Movie: Shirdi Sai
Timesofap Rating:3.5/5
Banners: Sai Krupa Entertainments, Sree Lakshmi Sai Films
Cast: Nagarjuna, Srikanth, Sarath Babu, Sayaji Shinde, Sai Kumar, Srihari, Kamalinee, Dharmavarapu, Brahmanandam and others
Music: Keeravani
Dialogues: Paruchuri Brothers
Cinematographer: S Gopal Reddy
Editor: Katikaneni Shravan
Director: K Raghavendra Rao
Producers: Mahesh Reddy, Girish Reddy
Release date: 06/09/2012
Story is well known to everyone. The story revolves around Lord Shiridi Sai Life . The story starts from birth to death of Sai Baba. Shirdi Sai is the cinematic of land mark life episodes of Shirdi Sai Baba.Shirdi Sai,is the third devotional venture from Nagarjuna and Raghavender Rao. Shiridi Sai not just showcases the life of Sai Baba but narrates Sai Baba’s philosophy and thoughts and shows the interesting miracles of Baba with his devotees.
STORY:
The small town of Shirdi is visited by a young boy and he starts performing some miracles. But this doesn’t go well with the local head Bhatia (Sayaji Shinde) and he causes trouble. Suddenly, the boy disappears and after few years he returns. He is named as Sai Baba (Nagarjuna).
In no time, he gets a long list of followers (Sarath Babu, Vinaya, Srikanth, Sai Kumar, Kamalinee Mukherjee and others). But time and again Bhatia keeps intruding and trying to show his upper hand. That doesn’t really work till the end. And a time comes
when Shirdi Sai has to depart from his body.
How his journey begins and how it ends forms the whole story.
Performances:
Nagarjuna had given a good performance in the role. He moulded his personality to get in to the skin of the character and the make up suited perfectly. But the walking style and the depth in the voice made the difference. Whenever, Sai says some thing the real Nagarjuna flashed for a moment.But his acting in the last 20 minutes in the movie is immaculate. He excelled in the role during that time and created a divine magic with his eyes itself. I can confidently say he is the best in the current generation to portray the role.
Sayaji Shinde was competent in the negative role and he mixes it with a light tinge of humour and the quotient of jealousy and ego in the right manner. But given the dialogues to him are very pale and ineffective.Sarath Babu was elegant, Srikanth was neat, Ali and Ananth were okay.
Vinaya was decent, the girl doing the role of Lakshmi Bai was pretty she can be given more opportunities. Kamalinee Mukherjee was gracious, Sai Kumar was good, Srihari was not that effective, Brahmi was okay, Dharmavarapu was frustrating. Ali and Ananth are also irritating. The others did their bit as required and added value.
Shirdi Sai Movie Dialogue Touches the audiences “Manishi Sukhamga undedhi maraninchaake”
Technical Aspects:
Raghavender Rao is undoubtedly the only director who can deliver Devotional movies near to perfection in the current generation. He had done good job in extracting performances. But the script could have derived more emotions. Somehow,.He took certain liberties to induce comedy in Dharamavarapu – Shiyaji Shinde episodes but that did not click. Raghavendra Rao excelled in the climax episodes and through the latter part of the first half.
Keeravani’s Back Ground Score and music is the best and is certainly an asset to the movie. And added depth to the movie. Inspite of taking some cinematic liberties, the script work and the dialogues by Parchuri Brothers are good.
S. Gopal Reddy’s Cinematography suited the mood of the story. Graphics work could have been better.
Positives
Nagarjuna’s action
Climax sequence
Keeravani’s Music and BGM
Situational Songs
Gripping Screenplay, Direction and Cinematography are main highlight of the film
Technical aspects and Climax sequences are other highlights
Characters Introduction in Shiridi Sai Movie
Nagarjuna as Shiridi Sai
Srikanth done the role of Dasaganu
Shri Hari as Wales
Brahmanandam as Sandeham
Kamilinee Mukharjee as Radhakrishna Mai
Shayaji shinde as Bhatiya
Sharath Babu as Mahalsapath
Dharmavarapu Subramanyan as Nayak
Thanikella Bharani as Bhooti
Sai Kumar as Nanavali
Ali as Appoo
Bhavani as Mahanthi
Dipali Dodke as Shyaama
Koushik babu as Thatya
Nagesh Bhosale as Baayija Bai
Edward as collector
Analysis:
Shirdi Sai movie showcases the lifestyle, practices, preachings and eternal miracles of Saibaba. Director Raghavendra Rao who is an expert in directing devotional movies has once again come up with a very good narration and conviction. The first half goes on a fast pace with fantastic scenes laced with emotion, devotion and sacred preachings of Saibaba.
Once again, Raghavendra Rao concentrated more on the emotion rather than the grandeur. The movie captures the audience attention throughout and the narration is also simple. To name few, the scenes where Nagarjuna agrees that he has given the ornaments to the thief, the way he speaks about the difference between life and death, the manner where he enlightens Lakshmi Bai about the hunger are outstanding.
The Srirama Navami and Urusu Utsavam episode where Nagarjuna opposes the Hindu, Muslim fundamentalists stands out.
The hard-work, research done by the team of Shirdi Sai is evident and the way they have collected the stories behind Saibaba using a brick as his pillow and how his photograph has been captured is brilliant.
The climax episode is nicely etched and the music and background score by Keeravani is neatly blended into the story.
Final Word:
Shiridi Sai not just showcases the life of Sai Baba but narrates Sai Baba’s philosophy and thoughts and shows the interesting miracles of Baba with his devotees. The movie Shiridi Sai is not like remaining commercial movies. Shiridi Sai is finally a winner which can steal the hearts of Audience with stunning performances.Production Values of Sai Krupa Entertainments are grand.