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Kaashmora
Kaashmora links:
• Karthi interview
• Rajeevan interview
• Music launch
• Photos
• Wallpapers
Jeevi
rating: 3/5
Punchline: Karthi excels in a predictable mix
Genre: Horror/Comedy/Historical/Action
Type: Bilingual (Telugu in Tamil)
Banner: PVP Cinema & Dream Warrior Pictures
Cast: Karthi, Nayanthara, Sri Divya, Vivek, Sharath Lohitashwa, Madhusudhan Rao, Siddharth Vipin, Jangiri Madhumitha .etc
Music: Santosh Narayanan
Cinematography: Om Prakash
Editor: V.J. Sabu Joseph
Coreography: Raju Sundaram, Brinda & Satish
Action: Anbariv
Art: Rajeevan
Costumes: Nikhaar Dhawan
Story, Screenplay & Direction: Gokul
Producers: Pearl.V.Potluri, Param.V.Potluri, Kavin Anne, SR Prakash Babu & SR Prabhu
Release date: 28 October, 2016
Theater watched: Screen 2, Prasads, Hyderabad
Kaashmora links: |
Kaashmora (Karthi) is a fake exorcist who gets famous by appearing in TV shows and attracting powerful people with his tricks. Yamini is a research student who wants to find out whether ghosts exist. There is a dilapidated palace in that city which is rumored to be haunted by ghosts. Kaashmora enters that place and get trapped in it along with his family members. Rest of the story is all about why Raj Nayak is trapped in that palace.
Actors: Karthi gets a great opportunity to play two characters with three variations and proves his capability as an actor with ultimate command. His excellent comic timing helped Kaashmora character. He is spectacular as a ruthless army chief and a womanizing Raj Nayak. His make-up for the ghost character is excellent. Nayanthara is sensuous in the role of warrior princess. Sri Divya plays the role that has no romantic interest on hero. Vivek is entertaining as father of Karthi. 
Story - screenplay - direction: Director Gokul prepared a story that sports Karthi as both hero and villain. Though the characterizations are good for both the characters, there is no strong foundation in the flashback. Raj Nayak’s character is established with a war sequence as a great warrior. Then, his weakness for women is established. There should have been more to the story and character play between Raj Nayak and Ratna Maha Devi. The story of the film becomes predictable once flashback is over. However, the way story progresses to entrap Kaashmora to the palace is interesting. The humor performed by Karthi in Kaashmora character is good and the villainy of Raj Nayak has worked. Mixing of genres make the theme interesting, but lack of grip in second half narrative spoils it a bit. The unique factor about this story is that both characters of Karthi have no love story. 
Other departments: Om Prakash’s cinematography is good. Songs scored by Santosh Narayanan doesn't go well with the movie though background score is good. Dialogues are effective. Visual effects are pretty good. Art direction by Rajeevan is excellent. Makeup and styling for Raj Nayak character stands out. Editing should have been crisp. The fights in period episode are composed well. Producers made sure that the flashback episode is mounted on a grandeur scale. 
Analysis: Kaashmora is a film of various genres. It’s lighter with humor at times and heavier in some other scenes. It also reminds us of a few Telugu films (Arundhati in villain’s sex addiction aspect, Baahubali for war episodes and styling, Magadheera in showing flashes of flashback in first half). Plus points of the film are Karthi’s performance in 3 get-ups, flashback episode, grandeur, visual effects and humor (especially by Kaashmora character). On the flipside, predictability in climax and screenplay in second half are dampeners. We need to wait and see how audiences are going to embrace a film that has too many genres with the right cast!