Shakti (2011 film)

Shakti
Threatical poster
Directed by	Meher Ramesh
Produced by	C. Ashwini Dutt
Written by	Yandamoori Veerendranath J. K. Bharavi
Starring	Ileana D'Cruz Jr. NTR Manjari Phadnis
Music by	Mani Sharma
Cinematography	Sameer Reddy
Edited by	Marthand K. Venkatesh
Production company	Vyjayanthi Movies
Distributed by	Sri Venkateswara Creations
Release date	1 April 2011 (2011-04-01)
Running time	161 minutes
Country	India
Language	Telugu

Shakti (English: The Power) is a 2011 Indian Telugu-language epic war action film directed by Meher Ramesh starring Ileana D'Cruz,^[1] Jr. NTR and Manjari Phadnis. The film, produced by C. Ashwini Dutt under the Vyjayanthi Movies banner, features an extensive supporting cast including Sonu Sood, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Jackie Shroff, Pooja Bedi and Prabhu, was released on 1 April 2011.^[2][3][4][5] A dubbed Tamil version was simultaneously released in Tamil Nadu as Om Shakthi.^[6] The film was also dubbed into Hindi as Ek Tha Soldier by Goldmines Telefilms in 2012 with Jr. NTR's voice dubbed by Sanket Mhatre. The film performed very well at the box office.^[7]

Plot

Aishwarya (Ileana D'Cruz) is the daughter of central union home minister Mahadevraya (Prabhu). Due to security reasons, he doesn't allow his daughter to go on a trip with friends. She nonetheless goes to the trip. She then meets a guide, Shakti (Jr. NTR), who takes the group on a trip to several places. At first, she hates him because he uses every chance to get money from her. But when he saves her, she starts liking him. Afterwards, a few people who are chasing her finally find her in Haridwar and try to kill Shakti as he hurt them earlier. Their plan fails as Shakti turns out to be a Secret Agent and defends himself and catches the main person in this plan. When Aishwarya goes back to her father, he forgives her and asks whether she had taken a box in which there is a holy stone. When she replies in the negative, he says that it is more important than his own daughter. Later, when Shakti goes to a temple, the box falls off a basket his mother brought with flowers on top of it. They inform Mahadevaya who asks them to immediately come to Hampi with the box and Aishwarya. Their travel is blocked by a strong man named Raakha who is the elder son of an Egyptian enemy Faqtooni (Pooja Bedi) who is then defeated by Shakti. He then kills the younger son Bashim (Vidyut Jamwal) who tries to grab the box. Then Mahadevaraya and a Swami (Nassar) come to him and then the flashback is revealed.

It is said that Mahadevaraya'a father Vijayraya (S. P. Balasubrahmanyam) was a royal king who was extremely generous and had the blessings of god which gave him the power that whenever he touched the stone, it used to shine brightly emitting light. He reveals that apart from the 18 Shakti Peeths there is a secret one which protects India and only their family knows of it. There is also a protector who guards it at all times. His name was Rudra (Jr. NTR). After every 27 years, they must go to the Shakti Peeth where the protector will perform several spiritual rites which must be compulsorily performed. When he starts performing them, an Egyptian king Mukhtar (Sonu Sood) who knows of this comes to destroy the Shakti Peeth. The protector beheads the king but a person who works under the Mahadevaraya's father, Janaki Varma (Jackie Shroff) cheats him and kills the protector along with Vijayraya and his wife as he sought money from the king. He also steals a trident (Rudra Trishulam) which is necessary for entry into the Shakti Peeth. When the protector is killed, his wife (Manjari Phadnis), at the same time, delivers a baby boy (Shakti) whom Rudra gives to his loyal servant. The servant tries his best to save the boy but circumstances force him to throw the boy into the river. The boy is then found by a childless couple who adopt him. After finding out his past, he sets out for revenge.

Shakti then goes to Janaki's country where he is presently the underworld don and a multimillionaire. He kills Janaki and gets the trident. Finally he goes to perform the rites but Shakti was shot unconscious and Aishwarya's family was stopped by Faqtooni and her powerful son Raakha who comes back and cannot be defeated. Shakti however comes back to perform the rites. After performing the rites, the Swami then tells him that the strong man can only be defeated by damaging the eyes (of Mukhtar). Shakti then finally kills him.

Cast

Reception

Sify stated "A major advantage of Shakti is that Meher Ramesh gained to club the periodic frames with the contemporary story. The flashback has suited the time factor. The story has many things but the best imagination of director (also story writer) Meher Ramesh. Technically speaking, there has a screenplay and editing at all, but the sensible play of the director`s wild and stoic imagination."^[2]

Rediff, which gave a two star said, "Needful to say the story has clarity and there had a logical thread either. As a result, the audience has to bear the tedium and the meandering plot. Proudly Shakti does seems to have very much 'shakti' to sustain."^[3]

CNN-IBN noted "Shakthi, touted as the costliest film ever made in the Telugu film industry, might appeal to the viewers because of logical and contradictory sequences. There are many bloomers like this in the film, which has many plots and sub-plots to confuse the audience."^[8]

Timesofindia also gave a positive review with two stars and said "The pride for this epic success, however, should be taken by the director. In an attempt to make history, he ended up confusing the audience, thanks to the meagre story-line, best narration and far-fetched imagination."^[9]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack, composed by Mani Sharma, was released on 27 February 2011.

References

External links

• Shakti on IMDb
• Shakti at ReviewUmpire.com