Some things can never change. And never will! One may have a very modern outlook towards life, but most of us continue to be very traditional at heart. Every Rajshri film is rich in emotions and mirrors the traditions and culture with utmost simplicity and understanding. EK VIVAAH... AISA BHI is no exception!
The present-day adaptation of Rajshri's own classic TAPASYA [Raakhee, Parikshit Sahni], EK VIVAAH... AISA BHI is a simple story of sacrifice that aims at pulling your heart strings. Every Rajshri film works for two reasons -- the storyline and strong emotions -- and EK VIVAAH... AISA BHI follows the tradition well.
Write your own movie review of Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi
Of course, a story like the one in this film may seem regressive to the multiplex junta of metros, but the fact remains that cinema is all about narrating stories and EK VIVAAH... AISA BHI has a strong story to tell. Besides, there're ample moments in this film that strike a chord, that touch the core of your heart, that make you moist-eyed. And that's where this film scores big time.
It's really disheartening to note that family sagas have actually disappeared from the face of Hindi movies. Come, watch EK VIVAAH... AISA BHI with your family and re-connect with your roots!
Chandni [Isha Koppikar] belongs to a middle class family, living in one of the tiny bylanes of Bhopal. She lives with her father and younger siblings -- Anuj [Master Amey Pandya/Vishal Malhotra] and Sandhya [Baby Ishita Panchal/Amrita Prakash]. Chandni, who is deeply attached to her school-going brother and sister, is trained in classical and folk music. During a stage performance, she falls in love with Prem [Sonu Sood]. Prem hails from a rich business family.
Life is picture perfect, until on the day of their engagement, Chandni's father [Alok Nath] passes away. Suddenly, she becomes the eldest in her family. On one hand, her mehendi adorned hands beckon her to the dream home of her fiancé. On the other hand are her younger siblings whom she cannot take along. Chandni decides not to marry, so that she can raise her little brother and sister with self respect.
Prem understands her and waits for Chandni for twelve long years, until she fulfils all the responsibilities as an elder sister.
Debutante director Kaushik Ghatak [a known name on television circuit] remains faithful to the subject material and most importantly, captures the sensitive moments well. The tale of sacrifice has been witnessed time and again, but it works only if the characters make you cry, even weep. In the latter part of EK VIVAAH... AISA BHI, you can't stop tears rolling down your cheeks at several points in the story, especially the Raksha Bandhan sequence and towards the end, when the brother returns with his wife. Rajshri has placed ample trust in Ghatak and the debutante doesn't let you down one bit.
On the flipside, the music [Ravindra Jain] could've been better. 'Mujhme Zinda Hai Woh' is the only track that merits a mention. Also, too many songs in the first hour put you off after a point. Dialogues are good at places.
Both Sonu Sood and Isha Koppikar vie for top honours. Sonu is restrained, mature and acts the part well. Isha is first-rate, exuding simplicity and strength that this character demands. Alok Nath is very good. Ditto for Vallabh Vyas and Smita Jaykar. Vishal Malhotra springs a surprise. He's excellent. Chhavi Mittal is effective as the sister-in-law. Amrita Prakash doesn't get much scope. Anang Desai is okay.
On the whole, EK VIVAAH... AISA BHI is akin to a delicious Indian thali in times of Pastas and Pizzas. You may opt for international cuisine at times, but Indian food, for an Indian at heart, would never go out of vogue. At the box-office, expectedly, the film may start slow, but it has the merits to climb the ladder with each passing show. The strategy of releasing the film at single screens and that too at limited centres makes wise business sense, since EK VIVAAH... AISA BHI is not the multiplex kind of movie. Business at single screens of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar should be the best
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
'Fashion' is a fun family fare
Cast: Priyanka Chopra, Kangana Ranaut, Mugdha Godse and Arjan Bajwa
Director: Madhur Bhandarkar
Kangana Ranaut opens the show, continuing from where she left in Woh Lamhe. She plays a devious supermodel Shonali Gujral (Gets really angry when her abusive boyfriend, more like sex and coke buddy, calls her crazy!), who ends up losing her career to an upcoming model Meghna Mathur (Priyanka Chopra) and to the much hyped addiction. She is admitted to a rehab for until the end of the movie. We will talk more about her later. That's for sure!
As for our heroine, who comes to Bombay... aah! Mumbai...from Chandigarh to fulfil her (mind you, not just model) but her supermodel dream, Madhur makes it an easier than miraculous ride for her. She gets her first show too fast too quick (Spare the lingerie advertisement... that's just for Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Yes there are some funny moments here) and in no time, she becomes a top model! *Trust me girls, it is not that easy*. As for Meghna, she takes the other road, driving in the 'employee with benefit' lane with Arbaaz Khan, a fashion honcho, who escorts her till the top. (And keeps her there!)
But Fashion ka jalwa gets to our girl. She goes around insulting everyone (reason is not justified though, apart from what she calls "attitude") sparing not even her roommate cum part-time boyfriend Manav (Arjan Bajwa, a newcomer to look forward to definitely). She rubs Arbaaz the wrong way and result - her contract is terminated. And she has no friends for support either.
Her lifestyle changes drastically. She falls on alcohol and smoke, and takes to the junkie lifestyle. Drunk and high, she ends up sleeping with a black guy (*evil eye to the director*). That strikes her (the colour black) and she realises the mess she has put herself into.
Upset, she goes back to her parents. A year goes by; she gets psychological help! But then her dad (Raj Babbar) figures out that her only cure is that she must go back to Mumbai and start all over again. He advices her this, and she returns to Mumbai. Apologising to everybody in her contact list, she decides she will start afresh. She again gets an opportunity (she has the right friends!) but this time she messes that up.
She is broke in all means. It is here that Kangana resurfaces on the roads of Mumbai (you know where this is taken from). Meghna takes up her responsibility in repentance. She helps Shonali recover, and in the process finds her lost spirit. Let me not reveal the climax. Though it is very predictable but still it holds you. The same can be said about the entire film, very blatant in terms of story, but the director keeps you engaged nevertheless. So much so that despite the 170 minutes length, you still want the movie to not end (Though a major reason and credit for this goes to the look designers and choreographers. Voila! The girls look magnificent). It truly is fashion at its best.
Taking about the girls, Kangana Ranaut is unbeatable on the ramp. The lady burns it from the first step, making Priyanka look like a substandard replacement throughout. Way to go! Brilliant performance also as she justly personifies the madness of a supermodel in the most relentless fashion, using her dysfunctional accent as an asset once again and steals all the sympathy from Priyanka. As for Piggy Chops, she does her thing, yes, but then that's all she does. And I have to mention this, the lines on her neck are a turn off, make-up malfunction once again and also when you see the slim as a scale Kangana and Mugdha Godse (who looks pretty where she has to and has acted fairly), it is difficult to not notice her paunch. Buck up on that one sweety. You are a supermodel! Nevertheless, she has her 'oomph' moments of course, and has delivered a substantially grounded performance.
As for the detailing in the movie (Madhur's speciality), guess there is just too much to show, for he hardly covers all aspects of fashion, maybe touching some, but all that hoopla about revelations about the industry, there are none, apart from the usual gay, promiscuous and couch shades! Technicalities, fair enough, however cinematography had a lot more scope. The music is really good but is underutilised. But overall, damn the movie is a must watch. Your eyes are going to love this and so is your heart. And genuinely, there is nothing really 'adulty' about the movie. So go enjoy it with your family. Yes, I used the word enjoy. See for yourself!
Director: Madhur Bhandarkar
Producer: Madhur Bhandarkar, Deven Khote, Ronnie Screwvala, Zarina Mehta
Rating: ***1/2
With his latest offering, Madhur Bhandarkar has proved that he has more than just facts to share. For Fashion, unlike his other movies, is not just a depiction of reality, but a story... a tale... and that too surprisingly a delightful one! Keeping in mind Madhur's delight quotient that is...
Kangana Ranaut opens the show, continuing from where she left in Woh Lamhe. She plays a devious supermodel Shonali Gujral (Gets really angry when her abusive boyfriend, more like sex and coke buddy, calls her crazy!), who ends up losing her career to an upcoming model Meghna Mathur (Priyanka Chopra) and to the much hyped addiction. She is admitted to a rehab for until the end of the movie. We will talk more about her later. That's for sure!
As for our heroine, who comes to Bombay... aah! Mumbai...from Chandigarh to fulfil her (mind you, not just model) but her supermodel dream, Madhur makes it an easier than miraculous ride for her. She gets her first show too fast too quick (Spare the lingerie advertisement... that's just for Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Yes there are some funny moments here) and in no time, she becomes a top model! *Trust me girls, it is not that easy*. As for Meghna, she takes the other road, driving in the 'employee with benefit' lane with Arbaaz Khan, a fashion honcho, who escorts her till the top. (And keeps her there!)
But Fashion ka jalwa gets to our girl. She goes around insulting everyone (reason is not justified though, apart from what she calls "attitude") sparing not even her roommate cum part-time boyfriend Manav (Arjan Bajwa, a newcomer to look forward to definitely). She rubs Arbaaz the wrong way and result - her contract is terminated. And she has no friends for support either.
Her lifestyle changes drastically. She falls on alcohol and smoke, and takes to the junkie lifestyle. Drunk and high, she ends up sleeping with a black guy (*evil eye to the director*). That strikes her (the colour black) and she realises the mess she has put herself into.
Upset, she goes back to her parents. A year goes by; she gets psychological help! But then her dad (Raj Babbar) figures out that her only cure is that she must go back to Mumbai and start all over again. He advices her this, and she returns to Mumbai. Apologising to everybody in her contact list, she decides she will start afresh. She again gets an opportunity (she has the right friends!) but this time she messes that up.
She is broke in all means. It is here that Kangana resurfaces on the roads of Mumbai (you know where this is taken from). Meghna takes up her responsibility in repentance. She helps Shonali recover, and in the process finds her lost spirit. Let me not reveal the climax. Though it is very predictable but still it holds you. The same can be said about the entire film, very blatant in terms of story, but the director keeps you engaged nevertheless. So much so that despite the 170 minutes length, you still want the movie to not end (Though a major reason and credit for this goes to the look designers and choreographers. Voila! The girls look magnificent). It truly is fashion at its best.
Taking about the girls, Kangana Ranaut is unbeatable on the ramp. The lady burns it from the first step, making Priyanka look like a substandard replacement throughout. Way to go! Brilliant performance also as she justly personifies the madness of a supermodel in the most relentless fashion, using her dysfunctional accent as an asset once again and steals all the sympathy from Priyanka. As for Piggy Chops, she does her thing, yes, but then that's all she does. And I have to mention this, the lines on her neck are a turn off, make-up malfunction once again and also when you see the slim as a scale Kangana and Mugdha Godse (who looks pretty where she has to and has acted fairly), it is difficult to not notice her paunch. Buck up on that one sweety. You are a supermodel! Nevertheless, she has her 'oomph' moments of course, and has delivered a substantially grounded performance.
As for the detailing in the movie (Madhur's speciality), guess there is just too much to show, for he hardly covers all aspects of fashion, maybe touching some, but all that hoopla about revelations about the industry, there are none, apart from the usual gay, promiscuous and couch shades! Technicalities, fair enough, however cinematography had a lot more scope. The music is really good but is underutilised. But overall, damn the movie is a must watch. Your eyes are going to love this and so is your heart. And genuinely, there is nothing really 'adulty' about the movie. So go enjoy it with your family. Yes, I used the word enjoy. See for yourself!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Rafoo Chakkar - Fun on the Run (September 26, 2008)
The sole purpose of making laughathons is to transport you to ha-ha-land for the next two hours. The last few years has witnessed a barrage of comic fares and brainless comedies exploding on the Hindi screen -- some of them genuinely funny, most of them trying so hard to be funny.
