UTelugu2h 41m
Shivayya, mentally challenged, lives with his grandmother in a village. His life takes a turn when he marries Lalitha, a widow, to save her from harassment.
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Cast
Kamal Haasan
as Sivayya
Raadhika Sarathkumar
as Lalitha
Gollapudi Maruti Rao
as Landlord
J. V. Somayajulu
as Lalita guru
Nirmalamma
as Sivayya grandmother
Sarath Babu
as Lalita brotherY. Vijaya
as Lalita sister-in-law
Allu Arjun
as Sivayya grandson
Major Sundarrajan
as RaoUnni Mary
as DeepaDubbing Janaki
Mallikarjuna Rao
Suthi Veerabhadra Rao
Edida Sriram
Crew
K. Viswanath
DirectorEdida Nageswara Rao
Producer
Ilaiyaraaja
Musician
M. V. Raghu
CinematographerEditorial List
Articles
Zebra Movie Review: Satyadev and Dhananjaya Face Off in a Gripping Banking Thriller!
Cast: Satyadev, Daali Dhananjaya, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Amrutha Iyengar, Jennifer, Sunil, Satya, Sathyaraj, Suresh Chandra Menon, and othersDirector: Eashvar KarthicMusic: Ravi BasrurCinematography: Sathya PonmarEditing: Anil KrishProducers: S.N. Reddy, Bala Sundaram, Dinesh SundaramRelease Date: November 22, 2024
Satyadev and Daali Dhananjaya star in the film Zebra, directed by Eashvar Karthic of Penguin fame. Priya Bhavani Shankar and Amrutha Iyengar play the female leads. The movie is a white-collar crime drama that raised significant expectations, especially with Megastar Chiranjeevi himself participating in its promotions. Released on November 22, did Zebra live up to the hype? Did it finally deliver a much-needed hit for Satyadev? Let’s find out in this review.
The Plot
Surya (Satyadev), a middle-class man, works as a Relationship Manager at the Bank of Trust. He has a crush on his colleague Swathi (Priya Bhavani Shankar). One day, Swathi accidentally transfers ₹4 lakh to a wrong account. When she tries to recover the amount, the recipient claims to have spent it. To help Swathi, Surya steps in, but in the process, he unwittingly gets entangled in a ₹5 crore bank fraud. This chain of events leads him into a confrontation with Aadi (Dhananjaya), one of the state’s most dangerous individuals. How does Surya face Aadi ? What role does Aadi play in Surya’s life? How does the ₹5 crore fraud escalate, and does Surya manage to overcome these challenges? That forms the crux of the story.
The Performances
Satyadev shines once again in his role as Surya, proving his mettle as an actor. He seamlessly portrays a character that combines comedy, action, romance, and emotion. His performance elevates the film, but Dhananjaya also leaves a strong impression. As Aadi , Dhananjaya embodies power and menace, dominating the screen in several sequences. In some scenes, he even overshadows Satyadev. Priya Bhavani Shankar plays a significant role and performs convincingly, while Jennifer adds glamour to the narrative. Satya’s comedy timing is another highlight, though the supporting characters don’t leave a lasting impact as the story primarily focuses on the Surya vs. Aadi dynamic.
Direction
Director Eashvar Karthic skillfully handles the banking-related content, delivering a gripping narrative with a strong screenplay. His past experience as a bank employee adds authenticity to the storytelling. The film effectively exposes the fraudulent practices within the banking system, though certain aspects lack conviction. For instance, the protagonist earning ₹5 crores within four days feels implausible, and resolving a ₹100 crore problem with just an email stretches logic. However, for audiences willing to overlook such inconsistencies, Zebra offers an engaging experience. The intense battle between Satyadev and Dhananjaya, along with Satya’s comedy and impactful dialogues, serve as major highlights.
Technical Aspects
From a technical standpoint, Zebra impresses. Ravi Basrur’s background score is a significant asset, especially elevating the action sequences. However, the songs fail to leave a lasting impression. Sathya Ponmar’s cinematography captures the narrative’s essence beautifully, while the editing is adequate. The art department excels in recreating the bank setting, and the production values are top-notch.
Strengths
Engaging story and screenplayPerformances by Satyadev and DhananjayaRavi Basrur’s background music
Weaknesses
Illogical sequencesSongs that feel forced into the narrative
Telugu.yousay.tv Rating: 2.5/5
November 22 , 2024
SHOCKING: 'Devara' Director Koratala Siva Under Fire - Blockbuster Sea Sequence Allegedly Copied from Korean Film; Shankar Hints at Legal Action Over Story Rights!
Directed by Koratala Siva and starring Jr. NTR, 'Devara: Part 1' has created a storm at the box office, becoming the biggest hit of Tarak's career. The sea fight sequence in particular has thrilled audiences, and Koratala Siva's creativity has been widely praised. However, there's a growing controversy online suggesting that these were not entirely Siva's original ideas, but rather direct copies from a Korean film. Here's the video that's trending as evidence.
What Actually Happened?
The introduction and interval scenes in 'Devara' are so dynamic that they're bound to give anyone goosebumps. No one expected a Telugu director to execute such an elaborate action sequence at sea. The film features a scene where the hero, along with his gang, goes to a ship to steal weapons, dumping the gun-filled crates into the sea. Members of the hero's gang, already stationed in small boats, then retrieve these crates to smuggle them past the naval officers. Yet, netizens are surprised to find a strikingly similar scene in a Korean movie, accusing director Koratala Siva of plagiarism. Audiences are mocking the director for fooling them, urging everyone to check out the Korean movie scene.
https://twitter.com/chiruthajsp/status/1849093752683716609
That Scene Too!
It's known that Tarak plays a dual role in 'Devara.' Initially, as part of the villain's gang, 'Devara' participates in smuggling for some compelling reasons but later turns good. Meanwhile, he also instills fear among his peers against smuggling. The director showcases a sequence with chairs filled with knives along the coast. However, this scene has also been accused of being copied, with claims that it closely resembles a scene from the Hollywood film 'Vikings.'
https://twitter.com/BackupBrainy/status/1833835236465029376
Is the Story of Devara Also Copied?
There were extensive promotions before the release of 'Devara' claiming that its story was adapted from a copyrighted novel. Tamil director Shankar recently accused that he saw key scenes from his copyrighted novel being used in a film, stressing that creators should respect rights and avoid copying without permission, warning of legal actions. However, Shankar did not clarify which film he referred to. But, the buzz on social media suggests that the story of 'Devara' closely mirrors the Tamil novel 'Veera Yug Nayagan,' for which Shankar holds the rights.
Similar Accusations in the Past
This is not the first time Koratala Siva has faced plagiarism accusations. He was also heavily criticized during the release of 'Srimanthudu' with Mahesh Babu. Writer Sharath Chandra even took the matter to court, claiming his story was copied. The issue had created a sensation across the Telugu states back then. In 2012, Sharath had published his story 'Chachentha Prema' in Swati Monthly, and while he was planning to adapt it into a film, he accused Koratala Siva of making 'Srimanthudu' based on his story.
October 25 , 2024