This was several eons ago, before he had a makeover of sorts from Shiva, who gave him a gory countenance, which would make people shudder to see him.

There is an interesting anecdote behind this.

Long ago when Yama was sent to be the God of Death, he did not render his duties properly. He was flirting with the women in Devaloka and on earth. Nobody was dying on earth and the earth was unable to bear the burden anymore. So Shiva called Yama to Kailash. When he arrived Shiva asked him “Yama, I heard that nobody is scared of you on earth?”

“Yes, my Lord,” he said.

“You also seem to attract women a lot,” he added.

“No, my Lord, it is the women….”Yama said shamefacedly.

Shiva knew that Yama was attracting women due to his good looks and changed his looks with a gory countenance. Then he told Yama to look at his reflection in the pond nearby. When Yama looked in the pond he was shocked beyond belief at the face staring at him from the water. He came running back to Shiva and said “Lord there is a fiery looking character staring at me from the water. He has dark looks, big teeth and big moustache and looks very scary. Who is he?”

Shiva laughed heartily at this and said “It is your own reflection!”

Yama was saddened beyond belief. He asked Shiva “Is there a way to get back my earlier countenance,” he cried.

Shiva just smiled in answer and went back to his penance.

He looked at Shiva for a while and decided there was no point in waiting for his reply.

He went looking for Brahma in Sathyaloka. But Brahma was busy writing something in a palm leaf manuscript. Yama looked at Brahma who had himself lost one head out of his five and thought “What is the point asking him about my plight?” and he left without meeting Brahma.

He goes to meet Vishnu in Vaikunta. But Vishnu was seriously discussing something with wife Lakshmi, so Yama unwilling to disturb them, leaves without meeting Vishnu.

He returns to earth and travels south. He reaches the foothills of a mountain and is attracted by its serenity. He goes on a rigorous penance, to Vishnu. Years rolled by. Pleased by his devotion, Vishnu appears before him. Seeing Vishnu in front of him Yama falls at his feet and respectfully asks “Can you recognize me Oh Lord?”

Vishnu says “I know everything that happened Yama. But it is all of your own doing. If you had not forgotten your duties, this situation wouldn’t have risen.

“Forgive me Lord, You have to help me out of this,” he prayed.

Vishnu felt sorry for Yama’s plight. “I will make your unsightly horns go away. Instead you will have a bull which will be your vehicle from now on,” he said.

Not satisfied with his appearance, Yama said “Can’t you change the appearance of my teeth which look so scary?”

“Yama, when you went to Sathyaloka to meet Brahma, you offended him by not meeting him, so Brahma cursed you to have this gory appearance for life and I am unable to help you,” said Vishnu.

People will get scared by your appearance and it will help in your profession of bringing death.

Convinced that nothing or nobody could change his fate, Yama, accepts his fate and returns to earth. Before that, he asks Vishnu to reside near him in Azhagar Kovil for people to propitiate him. Vishnu agrees and resides there. Lakshmi arrived one day looking for Vishnu and Yama asks her also to reside by the side of Vishnu. She also agrees. This place is known as Kallazhagar temple. Since Vishnu attracts people with his good looks, he is also known as Sunderraja Perumal and the place also came to be known as Azhagar Kovil. It is believed that Yama visits this temple to this day to propitiate Vishnu.

(Azhagar Kovil is near Tiruchirappalli)

From anime and manga Death Nore, this is fugure of Ryuk Shinigami in plush doll version. Ryuk (リューク Ryūku), a shinigami who dropped a Death Note into the human world, which Light would pick up. Acting out of pure boredom, Ryuk begins the story of Death Note on a whim. It is stated that Ryuk obtained the second Death Note in the shinigami world from "tricking the old man" for another one. Ryuk is not Light's ally, and in fact declares in their first meeting that someday he (Ryuk) would write Light's name into his own Death Note. Ryuk often refuses to aid Light and instead enjoys watching him struggle for his goals. He acts for his own interests and entertainment, and often fails to tell Light key details about the Death Note. However, Ryuk will aid Light if it serves his own goals, such as providing amusement or obtaining apples, without which he suffers a form of withdrawal symptoms.

Raja (NTR) is a thief who gets into the bad books of Lord Yama (God of Death, played by Mohan Babu) when he abuses him over an incident. Yama is livid and he decides to show the human his power by killing him off at the earliest Yama Gandam. Meanwhile, Raja meets Mahi (Priya Mani), who is the granddaughter of a zamindar. She is ill-treated by her relatives after the death of the grandfather and is on the run. Raja decides to make some money off her without knowing about her troubles. He gets killed during this job and reaches Yamalokam (Hell). Finding that he has been unjustly killed, he decides to get back at Yama. The rest of the film is about how he turns around his fortunes and also saves his girl (whom he eventually falls in love with).

We are used to seeing Tarak as the plump action hero, so his new thin avatar is unsettling at first. Though I wouldn't want to say it, I did feel that he might need to put on some weight now :). His hairstyle is consistently bad in the film but the short hair seems to suit him better. He delivers another first-rate performance and overpowers Mohan Babu in their scenes together. Mohan Babu uses his regular set of expressions including the excessive eyebrow raising but he suits the role and he scores with his dialogue delivery that has always been his USP. Priya Mani isn't up to the mark. Mamta Mohandas actually gets a better role and although she doesn't get her accent perfectly (dubbing for her role is itself commendable considering the current scenario with actresses), her performance works. Khushboo is too obese now to frolic about in the skies and ends up being unintentionally funny (I was in splits during the Chala Challaga Gaali song). Brahmanandam, Ali and MS Narayana provide some comic relief.

Keeravani's score is a mixed bag aimed at different sections of the audience. I enjoyed the Nuvvu Muttukunte and Noonugu Meesalodu songs very much. Tarak and Mamta sing the new version of Olammi Tikkareginda with energy. Tarak's dances are once again superb (look out for one fantastic step in the Nachore song choreographed by the upcoming Prem Rakshit) and his new frame certainly helps them look so much better. The reappearance of his grandfather on screen also works for the fans, especially when the two of them are dancing together! The graphics are much better than what we are used to seeing in most Telugu films. A review of this film would be incomplete without praising the production designer (Anand Sai), costume designer (Rama Rajamouli) and cinematographer (Senthil) who bring about the grand look of the film.

The Yama formula has been successfully used in the past with films like Yamagola, Yamudiki Mogudu and Yamaleela. Rajamouli rehashes the same formula with inspirations from many films (as usual). Since it has been over a decade since the last successful film using this formula, it appeals. Like all Rajamouli films, I have issues with certain aspects but the plusses outnumber the minuses of this film, which should appeal to kids and family audiences looking for an entertaining film, though one should be warned about its length. Despite not being an action film, this film has enough to appeal to the masses too. The only demographic with a problem would be the city audiences, who might bicker about the old-fashioned subplots or the potholes in logic but then the intent of this film is such. As long as you are prepared to stop questioning, this is a time pass film with a lot of fun moments.