Star Cast: Jr NTR, Janhvi Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan

Director: Koratala Siva

Devara Part 1 Movie Review Synopsis:

DEVARA – PART 1 is the story of a brave sea warrior. The year is 1984. Devara (Jr NTR) lives near Ratnagiri, on the Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border. He, Bhaira (Saif Ali Khan) and others are involved in smuggling goods illegally through the sea. His ancestors fought bravely against the British but after independence, they were neglected. Hence, they resorted to crime to make ends meet. Devara is well respected for his bravery and sensibility and Bhaira always felt jealous due to his popularity. The coast guard officials increase surveillance due to increased smuggling. Hence, Devara advises his villagers to avoid any such activity for a while. But when Muruga (Murli Sharma) offers them an offer they can’t refuse, Bhaira accepts it. Devara refuses to join them but gives in when his aide, Rayappa (Srikanth), advises him that his team will get killed in his absence. Devara reluctantly joins and sadly, a Coast Guard official Irfan catches them red-handed. He makes them realize that they are smuggling weapons and explosives and it is being used to create havoc in the country. Irfan also informs that these same weapons were used to kill a boy from their village recently in an ambush. Devara gets a big jolt. He makes it clear that neither will he smuggle goods nor will he allow anyone from his village to do so. Some villagers protest but Devara singlehandedly defeats them. Hence, they have no choice but to accept his order. Bhaira is enraged but he doesn’t show. He pretends to have accepted Devara’s suggestion. However, he secretly hatches a plan to kill him. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Devara Part 1 Movie Story Review:
Koratala Siva’s story is promising. Koratala Siva’s screenplay is simple and effective till a certain point. Later, the writing goes for a toss. Koratala Siva’s dialogues and Kausar Munir’s Hindi dialogues are okay.

Koratala Siva’s direction is a mixed bag. He handles the scale and grandeur with panache. He also gives supreme mass treatment to the film and presents Jr NTR in a way that his fans would love. A few scenes will lead to claps like Devara saving the coast guard and Devara throwing the container down the hill. The intermission point is when the film goes on a high. It’s also creatively executed.

But trouble arises as soon as the second half begins. The romantic track is forced while the track of Vara (Jr NTR) is not as exciting as that of Devara. The twist is interesting but it’s also predictable. There are also jumps in the narrative and in short, it turns into a messy affair. The final scene is supposed to startle the viewers but instead, it looks like a copy of one of the biggest Pan-India hits of all time.

Devara Part 1 Movie Review Performances:
Jr NTR rises above the substandard script and performs like a pro. As Vara, he’s not the best but as Devara, he’s terrific and sets the screen on fire. Saif Ali Khan looks menacing and gives a strong performance. He induces terror just through his eyes and body language and that’s his big achievement. Janhvi Kapoor looks stunning and gives an okay performance. Sadly, she’s hardly there for around 10 minutes and also appears only in the second half. Prakash Raj (Singappa) is dependable, as always. Shruti Marathe (Devara’s wife) leaves a mark. Talluri Rameswari (Devara’s mother) lends able support. Srikanth, Murali Sharma, Abhimanyu Singh (DSP Tulasi) and the actors playing Irfan, Padma and Pasura do well.

Devara Part 1 movie music and other technical aspects:
Anirudh Ravichander’s music is disappointing. ‘Ayudha Pooja’ comes at a great juncture while ‘Fear Song’ is well picturized.’Dheere Dheere’ is needlessly added while ‘Daavudi’ is missing. Anirudh Ravichander’s background score has a heroic feel.

Rathnavelu ISC’s cinematography is spectacular. Sabu Cyril’s production design is very rich. Dhanya Balakrishnan’s costumes are realistic and they are graceful when it comes to Janhvi Kapoor. Meanwhile, Aswin Mawle’s costumes for Jr NTR are stylish. The VFX is top-class and the action is mass-appealing. A Sreekar Prasad’s editing could have been slicker, especially in the second half.

Devara Part 1 Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, DEVARA – PART 1 suffers from a weak second half but makes up for the minuses with a terrific first half, clapworthy action scenes and mass-appealing avatar of Jr NTR. At the box office, it has the potential to grow in the Hindi markets gradually. The lack of competition until October 11 can also prove beneficial.

