Film: Shivaji (or Sivaji)
Cast: Rajnikant, Shriya, Suman, Vivek, Raghuvaran, Nayanatara, Manivannan, and others
Dialogues: Sri Ramakrishna
Music: A R Rehman
Cinematography: K V Anand
Editing: Anthony
Art: Tota Tharani
Choreography: Brinda, Lawrence, Prabhudeva, Rajusundaram
Action: Peter Hein
Produced by: M. Saravanan, M.S. Guhan
Presented by: Bellamkonda Suresh
Story, screenplay and directed by: Shankar
CBFC Rating: U
Release Date: June 15, 2007
What’s it about!
Shivaji (Shankar prefers the spelling as Sivaji), the film, opens with thousands of crowds waiting outside a court hall. A man named Sivaji is brought to the court by CBI and Police officers. Fearing the public outrage, the police officers mask his face. Sivaji is sent to jail. In the prison, co-prisoner asks Sivaji what offence he did – murder, rape, filming pornography or running chit fund company and bankrupting it? Sivaji turns and shows his face – that is Rajnikant – and says “I tried making our country better.”
After the titles roll, it is shown that Sivaji (Rajnikant), a software analyst, returns to India from USA and wants to setup Sivaji Foundation with Rs 200 Crores. He also falls in love with traditional Telugu girl (Shriya) and wants to marry her. On the other hand, he meets another businessman Adiseshu (Suman) and seeks help from him in setting up colleges that provides free education and general hospitals. Fearing that Sivaji’s charity plan might hamper his business interests, Suman uses all the power to stop Sivaji’s plans. He conspires against him and makes him pauper. Out of jail, Sivaji hatches a plan to unearth all the black money of Suman and also from other business men and do it for good cause. The rest of the film is how Sivaji takes revenge on Adiseshu.
When two powerful film personalities – legendary star Rajnikant and maverick director Shankar team up, one expects fireworks on the screen. But Shankar this time offers nothing new and extraordinary. Their first ever combination is just an average film at the most. The much-hyped Sivaji fails to live up to the expectations. Shankar who never tasted commercial failure falters this time due to his weak script.
Shankar, the master storyteller, has chosen familiar theme to present Rajnikant in new style. But he choose to mix regular Rajni’s film formula (hero losing everything in the midway and winning back it from starting from the scratch – Narasinha, Arunachalam etc.) and his style of theme (hero fighting for a better society) to get results. Unfortunately, the mix is mismatch. He has focused more on giving Rajni a different look (rather here many weird getups) than telling a story with convincing manner.
The entire first half is some kind of joke. There is no story before the interval. Rajnikant wooing Shriya with old-fashioned way is far from entertaining. Post the interval the film picks up but it doesn’t really make us feel awestruck as we are used to Shankar’s earlier works. It is regular stuff. He has shot the film lavishly. There is grandeur but the narration leaves much desirable.
Performances
Rajnikant still possess a lot of verve. There is grace and style in his acting. He makes us sit for even in dull moments with his performance. He also looks very young thanks to his getups and lighting method. His stylized mannerisms are big draw. Rajni has used mannerism of saying – “Cool”. And has repeated some words like “Debba Adursu Kada”. His get up as NTR with gundu is really good.
Shriya has looked very glamorously in the film. In the songs, she seemed like diva. She gets meaty role and she has done it with élan. In Manish Malhotra's designed clothes Shriya sizzled. Suman who played negative role after a long time is really splendid. His body language and facial expressions are good. He walks away with more brownie points. Vivek’s comedy is just okay. Raghuvaran makes special appearance. Nayanatara appears in a song that comes first in the film but the song is not that appealing.
A R Rehman’s songs, superior camerawork by K V Anand and amazing sets created by Thota Tharani are highlights of the film. Shankar has shot three songs superbly. They are –“Vaaji ..Vaaji Shivaji..”, “Sahara Puvvai ..” and “Dhee..Dhee..”
Rehman’s music is excellent but it is camerawork that is persistently awesome. There is a lot of CG work which has been done well. Second half is good. Dialogues by Sreeramakrishna are nice. Peter Hain work’s Matrix like fights have no novelty.
What’s not!
Shivaji has weak script. Brings feeling of Déjà vu. It is too lengthy with 3 hours running time. Hero bashing up very small baddies for lengthy time is also bad. There are no heroic feats in the film actually. The message of unearthing black money and making it white is very simplistic. Many scenes defy the logic.
Bottom-line
Shivaji on the whole doesn’t meet the expectations. It can be at best an average film. Rajnikant's Charisma, Shriya's glamor, post-interval scenes, music and stylized scenes can save it.
Some trivia
1. Rajnikant has played like NTR, ANR and Chiranjeevi in a song. On the dream song of Rajnikant and Shriya’s first night, both of them play for the songs of “Nee Kallu Cheptunnai ..” (from ANR’s Premabhishekam), “Aku Chatu Pinde Tadise..” (from NTR’s Vetagadu), “Abba Nee Tiyyani Debba..” (from Chiranjeevi’s Jagadekaveerudu Atiloka Sundari).
