iSmart Shankar

iSmart Shankar is a 2019 Indian Telugu-language science fiction action comedy film written and directed by Puri Jagannadh, produced by Puri Jagannadh and Charmme Kaur with music composed by Mani Sharma.[6] It stars Ram Pothineni, Nabha Natesh, Nidhhi Agerwal, Satyadev Kancharana, and Puneet Issar. The film follows a contract killer who helps the police when a slain police officer's memories are transferred to his brain which is loosely based on the plot of the 2016 American film Criminal[7] and 2017 British film iBoy.[8]

iSmart Shankar
Theatrical release poster
Directed byPuri Jagannadh
Produced byPuri Jagannadh
Charmme Kaur
Based onCriminal
StarringRam Pothineni
Nabha Natesh
Nidhhi Agerwal
Satyadev Kancharana
Puneet Issar
Music byMani Sharma
CinematographyRaj Thota
Edited byJunaid Siddiqui
Production
company
Release date
  • 18 July 2019 (2019-07-18)
CountryIndia
LanguageTelugu
Budget
Box office

The film was released theatrically on 18 July 2019. It was a commercial success, running for more than 100 days at the box office.[3] A sequel titled Double iSmart has been announced.[9]

Plot

Shankar is a contract killer who works under Kaka. Under Mama's orders, he murders a high-profile politician named Kasi Viswanath. Vishwanath's son Devendra and his brother in law Ramamoorthy swear revenge on Shankar. The film opens with Shankar escaping from jail while being chased by the police. He beats up the police and escapes in a truck where he recollects the past.

While extorting money from an apartment builder, he encounters Chandni, who is a fearless girl and even goes to the extent of slapping Shankar. He gets impressed by this and falls for her. After a few altercations, she reciprocates. Once Shankar murders Kasi Vishwanath on Kaka's orders, he escapes to Goa with Chandni.

However, the police find out his location and track him down. While escaping, Chandni is shot and killed. Shankar is beside himself with grief and swears to kill the person who killed her.

In a parallel storyline, Sara is a neuroscientist who is working on memory transfer and has achieved successful results with rats. Her boyfriend, Arun is a CBI officer who is trying to crack the case of the murder of Kasi Vishwanath. He believes there is a higher force that planned and killed him.

Shankar finds out that Kaka was ordered to kill him as well and murders Kaka when he plans to escape in Sarah's car. He flees while Sarah calls Arun. Arun catches a guy running but the guy is killed when a car hits him. Arun's higher-ups are after him to find the killer and while Arun is about to crack the case, he is shot and killed by goons. The CBI is desperate to know who the murderer is, so with Sarah's help, they transfer Arun's memory to Shankar, knowing full well doing so will remove his past.

Shankar wakes up and experiences shocks and memories that aren't his own. He gets enraged when Sarah reveals the truth to him and realizes that he will not remember Chandni in a few days. He experiences brief flashes where he becomes Arun but reverts to being Shankar.

He finds Arun's house and discovers a bag that has all the proof who the murderer is, who turns out to be Ramamoorthy and Devendra. Shankar then fully looses his memory becoming Arun. He then pursues them under the guise of Shankar and in the end, however, Arun suddenly reverts back to Shankar and he finds out that Devendra is the one who killed Chandini and he kills him. The film ends with Arun and Sarah going to Hong Kong and proposing marriage to Sarah on 14 Feb, like Arun had planned with Sarah.

Cast

Production

The Hyderabad portion of scheduled filming finished in February.[10] Filming in Goa completed in March.[11] The action scenes of the film were shot in Varanasi during April.[12] Filming completed in mid May.[13]

Soundtrack
iSmart Shankar
Soundtrack album by
Mani Sharma
Released4 July 2019
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length21:09
LanguageTelugu
LabelZee Music South
Mani Sharma chronology
Devadas
(2018)		 ''iSmart Shankar''
(2019)
External audio
Audio Jukebox on YouTube
Track list
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Dimaak Kharaab"Kasarla ShyamKeerthana Sharma & Saketh ko4:40
2."Zindabad Zindabad"Bhaskarabhatla Ravi KumarSarath Santhosh and Ramya Behara4:40
3."iSmart Theme"Bhaskarabhatla Ravi KumarAnurag Kulkarni4:12
4."Undipo"Bhaskarabhatla Ravi KumarAnurag Kulkarni, Ramya Behara5:09
5."Bonalu"Kasarla ShyamRahul Sipligunj, Mohana Bhogaraju5:51
Total length:21:09

