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!

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!

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.

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.