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killer King pubg you vishnu 221 34 days ago

Venkatabhigandi 47 119 days ago.

Fantastic movie with deep emotions<br/>Guys must and should watch movie ��<br/>Full worthy movie Trust me ��

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Please please make part 2 jaanu

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Jaanu movie review: Sharwanand, Samantha's bittersweet romance drama is heartbreakingly cathartic

Jaanu is the Telugu remake of a Tamil film, ‘96, starring Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha

Language: Telugu

Some love stories never begin and some, never end. Jaanu , starring Sharwanand and Samantha, falls somewhere in between. It’s both heartbreaking and cathartic at the same time, and to truly understand why every conversation between the two characters - Ram and Jaanu - feels like a ticking time-bomb, one has to delve into how writer and director C Prem Kumar uses long pauses and silence as a prelude to confessions between the two characters.

Every time the duo try to go down the memory lane, they are scared about how their past is going to affect their present. And yet, when they muster the courage to talk to each other after 15 years, both of them realise that their lives might have changed, but emotionally, they are still prisoners of their past. The film explores all these aspects beautifully and at every turn, it feels like watching a fuse burn despite knowing that the end result could be devastating.

Jaanu is the Telugu remake of a Tamil film, ‘96 , starring Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha, and it tells the story of Ram (Sharwanand), a travel photographer, who reconnects with his school friends after nearly 15 years. They plan a reunion in Hyderabad, where Ram ends up meeting his childhood sweetheart, Jaanu (Samantha). The rest of the story is about how Ram and Jaanu open up about their past and find closure to their love story.

It’s been a while since romantic dramas have tapped into the innocence of first love and Jaanu captures that essence remarkably well. The budding love story between two teenagers is exceptionally well-staged with terrific performances by Gouri Kishan and Sai Kiran, who played the younger Jaanu and Ram respectively.

Ram is too shy to confess his feelings for Jaanu, but the latter gets it. She hears his heartbeat loud and clear, and it tells the whole story of what Ram feels for her. Both of them yearn for each other, but when fate plays spoilsport in their lives, it leaves both of them devastated so much that both of them find it hard to move on. Much later, when both of them sit together to talk about their past, Ram and Jaanu almost curse their fate.

One of the best scenes in the film has Samantha confessing how she yearned to see Sharwanand again, and hoping that they would reunite. As she digs into her past, she’s in tears and she hesitates to look into his eyes. There’s a tinge of regret in her voice that life didn’t turn out exactly the way she had hoped for. But when Sharwanand reveals the truth, it breaks her even more and it leaves her stunned. The two actors are at their best in this scene where they finally manage to break free and talk to each other openly. It’s both mature and emotional, and kudos to both Sharwanand and Samantha for not making it too melodramatic. It’s this measured performance, right from the way they emote to how they fight back their tears, that stays with you. Even the silence and long pauses that are so ubiquitous in the film tell their own story. And if that wasn’t enough, music composer Govind Vasantha adds the signature tune of the film, ‘ Oohale Oohale ’, to push you into the bottom of an emotional pit.

For all the beautiful moments that the film creates, it’s also self-indulgent in a way. And part of the reason why it feels a tad too slow at times is how Prem Kumar chooses to let the story unfold after both Jaanu and Ram share their version of what exactly happened in the past. In this story, the truth doesn’t quite set the characters free. In fact, it reiterates that no matter how much they try to lessen the emotional burden from their hearts, both of them struggle to move on. So, in the third act of the film, when Ram and Jaanu talk about their future and what both of them want the other person to do next, it feels more like wishful thinking than a resolution to their conflict. Both of them pretend that they have repressed their feelings, if any, but their actions speak otherwise.

Jaanu is a nostalgic trip filled with lots of beautiful moments, and it also makes you ask yourselves if you can truly move on from some relationships. By the end of the film, Ram is so moved after meeting Jaanu that he clings on to her memories even more, and Jaanu herself struggles to let go despite knowing that she has another man in her life. The fuse keeps burning without an end in sight, and that’s what makes it so effective.

