Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani

Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani” turned out almost like I thought it would, although I had expected better. Majorly slapstick-y with a very, very loose story-line, is how I’d describe it. The regular rules on describing character development and depth don’t apply here because, and I’ll say it flat out, there is none. Character development that is. This film, while being physically situated in a hill-station like small town, appears to play out in fantasy land. Hence, to sit through this film, you are required to suspend your disbelief and knowledge of physics, gravity and all that tiresome logic.
The film, as the title proclaims, is about Prem Chopra (Ranbir Kapoor) who is a 9th standard fail, good-for-nothing wastrel (where have I seen that before?). Prem is all about being President of a “Happy Club” – he does nothing else. The Happy Club and it’s members, who are all Prem’s equally good-for-nothing friends, have lofty goals in mind, but run around not amounting to much.
Prem who lives with and is supported by his parents, wants to “grow up” once he sights and falls in love with the beautiful Jennifer (Katrina Kaif). However Jenny is being forced by her foster parents to marry an odious chap, and she actually loves Rahul (Upen Patel). Prem, by virtue of being her friend, and very classically hero-like in being unable to tell her of his love, finds himself kidnapping her from her very own wedding so she can be with her true love. Things of course do not go as planned, but does Prem get what he deserves?
While the film makes it very clear that there is no realism in the story, and the viewer should expect no connections (remote or otherwise) to coherence, it is also not an out-an-out gag fest. There is an attempt to create a film full of buffoonery, tomfoolery and abject slapstick, but Santoshi cannot keep up the momentum.
Thus while there are some scenes which are comedic, there were gaps in the film where I was plain bored. Add to that, the fact that this film pretty much conducts itself at a level suited for a teeny-bopper flick, and you get the picture.

Santoshi who has delivered meaningful films like “Damini” in the past, also managed to turn out half-decent 'comedies' like “Andaz Apna Apna”. This time he tries to be fluffier than usual and as far as I’m concerned does not get it right. APKGK has a pretty light-weight script, and is unencumbered by traditional filmi elements such as a believable story or screenplay.
Even given that, this film fails to leave a mark, chiefly because I care not a whit about the card-board-ish lead-pair, Prem and Jenny, both of whom share two common characteristics. Firstly they both stammer when upset, and the second (which the director may not have intended) that although full-grown adults, they appear to only possess child-sized brains.
This film might descend into stupidity, but its stars are quite another matter. Luminous Katrina, and the youngish Ranbir, ooze beauty and charm in every frame. Even though they have no help from the script, they manage to salvage the film to make it an average entertainer. There are other factors which help, like the absolutely marvelous Govind Namdeo, who breathes life into his 10 minute role. Also Darshan Jariwala, playing Prem’s restaurant-owner father, and Smita Jaykar, playing his loving, indulgent mother lend their able support. The songs, which are quite melodious are picturised beautifully and with a sophistication not seen in the film itself.
The best thing about this film, if I had to name one, is that it did not have any double-meaning jokes, vulgarity, sexual innuendoes or the Johnny Lever style facial contortions that currently pass for humor. Although there were minor irritants like showing a woman’s sari being “unintentionally” unwrapped (only in Bollywood!), this film was relatively kid-friendly, and I have to say that my kids enjoyed it a whole lot more than I did.
APKGK (long names anyone?) is a slap-stick entertainer and will probably do quite well at the box-office. If you go in there expecting a low-brow, loud, in-your-face comedy sans logic you will get your money’s worth. However if your funny bone is not tickled by random people falling off staircases, or a bunch of half-wits running around for no apparent reason, please consider spending your hard-earned money elsewhere.

