Movie :Gaganam
Cast : Nagarjuna, Prakashraj, Sana Khan, Bharath Reddy, Prithviraj, Manobala, Brahmanandam
Direction Radha Mohan
Producer Dil Raju
Music Pravin Mani
Cinematography K .V. Guhan
Banner Matinee Entertainments
Art Muthuraj
Release Date 12 Feb, 2011
It has been a while since we came across an honest, persuasively narrated and scrupulously tasteful re-creation of a real life incident. Though ‘Experimentation’ has become a key factor in Tamil cinema for the past few years, it’s the Madurai mania that still dominates. Movies that narrates a national problem especially terrorism is comparatively less in Tollywood. But this Gaganam has an answer to all!
The film is special for many reasons; Gaganam brings Telugu star Nagarjuna back to Kollywood after a long gap. With this film, romantic specialist Radha Mohan is venturing into his first action flick. National award winner Prakashraj, who gave us some memorable movies is back as a producer.
Gaganam is a whiff of fresh air set in the backdrop of a flight hijack!
The Plot
To attempt to synopses the film is to give too much away even though it is based on a real life incident. The random cruelty of the terrorist can make a routine day come into sharp focus. In Gaganam! This idea is explored in provocative ways.
A flight carrying 75 passengers (including a cabinet minister and a top actor) from Hyderabad is hijacked and brought to Tirupathi by five terrorists. Home Secretary Vishwanath (Prakashraj) and other higher officials reach the spot immediately for negotiations. But the terrorists demand the release of their leader and Rs. 100 crore as a condition to free the plane and its passengers. On the other hand we have NSG commando chief Raveendaran (Nagarjuna) who wants to go for a commando operation rather than negotiations.
And that is all we are going to tell you about the story.
Now that looks like a serious ride, isn’t? But director Radha Mohan has added plenty of comedy elements to make the film interesting.
The Performance
First of all, kudos to Prakashraj and Radha Mohan for the wonderful attempt. Infact the film doesn’t have any songs or romantic tracks. Still, in many other ways, the film is intelligently nuanced, from its character development, to the issues raised, to the visual feel. Pacifists say that a movie is not made alone and that it is only through the strongest contributions from everyone involved that a film achieves excellence! We agree! Each and every character in the film is well etched and executed. And the one who stands above all in Nagarjuna. He fits the bill perfectly; a brainy, smart and intelligent commando officer.
Interestingly all the characters in the film, including Sana Khan, Bharath Reddy, Prithviraj, Manobala, Brahmanandam and others, has a meaty role to play.
The Techniques
It’s Radha Mohan all the way! He has the knack of conveying a serious issue as a sweet entertainer. Though the film is an edge-of-the-seat thriller, the comedy one liners (especially the Shinning star track) makes it more interesting. Cinematographer K V Guhan, music director Pravin Mani and art director Muthuraj needs a special mention. Though the film has been shot inside a created airport set, it is so realistic. The church bell and the cell phone sequences are heart wrenching.
The Verdict
Cheers to Nagarjuna, Radha Mohan and Prakashraj for this innovative effort. This Gaganam is definitely a new and thrilling experience for Telugu audience.