EE Nagaraniki Emaindhi

Have you ever wondered where writers get their ideas?  Or what is involved in getting a film produced?   Some writers choose to write about writing and sometimes it can be interesting.  Many critics and viewers have noted a superior dialogue for this movie.   It seems natural to take liberties, but the film claims "based on almost true stories."  

The plot is about four friends who while in college made a short film, but since then have gone their separate ways.  United by an interest in making films they get together and coincidentally are approached by an attractive promotions woman Shirley who uncovers their background and interests.  Vivek had written and directed short films.  Karthik was managing a club and had been promised his own club if he would marry the boss's daughter.  Kaushik wanted to be an actor, but was dubbing for films.  Uppa was a wedding photographer.  All of them had worked on Vivek's short film.  Shirley steers them to a short film contest held in Goa.  The topics are assigned by lottery and Vivek draws romance which after a breakup he won't do.  Then later out of desperation he relents.  They recruit a few local actors including Shirley.

Short films are ignored by many, but they are a training ground for future feature film makers.  The 4 friends take on different tasks, writing directing, acting, camera, editing, music, etc. The script changes after many discussions to make a more effective film.

The weird title translates to " What Happened to this City?"  

Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam was both director and writer and one suspects he has undergone many of the trials depicted in his second feature.  He graduated from the New York Film Academy.  After a few shorts, (one of which was shown at Cannes) his first feature was "Pelli Choopulu" (2016) which received awards for feature and script.   This film was his second feature.  His wife Latta worked on production and costume design for his first two features. 

D. Suresh Babu was the producer.  Noted for "Eega" (2012), "Drushyam II" (2014)

Vivek Sagar wrote the music.  An earlier film was "Pelli Choopula (2016).  He has been a playback singer.

Niketh Bommi was the cinematographer.  Earlier films include "Soorarai Pottru" (2020).

Ravi Teja Girijala was the editor.  Other films include "Pelli Choopulu" (2016), and "C/O Kancharapalem" (2018).

Vishwak Sen played Vivek.  He has also directed one film.

Sai Sushanth Reddy played Karthik in his first film.

Abhinav Gomatam played Kaushik  He went on to do "Shyam Singha Roy"  (2021). 

Anisha Ambrose played Shirley.

Vijay Deerakonda made a cameo appearance in the same year as "Arjun Reddy" (2018).  "Pelli Choopula" (2016) was an early boost to his career.   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/09/arjun-reddy-and-kabir-singh.html

 The viewer can think of this as a buddy movie or a road movie, but I think of it as a writer's movie.

Another recently viewed movie giving a perspective from another writer. http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/05/home-comedic-clash-of-generations.html

ARJUN REDDY AND KABIR SINGH

Both "Arjun Reddy" and "Kabir Singh" have garnered a lot of attention, but seemed a bit scary for me.  Nonetheless the marketing seemed too much to ignore.  And it just happened that Netflix carried both of them.



First up for me was "Arjun Reddy, " the original and at times I wasn't sure I saw what I thought I saw.  The ultimate proof was that "Kabir Singh," the remake had many of the same things in pretty much the same sequence.  A number of the items must have been testing censor boards.

One scene had the protagonist scooping up ice cubes and putting them in his pants so that he appeared to have wet his pants.  Another scene depicts using an electric razor to cut off male pubic hair.  There seems to be a steady dose of drinking, smoking, cocaine and morphine.  Swearing (in multiple languages (English, Hindi, Telegu, Kannada, Tuli) were constant.

The hero in both films was egotistical, obsessive and had an explosive temper.  Not the typical hero.  From time to time this behavior contrasted with deep concern for patients and an acknowledgment of logic.  The heroinne in both cases was attractive, modest and somewhat resistant until the inevitable capitulation to the hero.  Their first encounter was mind boggling in that the hero (I am using this term loosely) interrupted a class, centered out the heroinne who he had no previous contact with demanded she move to the front, then selected an overweight girl to sit beside the heroinne saying such girls made the best friends and throughout this experience spoke in a language not known to the instructor basically telling the rest of the male students that she was his girl and they were not to interfere with this relationship.   Before too long they were living together despite college rules against such things.  She became very attached to him and vice versa.

It took awhile but her father who had met the hero rejected the idea forcefully and arranged an almost immediate marriage for his daughter.  The father was concerned about caste and the immoral behavior.  From there the movie follows the moral downfall of the hero into drugs and drinking.  At the same time he is so talented as a doctor that all is forgiven, or mostly forgiven.  That is, until he falls so far his medical licence is taken from him.  Although will tell anyone his love is undying is not against straight sex.  One dramatic scene is when a major movie star offering sex declared she loved him, but he very harshly rejected her as he was not looking for love.  After all this drama (and more not related) the movie has a happy ending.  In some ways it seemed like a big cheating, but its saving grace was the powerful homage to undying love.

Is it realistic?  Not in my reality, but by its dramatic thrust it makes for compelling viewing.

The common link between the two films is Sandeep Reddy Vanga who wrote and directed both.  To be allowed such artistic freedom and a big budget it was really surprising this was his first film as writer and lead director.  His background is in the Telegu film industry but he did study at the International Film School in Sydney, Australia.  He did work as an assistant and associate director  in two earlier films.  While filming "Arjun Reddy" his son was born and his name became Arjun Reddy.

The lead actor for both films is very critical as he has to be believable, but not go overboard with a very violent, but nuanced character.   Both versions found such an actor.

Vijay Deverakonda had done a few Telegu movies starting in 2011, many of them comedies and he was credited with being a natural.  He has been a playback singer in two subsequent movies.  His career seems to have taken off.

Shalini Pandey played the Telegu heroinne as her first film.  She has followed the path of many southern actresses and has gone on to do movies in Telegu, Tamil and Hindi.

Shahid Kapoor was given the Bollywood lead by the director after viewing Shahid in "Udta Punjab" but one of the financers had wanted someone else.  Shahid was a very good choice.  He had been in a lot of romantic comedies, including "Jab We Met," a master piece with ex girl friend Kareena Kapoor. In contrast to "Kabir Singh" he appeared in "Vivah" where he played a young man whose father arranged a wedding with the full blessing of both families and Shahid's character.  Shahid had established a reputation as perhaps the second best male dancer in Bollywood, but it wasn't enough to sustain his career and he played in a few duds.  In the last few years his acting was recognized more and more.  He was excellent playing the troubled Kabir Singh.

Kiara Advani played the heroinne.  She had established her reputation in "M.S. Dhoni:  The Untold Story."

Both versions of the story have been top financial successes.  There are plans for a Tamil version.