Rating: 3.25 stars

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Jaanu Movie Review: An intimate love story that largely works

Rating: ( 3 / 5).

There is something about Tamil directors, some of whom can penetrate the human mind as few can. In Jaanu , which is an unabashed remake of the Tamil original 96 , that incisive moment comes when Janaki Devi aka Jaanu (Samantha Akkineni) narrates a made-up event from her past to K Ramachandra aka Ram's (Sharwanand) trainee photographers. In this story, a young Ram, in his late teens, tells a girl named Vasanthi to go convey to Jaanu that he has come to meet her. "K Ramachandra has come to meet you," is what she would have told Jaanu, had Ramachandra not been shy, but instead she just says "someone" has come to meet her. And this is why Jaanu and Ram's lives turn out the way they do. As fate would have it, the somewhat nervous Ramachandra ends up bumping into the somewhat nervous Vasanthi in front of the college gate. 

Ram, an efficient travel photographer, is a nature-lover. The motif of nature permeates the film. But, there is more to Ram. He is also a God-lover, and this is subtly played up. The film espouses the philosophy of fatalism. The school watchman (Raghu Babu) is nicknamed as Kaapala Devudu. One of the few lines he speaks is this: "Let what is predetermined happen." (Since he says this on the phone to an unimportant character, it doesn't quite lodge itself into our mind). The director may well be saying that Ram had to meet the wrong person (read: Vasanthi) and only her. In an unlikely scene, where Samantha's character asks Sharwa whether he is still a virgin, he tells her he had promised Hanuman that he will always be a virgin. Is it comical? Perhaps not. In two other scenes, references to Lord Venkateswara and Ganapayya prayer are made. After the beautifully-shot Life Of Ram song, the protagonist and his trainee photographers are seen in a temple. The force of nature and the eternal presence of God make this a semi-religious love story.

Cast: Sharwanand, Samantha Akkineni Director: C Prem Kumar

Jaanu  is about two estranged souls figuring out what might have gone wrong fifteen years ago in their lives. The nostalgia of their love story is absorbing. The film goes back and forth and the parallel journey is narrated with ease, helped in no small measure by the smooth intercuts. Like 96  this is a nostalgic ride interspersed some with highly emotional moments. 

The early scenes, to be sure, come with a tinge of Ravi Teja's Naa Autograph (which, too, was incidentally, a remake of the Tamil film, Autograph ).  But unlike Teja, Sharwanand's expressions here are less dramatic. His social awkwardness in the presence of Jaanu makes him endearing. At the same time, one wishes he wasn't in a permanent state of coyness and even embarrassment in her presence. The scene where Jaanu, a married woman, places her palm on his chest, an act that has a romantic context to it because of their past, is unsettling. The reunion moment where Jaanu offers Ram the same plate from which she just ate is uncharacteristically unrealistic. While Ram continues to be the somewhat reticent guy he is, Jaanu is consistently livelier. 

Mirchi Kiran has penned the rather inconsistent dialogues. Even if the lines spoken by the friends (Vennela Kishore, Tagubothu Ramesh, and others) are mediocre, the monologues of the lead pair could have been more striking. That said, this is the kind of film where silences have to convey a lot, like in that Pawan Kalyan-masterpiece Toli Prema . But somehow, the silences here don't come with mystique. Also, the light comments/repartees of the friends are unsettling. Furthermore, the moral dilemma, which the viewer might have otherwise felt, is allowed to fade away by the to-and-fro style of the narration.

The emotions are potent, but they are not too heavy and do not get melodramatic. The throwbacks to Before Sunset  and Blue Jay  are obvious. It helps that the younger selves of Jaanu and Ram are played by measured performers (Sai Kiran Kumar and Gouri Kishan). Varsha Bollamma (as Sharwa's trainee), mooning over her trainer, is there to indicate that Ram is an eligible bachelor, not a loser. The second half could have more believable. The yearning desire of the characters comes off as somewhat overdone.

