Happy Days!
I know. Finally a review, huh? I wrote this a couple of weeks ago but never finished it. But I finally saw it. I haaaad to watch it because of the director, Shekar Kammula, who also directed Anand and Godavari, which I enjoyed! Honestly, I've been looking for this film for a while and it was just a treat to find out it was directed by Shekar. I have a soft spot for high school/college movies. Plus I rarely find a film that focuses on high school or college in Bollywood. A few that comes to mind are Mere Pehla Pehla Pyar and Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (I have to add that JJWS is a re-make of the Hollywood film, Breaking Away)
I know. Finally a review, huh? I wrote this a couple of weeks ago but never finished it. But I finally saw it. I haaaad to watch it because of the director, Shekar Kammula, who also directed Anand and Godavari, which I enjoyed! Honestly, I've been looking for this film for a while and it was just a treat to find out it was directed by Shekar. I have a soft spot for high school/college movies. Plus I rarely find a film that focuses on high school or college in Bollywood. A few that comes to mind are Mere Pehla Pehla Pyar and Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (I have to add that JJWS is a re-make of the Hollywood film, Breaking Away)
What I liked about Happy Days is the portrayal of friendship of the group of Freshman friends who headed out to college and graduated together. Yes, the film starts off with their Freshman year to their graduating senior year. There were moments of disagreements but through it all, they all managed to overcome all obstacles.
So, no, there is nothing "new" to add to a tale of college kids trying to finish school. However, the film is shot very simple and well-done.
Another interesting fact to point is Shekar selected 7 out of the 8 characters due to talent casting! The only one who already had some movies under her belt was Tamannaah Bhatia. The other 7 were strictly hand-selected to fit the characters. The best thing is you wouldn't even know that. That's how natural they are!
Although the film obviously focused more on Chandu and Madhu, each one of the characters stand out and makes you remember him/her. But the guys do have more screen time because they are focus a bit more.
Chandu (Varun Sandesh) - the cute guy who starts to like Madhu more than a friend
Madhu (Tamannaah Bhatia) - pretty, bubbly girl who one of the senior guy has a crush on and constantly is harass by him
Appu (Gayatri Rao) - tomboyish girl who secretly has a crush on Rajesh.
Rajesh (Nikhil Siddharth) - the once rockstar-long haired boy who cracks jokes and has a huge crush on the teacher, who is known as "Madam Shreya"
Shanker (Vamsee Krishna) - a poor guy from the village, who Tyson is fond of and wants him to succeed. He laters dates Sangeetha, who has a senior brother.
Sangeetha (Monali Chowdhary ) - her relationship with Shanker starts to cause the group to drift apart later.
Shravanthi (Sonia) - Older than the gang but hangs out with them at times to please Tyson, who is very adamant about going out with him
Tyson (Raahul ) - smart, sweet, dorky guy who is totally smitten by Shravanthi
Loooooove Kamalinee Mukherjee. Obviously, so does Shekar since she has been in his last two films, Anand and Godavari.
Even though she's not one of the main characters. Her role as the sexy teacher was a pleasure to see. Gosh, she looks sooooo stunning in the sarees!
Instead of an Intermission, you have a Summer Break
which reminds me of Godavari's Cool Break
Just like Anand and Godavari, music is wonderful!
Song #1 - "Jil Jil Jaga"
College days with the gang
Watch Below
Song #2 - "Arey Rey"
Falling in love
Watch Below
Song #3 - "Ye Cheekati"
Freshers celebrating
Watch Below
Song #4 - "Oh My Friend"
Friends hanging out
My absolute favorite song from the film. So beautiful and the lyrics are touching.
Watch Below
Song #5 - "Veedukole"
Farewell party and memories, good and bad, of the college times
Watch Below
I just love when the friends hang out and the frienship portrayed
Film isn't all "Happy Days." Starting off as freshers, they were often bullied by the upper classmen.
And how do they settle this once and for all? A cricket match of course!
Check out the International Terroist t-shirt, hehehe
Jealousy gets the best of Madhu and Appu if they don't listen to their hearts
I spy an Aishwarya Rai poster
Oh yes, a picture of the Telugu Prince, Mahesh Babu
I made a lot of extra caps of Varun Sandesh but had to delete a lot. He's got a cute, baby face and it still amazes me that this was his debut film. Of course, the rest of the "main" cast, as well...but he is such a cutie. BTW, he's an NRI - grew up in New Jersey, USA.
I look forward to watching more of Sekhar Kammula films.
Happy Days is definitely worth a watch. However, my favorite is still Anand. Unlike in Anand and Godavari, the females were the main focus, Happy Days had sassy females too but shifted towards the guys' friendship more.
Just like Anand and Godavari, music is wonderful!
