1. idlebrain.com
Jeevi rating: 2.5/5
Punchline: well-intended effort gone wrong
Genre: Romance
Type: Straight
Banner: Mohan Media Creations
Cast: Swati, Kamal Kamaraju, Vikram Gokhale, Tanikella Bharani, Delhi Rajeswari, Pragati, MR Chowdary, Venu, Sudeepa, Komali Sisters, Koti (SA) etc
Music: Sharreth Vasudevan
Lyrics: Vanamali
Cinematography: Rajendra Kesani
Dialogues: Laxmi Bhupal
Art: Madhu Rebba
Editing: Baswa Paidireddy
Story, Screenplay, & Direction: Satish Kasetty
Producer: Mohan Vadlapatla
Release date: 17 July 2009
Review
Story 
Sreya (Swati) is a youngster who stays with her single and sick mother. Sreya does two jobs in shifts to support her family. She is an aspiring singer and her goal in life is to sing for AR Rehman. When everybody appreciates her work, an old man Rao (Vikram Gokhale) tells her on face that she is a bad singer with a good voice. That remark ignites her to learn music properly. After a few futile attempts, she joins Rao as a student. She also fascinated towards an NRI Seenu (Kamal Kamaraju) who is on a short trip to India. Seenu supports her morally. The rest of the story is all about how she achieved her goal and in the process how she became a better person.
Artists Performance
Swati: This film belongs to Swati. She can be seen in 90% of the footage in the film. And she enlivened in her character and she brought the much needed verve to her character with brilliant portrayal. She is extremely casual and is herself in the movie and it worked well. Her dialogue delivery is cute. However, it is little hard on our ears listen to her calling hero seenu/srinu as ‘sheenoo’.
Others: Kamal Kamaraju did a supporting role of a guy who lends moral support to heroine. He is good, but he should try to change expressions. Otherwise he may become monotonous over a period of time. Vikram Gokhale is competent and SP Balu’s dubbing voice helped his character. Tanikella Bharani is perfect. Pragati is extremely beautiful in this film. But there is no sync with the dubbing. Delhi Rajeswari is adequate. The kids (especially Komali sisters) are good.
Technical departments
Story: Story of the movie has three aspects – family bonding, romance and guru-sishya relationship. One could see the inspiration of K Viswanath movies in the story line of this movie. It is not a good idea to attempt a classical-music story in this era where K Viswanath himself had failed to strike a chord with the common movie lover with his last movie Swarabhishekam.
Screenplay – direction: To have three threads (romance, music and family) and write an interesting screenplay intertwining them is very difficult. Satish Kasetty could able to pull it off in the first half with convincing narration. But fails to sustain viewer’s interest in the latter part of the second half where the crux of the movie lies. The example of Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia is very good.
Other departments: Songs scored by Sarath Vasudevan are pretty good. However, we expect a better background music for a film of music background. Cinematography of the film is just average. Lighting is inconsistent. Dialogues are good in parts. Editing is not good. Not much care is taken in the postproduction work of this film and it shows up. The production values should have been better.
Analysis: First half of the film is ok. Second half falters. The graph of the movie goes down after the start of flashback episode in the second half. Plus points of the movie are Swati and music. On the flip side second half and the screenplay plays spoilsport. On a whole, Kalavaramaye Madilo is a well-intended effort that fails to grab your attention.
2. telgucinema.com
Film: Kalavaramaye Madilo
Cast: Colors Swathi, Kamal Kamaraju, Vikram Gokhale, Tanikella Bharani, M.R. Chowdary, Delhi Rajeswari,Sudeepa, Pragathi, Venu, Komali Sisters and others..
Dialogues: Lakshmi Bhoopal
Music: Sharreth Vasudevan
Lyrics: Vanamali
Cinematography: Rajendra Kesani
Editing:Baswa Paidireddy
Choreography: Nixon, Sridhar Reddy
Art: Madhu Rebba
Co-Producers: Anumohan Vadlapala, Priya Krishna Vadlapatla
Produced by: Mohan Vadlapatla
Screenplay and directed by: Satish Kasetty
Release date: July 17, 2009
CBFC Rating: U
What’s it about!
Shreya (Swathi) is an aspiring singer; her aim in life is to sing for A.R.Rehman. Meanwhile, she sings at a five star hotel for money. Everyday, a handsome guy watches her singing at the restaurant but doesn’t compliment her like other audiences. That bothers Shreya and she confronts him on this and soon a friendship develops between them. He encourages her to achieve her goal. One day, a music exponent (Vikram Gokhale) scolds her for singing without the basic knowledge of music that prompts her to take up tutelage under him. The reticent exponent doesn’t accept her first but later changes his heart after her repeated sincere attempts to learn. How does she reach her goal and what is the bond between this guru and shishya forms rest of the story.
