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Yashoda Movie Review : Samantha 'delivers' a stellar performance

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Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive . Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

Hirak Buch 435 34 days ago

SAMANTHA is the most versatile actress I have ever seen.

Anita Kumari 16 116 days ago

THIS MOVIE "YASHODA" IS FANTASTIC.ITS TOUCH MY HEART BECAUSE IT SHOW CARE OF HER SISTER.FOR SAVE HER SISTER SHE TAKE RISK OF HER LIFE AND TO LOSS HER BUEATY .

poojarbirudula 11 384 days ago

It’s all about struggles of the economically backward women n how they are exploited by criminals…. Best part this movie also includes sexual abuse at work place …. Which mostly ignored all the movies….. it’s all abt women empowerment Jai hindi best movie I can rate it 1000 start

suhas jinka 180 400 days ago

sooooooo gud enjoyed but ,if some love story or romance included it will be 4 star rating...

B Sai Vamshi 444 days ago

Movie is seen story about a mothers and children affection movie director creativity is different

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'Yashoda' movie review: The ideas are there, but the execution isn’t

I feel compelled to be kinder towards films that feature women protagonists. We don’t get enough of them, and it’s empowering and cathartic to see women kick a**. Samantha is at the centre of Yashoda and plays a character straight out of the hero playbook. There are fight sequences, there’s a rousing reveal, there’s sister sentiment, there’s a leader angle… And yet, it’s not a protagonist a man could have played.

For one, pregnancy is at the thick of things, and it adds flavour that the protagonist, Yashoda, is going through it herself, as she uncovers a horrific conspiracy that exploits women victims. At the end, in fact, there’s something about these women joining to fight back—but it’s just cursory symbolism, with no one except Samantha’s Yashoda ever doing much to help themselves. However, it’s still fascinating to behold the joys of ‘testosterone cinema’ playing out with a heroine, instead of a hero. The action blocks are perhaps the brightest point of Yashoda.

It’s a film with many curious ideas. There’s the exploration of surrogacy and a half-hearted attempt to capture the lives of consenting women. There’s a medical facility—no, a high-tech prison—complete with regular audio announcements of the schedule of patients—no, “inmates”. There’s a fascinating idea about the lengths a woman goes to, to preserve her beauty, and some commentary about what ‘real beauty’ is. There’s even some espionage. And yet, it’s impossible to shake off the realisation that Yashoda should have been a far, far superior film, given the weight of these ideas. A big problem is how unconvincingly these ideas are fleshed out. For instance, Yashoda is shown to forge a deep bond with other inmates, but it happens over unconvincing bits-and-pieces of flaky camaraderie. For the longest time, the screenplay feels disjointed with two separate tracks, with the second, especially—about cops played by Murali Sharma and Sampath, investigating a murder—lacking any real purpose and charm, serving only to distract from the events featuring Samantha.

The big horrific reveals in the second half don’t affect as they should, even if the film does get marginally more interesting when the Madhubala (Varalaxmi) flashback plays out. But even here, pay attention to how a beauty pageant is weakly conceived and executed, and how Madhubala’s character gets introduced, as she throws a stray line about us seeking beauty in even deities. The brightest point in this flashback is when Varalaxmi’s Madhubala, Rao Ramesh’s politician (the actor is a hoot, as always), and Unni Mukundan’s nerd-stalker have a three-way conflict—and the bizarre, exaggerated way in which it plays out results in some campy fun.

While the film is about surrogacy and how women are exploited, its portrayal of certain types of women is rather revealing. Let’s leave aside the bad choice to have Samantha look as made-up for a role that’s supposed to be grounded, even if not thoroughly impoverished. There’s an early scene between Yashoda and her friends, as each woman reveals their reason for agreeing to be a surrogate mother.

While many talk of poverty and suffering, one woman—with short, coloured hair and a rather ‘modern’ demeanour—speaks of wanting to afford an iPhone. I thought, “Fair enough, it’s your body, your rules.” Well, a twist in the film betrays its view about such women—and let’s say it’s not exactly progressive. Pay close attention to the ‘good woman’ in this film, Yashoda’s friend, and you’ll see that she’s all dressed up as a traditional woman, with long-plaited hair, bindi.

There’s a queer character in the film, the head of a fashion brand, and the film doesn’t do itself any favours with how it portrays this person either. The villain is one who gets an abortion and doesn’t become a ‘mother’. All of this made me wonder whether Yashoda is conceived as a film meant to valourise pregnancies, meant to reaffirm the dated idea that it’s motherhood that makes a woman. An end scene of childbirth, another previous scene of a woman sharing a story about her husband’s inability to produce a child… All of this makes you wonder.

And of course, when a film and its protagonist are named Yashoda—the foster mother of Krishna—the significance is rather straightforward. And yet, this film, more than once, drums in this idea, even referencing Krishna’s birth at one point. It doesn’t seem to think you’ll get it otherwise. Perhaps if Yashoda had respected us better, we might have ended up with a more nuanced take on the subject of surrogacy and a film that might perhaps have been more deserving of Samantha’s action exploits.

Director: Hari-Harish Cast: Samantha, Unni Mukundan, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Rao Ramesh, Murali Sharma Rating: 2.5/5

(This review originally appeared on cinemaexpress.com )

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Yashoda Reviews

This is not a film strong on logic. Even the simplest question would make the screenplay collapse like a house of cards. But the various twists and turns, which frequently border on outlandish, are held together by the formidable presence of Samantha.

Full Review | Nov 15, 2022

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Yashoda movie review: Samantha Ruth Prabhu shines in familiar but engaging thriller

Yashoda movie review: samantha ruth prabhu delivers a knockout performance in the telugu thriller, playing a role that’s hard to guess for the most part. the film released on november 11..

Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu has been very picky when it comes to her female-centric projects. Her choices so far have paid off handsomely with films like U-Turn and Oh! Baby working big time with the audiences. Her latest outing Yashoda, too, falls in the same category, as it offers something new to the viewers and it succeeds to a large extent, despite taking a very familiar route when it comes to some twists. In a refreshing departure from what we’ve seen of her in the recent past, Samantha delivers a knockout performance in Yashoda, playing a role that’s hard to guess for the most part. It’s an earnest performance and she makes even some dull predictable moments watchable with her presence. Also read: Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s Telugu film Yashoda earns ₹ 55 crore already, does highest pre-release business of actor's career

Samantha plays Yashoda, and her world revolves around her younger sister. When she desperately needs money for her sister’s operation, she signs up to become a surrogate mother. She’s soon transferred to the high-tech facility called Eva; a company that’s helping people fulfil their dreams of becoming parents through surrogacy. It’s a major change for Yashoda, who slowly starts to make friends inside with some fellow surrogate mothers. Everything is fine at first but things slowly start to spiral out of control, and Yashoda suspects that something suspicious about the place. The local police is also investigating a high profile case of a road accident involving a businessman and a top model. As Yashoda tries to uncover the secrets of Eva, a strange connection is established with the case the police are working on. The rest of the story is about what’s Eva actually doing in the name of surrogacy?

Yashoda takes time to actually take off and get the audience invested. It has some very interesting stretches as it openly talks about making surrogacy mainstream and the attempt deserves to be praised. At the same time, it also talks about how we as humans are abusing medical advancement for our own greed. Somewhere, Yashoda tries to walk a tightrope in trying to establish the fact that surrogacy can both be a boon as well as bane. The film’s central premise is very interesting and it’s rarely explored before. This is exactly what makes Yashoda standout, and probably made even Samantha sign the project. The grouse comes in the form of the plot twist which has been tried many times before. It’s not about the familiarity of the plot twist but it’s so generic that it lacks excitement.

Nevertheless, it’s Samantha’s show all the way. The way she handles her character and the eventual transformation is proof of her ability to go the extra mile to make her performance look authentic. Both Unni Mukundan and Varalaxmi Sarath Kumar get very interesting parts and it’s quite bold of both of them to play such characters without much fuss. The production design deserves a special mention since most of the story unfolds inside a large facility and the setwork is commendable.

• Samantha Ruth Prabhu

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• Home » Movies » Yashoda Movie Review

Yashoda review: A gritty, engaging tale of surrogacy with high-octane stunts by Samantha

A fast-paced screenplay, a tight script, hard-hitting dialogues, some amazing artwork, and an enchanting BGM make it a must-watch.

Published:Nov 11, 2022

Samantha's latest release 'Yashoda' is an engaging watch. (SrideviMovieOff/Twitter)

Samantha delivers her career's best performance!

Yashoda (Telugu)

• Cast: Samantha, Unni Mukundan and Varalaxmi Sarath Kumar
• Director: Hari Shankar & Harish Narayana
• Producer: Sivalenka Krishna Prasad
• Music: Mani Sarma
• Runtime: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Cast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Emraan Hashmi, and Revathy
• Director: Maneesh Sharma
• Producer: Aditya Chopra
• Music: Pritam Chakraborty
• Runtime: 2 hours 35 minutes

Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s much-awaited movie Yashoda is finally in theatres this Friday, 11 November. It managed to garner and create good hype in the Indian film circles.

And the film has lived up to the expectations it created!

Directed by Hari and Harish Narayan, Yashoda is produced by Sivalenka Krishna Prasad. It casts Varalaxmi Sarathkumar and Unni Mukundan in key roles.

The flick opens with an accident where one of the country’s leading models, Aarushi, dies. The cops stay busy investigating the reason behind the accident. Soon, they conclude that it was a premeditated murder.

Parallel to this plot runs another story: Yashoda (Samantha) becomes a surrogate and enters a surrogacy facility.

She makes friends with other pregnant women, and soon realises that something sinister is going on at the surrogacy centre.

A story with a difference

Soon, Yashoda and her fellow surrogate mothers start feeling like jailbirds; they cannot step out of the medical facility until their delivery.

Interestingly, nobody has a clue as to what happens after the surrogates enter the operation theatre for delivery. Also, they are not allowed even a glimpse of their babies.

As an inquisitive Yashoda starts digging deeper into the secrets, she realises that there’s more to the surrogacy centre than meets the eye.

However, in the process, she gets caught by Madhu (Varalaxmi Sarathkumar) and Gowtham (Unni Mukundan), the masterminds behind the facility.

Gowtham works as a doctor at the facility, while Madhu takes care of the well-being of the pregnant women.

Yashoda enters the medical facility, but not to be a surrogate mother. What her real motive is and who is helping her from the outside is something worth watching on the big screen.

This time, more than ever, I was hoping and praying for all your support in promoting the film. The affection you have showered on me & Yashoda in the run up to the release is humbling. Forever grateful to all of you. You are my family❤️ Truly hope you enjoy the film. Thank you🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/O8rbC4cYU4 — Samantha (@Samanthaprabhu2) November 11, 2022

Samantha is the lifeline

Coming to the performances, Samantha is the true hero of the film. Once again, she proves to be one of the most bankable actors among the current lot.

In the web series The Family Man , Samantha turned heads with her kickass action sequences and stunts. But in Yashoda , she takes it to the next level. The high-octane stunts pump up the adrenaline rush.

Also, she tugs at our heartstrings with her nuances and emotions, proving yet again why she is the most sought-after actor in the industry. This is certainly her career’s best performance.

Varalaxmi Sarathmkumar is seen as someone obsessed with beauty. She appears so calm that we don’t see a storm coming.

Unni Mukundan plays a good boy in the beginning, but reveals his true colours as Gowtham as the momentum picks up.

Other artists like Kalpika and Divya Sripada are great, too.