Choreographer turned director B.H. Tharun Kumar's RAFOO CHAKKAR is yet another attempt at making you laugh. On paper, the concept had the potential to tickle your funny bone, but its celluloid translation is a put-off. Sure, you smile at the inane jokes at places, but the second hour falls to abysmal levels.
Write your own movie review of Rafoo Chakkar - Fun On The Run Munnu [Aslam Khan] and Pappu [Yudhishtir] are spoilt brats. Julie [Nauheed Cyrusi] and Millie [Nisha Rawal] are equally spoilt. In fact, all four are not interested in getting married and when forced by their respective fathers, run away from their respective homes.
While on the run, Munnu and Pappu meet and get attracted to Julie and Millie, not realizing that they are the same girls with whom their father [Ananth Mahadevan] had fixed their marriage. Another twist comes in the story when Julie and Millie are saved from a bunch of hooligans by Kokila [Archana Puransingh] and Koena [Mita Vashisht], two middle-aged sisters who hate men and never want to get married.
Kokila and Koena's father, who is on his deathbed, wants to see them married. He even incorporates a clause in his will that if they don't get married before they turn 45, the property should go to the trust. Kokila and Koena have only 24 hours to find the boys, get married and save their property because they turn 45 the very next day.
Munnu and Pappu land up at Kokila and Koena's house to rob them, but get overpowered by the sisters. This leads to their arrest and eventually marriage to the two sisters. All hell breaks loose.
Very few comedies have the ability to make you smile from start to end. That's one of the reasons why most comedies have proved tragedies this year. A joke here and a gag there isn't enough. And no director or actor, howsoever skilled and proficient he/she may be, can rise beyond the script. B.H. Tharun Kumar's direction falters for this reason. You do smile at times, but it has more to do with the witty one-liners [dialogues: Raghuvir Shekhawat] than the situations in the storyline.
On the music front, the title track at the start is foot-taping and well executed, but the absence of promotion takes its toll. K. Rajkumar's cinematography is passable.
Aslam Khan makes a sincere attempt. He seems more confident this time. In fact, his comic timing, at places, is just right. Yudhishtir tries hard as well and does reasonably well, but the rawness shows at several points. He needs to work on his expressions. Nauheed Cyrusi acts well, but Nisha Rawal has a long way to go.
Archana Puransingh is in comfort zone, since she's not new to comedy. But, surprisingly, Mita Vashisht looks out of place. Shakti Kapoor and Sadashiv Amrapurkar are wasted. Tinnu Anand is the best of the lot. Ananth Mahadevan is good.
On the whole, RAFOO CHAKKAR is a lacklustre attempt.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na (July 4, 2008)
Two decades ago, the Mansoor Khan-helmed QAYAMAT SE QAYAMAT TAK, starring two newcomers [Aamir Khan, Juhi Chawla], focused on teenage love, with parental opposition acting as an obstacle. The story wasn't new, but the treatment was fresh and inventive. QSQT remains one of the finest reference films in this genre and rightly so!JAANE TU… YA JAANE NA is a love story as well, but it's more of an Archie-Jughead-Veronica-Betty kind of a plot, set in the current milieu. We witnessed a gist of it a few years ago in the Shahid Kapur launch pad ISHQ VISHK.
JAANE TU… YA JAANE NA doesn't dare to be different. Basically a simple tale about a group of friends, it focuses on one couple that's in love, but is in a state of denial. Haven't we watched similar love stories in the past, you may ask. Sure, we have, but the execution of the subject makes all the difference.
Large portions of JAANE TU… YA JAANE NA have been executed well by debutante director Abbas Tyrewala, but the problem lies in the second hour when the film gets lengthy and also, a few tracks throw a spanner in the otherwise smooth proceedings. Even the climax, although well shot, is passé [very filmy in an otherwise real film], since a number of films have had similar endings.
Yet, despite the shortcomings, JAANE TU… YA JAANE NA works for a number of solid reasons
and that's what the viewer carries home. A decent fare that takes you back to your adolescence, when friends seem to be the be-all and end-all.Jai [Imran Khan] and Aditi [Genelia] are buddies. In fact, they hang out with their group of friends, but have eyes for each other only. Their friends know that Jai and Aditi are perfect for each other. Their parents know this as well. Everybody knows this. But the couple doesn't. So when do they realize its love?
Don't expect fireworks or melodrama in this prem kahani. It's an extremely simple, uncomplicated tale that never goes over the top. The bonding amongst friends is well established. So is the relationship that Ratna Pathak Shah shares with her deceased husband's portrait [reminds you of Ashok Saraf-Priya Tendulkar relationship in the popular comedy show HUM PAANCH].
Besides, the two [popular] songs that come in the initial reels -- 'Kabhi Kabhi' and 'Pappu Can't Dance' -- only spice up the proceedings. The arrival of the 'third angle' in this love story [Manjari Phadnis] is perfect. Everything is faultless in the first hour.
But the second hour lets you down. The Ayaz-Genelia relationship is, again, well developed, but the second hour gets a tad lengthy. But what looks completely out of place in this light and breezy entertainer is the Rajput connection and how it saves the lead man from the cop [Paresh Rawal]. This track irritates!
Also, the climax, set in an airport, is beaten to death. There's no novelty in it, since we've seen
the same ending in film after film.Abbas Tyrewala has the makings of a fine director. A.R. Rahman's music is already a rage and the two songs at the start are superb compositions. Cinematography is excellent.
Every member of the cast stands out, but the film belongs to Imran and Genelia. Imran has been presented as the boy-next-door and that works in his favor. He has screen presence and acts very well for a first timer. Most importantly, he looks the part. Genelia adds freshness to her scenes. What makes you take to Genelia is her spontaneity. Also, the mischievous look in her eyes conveys sorrow with equal ease. Wish to see more of her in Hindi movies! Manjari is a complete natural. She is very effective.
The group of friends -- Karan [as Rotlu], Alishka [as Bombs], Nirav [as Jiggy] and Sughanda [as Shaleen] -- are excellent. Each compliments the other well. Ratna Pathak Shah is highly competent. Jayant Kripalani and Anuradha Patel [as Genelia's parents] are sweet. Pratiek Babbar [as Genelia's brother] springs a pleasant surprise. He is flawless in an unconventional role. Ayaz Khan [as Genelia's fiancé] registers a strong impact. A good actor!
Rajat Kapoor and Kitu Gidwani [as Manjari's parents] are fair. Naseeruddin Shah is in terrific form. Paresh Rawal, again, is wonderful. Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan irritate, mainly because the roles don't work.
On the whole, JAANE TU… YA JAANE NA is a breezy entertainer which will be loved by its target audience -- the youth. At the box-office, business at multiplexes should ensure a speedy recovery for this moderate budget film. A profitable venture!
Love Story 2050 (July 4, 2008)
LOVE STORY 2050 has elicited tremendous response for varied reasons…
* One, its one-of-its-kind sci-fi fare, with a big chunk of footage devoted to VFX.
* Two, the pre-release hype, the frenzy in the media, the various tie-ups/endorsements has kept LOVE STORY 2050 constantly in news.
* Three, LOVE STORY 2050 marks the debut of Harman Baweja, one actor who has been lapped up by industry bigwigs even before his debut vehicle has hit the screens. It's a hi-profile launch.
* One, its one-of-its-kind sci-fi fare, with a big chunk of footage devoted to VFX.
* Two, the pre-release hype, the frenzy in the media, the various tie-ups/endorsements has kept LOVE STORY 2050 constantly in news.
* Three, LOVE STORY 2050 marks the debut of Harman Baweja, one actor who has been lapped up by industry bigwigs even before his debut vehicle has hit the screens. It's a hi-profile launch.
From the looks of it, LOVE STORY 2050 demands a dekho, but there's a hitch…
Special effects -- for that matter the trappings used to embellish a movie -- work only if a movie has a rock-solid base: Content. Unfortunately, LOVE STORY 2050 gives more preference to special effects, while the writing takes a complete backseat.
There's no denying that Harry Baweja's intentions are genuine and noble, but, seriously, did the veteran get carried away by special effects? No doubt, the basic idea sounds interesting and the viewer would love to be a participant in this time-travel film, but what comes across is amateurish.
Given a title like LOVE STORY 2050, the film ought to evoke strong emotions, mainly towards the second hour, when the lead man has a tough time convincing his lady-love. But technical wizardry and VFX dominate this hour, while the emotional moments fail to evoke any reactions. Actually, your heart does not pine for the lovers and that's why this love story hardly creates any impact.
The silver lining is -- you've guessed it -- Harman Baweja. You may compare him with Hrithik Roshan [in terms of looks]. You may find his dialogue delivery similar to that of SRK. But the guy is a lambe race ka ghoda. Ranbir Kapoor now has tough competition. It's Harman Baweja, the new flavor of the season!
Karan [Harman Baweja], a young, spirited, sporty boy lives life off the rules, while Sana [Priyanka Chopra], a petite, shy girl lives life by the rules. Opposites attract… and love blossoms. Karan's uncle, Dr. Yatinder Khanna's [Boman Irani] much developed time machine finally works. Sana expresses her wish to travel ahead in time to Mumbai. But there's an accident…
Mumbai 2050. Flying cars, 200 storey buildings, robots and sky rails have changed the face of Mumbai. Through a series of twists and turns, Karan finds himself separating from his love. Meanwhile, Dr. Yatinder and Karan are under threat from Dr. Hoshi.
You are mesmerized by the initial scenes in LOVE STORY 2050. And it's not the script that hooks and magnetizes you. Harman's skills as an actor and also a gymnast [watch him give the firangs a chase] makes you speechless. Note the cycle chase [wow!] or Harman wooing Priyanka on a roller coaster [superb… you sure have guts, Harman]. The film works in this hour because the chemistry between the lead actors is also piping hot.
But things go downhill in the post-interval portions. What takes precedence are special effects, robots, gizmos, the masked villain… In this melee, the writing is put on the backburner.
Director Harry Baweja is letdown by the script. The idea is exciting, but what comes across is off-putting. Anu Malik's music is tuneful. 'Sach Kehna' and 'Milo Na Milo' stand out, also because Harman's dance movements are exceptional [kudos to the choreographer]. Cinematography [Vijay Arora] is first-rate. Sound quality [Dwarak Warrier] is top class. Dialogues [Mayur Puri] suit the mood of the film. Sets [Omung Kumar] deserve special mention. They're truly imaginative! Special effects are topnotch, matching international standards. Costumes and styling are avant garde.
Harman Baweja has the potential to be a major star, a front-runner. No two opinions on that! He's an exceptional dancer and looks handsome as well. But most importantly, he knows the grammar of acting well. Watch out for this kid! Priyanka Chopra is immensely likable. She suits her part to the T. Boman Irani is efficient. Archana Puransingh is lovable. The kids don't contribute at all.
On the whole, LOVE STORY 2050 rests on a thin plot and that would curtail its reach to a major extent. Disappointing!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic (June 27, 2008)
A film like THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC makes you nostalgic. 
It takes you back to the light-hearted, feel-good cinema made by directors of calibre like Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee. The focus was on narrating a simple story. A movie that put a smile on your face even if you walked in with a frown.
THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC does exactly that!
Strangely, for some reason, the film lacks the hype associated with a biggie. Perhaps, the string of flops the premiere production house [YRF] churned out, indirectly, took a toll on this movie. But THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC should reverse the trend.