Analysis
Kalavaramaye Madilo is about a girl’s dreams to become someone and her passion towards music. Like all the movies in this genre, Kalavaramaye Madilo treads similar pattern but looks like the director has heavy influence of K Vishwanath’s early classics like Shankara Bharanam and Sagara Sangamam. Most of the situations remind of those movies; hence you get feeling of déjà vu. However the film is neatly handled and executed despite many flaws in screenplay and clichéd moments. It starts off with Swathi’s narration - she introducing herself, her family, her dreams and her infatuation with this handsome guy. Soon after that the director forgets this first persona narration and ends it with like any other film. The film offers nothing new but the music is good on ears. First half is okay, but second half is big bore.
Performances
Colors Swathi looks cute but her expressions and diction is similar to what she had been doing on Television as anchor. It is acceptable to cash in on her image because youngsters like her peculiar style of voice and overt mushy expressions, but that cannot treated be as ‘acting’. Kamal Kamaraj suits to his role of well-educated, foreign returned guy. He does whatever that is required for. He showing off his six-pack body in middle of a song for no purpose is really silly. Marathi actor Vikram Gokhale gives effective and restrained performance, especially in the climax. S.P.Balu has lent voice to his character. Tanikella’s role reminds us of Allu Ramalingaiah’s in Shankara Bharanam or Sharat Babu’s Sagara Sangamam. Delhi Rajeshwari and Pragati are okay.
Music is best part of the movie. Newcomer Sharret Vasudevan has come out with some mellifluous numbers. “Toli Toli Ashalenno Reputunna Thillanna..” (seems Chitra sang this one with flaws purposefully to suit the situation) and “Kalavarmay Madilo..” songs are best from the this supposedly musical film.
Cinematography and other technical aspects are neat. As a director Satish Kasetty has improved from his amateurish taking of his first film Hope. But he seems to have heavy influence of K Vishwanath’s films.
Bottom-line!
Kalavaramaye Madilo doesn’t offer any refreshing theme, angle or situations. It treads on similar terrain of past musical films. Second half of flick reminds of films that came two decades ago. Except from music, it is b ig disappointment and very boring.
Rating: 2.5/5
3. greatandhra.com
'Kalavaramaye Madilo' Review: Another Disappointment
Film: Kalavaramaye Madilo
Rating: 2/5
Cast: Kamal Kamaraju, Colors Swathy, Vikram Gokhle, Tanikella Bharani, Delhi Rajeshwari etc
Music: Sarath Vasudevan
Camera: Rajendra
Dialogues: Lakshmi Bhopal
Lyrics: Vanamali
Editing: Basva Paidireddy
Choreography: Nikson and Sridhar
Art: Madhu Rebba
Pro: Lagadapati Babu Rao
Producer: Mohan Vadlapatla
Story-Screenplay-Direction: Satish Kasetty
Released On: 17th July 2009
Colors Swathy has got good salable value after the film ‘Asta Chemma’ and that has carried expectations on the movie ‘Kalavaramaye Madilo’. And that is the only factor that hooked the audiences to look at this film. Let us see how far the expectations are reached.
Story:
Sreya (Swathy) lives with her mother (Delhi Rajeshwari) and works in an Audit Office. But she loves singing and hence gets into earning by joining as a stage singer in a Star Hotel. She also holds a dream of singing in the composition of AR Rehman.
Sastry (Tanikella Bharani) makes ways to find a concert for his friend who is a classical singer Rao (Vikram Gokhale). They happen to come to that Star Hotel in search of a chance at the same place and listen to Sreya’s performance. Rao shouts on her quoting the standards of music. Sreya takes that as a challenge and goes to the same Rao to learn music.
Srinu (Kamal Kamarj) a London returned guy happens to be the pair for Sreya.
What happens later and how Sreya fulfils her dreams form rest of the story.
Performances:
Colors Swathy:
She is the only pulling factor for this film. She did her best in justifying the role. Fun, humor and energy were given by her in first half. But the second half demanded pathos part in her and hence audiences get to see a new Swathy with tears.
Kamal Kamaraju:
It is good that he improved muscles and looking macho. At the same time he needs to improve a lot in the matters of action and dialogue delivery. His guitar scene is very eccentric and such hysterical scenes should be done only when they are necessary.
Vikram Gokhale:
He is very new to Telugu screen. Audiences can connect to him only when he can deliver all sorts of histrionics required for silver screen. But he didn’t. He underplayed a lot in that passive patient role leaving no sense for his presence in the movie. He is known as very good stage artiste in Maharashtra but he proved not the only choice for the role. And the dubbing voice of renowned SP Balasubrahmanyam given to him is another flaw.
Others:
Tanikella Bharani did his best. He recalls the role of Sarath Babu in Sagarasangamam for some time and that of Allu Ramalingiah in Sankarabharanam for other time.
Delhi Rajeshwari is ok in her role but appeared weaker than before.
Pragathi (hero’s mother) missed timing in delivering dialogues as well as expressions. This can be considered as one of her poor performances in recent time.
