Priyadarshan Movies
- 2009
A simple man with a loving family finds his life changing in ways he never anticipated when a superstar strolls into his life, transforming everything around him. Billu Barber lives in a small village with his wife, Bindiya, and their two wonderful children. Though their lives are less than extraordinary, their love is plenty enough to keep everyone content...until their close brush with fame. Now, things are changing all around them. There's certain greatness behind Billu, but his meager existence seems to prevent everyone from seeing it. At first Billu remains unchanged by the chaos swirling around him, but is it possible to remain grounded while everyone you know is being swept off their feet? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Irfan Khan, Lara Dutta, (more)
- 2008
South Indian directorial mainstay Priyadarshan (Malamal Weekly) helms this arthouse-style drama, made after the filmmaker's temporary sojourn into Bollywood material. Vengadam (Prakash Raj of Mayajalam) is a village weaver, clinging to the traditional hierarchical way of life despite the radical sociopolitical shifts sweeping through India. His dream involves weaving together a silk sari for his infant daughter's eventual wedding day, but alas, he could never afford buying such an expensive item - so he pilfers threads from the shop, one by one, and weaves them together, as the years pass, only producing the garment gradually. Meanwhile, broader changes unfurl in the community and the nation at large, and those changes eventually touch Vengadam's life in such a profound way that he cannot possibly ignore it. From a social activist friend, he learns of the Russian Revolution and suddenly attains awareness of the social injustice plaguing his own life, realizing that he can no longer tolerate or accept it. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Prakash Raj
- 2008
Indian director Priyadarshan's Bollywood musical romance Mere Baap Pahle Aap concerns Janaradhan Wishvanbhar, a widower whose two children, the younger Gaurav and firstborn Chirag, have just reached the age of independent decision-making. Alas, all is not well chez Wishvanbhar: though Gaurav is a successful entrepreneur with his own business to run, he acts like a spoiled child toward his father, taunting and screaming at the old man and locking him up on occasion. Then, one day, Gaurav's life turns a most unexpected corner when an old college friend, the luminous Sheekha Kapoor, waltzes back into his life. She's been staying with her guardian, Anuradha, who also just happens to be the first woman to capture Janaradhan's heart. As Gaurav and Sheekha grapple with romantic feelings for one another, they set the stage for a life-changing reunion between old lovers Anuradha and Janaradhan. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 2007
When the ancestral palace of the Brahmin family becomes the site of some seriously unsettling events, it's up to a psychiatrist from America to determine if the house is truly haunted in this comic thriller from director Priyadarshan. Badri is the family patriarch who presides over the sprawling family estate. When Badri's nephew Siddharth and his wife Avni return to their native village following an extended stint in America, it begins to appear that the rumors about their family palace being haunted are true. Soon everyone is wondering if there is a more logical reason for the strange events unfolding, and suspicions fall upon Badri's adopted daughter Radha. Later, Siddharth's friend Dr. Aditya arrives from America on a mission to solve the supernatural mystery and reveal the culprit responsible for the bizarre ruse. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, (more)
Intertwined lives serve as the springboard to raucous comedy in this lively effort from director Priyadarshan. A seemingly intentionally confusing comedy that layers cliché upon cliché in almost absurdist fashion, the story begins with the introduction of Nadu (Aftab Shivdasani), an aspiring singer who has come to strike it big in Mumbai. Although Nadu is quick to land an apartment, a catch comes when the landlord reveals that she only rents to married couples, a situation that is somewhat remedied when he meets Anjali (Rimi Sen), the village vixen in need of some quick cash and a place to stay. As various colorful characters stumble in and out the picture, it's obvious that things are going to become more complicated than Nadu had anticipated. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