A bit of MARY POPPINS. A dash of THE SOUND OF MUSIC. A sprinkle of ENCHANTED. THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC may not be the most original script, but the sweet and tender moments in this enterprise elevate it to a watchable status.
That Kunal Kohli is a fine storyteller has already been proved [HUM TUM and FANAA were accomplished works]. Now watch him handle a simple, uncomplicated story with dexterity and you'd agree, Kunal has only matured with time.
To put a long story short, THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC is a simple story, well told. It's one of those films you'd enjoy watching with your family, without feeling embarrassed or red-faced. It's sure to put a smile on your face when you exit the auditorium, which, frankly, is a rarity these days!
Ranbeer [Saif Ali Khan], a leading industrialist, is a loner, not by choice, but because he lost
everyone he ever loved. He is now faced with a peculiar and uncomfortable situation. In a rare and landmark court verdict, he is to look after four orphan children. The orphans hate him and want revenge from him. The children do not want to live with a man they hate; he too cannot face them or look them in the eye for certain reasons. Their life together is very unhappy.
One day, the kids pray to God for help and He does help them. He sends his most mischievous, childlike, lovable angel to the rescue, with a mission to bring Ranbeer and the kids together. Geeta [Rani Mukerji] comes bicycling down a rainbow… and bursts into Ranbeer's house as the self-proclaimed new nanny.
And then starts the roller coaster ride of fun, emotions, magic and love. An angel who doesn't know what love is. A man who always lost love. Four orphans who need love.
Kunal Kohli opens the cards at the very outset. The car accident and the subsequent court judgment set the story in motion. But the first half isn't without its share of flaws. The pranks played by the kids to harass Saif fall flat. They're anything but funny most of the times. Ameesha's character is another sore point. Actually, the film could've done without this irritating character.
However, Rani's entry in the story adds magic to the goings-on. Her interaction with the kids
and how she eventually wins them over is enjoyable. The kids, of course, are the actual heroes of this enterprise, but more on that later.
It's the second hour that takes the film to a different level. How Saif bonds with each of them and the turning point, an incident that makes the kids see Saif differently, is simply excellent. Ditto for the finale, which may seem Bollywoodish, but you don't mind it.
Kunal Kohli has worked with the best of stars [Aamir, Saif, Hrithik, Kajol, Kareena, Rani], but the real test is to extract performances from four unknown kids and that's where he deserves brownie points. It's easy to handle grown-ups, but kids can be really tough. Also, Kunal doesn't [thankfully] make the proceedings melodramatic with rona-dhona thrown in to make it a perfect 'family film'. The emotions are subtle, but nonetheless move you.
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is a letdown, barring just one track, 'Pyaar Ke Liye'. Sudeep Chatterjee's cinematography is perfect. The effects are eye catching at times.
Saif fits into the sauve millionaire part [Richie Rich - the poor little rich guy?] very well. And the best part is, he never 'acts'. He's a complete natural! It's a pleasure to watch Rani in a role that does justice to her talent. She's lovable. But why is she sporting the same outfit throughout? Ameesha doesn't work, mainly because her role looks like an add-on. And what is she wearing throughout the movie? But she sizzles in the 'Lazy Lamhe' track.
The four kids are adorable. Each of them is terrific, but the one who's bound to walk away with taalis is the cute Sikh kid called Iqbal. Watch him break into the 'Main Nikla Gadi Leke' song from GADAR; it's bound to bring the house down. Rishi Kapoor is likable in a cameo. Taraana is okay.
On the whole, THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC is a simple story told very effectively and efficiently. At the box-office, it may be a slow starter, but should gradually gather momentum with a strong word of mouth. Business at multiplexes will be the best.
Go watch it, it's a treat for your entire family!
It takes you back to the light-hearted, feel-good cinema made by directors of calibre like Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee. The focus was on narrating a simple story. A movie that put a smile on your face even if you walked in with a frown.THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC does exactly that!
Strangely, for some reason, the film lacks the hype associated with a biggie. Perhaps, the string of flops the premiere production house [YRF] churned out, indirectly, took a toll on this movie. But THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC should reverse the trend.
A bit of MARY POPPINS. A dash of THE SOUND OF MUSIC. A sprinkle of ENCHANTED. THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC may not be the most original script, but the sweet and tender moments in this enterprise elevate it to a watchable status.
That Kunal Kohli is a fine storyteller has already been proved [HUM TUM and FANAA were accomplished works]. Now watch him handle a simple, uncomplicated story with dexterity and you'd agree, Kunal has only matured with time.
To put a long story short, THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC is a simple story, well told. It's one of those films you'd enjoy watching with your family, without feeling embarrassed or red-faced. It's sure to put a smile on your face when you exit the auditorium, which, frankly, is a rarity these days!
Ranbeer [Saif Ali Khan], a leading industrialist, is a loner, not by choice, but because he lost
everyone he ever loved. He is now faced with a peculiar and uncomfortable situation. In a rare and landmark court verdict, he is to look after four orphan children. The orphans hate him and want revenge from him. The children do not want to live with a man they hate; he too cannot face them or look them in the eye for certain reasons. Their life together is very unhappy.One day, the kids pray to God for help and He does help them. He sends his most mischievous, childlike, lovable angel to the rescue, with a mission to bring Ranbeer and the kids together. Geeta [Rani Mukerji] comes bicycling down a rainbow… and bursts into Ranbeer's house as the self-proclaimed new nanny.
And then starts the roller coaster ride of fun, emotions, magic and love. An angel who doesn't know what love is. A man who always lost love. Four orphans who need love.
Kunal Kohli opens the cards at the very outset. The car accident and the subsequent court judgment set the story in motion. But the first half isn't without its share of flaws. The pranks played by the kids to harass Saif fall flat. They're anything but funny most of the times. Ameesha's character is another sore point. Actually, the film could've done without this irritating character.
However, Rani's entry in the story adds magic to the goings-on. Her interaction with the kids
and how she eventually wins them over is enjoyable. The kids, of course, are the actual heroes of this enterprise, but more on that later.It's the second hour that takes the film to a different level. How Saif bonds with each of them and the turning point, an incident that makes the kids see Saif differently, is simply excellent. Ditto for the finale, which may seem Bollywoodish, but you don't mind it.
Kunal Kohli has worked with the best of stars [Aamir, Saif, Hrithik, Kajol, Kareena, Rani], but the real test is to extract performances from four unknown kids and that's where he deserves brownie points. It's easy to handle grown-ups, but kids can be really tough. Also, Kunal doesn't [thankfully] make the proceedings melodramatic with rona-dhona thrown in to make it a perfect 'family film'. The emotions are subtle, but nonetheless move you.
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is a letdown, barring just one track, 'Pyaar Ke Liye'. Sudeep Chatterjee's cinematography is perfect. The effects are eye catching at times.
Saif fits into the sauve millionaire part [Richie Rich - the poor little rich guy?] very well. And the best part is, he never 'acts'. He's a complete natural! It's a pleasure to watch Rani in a role that does justice to her talent. She's lovable. But why is she sporting the same outfit throughout? Ameesha doesn't work, mainly because her role looks like an add-on. And what is she wearing throughout the movie? But she sizzles in the 'Lazy Lamhe' track.
The four kids are adorable. Each of them is terrific, but the one who's bound to walk away with taalis is the cute Sikh kid called Iqbal. Watch him break into the 'Main Nikla Gadi Leke' song from GADAR; it's bound to bring the house down. Rishi Kapoor is likable in a cameo. Taraana is okay.
On the whole, THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC is a simple story told very effectively and efficiently. At the box-office, it may be a slow starter, but should gradually gather momentum with a strong word of mouth. Business at multiplexes will be the best.
Go watch it, it's a treat for your entire family!
Via Darjeeling (June 27, 2008)
Some ideas translate into interesting, 2-hour films. But some ideas, though translated on screen, make you feel that they're best suited for television. That's what you experience when you watch 
VIA DARJEELING.
It's pretty okay to be different, but when you're looking at the Indian audiences and the kind of cinema they tilt towards, you cannot be too experimental. In that sense, VIA DARJEELING holds appeal for a tiny segment of moviegoers here. It's more for discussions amongst friends or those sitting in a coffee shop or at a friend's place on a rainy night [exactly what the characters do in VIA DARJEELING].
The story revolves around Ankur [Kay Kay Menon] and Rimli [Sonali Kulkarni], a newly-wed couple on their honeymoon in Darjeeling. The story takes a turn when Ankur disappears on the eve of their departure. The cop, Robin Datt [Vinay Pathak], tries to trace Ankur, but can't.
The suspects are a taxi driver Ankur had fought with and a mysterious looking man Bonny
[Parvin Dabas], whom Rimli thought was following her throughout their trip in Darjeeling.
Two years later, Inspector Datt relates this story to a few friends [Rajat Kapoor, Simone Singh, Proshanth Narayanan, Sandhya Mridul] on a rainy night; they are intrigued by this story and question him about the outcome. But he has no answers. Fascinated by this story, they start a tale about the possible outcome and all take part to give their own versions where personalities and motif change.
VIA DARJEELING follows the format of one story, but multiple versions/endings. The problem here is that the main story [as narrated by Vinay Pathak] is incomplete, so all assumptions and interpretations don't look convincing or cut ice with the viewer.
Had the director [Arindam Nandy] or writers [Ranjan Das, Arindam Nandy] made Pathak reveal the outcome to the main story in the end, after various versions are told, perhaps, it might've appealed then. Yet, one of the versions -- narrated by Rajat Kapoor -- holds your interest, but the versions narrated by Simone Singh and Proshanth Narayanan get monotonous.
Director Arindam Nandy's choice of the subject may not hold universal appeal, but it does hold your attention at times. The songs are well woven in the narrative. Cinematography is alright, but the beauty of Darjeeling hasn't been captured to the optimum on celluloid. Dialogues [Atul Sabharwal] are in sync with the mood of the film.
The performances are neat. Kay Kay is, as always, perfect. Sonali Kulkarni is the scene stealer here. Parvin Dabas looks right for the part. Vinay Pathak is frst-rate. Simone Singh and Rajat Kapoor, both handle their parts with precision. Proshanth Narayanan is topnotch. Sandhya Mridul is fiery.
On the whole, VIA DARJEELING is more of an experiment. At the box-office, it's a dud!
VIA DARJEELING.It's pretty okay to be different, but when you're looking at the Indian audiences and the kind of cinema they tilt towards, you cannot be too experimental. In that sense, VIA DARJEELING holds appeal for a tiny segment of moviegoers here. It's more for discussions amongst friends or those sitting in a coffee shop or at a friend's place on a rainy night [exactly what the characters do in VIA DARJEELING].
The story revolves around Ankur [Kay Kay Menon] and Rimli [Sonali Kulkarni], a newly-wed couple on their honeymoon in Darjeeling. The story takes a turn when Ankur disappears on the eve of their departure. The cop, Robin Datt [Vinay Pathak], tries to trace Ankur, but can't.
The suspects are a taxi driver Ankur had fought with and a mysterious looking man Bonny
[Parvin Dabas], whom Rimli thought was following her throughout their trip in Darjeeling.Two years later, Inspector Datt relates this story to a few friends [Rajat Kapoor, Simone Singh, Proshanth Narayanan, Sandhya Mridul] on a rainy night; they are intrigued by this story and question him about the outcome. But he has no answers. Fascinated by this story, they start a tale about the possible outcome and all take part to give their own versions where personalities and motif change.
