confused, disinterested and uninformed - As my friend Syam describes Prakash Raj's role in Villu as "looks like having done this role while going home after a tired day's work for some other movie of significance". The story swaps between flash back and real time but I had no clue which one has happened earlier and which is happening now. Honestly, it had nothing to do with me not knowing Kannada thoroughly - even if my Dad were a scholar in Kannada literature I wouldn't have been able to. Because from time to time, I turned towards Hemanth to check his expression, he looked as bemused as I was. Thank God, I didn't understand - at least I had an excuse.
There is a flashback scene where the hero (running a business in London) sits with his friends over a cup of coffee when one Englishman (David) speaks how easy it is to take the Indian Girls for a ride and beyond. Upendra, true to his name, Subhash Gandhi (SG), is a full fledged patriot. Therefore, he opposes this statement strongly and while they argue, Mandira (Indira's sis) passes by. David challenges the hero that he needs all of a week's time to trap Mandira in his net. Simply to prove him a point that Indian Women are a lot more cultured than what he thinks, Upendra in an effort to shield her from David, starts impressing her in the same week (Can't understand that idea). At the end of it, she falls in love with Upendra and when she proposes, Uppi disposes and she jumps out of the window that night (that's what Indira, Hemanth, me and the people around thought and believed) and gets to coma or something similar. The truth was something else, which I won't narrate to you - no no, I'm not trying to keep the suspense going - the fact is, I am absolutely certain that I didn't understand - Simple!
In an effort to anvenge her sister's sufferings, Indira makes SG fall for her and get married to her too. Then she starts showing her true colors by virtue of her wicked plans and then on she flips herself between being good and being the villain (Many times I thought that she was playing a dual role, but she wasn't). The story takes various twists and turns, many of them forcefully inflicted. The movie had everything except the screenplay and any film gets filled with 75% vacuum without that.
I normally tend to doze off even during decent movies. This had every attribute to make me fall asleep, but just when I was about to - the song "SUPER" came up and it had (unsarcastic) awesome beats. That woke me up, because I liked the way Upendra danced. The story moves at a rollicking pace but without any direction or sense of purpose. We could witness a (just attempted) miniature version of Nayak/Mudhalvan when SG becomes a CM, cleanses the political dirt and goes to the village to relax - Maybe Uppi thought we all didn't see that movie - lets give him the benefit of doubt.
A couple of questions kept echoing in my mind in the theater.
1. Why are the actors staying so far away from the story?
2. Why on earth I am here?
In the end, when we were walking out, Hemanth's face was filled with relief and that told me the story. During the interval he told that his head was feeling heavy (no doubt, 100% responsibility goes to Uppi) so I called him for a coffee. He said "No, they are about to resume" - That for me is a remarkable display of optimism, he still had the belief that it will get better.
I have heard that Uppi has a tremendous fan base, but as far as I observed, the number of fans on the ceiling outnumbered his. We had ourselves to blame because I asked one of my friends Kiran - who claims to be a massive fan of his - on his feedback on the movie and he gave a nod that was far from inspiring. We didn't catch the drift and we paid the price.
One thing they did really well was ending the movie in quick time. It enabled me to go back by bus and not spend for an auto. I would have gone wild if I were forced to.
I'll definitely remember this film for one strong reason - The Open Butter Masala Dosa I had just before it began - but how it is related to the movie is beyond me to answer.
Overall it was a 'brilliant' representation of directorial expertise, one every real film buff should watch. Or at least some of you should and explain me what it is all about? I did like the subject, its an extremely noble one but it had lost its way when it was getting conveyed.
Next up in our schedule is Mylari starring, Sivarajakumar - Hemanth, on for it, or do you need more time to recover??
I just came back after watching the Kannada movie named "Super" starring Upendra, Nayan Thara and a few others. This is just the second Kannada movie I have watched in a theater, coincidentally, both occasions have been in the same venue - Sagar Theater, Near Majestic.
Went with one of my good friends, Hemanth with whom I have repeatedly discussed on the prospect of going to a Kannada movie. Today we thought we could and we did.
The start was pretty good (If ever I use that red lettered word again in this blog, you can consider that to be a typo) with the portrayal of how India - Mysore rather - will be in the year 2030. The Gorgeous airport, neatly dressed Indians and one thousand rupee note fetching thousands of dollars in return were all nice to see. But their imagination went a little too wide and wild, when a few white men were showcased as beggars and running-behind-people taxi drivers.
The introduction scene of Upendra was the craziest I have seen after Vijay's in Sivakasi. I
was unable to comprehend the sequences (and am sure the director too was) , they were thoroughly unlinked and irrelevant.
Our Hero proposes love with this bouquet, the heroine throws it up in the air, Uppi is not disheartened - he flies vertically and gets one (only one) of those roses in his mouth on way back to earth - Fantastic imagination I should say, but isn't it easier to catch with your hands? - OH!! Hero right!!
