Film: Bus Stop
Rating: 2.5/5Cast: Prince, Nandita, Sai Kumar P, Rao Ramesh
Music by: J.B.
Cinematography: J Prabhakar Reddy
Editing by: S. B. Uddhav
Direction: Maruthi
Produced: Bellamkonda Suresh
Release date: 11 November 2012
Bus Stop’ is the second film of director Maruthi, who came up after his super hit small film ‘Ee Rojullo’. Many thought that he would have come up with more promising stuff with ‘Bus Stand’ winning the hearts of all sets of audience. Let us see how it went.
Story:
This is the story of present day youth. Sreenu (Prince) loves Shailu (Sri Divya) where the latter is a sincere student. Her father pins lots of hopes and faith on her. But eventually her love towards Sreenu goes strong and then the clash starts with father.
Another guy, whose parents live on running a tiffin stall on road side, flirts with several girls and finally even ignores his parents due to his lust. How things turn from then is another track.
The third one is about a girl Seema (Hasika) who is a flirt. A guy loves her truly but she plays with him. But she gets betrayed by another. How situations change from then is another line.
Performances:
There are no big complaints with respect to the performances of any artiste.
Prince did his part well. But he can groom his dialogue delivery and expressions.
Nanditha is good and decent but still she needs to groom herself with respect to make over to get bigger offers.
Hasika who played Seema is the hot lady on screen. She has magnetic looks and can be promising if planned her career properly.
Sai Kumar is asusual with similar character he played in Ee Rojullo but without stammering.
Rao Ramesh is used for his stereo type message giving character. DMK, the journalist turned actor has got considerably lengthy role where he justified fully. Other two fathers are weak in screen presence but performed well.
Music by JB is good and especially the song in the pre climax, “Rekkalochchina prema…ningiki egirindaa…chukkalantina aasaa nelaki origindaa”. The back ground score for the film added lot of pep which made the film happening till the end without drop in pace.
Director repeated his genre with vulgarity, implying that he is comfortable only with it.
Analysis:
The intention is good. But the packaging marred. When a sweet was cooked, there will be no big complaint if more sugar is added to it. But how it becomes if loads of salt is poured in it? It becomes ‘Bus Stop’. The idea to show that parents are ultimate lovers in the world is impressive, but making that with tons of vulgarity makes the dish bitter.
Have you ever watched Shakeela’s soft porn films? Whatever hasn’t to be shown will be shown and at last gives a color of message orientation. This movie is no less to that genre. This is a store house of soft porn dialogues, incest hints and loads of vulgarity to the core. It is an adult rated movie targeted to lure the youth by satiating their carnal desires verbally. Audiences wonder how the censor board allowed this film to screen. Doubts indeed arise if censor board has gone bias with this film.
Though the film attracts some laughs from vulgarity lovers, the director lost the grip on emotions. No one knows why the father of Shailu objects her love interest Sreenu, who is responsible enough and also in the process of winning a job. DMK’s role (the father of a guy who loses his rings) resembles something like an eccentric character in Vamsi’s films. If there is any originality in this director, that is nothing but ‘vulgarity’. Like Sreenu Vaitla for comedy, VV Vinayak for action, Rajamouli for wonder, we have Maruthi for ‘vulgarity’. That’s proved with this film. If he wishes to continue that image, it’s ok. Otherwise, he needs to change his genre if wishes to correct his image.
This film is abominable. It may collect well at the box office as it plays with the senses of teens. The facts are expressed in this review, and even these facts may attract the youth to drive towards the film. It is no less to any D-grade soft porn film with a coating of regional commercial formula.
Tamil Film ‘Tourist Family’ Enters Oscar 2026 Best Picture (Foreign Film) Race
January 10, 2026
When Homebound, backed by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, entered the Oscar contention, it became a proud moment for Indian cinema. Adding to that momentum, another Indian film—this time from the South—has stepped onto the global stage.
Tamil cinema has reason to celebrate as last year’s sleeper hit Tourist Family is now officially eligible and in contention for the Best Picture (Foreign Film) category at the 98th Academy Awards. The film is among 201 international entries competing for a nomination, making its inclusion itself a significant milestone.
Tourist Family is a 2025 Tamil-language drama written and directed by Abhishan Jeevinth in his feature film debut. Starring Sasikumar and Simran in the lead roles, the film follows a Sri Lankan Tamil family forced to flee their homeland and live under assumed identities in a small town in Tamil Nadu. When the police eventually trace them, the residents of the colony unite to protect the family, highlighting themes of compassion, solidarity, and humanity.
Made on a modest budget, Tourist Family went on to collect nearly ₹90 crore worldwide, emerging as one of the year’s most unexpected success stories. Should the film secure an Oscar nomination, it would mark a landmark achievement—not just for its makers, but for Tamil cinema as a whole.