VIA DARJEELING follows the format of one story, but multiple versions/endings. The problem here is that the main story [as narrated by Vinay Pathak] is incomplete, so all assumptions and interpretations don't look convincing or cut ice with the viewer.
Had the director [Arindam Nandy] or writers [Ranjan Das, Arindam Nandy] made Pathak reveal the outcome to the main story in the end, after various versions are told, perhaps, it might've appealed then. Yet, one of the versions -- narrated by Rajat Kapoor -- holds your interest, but the versions narrated by Simone Singh and Proshanth Narayanan get monotonous.
Director Arindam Nandy's choice of the subject may not hold universal appeal, but it does hold your attention at times. The songs are well woven in the narrative. Cinematography is alright, but the beauty of Darjeeling hasn't been captured to the optimum on celluloid. Dialogues [Atul Sabharwal] are in sync with the mood of the film.
The performances are neat. Kay Kay is, as always, perfect. Sonali Kulkarni is the scene stealer here. Parvin Dabas looks right for the part. Vinay Pathak is frst-rate. Simone Singh and Rajat Kapoor, both handle their parts with precision. Proshanth Narayanan is topnotch. Sandhya Mridul is fiery.
On the whole, VIA DARJEELING is more of an experiment. At the box-office, it's a dud!
De Taali (June 20, 2008)
If you've watched the promos of DE TAALI, you'd expect a film 
with tremendous youth power. You'd expect gags, gimmicks, laughter-n-sunshine and lots and lots of fun. But DE TAALI is anything but this! On the contrary, it's a slow-paced love story, which depicts one of the actors as a modern-day Devdas who hits the bottle when his girlfriend walks out on him. There's a kahani mein twist as well -- the kidnapping episode -- but you don't feel giving a taali to that too.
Note another aspect. Two songs from the film have been heavily promoted -- the title track [which has lots of energy] and 'Maari Teetri' [plays to the masses completely] -- which might compel you to buy the ticket. The title track comes when the movie concludes [end credits], while the other number is just not there.
Most importantly, DE TAALI gets it wrong on the script level. Loosely inspired by a popular TV
drama [DAWSON'S CREEK] is okay, but the material lacks the power to keep you hooked. Sure, DE TAALI has a few engaging and enjoyable moments, but it's akin to an oasis in a desert.
In one word, disappointing!
Paglu [Riteish], Amu [Ayesha] and Abhi [Aftab] are buddies, an integral part of each others lives. Amu is a girl amongst the two guys, though Paglu and Abhi don't treat her like one. Paglu is the one who makes her realize about her feelings for Abhi. Life, however, takes a serious turn when Abhi falls in love with Kartika aka Anjali [Rimi Sen].
DE TAALI starts off quite well and the bonding between the three friends is well established in the initial portions. Things perk up the moment Rimi Sen enters the scene and shows her true colors. Everything's fine till she's kidnapped -- the interval point.
But things only go downhill in the second hour. The entire kidnap drama, the Saurabh Shukla track [it can't get weird than this], the dejected lovers [Mukul Dev, Pawan Malhotra, Sanjay Narvekar] reaching the wedding venue and the family surfacing from oblivion, everything looks ludicrous. By the time you reach the finale, the viewer is already bored and has lost all interest in the enterprise.
E. Niwas doesn't get in right this time. He knows the job well, but if you've noticed his last few outings as well as DE TAALI, you'd agree that he needs to concentrate on the script than making the frames look alluring. Vishal-Shekhar's music is a mixed bag. Barring the above-mentioned two numbers, the remaining songs lack fizz.
Riteish is lovable and his range is finally being tapped by film-makers. Aftab lends his part the required class. Ayesha Takia is getting better and better with every film. Rimi Sen spices up the otherwise bland scenario with her performance as a gold digger. Anupam Kher is wasted. Ditto for Pawan Malhotra and Mukul Dev.
On the whole, DE TAALI is a poor show. It's an apt case of the promos looking great, not the film.
with tremendous youth power. You'd expect gags, gimmicks, laughter-n-sunshine and lots and lots of fun. But DE TAALI is anything but this! On the contrary, it's a slow-paced love story, which depicts one of the actors as a modern-day Devdas who hits the bottle when his girlfriend walks out on him. There's a kahani mein twist as well -- the kidnapping episode -- but you don't feel giving a taali to that too.Note another aspect. Two songs from the film have been heavily promoted -- the title track [which has lots of energy] and 'Maari Teetri' [plays to the masses completely] -- which might compel you to buy the ticket. The title track comes when the movie concludes [end credits], while the other number is just not there.
Most importantly, DE TAALI gets it wrong on the script level. Loosely inspired by a popular TV
drama [DAWSON'S CREEK] is okay, but the material lacks the power to keep you hooked. Sure, DE TAALI has a few engaging and enjoyable moments, but it's akin to an oasis in a desert.In one word, disappointing!
Paglu [Riteish], Amu [Ayesha] and Abhi [Aftab] are buddies, an integral part of each others lives. Amu is a girl amongst the two guys, though Paglu and Abhi don't treat her like one. Paglu is the one who makes her realize about her feelings for Abhi. Life, however, takes a serious turn when Abhi falls in love with Kartika aka Anjali [Rimi Sen].
DE TAALI starts off quite well and the bonding between the three friends is well established in the initial portions. Things perk up the moment Rimi Sen enters the scene and shows her true colors. Everything's fine till she's kidnapped -- the interval point.
But things only go downhill in the second hour. The entire kidnap drama, the Saurabh Shukla track [it can't get weird than this], the dejected lovers [Mukul Dev, Pawan Malhotra, Sanjay Narvekar] reaching the wedding venue and the family surfacing from oblivion, everything looks ludicrous. By the time you reach the finale, the viewer is already bored and has lost all interest in the enterprise.
E. Niwas doesn't get in right this time. He knows the job well, but if you've noticed his last few outings as well as DE TAALI, you'd agree that he needs to concentrate on the script than making the frames look alluring. Vishal-Shekhar's music is a mixed bag. Barring the above-mentioned two numbers, the remaining songs lack fizz.
Riteish is lovable and his range is finally being tapped by film-makers. Aftab lends his part the required class. Ayesha Takia is getting better and better with every film. Rimi Sen spices up the otherwise bland scenario with her performance as a gold digger. Anupam Kher is wasted. Ditto for Pawan Malhotra and Mukul Dev.
On the whole, DE TAALI is a poor show. It's an apt case of the promos looking great, not the film.
Haal-e-dil (June 20, 2008)
This common question is addressed to the producer [Kumar Mangat], director [Anil Devgan] and lead actors [Amita Pathak, Nakuul Mehta, Adhyayan Suman] of HAAL-E-DIL: What actually did you see in the script of this film? And the next question is for the writer [Dhiraj Ratan]: How could you pen this apology of a script? Sorry, let me alter the question: Do you know the basics of screenplay writing?Really, if there was a 'Razzie' [it salutes the worst in movies] in Bollywood, the writer would've walked away with the statuette, stealing the march from contenders like TASHAN, JIMMY and HASTEY HASTEY.
HAAL-E-DIL suits the adage so well - Body beautiful minus soul. Filmed on some stunning
locales, the film registers a strong visual impact. Add to it the popular musical score. Also, the two lead men show sparks and are sure to be noticed, irrespective of how badly this film fares at the ticket window. Sadly, the shoddy writing camouflages the positives completely. You expect to be served a sumptuous, seven-course meal, but the writer serves you a few crumbs.All said, HAAL-E-DIL is a terrible waste of a terrific opportunity. This one, I am sure, would easily rank prominently in the 'Letdowns of 2008' when one compiles the facts as the sun sets on the year.
HAAL-E-DIL tells the story of Sanjana [Amita Pathka], for whom love is chaste and sacred. It's the story of Shekhar [Nakuul Mehta], who keeps tripping for every second girl and loves to be in the perennial state of love, not realizing that he is going to meet a girl who'll change his existence. It's the story of Rohit [Adhyayan Suman], who would fall so deep in love that resurfacing would be impossible.
Sanjana is at the crossroads of life where she has to choose between her perfect love and a
perfect stranger.Strangely, two of the three Hindi releases this week bear an uncanny resemblance to the immensely likable JAB WE MET -- HAAL-E-DIL and KHUSHBOO. In this case, the story fails to grab your attention from the very start. In fact, confusion prevails all through this misadventure, so much so that there're times when the viewer is forced to ask the person seated next to him: How did that happen? Or what was that?
The love story is completely lifeless and the train yatra is anything but enjoyable. The adventure in the jungles [where the couple bumps into a Veerappan look-alike] is equally sad. If the intention was to add a dash of thrill or adventure to the goings-on, sorry, it falls flat. Or if the intention was to raise a few laughs, sorry again, it's anything but funny.
The 7-day fast undertaken by one of the leads in the concluding reels in equally phika. Are we living in the 21st century? Why is the screen writing so regressive in Hindi movies? Prior to that, the viewer learns that one of the leads has passed away and you actually fall off your seat. Ab yeh twist kahan se aaya?
Director Anil Devgan is off the mark this time. Frankly, his RAJU CHACHA and BLACKMAIL appear as classics when compared to this one. Music is the only saving grace. Every track has been filmed on a panoramic locale and acts as an eye candy. Cinematography [Rajeev Ravi] is efficient.
Nakuul Mehta may subconsciously be inspired by SRK, but you don't mind it. In all fairness, he's very confident, a bundle of energy and knows his job well. His expressions are perfect at all times. Adhyayan Suman definitely deserved a better launch. What's he doing in this film? He has the talent, which, unfortunately, hasn't been channelized at all in this misadventure.
Amita Pathak is a fine actor, no two opinions on that. But there's a problem. She looks too plump and her makeup makes her look mature. Very frankly, she looks much better in real life than on screen.
On the whole, HAAL-E-DIL is a complete dil-breaker. This one's gonna sink at the box-office!
Khushboo (June 20, 2008)
Love stories can never go out of fashion, at least in Bollywood. KHUSHBOO, directed by Rajesh Ram Singh, tells the story of a Sikh girl and a Tamil boy, the ups and downs in their relationship, but before you draw parallels with the classic EK DUUJE KE LIYE, let's clarify that the two movies are as diverse as chalk and cheese. In terms of content as also execution.If at all KHUSHBOO bears any uncanny resemblance, it's with JAB WE MET and also, to an extent, A WALK IN THE CLOUDS [which has been rehashed by several dream merchants in Bollywood]. The aces in KHUSHBOO include some stunning locales of North India and Adnan Sami's melodious musical score. But the problem with KHUSHBOO is that it falls prey to an uninspiring script.
Write your own movie review of Khushboo
Ambitious Raghu [Rishi Rehan] needs to go to Chandigarh before his posting to New York. For Raghu, career takes top priority in his life. In Chandigarh, he seems to be destined to cross path with a girl, to whom he is inadvertently drawn. But each time Pinky [Avantikka] flits away, even before he can approach her. When they do meet and get to know each other, they realize that they share a very strong bonding. And as usual Pinky once again vanishes from Raghu's life.
When they accidentally bump into each other, Pinky has one request... that he meet her family just once. For Pinky, family takes top priority in her life.
Raghu meets the big, boisterous Punjabi family, only to be drawn into the warmth of the large family. Will Raghu be able to turn his back on a loving family? Is career more important than a loving family? Raghu is in a dilemma, but not Pinky.
If the focus is on new faces, you need to be doubly sure that the casting is just right. In this case, the newcomers don't disappoint, but the writing does. To start with, the bone of contention [the lead man is obsessed with America] and the subsequent conflict [the girl insists, the new-born will be a Sikh] look lame excuses, frankly. Besides, the culmination to the story is hardly convincing.
