Swagatam

Infobox_Film
name = Swagatam
imdb_id = 1156337
writer = Dasaradh,
Gopimohan
starring = Jagapati Babu,
Anushka Shetty,
Bhumika Chawla,
Arjun Sarja
director = Dasaradh
producer = Aditya Ram
editing = M.R. Varma
cinematography = Ramesh
music = Patnaik R.P.
released = January 25, 2008
language = Telugu
budget = 5 crores

"Swagatam" (Telugu: స్వాగతం), also spelled "Swagatham", is a 2008 Telugu film. Shot in New York, Rajahmundry and Hampi, it features a romantic triangle. [IndiaGlitz. (January 3 2008) [http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/telugu/article/35672.html Swagatam to release on January 24] indiaglitz.com Retrieved 16-02-08.] Directed by Dasaradh, the film casts Jagapati Babu as the male romantic lead playing opposite Anushka Shetty and Bhumika Chawla. Several weeks after the big-budget film's release, "The Times of India" declared the movie a box office "let down". [The Times of India. (February 7 2008) [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_Buzz/Glam_girl_in_troubled_waters_/articleshow/2761779.cms Glam girl in troubled waters] indiatimes.com Retrieved 16-02-08.]

Plot

Shailu (Anushka Shettyl) is a harried, ill-tempered businesswoman living in the United States, trying to care for her mother and young nephew and manage her bills. KK (Jagapati Babu), who with his young daughter opens a shop across the street from hers, helps her find a new perspective on her life. Shailu falls in love with KK, but when she declares her feelings for him learns that he already has a wife, Vidya (Bhumika Chawla). In flashback, the film relates the romance of KK and Vidya. In the past, KK was himself an abrasive businessman when he sought a mate at Jalaja Rao Marriage Bureau. Instead, he winds up courting and marrying Vidya, an employee. KK's dilemma is simplified by the fact that one of the women in his life is dying from chronic leukemia.

Credits

Cast

*Jagapati Babu K.K
*Anushka Shetty Shailu
*Bhumika Chawla Vidya
*Arjun Sarja Srikanth

Crew

*Dasaradh — Director
*Dasaradh — Story, dialogue
*Gopimohan —screenplay

Reception

Critically, the film met lukewarm reception. In its generally positive review, IndiaGlitz described the film as a "sincere effort" that "may or may not appeal to everyone as it becomes a bit trite as it progresses".IndiaGlitz. (January 25 2008) [http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/telugu/review/9345.html Swagatham - Quintessential Jagapati Babu film] indiaglitz.com Retrieved 16-02-08.] While noting that "we cannot say it is something that we haven’t watched before", the reviewers also commented that the film "starts off in a novel way as far as a Telugu film is concerned". Addressing the high expectations of the big budget film, they conclude, "To be fair to Dasarath, he does not disappoint. In the sense that it is what one would typically go to watch in a Jagapati Babu movie". AndhraCafe praised the performances specifically of Bumika, "at her very best", and found the chemistry between Babu and Bumika "a treat to watch".AndhraCafe. (January 26 2008) [http://www.andhracafe.com/index.php?m=show&id=31056 Swagatam: Movie review] andhracafe.com Retrieved 16-02-08.] While they also felt the director exhibited moments of brilliance in the second half of the film, they panned the climax and particularly the opening, stating that " [t] he first half of a film couldn’t be more boring than this". They concluded that " [o] n a whole the film is below average fare with the weak first half, dragged climax and poor music". In its review, Rediff notes that Swagatam takes the "safe, oft-trodden path" but praises the acting, describing specifically the first half of the film as "laced with entertainment".Rajamani, Radhika. (January 25 2008) [http://inhome.rediff.com/movies/2008/jan/25ssswag.htm Swagatham is routine] rediff.com Retrieved 16-02-08.] They predict that the film "will go down well with those liking mushy stuff".

References

External links

*imdb title|1156337
* [http://www.telugupedia.com/wiki/index.php?title=Swagatam_Telugu_Movie www.telugupedia.com Swagatam]
* [http://telugufilms.org/wiki/index.php?title=Swagatham telugufilms.org Swagatham]
* [http://www.andhracafe.com/index.php?m=show&id=31056 review] at andhracafe.com