Movie review 'Shivam’: When cupid gets stung
Its best aspect is Ram, a natural actor who shines in the song and action sequences
By : suresh kavirayani
Update: 2015-10-03 06:15 GMT
Cast: Ram, Raashi Khanna, Vineet Kumar, Abhimanyu Singh, Brahmanandam and Srinivas Reddy
Director: Srinivas Reddy
Rating: 2.5 stars
Shivam’s director Srinivas Reddy makes his debut with this film, a safe and fairly predictable movie that aims to entertain without overly challenging audiences. After the success of Pandaga Chesuko, actor Ram returns in Shivam as lead. He plays Shiva, a happy-go-lucky sort whiling his days away helping lovers elope against their parents’ wishes. During one of these episodes, he gets into a scrap and boards a train to escape.
Here he sees Tanu (Raashi Khanna) and it is love at first sight. Following her, he runs into trouble from Bhoji Reddy (Vineet Kumar) who plays a politician. Another source of trouble for Shiva is Abhi (Abhimanyu Singh), who is also fond of Tanu, whom he kidnaps. How Shiva is able to get past these two and be united with his love is the core of the story.
The first half of the film is good for a few laughs but the second half gets away from the director and his inexperience shows. There is an episode with a flashback that goes on for far too long. It may also be said that while he concentrates on the episodes of comic relief he does so at cost of the plot which seems suspended while these unfold. As a result the film seems long and in need of editing.
Its best aspect is Ram, a natural actor who shines in the song and action sequences. Raashi Khanna also puts in a decent performance but is noticeably chubbier than she has been. Of the rest, Fish Venkat again puts in a standout performance. The music by Devi Sri Prasad complements Rasool Ellore’s photography. The songs, some of which have been shot exceptionally well in lovely locations, provide relief in an otherwise ordinary film.