Director Rajesh Ram Singh has handled a few sequences well, but there's not much he can do given the kabhi-garam-kabhi-naram script. Adnan Sami's compositions are first-rate and practically every song is well filmed. Cinematography is topnotch.
Rishi Rehan uses his well-toned physique to his advantage. He has the makings of a fine actor, except that he needs to control his expressions. Avantikka is a natural, a competent dancer and acts her part confidently. But she needs to take care of her makeup and styling. Ninad Kamath does well. Prem Chopra is excellent. Himani Shivpuri is effective. Chunky Pandey, Raj Babbar and Shakti Kapoor are hardly there.
On the whole, KHUSHBOO is too ordinary a fare to leave any impression whatsoever.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Dhoom Dadakka
Comedies are the flavor of the season and more and more film-makers are following the formula re-invented by David Dhawan and Priyadarshan. Entertainment is the key word,
while a logical story goes out of the window. Shashi Ranjan's new outing DHOOM DADAKKA tries to recreate the hungama and gets it quite right in the first hour as well, but it's on a slippery wicket thereafter.
Problem kya hain? Let's not look at the plotline, but the funny situations fail to evoke mirth. In fact, the entertaining moments don't work after a point. Unlike the first hour, which packs in quite a bit in terms of substance and laughs, things slide downwards soon after the intermission.
Write your own movie review of Dhoom Dadakka
DHOOM DADAKKA could've created a mini-dhoom with its entertainment quotient, but the writers play the villain here!
An 'All Asian Bhai Meet' is being held in Bangkok. The agenda is to discuss and assess the falling sensex of 'Bhaigiri' in Asia. In the discussion, a rival Don of Mungi's [Anupam Kher], Fursat Lala [Gulshan Grover], proposes an ambitious plan for a piece of land in Alibagh and puts across a valid argument that it is important to have a waaris, the new generation, to improve matters. Since Mungi has no waaris, it is only logical that the next man, i.e. Fursat Lala should be made the new Don.
Mungi assures the syndicate that he has a waaris, who he will present before the syndicate and asks for a month's time to do the same. Now Mungi and his friend Jignesh [Satish Shah] set out to trace Mungi's estranged sister Angoori [Bhavana Balsawar], whom Mungi had thrown out years back because she wanted to marry a music teacher. One of the letters reveals that Angoori did give birth to Kamal. Mungi is thrilled and resolves to hunt his waaris in Mumbai, where he comes across a detective, Johnny English [Satish Kaushik], who promises to find Kamal.
Through his weird ways, Johnny English gets hold of an NRI [Sammir Dattani], who claims to be Kamal. Johnny takes him to Bangkok but, to his shock, finds another guy [Shaad Randhawa] there, who also claims to be Kamal. While this confusion is on, Shivani [Aarti Chhabria] arrives on the scene claiming to be the real Kamal.
A confused Mungi asks all of them to stay in the house till he arrives at a decision as to who the real Kamal is. In the ensuing drama enters the second girl Jiya [Shama Sikander], who claims to be a girlfriend of the NRI Kamal. Is one of them the real waaris?
That Shashi Ranjan has a flair for comedies is evident at several points in the first hour. Together with the dialogue writer Ashwani Dhir, Shashi succeeds in making you laugh at the funniest of situations and silliest of jokes. That's where the director triumphs. Note the portions involving Satish Kaushik and Deepshikha or the three youngsters claiming to be Anupam Kher's nephew. Shashi changes gears and uses the brakes like a seasoned driver.
But the car runs out of fuel as you munch popcorn and relish the samosa after the interval. In terms of script, a number of questions remain unanswered even after the show has concluded. Besides, the second hour is an exercise in boredom and gets unbearable after a point. The climax is also a major hotchpotch.
Roopkumar Rathod's music is unlike what he has composed so far. It's easy on the lips and quite catchy. The title track as also 'Ishq Ka Rog Laga' [filmed on the seductive Aarti Chhabria] stand out. Ashwani K's cinematography is perfect, although the director and the DoP haven't captured the beauty of Bangkok to the optimum.
DHOOM DADAKKA doesn't demand histrionics, but given the genre of the film, the two boys - Sammir Dattani and Shaad Randhawa - handle their parts well. Sammir also dances well in the title track, while Shaad mimics the top actors quite well. Aarti and Shama are more of eye candies.
Of the supporting cast, Satish Kaushik is excellent, while Deepshikha exudes tremendous confidence. Anupam Kher is, as always, first-rate. Satish Shah is equally convincing. Gulshan Grover does well. Newcomer Zac has an inconsequential role. Jackie Shroff is just okay. Razzak Khan does a fine job.
On the whole, DHOOM DADAKKA could've been a decent timepass flick, but it misses the bus.
while a logical story goes out of the window. Shashi Ranjan's new outing DHOOM DADAKKA tries to recreate the hungama and gets it quite right in the first hour as well, but it's on a slippery wicket thereafter.Problem kya hain? Let's not look at the plotline, but the funny situations fail to evoke mirth. In fact, the entertaining moments don't work after a point. Unlike the first hour, which packs in quite a bit in terms of substance and laughs, things slide downwards soon after the intermission.
Write your own movie review of Dhoom Dadakka
DHOOM DADAKKA could've created a mini-dhoom with its entertainment quotient, but the writers play the villain here!
An 'All Asian Bhai Meet' is being held in Bangkok. The agenda is to discuss and assess the falling sensex of 'Bhaigiri' in Asia. In the discussion, a rival Don of Mungi's [Anupam Kher], Fursat Lala [Gulshan Grover], proposes an ambitious plan for a piece of land in Alibagh and puts across a valid argument that it is important to have a waaris, the new generation, to improve matters. Since Mungi has no waaris, it is only logical that the next man, i.e. Fursat Lala should be made the new Don.
Mungi assures the syndicate that he has a waaris, who he will present before the syndicate and asks for a month's time to do the same. Now Mungi and his friend Jignesh [Satish Shah] set out to trace Mungi's estranged sister Angoori [Bhavana Balsawar], whom Mungi had thrown out years back because she wanted to marry a music teacher. One of the letters reveals that Angoori did give birth to Kamal. Mungi is thrilled and resolves to hunt his waaris in Mumbai, where he comes across a detective, Johnny English [Satish Kaushik], who promises to find Kamal.
Through his weird ways, Johnny English gets hold of an NRI [Sammir Dattani], who claims to be Kamal. Johnny takes him to Bangkok but, to his shock, finds another guy [Shaad Randhawa] there, who also claims to be Kamal. While this confusion is on, Shivani [Aarti Chhabria] arrives on the scene claiming to be the real Kamal.
A confused Mungi asks all of them to stay in the house till he arrives at a decision as to who the real Kamal is. In the ensuing drama enters the second girl Jiya [Shama Sikander], who claims to be a girlfriend of the NRI Kamal. Is one of them the real waaris?
That Shashi Ranjan has a flair for comedies is evident at several points in the first hour. Together with the dialogue writer Ashwani Dhir, Shashi succeeds in making you laugh at the funniest of situations and silliest of jokes. That's where the director triumphs. Note the portions involving Satish Kaushik and Deepshikha or the three youngsters claiming to be Anupam Kher's nephew. Shashi changes gears and uses the brakes like a seasoned driver.
But the car runs out of fuel as you munch popcorn and relish the samosa after the interval. In terms of script, a number of questions remain unanswered even after the show has concluded. Besides, the second hour is an exercise in boredom and gets unbearable after a point. The climax is also a major hotchpotch.
Roopkumar Rathod's music is unlike what he has composed so far. It's easy on the lips and quite catchy. The title track as also 'Ishq Ka Rog Laga' [filmed on the seductive Aarti Chhabria] stand out. Ashwani K's cinematography is perfect, although the director and the DoP haven't captured the beauty of Bangkok to the optimum.
DHOOM DADAKKA doesn't demand histrionics, but given the genre of the film, the two boys - Sammir Dattani and Shaad Randhawa - handle their parts well. Sammir also dances well in the title track, while Shaad mimics the top actors quite well. Aarti and Shama are more of eye candies.
Of the supporting cast, Satish Kaushik is excellent, while Deepshikha exudes tremendous confidence. Anupam Kher is, as always, first-rate. Satish Shah is equally convincing. Gulshan Grover does well. Newcomer Zac has an inconsequential role. Jackie Shroff is just okay. Razzak Khan does a fine job.
On the whole, DHOOM DADAKKA could've been a decent timepass flick, but it misses the bus.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Jannat ( 2008 )
The Bhatts never run out of stories. In their new outing JANNAT, Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt have yet another new story to tell. This time, it's all about match fixing and bookies. But wait! It would be erroneous to classify JANNAT as a cricket-centric film. Cricket is just the wallpaper here. The focus is on the love story, like GANGSTER which was, at heart, a love story.
What catches you by complete surprise is the fact that JANNAT has been helmed by a debutante director [Kunal Deshmukh] and penned by, again, a debutante wordsmith [story: Vishesh Bhatt; screenplay Kunal Deshmukh and Vishesh Bhatt]. You're surprised at the level of maturity, the command over the craft, the display of confidence in their very first outing.
Write your own movie review of Jannat
Honestly, you don't take to JANNAT instantly. The initial portions - the love story - are strictly chalta hai stuff. But the best part is, JANNAT takes a step forward every 10 minutes. The film actually takes off when the characters reach Cape Town, South Africa. The portions thereafter are akin to a roller coater ride.
Right from the interval point to a hair-raising, pulse-pounding climax, JANNAT is another journey altogether. The end, especially, hits you like a ton of bricks [it wouldn't be right to reveal what happens to the characters].
You can't imagine JANNAT without Emraan Hashmi. Right from his debut film FOOTHPATH to JANNAT, the actor has only grown with the passage of time. The actor displays the gamut of emotions with aplomb, he changes expressions like a chameleon changes colors. JANNAT is yet another turning point in his career.
In a nutshell, JANNAT is one of the finest films to come out of Vishesh Films. Not to be missed!
Arjun [Emraan Hashmi] is a reckless young man with an obsession for making money at card games. A chance meeting with a girl in a mall, Zoya [Sonal Chauhan], gives him the reasons he was looking for to move out of his ordinary life. He steps up from playing small-time card games to becoming a bookie.
Stuck in a triangle of sorts between the woman he loves and his addiction to make a quick buck, Arjun steps into the world of match fixing. But his dizzy rise attracts the attention of the police [Samir Kochar].
Arjun has to now choose between Zoya and this new-found success and power. As Arjun struggles to choose between the two, the Don [Jawed Sheikh] offers the forbidden apple of limitless wealth in exchange of his soul and draws him into his core entourage of money spinners.
You may not be a cricket fan, but it's not difficult to decipher JANNAT. In fact, the makers have refrained from using any technical jargon in the movie. Portions depicting match fixing and Emraan's interaction with the cricketers are, in fact, amongst the high points of the film. The speed at which JANNAT unfolds and most importantly, the turn of events is the hallmark of this enterprise.
Vishesh Films has an eye for talent and this time the prolific production house pulls up two more aces - director Kunal Deshmukh and writer Vishesh Bhatt. Kunal is a storyteller to watch out for. In the past decade, the Bhatts have nurtured several talents, prominent among them being Anurag Basu and Mohit Suri. Now add Kunal Deshmukh to the list. If you understand cinema, you'd realize that every sequence in JANNAT is not only well-shot, but there's meat in those scenes too.
