Sivaji Telugu Movie
The stakes are high. The atmosphere is charged. Part of the crowd is ecstatic to have procured tickets somehow and the rest are willing to do anything to get a ticket. The proprietors and managers of the theatres feel they are more important than the district collectors. The police are keeping a watchful eye in case there is a crowd control problem. For this is no ordinary movie release. Rajnikanth: the highest paid Indian movie star is back to woo the viewers after a brief hiatus. Huge garlanded cutouts of the star with the weirdest possible hairdos only ignite the curiosity and enthusiasm of the viewers more.
There is only one question on everyone's lips. How is Shivaji?
The answer is: Shivaji is good.
With anyone else in the lead a film like Shivaji would have gone kaput. But with Rajnikanth in the lead the producers and distributors need not fear anything. The superstar with his elan, trademark mannerisms, and amusing actions pulls off another hit.
The audio visual feast enriched by the expertise of virtuosos like AR Rehman, Prabhudeva, and Lawrence lasts for more than two and half hours. Scenes that are drags (for example: the fight scene in the music shop) are transformed by the electrifying presence of superstar Rajnikanth. He makes the difference.
Superstars can make the ordinary look extra ordinary. And there is no one to beat Rajnikanth at that, at least on the Indian cinema horizon. That's the reason he is the most bankable star in Indian cinema at present.
Corruption is an old issue with Indian movies. But Shivaji is based on the issue of black money in India. The movie offers the solution to the problem of tracking and converting black money to white. Shankar tries to send a strong social message like he did in his earlier movies like Aparichutudu and Gentleman.
The protagonist Shivaji (Rajnikanth) is a NRI that is interested in starting medical colleges and educational institutions without capitation fees. His efforts are resisted by self seeking politicians including Adi (Suman) and bureaucrats. At every step he has to dole out suitcases full of cash as bribe. Still his dream remains unfulfilled as the new minister (change engineered by Adi) disapproves his project. How Shivaji achieves his goal of setting up educational institutions to serve the poor that cannot afford huge capitation fees or does he succeed in doing that at all has to be seen by the viewers.
Shreya is the love interest of Rajnikanth in Shivaji. Shreya is projected as a traditional Indian girl from a cultured family with good values. There are many elegant sets used in the movie Shivaji. But the makers couldn't capitalize on the elegance of Shreya who looks graceful in sarees. Raghuvaran is under utilized and has a very brief role.
These small lapses are more than made up by the great music by AR Rehman, good artwork, and a solid social message. And it is a treat to watch super star Rajnikanth acting not only like himself but also imitating NTR, ANR, and Cheeranjivi.
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