Sharwanand is commendable as a loner with a heavy heart.  He was seen in a thick beard in his previous outing, Ranarangam , too. However, in that film, the beard acted more like a cover for his skin-deep acting. Here, he emotes seamlessly with his eyes and through body language. Samantha proves again that she is an actor who can deliver monologues with ease. Chinmayi's voice is indistinct in this film, but her renditions of Oohale  and Pranam  are soulful.

Music director Govind Vasantha's BGM is splendid as he uses the piano and other instruments to convey the moods of the characters. Mahendran Jeyaraju's cinematography adds texture to the proceedings, while KL Praveen's editing makes the film seamless.

Powered by the subtle music, neat cinematography, and nimble editing, Jaanu  is out a decent love story that is told from the perspective of its lead pair.

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Jaanu (2020)

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Release date : February 07, 2020

123telugu.com Rating : 3/5

Starring :  Sharwanand, Samantha Akkineni, Vennela Kishore, Varsha Bollamma, Raghu Babu

Director :  C. Prem Kumar

Producers :  Dil Raju

Music Director :  Govind Vasantha

Cinematographer :  Mahendiran Jeyaraju

Editers : K. L. Praveen

Dil Raju received a lot of flack when he decided to remake the cult Tamil hit 96 in Telugu. Titled Jaanu, this film has hit the screen today and let’s see whether it lives up to all the hype or not.

Ram(Sharwanand) is head over heels on his high school sweetheart Jaanu(Samantha). He never proposes to her and as time passes by, destiny keeps them apart. After fifteen long years, both Jaanu and Ram reunite through their school reunion. To know what goes on between these two after all these years, you need to watch the film on the big screen.

Plus Points:

Remaking such a classic is no joke and credit should go to director Prem Kumar who has managed to keep the soul intact. One can say that the film is a faithful remake with superlative performances by the lead pair.

Sharwa, who was going through a low proves what a solid actor he is. He gives his career best performance and nails it as Ram. Be it the innocence or the maturity in emotions, Sharwa takes it to another level with his endearing performance. He stands as the biggest highlight of the film.

For Samantha too, it was the toughest role but boy, she delivers it once again. The star in her takes a back seat as Sam becomes Jaanu and delivers a heart-wrenching performance. She brings tears to your eyes with her emotional act and is too good during the climax. With each film, the actor in her is taking rapid steps.

The chemistry between the lead pair is the biggest asset. No other actors besides Sam and Sharwa would have pulled this off. The young lovers showcased in the film have done a good job. The BGM is superb and is the heart of the film.

Vennela Kishore gets another good role and he charms you with even in his limited screen presence. Tagubothu Ramesh gets a neat role and he too impressed. Saranya Pradeep was apt as Sharwa’s friend and brings a depth to the film.

Minus Points:

As the film is a remake, many will have mixed reactions and will draw comparisons from the original. So, for them the film might be a bit dull. The film is a clear A centre multiplex film with not much entertainment.

The pace of the film is quite slow and one needs patience to enjoy the proceedings. There is no great drama or twists in the love story as the narration is plain. So a section can find it tedious.

Technical Aspects:

Production values of the film are top notch as the period visuals in Vizag and school set up have been showcased supremely well. Music by Govind Vasantha is also good. Special mention to Chinmayi who has done a solid job with her dubbing for Sam.

Dialogues are simple yet create an impact. Production design is also quite good. Coming to the director Prem Kumar, he has done a sincere job with the remake as well. He kept the emotions intact and did not try anything new.