But I have to admit, he is a more that decent actor, doesn't look aged and his expressions and dialogue delivery are apt. He certainly has tried different hair styles but all but one of those were terrible. Instead of wasting his time and efforts on thinking about how to structure his hair, he could have spent time in explaining Nayan Thara (Indira) her role. Because she has looked totally confused, disinterested and uninformed - As my friend Syam describes Prakash Raj's role in Villu as "looks like having done this role while going home after a tired day's work for some other movie of significance". The story swaps between flash back and real time but I had no clue which one has happened earlier and which is happening now. Honestly, it had nothing to do with me not knowing Kannada thoroughly - even if my Dad were a scholar in Kannada literature I wouldn't have been able to. Because from time to time, I turned towards Hemanth to check his expression, he looked as bemused as I was. Thank God, I didn't understand - at least I had an excuse.
There is a flashback scene where the hero (running a business in London) sits with his friends over a cup of coffee when one Englishman (David) speaks how easy it is to take the Indian Girls for a ride and beyond. Upendra, true to his name, Subhash Gandhi (SG), is a full fledged patriot. Therefore, he opposes this statement strongly and while they argue, Mandira (Indira's sis) passes by. David challenges the hero that he needs all of a week's time to trap Mandira in his net. Simply to prove him a point that Indian Women are a lot more cultured than what he thinks, Upendra in an effort to shield her from David, starts impressing her in the same week (Can't understand that idea). At the end of it, she falls in love with Upendra and when she proposes, Uppi disposes and she jumps out of the window that night (that's what Indira, Hemanth, me and the people around thought and believed) and gets to coma or something similar. The truth was something else, which I won't narrate to you - no no, I'm not trying to keep the suspense going - the fact is, I am absolutely certain that I didn't understand - Simple!
In an effort to anvenge her sister's sufferings, Indira makes SG fall for her and get married to her too. Then she starts showing her true colors by virtue of her wicked plans and then on she flips herself between being good and being the villain (Many times I thought that she was playing a dual role, but she wasn't). The story takes various twists and turns, many of them forcefully inflicted. The movie had everything except the screenplay and any film gets filled with 75% vacuum without that.
I normally tend to doze off even during decent movies. This had every attribute to make me fall asleep, but just when I was about to - the song "SUPER" came up and it had (unsarcastic) awesome beats. That woke me up, because I liked the way Upendra danced. The story moves at a rollicking pace but without any direction or sense of purpose. We could witness a (just attempted) miniature version of Nayak/Mudhalvan when SG becomes a CM, cleanses the political dirt and goes to the village to relax - Maybe Uppi thought we all didn't see that movie - lets give him the benefit of doubt.
A couple of questions kept echoing in my mind in the theater.
1. Why are the actors staying so far away from the story?
2. Why on earth I am here?
In the end, when we were walking out, Hemanth's face was filled with relief and that told me the story. During the interval he told that his head was feeling heavy (no doubt, 100% responsibility goes to Uppi) so I called him for a coffee. He said "No, they are about to resume" - That for me is a remarkable display of optimism, he still had the belief that it will get better.
I have heard that Uppi has a tremendous fan base, but as far as I observed, the number of fans on the ceiling outnumbered his. We had ourselves to blame because I asked one of my friends Kiran - who claims to be a massive fan of his - on his feedback on the movie and he gave a nod that was far from inspiring. We didn't catch the drift and we paid the price.
One thing they did really well was ending the movie in quick time. It enabled me to go back by bus and not spend for an auto. I would have gone wild if I were forced to.
I'll definitely remember this film for one strong reason - The Open Butter Masala Dosa I had just before it began - but how it is related to the movie is beyond me to answer.
Overall it was a 'brilliant' representation of directorial expertise, one every real film buff should watch. Or at least some of you should and explain me what it is all about? I did like the subject, its an extremely noble one but it had lost its way when it was getting conveyed.
Next up in our schedule is Mylari starring, Sivarajakumar - Hemanth, on for it, or do you need more time to recover??
Pictures courtesy and for a full list of Images: http://www.andhrafunda.com/2010/11/16/upendra-super-movie-gallery.html
CITIZEN in Kannada???
ReplyDeleteHahaha...Quality wise, yes it is an equivalent. But they are different subjects altogether, though both aren't worthy of being spoken about :)
ReplyDeleteI have a topic for your next blog, "Virudhagiri". I think you can use most of the content from this blog only :)
ReplyDeleteI was told by some of my colleagues, a couple of weeks before about this movie....we were discussing something about kerala heroines and reached nayans :P and then this movie.... :) ... and i was surprised to know that infact ther's no name for this movie, but just a gesture shot, which means Super.....ohhh....even that I couldnt stand....(even after being a VJ follower)....so I am not surprised after readin thru ur blog about the movie....i liked the white beggars though :)
ReplyDeleteenjoyed your narration & trauma you went thru....
ReplyDeleteKannada film industry had fallen over with their greatest (gorgeous nosed) hero RajKumar...
However, the comment i wanted to make here is that I was taken aback when i watched the tamil Movie 'Satyam' starring one of my favourite hero 'Vishal'...Upendra had been cast as a daring police officer (Inspecter of Police Manickavel) in that movie which he had delivered sinless...may be hes the good apple in the wrong basket...