paderthi-vijay

Ronth is another solid film from the Malayalam industry. The word Ronth means "patrol," and the movie follows two police officers-one a seasoned veteran, the other a rookie-as they patrol the city over the course of a single night.

We often hear that the police patrol the streets at night to ensure our safety, but we rarely think about what they actually go through during those hours. This film gives us a realistic, grounded look at what a night on patrol can involve. I had no idea so much could happen in just one night. It really made me appreciate how important their presence is for keeping the peace.

The movie is directed by Shahi Kabir, who won a National Award for his screenplay for Nayattu. I learned that he actually served as a police officer before becoming a writer and director. That background clearly reflects in his work-his stories about police life feel honest, grounded, and human. Unlike the typical commercial portrayals where police officers are shown as larger-than-life heroes, Shahi shows them with their vulnerabilities, as real people. His attention to the little details stands out, and maybe that's because he's lived that life himself. I also liked his previous film Officer on Duty, which is streaming on Netflix.

It's quite rare and refreshing to see a former police officer turn into a storyteller and bring such authenticity to the screen.

Ronth not only shows what actually happens during a police patrol, but also explores the personal struggles these officers face in their own lives. Despite everything they're going through, they still show up and do their duty.

Dileesh, who plays the senior officer, completely inhabits the role. He doesn't act the character-he lives it. Roshan Mathew, who plays the rookie, is a familiar face from earlier films and does a great job too.

The music is good, the editing is sharp, and the cinematography is excellent. Like most Malayalam films, it's shot entirely on real locations, which adds to the realism.

With movies like Ronth, there's not really a "story" in the conventional sense-it's more about experiencing the lives of these two officers. So it's best watched without expecting big twists or turns. That said, I didn't really like the ending. It's shocking, yes, but it didn't quite sit well with me.

Still, Ronth is yet another gem from the Malayalam film industry.

Sekhar Kammula is one of the most sensible directors in Telugu cinema. He's selective with his scripts and stays true to his core style-telling stories that are relevant to society and centered around common people's struggles. Except for one or two exceptions, most of his films are love stories or youth-centric. After Love Story, he brings us Kuberaa. The title itself is intriguing and felt unique. With Dhanush playing a beggar and King Nagarjuna taking on a key role, the curiosity only increased.

When the teaser of Kuberaa dropped along with the lyrical video of "Nadi Nadi," showcasing several cuts from the movie, it sparked even more interest. Adding to the excitement, this is Sekhar Kammula's 25th film-so expectations were sky-high.

The basic plot revolves around Neeraj, an ultra-rich man who wants to become the richest in the world. To achieve this, he targets natural oil reserves under government control. The story unfolds around the lengths he goes to, whether he succeeds, and how characters like a CBI officer (played by Nagarjuna), a beggar named Deva (played by Dhanush), and a supporting role by Rashmika are all connected.

The film begins by introducing Neeraj a businessman with control over multiple companies. He discovers oil in the Indian Ocean and sets his sights on acquiring it. This setup immediately hooks you, making you wonder how the other characters will fit into this narrative. Nagarjuna's character Deepak is introduced next, and it's refreshing to see him in such a grounded role. Then comes Dhanush as Deva, with a powerful scene that marks his entry. What stands out is how these intro scenes are crafted without leaning into their star images-they're presented purely as characters, not stars.

Alongside Deva, several other beggar characters are introduced through a strong song sequence. It's genuinely stunning to see a star like Dhanush treated as just another character in the crowd, and that's what makes it even more powerful.

Rashmika's character comes in much later but plays a significant role.

While many associate Sekhar Kammula with love stories, films like Anamika and Leader proved he's also adept at thrillers. He applies the same strength here-delivering a gripping narrative with philosophical undertones. He explores the harsh realities faced by beggars and how society often ignores their humanity, all within an investigative thriller framework that keeps things engaging.

The film has some powerful dialogues and scenes that carry Sekhar Kammula's signature. The music by Devi Sri Prasad is a huge asset-it felt fresh and different. The background score, especially the signature theme for Neeraj, is excellent and haunting. Unfortunately, it seems one or two songs were trimmed from the final cut, but even those songs were well-composed.