2. Rajnikant appears with gundu towards the climax and then he changes his name to NTR. That is N T Rangarao
Cast: Rajnikant, Shriya, Suman, Vivek, Raghuvaran, Nayanatara, Manivannan, and others
Dialogues: Sri Ramakrishna
Music: A R Rehman
Cinematography: K V Anand
Editing: Anthony
Art: Tota Tharani
Choreography: Brinda, Lawrence, Prabhudeva, Rajusundaram
Action: Peter Hein
Produced by: M. Saravanan, M.S. Guhan
Presented by: Bellamkonda Suresh
Story, screenplay and directed by: Shankar
CBFC Rating: U
Release Date: June 15, 2007
What’s it about!
Shivaji (Shankar prefers the spelling as Sivaji), the film, opens with thousands of crowds waiting outside a court hall. A man named Sivaji is brought to the court by CBI and Police officers. Fearing the public outrage, the police officers mask his face. Sivaji is sent to jail. In the prison, co-prisoner asks Sivaji what offence he did – murder, rape, filming pornography or running chit fund company and bankrupting it? Sivaji turns and shows his face – that is Rajnikant – and says “I tried making our country better.”
After the titles roll, it is shown that Sivaji (Rajnikant), a software analyst, returns to India from USA and wants to setup Sivaji Foundation with Rs 200 Crores. He also falls in love with traditional Telugu girl (Shriya) and wants to marry her. On the other hand, he meets another businessman Adiseshu (Suman) and seeks help from him in setting up colleges that provides free education and general hospitals. Fearing that Sivaji’s charity plan might hamper his business interests, Suman uses all the power to stop Sivaji’s plans. He conspires against him and makes him pauper. Out of jail, Sivaji hatches a plan to unearth all the black money of Suman and also from other business men and do it for good cause. The rest of the film is how Sivaji takes revenge on Adiseshu.
When two powerful film personalities – legendary star Rajnikant and maverick director Shankar team up, one expects fireworks on the screen. But Shankar this time offers nothing new and extraordinary. Their first ever combination is just an average film at the most. The much-hyped Sivaji fails to live up to the expectations. Shankar who never tasted commercial failure falters this time due to his weak script.
Shankar, the master storyteller, has chosen familiar theme to present Rajnikant in new style. But he choose to mix regular Rajni’s film formula (hero losing everything in the midway and winning back it from starting from the scratch – Narasinha, Arunachalam etc.) and his style of theme (hero fighting for a better society) to get results. Unfortunately, the mix is mismatch. He has focused more on giving Rajni a different look (rather here many weird getups) than telling a story with convincing manner.
The entire first half is some kind of joke. There is no story before the interval. Rajnikant wooing Shriya with old-fashioned way is far from entertaining. Post the interval the film picks up but it doesn’t really make us feel awestruck as we are used to Shankar’s earlier works. It is regular stuff. He has shot the film lavishly. There is grandeur but the narration leaves much desirable.
Performances
Rajnikant still possess a lot of verve. There is grace and style in his acting. He makes us sit for even in dull moments with his performance. He also looks very young thanks to his getups and lighting method. His stylized mannerisms are big draw. Rajni has used mannerism of saying – “Cool”. And has repeated some words like “Debba Adursu Kada”. His get up as NTR with gundu is really good.
Shriya has looked very glamorously in the film. In the songs, she seemed like diva. She gets meaty role and she has done it with élan. In Manish Malhotra's designed clothes Shriya sizzled. Suman who played negative role after a long time is really splendid. His body language and facial expressions are good. He walks away with more brownie points. Vivek’s comedy is just okay. Raghuvaran makes special appearance. Nayanatara appears in a song that comes first in the film but the song is not that appealing.
A R Rehman’s songs, superior camerawork by K V Anand and amazing sets created by Thota Tharani are highlights of the film. Shankar has shot three songs superbly. They are –“Vaaji ..Vaaji Shivaji..”, “Sahara Puvvai ..” and “Dhee..Dhee..”
Rehman’s music is excellent but it is camerawork that is persistently awesome. There is a lot of CG work which has been done well. Second half is good. Dialogues by Sreeramakrishna are nice. Peter Hain work’s Matrix like fights have no novelty.
What’s not!
Shivaji has weak script. Brings feeling of Déjà vu. It is too lengthy with 3 hours running time. Hero bashing up very small baddies for lengthy time is also bad. There are no heroic feats in the film actually. The message of unearthing black money and making it white is very simplistic. Many scenes defy the logic.
Bottom-line
Shivaji on the whole doesn’t meet the expectations. It can be at best an average film. Rajnikant's Charisma, Shriya's glamor, post-interval scenes, music and stylized scenes can save it.
Some trivia
1. Rajnikant has played like NTR, ANR and Chiranjeevi in a song. On the dream song of Rajnikant and Shriya’s first night, both of them play for the songs of “Nee Kallu Cheptunnai ..” (from ANR’s Premabhishekam), “Aku Chatu Pinde Tadise..” (from NTR’s Vetagadu), “Abba Nee Tiyyani Debba..” (from Chiranjeevi’s Jagadekaveerudu Atiloka Sundari).
2. Rajnikant appears with gundu towards the climax and then he changes his name to NTR. That is N T Rangarao
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