If only the editing of ‘Lingaa’ had been crisper, over 30 minutes of the film could have been tightened. But the movie belongs entirely to Rajinikanth, no one else.

Apart from unnecessary side-stories and sub-plots, ‘Beauty and the Beast’ features traditional villains as well. The background score for the film is adequate, the performances by the lead pair decent, but not remarkable. Cassel, who’s definitely older than the usual prince charming, looks glamorous and enchanting (even as a beast).

A dull and painfully long affair, watch it only if you want to punish yourself for breaking your diet or something. Stay away, otherwise.

Go watch it if you must, though we think the television news channels are offering better entertainment this weekend.

One of the hilarious things about the film are its dialogues. Unintentionally funny and delivered with all-seriousness, they make up for the lack of script and acting by the leads.

While the story looks and feels realistic enough, as a viewer, we were intrigued to see and learn more about the elusive Mastram and hoping to find a flamboyant (even if in his own imagination) character. Jaiswal’s Rajaram/Mastram is too…normal — sometimes even bland. As it is an ‘imagined biography’ of the writer, we were left with the nagging thought that the writer of ‘Mastram’ had not made him as intriguing, mysterious and naughty as one might have hoped.

A weak story-line and amateurish direction, coupled with average performances, the film disappoints on many levels.
Watch it for the unintentionally hilarious dialogues in the first half.