Film: Eenadu Cast: Kamal Haasan, Venkatesh, Lakshmi, Bharat Reddy, Ganesh Raman Poonam Kaur and others Dialogues: Neelakantha Story: Neeraj Pandey Music: Shruti Haasan Cinematography: Manoj Soni Editing: Ramesh Bhagat Produced by: Kamal Haasan, Chandra Haasan, Ronnie Screwvala Screenplay and directed by: Chakri Toleti Release date: September 18, 2008 CBFC Rating: U
What’s it about
The film starts off with a Police commissioner Eeshwara Prasad (Venkatesh) narrating an incident that changed his life. An anonymous individual (Kamal Haasan) makes a call to Police Commissioner and informs him that he has planted bombs in various locations in Hyderabad. He demands four terrorists to be released from jail and bring them to a certain place, or he would detonate the bombs. With the help of two of his sharp and efficient police officers, Eeshwara Prasad tries to prevent him from taking extreme step. Why this anonymous individual plants bombs and what he wants to do with the terrorists and what is his motive behind this setup forms the rest of the movie.
Analysis
Released in 2008, A Wednesday received great critical praise and won several awards too. Eenadu is the remake of this critically acclaimed film. Debutant director Chakri Toleti has not done many changes to the original film as per as script is concerned but he has brought ‘star actors’ in to play the lead roles unlike the Hindi movie and made technically superior. Eenadu is not regular potboiler and deals with a serious subject in a thriller format. Although, Kamal and Venky, have tried to hook the audiences with their performances and star power, the film is just okay. Much of the movie is fast paced and has some good qualities to boast of, but the emotional basis for the happenings is not so strong to connect with the so-called ‘common man’s angst.
Although it gives new ‘experience’ to Telugu audiences (as it departures from run-of-the mill duets, separate comedy tracks, other distractions), the film still falls short of fulfilling viewing experience. This kind of films should have ‘strong’ reason (for understanding the common man’s anguish) and powerful dialogues. The excessive usage of English dialogues mars the proceedings.
For those who haven’t seen the original, Eenadu looks fresh and to those who have seen it doesn’t seem much exciting.
Performances
Legendary
Kamal Haasan has portrayed the common man role with finesse. It can be debatable as he really looked like an ‘ordinary layman’ but his star power glues us to watch the proceedings with interest. It is welcome change that
Venkatesh has accepted this film as it ushers in new trend for multi-starrers. In the role of a Police Commissioner, he has given one of the best performances in his career. Although he shares screen space with Kamal in just one scene, he does it for Kamal.
Bharat Reddy and
Ganesh Raman as the young cops are equally adept. Especially Ganesh as Muslim cop is believable.
Lakshmi’s character is distraction and is not necessary to the smooth flow of the movie.
Poonam Kaur appears in couple of scenes. The girl who played the journalist is okay. But the comedy show - Bush and Mush - is complete waste.
The film is shot on Red Camera and its effect is visible as the visuals are really rich and bright. Bollywood cinematographer
Manoj Soni has done good job, so is the editor
Ramesh.
Director Chakri Toleti has succeeded in presenting it without deviating from the original story but he should have concentrated more on the emotional base to make it more engrossing. He seems to have good visual sense.
Bottom-line!
Kamal and Venkatesh acting together in a film and their star power is the major attraction with
Eenadu but the film, on the whole, is okay. It lacks the ‘force’ and emotional basis to get connected with.
For those who haven’t seen the original, Eenadu looks fresh and to those who have seen it doesn’t seem much exciting.
