SHANKARDADA ZINDABAD IS LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI MINUS THE SOUL: GOOD BUT NOT GREAT ENOUGH

First things first. Shankardada Zindabad was a remake of Lage Raho Munnabhai. And it was just that. A copycat version. No planning seems to have gone into the making of the film, and Prabhu Deva's nervousness of directing a big hero like Chiranjeevi is visible all through the film. The result: the film has everything to go for it, but it lacks the soul. And a movie without a soul is like eating biryani without the masala. It may be nourishing to the body, but not spicy enough to give you the feeling that you have had your fill.

There are three things that have worked for Lage Raho Munnabhai: its novelty, its impeccable screenplay and the heroine. Apart from this, the great bonding between Munnabhai and Circuit was exceptionally portrayed. Of course, there was Dilip Prabhavalkar, who wowed the audiences with his role of Gandhi. But, unfortunately, in Shankardada Zindabad neither of them have spelt any magic.

And it is not without reason. The first mistake the filmmakers made was wanting to make a foolproof film -- without any errors in terms of production or the pace of the film. And towards that end they've recreated the Lage Raho... sequences frame by frame.

Sadly, Prabhu Deva didn't know what to do with Ravi Teja, Allu Arjun and Pawan Kalyan in the film which had no place for them. So, he did the best thing that any filmmaker would do: junk them. What a callous waste of talent!

Come to think of it, the fault doesn't lie with Prabhu Deva. And only Chiranjeevi would have to be blamed for the insipid film. For, he wanted to have his say in the film, as he had great hopes of entrenching his position as the mega star of the industry. And ended up having his finger in every pie of the production. Like it or not, he wanted Shankardada Zindabad to do for him, what Sivaji: the Boss did for Rajnikanth. Let us not forget that Chiranjeevi is no Rajnikanth, and neither is Prabhu Deva a Shankar.

This is not to say the film is an absolute piece of trash. No, not at all. It is done well by any stretch of imagination. But, as we have said, it lacked the soul. It is like a photocopy of Lage Raho Munnabhai and an immature one at that. Everyone contributed their mite to enhance the image of the film, but when there is no soul in the film, their performances end up as mere appendages.

The biggest blunder however, is the casting of Karishma Kotak as the heroine. While Vidya Balan had an amazing grace, Ms Kotak had nothing going for her. Not even looks. She looks plump, and maybe was taken to offset the body weight of Chiranjeevi. But, sadly, it didn't work. In comparison, Sonali Bendre oozed an unmatchable presence in Shankardada MBBS. The only thing that was missing in Shankardada MBBS was the pace. But in the sequel, both the grace and the pace were missing.

Chiranjeevi's fans expected some good choreography to offset the emotional scenes in the film. But they were disappointed with the mediocre dance sequences. And this leaves us with a good film to watch out for but a mediocre execution of the project. Will Tollywood ever realise that it would have to pull up its socks?

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DEVI SRI PRASAD FEELS PROUD TO BE THE MUSIC DIRECTOR OF SHANKARDADA ZINDABAD

I am very proud to be the music director of the sequel (Shankardada Zindabad). It was a challenge doing Shankardada MBBS because the pressure and expectations were very high. People kept asking how I was planning the songs and this only increased the responsibility on me. It is certainly an honour. All the other technicians have changed in the sequel except the music director. I feel proud of it.

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FINALLY THE D-DAY ARRIVES FOR SHANKARDADA TO GIVE US GANDHI GYAN

The long wait is finally over. The director has tied out all the loose ends, the producers have cashed in on all the territories and the actors have played their part to the fullest. And Shankardada Zindabad is set to roll out on Friday. That is in just a couple of hours from now. And it is just a matter of time before it hits the screens near you. Given a solid storyline and emotionally rich elements, including the Gandhi factor, there is no reason why it shouldn't pull at the heart strings of the audiences.

Chiranjeevi, who was mighty upset at the way Shankardada MBBS has fared, has taken all possible measures to ensure that the second part would break all box-office records. So, right from casting the director, to choosing the producers, to taking an active interest in the overall production of the film, he has done it all.

He even roped in Venkatesh and Pawan Kalyan for the audio release function, and had Mamata Mohandas dance to the tunes of Devi Sri Prasad. And managed to create a hype around the film.

10 reasons why Shankardada Zindabad will be a milestone in Telugu cinema

1. Four actors -- Pawan Kalyan, Ravi Teja, Allu Rajun and Srikanth will shake a leg in one song in the film.

2. Dileep Prabhavalkar, who gave a mesmerising performance in the film, is out to prove his mettle again.

3. Chiranjeevi has given his best so far for the film. And so has Srikanth.

4. Karishma Kotak is an added attraction for the film, for the simple reason she is raw and relatively untapped potential. So, there is curiosity among the audiences of how she will look and act of course, opposite the megastar.