Main Aurr Mrs Khanna

If you watch films solely on the basis of who’s in them, then Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna, by novice director Prem Soni - might be your choice this Diwali. Touted as a romantic comedy, it is neither romantic nor particularly comedic - a grab-bag of high points thrown up in the air then assembled any-old-how. I’ve watched enough Bollywood comedies and masala films to know that they don’t always require a sequential, logical narrative flow. Their prime purpose is to entertain but to do so they must be quite outrageous, over-the-top and fun. The problem is that Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna is painfully earnest through its entire first half, moving into some light comedy far too late. The laughs are few and the fun element - the feeling of being entertained - is sorely missing. When we first see him in flashback Samir Khanna (Salman Khan) looks like an elderly guy clinging to his youth or a caricature where parody wasn’t intended. Haggard face, bags under his eyes, sallow complexion suggestive of far too many tequila sunrises and an eccentric hairstyle to hide loss of hair - are features that should have been airbrushed away. But no - we are expected to believe that the innocent straight-out-of an orphanage Raina (Kareena Kapoor) would instantly fall for the guy just because he has been hanging around a church. Hadn’t she been taught not to talk to strange men? The far-fetchedness of their lightning courtship is bizarre enough when zap - they are married and living in Melbourne, Australia. Samir has morphed into a businessman who is reeling from the effects of the global economic crisis and their marriage is on the rocks because of it. Melt-downs ensue with lots of soulful staring out of the windows at bleak urban vistas.
We move tiresomely but purposefully towards the airport - stock symbol of meetings and partings - renewal and loss. One can almost hear the filmmakers saying - ‘Let’s have a decisive scene at an airport but we won’t go down the usual track - the touching reunion- climax - instead we’ll insert our more original airport scene early in the film and surprise viewers with its outcome.’ Yep. The outcome is mildly surprising but mainly for its weirdness and incongruity (to say more would be to spoil).
The high points of the film stand out like the dots on a puzzle for children while the spaces in between are inconsequential - a mindless, joyless slog. It presents as laborious plotting without the understanding of how to craft a proper, cohesive screenplay.
It’s probably unwise for first-time writers-directors to shoot off-shore because of the difficulty posed by costs, logistics and stringent timing. Bollywood stars are usually heavily booked up and time frames become squeezed. This film appears to have suffered set-backs in its infancy - a change of female lead from Lara Dutta to Kareena Kapoor and reduction in the impact of its item number from the originally desired inclusion of Shah Rukh Khan to the reality of featuring Pretty Zinta. I can only guess that re-writes were necessary but Soni wasn’t able to do them effectively as well as direct.
The biggest mistake in the construction of this screenplay appears to be that Soni has chosen to tell the story from Mrs. Khanna’s perspective when really - the character he most enjoyed creating was Aakash (Sohail Khan) - Mrs. Khanna’s confidante and companion. Aakash owns a café at Melbourne Airport where he meets Mrs. Khanna on that life-altering day. Sohail Khan adds value to Mr. Nice Guy and viewers readily warm to his goofiness, total ease and innate timing. The morning after a drunken club scene we see him in hang-over mode - defensive, funny, interesting unlike the moribund characters of Samir and Raina.
In a less than engaging film, one has time to ponder the settings, costumes and make-up in much the same way as one is often forced to read ads when waiting for a train. So I noticed how painfully thin Kareena was and how bones were accentuated in her back by some of the more revealing frocks. I observed a line of what looked like adhesive on one of Salman’s sideburns and studied the zits on Kareena’s face with some interest. There was make-up caked onto the faces of several peripheral female characters which was so thick that it seemed to have been applied with a palette knife. In terms of settings - the homes in some of the Melbourne settings looked unconvincingly bare as if no one could be living in them while others gave the impression of being hotel rooms. In better Bollywood films scenes are set up with a lovely eye for detail and aesthetics. Unfortunately this film appeared hasty and tacky in the visual department.
Both Kareena Kapoor and Salman Khan are great dancers but there wasn’t much comment-worthy choreography. While the songs by Sajid-Wajid are pleasant listening, picturisation did nothing to enhance them with more bare rooms and people staring into the distance and an overly dark ‘Kajra Re’ wannabe item number in ‘Happening’ . The song ‘Mrs. Khanna’ with some silliness from Sohail, Kareena and a Bappi Lahiri (in cameo) is a bit more flamboyant and interesting.
With a first half that takes itself too seriously and a mismatched second half that doesn’t seem to know where it’s going Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna is neither drama nor a ‘roller coaster romp‘. Watch an old favourite this Diwali - chances are you will be more entertained.

