Shiva

I may be biased since this movie takes place in my home city of Hyderabad,AP in Southern India.The western(esp US) viewer may be bewildered that the film is about political rivalries in college as is very much the case in most parts of India esp my state.One can draw a vague parallel to the student movements of the sixties in U.S.Now if u can ...politicize them even more,strip them of any socially redeeming value and make them a ruthless power hungry grab for turf and dont forget to place in India of the late 80's where the youth are slowly but steadily realizing the sterility of Gandhi's nonviolent policies which had for long enough demoralized the nation and was witnessing the slow and painful death of his beloved dynastic,tyrannical regime of Congress(I). That being said.This is Varma's first film made when he was in his mid 20's.The violence in this film is excruciatingly brutal and graphic.Like the scene where a rival gang proceeds to systematically bash a student leader head with hockey stick and finishes the act by smashing his face on a rock.Another student's face was sliced in half by an axe.Nagarjuna who stars as shy newcomer turned student leader turned mobster is nothing short of brilliant.His eyes wonderfully express his cold ruthless fury.Not to be upstaged is his psychotic nemesis Bhavani portrayed eerily by Raghuvaran.The ending is kinda disturbing but is good because its uncompromising and refrains from a feel good sort of sentiment so prevalent in Indian films. Also this film was kind of a pioneer in technical acheivement esp in sound and photography.It was similar to other films of the seventies and eighties in the sense that it was action film with a social message.But rarely have films with the exception of Satya(also by Varma) get any dark and intense than this.What I find this esp disturbing is that now its mostly love stories ,'family values' and assorted chick flicks that get the most award and box office returns.These are dark days for our film industry!!

Shiva was a RGV cult classic when it initially came out. Shot in real locations and diverging from the normal Bollywood plotlines, it was a completely different experience in 1990 and left. A mark on you and the change the industry for ever.

However in 2024, with the advent of OTT and excellent plotlines, watching this was an underwhelming experience even after skipping all the songs.

Yes songs. Just like a typical Bollywood potboiler completely tacky and out of place. Nagarjuna's acting leaves much to be desired, though Amala is beautiful and fantastic. Overall the political - student-union nexus is brilliantly explored and Shivas quest for revenge and dominance is well thought out. I would have given it 9 stars in 1990, but this move does not stand the test of time.

They don't make films like this anymore!

You can watch this movie many times you will never be bored. Raghuvaran and Nagarjuna excel in their roles.

Most of the films being released now whether Tamil, Telugu or Hindi are to unrealistic, like Rowdy Rathore, Wanted and others, that they just really miss the point regarding the social issues. Action sequences are also unrealistic.

This film is raw, 95% real, to the point and hard hitting just like action films should be.

RGV since this movie has not ever matched the quality of this work again (barring maybe Satya).

Shiva is definitely one of the top class action entertainer of its time. For the beginners it was the first time audience saw the use of bike chain as a potential weapon, henceforth followed by goons both in real life and films as well. Shiva gave an absolutely new dimension to action films in India with its fluid packed stunts (something which were unheard of at that time). Such was its intensity that the movie ran jam packed for many months not only in Telugu, but also Tamil and Hindi as well. The film still has cult status down south even today as it saw the rise of one of the Superstars of South film industry in Akkineni Nagarjuna.

It's hard to rate an industry classic honestly and accurately, especially one as hallowed as Siva. Watching in 2019, some plot holes (i.e. how does he get married and acquire power so quickly) and technical mishaps (i.e. many scenes where extras are out of character or poorly shot) tend to weigh on the viewing experience a little heavier than in 1989.

With all that said, Siva is still an absolute must watch. Its obvious directorial innovations, Nagarjuna's and Raghuvaran's acting, and the realistic elements of the storyline continue to dazzle 30 years later. What frankly surprised me is how outstandingly gripping the movie is; I didn't expect to be on the edge of my seat for so long. I cannot imagine what the experience must have been like in the theaters.

It's clear why the film retains an iconic status in the pantheon of Telugu cinema. Highly recommend for all viewers.