. @Samanthaprabhu2 ‘s new-age Action thriller #Yashoda gets Thumping Response in Theatres💥 Book Your Tickets 🎟️ https://t.co/qDWQI9JPvE https://t.co/bdsqzgwCYi #YashodaInCinemas @varusarath5 @Iamunnimukundan @harishankaroffi @hareeshnarayan @krishnasivalenk @SrideviMovieOff pic.twitter.com/ppfi287lnu — Sridevi Movies (@SrideviMovieOff) November 11, 2022

Kudos to Hari-Harish duo

The credit for Yashoda goes to none other than Samantha and the director duo Hari-Harish.

The directors truly deserve applause for making a film with such a fast-paced screenplay and tight script. It is hard for anyone to pick up faults in the story.

Though the movie has been made based on facts, added elements like the emotional drama make it an engaging and entertaining watch.

Pulagam Chinnarayana and Bhagyalakshmi Challa did a great job with the dialogues.

Art director Ashok needs a special mention for building a surrogate facility that looks nothing less than a luxurious, corporate hospital.

Producer Krishna Prasad splurged on the film to make sure it turned out to be the best.

The background music by Mani Sharma elevates every scene. Action scenes by Yanick Ben and Venkat give us an adrenaline rush.

Blockbuster #Yashoda 🔥 Our team at #Sudarshan35 with the super hit director duo 🥳 @harishankaroffi and @hareeshnarayan garu @Samanthaprabhu2 #YashodaTheMovie pic.twitter.com/GeEYpmRCPk — Yashoda From Nov11 (@SamanthaPrabuFC) November 11, 2022

An edge-of-the-seat experience

Yashoda brings you to the edge of your seat. The first half hour of the film is all about parallel plots. Soon, an interesting and unpredictable story arises, with unexpected twists and turns.

Slowly, the other side of the surrogacy world is revealed: the medical mafia and what surrogacy can do to a woman who is in a financial crisis.

The movie also sheds light on the ways the rich exploit the poor.

On the whole, Yashoda is a gritty and engaging tale of surrogacy that one shouldn’t miss.

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• Entertainment
• film review
• Telugu film industry

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Yashoda REVIEW: Samantha Ruth Prabhu starrer is a one-woman show with new concept and engaging twists

Gretel Sequeira

• November 11, 2022
• Comments off

Samantha Ruth Prabhu starrer Yashoda movie REVIEW

• Bubble Reviews
• Yashoda REVIEW: Samantha Ruth ...

Film: Yashoda

Directed by: Hari-Harish

Star Cast: Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Unni Mukundan, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, and Murali Sharma

Bollywood Bubble ratings:  3/5 stars

Yashoda Movie Review 

Going to Indian mythology, we all are well aware of how Yashoda cared for Lord Krishna dearly, despite being a foster mother. And, tales about her only speak of how she was all about her love, affection, and caring like a mother to Lord Krishna. Coming to reel life, the Samantha Ruth Prabhu starrer Yashoda stays true to its name and is a one-woman show. While Samantha impresses with her stellar performance, she struggles, fights, and faces challenges while being pregnant and protecting her child. However, even with a new concept, plot twists, and turns, Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s Yashoda was an engaging watch but came with its flaws.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Samantha (@samantharuthprabhuoffl)

The movie opens with Samantha as Yashoda seated with a doctor, all set to be a surrogate mother. It is thorough in the beginning how surrogacy was the sole option to Yashoda (Samantha) when it came to protecting a loved one. Despite her pregnancy complications, Yashoda is hell-bent on being a surrogate in exchange for money, to support her sister’s treatment.

Eventually, Yashoda agrees to be a surrogate and is moved to a healthcare facility for surrogate mothers. As she begins to understand the facility and its workings, Yashoda learns about illegal activities at the facility. In a quest to bring the perpetrators to justice, pregnant Yashoda takes us through how she discovers the shocking truths about the facility and its functioning.

While the Hari-Harish directorial is filled with twists and turns, the first half of the movie is gripping. However, after the interval, one tends to lose the sense of the movie, trying to find the logic behind how a pregnant woman can jump off a table and perform high-octane stunts. Well, even if one goes with the fact that “ Maa, Maa hoti hai (A mother is a mother) “, I could not find any sense in it. It’s not practical and sane for a pregnant woman to perform high-octane stunts as it would clearly affect her baby.

Anyways, moving forward! Even though the director brings in an entirely intriguing screenplay with a new concept, it fails to reach its mark. The second half gets rather interesting towards the end, but again, the narrative falls short of the bang-on climax we’d all expect with a plot like that of Yashoda.

Yashoda revolves around a young woman of the same name, played by Samantha, who decides to become a surrogate in exchange for money. She is moved to a surrogacy facility named Eva, owned by Madhu (Varalakshmi Sarath Kumar). While everything goes well for Yashoda, an incident at the center harnesses doubt in her mind. This doubt further leads to Yashoda trying to unravel the truth behind the surrogacy mafia.

Star Performances

Samantha Ruth Prabhu plays the titular role in this movie. The actress leaves you mesmerized with her action sequences and her faultless performance. She emerges as a star in the film. And, Samantha gets as good as one can be as she performs some high-octane action stunts.

Unni Mukundan, playing the role of the scientist at the surrogacy facility shines throughout. The actor manages to prove his acting prowess with his stunning performance.

Varalakshmi Sarath Kumar, who plays Madhu is impressive to watch. She does a decent job with her character.

Direction/Screenplay

Hari-Harish fairs well with the execution of the screenplay. However, the plot has a few loose ends that go unnoticed. And, with these loose ends, one might clearly be left unimpressed. I was! While the director brings forward a new concept, at some points, the movie fails in terms of logic. For example, Samantha easily escaping through cameras, or be it the portrayal of a pregnant woman performing action stunts, or Madhu’s backstory; it all literally does not make sense.

Overall, the director does a fair job with Yashoda. While the performances by Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Unni Mukundan shine throughout the movie, the interesting twists and turns will keep you hooked on to your seat. Despite the flaws, Yashoda is a decent watch. And, I recommend watching it in theatres for that ‘edge-of-the-seat’ thriller experience.