Marketing and release

The teaser of the film was launched on 15 May to coincide with the birthday of Ram Pothineni.[6][14]

Reception

Critical reception

Firstpost gave 3 out of 5 stars stating "iSmart Shankar is proof enough that Puri Jagannadh is back with a bang. It might not be his best film, but it’s certainly his most watchable film in years. And Ram is a ball of energy. iSmart Shankar might have its roots in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but Puri Jagannadh gives it his own spin and reimagines it as a quintessential Telugu mass film.".[15]

The Times of India gave 2.5 out of 5 stars stating "In this make-believe world, when rules change by-the-minute, it’s hard to give a damn".[16]

Sify gave 2.5 out of 5 stars stating "iSmart Shankar is aimed at frontbenchers. Despite the idea of transplantation of memories being new, the rest of the story and its treatment are over-the-top and too clichéd. This is a loud mass action-thriller".[17]

Awards and nominations
Date of ceremony Award Category Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Result Ref.
11 January 2020 Zee Cine Awards Telugu Best Director Puri Jagannadh Won [18]
Best Producer Charmy Kaur Won
Best Music Director Mani Sharma Won
Sensational Star of the Year Ram Pothineni Won

Notes
  1. Deccan Chronicle estimates the film's budget to be ₹150 million.[1] The Hans India estimates the film's budget to be ₹200 million.[2]
  2. The Times of India estimates the film worldwide gross to be over ₹750 million.[3] Sakshi Telugu estimates the film worldwide gross to be ₹780 million.[4] Sakshi Post estimates the film worldwide gross to be ₹850 million.[5]
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References
  1. "Tollywood 2019". Deccan Chronicle. 30 December 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  2. "Ismart Shankar pre-release business report". The Hans India. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  3. "iSmart Shankar completes 100 days; Ram, Puri and Charmme reminisce the success - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  4. "2019లో భారీ వసూళ్లు రాబట్టిన సినిమాలివే." [Highest grossing films of 2019]. Sakshi (in Telugu). 31 December 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  5. "iSmart Shankar Closing Collections: Ram Pothineni Ustad Of Tollywood Box Office". Sakshi. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  6. "Ismart Shankar teaser out. Ram Pothineni gives fans action-packed return gift on his birthday". India Today. 15 May 2019.
  7. "iSmart Shankar review: A loud, over-the-top mass action-thriller". Sify. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  8. ""Only inspiration, no copy": Puri Jagannadh clarifies about 'iSmart Shankar' similarities with 'iBoy'". The Times of India. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  9. "Puri Jagannadh confirms the sequel to 'iSmart Shankar'; Title registered as 'Double iSmart'". The Times of India. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  10. "ISMART SHANKAR' DONE WITH HYD SCHEDULE, TO GO TO GOA". India Glitz. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  11. Neeshita Nyayapati (23 March 2019). "Puri Jagannadh and Ram Pothineni's 'iSmart Shankar' wraps up Goa schedule". Times of India. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  12. "'iSmart Shankar' moves to Varanasi". Telugu Cinema. 30 April 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  13. "'ISMART SHANKAR' WRAPS UP TALKIE PART, LOCKS TEASER DATE". India Glitz. 12 May 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  14. Kumar R, Manoj (15 May 2019). "iSmart Shankar movie teaser: Ram Pothineni transforms into Puri Jagannadh's hero". The Indian Express. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  15. "iSmart Shankar movie review: Ram's pulsating energy meets its match in Puri Jagannadh's irreverence". Firstpost. 18 July 2019.
  16. "ISMART SHANKAR MOVIE REVIEW". TimesofIndia.
  17. "iSmart Shankar review: A loud, over-the-top mass action-thriller". sify.
  18. "Zee Cine awards Telugu 2020: Samantha Akkineni, Chiranjeevi and Nani win top laurels". Hindustan Times. 12 January 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

ISmart Shankar on IMDb

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