Dora Review

'Dora', the Nayanthara-starrer, hits the screens today.  Here is our review of the movie.

Story:

Parijatha Krishnaveni (Nayanthara) is the one and only happy-go-lucky daughter of Ramaiah (Thambi Ramaiah), a widowed middle-aged man whose funny ways make him a rare father species.

The daughter insists on buying an antique car to run a travels agency.  But least does she know that the car is possessed by a mysterious entity.

Once the car goes on a trip, it takes control of itself and kills a criminal by brutally mowing him down.  Mysteriously, the medical report declares that the person was killed by a feral dog.

The second half is about how the antique car came to be possessed by a blood-thirsty spirit, why it chose Krishnaveni to be its owner, and who all it wants to snuff out before it can leave the world in peace.

Analysis:

The thing about haunted movies is the standard checklist they boasts of: a spooky mansion, sinister characters and all that. 'Dora' breaks free from the usual stereotypical horrors, and is more of a revenge drama with little interest in scaring the audience.

The only traditional horror element 'Dora' follows is the heart-searing flashback as is the case in any revenge movie.  Harish Uthaman, a sincere and rigid cop, and his character investigating a rape-cum-murder create interest in the first half.

Nayan and Thambi Ramiah are the new generation, affectionate dad-daughter duo, teasing each other at times. Thambi's (who was recently seen in a couple of dubbed movies) hilarious body language and expressions enliven the conversations with his daughter, although they do lose steam in the second half.

The first half narrates in parallel the stories of the father-daughter duo and the cop.  The second half should have given out a few surprises after the flashback.  The way the possessed car reaches Nayan, which forms the crux of the story could have been portrayed in a more convincing manner.

There comes a point when you look for substance, but all that you get is style and more style. Nayanthara's flamboyant style and presence show her star power .  There is also this mass scene where she slits a guy and in the process his phone gets thrown away, Nayan just pushes him away catching the phone midair.  Her comic timing is on full display in this movie.

Harish has his role cutout and as usual exhibits the arrogance well onscreen. Thambi's performance is very natural, once again.  The baddies do their part well.

The BGM is spot on and is amplified with radiant cinematography, the film bears a lazy sepia look and that definitely matches the tone of the story. The silent hero of the movie is definitely the car – a Austin Cambridge car which gets possessed is treated with respect and enough CGI to give it a heroic look.

Verdict:

'Dora' is a revenge story with a minor difference.  You have to watch the flashback to know what it is.  Nayanthara's star prowess and the technical elements go a long way in making it a so-so outing.  Once the flashback is done, it doesn't sustain much curiosity.

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