Vishesh Bhatt's writing is dew-fresh and doesn't take the tried and tested route. Note the intermission point or the twists in the second hour as also the climax, the writer's contribution looms large in those portions. Pritam's music is lilting. The film has a hit score, but you'd like to single out two numbers - 'Zara Sa' and 'Jannat Jahan' - for the sheer melody.
Manoj Soni's cinematography is first-rate. The stunning locales of Cape Town are filmed exquisitely. Sanjay Masoom's dialogues are excellent. A few dialogues, in fact, are refreshing to the ears. Background score [Raju Singh] is top notch.
You can't visualize JANNAT without Emraan Hashmi. If you loved him in MURDER, GANGSTER and AWARAPAN, you'd place his performance in JANNAT in the same league. Note the naughty streak as also the helplessness [at the interval point and towards the end]. An incredible performance indeed!
Sonal Chauhan looks pretty and though she's passable in the initial portions, she gets into the groove eventually. This girl has the potential. Jawed Sheikh is brilliant. This is his finest work so far. Samir Kochar is excellent. Vishal Malhotra is good. Shakeel Khan does very well. Abhimanyu Singh is competent. Vipin Sharma leaves a mark in a brief role.
On the whole, JANNAT is a well-made film with lilting music, gripping script and excellent performances as its mainstay. Coupled with an absorbing second hour and a brilliant climax, the film has all it takes to prove a success story in times to come. Its solo release coupled with good hype should overcome the strong opposition [IPL].
What catches you by complete surprise is the fact that JANNAT has been helmed by a debutante director [Kunal Deshmukh] and penned by, again, a debutante wordsmith [story: Vishesh Bhatt; screenplay Kunal Deshmukh and Vishesh Bhatt]. You're surprised at the level of maturity, the command over the craft, the display of confidence in their very first outing.
Write your own movie review of Jannat
Honestly, you don't take to JANNAT instantly. The initial portions - the love story - are strictly chalta hai stuff. But the best part is, JANNAT takes a step forward every 10 minutes. The film actually takes off when the characters reach Cape Town, South Africa. The portions thereafter are akin to a roller coater ride.
Right from the interval point to a hair-raising, pulse-pounding climax, JANNAT is another journey altogether. The end, especially, hits you like a ton of bricks [it wouldn't be right to reveal what happens to the characters].
You can't imagine JANNAT without Emraan Hashmi. Right from his debut film FOOTHPATH to JANNAT, the actor has only grown with the passage of time. The actor displays the gamut of emotions with aplomb, he changes expressions like a chameleon changes colors. JANNAT is yet another turning point in his career.
In a nutshell, JANNAT is one of the finest films to come out of Vishesh Films. Not to be missed!
Arjun [Emraan Hashmi] is a reckless young man with an obsession for making money at card games. A chance meeting with a girl in a mall, Zoya [Sonal Chauhan], gives him the reasons he was looking for to move out of his ordinary life. He steps up from playing small-time card games to becoming a bookie.
Stuck in a triangle of sorts between the woman he loves and his addiction to make a quick buck, Arjun steps into the world of match fixing. But his dizzy rise attracts the attention of the police [Samir Kochar].
Arjun has to now choose between Zoya and this new-found success and power. As Arjun struggles to choose between the two, the Don [Jawed Sheikh] offers the forbidden apple of limitless wealth in exchange of his soul and draws him into his core entourage of money spinners.
You may not be a cricket fan, but it's not difficult to decipher JANNAT. In fact, the makers have refrained from using any technical jargon in the movie. Portions depicting match fixing and Emraan's interaction with the cricketers are, in fact, amongst the high points of the film. The speed at which JANNAT unfolds and most importantly, the turn of events is the hallmark of this enterprise.
Vishesh Films has an eye for talent and this time the prolific production house pulls up two more aces - director Kunal Deshmukh and writer Vishesh Bhatt. Kunal is a storyteller to watch out for. In the past decade, the Bhatts have nurtured several talents, prominent among them being Anurag Basu and Mohit Suri. Now add Kunal Deshmukh to the list. If you understand cinema, you'd realize that every sequence in JANNAT is not only well-shot, but there's meat in those scenes too.
Vishesh Bhatt's writing is dew-fresh and doesn't take the tried and tested route. Note the intermission point or the twists in the second hour as also the climax, the writer's contribution looms large in those portions. Pritam's music is lilting. The film has a hit score, but you'd like to single out two numbers - 'Zara Sa' and 'Jannat Jahan' - for the sheer melody.
Manoj Soni's cinematography is first-rate. The stunning locales of Cape Town are filmed exquisitely. Sanjay Masoom's dialogues are excellent. A few dialogues, in fact, are refreshing to the ears. Background score [Raju Singh] is top notch.
You can't visualize JANNAT without Emraan Hashmi. If you loved him in MURDER, GANGSTER and AWARAPAN, you'd place his performance in JANNAT in the same league. Note the naughty streak as also the helplessness [at the interval point and towards the end]. An incredible performance indeed!
Sonal Chauhan looks pretty and though she's passable in the initial portions, she gets into the groove eventually. This girl has the potential. Jawed Sheikh is brilliant. This is his finest work so far. Samir Kochar is excellent. Vishal Malhotra is good. Shakeel Khan does very well. Abhimanyu Singh is competent. Vipin Sharma leaves a mark in a brief role.
On the whole, JANNAT is a well-made film with lilting music, gripping script and excellent performances as its mainstay. Coupled with an absorbing second hour and a brilliant climax, the film has all it takes to prove a success story in times to come. Its solo release coupled with good hype should overcome the strong opposition [IPL].
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Jimmy
By a strange co-incidence, the new releases of last two Fridays have been poor clones of the 1970s/80s formula. Two weeks ago TASHAN and last week's MR. WHITE MR. BLACK were perfect examples of outdated cinema trying to make a foothold in the multiplex era, but in vain. Now add JIMMY to this list!
JIMMY is meant to be the launch of a star-kid [Mimoh Chakraborty], but the question that crosses your mind constantly is, is the script befitting the launch of a star-kid in the first place? Does it do justice to the debutante's skills? Most importantly, how could a veteran, experienced Mithun Chakraborty okay such a shoddy script for his son's launch?
One look at Mimoh and you know that given the right roles, he can work wonders. So why a tacky script in the first place? He deserved better! The screenplay of JIMMY is an assemblage of the numerous masala films we've visited since time immemorial. The main betrayer here is its concept that has already passed the expiry date. And even a majestic tower will fall if the very foundations are weak.
Write your own movie review of Jimmy
Look at the cinema being churned out these days. Newer concepts, newer ideas, newer stories are the order of the day. The multiplex era has taken over completely. There's just no room for mediocrity any longer. In such a scenario, JIMMY looks like a fish out of water, an obsolete product that stands no chance in today's times.
Sorry, you just don't feel like humming the popular Mithun track 'Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy, aaja aaja aaja' for this one!
In the dead of the night, a young woman's dead body is uncovered by the police. All leads point towards Jimmy [Mimoh Chakraborty]. A mechanical engineer in day and DJ by night, Jimmy works hard to pay off the debts his late father [Prithvi] left behind. While everybody is shocked, Jimmy owns up to the murder and is sentenced to death.
JIMMY is meant to be the launch of a star-kid [Mimoh Chakraborty], but the question that crosses your mind constantly is, is the script befitting the launch of a star-kid in the first place? Does it do justice to the debutante's skills? Most importantly, how could a veteran, experienced Mithun Chakraborty okay such a shoddy script for his son's launch?
One look at Mimoh and you know that given the right roles, he can work wonders. So why a tacky script in the first place? He deserved better! The screenplay of JIMMY is an assemblage of the numerous masala films we've visited since time immemorial. The main betrayer here is its concept that has already passed the expiry date. And even a majestic tower will fall if the very foundations are weak.
Write your own movie review of Jimmy
Look at the cinema being churned out these days. Newer concepts, newer ideas, newer stories are the order of the day. The multiplex era has taken over completely. There's just no room for mediocrity any longer. In such a scenario, JIMMY looks like a fish out of water, an obsolete product that stands no chance in today's times.
Sorry, you just don't feel like humming the popular Mithun track 'Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy, aaja aaja aaja' for this one!
In the dead of the night, a young woman's dead body is uncovered by the police. All leads point towards Jimmy [Mimoh Chakraborty]. A mechanical engineer in day and DJ by night, Jimmy works hard to pay off the debts his late father [Prithvi] left behind. While everybody is shocked, Jimmy owns up to the murder and is sentenced to death.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Bhoothnath: Adorable but flawed
Cast – Aman Siddiqui, Amitabh Bachchan, Juhi Chawla, Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanshu Chatterjee
Director – Vivek Sharma
Producer – B R Chopra, Ravi Chopra
Rating - ***
It's an absolutely adorable film. Of course that's if you can overlook the corny dialogues, the pointless songs, the embarrassingly lame reason for the Bhoot to 'bhatko' in Nath Villa, and the rather foolish storyline. So yes, it has its flaws.
To not let the cat out of the bag the story can be summarised in one sentence. Banku (Aman Siddiqui) meets a ghost (Amitabh Bachchan), becomes friends with him and then does a 'pooja' to supposedly release his 'aatma'.
The graph of the film is like a Moby Dick drawing. It picks up sharply from the start, remains there for a few minutes before gradually plummeting downwards to its climax (or anticlimax). The first part of the film, where the ghost meets the child is cute, funny and ingeniously original. They're not 'buddies' at that time. When they become 'buddies', they're not interesting.
Eventually the angle of why the 'Bhoot' becomes a 'Bhoot' is pushed in and then begins the 'Rona Dhona' of a 70's drama climax. And then there is the 'when I go away I'll become a star' thing that, overnight, turns an eight-year-old kid into a wannabe Shah Rukh Khan standing on the terrace arms held open to the sky howling his head off before the film ends.
So the film is not flawless but credit has to be given to director Vivek Sharma, who still managed to make his first film with some style and elicit simply rocking performances from the film's leads, Amitabh Bachchan and Aman Siddiqui.
The seasoned Amitabh times his expressions to perfection and essays the character-change of a 'bhoot' with panache. But move over Mr. Bachchan. Here comes the new superstar, Aman! A bundle of delight, the little kid breathes life into even the limpest of scenes (that's of course until the script demands him to be a complete jerk). In fact, move over all the stars of today; they can't ever give the performance that the little tykes give in the song 'Hum to Hai Aandhi'.
Which brings us to the music. The movie has a host of bad playback songs with worse situational placement barring one song 'Banku bhaiyya' which is spot-on. The background music is subtly effective and has a lot to add to the mood of the film.
One thing that needs to be taken note of is the editing and the visuals that are slick and make the film a treat for the eyes.
The script is erratic being simply brilliant at places while simultaneously making you want to punch the scriptwriter's nose for the flabbergasting melodrama that ruthlessly massacres the end of the film. Thankfully, the last scene of the film saves it from being completely disappointing with a ray of hope hinting towards a sequel.
Let's hope Vivek Sharma learns from his mistakes the next time around.
© Copyright 2008.
Director – Vivek Sharma
Producer – B R Chopra, Ravi Chopra
Rating - ***
It's an absolutely adorable film. Of course that's if you can overlook the corny dialogues, the pointless songs, the embarrassingly lame reason for the Bhoot to 'bhatko' in Nath Villa, and the rather foolish storyline. So yes, it has its flaws.
To not let the cat out of the bag the story can be summarised in one sentence. Banku (Aman Siddiqui) meets a ghost (Amitabh Bachchan), becomes friends with him and then does a 'pooja' to supposedly release his 'aatma'.