On the whole, Jaanu is a faithful remake that has the emotions intact from the original. The film will surely draw comparisons as those who did not see 96 will like the film and all those who watched it will find it slow-paced. The film is clearly an A center and multiplex film but Sharwanand and Samantha give career-best performances and shoulder the film till the end and making it a decent watch this weekend.

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

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Jaanu Movie Review: This is not a feel-good film because it’s much heftier than that

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Telugu Song 'Pranam' (Lyrical) Ft. Sharwanand and Samantha

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Filmfare Awards - Telugu

S. Seetharama Sastry Je Taradore

killer King pubg you vishnu 221 34 days ago

Venkatabhigandi 47 119 days ago.

Fantastic movie with deep emotions<br/>Guys must and should watch movie ��<br/>Full worthy movie Trust me ��

Kapil Bhardwaj 712 days ago

Please please make part 2 jaanu

CLEMENT PINTO 847 days ago

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• This film marks the first collaboration of uncle-nephew duo Anil Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor. Arjun is the son of Anil’s brother Boney Kapoor.
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Jaanu (U) 07/Feb/2020 Romance, Drama 2hrs 30mins

Critics Review

Sharwanand is outstanding in this telugu remake of '96'.

Jaanu, like 96, is poetic. Stay with its pace and give in to the performances and the music. (more)

Source: SANGEETHA DEVI DUNDOO, The Hindu

This is not a feel-good film because it's much heftier than that

Jaanu is a film as palatable as a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get. This is not a feel-good film because it's much heftier than that. Watch it if you've ever been in love, especially for the performances, the music and just give in. It'll make you smile and cry if nothing else. (more)

Source: Neeshita Nyayapati, Times Of India

Sharwanand, Samantha's bittersweet romance drama is heartbreakingly cathartic

Jaanu is a nostalgic trip filled with lots of beautiful moments, and it also makes you ask yourselves if you can truly move on from some relationships. By the end of the film, Ram is so moved after meeting Jaanu that he clings on to her memories even more, and Jaanu herself struggles to let go despite knowing that she has another man in her life. The fuse keeps burning without an end in sight, and that�s what makes it so effective. (more)

Source: Hemanth Kumar, Firstpost.com

Mature and Decent

Jaanu is a faithful remake that has the emotions intact from the original. The film will surely draw comparisons as those who did not see 96 will like the film and all those who watched it will find it slow-paced. The film is clearly an A center and multiplex film but Sharwanand and Samantha give career-best performances and shoulder the film till the end and making it a decent watch this weekend. (more)

Source: 123telugu Team, 123telugu.com

Matured Romance

"Jaanu" has its moments, is very pleasant for its pure love. The slow-paced romantic drama will work who like matured romantic dramas. Despite some issues, the screenplay and good performances from the lead pair have created an impact. (more)

Source: GreatAndhra, greatandhra.com

Jaanu is a faithful remake that has good performances and conveys intense emotions.

Jaanu banks graciously on the performances of Samantha and Sharawanand. The former's performance (coupled with Chinmayi's soothing voice) is consistently good, particularly during the scene in the parking lot where she delivers a lengthy monologue. (more)

Source: Behindwoods Review Board, Behindwoods.com

Samantha and Sharwanand's film is an earnest remake of 96

Prem Kumar's Jaanus' pace is extremely slow and he lets you consume the film one frame at a time. For those who have watched 96, Jaanu is a faithful remake which will not disappoint you (more)

Source: Janani, India Today

Jaanu is a nostalgic trip filled with lots of beautiful moments, and it also makes you ask yourselves if you can truly move on from some relationships. By the end of the film, Ram is so moved after meeting Jaanu that he clings on to her memories even more, and Jaanu herself struggles to let go despite knowing that she has another man in her life. The fuse keeps burning without an end in sight, and that's what makes it so effective. (more)

Soul of '96 intact but has been made less believably!

