Dam 999 is a film to watch in a 3 Dimensional format. Only disappointment here is that the 3 D effects are just peppered somewhere in between and then the special effects come to play in the last 20 minutes of this film. It is produced by UAE based BizTV Networks and the direction and script is credited to upcoming director Sohan Roy, who is primarily an established mariner with a Guinness Book record to his credit. Dam 999 movie review…
The film is based on real life incidents bringing to life the memories of 1975 Banqiao Dam disaster in China which claimed the lives of an estimated 250,000 people. It is a movie with a social cause which describes the hazards dams can cause and creates awareness among the masses about the impending dangers of a dam collapse, if not attended on time.
Dam 999’s screenplay is now archived into the Permanent Core Collection of The Academy’s Margaret Herrick Library and to its credit it is the first movie to enter the Library even before its theatrical release anywhere around the globe.
The movie maintains a very positive note throughout, in the portrayal of Indian culture and values.
Shot in a single start-to-end schedule “DAM 999” has sixteen National and International award winning cast and crew working behind and in the scenes of the movie.
This epic story is all about a corrupt mayor who builds a new dam for political gains and personal glory endangering millions of innocent lives; a mariner desperate to save his sister from evil; two not-so- young lovers challenging destiny in a bid to unite; a woman on a mission to win her family back; a little boy battling a deadly disease; a devoted wife who wants to be with her husband even in death; and the astrologer who has foreseen their ominous fate – Nine lives entwined by the impending disaster. Nine characters, Nine moods and a crumbling dam of emotions.
National Film Award for Best Actor Rajit Kapur dons the role of Shankaran who portrays Shantha rasa, the rasa of tranquility. Joshua Fredric Smith plays Captain Fredrick Brown, a tongue-in-cheek Anglo-Indian mariner, an epitome of Hasya, the rasa of laughter.
The audacious and heroic mood of Veera rasa (Courage) is portrayed by Linda Arsenio ‘s character as Sandra, a clued-in TV journalist. Gary Richardson plays the part of Mariya’s father, Mayor John Brown.
Jaala Pickering plays the role of Maria, Freddy’s invalid sister who is confined to her home. A personification of Bhayanaka rasa, Maria characterizes terror. Vinay Rai plays the part of Vinay in the movie, a mariner and Freddy’s trusted friend. Vinay is aggressive, fierce and ferocious and stands for Roudra rasa, the rasa of fury.
Ashish Vidyarthi plays Durai, the antagonist in the movie. Bheebatsa is the rasa he represents and it symbolizes disgust.
Vimala Raman, a model and a trained Bharatnatyam dancer, plays Meera, an archetype of the rasa of compassion, Karuna. Megha Burman the young Bengali beauty portrays Shringara rasa that stands for romance in the movie. She plays the character of Raziya.
International expert Eric Sherman is the Project Consultant for Dam 999; Rob Tobin as the Script Doctor and Uzma Xina Kang is the Casting Director.
It has brilliant visual effects, and the USP of this film is the climax sequence which has been done at Prasad EFX in Chennai and EYEQUBE Studios in Mumbai. A point to note is that such effects and the 3D conversion was carried out in Rays3D Magna, an ultramodern studio situated in Mumbai.
A film which begins at a fast pace and then slows down to establish the characters and then picks up towards the end of the second half.
Cast of Dam 999:
Rajit Kapur – Shankaran
Joshua Fredric Smith – Captain Fredrick Brown
Linda Arsenio – Sandra
Gary Richardson – Mayor John Brown.
Jaala Pickering – Maria
Vinay Rai – Vinay
Ashish Vidyarthi – Durai
Vimala Raman – Meera
Megha Burman – Raziya
Credits & Crew of Dam 999:
Director – Sohan Roy
Project Consultant – Eric Sherman
Script Doctor – Rob Tobin
Director of Photography – Ajayan Vincent
Editor – Suresh Pai
Production Designer – Padmashri Dr. Thotta Tharani
Music Director – Ousephachan
Sound Designer – Shajith Koyeri
Casting Director – Uzma Xina Kang
Make-Up Artist – Pattanam Rasheed
Costume Designer – S B Satheesh
Graphics Supervisor – V. Srinivas Murali Mohan
Action Director – Anal Arasu
Choreographer – Prasanna
Visual Effects – Prasad EFX Chennai
Visual Effects – Landslide Sequence: EYEQUBE STUDIOS
Playback Singers – Hariharan, P. Jayachandran, K S Chithra, Shreya Ghoshal
Dam 999 – movie review