Director: Ravi VideProducer: G SrinivasRelease Date: 29 June, 2018
Actors: Anurag Dev, Manoj Chandra, Swetha Varma, Tanuja Naidu and others
Sanjeevani Punchline: A Sanjeevani for Small Budget VFX Films
Reviewed by: Jagan
Sanjeevani Review, What’s Behind:
Debutant director Ravi Vide and an enthusiastic team who have an immense command at technical aspects and VFX have collaborated to make a movie that is filled with graphics under the backdrop of a forest and the mountains. Let's see what's there in this adventurous thriller.
Sanjeevani Story Review:
Having reached to the zenith of Mount Everest during his expedition, mountaineer Omkar (Manoj Chandra) earns great fame. He sets the world's best mountaineering team with a group of seven people who aspired to be achieving their variable goals. The team is endorsed an interesting expedition by a colonel of Indian army.. The colonel discloses about a mysterious mountain Dronagiri which isn't explored by anyone else so far. Even if some people try to trace the mystery of the mountain, all of them go missing. Meanwhile, the team under the guidance of Omkar starts their journey enthusiastically. But then, one after the other get killed without achieving their target. Finally, who can reach to the top of the mountain? Do they explore anything? The answers for these questions form rest of the story.
Sanjeevani Artists, Technicians Review:
In spite of the shoestring budget allocated for the film the director ensured to make every frame rich visually.
Wonder what the motion capture technology was used in the first scene itself. The actors seemed to have been photographed from all angles to create VFX models of the actors and then in post production, they were given movements with motion capture. Although, it's shown only for a few shots, it could be a starting point in Telugu Cinema where this technology can be extensively used in future movies.
Chimpanzee appears to be the most expensive of all the creatures used in the movie and it might have costed a bomb for the makers. Al other creatures such as spiders were shown effectively. Even minute aspects such as lips and inner parts of the spider were shown effectively with sensible graphics. Creation of high quality sound designs and sound effects might have become strenuous task for the team. Yet, they achieved it in style.
Also, it was understood that most of the background layers used in the VFX scenes are not from stock photos but shot by the director. Having mixed a mythological concept to a contemporary theme and showing the visuals at top notch with a confined budget, the director has excelled with his capabilities. Music by Sravan was intriguing. Cinematography is formidable.
Manoj Chandra's performance as an antagonist is terrific. He dominated all other artists with his right blend of mannerisms and body language. Anurag Dev was handsome. Swetha looked ravishing while Tanuja appeared hot. All of them, have done a fine job with the roles provided for them.
Sanjeevani Review Advantages:
Direction
Screenplay
Visual Effects
Music
Artists Performances
Sanjeevani Review Drawbacks:
Thin storyline
Sanjeevani Review, Rating Analysis:
One needs guts to experiment with one's debut venture itself. Ravi Vide and his technical crew along with the producer who bet big, proved they have such guts. Having been chosen such a different genre with their very first venture, they could be said they lay a right path for their subsequent ventures.
The very first scene of the first half begins with an exciting point with the debatable topic whether the God really exists or not. Afterwards, there is a lighter vein romantic and comedy episodes with the lead pair. Lip-lock between Anurag and Swetha tickles the hearts of youth. The story takes a thrilling turn when the colonel endorses the task to the mountaineers. Giant spiders and Chimpanzee elevation scenes and mountain climbing episodes are the best moments.
And the director didn't leave any frame missing thrilling stuff in the second half. The deaths of the team members are hair raising. And then, it was one of the best climaxes in recent times. The VFX team exhibited their supreme talents during the climax episode of the film. And last but not the least, the movie takes an end note with a soothing message offered to everyone.
Altogether, Sanjeevani has been made as a purposeful film which also sends feelers to filmmakers that a VFX movie with top class visuals can be made with quite a reasonable budget.