The locations feel authentic, with scenes shot in real places like Tirupati, Mumbai streets, and a dumping yard-all enhancing the film's realism.

Performance-wise, Dhanush is the heart of this film. He fully immerses himself in the character and stays consistent, even though the shoot spanned a long period during which he worked on other projects. He proves again why he's a national award-winning actor. Nagarjuna also delivers a solid performance, portraying internal conflict with grace. His look-graying hair and all-perfectly suits the role, and I'd love to see him in more such parts. Rashmika supports Dhanush's character well and adds a bit of humor. Both Dhanush and Rashmika seem to have dubbed their roles. The actor playing Neeraj is outstanding, holding his own in intense scenes with Nagarjuna. Even Nagarjuna himself mentioned being on his toes while acting with him. The rest of the cast also did well in their roles.

Of course, there are a few drawbacks. The pre-interval scenes feel a bit stretched, with some repetitive shots of Dhanush walking through Mumbai streets. The climax delivers a great message and strong dialogues but feels a bit abrupt, leaving a few questions unanswered. The title Kuberaa also needed a stronger justification within the story.

Still, despite these minor issues, Kuberaa is a refreshing film. It's great to see stars like Dhanush and Nagarjuna stepping away from typical commercial roles-no song duets or mass fight scenes-and simply becoming their characters. It's very much a Sekhar Kammula film, blending thriller elements with philosophical depth.

Go watch it-you won't be disappointed.

The film is set in the pre-World War I era and follows twin brothers, Smoke and Stack, who want to start fresh and open a juke joint-a kind of club for the local Black community. Their cousin Sammie, an excellent guitarist, joins them. But on opening night, they encounter a supernatural evil. What happens next, and how their lives change, forms the rest of the story.

The setup feels like a fresh spin on horror. Director Ryan Coogler brings his distinct style, portraying Black life with natural performances and realistic settings. He reminds me of our Tamil director Vetrimaaran-both are deeply rooted in showcasing the lives of underprivileged people. At the same time, they balance their storytelling with enough commercial appeal to reach a broader audience without feeling preachy.

Sinners is a good example of that balance. The horror and supernatural elements provide the commercial pull, while underneath, the film explores Black life of that era-how people lived and how important music was in their lives.

The music in the film is really good. Unlike Indian films, Hollywood rarely features strong song scores-usually it's just background music or a couple of tracks during the credits. But here, the songs reflect the era beautifully. There's a dance sequence at the juke joint that reminded me of the one in Titanic.

Coming to the horror elements: this is a vampire movie, so naturally there's a lot of blood. They've taken some cinematic liberties, like in Evil Dead-even a small bite results in blood gushing out like it's from a broken pipe. But I didn't mind it. That's part of the genre's charm. Even the movie posters are blood red, staying true to the theme. I also liked the special effects and makeup-the eerie details on characters felt real, and I believe a lot of it was practical makeup, which added authenticity.

Michael B. Jordan was excellent, as always. I think this might be his first time playing twins. I'm curious whether the twin concept was in the script from the start, or if they changed it later so both roles could be played by him. Either way, the scenes with both brothers looked seamless. These things may be easier with today's technology, but they still require careful planning to pull off convincingly.

Hailee Steinfeld played his girlfriend and did a good job. I was surprised at first to see a white girl in that role during that era, but then I learned the term "white-passing"-someone who appears white but is classified as Black. That was something new for me.

The rest of the cast, especially the vampires and Smoke's wife, also did a great job. Overall, it's a refreshing take on the horror genre. I'd love to see more directors like Ryan Coogler exploring different genres with their unique vision.

That said, I wish the horror parts had been developed a bit more. More action sequences and a broader setting beyond the juke joint would have added depth. The entire confrontation happens in just one place-they could've expanded it or explored the origins of the evil more. Also, the dialogues were hard to understand. I get that the dialect adds authenticity, as that's how Black people spoke during the pre-WWI era. It reminded me of the Chittoor dialect in Pushpa, which even many Telugu speakers struggled with.

So overall, I liked Sinners. I'd give it an 8 out of 10.