Latest news with #Telugu
Hans India
40 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Started with curiosity, stayed for the chaos: Raashii Khanna on completing 11 years in cinema
Actress Raashii Khanna has marked a significant milestone—11 years in the film industry—with a heartfelt social media post reflecting on her journey. The actress, who made her Bollywood debut in 2013 with Madras Cafe, took to Instagram on Friday to commemorate the occasion by sharing a fan-made video compilation of her memorable on-screen moments. 'Started with curiosity. Stayed for the chaos. 11 years in – and the picture's still rolling. Thank you for watching me grow frame by frame. Picture abhi baaki hai, mere dost,' she wrote, capturing the spirit of her evolving career. Raashii began her acting journey with a supporting role in Madras Cafe opposite John Abraham and soon made a strong impact in Telugu cinema with her lead debut in Oohalu Gusagusalade. Over the years, she has delivered notable performances in films such as Bengal Tiger, Jai Lava Kusa, Tholi Prema, Imaikkaa Nodigal, and Prati Roju Pandage. She has also ventured into digital platforms with web series like Rudra: The Edge of Darkness and Farzi. Most recently seen in the Tamil film Aghathiyaa, Raashii is now gearing up for her next major project, 'Telusu Kada', the directorial debut of stylist Neeraja Kona. Produced by TG Vishwa Prasad under People Media Factory, the romantic drama features Siddu Jonnalagadda, Srinidhi Shetty, and Viva Harsha, and is set to explore themes of friendship, family, and self-discovery. The film is slated for release on October 17, 2025. The project was launched in Hyderabad with a traditional muhurat ceremony, attended by industry stars including Nani, Aadhi Pinisetty, and Nithiin.
Pink Villa
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Kuberaa Review: Dhanush serves as the driving force in tale of ‘power vs money' with a stern performance by Nagarjuna
Kuberaa, starring Dhanush and Nagarjuna Akkineni in the lead roles, hit the big screens on June 20, 2025. The Sekhar Kammula directorial offers an interesting tale of power vs money with the director's unique and extreme portrayal of realism. If you are planning to go deep into the webs of a crime-filled world, here's the Pinkvilla review for Kuberaa. The Plot Kuberaa narrates the tale of a business tycoon, Neeraj, a powerful man who plans to seize control of a newly discovered oil reserve in the Bay of Bengal. In order to make it a sure deal, he decides to bribe politicians from the entire nation with a sum of Rs 1 lakh crore. As the deal requires precarious treatment, the businessman decides to seek help from Deepak, a former CBI officer. With the plan involving the use of a beggar, he incorporates Deva, a homeless man, into his scheme, which leads to chaos that nobody expected. Whether the businessman succeeds in bribing the politicians and why the former CBI officer agreed to be part of the scheme form the rest of the film. The Good Exploring the facets of Kuberaa, the movie rides heavily on the characters Deva and Deepak. The roles are played by Dhanush and Nagarjuna Akkineni respectively. The actors have performed with utmost perfection. With the Raayan actor in the lead, Dhanush completely surrenders himself to the narrative, once again proving his calibre as a versatile performer. As the Sekhar Kammula directorial explores the extremities of a social condition, the film lies deeply embedded in realism, a rare feat in Telugu cinema. As the distinctive signature of the director is visually woven in the storyline, Kuberaa does seem to offer a novelty to its presentation, but the flaws of writing do not impact the characters in this film. The director offers utmost care in execution, and the technical aspects stand strong with Devi Sri Prasad's musical tracks. The composer's skills as a musician are strongly showcased with the cinematography by Niketh Bommireddy, capturing each frame with precision and aesthetic quality. The Bad Kuberaa is a tale that offers a fresh plot, but sadly, the movie fails from a writing standpoint. The poor crafting of the screenplay is trifling in both the first half and the second half. In the initial half, the Dhanush starrer sure takes its sweet time to establish the core aspects. The long duration for the world-building feels like a humongous task for a viewer, but a moment of elevation transforms it into an edge-of-the-seat thriller, leading to the midpoint. While the second half manages to continue the momentum, the third act fails to keep it up, managing to lose focus. The climax, where it all ties up together, is a saving grace in the fleeting moment, partially making up for the lacklustre writing. In all important aspects, Kuberaa suffers from a long runtime of more than 3 hours. While a writer and director may justify the duration as a necessity, a member of the audience may not be as impressed to spend such a huge chunk of time. In respect to characters, Rashmika Mandanna was brilliant with her portrayal; however, it seems like her importance in the flick was nerfed at one point. The failure to edit the film more concisely is a big con for experiencing the full potential of the movie. The Performances As mentioned earlier, Dhanush is the driving force for the social thriller venture. From the introduction scene itself, the actor adapts to his surroundings, paying attention to detail on every nuance. While Nagarjuna plays an age-appropriate role, the veteran star manages to showcase a door to his skills, often overlooked by many filmmakers. Rashmika offers her best version with this film. Finally, the addition of a brilliant actor like Jim Sarbh makes you want him to appear in more South films. Watch the trailer of Kuberaa: The Verdict Kuberaa is an interesting and unique attempt by Sekhar Kammula in blending commercial aspects with a realistic narrative. A talented ensemble cast at the helm, the social thriller is a fresh cup of tea despite its flaws. If you love such genres or simply want to experience a masterclass in acting by Dhanush, then surely watch this movie without fail.