Watch Yashoda trailer, after the review:

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Also Read : Yashoda Twitter Review: Netizens hail Samantha Ruth Prabhu starrer, heap praise on actress’ action-packed performance

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Yashoda Movie Review: Samantha Ruth Prabhu's Thriller Is Engaging!

Cast: Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Rao Ramesh, Murali Sharma, Unni Mukundan, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Sampath Raj, Shatru Directors: Haresh Narayan K, Hari Shankar

Introduction: Yashoda is a movie written and directed by Hari and Harish as their Tollywood debut. The movie is the first pan-India film of the actress to be released in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, and Malayalam. Samantha dubbed her own words for Tamil and Telugu. Yashoda is based on real-life crimes around surrogacy. An underprivileged woman becomes a surrogate and unearths a crime. How she saves herself and puts an end to the entire situation is to be seen on the big screen. Samantha comes as a surprise package in the film.

Yashoda is the first feature film to be released in theatres post-Samantha's divorce from Naga Chaitanya. She has been away from the media and her fans due to her prolonged autoimmune disorder, which she only made public recently.

Director duo Hari and Harish made all the right attempts in translating the story from paper to celluloid. They took their sweet time to establish the background of Yashoda, the Eva facility and her initial days at the facility as a surrogate. The first half was rather slow but the interval bang was befitiing. The second half was interesting and the directors unwrapped their twists one after the other, in a racy screenplay. It would have been better if they had given some time in the second half for the viewer to connect to the emotional aspect that they showcased.

Yashoda, a woman living in a lower-middle-class neighborhood is shown in need of money for her dear sister's operation. She agrees to be a surrogate to fulfill the requirement. Yashoda then is taken to Eva, a facility for surrogate mothers. On the other side, the movie begins with the death of a Hollywood actress Olivia, due to a spiked drink laced with a mysterious drug. Also, a business tycoon Shiv Reddy and her girlfriend, the probable winner of the Miss India pageant, Arushi die in a car crash which turns out to be a murder. The people behind the crime, the cause, the reason, and their connection to Eva's facility are revealed towards the end with a big twist.

Performances:

As usual, Samantha shed her blood and sweat to bring out the best of herself and the character of Yashoda. She managed to pull off the entire female-centric subject with great ease and delivered a power-packed performance as Yashoda, switching from a docile woman to a fierce ninja.

Varalaxmi Sarathkumar had a role that was designed to implicate an evil woman- all the characteristics of being okay to go to any lengths for money and beauty are shoved into the role, which was a cakewalk for the actress.

Murali Sharma as Commissioner, Rao Ramesh as Central Minister Giridhar, Unni Mukundan as a Gynaecologist Gowtam, and Sampath Raj as mental fitness coach with the police department have been impeccable in their respective roles.

Comedian Josh Ravi appeared on the screen after a long time and was barely there in two scenes, which were still impactful.

Artists Madhurima, Divya Sripada, Kalpika Ganesh, and Priyanka Sharma, who are inmates at the Eva facility have been used appropriately for character build-up in the film.

Technical Aspects:

The cinematography by M Sukumar is quite adequate and the visuals looked fresh, due to the Art Director's visionary sets of Eva facility. Mani Sharma's background score is the heart of the film without which the movie wouldn't have made an impact. However, the length and duration could have been crisped to ensure the movie proceeds at a uniform pace throughout.

Stunt choreographer Yannick Ben, from Hollywood, was flown in to compose fights for Samantha in the film which flowed quite like a breeze and didn't seem over the top. Samantha, who did her stunts in the film appealed to the audience with her work.

What's Yay: Samantha's performance Film's sets Background score Varalaxmi's role Direction Concept

What's Nay: Lengthy first half Lack of emotional connection in the second half Graphics could have been better, especially during the climax

Verdict: Samantha's Yashoda is a well-made thriller with adequate elements of thrill, twists, and turns, put together by solid writing and top-notch performances. However, the movie ends on a regular staple formula of good Vs bad and the bad being captured/punished eventually, in a conventional way.

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Yashoda Review: Samantha’s Show

Movie: Yashoda Rating: 2.5/5 Banner: Sridevi Movies Cast: Samantha, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Unni Mukundan, Rao Ramesh, Murali Sharma, Sampath Raj, Shatru, Madhurima, Kalpika Ganesh, Divya Sripada, Priyanka Sharma and others Music: Mani Sharma Cinematography: M Sukumar Editor: Marthand K Venkatesh Art: Ashok Fights: Venkat, Yannick Ben Producer: Sivalenka Krishna Prasad Written and Directed by: Hari - Harish Release Date: Nov 11, 2022 

Samantha's item song in "Pushpa" went viral last year. A year later, she released the thriller "Yashoda," in which she played the lead. "Yashoda" has sparked interest due to her current health situation as well as the stunning trailer.

Let us examine its highlights and low points.

Story: Yashoda (Samantha) agrees to be a surrogate mother because she desperately needs money. She signs a contract with a corporate hospital and is taken to a hidden location where many surrogate mothers are observed prior to their deliveries.

Yashoda is treated at this centre by a handsome doctor named Gowtham (Unni) and is overseen by beauty pageant contestant Madhu (Varalaxmi Sarath Kumar).  Yashoda soon realises that something sinister is going on. She tries to discover the secrets.

A group of police officers, on the other hand, is investigating the murder of a model. What is the connection between these two threads? Is Yashoda about to reveal a secret?

Artistes’ Performances: Samantha bears the weight of the story on her shoulders. She is convincing in both facets of her character. Samantha has also convincingly performed action stunts. She has made every effort to enthral as the story revolves around her.

Varalaxmi Sarath Kumar is an excellent choice for the role of a "beautiful devil." Unni Mukundan is ideal as a doctor with a hidden agenda.

Murali Sharma, Rao Ramesh, Kalpika, Divya Sripada, Sampath Raj, and Shatru all have done their roles justifiably.

Technical Excellence: The plot revolves primarily around a surrogacy centre. The sets that have been created are lavish. The cinematography is satisfactory. The editing should have been more precise. Action stunts are entertaining.

Music is fuctional. Dialogues are effective.