Star Cast: Anjini Dhawan, Pankaj Kap00r

Director: Ssanjay Tripaathy

Binny And Family Movie Review Synopsis:
BINNY AND FAMILY is the story of a young, rebellious girl. Bindiya Singh aka Binny (Anjini Dhawan) stays with her parents Vinay (Rajesh Kumar) and mother Radhika (Charu Shankar) in London, UK. The Singh family had relocated from Pune to London 5 years ago. Binny had problems adjusting but she never complained. Her best friend is Bhavesh Patel aka BP (Naman Tripathy), who also relocated to the UK at around the same time. All is going well until one day, S N Singh (Pankaj Kapoor), Vinay’s father, calls to inform that like every year, he and his wife Sharda (Himani Shivpuri) are flying down to London to reside with them for two months. This would mean that Binny will have to share her room with her grandparents. She is fine doing it every year but this year, she realizes that she’ll face a problem as her board exams are coming up. Days before S N Singh and Sharda were about to reach London, Binny and her parents hide alcohol bottles and ash tray from their house along with objectionable banners in Binny’s room. Once the grandparents are in London, life becomes difficult for Binny and her parents as they make sure the patriarch doesn’t admonish them. Some issues crop up but they sail through. S N Singh and Sharda return to India. Life is back to normal for Binny and her parents until one day, they get a jolt. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Binny And Family Movie Story Review:
Ssanjay Tripaathy’s story is entertaining and very relatable. Ssanjay Tripaathy’s screenplay is effective. The writer has loaded the narrative with very funny and touching moments which will surely appeal to audiences of all ages. Also, showing a family facing problems because of guests invading their space is very relatable for Indian audiences. Ssanjay Tripaathy and Naman Tripaathy’s dialogues are sharp and also funny in places.

Ssanjay Tripathyy’s direction is first-rate. He treats the film simply and that’s his biggest strength. The characters are well fleshed out and presented and also, unlike certain films in this space, BINNY AND FAMILY doesn’t antagonize the younger or even the older generation. He shows the plusses and minuses of both. His comment about effective communication comes out very well. In fact, the second half is the soul of the film and it takes the impact to dizzying heights.

On the flipside, the film’s first half is just decent. Of course, the second half is a winner but before the interval, there are instances where one might wonder where the film is heading. The track of Binny and Dhruv (Ti Khan) doesn’t have the desired impact. Lastly, a lot of dialogues are in English. Ideally, a film like this should have been released in the original Hinglish as well as dubbed Hindi versions.

BINNY AND FAMILY starts on an okay note. The fun begins once Binny learns that her grandparents are arriving in London. The scene where S N Singh gets angry over Binny sneaking out late at night is memorable. The other scenes that are well executed are Binny’s parents celebrating once S N Singh and Sharda leave and Binny’s outburst just before the intermission point. Post-interval, the film takes a dramatic turn. The Bihar sequence is great and the film goes on another level once the Singh’s come back to London. The climax is touching.

Binny And Family Movie Review Performances:
Anjini Dhawan makes a solid debut. She plays the difficult role with ease and also handles the lead part ably. Her dialogue delivery is also worthy. Pankaj Kapur rocks the show. The veteran actor has given several memorable performances but his act in BINNY AND FAMILY is one of his most accomplished ones. He does great in the first half but watch out for him post-interval. Rajesh Kumar and Charu Shankar are natural. Naman Tripathy is adorable and is the surprise of the film. Ti Khan is dashing and gives a fine performance. The actors playing Sanaya and Dr Ghosh are decent.

Binny And Family movie music and other technical aspects:
Lalit Pandit’s music doesn’t have a lasting impact but works well in the narrative. Both versions of ‘Kuch Hamare’ and ‘Zindagi’ are soulful. Arjuna Harjai’s background score is appropriate while Mohit Puri’s cinematography is breathtaking. The film has been shot in some beautiful locations in the UK. Leena Bhandula’s production design is appealing. The house of the Singh family is quite nicely decked up. Himanshi Nijhawan’s costumes are straight out of life. Sourabh Prabhudesai’s is smooth.

Binny And Family Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, BINNY AND FAMILY is a clean family entertainer with a very strong second half. It appeals to viewers of all ages and hence, has the potential to surprise if the target audience gives it a thumbs up.