5. There is the Gandhigiri element in the film, which has some good gyan to offer to the people. If you have watched Lage Raho Munnabhai, you will understand how beautifully the Gandhigiri element has been interwoven into the film.

6. Then there is the voluptuous Yana Gupta to get you grooving in an item number. And I must tell you, she is rocking, man.

7. Seven old actors, including Kanta Rao, will bring in the old element of nostalgia in their Second Innings house.

8. Prabhu Deva has the magic of painting images on film. So, his direction is eagerly being looked forward to.

9. Then there are the Paruchuri Brothers, who was famous for their dialogues, and in this film, we hear, they have put in extra effort to deliver the punch lines in a better fashion.

10. And lastly, the music is rocking. And you can expect some dhoom-dhaam dance sequences to rouse the masses out of their emotional inertia.

So, go for this one and have fun. All the best

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WHO IS THIS SHANKARDADA? CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIM?

Who is this Shankardada?
Shankardada is a small-time goon and gangster who settles property disputes, gets people vacated from their premises using violence, and does everything that involves violence.

Whay are people zindabad-ing him?
That is a long story. To cut it short, he falls in love with a radio jockey and waits for an opportunity to meet her. And it comes in the form of a quiz on Gandhi. Whoever gets all the questions right will get to be interviewed by her on her radio programme. So, our hero kidnaps the professors and gets the all the answers right and predictably, gets a chance to meet the heroine.

What happens after that?
Our hero somehow manages to con his way through in the radio interview, and, of course, impresses his girl. But the problem comes later when she asks him to deliver a lecture on Gandhianism to her gang of 60-year-old friends.

So, how does he overcome the crisis?
He goes to the library and reads as much as possible on Gandhi, everything he can lay his hands on. And on the third day, Gandhi miraculously appears before him and tells Shankardada that he would help him on one condition.

What is that condition?
That Shankardada should give up his violent ways and put to practice Gandhian principles in everything he does.

But that is really tough for a goon. Isn't it?
True. But he finds it easier to make a difference in the lives of many people through Gandhianism than through violence.

And how does that happen?
It is an amazing story. And it is wonderfully told with a gripping narrative interspersed with the comic elements.

One last question: what role does ATM play?
ATM is usual self in Shankardada Zindabad too and is the right hand man of Shankardada. Like what is Lord Lakshman to Lord Rama, ATM is to Shankardada. There are some great comic elements in the movie and the emotions will open your eyes and probably make you cry.

SHANKARDADA GETS READY TO HIT THE SCREENS ON JULY 25: ARE YOU READY FOR HIS GANDHIGIRI?

Shankardada Zindabad is finally ready to hit the screens. And the auspicious date is July 25. Even as Chiranjeevi's fans are eagerly awaiting the release of the film, it would be an acid test for both Chiranjeevi and Prabhudeva. The latter has already proved his mettle with his stupendous successes in Nuvvostanante Nenoddantanu in Telugu and the remake of Pokiri in Tamil. And seeing the spark and the deftness in his direction, he has been personally selected by Chiranjeevi to direct the sequel of Shankardada MBBS. And those who have seen the rushes say that Prabhudeva has indeed done a marvellous job. Predictably, Prabhudeva is jittery as he is directing a megastar in the south for the first time and his future fortunes hinge on the success of this film. If it becomes a hit, which it is likely to become, he will strike gold in Tollywood. But, if it turns out to be otherwise, he will have to pack his bags and head for the Tamil film industry.

As for Chiranjeevi, who is especially at the crossroads of his career, with his son too making a foray into films, he badly needs a superhit in Shankardada Zindabad. And, we hear, that he has taken all efforts to ensure that all the loose ends in the script are tightened and a perfect blow-by-blow account with all the emotions that touched the hearts of the audiences in Lage Raho Munnabhai are felt by the Telugu audiences as well.

Though Karishma Kotak looks like a pale imitation of Vidya Balan, we have to wait and see how this damsel has donned the role of a radio jockey. With hardly more than a week for the release, let's hope that Chiranjeevi will live for long in the hearts of the Telugu audiences.

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WANNA KNOW WHY VIDYA BALAN REFUSED TO DO SHANKARDADA ZINDABAD? BECAUSE THE BALL WAS IN HER COURT!!!

Vidya Balan, who made a dramatic entry into Bollywood, knows how to cock a snook at her critics in the South Indian film industry. Unfortunately, Prabhu Deva had to bear the brunt of the lady's ire against the Tamil film industry, as she refused to play the heroine's role in Shankardada Zindabad, despite the promise of a hefty remuneration and an equal footing along with Chiranjeevi in the promos.