The soul of the script is intact but it still could have been a little better. (more)

Source: Galatta Review Panel, galatta.com

A Good Replica Of A Great Film, But That's All

The film's strength, though, lies in the way Prem Kumar writes the two main characters and their interactions. Ram is a brash and edgy individual, who turns soft and anxious in Jaanu's presence, while Jaanu opens up like a book when she is alone with Ram (more)

Source: Sankeertana Varma, Filmcompanion.in

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Jaanu review: Samantha Akkineni, Sharwanand honour the memory of 96

Jaanu review: jaanu did not pull me in by surprise like the original tamil movie. it felt like i was sitting in a revision class. but, i am thankful that the remake did not dishonour the memory of 96..

Jaanu movie cast: Samantha Akkineni, Sharwanand Jaanu movie director: C Prem Kumar Jaanu movie rating: 3 stars

Director C Prem Kumar’s Jaanu is a frame-by-frame remake of his hit Tamil movie 96. Majority of the shots, speaking lines, music and background score have remained the same. The only stark difference between Jaanu and its inspiration is the film’s new star cast. And yes, now that the director has a big producer like Dil Raju backing the project, Prem has flown down his team to foreign locations. He has got few shots of his forlorn protagonist K. Ramachandra aka Ram (Sharwanand) wandering the poverty-stricken streets of an African country.

Is there any other interesting way that Prem could retell this story? Maybe, yes. But, there is no other way to tell this story, if all the director wants is to evoke the same emotional and nostalgic response from the audience. He was clearly not ready to risk his legacy by experimenting with the beautiful memory piece about high-school romance.

96 was the directorial debut of Prem. People bought the ticket for 96 because the film for the first time had Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha sharing screen space. We were not ready for what Prem had in store for us. And I am glad that Raju retained Prem to helm the remake. I can’t imagine another director who can move us by simply having old-friends catching up with each other on a WhatsApp group. Prem doesn’t rush through the scene as it would have made the scene very clumsy and half-baked. He handles the scene with the confidence of a swashbuckling hero, making overtures towards his romantic interest.

Prem digs his heels in every scene and allows the audience to breathe in the moments, where grown-ups become children and bounce down the memory lane.

Samantha Akkineni as Jaanu is as elegant as Trisha in 96. However, Sharwanand comes up short in comparison with Vijay Sethupathi, who embodied the romantic pain. The benchmark is simply too high.

And in 96, Ram and Janu spend an evening together catching up on all developments in their individual lives, and unravelling truths in the process and making peace with their regrets. Even as their friends fear otherwise, we know they both won’t have an affair. Because Ram’s devotion to Jaanu is stronger than any other sensation. It is only Jaanu who can’t stop herself from indulging in emotional infidelity.

In the Telugu remake, however, the intimate tension between Ram and Jaanu felt a bit high. It is because Sharwanand doesn’t imbue his character with detachment and unsentimentality like Vijay Sethupathi.

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Jaanu did not pull me in by surprise like the original Tamil movie. It felt like I was sitting in a revision class. But, I am thankful that the remake did not dishonour the memory of 96. Especially, the scene at the coffee shop, where Jaanu reimagines what-might-have-been had she met Ram when he visited her in college. That scene is as effective as the original, courtesy actor Gouri G Kishan and composer Govind Vasantha. The scene got me good.

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Jaanu movie review: Samantha Akkineni and Sharwanand lack chemistry in this Telugu remake of 96

Jaanu movie review and rating: Jaanu is the official Telugu remake of Tamil film, 96. It has Samantha Akkineni and Sharwanand in lead roles. Check out our quick movie review here.

Jaanu is a love story that takes you back to the time you experienced your first crush or rather, your first love. It is a remake of Tamil film '96. The original film starred Trisha Krishnan and Vijay Sethupathi in lead roles. Written and directed by C Prem Kumar, the film won him a lot of praise and had you reaching for the box of tissues, it was that moving. Jaanu has also been directed by the same director but it lacks chemistry. It lacks that sheer innocence and the nervousness that Trisha and Vijay made sure you felt when they came face to face after over a decade. While Sharwanand tries his best to recreate Ram, he comes nowhere close to Vijay in a lot of scenes.