Highlights: Pre-interval scenes Samantha’s performance Twist in the tale

Drawback: The surrogacy center scenes The uneven second half Climax portion

Analysis Hari and Harish, the Tamil directors, have written a story with a different plot point. Many films have dealt with the theme of medical mafias and evil doctors. Surrogacy-themed films have also emerged. "Yashoda" combines all of these elements and tells a very different story within the framework. 

“Yashoda” begins differently because it combines two unrelated stories - a murder investigation and a surrogacy centre scam. However, the directors gradually build up drama and intrigue before the intermission. The pre-interval scenes are the thriller's main draw. They are not only well-written, but also thrillingly shot. 

But momentum begins to wane after that point. It also becomes predictable after a certain point. The story's twist, while impressive, is also formulaic. Such a twist was seen in an iconic blockbuster 15 years ago, and it has since appeared in numerous films.

And flashback story involves Unni Mukundan and Varalaxmi Sarath Kumar. This story does not completely convince us. It appears to be superficial. Unni Mukundan's and Varalxaxmi's character arcs are underdeveloped.

While the plot and overall concept are intriguing, key scenes are executed half-heartedly. The Murali Sharma/Sampath Raj incident is far too predictable.

"Yashoda" works in parts. Samantha's performance and presence, as well as the film's basic concept and certain episodes, are its strong points. Despite some predictability, it makes an okay watch.

Bottom line: Works in Parts

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Yashoda movie review: Samantha Ruth Prabhu shines, but she cannot hide the flaws in this thriller

Samantha is brilliant in Yashoda that falters in effectively landing its shocking twists and turns.

Language: Tamil, and Telugu

Cast: Samantha, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Unni Mukundan, Murali Sharma, Sampath

Director: Hari-Harish

Since the morning of the release of Yashoda , I have seen multiple reports that claim that a lot rides on Yashoda for actor Samantha who plays the lead in this film. To be honest, the actor has proved time and again that her performance will stand the test of time, and it is then not fair to encapsulate all of an actor in one project. Yashoda is not a film that would receive rapturous attention from the audience, and neither is it a dud. It is a promising premise aided by great performances of its lead cast.

What it does suffer from is lack of bringing its vision from paper onto screen. Without going too much into the details of the film’s plot, which is a thriller that you must experience as an audience, what I can tell you is that there is all signs of making a great film in Yashoda ’s first half. It sets up the characters, their lives and their ordeals. For instance, why does Samantha as Yashoda interested in being a surrogate? Who is Madhubala (Varalaxmi), and what is the truth about her identity and so on.

So where exactly does it falter? It begins to misstep the moment the film begins to hide behind Yashoda. Instead of packing up the plot, and fleshing out the arc enough to aid the punches that the film hopes to land, the main hope for the film is Yashoda’s antics. How she gets close to other surrogates, how she befriends people in the clinic that she goes to are hyperfocussed. Most of the times, the why becomes an afterthought.

It is also this nuanced look at delivering twists that is missing from the film. For instance, does a twist land the punch, and leave audiences gasping? Or does it leave them mildly interested? They could also be left clueless if the said punches didn’t land. Where you can place Yashoda in this scale is smack in the middle. They are clear about the twist that they want to introduce and it is smart. However, the way they introduce it and way these particular scenes are written do not do much for the plot progression.

It is not so much that you see what is coming because the twists are cliched and borrowed from stereotypes. If anything, some of the most interesting things about the film apart from its premise is its twists. It is unfortunate that they do not have space to breathe and take shape of their own. The punch is required to make a good shocking twist in a thriller effectual is what is missing from the film.

Considering that the film is a thriller, it is important to pay attention to the pace of the film. At times, this also suffers because of humour that is not seamless. The humour in this film, which on second thought feels unintentional, is jarring and ends up leaving us disconnected from the seriousness of the plot. In fact, the dependency on Yashoda’s act throughout the film goes overboard, has the same effect. Because it was so obviously out of place, it threw me as a viewer out of the story momentarily.

This in turn affected how engrossing the film could have been. Such disturbances occur not partially, but often throughout the story. The onus is then on the viewers to stay with the characters. I am then forced to pay attention as opposed to me being instinctively engrossed in the film. This is, in fact, my biggest complaint abut Yashoda . The fact that the thriller gave me the time and space to let my wander. Throughout it all, my attention did stay on one thing, or I must say, one person and that is Samantha.

She lights up the screen in ways few actors are capable of today, and she does so with so much enthusiasm and affection for the camera that one cannot help but be attracted towards her character on screen.

To conclude, Yashoda as a film is a great example of how a film could be interesting, entertaining, and yet flawed to the point of contention.

Rating: 2.75 (out of 5)

Yashoda is playing in cinemas

Priyanka Sundar is a film journalist who covers films and series of different languages with a special focus on identity and gender politics.

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Release Date : November 11, 2022

123telugu.com Rating : 3/5

Starring: Samantha, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Unni Mukundan, Rao Ramesh, Murali Sharma, Sampath Raj, Shatru, Madhurima, Kalpika Ganesh, Divya Sripada, Priyanka Sharma and others

Director: Hari – Harish

Producer: Sivalenka Krishna Prasad

Music Director : Mani Sharma

Cinematography : M. Sukumar

Editor : Marthand. K. Venkatesh

Related Links : Trailer

Yashoda is a film that Samantha had pinned a lot of hopes on. Due to her ill health she could not promote it as well. The film directed by Hari and Harish has finally hit the screens today. Let’s see how it is.

Yashoda(Samantha) is a poor girl who agrees to become a surrogate mother. She is taken to Eva, a surrogacy center owned by Madhu(Varalakshmi Sarath Kumar). Things start well for Yashoda but one small incident creates a doubt in her mind. She then takes it upon herself to find out the truth behind the surrogacy mafia. How she unravels it is the main story.

Plus Points:

The basic backdrop of surrogacy is new for Telugu cinema and has been set up nicely in the narrative. This gives Yashoda a completely new edge. The director duo set up the whole surrogacy concept well and created an intriguing factor right from the beginning.