Going into the details of the story, before she made her forays in Bollywood, Vidya Iyer, who later became Vidya Balan, was signed for the Malayalam film Chakram, which was shelved. She was then signed in Tamil by Lingusamy for his Run, but she was dropped after the first schedule and replaced by Meera Jasmine. God knows the reason. But it was being whispered that she was a bad actress. And soon word spread about her "acting potential", and while she was trying to recover from rejection and shock, came the second major jolt. Vidya was dropped from another Tamil movie Manasellam, and replaced by Trisha. But, this time she was told the reason: you can't act, please don't waster our time.

She then turned to advertising. She appeared in numerous television ads, many of which were directed by Pradeep Sarkar. She also did supporting roles in music videos, appearing with singers and bands such as Euphoria, Shubha Mudgal, and Pankaj Udhas, and acted in Hindi soap operas like Hum Paanch.

Then Parnieeta happened, followed by Lage Raho Munnabhai, and the actress got critical acclaim and there was no looking back. Interestingly, after the success of Parineeta, the same producer who dropped Vidya Balan from Manasellam on the grounds that she had a non-photogenic face and was a poor actress, sought to sign her opposite Kamal Hassan for Dasavatharam. But Vidya Balan rejected the offer, which went to Asin.

Of course, we can see why the actress has such a grouse against the Tamil filmmakers, but we couldn't understand why she refused to do a film with Chiranjeevi, or the Telugu film industry, who had nothing to do with her jinx story in the south.

But, sources tell us, that the actress was miffed with the very attitude of the southern filmmakers for treating her so badly, and has decided not to do a film in the south. Even if it is in Telugu. That is why despite repeated pleadings, she refused to budge an inch fromer position. And that was when Karishma Kotak was signed on as the heroine.

We understand your situation Vidya, but isn't it time you let bygones be bygones?

CHIRANJEEVII RAVES ABOUT THE MUSIC OF HIS NEW FILM SHANKARDADA ZINDABAD

I generally don't talk much about the music of my films. But,

for this one (Shankardada Zindabad), I'm sure the audio will

become a hit because all the seven numbers, composed by Devi

Sri Prasad are sure to attract everyone. People always expect

good films me. And here is one. We had a ball on the sets.

-- Chiranjeevi on the audio of Shankardada Zindabad

KARISHMA KOTAK, THE HOT BABE OF SHANKARDADA ZINDABAD: TAKE A DEKKO AT SOME OF HER FABULOUS PIX

KARISHMA KOTAK, THE HOT BABE OF SHANKARDADA ZINDABAD: TAKE A DEKKO AT SOME OF HER FABULOUS PIX

THE AUDIO IS OUT AND IS REPORTEDLY QUITE A RAGE WITH THE FANS, WILL THE FILM BE THE SAME TOO?

The audio of Shankardada Zindabad, the sequel to Shankardada MBBS, was launched with great fanfare at a function held at Shilpa Kala Vedika on Wednesday. Fanfare, because some of the prominent actors and directors of the Telugu film industry graced the occasion. They include actors not just from the Chiranjeevi clan like Pawan Kalyan and Allu Arjun, but Venkatesh too made his presence felt.

Of course, the entire cast of the film -- Srikanth, who plays the role of ATM, Karishma Kotak, the heroine, Mamata Mohandas, Devi Sri Prasad, who complosed the music for the film, Prabhu Deva, the director.

Also present were the Tollywood filmmakers K Raghavendra Rao, Trivikram Srinivas, S J Surya, V N Aditya, M L Kumar Chowdary, Aswini Dutt, M S Raju, Paruchuri Venkateswara Rao, Dil Raju, Gemini Kiran, Ravi Shankara Prasad, Manohar Prasad, T Trivikrama Rao, Addala Chanti.

The whole auditorium reverberated with the cries of Shankardada Zindabad when the audio was released.

WHO SAID WHAT:

The most precious thing for me in the world is the affection and enthusiasm showered by my fans. Devi Sri Prasad, who scored amazing music for Shankardada MBBS. did even better for Shankardada Zindabad. All songs in this film are superb. Sometimes, I feel jealous of the manifold talents of Devi Sri Prasad.

-- Chiranjeevi

I always wanted to do at least a small role in Chiranjeevi’s film. I am acting like a representative of all the fans. My dialogue in the film represents the heartbeat of all the fans. It took me 18 years to fulfill my dream of becoming hero.

-- Pawan Kalyan

Shankardada MBBS was a big hit. I hope that Shankardada Zindabad will become a bigger hit.

-- Venkatesh












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ASIN IS FLYING HIGH IN BOLLYWOOD, GETS READY TO DO AN ENGLISH FILM TOO

Asin is one heroine who has done exceptionally well in Tollywood and moved on to other industries, not because she doesn't have the acting talent or the good looks, only because she has done too many films, and the audience expects beautiful belles to dance around with the aged heroes. So, she has been busy in Tamil and Malayalam. And doing some great films there too.