Jaanu was honestly a mediocre attempt at recreating a masterpiece and was quite underwhelming. Samantha did justice to her role as Jaanu but this was not one of her best works. The director changed a couple of scenes a little bit to make it look fresh and while it was a good attempt, the overall film does not impress. Gouri Kisha, who played a young Jaanu in the original, too, has done a decent job but Sai Kiran, who plays the role of a young Ram disappoints. The nervousness or love is not visible at all in his body language or face. There is no chemistry between any of the characters. 

The screenplay looks poor because of the underwhelming performances by the cast. The expectations from the film were high because it was Samantha, Prem Kumar and a film like 96. The music score by Govind Vasantha spins magic just like it did with the original version. 

Overall, Jaanu does not meet expectations at all. It only makes you want to watch the original film once again to relive the experience.

Jaanu movie rating: 2 out of 5

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Jaanu Movie Review

Article by Satya B Published by GulteDesk --> Published on: 9:52 am, 7 February 2020 | Updated on 12:28 am, 4 May 2020

2.30 hrs   |   Love   |   2020-02-07

Cast - Sharwanand, Samantha, Sai Kiran Kumar, Gouri G Kishan, Vennela Kishore and Others

Director - C. Prem Kumar

Producer - Raju, Sirish

Banner - Sri Venkateswara Creations

Music - Govind Vasantha

Jaanu is the remake of 96, a Tamil film that can be termed as a modern classic. Prem Kumar who directed the original directed Jaanu and he is able to get those emotional moments right though he couldn’t recreate complete magic of it.

What is it about?

Rama Chandra (Sharwanand) meets his high school sweetheart Jaanu (Samantha) in a school reunion and they get to spend some time together before she leaves to Singapore. They recollect their memories and think about how their life would have been if they were together.

Performances:

Sharwanand plays a matured role and he has given his career best performance as Rama Chandra. He is particularly impressive in the later portions of the film. Samantha is a pro when it comes to portraying such emotional characters. She has done a tremendous job as Jaanu. Sai Kiran and Gouri who played the younger version of Ram and Jaanu respectively did a fabulous job too. Vennela Kishore, Tagubothu Ramesh and Raghu Babu are good in their respective roles.

Technicalities:

Prem Kumar has solid content on hands and also got a lead pair that can act. Therefore, it became easy for him to remake 96 without any issue. It may not be as superior as his original, but has enough in it to tug at the heartstrings. The scenes between the younger pair and elder pair have come out very well in the remake too. There’s no problem with the nativity or other aesthetics.

Govind Vasantha’s music is situational and comes as a part of the storytelling. Songs cannot be separated from the narrative and they have helped in elevating the emotions. Background score is perfect too. Cinematography is another solid aspect about this film. Editing is neat. Dialogues are natural. Production values are very good.

Samantha – Sharwa

Nostalgic moments

Emotional Depth

Thumbs Down:

Drags in parts

Jaanu is not a regular love story. It is a film that tells the story of a couple that is separated at tender age. We already know the fate of their love and the beauty of the film lies in it. Jaanu only takes us on a nostalgic trip where the couple recollects their memories from high school. Jaanu is married with a kid and settled in Singapore. Rama Chandra cannot move on as he couldn’t get over Jaanu. How would they react when they meet again after seventeen years? It is not a candy floss romance. It is an emotional love story with some truly heart touching moments. And it is not for everyone. Jaanu appeals to only those who connect with the emotion of the lead pair.