The graph of the film is like a Moby Dick drawing. It picks up sharply from the start, remains there for a few minutes before gradually plummeting downwards to its climax (or anticlimax). The first part of the film, where the ghost meets the child is cute, funny and ingeniously original. They're not 'buddies' at that time. When they become 'buddies', they're not interesting.
Eventually the angle of why the 'Bhoot' becomes a 'Bhoot' is pushed in and then begins the 'Rona Dhona' of a 70's drama climax. And then there is the 'when I go away I'll become a star' thing that, overnight, turns an eight-year-old kid into a wannabe Shah Rukh Khan standing on the terrace arms held open to the sky howling his head off before the film ends.
So the film is not flawless but credit has to be given to director Vivek Sharma, who still managed to make his first film with some style and elicit simply rocking performances from the film's leads, Amitabh Bachchan and Aman Siddiqui.
The seasoned Amitabh times his expressions to perfection and essays the character-change of a 'bhoot' with panache. But move over Mr. Bachchan. Here comes the new superstar, Aman! A bundle of delight, the little kid breathes life into even the limpest of scenes (that's of course until the script demands him to be a complete jerk). In fact, move over all the stars of today; they can't ever give the performance that the little tykes give in the song 'Hum to Hai Aandhi'.
Which brings us to the music. The movie has a host of bad playback songs with worse situational placement barring one song 'Banku bhaiyya' which is spot-on. The background music is subtly effective and has a lot to add to the mood of the film.
One thing that needs to be taken note of is the editing and the visuals that are slick and make the film a treat for the eyes.
The script is erratic being simply brilliant at places while simultaneously making you want to punch the scriptwriter's nose for the flabbergasting melodrama that ruthlessly massacres the end of the film. Thankfully, the last scene of the film saves it from being completely disappointing with a ray of hope hinting towards a sequel.
Let's hope Vivek Sharma learns from his mistakes the next time around.
© Copyright 2008.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Hope and a Little Sugar (2008)
Good things come in small packages. HOPE & A LITTLE SUGAR [English] is a fine example of this adage. On face-value, you would be least interested in jumping the queue 
and grabbing its ticket. But once the reels unfold, you realize that sometimes small-budget films have more to convey than those multi-crore extravaganzas.
HOPE & A LITTLE SUGAR doesn't look at the tragedy [9/11]. Nor does it look for reasons that resulted in the tragedy. It looks at the trauma a family undergoes through and one has to move on in life. One of the prime reasons why it works is because the film has recall value. It affects you even after the show has concluded.
Write your own movie review of Hope and a Little Sugar
A film for mature audiences, HOPE & A LITTLE SUGAR packs a solid punch in those 90 minutes.
and grabbing its ticket. But once the reels unfold, you realize that sometimes small-budget films have more to convey than those multi-crore extravaganzas.HOPE & A LITTLE SUGAR doesn't look at the tragedy [9/11]. Nor does it look for reasons that resulted in the tragedy. It looks at the trauma a family undergoes through and one has to move on in life. One of the prime reasons why it works is because the film has recall value. It affects you even after the show has concluded.
Write your own movie review of Hope and a Little Sugar
A film for mature audiences, HOPE & A LITTLE SUGAR packs a solid punch in those 90 minutes.
Set in New York in the weeks before and after 9/11, HOPE & A LITTLE SUGAR centers around the romance between a Muslim photographer and a young Sikh woman. Bike messenger Ali [Amit Sial] meets the beautiful but married Saloni [Mahima Chaudhry], a charismatic mithaai shop owner who encourages Ali's photography and becomes his muse. Despite Ali's secret and largely unrequited crush on Saloni, he develops a close friendship with her and her husband Harry [Vikram Chatwal].
When tragedy strikes with the terrorist attacks on September 11, her
father-in-law, a retired army Colonel [Anupam Kher], devastated by grief and anger, directs his longstanding animosity towards Muslims at Ali, as the young man's affection for Saloni grows increasingly evident. Although the Colonel's wife [Suhasini Mulay] tries to pacify her husband, the Colonel, unable to accept life's pain, threatens to bring everything to a violent end.Director Tanuja Chandra narrates an interesting tale and more importantly, it's topical even today, years after 9/11 occurred. Her storytelling technique is simple, yet powerful. A number of sequences, especially post 9/11, have been handled with dexterity. But the culmination could've been more impactful. Why does Kher have a change of heart all of a sudden? A solid reason is lacking. Also, the romance [from Mahima's side] should've been better established. A sequence or two should've been devoted to make things appear believable.
HOPE & A LITTLE SUGAR belongs to Tanuja Chandra; this is her most accomplished work so far. Also, every actor is in top form: Mahima [excellent], Kher [incredible], Suhasini Mulay [exceptional] and new-find Amit Sial [fine talent; confident]. Vikram Chatwal gets minimal scope.
On the whole, HOPE & A LITTLE SUGAR is a well-made, engrossing fare that caters to a niche audience. A film for select multiplexes in India.
Mr. White Mr. Black (2008)
It's tough to make a comedy. It's even tougher to make people laugh. With MR. WHITE MR. BLACK you realize that director Deepak Shivdasani's intentions may be sincere, to make a full-on 
entertainer, but the film fails to transport you to ha-ha-land. It takes off with gusto, but the vehicle runs out of gas suddenly, leaving you stranded midway.
MR. WHITE MR. BLACK borrows heavily from the tried and tested stuff. There's a bit of GOPI KISHAN [Suniel Shetty's double role won praise then]. Plus, the usual masala that worked at a point of time. However, despite its uninspiring content, there's no denying that a few scenes do make you flex your facial muscles, even though the jokes are quite childish. Unfortunately, things take a complete U-turn in the second hour, with this comedy proving more of a tragedy for the hapless viewer.
Write your own movie review of Mr. White Mr. Black
In short, MR. WHITE MR. BLACK is a half-baked fare that tries too hard to entertain, but fails.
Gopi [Suniel Shetty], a simpleton, arrives in Goa from Hoshiarpur. His mission - to hand over a piece of land to his childhood friend Kishen [Arshad Warsi]. Kishen swindles people with a little help from his accomplice [Atul Kale], to earn enough money to educate his sibling Divya [Mahima Mehta], who's studying in London. Kishen, however, has managed to hide his profession from Anuradha [Rashmi Nigam] by cooking up an alibi of a twin brother, Hari, who's the bad guy.
Kishen avoids Gopi like he's bad news. He's not going to give up his flourishing business and travel to Hoshiarpur just to take possession of a measly piece of land. Meanwhile, diamonds worth Rs. 25 crores have been stolen by three girls, who are now holed up in Goa. Kishen traces the three girls and succeeds in robbing the diamonds. But the diamonds actually belong to a don, Laadla [Ashish Vidyarti], who has also reached Goa.
That Deepak Shivdasani has an eye for style is visible at the very outset,
when the three girls perform a heist in broad daylight. The film actually starts off with a bang! A few portions thereafter are equally interesting, but the writing suddenly deviates into unwanted territories in the second hour.
Take, for instance, Suniel's character. He wants Arshad to return to Hoshiarpur to fulfill a promise, but the reasons don't come across strongly. Note another point. When the three girls realize that the diamonds have been robbed from their locker and they begin a search for Arshad, the story suddenly shifts to various sub-plots: The love interest, followed by the mandatory songs, another 15-20 minutes are devoted to Arshad's sister's marriage and much later, the original owner of the resorts [Sadashiv Amrapurkar] re-appears on the scene. The three girls eventually show up in the climax. Truly, the second half is chaotic!
Deepak Shivdasani shows a flair for comic fares, but is letdown by a hotchpotch screenplay. Music is equally ineffective. 'Samundar' and 'Gopi Kishan' are average compositions, but the remaining tracks are lackluster. Thomas Xavier's cinematography, surprisingly, lacks sheen.
Suniel Shetty repeats his act without any variation. Ditto for Arshad, who is livewire in some portions only. Amongst ladies, Anishka Khosla [resembles Preity Zinta from some angles] is an okay actress. But what is the talented Sandhya Mridul doing in a film like this? Rashmi Nigam looks pretty, that's it! Sharat Saxena is the only actor who stands out. Ashish Vidyarthi is loud. Shehzad Khan is funny. Vrajesh Hirjee and Upasana Singh's track is half-baked. Manoj Joshi deserved a better role. Sadashiv Amrapurkar and Atul Kale are passable.
On the whole, MR. WHITE MR. BLACK promises only a few moments of laughter, which isn't enough. At the box-office, an also-ran!
entertainer, but the film fails to transport you to ha-ha-land. It takes off with gusto, but the vehicle runs out of gas suddenly, leaving you stranded midway.MR. WHITE MR. BLACK borrows heavily from the tried and tested stuff. There's a bit of GOPI KISHAN [Suniel Shetty's double role won praise then]. Plus, the usual masala that worked at a point of time. However, despite its uninspiring content, there's no denying that a few scenes do make you flex your facial muscles, even though the jokes are quite childish. Unfortunately, things take a complete U-turn in the second hour, with this comedy proving more of a tragedy for the hapless viewer.
Write your own movie review of Mr. White Mr. Black
In short, MR. WHITE MR. BLACK is a half-baked fare that tries too hard to entertain, but fails.
Gopi [Suniel Shetty], a simpleton, arrives in Goa from Hoshiarpur. His mission - to hand over a piece of land to his childhood friend Kishen [Arshad Warsi]. Kishen swindles people with a little help from his accomplice [Atul Kale], to earn enough money to educate his sibling Divya [Mahima Mehta], who's studying in London. Kishen, however, has managed to hide his profession from Anuradha [Rashmi Nigam] by cooking up an alibi of a twin brother, Hari, who's the bad guy.
Kishen avoids Gopi like he's bad news. He's not going to give up his flourishing business and travel to Hoshiarpur just to take possession of a measly piece of land. Meanwhile, diamonds worth Rs. 25 crores have been stolen by three girls, who are now holed up in Goa. Kishen traces the three girls and succeeds in robbing the diamonds. But the diamonds actually belong to a don, Laadla [Ashish Vidyarti], who has also reached Goa.
That Deepak Shivdasani has an eye for style is visible at the very outset,
when the three girls perform a heist in broad daylight. The film actually starts off with a bang! A few portions thereafter are equally interesting, but the writing suddenly deviates into unwanted territories in the second hour.Take, for instance, Suniel's character. He wants Arshad to return to Hoshiarpur to fulfill a promise, but the reasons don't come across strongly. Note another point. When the three girls realize that the diamonds have been robbed from their locker and they begin a search for Arshad, the story suddenly shifts to various sub-plots: The love interest, followed by the mandatory songs, another 15-20 minutes are devoted to Arshad's sister's marriage and much later, the original owner of the resorts [Sadashiv Amrapurkar] re-appears on the scene. The three girls eventually show up in the climax. Truly, the second half is chaotic!
Deepak Shivdasani shows a flair for comic fares, but is letdown by a hotchpotch screenplay. Music is equally ineffective. 'Samundar' and 'Gopi Kishan' are average compositions, but the remaining tracks are lackluster. Thomas Xavier's cinematography, surprisingly, lacks sheen.
Suniel Shetty repeats his act without any variation. Ditto for Arshad, who is livewire in some portions only. Amongst ladies, Anishka Khosla [resembles Preity Zinta from some angles] is an okay actress. But what is the talented Sandhya Mridul doing in a film like this? Rashmi Nigam looks pretty, that's it! Sharat Saxena is the only actor who stands out. Ashish Vidyarthi is loud. Shehzad Khan is funny. Vrajesh Hirjee and Upasana Singh's track is half-baked. Manoj Joshi deserved a better role. Sadashiv Amrapurkar and Atul Kale are passable.
