Thursday, October 18, 2012

Movie Review – CGTR (Telugu) – Pawanism + Purism + Powerism + Pogarism!!

The new acronym that’s flooded the tinsel town: CGTRCameraman Ganga Tho Rambabu.
In this session we will learn more about the film along with few doses of English.
SYNONYM
1. A word having the same or nearly the same meaning as another word or other words in a language.
2. A word or an expression that serves as a figurative or symbolic substitute for another.
Let’s learn a few synonyms.


1) MULTIFARIOUS: diverse, varied, comprehensive, manifold, many-sided, CGTR.
They say great films are made by great directors. Yes, it is true and CGTR is a living testimonial to that adage. The film’s central theme revolves around media and it goes strong is highlighting every nuance of it. Puri Jagannadh’s immaculate research can be seen all through the film. It’s good to see him break out of the shell of Mafia, Bangkok, romance etc. The bone of contention as presented in the film – Are politicians fueling the media or is it the other way around?? What are media rights, what is its reach?? Do they need to report news or present news, or even create news?? All such questions are answered with a striking repartee between the protagonist and other characters. The director makes a valiant effort to bring all the elements under the ambit of the film. He cleverly recreates present political turmoil in the film.
2) POWERFUL: influential, commanding, supreme, strong, puissant, CGTR.
In the past, many actors delivered powerful performances in a role that’s etched to do good for the society. NTR did it in Na Desam; Krishna did it in Eenadu; Kamal Hasan did it in Bharateeyudu; Chiranjeevi did it in Tagore; and now it's time for Pawan Kalyan who does it with aplomb in CGTR. If there is a film that’s showcased the power-packed performance of Power Star, it is CGTR. Pawanism surfaces in every scene, every frame, and every dialogue. Right from the word go, heroism takes the forefront. Most of the scenes are a treat for Pawan’s fans and nothing can stop them from shouting and whistling. He conjures the audience by speaking his mind in most of the scenes, but when it’s time to emote his heart takes over his mind. A well-crafted character by Puri, and Pawan garnished it with all the available condiments that are truly Power-starish!!
3) EXTRA-ORDINARY: remarkable, special, wonderful, amazing, fantastic, CGTR.
Nah, nah… I am not referring to the song. I am referring to Puri Jagannadh’s potential to elevate an ordinary hero to an extra-ordinary one. All his heroes are strong in their conviction, so as Rambabu. CGTR is the story of an ordinary mechanic turned into extra-ordinary TV reporter. With his natural flair of writing, Puri outshines himself from his past outings. The way he weaves in elements of social awakening, songs, fights, dances, witty dialogues into a fine tapestry is laudable. His use of inspirational quotes of Sri Sri and Chalam in a 4-minute pre-climax speech shows his respect to the great writers. Some scenes are nerve-biting, and some scenes are equally rib-tickling.


4) COLLECTIVE: joint, unified, combined, concerted, unified, co-operative, CGTR.
This praise-worhty film is a result of the collective effort of many people. Tamanna with her bubbly and radiant performance steals your hearts. Though she is dressed in Ts and jeans all through the film, she is a treat when it comes to songs. So, you can savor all of her in the film. Brahmanandam and Ali as creative heads paint a hilarious shade on the film’s canvas. Prakash Raj's performance come as as a benison. He plays a typical Puri villain but his magnetic screen presence makes you spellbound, and you can’t imagine anyone else in that role. Kota Srinivasa Rao (dresses like Karunanidhi) and Tanikella Bharani’s performances are laudable. Sam K Naidu’s cinematography is a great asset for the film. The way he dabbled with different lighting techniques and the way he canned breath-taking film sequences takes the movie up by another notch. Mani Sharma’s theme music brings out gutsy heroism on screen and Melikel Thirugutunte song makes your feet tapping. The re-recording is superb. Bhaskarabatla’s inspirational song Tala Dinchuku Batukutaava is played at the most opportune time and acts as a catalyst for the magnanimous climax.  
5) DRAWBACKS: disadvantage, trouble, difficulty, obstacle, defect, flaw, CGTR.
HIP (Homage.Inspiration.Plagiarism) alert: Pawan Kalyan’s character is loosely based on that of Nagarjuna’s from a 90s movie.
The art direction should have been more elegant and appealing so as to give a pleasant and relaxed viewing experience.
Albeit most of the movie takes an innovative route, some scenes are predictable miles ahead.

I know the hero has got an innate potential and social responsibilty, but is it so easy to become a TV reporter?

In the process of inducing heroism in every scene, Puri forgot some basics. Sir, even if the reporter is Power star, he can’t slap an opposition leader. That would have definitely created a stir in the state politics.
The second female character is a misfit and her presence fuels some monotonous follow of events.

Item numbers are FUN, but an overdose of them is PAIN.
You can find many traces of Puri’s film Businessman in his execution style.
If you are expecting an outright entertainer akin to Gabbar Singh, this one is not your cup of coffee, err, tea.


Bottom-line: The pace of the film is brilliantly controlled; the tension rises at many places and takes you to the edge of your seats. The end, when it comes, is unexpected, a truly shattering climax to a film that kind of tried to think out of its box. The sharp dialogue and slick editing combine to give an originality and style which would inspire countless copies and set Puri Jagannadh on his way to become one of Tollywood’s big players. CGTR stands apart as a fantastic film in its own right with its quirky, funny and heart stopping moments. Above all, the movie makes you THINK!! Puri Jagannadh is one of the few directors who believe that every film should be liable to society, and this time he stays with his ideology by delivering a masala coated - message filled - meaningful entertainer.
My Rating: Expectation – 6/10; Reality – 7/10

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