Comparisons are ought to come with 96 as it was a classic in every aspect. Right from the lead pair to music to direction, 96 was a flawless film and it is not an easy task to remake it. Prem Kumar was assigned the job to remake his flawless original and he has made sure to keep it a faithful remake. It is almost a shot to shot remake of the original, but those who had seen the original may not be entirely satisfied with how this remake turned out. Sharwanand and Samantha have come up with sincere performances and really got under the skin of Ram and Jaanu characters respectively. It is their performance that holds the film together and there are some strong emotional scenes that would tug at your heartstrings.

It is a slow paced film as there is no one but the lead pair is on the screen in entire second half. Their conversations and emotions are the driving factor. Prem Kumar has written some beautiful scenes to make this part stand out. Scenes between Sam and Sharwa towards the climax are the highlight of the movie. Jaanu is not a regular film with some catchy songs and comedy. It is about feelings and will surely appeal to sensible audience. The star power of its lead pair should help it cross the line in terms of box office returns.

Verdict: A Nostalgic Trip!

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Jaanu

In this Jaanu film, Sharwanand , Samantha Ruth Prabhu played the primary leads.

The Jaanu was released in theaters on 07 Feb 2020.

The Jaanu was directed by Prem Kumar

Movies like Family Star , Tillu Square , Swayambhu and others in a similar vein had the same genre but quite different stories.

The Jaanu had a runtime of 150 minutes.

The soundtracks and background music were composed by Govind Vasantha for the movie Jaanu.

You can watch the Jaanu movie on Amazon Prime Video,.

On 12 Mar 2020 Jaanu was released on the Amazon Prime Video, platform.

The movie Jaanu belonged to the Romance, genre.

Jaanu User Review

• Movie rating

sourya kusuma 1433 Days Ago

lovely movie release jannu 2 i love jannu i like the movie and in the movie i liked jannu ram sabhi was funny

Dr pv 1513 Days Ago

All parameters of film are amateur and seems to rob the valuable time of cinegoers.Seems to have made the film with other motives.Neither there is story,nor action Seems all have no work and made by mobile shooting

Shaik Anwar Basha 1519 Days Ago

Jaanu really a verry nice movie,had a awesome feel and emotion. But movie incomplete-ness disturbing me. Expecting a continuation (part-2)of movie, hope k.ramachandra reaches jaanu at Chennai airport before she catches her connecting flight and mov..

MSreenivas. 1755 Days Ago

Seen this movie in Tamil & kannada..fantastic feel ..everybody will goback to their school days.. Good selection of cast by Dilraju.. Hope Sharwa will do the justice yo this role.No doubt Samantha is perfect apt to this role.. Waiting eagerly f..

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The Family Star Review: Star Doesn't Twinkle

Movie: The Family Star Rating: 2.25/5 Banner: SVC Cast: Vijay Deverakonda, Mrunal Thakur, Vennela Kishore, Jagapathi Babu, Rohini Hattangadi, Achyuth Kumar, Vasuki, Ravi Prakash, and others Music Director: Gopi Sundar DOP: KU Mohanan Editor: Marthand Venkatesh Production Designer:   A.S. Prakash Producers: Raju- Sirish Story, screenplay, dialogues and Direction: Parasuram Release Date: April 05, 2024

Vijay Deverakonda and director Parasuram Petla reunited after a gap of over five years following their successful collaboration in the blockbuster film "Geetha Govindam".

The hype and promotions were good. Has the film truly met the expectations and have the duo been able to recreate their previous magic?

Story: Govardhan (Vijay Deverakonda), a middle-class young man, has many family and financial responsibilities to handle because his two brothers and their children rely on him. He is an architect who works for a small firm in Hyderabad.

Indu (Mrunal Thakur), a student at Hyderabad Central University, rents the upper portion of his home and quickly becomes close to the entire family.

Govardhan and Indu start to like each other. As Govardhan prepares to propose to her, he learns that she rented the house and became close to his family for the sake of her project.

Shocked by the news, Govardhan vows to teach her a lesson and accepts a new position at a large corporation run by an industrialist (Jagapathi Babu). As soon as he starts this new work, he encounters another twist.