News18
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Varun Dhawan, RajKummar Rao Salute Keerthy Suresh's Uppu Kappurambu
RajKummar Rao and Varun Dhawan dropped the movie's trailer on their Instagram stories and showered it with praise. Keerthy Suresh is counting down the days until the release of her highly anticipated film, Uppu Kappurambu. With each passing day, the buzz surrounding the upcoming Telugu movie is reaching a fever pitch as the makers continue to pique the interest of fans with new updates. And the latest one is the release of its highly anticipated trailer. The makers dropped the video on Instagram, sending waves of excitement among fans. And guess what? The entertainment industry also couldn't stop itself from praising it. The film is receiving a flurry of reactions from B-town, and recently Varun Dhawan gave a huge shout-out to the upcoming film. Impressed by the trailer, the actor took to his Instagram stories and wrote, 'What a lovely trailer, @keerthysureshofficial. My most favourite film of yours evaaa." RajKummar Rao also dropped the movie's trailer on his Instagram stories and showered it with praise. Expressing his excitement to watch the upcoming thriller, he penned, 'Looks so much fun. Looking forward, @keerthysureshofficial. Superrrr @primevideoin." Coming to Uppu Kappurambu, the film is set to premiere on Prime Video on July 4. It will be available to stream in Telugu with dubs in Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, and Kannada, as well as subtitles in 12 languages, including English. Directed by Ani I.V. Sasi and written by Vasanth Maringanti, the film is produced by Radhika Lavu under the banner of Ellanar Films Pvt Ltd. Besides Keerthy Suresh, the upcoming film boasts a stellar ensemble cast including Suhas, Babu Mohan, Shatru, and Talluri Rameshwari in key roles. Set in the early 1990s, Uppu Kappurambu unfolds in a fictional South Indian village, Chitti Jayapuram. The death rates are outnumbered by bureaucracy in the village, and the burial plots are in short supply. As the newly appointed idealistic village head, Apoorva (Keerthy Suresh) steps in, she faces ridicule from locals who are uncomfortable with a woman in power. But as she determined to fix things, she turned to the quirky graveyard caretaker, Chinna (Suhas), whose own motives sparked unintended chaos. Speaking about Varun Dhawan's professional front, the actor is currently busy shooting for Border 2. The Anurag Singh film, the sequel to the 1997 war drama Border, also stars Diljit Dosanjh, Ahan Shetty and Sunny Deol. The actor also has Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai in his pipeline. Directed by the legendary comedy film director David Dhawan, the rom-com film is slated for a grand theatrical release in October 2025. RajKummar Rao, on the other hand, will be next seen in Pulkit's directorial Maalik. In the action-thriller, the actor will play the role of a gangster for the first time. The film also features Medha Shankar and former Miss World Manushi Chhillar in key roles. First Published:
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Kuberaa' movie review: Sekhar Kammula's brave film is imperfect, yet compelling
The film begins by acknowledging its writer-director's 25-year career, and the title card — Sekhar Kammula's Kuberaa —says it all. Kuberaa is driven by its director and his ambitious tale that does not pander to the starry aura of Dhanush, Nagarjuna Akkineni, and Rashmika Mandanna. Sekhar makes them play characters — men and women inhabiting a complex world driven by money, power and greed. The narrative is not perfect. Yet, it is a brave one in the realm of mainstream Telugu cinema, giving viewers plenty to chew on. In broad terms, Kuberaa is the story of a capitalist exploiting those who are below the poverty line. How these two worlds collide makes all the difference. A multi-billionaire (Jim Sarbh as Neeraj Mitra) believes 'fame is power'. He lives in a Mumbai high-rise that has an infinity pool. At the other end of the spectrum are those who beg for alms, whom this film describes as the 'invisible', brushed aside at traffic signals and at places of worship as an inconvenience. Kuberaa (Telugu) Director: Sekhar Kammula Cast: Dhanush, Nagarjuna Akkineni, Rashmika Mandanna, Jim Sarbh Run-time: 182 minutes Storyline: A business tycoon's ambitious plans are under threat when an underdog's tenacity to survive poses unexpected challenges. The first hour unravels the different worlds. A pacy opening sequence establishes the power games of the business tycoon, who does not flinch at dispensing with lives for his ambition. Jim Sarbh does not miss a beat as the cold, calculating antagonist. His ability to speak Telugu, with all the intonations, is a bonus. Sekhar introduces his key players in a non-formulaic manner. When Dhanush, as Deva the beggar, comes into view, the audience cheers. The actor has played realistic characters that represent the oppressed sections of society in the past with admirable consistency. Here, he takes it a notch higher. The writing gives him, and his associates, enough material to work with as