Varalakshmi Sarath Kumar is getting better with each film and gets a meaty part once again. She as the head of the surrogacy center is amazing. Her flashback in the second half with Rao Ramesh is very good. Malayalam actor Unni Mukundan is also neat in his role.

The second half is where the actual action begins as the twists executed are very good. The action part and suspense elements have been unravelled quite well in the second half. Kalpika Ganesh is good in her role along with Murali Sharma and Sampath who play cops.

Last but not the least, Samantha gives her life and soul to the film and is stunning as Yashoda. Be it the way she managed the pregnant setup or did the action part, Samantha is in top form. Yashoda is completely based on her character and Sam holds fort superbly. Not to miss her action movies and endearing emotion when she comes to know the actual surrogacy scam give the film a good depth.

Minus Points:

One of the biggest minus points of the film are the logical issues. The film is set in a surrogacy center which is shown as hitech and filled with cameras. But Sam escapes them easily. Such scenes are plenty and look a bit over the top.

The film starts on an interesting note until Samantha reaches the surrogacy center. From there, the film falls flat as scenes related to ragging and details of the center drag for no reason. A more linear screenplay and crisp narrative would have made matters better.

The film could have been more emotionally strong as the actual cause of Varalakshmi turning into a certain manner is not showcased well. More depth and pain in her role would have made the purpose of the villain more intense. In a way, the bonding between key characters is weak.

Technical Aspects:

Music by Mani Sharma is good and the BGM creates a solid impact in the proceedings. The camera work is very good but the art department needs a special mention as the surrogacy center looks cool. The lyrics and dialogues by Pulagam Chinninarayana and Bhagyalakshmi are also very good. Production values are amazing.

Coming to the director duo Hari and Harish, they have done a good job with the film. They, casting Samantha, for such a role is half battle won. They have taken a new backdrop which many do not know and created a good story around it.

Hari and Harish manage to enhance the film with neat twists and thrills in the second half. There are a few logical issues in their narrative but the twists cover them up nicely. As they waste too much time in the first half, they don’t have much time to create more impact in the flashback which was a key. But still, they narrate the film in such a way that the normal audience would not observe these errors and enjoy the film.

On the whole, Yashoda is Samantha’s one woman show. Right from the first frame, she carries the film on her shoulders and gives a solid performance. A few logical errors and slow start are basic drawbacks. If you ignore these aspects, Yashoda has an interesting backdrop and makes for a decent watch this weekend.

123telugu.com Rating: 3/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

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Yashoda Movie Review: The ideas are there, but the execution isn’t

Rating: ( 2.5 / 5).

I feel compelled to be kinder towards films that feature women protagonists. We don’t get enough of them, and it’s empowering and cathartic to see women kick a**. Samantha is at the centre of Yashoda and plays a character straight out of the hero playbook. There are fight sequences, there’s a rousing reveal, there’s sister sentiment, there’s a leader angle… And yet, it’s not a protagonist a man could have played. For one, pregnancy is at the thick of things, and it adds flavour that the protagonist, Yashoda , is going through it herself, as she uncovers a horrific conspiracy that exploits women victims. At the end, in fact, there’s something about these women joining to fight back—but it's just cursory symbolism, with no one except Samantha’s Yashoda ever doing much to help themselves. However, it’s still fascinating to behold the joys of ‘testosterone cinema’ playing out with a heroine, instead of a hero—and it helps that Samantha sells the action choreography really well. There’s genuine urgency about her movement, there’s a method to her fighting, and when adversaries collapse around her, you buy that they have been outfought. The action blocks are perhaps the brightest point of Yashoda .

Director: Hari-Harish

Cast: Samantha, Unni Mukundan, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Rao Ramesh, Murali Sharma

It's a film with many curious ideas. There’s the exploration of surrogacy and a half-hearted attempt to capture the lives of consenting women. There’s a medical facility—no, a high-tech prison—complete with regular audio announcements of the schedule of patients—no, “inmates”. The whole design of the place reminded me of Black Mirror . There’s a fascinating idea about the lengths a woman goes to, to preserve her beauty, and some commentary about what ‘real beauty’ is. There’s even some espionage and sleuthing. And yet, it’s impossible to shake off the realisation that Yashoda should have been a far, far superior film, given the weight of these ideas. A big problem is how unconvincingly these ideas are fleshed out. For instance, Yashoda is shown to forge a deep bond with other inmates, but it happens over unconvincing bits-and-pieces of flaky camaraderie. For the longest time, the screenplay feels disjointed with two separate tracks, with the second, especially—about cops played by Murali Sharma and Sampath, investigating a murder—lacking any real purpose and charm, serving only to distract from the events featuring Samantha.

The big horrific reveals in the second half don’t affect as they should, even if the film does get marginally more interesting when the Madhubala (Varalaxmi) flashback plays out. But even here, pay attention to how a beauty pageant is weakly conceived and executed, and how Madhubala’s character gets introduced, as she throws a stray line about us seeking beauty in even deities. The brightest point in this flashback is when Varalaxmi’s Madhubala, Rao Ramesh’s politician (the actor is a hoot, as always), and Unni Mukundan’s nerd-stalker have a three-way conflict—and the bizarre, exaggerated way in which it plays out results in some campy fun.