The rest of the story is about Govardhan and Indu overcoming their misunderstandings.

Artistes’ Performances: Vijay Deverakonda delivers a credible performance, conveying a range of emotions including stinginess, aggression, and simplicity. Vijay Deverakonda also gets to do three fights (two of which are superfluous), although he generally plays a simple middle-class youngster. While his performance is spotless, his characterisation lacks strength.

Mrunal Thakur doesn’t get much scope. Her role and sequences with Vijay Deverakonda in the first half are entertaining, but she plays little role in the second half other than maintaining a solemn expression throughout.

Jagapathi Babu has very minimal screen presence.

Among the other actors, Rohini Hattangadi's performance as grandma lends value to the proceedings. There are numerous actors in the film, including Vennela Kishore and Achyuth Kumar of 'Kantara' fame, but none of them make a significant effect.

Technical Excellence: Gopi Sundar's songs worked well. Two songs, "Nandanandana" and "Kalyani Vacha Vachaaa," are both catchy to hear, although we only see the former in the film, while the latter is used after the end credits. The remaining tracks provide little value.

Veteran cinematographer KU Mohanan has provided lush frames to this family film with his distinct style.

Parasuram Petla is noted for writing humorous scenarios and emotive dialogues. However, he has failed in comedy this time, and the emotional dialogues are more preachy.

The film has an excessively long length and plodding narrative; the editing should have been sharper. The production's design and values are classy.

Highlights: Vijay Deverakonda Interval bang

Drawback: Cliched screenplay Lack of entertainment Lengthy runtime for thin story Times Square scene and total US sequences

Analysis Director Parasuram Petla is noted for narrating stories in an entertaining manner. His films, like Trivikram's, are centered on family drama and fun moments, with dialogues dominating the show. The combination was great in "Geetha Govindam," but he failed miserably in "Family Star." Director Parasuram Petla has run out of ideas, as evidenced by "Sarkaru Vaari Paata," and "Family Star" further proves that.

By the end of the film, you question what Parasuram was trying to convey with this story: 'the man' who will go to any length for his family, or the standard 'Geeetha Govindam' template of hero and heroine trying to clear their misunderstandings about each other.

The film opens with Vijay Deverakonda's story as a family man who accepts all burdens. There is a character played by Ravi Prakash, the protagonist's brother, who was preparing for civil services examinations but failed and turned to drinking. This track is similar to Chiranjeevi's "Gang Leader". But the explanation presented for the gap between Ravi Prakash and Vijay Deverakonda is ridiculous.

Despite the fact that nothing happens in the first half and the film moves slowly, Vijay Deverakonda's screen presence and Mrunal's love track keep the audience engaged. In addition, the interval twist is extremely interesting. This sequence is the highlight of the entire movie.

But the film entirely loses track once Vijay Deverakonda and Mrunal leave for the United States. The entire proceedings in the United States are totally boring. The Times Square sequence in which some women mistake him for a male prostitute is cringe-worthy.

The second half is a cliched stuff with the hero and heroine attempting to clear up any misunderstandings. Even these segments would have been enjoyable if Parasuram had told them in an interesting manner. His primary strength as a director is comedy. But there isn't a single scene that makes you chuckle.

Furthermore, the runtime is too lengthy. As a writer Parasuram excelled only in the second part of the first half until interval. Rest of all is contrived, forced and mundane.

It is also a criminal waste to use the song "Kalyani Vacha Vachaa" after the film has ended.

Overall, despite Vijay Deverakonda's credible performance and pleasant interval bang, "Family Star" suffers from a slow-paced narration, a lack of emotional depth and lack of entertainment. If this film had been made in a concise style and featured comedy, it would have been a decent watch. Or else it would have been elaborated to make it as a TV serial. At the end of this 2 hour 45 minute ride, it provides little entertainment and more dullness.

Bottom Line: Lengthy Journey

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