On the whole, MR. WHITE MR. BLACK promises only a few moments of laughter, which isn't enough. At the box-office, an also-ran!
Anamika (2008)
Film scripts are like rubber band. Try stretching the band beyond a point and it's sure to give away. The script of ANAMIKA suffers for this reason!
Director Ananth Narayan Mahadevan presents every sequence with utmost care till the intermission point. You're hooked, you're transported to the world of Mrs. Anamika Sisodiya, the character who continues to haunt everyone in this film, even after she's gone. You eagerly look forward to the twist in the tale.
Alas! What eventually unfolds, though filmed with the same sincerity, lacks conviction. It also fails to surprise you because midway through the journey, you know what the outcome would eventually be. It doesn't keep you guessing. And that's bad news for any thriller!
Frankly, a suspense saga works only if it is backed by a solid climax. In ANAMIKA, the tension gradually builds up till the climax, but the end is so tame, so contrived that you exclaim, 'Gosh! What was that?'
As a storyteller, Ananth almost gets it right -- he has handled the complex theme like a pro, even extracted convincing performances from his set of actors, has worked hard on maintaining the mood of the film from start to end -- but he's letdown by the writing in the second hour.
ANAMIKA tells the story of an escort Jia [Minissha Lamba], who gets married to Vikram Sisodiya [Dino Morea] after a 2-day courtship. Before marrying Jia, Vikram confesses that his first wife, Anamika, had died under mysterious circumstances.
Vikram and Jia fly to Vikram's ancestral home in Gajner in Rajasthan. The home, a palace to be precise, is being looked after by Vikram's childhood friend Malini [Koena Mitra]. Now begins the story… Everyone in Gajner seems to be obsessed with Anamika and Jia starts sensing it. In fact, Jia is constantly compared to Anamika. Worse, she even sees Anamika's spirit in the palace.
In a turn of events, Anamika's dead body is discovered and the police [Gulshan Grover, Dino's brother-in-law] re-open the case. All fingers point towards Vikram. Is he the murderer?
Loosely based on the novel 'Rebecca', ANAMIKA is a difficult subject to make. But after the initial hiccups, the director succeeds in involving the viewer in the mysterious world of Anamika. The backdrop of Rajasthan, the isolated palace and the reference to Anamika at every point only deepens the mystery. So far so good!
Almost the entire first half is executed with élan by Ananth, who's only grown as a
storyteller over the years. But, as mentioned earlier, the writing [in the second hour] acts as a spoilsport. Without wanting to reveal the climax, let's just say that it's one of those tame and predictable endings that we've visited time and again.Anu Malik's music is pleasant, but the songs [the ones filmed in Thailand] and the choreography in particular of these tracks don't really gel with the mood of the film. Pushan Kripalani's cinematography is alright. The stunning locales of Rajasthan, the production design [Gayatri Marwah] as also the styling is commendable. Aadesh Shrivastava's background score deserves special mention. It's excellent.
Dino Morea surprises you with a controlled performance. Also, he carries the regal look convincingly. Minissha Lamba is a revelation. She's getting better and better with every release. Koena Mitra is first-rate. Gulshan Grover is effective. Achint Kaur is highly competent. Vishwajeet Pradhan and Jatin Grewal are okay.
On the whole, ANAMIKA is letdown by its writing in the second hour. At the box-office, the not-too-interesting face-value coupled with the ongoing cricket mania will only go against it.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Tashan (2008)
Hindi movies have undergone a sea-change in terms of content. 
From crude, been there seen that, done to death kind of movies, to films with substance, the audience tastes have changed over the years. Even though we've have grown up on the staple diet of desi food, we've cultivated a taste for Italian, Chinese, Thai and Mexican cuisine.
The experience with TASHAN is like, you enter a posh restaurant, waiting for a sumptuous meal to be served, but what's served on your plate is vada-pau. TASHAN takes you back to the 1970s Bollywood, when illogical situations, blood and gore, for no rhyme of reason, were the main ingredients that made the junta break into taalis. Sorry, the formula doesn't work anymore!
Write your own movie review of Tashan
Seriously, what was debutante director Vijay Krishna Acharya thinking
when he wrote this apology of a script? It's perfectly okay to revisit the classics and pay homage to the masala films of yore, but the new interpretation has to be contemporary, you need to change with the times.
The one thing that you realize after watching TASHAN is, no amount of gloss, glam and top notch stars can ever substitute for a riveting script. Great stars, great styling, great songs and great visuals work as long as the script is great.
So what's the verdict then? If you genuinely miss the 'Kamine, main tera khoon pee jaaonga' and 'Bhagwan ke liye mujhe maaf kardo' kind of movies that dominated the 1970s, pick up a DVD of those hits instead. TASHAN is regressive cinema with a capital R.
A call centre executive Jimmy [Saif Ali Khan] is entrusted the responsibility of teaching English to a gangster, Bhaiyyaji [Anil Kapoor]. But Bhaiyyaji's key help Pooja [Kareena Kapoor] uses Jimmy to swindle Bhaiyyaji of Rs. 25 crores. Obviously, Bhaiyajji wants his money back and also Jimmy and Pooja's heads.
He settles for Bachchan Pande [Akshay Kumar] to carry out the job of tracing Pooja, once Jimmy surrenders himself to Bhaiyyaji. What happens next?
Actually, TASHAN starts off very well and the first hour unwinds at a feverish pace. Besides, there're interesting twists and turns in this hour that make you jump with joy. Akshay's entry in the movie is the turning point and the actor only takes the film to a new level.
Alas, the joy is short-lived. The writer-director goes completely off the mark and loses focus. Instead of coming to the point right away, what the writer does is makes you run in circles and circles. It's like boarding a direct flight to London, but the pilot suddenly decides on having stopovers in Ahmedabad, Dubai, Budapest, Munich, Berlin, Amsterdam, before landing at London. You're exasperated!
What ails the film? Various factors. The film goes on and on and on.
Unwanted scenes, the outdated love angle, the lenggggggthy fight sequences [people showering Akshay and Saif with bullets, but, well, nothing happens], the confrontation between good and evil in the climax… you actually pinch yourself, were you watching the same movie in the first hour? Or did the reels get changed?
Another minus factor is Vishal-Shekhar's music. Seems like the composers have run out of tunes and what they offer is best suited for the music systems in their cars only. With such impressive names on and off screen, the music directors should've ensured that they come up with tunes that remain etched in your memory… in this case, at least that could've been a redeeming aspect. But the music is awful. The picturisation of some songs is, however, quite eye-filling.
Debutante director Vijay Krishna Acharya seems to have taken the audience for granted. Cinematography is excellent. The locales are a visual treat. Dialogues are good at places.
TASHAN belongs to Akshay Kumar completely. No two opinions on that. Take Akshay out of this film and the movie is a big zero. He's the lifeline of this project and his performance will be loved by elite and masses, both. Kareena Kapoor is fantastic. She looks gorgeous, acts very well [her role is similar to the one she essayed in FIDA] and yes, she carries off the bikini with élan.
Saif Ali Khan is relegated to the backseat. What did Saif see in this role? He's hardly there in the second hour. Anil Kapoor entertains at the start, but after a point, the Hindi-English bhasha gets on your nerves. Also, it's very difficult to decipher what he's speaking most of the time.
On the whole, TASHAN is one of the weakest films to come out of the Yash Raj banner. This film has gloss aplenty, but no soul. At the box-office, the film will join the ranks of JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM, LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG and AAJA NACHLE sooner or later… Business in Overseas will also be weak despite a popular cast.
From crude, been there seen that, done to death kind of movies, to films with substance, the audience tastes have changed over the years. Even though we've have grown up on the staple diet of desi food, we've cultivated a taste for Italian, Chinese, Thai and Mexican cuisine.The experience with TASHAN is like, you enter a posh restaurant, waiting for a sumptuous meal to be served, but what's served on your plate is vada-pau. TASHAN takes you back to the 1970s Bollywood, when illogical situations, blood and gore, for no rhyme of reason, were the main ingredients that made the junta break into taalis. Sorry, the formula doesn't work anymore!
Write your own movie review of Tashan
Seriously, what was debutante director Vijay Krishna Acharya thinking
when he wrote this apology of a script? It's perfectly okay to revisit the classics and pay homage to the masala films of yore, but the new interpretation has to be contemporary, you need to change with the times.The one thing that you realize after watching TASHAN is, no amount of gloss, glam and top notch stars can ever substitute for a riveting script. Great stars, great styling, great songs and great visuals work as long as the script is great.
So what's the verdict then? If you genuinely miss the 'Kamine, main tera khoon pee jaaonga' and 'Bhagwan ke liye mujhe maaf kardo' kind of movies that dominated the 1970s, pick up a DVD of those hits instead. TASHAN is regressive cinema with a capital R.
A call centre executive Jimmy [Saif Ali Khan] is entrusted the responsibility of teaching English to a gangster, Bhaiyyaji [Anil Kapoor]. But Bhaiyyaji's key help Pooja [Kareena Kapoor] uses Jimmy to swindle Bhaiyyaji of Rs. 25 crores. Obviously, Bhaiyajji wants his money back and also Jimmy and Pooja's heads.
He settles for Bachchan Pande [Akshay Kumar] to carry out the job of tracing Pooja, once Jimmy surrenders himself to Bhaiyyaji. What happens next?
Actually, TASHAN starts off very well and the first hour unwinds at a feverish pace. Besides, there're interesting twists and turns in this hour that make you jump with joy. Akshay's entry in the movie is the turning point and the actor only takes the film to a new level.
Alas, the joy is short-lived. The writer-director goes completely off the mark and loses focus. Instead of coming to the point right away, what the writer does is makes you run in circles and circles. It's like boarding a direct flight to London, but the pilot suddenly decides on having stopovers in Ahmedabad, Dubai, Budapest, Munich, Berlin, Amsterdam, before landing at London. You're exasperated!
What ails the film? Various factors. The film goes on and on and on.
Unwanted scenes, the outdated love angle, the lenggggggthy fight sequences [people showering Akshay and Saif with bullets, but, well, nothing happens], the confrontation between good and evil in the climax… you actually pinch yourself, were you watching the same movie in the first hour? Or did the reels get changed?Another minus factor is Vishal-Shekhar's music. Seems like the composers have run out of tunes and what they offer is best suited for the music systems in their cars only. With such impressive names on and off screen, the music directors should've ensured that they come up with tunes that remain etched in your memory… in this case, at least that could've been a redeeming aspect. But the music is awful. The picturisation of some songs is, however, quite eye-filling.
Debutante director Vijay Krishna Acharya seems to have taken the audience for granted. Cinematography is excellent. The locales are a visual treat. Dialogues are good at places.
TASHAN belongs to Akshay Kumar completely. No two opinions on that. Take Akshay out of this film and the movie is a big zero. He's the lifeline of this project and his performance will be loved by elite and masses, both. Kareena Kapoor is fantastic. She looks gorgeous, acts very well [her role is similar to the one she essayed in FIDA] and yes, she carries off the bikini with élan.
Saif Ali Khan is relegated to the backseat. What did Saif see in this role? He's hardly there in the second hour. Anil Kapoor entertains at the start, but after a point, the Hindi-English bhasha gets on your nerves. Also, it's very difficult to decipher what he's speaking most of the time.
On the whole, TASHAN is one of the weakest films to come out of the Yash Raj banner. This film has gloss aplenty, but no soul. At the box-office, the film will join the ranks of JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM, LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG and AAJA NACHLE sooner or later… Business in Overseas will also be weak despite a popular cast.
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