Song #1 - "Jil Jil Jaga"
College days with the gang
Watch Below
Song #2 - "Arey Rey"
Falling in love
Watch Below
Song #3 - "Ye Cheekati"
Freshers celebrating
Watch Below
Song #4 - "Oh My Friend"
Friends hanging out
My absolute favorite song from the film. So beautiful and the lyrics are touching.
Watch Below
Song #5 - "Veedukole"
Farewell party and memories, good and bad, of the college times
Watch Below
I just love when the friends hang out and the frienship portrayed
Film isn't all "Happy Days." Starting off as freshers, they were often bullied by the upper classmen.
And how do they settle this once and for all? A cricket match of course!
Check out the International Terroist t-shirt, hehehe
Jealousy gets the best of Madhu and Appu if they don't listen to their hearts
I spy an Aishwarya Rai poster
Oh yes, a picture of the Telugu Prince, Mahesh Babu
I made a lot of extra caps of Varun Sandesh but had to delete a lot. He's got a cute, baby face and it still amazes me that this was his debut film. Of course, the rest of the "main" cast, as well...but he is such a cutie. BTW, he's an NRI - grew up in New Jersey, USA.
I look forward to watching more of Sekhar Kammula films.
Happy Days is definitely worth a watch. However, my favorite is still Anand. Unlike in Anand and Godavari, the females were the main focus, Happy Days had sassy females too but shifted towards the guys' friendship more.
12 comments:
You might also like Kallori and/or Ullam Ketkume, because they both take place in college. I was going to suggest the Telugu version of Devdas with Ileana and Ram, but it's more about the "poor boy loves rich girl" than actual college life.
This looks very colorful and pretty! I am surprised to see so many North-Indian actresses in a Telugu film, though. Someone told me its a trend down South these days to have actresses from the North - leads to terrible language and accents!
And Bollywood had nothing but college romances right up to the 90s. I am glad there is finally room for variety in Hindi movies these days!
Yay, Welcome back, i'm yet to watch a southern movie
Great point about bollywood not having enough college based movies, its perhaps too much of a risk for them to take, i remember watching mean girls the other day and thinking why can't bollywood have an entire movie of real youngsters and not old actors acting like college kids. I hope some director will see this gap in the bollywood film industry and make something along these lines
lapetitediva - Thanks! I just looked up Kallori and Tamanna is in it, may have to consider watching it. Ullam Ketkume has Asin. Definitely have to watch it. I have a thing for high school/college type of movies. I may even end up watching Devdas but please no melodramatic stuff like the real "Devdas," hehehe
bollyviewer - definitely is a cute movie. Bollywood had lots of college romances?? Up until the 90s? Please do tell cause none ring a bell.
bollywooddeewana - Thanks! Try some Southies, I'm sure you will love them like I do. :)
I know, I feel like that too when I watch a cute, college comedy Hollywood movie, I wonder why Bollywood doesn't do that. Yes, a Mean Girl would be good. Or even A Cinderella Story. Or Clueless
Pretty much everything I saw in the early 90s (I caught up on a lot of 80s movie then, too) had at least some on-campus romance or songs. I can only recall a few famous ones - Aamir-Madhuri's Dil, Ronit Roy starrer Jaan Tere Naam (the heroine was a Madhuri look-alike), Aamir-Juhi's QSQT and Daulat Ki Jung, Ayub Khan-Ayesha Jhulka's Mashooq, Akshay Kumar's first big hit Khiladi and more recently Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi. And I shouldnt forget Kuch Kuch Hota Hai - the first half takes place on a college campus.
Thanks for the list. I guess my thoughts on college campus has to be throughout the film like with Happy Days. Or mostly 80% Mere Pehla Pehla Pyar. And it should be with the hero and heroine's own conflicts rather than their parents being involve with their love lives. I didn't see that in Dil or QSQT. It's been a while since I've seen Daulat Ki Jung.
Haven't seen Jaan Tere Naam, have to look it up. Nor have I've seen Mashooq.
With Khiladi and KKHH, not enough for me. Maybe with Khiladi, it was more of an action flick. While as for KKHH, that was only the beginning half and many lame jokes, lol.
I totally forgot about Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi. I agree with that. Need to re-watch.
TBF - I'll have to re-watch DKJ, hehehe
Glad you finally have written your review of Happy Days. It is a really enjoyable movie. I too look forward to Shekhar Kammulla's movies. Anand continues to be my favourite too.
Your screencaps are too good!
Thanks so much anonymous! This film has definitely made me want to watch more college-feel-good films that I even blogged about it, hehehe
This is in reply to Bollyviewer's comments about north indian girls acting in south movies.
All the girls have made it big in terms of success (money) and fame - right from Rati Agnihotri (whose first hindi film Ek Dujey Ke Liye was a remake of the hit telugu movie Maro Charitra - Rati is a punjabi girl raised in Madras) to Simran Singh, Bhoomika Chawla, Jyotika, Sonia Aggarwal etc. Simran is a very big star down south who could not get much chances in hindi films despite her debut in a successful hindi film produced by AB Snr!
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