Technical Departments:
There is nothing great or less to mention about any technical department and everything went in run of the mill state. Dialogues are good and sensible to large extent but the problem arrived with screenplay. The wellness of dialogues got smoked by lengthy indoctrinating scenes where not required, especially in second half.
Music and Lyrics:
Sarath Vasudevan’s music is mediocre. He needs to improve in orchestration part. Vanamali’s lyrics are good especially in two numbers- ‘Tholi Asalenno’ and ‘Pallavinchina…’.
Highlights:
Colors Swathy
Disappointments:
Screenplay
No sufficient entertainment
Analysis:
The religion of the director who happens to be the story writer of the movie seems to be ‘Vishwanathism’ as far as this film is concerned. To elaborate, the elements in the films Sagarasangamam, Sankarabharanam, Sruthi Layalu and Swarna Kamalam would role on minds’ screen while watching this film. And there is nothing wrong and such attempt deserves praises. But it’s not just the story that becomes a movie. Proper screenplay, scene conviction and free flow are required to hook the audiences. And moreover, such films need a right proportion of humor to balance the equation.
The attempt of director to bring pathos in climax is laudable but the blend missed the goal. The choice of artistes is not so impressive. And the director didn’t do any attempt to balance the equation of emotions those are being delivered in the movie.
First half goes little better with the humor and trademark style of Colors Swathy. But the second half mars the enthusiasm levels of audiences with heaviness in scenes and narration. Lack of timing while delivering dialogues and giving expressions hindered the free flow in narration.
Apart from this, the directors should know that there is huge talent within known sources and need not run for artistes like Vikram Gokhale.
On a whole it’s an old concoction attempted to serve with newness but couldn’t reach the expectation.
Attempt of director can be appreciated but pity on would-be box office result.
Bottom-line: Should be watched with ‘big heart’ to say ‘it’s good’
4. cinegoers.com
Cast: Kamal Kamaraju, Colors Swathi, Vikram Gokhale, Tanikella Bharani, MR Chowdary, Delhi Rajeswari, Sudeepa, Pragathi, Venu, Komali Sisters and others.
Art: Madhu Rebba.
Banner: Mohan Media Creations.
Cinematography: Rajendra Kesani.
Dialogues: Laxmi Bhupal.
Editing: Baswa Paidireddy.
Lyrics: Vanamali.
Music: Sharreth Vasudevan.
Presenter: Vamshi Krishna Vadlapatla.
Co-Producer(s): Anumohan Vadlapatla, Priyakrishna Vadlapatla.
Producer: Mohan Vadlapatla.
Story, Screenplay, & Director: Satish Kasetty.
Release Date: July 17, 2009 
Shreya (Swathi) lives with her mother Rajeswari, her parents have been living separately for a long time now. Shreya is made to believe that her father is dead and she grows up as an independent girl. Her only ambition in life is to audition for AR Rehman. Her mother has an aversion for singing, so she takes up a part time job of a singer at a hotel. Vikram Gokhale who happens to listen to her sing, slights her for her work and she is hell bent on learning music from him. She gets into his house as a domestic help and wins his heart but just days before the audition she learns that he has throat cancer and he is also her father. She gives up her dream and participates in a local competition to pool money for his treatment. Now the climax has got to be one of the most predictable ones you'll see and it's bound to make the audiences cringe.
The director wins and fails on one front. He draws wonderful performance from Swathi , but most scenes in the film are laden with visual clichés. The plot itself is kitsch of various telugu films and one can call it a parody of Shankarabharanam, Swathi Kiranam and yes coughing blood..Premabhishekam. One can't expect the audience to cry or atleast be moved by stories and performances that's being unleashed by filmmakers since school days.
Swathi asks her guru, what it means to unlearn and he says one should simply forget what she had learnt before. To like this film, appreciate it, one should forget all the films that one has seen or Satish should forget 'Hope' and begin afresh.
Except for Swathi and Tanikella Bharani, none of the actors connect with the audience and if anyone stands to gain it is the former. It is a one woman show, she covers all the loopholes in the film with her ease and flawless work.
The plot might display grit and grip on paper but the narration falters in showing her character. Her childishness supercedes her mature thinking and the introspective moments don't move you. By the end of the film you forget the story and it's Swathi who's hovering over you. Maybe an overdose, but she does a neat job. 
The London returned hero looks silly dancing with his shirt buttons opened throughout one song and the chemistry between them is zilch. There is one scene where Kamal doesn't realize that Swathi is in love with him, it takes a mother to explain it to him. The next reaction is simply ridiculous, the girl has been giving broad hints, taking him to a park and choosing girls for him (sic) but the London returned guy is too discriminating, too fastidious and too focused not to get the cue.
Music is melodious, photography is good, editing could have been tighter. Nothing creative of the comedy either, it's irritating to have kids behave too big for their age. SP Balu's voice doesn't gel with Vikram Gokhale's. Kalavaramaye Madilo is a sweet title but the entire presentation looks like a tele film, it's all sound but no soul. The film could have done with better casting and fresh ideas
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