While the film—on the surface—is about surrogacy and how women are exploited (a rather nuanced topic a simplistic film like this doesn’t have the stomach for), its portrayal of certain types of women is rather revealing, I think. Let’s leave aside the bad choice to have Samantha look as made-up for a role that’s supposed to be grounded, even if not thoroughly impoverished. There’s an early scene between Yashoda and her friends, as each woman reveals their reason for agreeing to be a surrogate mother. While many talk of poverty and suffering, one woman—with short, coloured hair and a rather ‘modern’ demeanour—speaks of wanting to afford an iPhone. I thought, “Fair enough, it’s your body, your rules.” Well, a twist in the film betrays its view about such women—and let’s say it’s not exactly progressive. Pay close attention to the ‘good woman’ in this film, Yashoda’s friend, and you’ll see that she’s all dressed up as a traditional woman, with long-plaited hair, bindi... You get the idea. There’s a queer character in the film, the head of a fashion brand, and the film doesn’t do itself any favours with how it portrays this person either. The villain—Madhubala—is one who gets an abortion and doesn’t become a ‘mother’. All of this made me wonder whether Yashoda is conceived as a film meant to valourise pregnancies, meant to reaffirm the dated idea that it’s motherhood that makes a woman. An end scene of childbirth, another previous scene of a woman sharing a story about her husband’s inability to produce a child… All of this makes you wonder.

And of course, when a film and its protagonist are named Yashoda —the foster mother of Krishna—the significance is rather straightforward. And yet, this film, more than once, drums in this idea, even referencing Krishna’s birth at one point. It doesn’t seem to think you’ll get it otherwise. Perhaps if Yashoda had respected us better, we might have ended up with a more nuanced take on the subject of surrogacy and a film that might perhaps have been more deserving of Samantha’s action exploits.

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Yashoda Movie Review: Samantha Shines As An Action Star In This Surrogacy Thriller

Yashoda is a 2022 Indian Telugu-language action thriller movie. Hari-Harish wrote the script and directed the film. Samantha Ruth Prabhu is in the lead role along with Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Murali Sharma, and Unni Mukundan. The movie was out on November 11, 2022. The concept, performances, storyline twists, and directing of the movie are top-notch.

Yashoda Story

Yashoda, played by Samantha Ruth Prabhu, is a woman in need of money desperately. She consents to be a surrogate for a billionaire to save the health of her sick sister. They then transfer her from the slums to Eva, a luxurious facility, where the owner, Madhu and Doctor Gowtam look after her.

However, inside the facility, unusual behavior and disappearances likely start. Yashoda begins to realize that nothing is as it seems to be. She becomes aware of unlawful surrogacy activities and embarks on a mission to punish those responsible.

Yashoda Movie Review

In Telugu cinema, the idea of surrogacy was never in combination with the sci-fi and thriller genres. Samantha Ruth Prabhu, one of the highest-paid South Indian actresses , is the film’s main star, and directors K. Hari Shankar and Hareesh Narayan rely heavily on her. The beginning of “Yashoda” is full of comic scenes that frequently look silly. The plot occasionally looks lengthy. The film also devotes a lot of time to letting the audience get to know the characters. Samantha Ruth Prabhu makes every effort to easily balance both funny and serious scenes. There are some intriguing moments, such as the death of a Hollywood celebrity and a model, but the plot is poorly connected overall. Yashoda’s second half becomes fascinating.

The mystery begins to come into focus, the cast receives more substantial roles, and the film tries to pull you back in. Samantha’s sequences are the only ones that will keep you glued to the screen since Yashoda eventually becomes too obvious. You get chills listening to Mani Sharma’s ambient music, which acts as an eerie element. In “Yashoda,” Samantha Ruth Prabhu proves once more why she is a powerful actor in addition to being a star. Varalaxmi Sarathkumar also admires Madhu in the movie and keeps improving with each new project. Moreover, the doctor, Unni Mukundan, also makes a good impression. The way the movie “Yashoda” was shot has to be the most notable aspect of it.

Final Verdict

Yashoda is a fusion of action and relationship drama. It speaks to the emotional link between a surrogate mother and the kid and sibling relationships. Yashoda has a fascinating backdrop and is a good movie to watch this weekend. The producers did everything possible to actively promote the movie, which generated a lot of hype. Additionally, it tries to present a new story while combining incredible sci-fi sequences with action. Samantha Ruth Prabhu carries all of the movie’s weight. The only reason to see Yashoda in a theatre is to see Samantha Ruth Prabhu. We give the film 3.5 stars out of 5.

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Yashoda Movie Review

Article by Suman M Published by GulteDesk --> Published on: 11:14 am, 11 November 2022

2 Hr 15 Mins   |   Thriller   |   11-11-2022

Cast - Samantha, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Unni Mukundan, Rao Ramesh and others

Director - Hareesh, Hari

Producer - Sivalenka Krishna Prasad

Banner - Sridevi Movies

Music - Mani Sharma

Samantha has so evolved as a performer, where her name has become a selling point along with the other aspects of a film. Samantha is coming with a film Yashoda, where she plays the lead role. The trailer was intriguing and hinted at conspiracy around the concept of surrogacy. The movie was released today in theaters. Check out the review.

What Is It About?

Yashoda (Samantha) a food delivery girl agrees to become a surrogate mother for a large sum of money. She will be sent to a highly sophisticated surrogate facility owned by Madhubala (Varalakshmi Sarathkumar). Yashoda learns that something is not right at the facility and she gets shocked seeing gruesome incidents happening there. On the other side, there is an active murder investigation of a business tycoon that leads to a stunning end. How is it linked to Yashoda’s story and what she does thereafter form the rest of the story.

Performances

Samantha gave an apt performance in the role of Yashoda. This role is a cakewalk for her, yet the effort she put into crossing the ‘t’s and dotting the ‘I’s could be seen in this dual-shaded role. This time she had to do the action part also and she has done it effortlessly. 

Varalakshmi Sarathkumar appears as a dangerous woman in a cold blood. Most of her roles were aggressive and yelling types, but In Yashoda she had to be subtle yet ruthless. She did quite well. Unni Mukundan supported her well. Sampath Raj, Murli Sharma, and others were alright in their respective roles. Kalpika, Divya Sripada, and others will be seen in brief roles. 

Technicalities

The storyline of Yashoda is interesting. For the concept, the movie hardly needed outdoor shots. Most of the sets looked fine while some shots in the facility appear to be heavily inspired by Hollywood sci-fi thrillers. The concept of confining the inmates with illusion walls is an unusual setup. The screenplay is good. Background music by Manisharma is alright. 

