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Movie Name: Double iSmart
Directed by: Puri Jagannadh
Starring: Ram Pothineni, Sanjay Dutt, Kavya Thapar, Sayaji Shinde, Bani J, Getup Srinu, Ali, Makarand Deshpande, Uttej
Genre: Drama, Action, History
Running Time: 156 Minutes
Release Date: 15 August, 2024
Rating:
Production House: Puri Connects
Budget: ₹ – Crore
Language: Telugu
Double iSmart: Movie Overview
Double iSmart is an upcoming Indian Telugu-language science fiction action film written and directed by Puri Jagannadh, who co-produced the film with Charmy Kaur, under the banner Puri Connects. It stars Ram Pothineni and Sanjay Dutt in the lead roles. The music was composed by Mani Sharma, while the cinematography and editing were handled by Gianni Giannelli along with Shyam K. Naidu and Karthika Srinivas respectively. It is a spiritual sequel to the 2019 film iSmart Shankar.
The project Double iSmart was officially launched through a muhurtha pooja ceremony in Hyderabad. Principal photography commenced on 12 July 2023.
The first schedule wrapped on 31 July 2023, featuring an action sequence filmed in Mumbai. Sanjay Dutt joined the sets in July 2023. The second schedule commenced in Thailand in August in 2023. In May 2024, the most important sequences of the film were shot in Mumbai. The shooting faced delays due to financial issues but was later restarted. The climax of the film was shot in Mumbai, where a large set worth ₹8 crore was made. The filming was wrapped by July 2024.
The soundtrack album and background score for the film were composed by Mani Sharma. The audio rights were acquired by Aditya Music.
The first single titled “SteppaMaar” was released on 1 July 2024. The second single titled “Maar Muntha Chod Chinta” was released on 16 July 2024.
The film was initially scheduled to release on 8 March 2024, on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri, but was later postponed. Now the film is scheduled to release on 15 August 2024, coinciding with Independence Day in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam languages.
Double iSmart Movie Trailer:
Movie Review:
Double Ismart is the latest action thriller featuring Ram Pothineni, directed by Puri Jagannadh. The movie arrived with decent expectations—let’s see how it fares.
Story:
International mafia don Big Bull (Sanjay Dutt) is desperate to escape death after being diagnosed with Glioma. A scientist suggests that transferring his memory to another person’s brain could make him immortal. Their search for the ideal candidate leads them to Shankar (Ram Pothineni) in Hyderabad. The memory transfer takes place, and what follows is the thrilling core of the story, best experienced on the big screen.
Plus Points:
Ram Pothineni is back as iSmart Shankar, and like in the first installment, he delivers a standout performance in the sequel. His mass attitude and intense dialogue delivery are once again entertaining.
Kavya Thapar joins Ram as his love interest, and their combination scenes are decent to watch. Sanjay Dutt, portraying a mafia don, adds some weight to the film, though his performance is just okay.
The rest of the cast performs within their limits, and the action sequences are well executed in certain parts.
Minus Points:
While the basic plot is nice, justifying the decision to create a sequel, Puri Jagannadh and his team seemed uninterested in making the narration engaging. The story requires a gripping screenplay, which is notably lacking, especially in the second half, making it challenging to stay engaged.
The emotional aspects fail to resonate due to a lack of depth. Many characters seem to exist only to fill the screen. Jhansi’s role could have been more impactful, and her flashback scenes might have added some emotional weight. Pragathi’s exaggerated performance is better left unmentioned.
The comedy falls flat. Ali’s character and his attempts at humour are more irritating than amusing. The songs and their placement feel out of sync with the narrative, seemingly added just to give the audience a break but failing to do so.
Manisharma’s trademark intense background score, which could have elevated the movie, is a significant miss in this sequel. The face-off scenes with Sanjay Dutt don’t work, making his Telugu debut less than impressive. His character is poorly established, and the dubbing feels awkward.
Technical Aspects:
It’s high time for Puri Jagannadh to reflect and come up with a script that can revive the massy, vintage style many fans have been missing. Unfortunately, this is another weak film that doesn’t do him any favours. The storyline is decent, but the execution misfires.
Editor Junaid Siddiqui could have improved the film by trimming many unnecessary scenes that disrupt the flow, especially in the second half. Raj Thota’s cinematography is satisfactory, and the production values are up to par. However, Manisharma could have done better, at least to elevate the movie in certain places.
Verdict:
On the whole, Double iSmart struggles to live up to the hype of its predecessor, iSmart Shankar. Despite Ram Pothineni’s commendable efforts, his talent feels underutilised. The plot has potential, but the execution falls short, especially in the dragging second half. Kavya Thapar’s presence is minimal, and Ali’s comedy track fails to deliver laughs. Sanjay Dutt’s portrayal as the villain comes across as just another routine bad guy. If you’re in search of solid entertainment, this might not be your best pick.
Movie Songs:
Song Title: SteppaMaar
Lyrics: Mohsin Shaikh
Music Composer: Mani Sharma
Singers: Nakash Aziz, Sanjana Kalmanje
Song Title: Maar Muntha Chod Chinta
Lyrics: Kasarla Shyam
Music Composer: Mani Sharma
Singers: Rahul Sipligunj, Keerthana Sharma, Dhanunjay Seepana
Song Title: Big Bull
Lyrics: Raqueeb Alam
Music Composer: Mani Sharma
Singers: Vinod Rathod, Ritu Pathak