the narrative takes a close look at the life of beggars. Even if groomed and dressed up in the best of suits, can they grasp what is happening around them? Can they be exploited for the bare minimum needs of food and shelter? A telling sequence shows the lack of dignity in their death. These polar opposite worlds cross paths with the help of CBI officer Deepak Tej (Nagarjuna), now behind bars for just doing his job. Nagarjuna plays a man in turmoil, one who wants to do the right thing but is manipulated to go against his conscience. Nagarjuna conveys the anguish of his character with restrained intensity. His body language and eyes convey the plight of a lion, now caged. It takes a while for the narrative to find its rhythm, as it shifts between the characters. Niketh Bommi's cinematography and Thota Tharani's production design establish the uber-luxurious world of Neeraj Mitra, with imposing structures that dwarf those who work for him. At other times, Niketh and Tharani work in the background, staying invisible and letting the attention remain solely on the story and its characters. Substantial portions of the film unfold in real locations, from Mumbai's landmarks to the garbage dumps, and all of this adds credence to the narrative. The narrative comes to a boil once the cards are revealed and a cat-and-mouse game for survival begins. A character's love for animals also adds depth to the proceedings. If three characters — representing the uber rich, the middle class, and the lower strata — caught in a tangle is not enough, a fourth character brings an edge to the drama. The quiet yet effective introduction shot of Rashmika Mandanna as Sameera is worth a mention. As the film progresses, she is a revelation, blending innocence, helplessness and gentle humour. Through the film, Sekhar questions if one man's greed and ambition should throw everyone else into a spiral. Do the oppressed not stand a chance to survive with dignity? The questions recur and there are times the writing gets preachy. Some of the best portions are when the film is in a thriller zone with the possibility of the tables turning. There is trust, betrayal, and a quest for redemption. However, the final portions are a tad unconvincing. It appears as though the director, who has written the film with his long-time associate Chaitanya Pingali, wanted to move away from a predictable path and instead, deliver poetic justice. The transitions between a few sequences also feel abrupt. For instance, it takes a while to discern that four beggars have been brought in from four different corners of the country. A subplot involving a pregnant woman (despite being convincingly portrayed) is like a sore thumb; so is a brief flashback involving a young mother. A few years ago, while remaking Sujoy Ghosh's Kahaani in Telugu (as Anamika), Sekhar refrained from portraying his protagonist as a pregnant woman, arguing that he did not want to evoke audience sympathy merely by showing a pregnant woman in distress. Here, however, this aspect is played up and the character's conclusion seems contrived. A one-note sidekick of the antagonist is also annoying. A few deft touches that work in favour of the narrative are the nuggets of Deva's childhood and his tenacity to survive. In a scene, Deva bathing in water that streams from a broken pipeline, against the words 'save water', which shows the cracks in urban infrastructure. Deva's frequent query about the day of the week and how it ties up to food and religion is a smart observation. Also chuckle-worthy is how a character promises to offer a diamond crown to the temple if his problems are solved. Kuberaa leaves a few questions unanswered towards the end. These niggles stop the story from being wholly compelling. Music composer Devi Sri Prasad who deftly switches between the different worlds, makes us overlook a few rough edges with his score that is sometimes subdued and at other times, rousing. Kuberaa falls short of being a gamechanger. But it is a brave film from a director who has often stepped away from the norm, and raised pertinent questions. That is ample reason to cheer. Kuberaa is currently running in theatres
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘8 Vasantalu' movie review: Phanindra Narsetti's romance drama is ambitious but lacks soul
Director Phanindra Narsetti's 8 Vasantalu possesses attributes rare for most Telugu films lately — ambition, conviction, and a distinct sense of originality. It seeks to be a meditative tale that charts the evolution of a girl through love. Mounted on a dreamy canvas, set in a mist-laden Ooty, narrated across seasons, Nature remains witness to her story, and the film aspires to be poetry in motion. The protagonist, Shuddhi Ayodhya (Ananthika Sanilkumar), is also a 17-year-old poet who learns martial arts from an ailing guru. The director flips the gender dynamic in an opening sequence reminiscent of a quintessential mass film. Shuddhi puts a brash US-returnee, Varun (Hanu Reddy), in his place after he claims that embroidery is a woman's domain and martial arts are best left to men. His sexist remark is met with a sharp thud, the message is clear. Yet, she also reminds him that real strength lies in self-restraint. And, the boy is smitten. But Shuddhi isn't your average teenager. She's already the author of a bestselling poetry collection and is on a two-year journey across India to write a book, a plea to the world to appreciate a woman for her virtues rather than her appearance. 