Reviews : Movie Reviews : Snehithudu

Film: Snehithudu
Cast: Vijay, Jeeva, Sriram, Ileana, Sathyaraj and Others
Story: Abhijat Joshi and Rajkumar Hirani
Dialogues: Abburi Ravi
Lyrics: Sirivennela Seetarama Sastry, Vanamali, R J Sastry
Music: Harris Jayaraj
Director of Photography: Manoj Paramahamsa
Editing: Anthony
Choreography: Farah Khan, Shobi
Sound Design: Resul Pookutty
Banner: Gemini Film Circuit
Directed by: Shankar
Release Date: January 26, 2012

For the first time in his long and successful career, South India's top director Shankar remade a movie from other language. His new movie, Snehitudu ( Nanban in Tamil), is remake of Bollywood's all-time biggest grosser 3 Idiots. Majority of the movie going audiences saw the Hindi version, yet Shankar remade this into Tamil with Tamil superstar Vijay in the lead role and the movie is dubbed into Telugu as Snehitudu.

Known for filming songs in lavish manner, telling the story in dramatic way using high-end technology, director Shankar this time has refrained from over the board commercialization of the story and has stuck to the original content of the movie. So Snehitudu is faithful remake of the 3 Idiots. The script written by Rajkumar Hirani and Abhijat Joshi is so strong that even in its Telugu/Tamil avatar works to some extent, although several scenes lack the finesse that was found in the original movie. Like 3 Idiots, Snehitudu is also told with humor and fast face. Yet, the movie doesn't move you as 3 Idiots. It is no doubt that those who have seen the original Hindi movie would find this one a tad bore.

The story goes like this: Panchabatla Sarangapani or Pani (Vijay), Venkat Ramakrishna (Sri Ram) and Sanakkayala Ravi (Jiva) are students at an engineering college and they are good friends. Pani excels in studies and comes first always. While his friends - Venkat and Ravi - are not good at studies as their heart lies somewhere. Encouraged by Pani, Venkat and Ravi get courage to do what they were afraid to do before and succeed in life. One day, Pani disappears leaving them and his girlfriend, Ria (Ileana), daughter of the dean of the college, Virupaksha Sundaram or Virus (Sathyaraj). Years later, Venkat and Ravi search for the guy who asked them to follow excellence but not chase the success. The film is told in flashback.

Tamil superstar Vijay has done the role that was acted brilliantly by Aamir Khan. Vijay is okay. Sri Ram does commendable job as Venkat and so is Jiva. Ileana looks pretty thin in the movie and but looks pretty glamorous in songs though. Sathyaraj has Virus is also good. Sathyan is humorous in the role of Silencer and Sunil has lent his voice for this character.

Haaris Jayaraj's music is okay and two songs are catchy. Cinematography by Manoj Paramahansa is top class; his work shines through out the movie. Abburi Ravi’s dialogues are good too. Shankar has shown his trademark style in filming of songs (he also included two more songs to make it more commercial).

As 3 Idiots is one of the best written movies in Indian Cinema ever, the positive elements of its remake Snehitudu also should be credited with the original writers. Director Shankar, who loved the 3 Idiots and decided to remake it immediately, is faithful to the original but he is not successful at bringing the original charm and emotions here. For those who have not seen the original movie, it may seem well. For others it is strictly okay.

Rating: 3/5

Reviewed by: U.S

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