Now that she has prove her mettle down south, she is slowly inching her way into Bollywood and also paving her way to act in cross-cultural cinema. The kind that directors like Nagesh Kukunoor makes. She is acting in an English film, which will be based on a short story by renowned Malayalam writer, M T Vasudevan Nair. There are huge plans of roping in Kamal Haasan to do the lead role, and if that happens it would be the right shot in the arm for Asin. In case Kamal turns down the offer, Mohanlal may be taken to play the lead. Either way, it is going to be a great break for Asin. And not without reason. The film, we are told, may star some renowned Hollywood actors too. And if that happens, all the attention would be on this Mallu Kutty.

She is already hogging the limelight for her role in the Hindi remake of Ghazni, and she is acting with none other than Aamir Khan. What more, she is also being tipped as the heroine for the Hindi remake of Pokiri, starring Salman Khan in Mahesh Babu's role, and being directed by the boneless wonder Prabhu Deva.

Her next big film in Tamil is Dasavataram, the Kamal Haasan starrer, which is tipped to be the next best thing to happen to Tamil film industry after Sivaji: The Boss.

Good going Asin, may all your ventures yield you tonnes and tonnes of money and admiration.

POKIRI BEGINS WITH A KATTY FIGHT BETWEEN JIAH KHAN AND KATRINA KAIF: WILL PRABHU DEVA BE ABLE TO TAKE HOLD OF THE REINS OF THE FILM?

Prabhu Deva is really going places. From an obscure dance director, to a respected choreographer, to an agile actor to an amazing director, he has travelled a long way. And has made his mark all along the way. And now he is going to direct the Hindi remake of Pokiri, the Mahesh Babu starrer that has redefined the box-office collections in Andhra Pradesh. It is no mean achievement considering the fact that he will be directing Salman Khan in the Hindi version. Of course, with Salman in the lead, he will have little to do, as most of the crucial decisions are taken by the Khan himself, though Boney Kapoor is producing the film. Like for example, Jiah Khan was almost finalised for the film, and even this was confirmed by the producer's office, when she let slip the golden opportunity with her silly remarks on Sallu's girlfriend Katrina Kaif. But, what exactly did she say? When asked how would it be if she were recommended to play opposite Salman Khan, the London-bred babe said, "That'll be really cool if it were to happen. But his girlfriend (referring to Katrina KAif) would be really pissed off. I don't know Salman at all." Now, that would put off even the mildest of actors, and Salman got wild and immediately the next day the marching orders came for Jiah Khan and in stepped the Super girl Ayesha Takia. While all this was going on, there's not a word from the Prabhu Deva, who is supposed to be wielding the megaphone. Prabhu, we only wish you get to complete the film with your sanity intact. All we can say is all the best.

WILL SHANKARDADA DO A SIVAJI? EXPECTATIONS SOAR FOR SHANKARDADA ZINDABAD

With the super success of Rajnikanth's film, Sivaji: The Boss, all eyes are on Shankardada Zindabad, in which Chiranjeevi plays a 'goon-turned-Gandhian'. Chiranjeevi, we hear, is taking all possible efforts to ensure that there are no flaws in the film, technical or otherwise. And he has been monitoring every shot and scene of the film, especially after the not-so-impressive showing of Shankardada MBBS.

Though Munnabhai MBBS was a roaring hit in Bollywood and touched the heartstrings of the people in India, director Jayanth quite couldn't catch the pulse of the film, and the result was that Shankardada MBBS, which would have been a chartbuster for Chiranjeevi couldn't fare as expected. Predictably, Jayanth was blamed for the film's poor showing, and Prabhu Deva roped in to direct the sequel.

But, more than Shankardada MBBS, Shankardada Zindabad needs a very sensitive handling of the film, which is why the filmmakers wanted to retain the entire cast from the Hindi version. But except for Dilip Prabhavalkar, who played Gandhi, the others were not too willing to act in a remake. So, out go Vidya Balan, who was the lynchpin of the entire film after Gandhi, Dia Mirza and Boman Irani. Of course, Srikanth, who played Arshad Warsi, was the favourite of Shankardada MBBS, and the audiences are looking forward to see how he fares in the sequel. One thing we can expect, however, from Prabhu Deva is the technical finesse and the amazing choreography, two things that are vital in a Chiranjeevi film today. Because if the songs catch on, it is half the victory. And, even if they manage to capture 50 per cent of the essence of Lago Rahe Munnabhai, the filmmakers would go laughing all the way to the bank.

Right now, the songs are being picturised on Chiranjeevi and Karishma Kotak in the picturesque locales of Australia. Except for that everything is complete. And the film is sceheduled for release in exactly a month from now -- on July 24.