Film: Maro Charitra
Cast: Varun Sandesh, Anita, Shraddha Das, Pratap Potan, Adarsh, Urvashi, Naresh, Kota, Venu, and others
Story: K Balachander
Dialogues: Umarji Anuradha
Music: Mickey J Meyer
Editing: Marthand K Venkatesh
Produced by: Dil Raju
Screenplay, cinematography and directed by: Ravi Yadav
Release date: March 25, 2010
Whats it about!
Balu (Varun Sandesh) is a college dropout in USA and he falls for the charm of his neighbor Swapna (Anita). They happily roamance around the USA but their parents oppose to their love and both Balu and Swapna agree to not to see each other for a period of time. At the end, they come to a decision that they cant live separately. But what fate has in store for them?
Analysis
Remaking classics is tricky. Every scene, every word, and every character is invariably compared with the original. Apart from that there is risk of non-connectivity for the new audiences and new generation that has not seen the original classic. The old-timers, anyhow, would prefer the original film. That is why remaking classics like Maro Charitra is like a blasphemy. After Ram Gopal Varma botching up with his remake of Sholay, everyone had apprehensions about this remake. Sadly and unfortunately, cinematographer turned director Ravi Yadav joins the same league with Varma. Without a doubt, the remake of Maro Charitra is, just hogwash. Better buy the DVD of the original K Balachanders black and white classic than this colorfully and beautifully shot mediocre remake.
Ravi Yadav, being a renowned cinematographer, has only tried to better the original in cinematography department as he shot the movie beautifully in picturesque locations of USA. Neither the music (the original had M.S.Vishwanthans unforgettable numbers like Ee Teega Puvvuno, Padharellaki.., Bhale Bhale Mogadivoyi) nor the cast comes near to the original.
Performances
Can anyone really repeat the magic of the great actor Kamal Haasan?
Varun Sandesh as new age Balu fails in every way. He doesnt look handsome nor he has screen presence to empathy with him.
Anita has good figure but not good face. Although Sarita was not charming heroine, she is fine actress and won the hearts of audiences with her impeccable performance. The less said about the histrionics of the newcomer Anitha the better.
Shraddha Das in the role of Madhavi is okay. Senior actors
Prathap Pothan and
Urvashi have done justice to their roles.
Director
Ravi Yadav has scored as cinematographer than the director. His visuals are captivating. The film basically lacks soul and the dialogues that the lead pair utter in the second half seem so amateurish (although they sounded good in the original). Writer Umarjee fails to make them suit to this generation. Songs by
Mickey J Meyer are okay although this reviewer doesnt like the remix versions of Bhale Bhale Magadivoyee and Ee Teega. Tamans background score doesnt help the mood either.
Bottom-line
Ram Gopal Varma did it with remake of Sholay. Dil Raju/Ravi Yadav has come near to that with this remake of Maro Charitra. Better rent or buy the original Balachanders Maro Charitra, you would definitely like it, even today.
Rating: 2/5