8 Vasantalu (Telugu) Director: Phanindra Narsetti Cast: Ananthika Sanilkumar, Hanu Reddy, Ravi Duggirala Run time: 140 minutes Story: An idealistic teenager comes of age, falling in and out of love Other characters also make their presence felt. Shuddhi's friend Karthik (Kanna) has a passion for shoe design, much to the disapproval of his orthodox father. Varun, while leading the life his father had only dreamt of, is crumbling under the pressure of fulfilling that wish, securing admission to Berklee. His father takes a loan from a friend to fund his son's luxurious lifestyle. Barring an underdeveloped female character named Anita, the director makes a sincere attempt to flesh out his characters' ideals and inner worlds. While the stories of the men (Karthik, Varun and Sanjay who appears later) are endearing and display some vulnerability, Shuddhi is too idealistic, sorted, and overachieving for a teenager. Almost no setback dents her spirit. While the plot has all the ingredients of a sweeping romance told through the lens of a woman who is worthy of admiration, the storytelling lacks grounding, and the impact is diluted by self-indulgent dialogue. Every event becomes an excuse to reinforce Shuddhi's unwavering spirit, a pursuit that grows tiring after a point. It's hard not to appreciate the pre-interval sequence where Shuddhi speaks of how her mother raised her like a queen, and why she deserves to be treated with dignity (in a breakup). Moments later, at a funeral, she questions the patriarchy, pointing out the irony of a woman, capable of giving birth, being barred from performing final rites. Pertinent points are raised throughout the film, but they often land flat cinematically. The film finds its footing in a striking action sequence in Varanasi, where Shuddhi unshackles the beast within. All hell breaks loose as the motifs of a tigress and Durga roar to life. Her profound reflections at the Taj Mahal are potent in thought, but their impact is dulled by excess dialogue. Shuddhi's love stories with Varun and the Telugu author Sanjay (Ravi Duggirala) have interesting parallels. However, with Sanjay, the director goes overboard in validating his ideas and belief systems. The metafictional subplot around Sanjay's novel Rani Malini (about a prostitute who reclaims her agency) is ideologically compelling but disrupts the film's momentum. The narrative eventually regains some lost ground with Sanjay's poignant backstory, with a surprise twist, offering a nostalgic nod to the era of love letters and providing insight into the title. Amid all the tall standards the protagonist sets for herself, it's difficult to imagine why she would entertain her mother's idea to marry into a wealthy family, albeit reluctantly. Despite its shortcomings, 8 Vasantalu isn't a lazy effort. It has a surreal visual texture (cinematography by Vishwanath Reddy) and a story that has a lot to unpack; just that the balance doesn't come through effectively. For instance, the parallel shots of Varun and Shuddhi spending sleepless nights as they come to terms with their feelings for each other are a sight to behold. The imagery of a fallen rose petal, symbolising how love breaks and heals Shuddhi, is quietly poignant. Even the title credits, where her journey is shown in reverse, linger long after the film ends. Much like the director's earlier film Manu, it doesn't know where to stop. While his debut effort was way more cinematically rich, the bloated writing in 8 Vasantalu, where the conversations sound like discourses, dents the overall impact. Conceptually, the film's characters, at times, feel like figments of the writer's imagination rather than beings of flesh and blood, ones we struggle to identify with. Though the little details that complete their world are impressive, more effort could have gone into integrating them with the narrative seamlessly. Even the visuals of Ooty, Kashmir, get a tad too touristy. Ananthika Sanilkumar gracefully embodies the fiery spirit that Shuddhi is, making every attempt to internalise her resilience and trauma. Hanu Reddy, as the hopelessly lovestruck teenager, has a raw, captivating screen presence. Ravi Duggirala's character graph is impressive, though his performance has scope for improvement. Kanna Pasunoori is a fine find, and Sanjana Hardageri shows promise in an underwrought part. It's surprising that a love story with a plethora of emotions has only two songs, composed by Hesham Abdul Wahab, as part of its album. 'Parichayamila', sung by K. S. Chitra, is a melody for the ages. The vibrant, varied costumes, in sync with the film's mood, are another high point. Despite its merits, 8 Vasantalu is like a poem that's too conscious of its style, overstuffed at times, right in its intent but lacking in warmth.