Samantha Fresh Plot

Thumbs Down

Slow First Half Predictable episodes Routine Climax

Analysis  

There were many movies based on the concept of surrogacy earlier. This plot of Yashoda is a plot developed from real investigative research that is untouched in films so far. A woman in need of money agrees to be a surrogate mother for an unknown billionaire and reaches a state-of-the-art facility for the same. Smelling a conspiracy, she digs deeper to unturn the dark truths only to find a giant mafia. 

The first half of Yashoda is slow with the setup in the surrogacy facility, with friends and character establishment. But it gets interesting as the narrative gets into the plot a little deeper toward the interval block. The pre-interval to interval sequences are rightly done promising an intriguing second half. The plot could be sensed on whole, but the details remain blurred until the revelations slowly turn up

The second half is more gripping and intriguing with each twist and turn. From Madhu’s flashback to the establishment of the murder investigation link, there are some good twists that turned out well. The concept of narrating two parallel stories back and forth without disclosing a link between them and that too until the latter second half is adventurous. If one side derails, there is a chance that by the time the link is established, the narration might have looked bumpy. That balance and suspense link between the two sides is maintained well by the director duo. 

On the downside, a perverted security guard, a highly monitored facility with umpteen blindspots, and a spine-chilling mafia setup with opened exit doors are some routine cinematic liberties that could have been worked differently. The emotional blocks in the pre-climax are too conventional. 

The thrill factor worked mostly while the emotional episodes are cliched. The climax is obvious with some routine action blocks. Overall, Yashoda is a decent thriller with a few stereotyped scenes. 

Bottomline: Decent Thriller With Suspense Elements !

Rating: 2.75/5

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Yashoda Movie Review - An Engaging Thriller That Surprises Big Time

Rating: 3.5/5, more movie details: yashoda.

Posted On: 14 Nov 2022 01:50:08 pm IST | By Bharani SMS

• Samantha Akkineni
• Movie Review

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Home » Reviews » South Indian Movie Reviews

Yashoda Movie Review: Samantha Puts Her Talent At Display But The Film Falters & Dilutes Everything

Yashoda is a Samantha show and that doesn’t mean the rest shouldn’t make sense.

Star Cast: Samantha, Unni Mukundan, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Murali Sharma & ensemble.

Director: Hari & Haresh

What’s Good: Samantha with the filmmakers makes you believe this is a silly story only to shock you more with a big reveal. Also, the movie is not made to worship her stardom but it is on her to prove her mettle.

What’s Bad: The silliness in creating the villains and their storylines that are out-and-out caricatures of funny bad men we have seen.

Loo Break: When the big villain tells her story, you can ask the person next to you because it is that silly.

Watch or Not?: If you are a Samatha fan, go ahead because she is displaying her strength quite literally. But yeah, there is no compulsion for the big screen for this one.

Language: Telugu (with subtitles)

Available on: In Theatres Near You!

Runtime: 134 Minutes

A young woman named Yashoda (Samantha) agrees to undergo surrogacy because she needs money to fund her sister’s surgery. When she enters the center it is all pristine and immaculate only to realise that the truth is very dark and spread across like a demon.

Yashoda Movie Review: Script Analysis

Samantha at this point has a pan-India appeal and it is not just based on the star power she brings to the table but also the acting calibre she possesses. The lady has in the past couple of years proved she can do carried roles regardless of the spectrum they fall and even can change the course of the most objectifying troops of dance number to put forth her point. So when Hari & Haresh brought her on board they realised what mix of an actor they are joining hands with.

Yashoda written by Hari & Haresh makes sure that it presents itself as an absurd story not taking itself seriously enough to make it a serious watch. Like it starts with a very half-baked plot where a woman is getting into an unconventional situation to earn fast money for her sister’s treatment. Now, this could be just any other silly movie, and the audience can just switch it off if the remote is with them. But it releases in theatre and the filmmakers use the opportunity to build a tale so vanilla that the darkness of it will hit you harder. A good experiment must say, though doesn’t land entirely smoothly.

The best part about Yashoda is that the film isn’t shaped around Samantha or worshipping her power as a star. Rather she takes a back seat more than once and even confuses us with her shades. It gives the actor within the star to breathe and take over the screen. When she is vulnerable, or flirting, or scared, or revealing a big truth, she focuses on making the most of that very moment and the script enables her to do that.

While it is all good a concept to make a film about, the absurdity strikes the most in the way the antagonists are created. Caricatures, paper thing and so hilarious in ways that you will laugh at their story rather than be hooked. Of course it is unimaginable but the makers don’t even take any to make it look like one. The police is just running from one end to other, a woman is the baddie with 200 staple traits of a wrongly dressed boss lady of bad women, a suspense/twist you already saw from a distance, so it all dilutes the whole experience.

Yashoda Movie Review: Star Performance

Samantha can never get the assignment wrong. She enters and aces each frame she is in with her beauty. Be it action, emotion or drama she knows it all and does it well. The actor has taken a lot of effort and it shows in the sequences where she has to do multiple things together.

Unni Mukundan till an extent compliments Samantha with his acting but soon joins the list of the caricatures that the rest of the actors on the list become.

Yashoda Movie Review: Direction, Music

Hari & Haresh’s direction is quite confusing. Because while they put so much thought into placing Samantha in this universe, the rest just looks one tone world with no substance. So it is like cancelling one good thing with bad and it bothers a lot. For example, the police is investigating a crime scene and they don’t use gloves. Where is attention to detail?

The music does nothing to add to the entire experience and is staple. The camera work begins quite nicely as it captures the alleys in a crowded area but gets repetitive inside the facility.

Yashoda Movie Review: The Last Word

Yashoda trailer.

Yashoda releases on 11 November, 2022.

Share with us your experience of watching Yashoda.

For more recommendations, read our Rorschach Movie Review here.

Must Read: Ammu Movie Review: Aishwarya Lekshmi Demands Your Attention & Proves Her Worth In A Movie With A Haunting Premise

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