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Story
The film opens with the birth of Baba, who is a 'baba amsa
sambhootudu'. Baba (Rajnikanth) grows up as an atheist,
hot-blooded guy and a Good Samaritan. His life style includes
consuming alcohol, smoking beedi, chewing paan parag, His
mother (Sujatha) and his maternal uncle are ardent devotees
of Baba (the Baba who is supposed to be of 2000 years old
and who live in Himalayas). Chamundeswari (Manisha Koirala)
stays in the neighborhood of Baba and both of them fall in
love.
Baba
beats the son of a state minister Krishna Murthy (Asish Vidyardhi).
Krishna Murthy demolishes the colony of Baba. When Baba is
about to go to fight with Krishna Murthy, Baba's mother urges
him to maintain calm and rebuild lost colony it by working
hard. Baba joins as a labor in a shop and earns money. Chamundeswari
tells Baba that she is not willing to marry a daily labor.
Then Baba realizes that so far he has been only answerable
for his mother. And if he gets married then he has to live
for wife and kids. And he would become answerable to them.
He would not be able to help for the society as he might become
selfish after marriage. He feels that prema (love)
is maya (illusion). At that time, a weird looking sadhu
comes to him and tell him that its time for getting enlightened.
Baba is taken to Himalayas where he meets the real Baba. He
gets frightened by the atmosphere and wishes to return back
to Chennai. Then real Baba grants 7 wishes to Baba. He can
use any of these wishes anytime he wishes to utilize. Baba
is sent back to Chennai. Baba still could not believe that
he went to Himalayas met real Baba. He uses that mantra to
test the power by wishing a flying kite to come and fall in
his hand. He waits for a few seconds and decide that it was
all his illusion. Later the kite follows him to his house
and falls on his hand. He feels that its coincidental and
tries the mantra again to a different kite and wishes it to
fall on his lap. He goes into his house and close all the
possible entries in the house. But the kite makes its way
falls on his lap. That is where he realizes that Baba is real
and God exists in the world.
He
still has five more wishes life. And the minister Krishna
Murthy comes to know about it. They call a tantrik (Amrish
Puri) to foil the Baba's magic powers. What happens in the
end and what is the message Baba wants to give to the public
are the interesting points that are dealt towards the end
of the film.
Artists:
Rajnikanth:
Rajni had a light beard in this film to give a carefree image
to the characterization. Rajni's name is associated with the
style and he performed each and every moment of Baba character
with great élan. Rajni's introduction is shown with
the song 'Tippu
Tippu', in a railway station set. He also did different
dances for the songs 'Baba
.. Neeku Mokkuta' and 'Maya
Maya' in the dance direction of Prabhudeva and Lawrance
respectively. His mannerism in the film is saying 'Gatham
Gatham' (past is past) by showing his trademark Baba symbol
(see the image of Baba). Another interesting mannerism is
giving shake-hand to his pal for every dialogue he or his
friends crack.
Manisha
Koirala & Sanghavi: Manisha has a little part to play
in the first half and has almost-nil footage in the second
half. Shanghavi is just a prop in this film with a couple
of dialogues to tell.
Technical
Departments
Story
- Screenplay: The basic story of the film is good. Its
about how an atheist turned into a believer in God! It's based
on lots of devotional tales where the greatest devotees of
God started their life as atheists. But the screenplay of
the film is not smooth and very slow.
Director:
Suresh Krishna, who is known for narrating stories with power
and punch, could not maintain the same tempo in this film.
Some of the scenes in the film are brilliant and Suresh Krishna
mastered the art of showing Rajni to a glorifying effect.
But the magnification becomes more effective if he has the
narration supporting it. But, Suresh Krishna failed to sustain
the interest of viewers throughout the film.
Dialogues:
Dialogues department in this film needs a special commendation.
There are some power-packed dialogues in Baba like - 'aalochinchakundaa
matladanu .. matladina tarvatha aalochinchanu'.
Music:
The songs of the film are disappointment. But the background
music is good. The westernized Baba rap bit that is played
at background, when Rajni walks around is very good. AR Rehman's
work could have been better
Photography:
Photography by Chota K Naidu is good. The special effects
done by Cutting Edge are also very suave and make you believe
that those effects are natural.
Production:
Rajnikanth's intention of mixing the Indian philosophy with
mass elements is commendable. At the end of the film Rajni
asks the Baba to tell him what everybody should do to have
a harmony in society. Baba replies Rajni 3 principles
1. Manasu
mariyu Tanuvu parisubramga vundali (You should keep
your body and heart very clean).
2. Kutmbanni eppudu anandamgaa vunchali. (one must
keep his/her family very happy)
3. Itarulaku Vupakaram Chellayi. Upakaramcheyykapoyina
parledu kaani .. apakaram cheyyakoodadu. (One must help
the society. Even if you don't help society, you should
never harm it).
But, Rajni
should have made an out and out mass film for the entertainment
of crowds. And could have told these three points in some
other format using other media, as he has the same reach if
he wishes to propagate these points in other format as well.
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Analysis:
First half of the film is OK. Second half is average. There
are some boring moments in the second half. There are political
references about the mistakes done by the politicians and
their apathy towards helping the poor. These kinds of references
work well for the Tamilnadu crowds as that depicts the current
situation of Tamilnadu where masses want to see Rajni in the
seat of CM. For all its strengths and weaknesses, this film
is definitely worth a watch for Ranji's style and mannerisms.
We have to wait and see how it clicks with AP crowds.
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