London Dreams

Like its title, London Dreams is ambitious in the scope of its cinematography and plot. The widely publicized self-imposed star salary cuts to afford to film it on a grand scale were probably not a bad idea, given that the script includes huge concert scenes (mostly done in CGI) in three major European cities. The tale is complex and above average in general, with parallel storylines and nuances that allow it to rise above standard melodramatic fare. However, there are significant weights that keep the film’s execution from flying high.
With this outing, director Vipul Shah crosses into more sinister and adult territory than his past films, which include Namastey London (2007). This is one of a very few mainstream masala films I wouldn’t recommend bringing the kids to, unless you want to explain self-flagellation and intravenous drug use by popular film heroes.
The story begins by introducing us to Arjun (played as an adult by Ajay Devgan) and Mannu (Salman Khan) growing up in the Punjab. Misunderstood within his family, Arjun is drawn to play music, something he’s forbidden to do. Mannu is from a musical family, and being rather a layabout in general, he literally runs from music lessons. The tale charts Arjun’s London escape from his family and his obsessive quest to redeem himself and perhaps another family member through his version of musical success.
Technically, the film is rather uneven. Some scenes are beautifully shot, enhancing the emotional tone well, while some seem shoestring and cheap, using techniques like dark red lighting in an enclosed space to convey a character’s mental state. Similarly, the plot has some moving and insightful moments that are undercut by trite devices and actions that seem nonsensical.
The film suffers from trying too hard to look “young.” Styling comes off as corny and overdone (largely via loud and cheap-looking t-shirts and too many garish accessories), and the music scenes seem wooden and without energy, especially from Devgan’s Arjun. A sure signal in Hindi films lately that characters are supposed to be hip is hanging out on rooftops and other gritty urban settings à la 2008’s Rock On and New York (2009), and there’s plenty of roof scenes here to hammer the point home. These people are so street-wise they even graffiti! Their arty-ness seems forced and unreal.
The Rock On comparison seems obvious, especially since both films emphasize the importance of friendship in our lives. However, beside that general message and some stylistic resemblances, the comparison becomes lazy, especially when you consider that one of the challenges for the characters in Rock On is their belief they’re “too old” (read: boring and tame) to rock, while in London Dreams it’s taken for granted that characters who appear in their late 30’s-early 40’s can break through to worldwide success.

London Dreams veers more into Mozart/Salieri territory by adding an extra layer of malevolence. Arjun seems desperately in need of a good therapist, denying and punishing himself to placate a god whom he believes will bring him to his dream of playing in Wembley Stadium. You’d think the pitchfork tattoo on his hand would give him a clue that the deal may have been forged niche, not upar, but to no avail. Arjun brings Mannu to London to join the band and almost immediately regrets it, because Mannu’s innate emphasis on having fun and valuing personal relationships translates well on stage, where he connects strongly with the audience.
Arjun can’t understand why all his hard work doesn’t get him the adulation he feels he better deserves, and the seeds of mayhem are planted. Perhaps because he’s been alone on his own for so long, he doesn’t see that for social beings like humans, emotion often trumps technical skill. It’s not enough to know the mechanics and theory of music, you have to have the heart involved for art to be meaningful. Arjun deliberately cuts that tie over and over, unconscious that by leaving dil out of the equation he moves himself away from his goal. Without audience, there is no Wembley show.
Beloved pop culture figures are often not the most talented, but the ones who seem the most human, and ignoring this maxim has hamstrung careers. Shah would have done well to observe this idea in his film to balance our sympathies for the leads. Salman Khan steals the show. Though he’s the secondary lead and a stock character, he glows onscreen, playing the innocent country boy type well. Even as Arjun sets a plan into play to ruin Mannu, Khan’s character convincingly tries his utmost, if clumsily, to be musically on-point for Arjun.
Unlike Arjun, Mannu doesn’t crave the power of ruling the crowd at Wembley, he gets joy from helping his friend realize a dream. He’s not concerned that the goal may be flawed. There have been enough sarcastic and caustic Khan characters (his love guru role in Partner (2007) being one). Here his emotional devotion to Arjun creates the bulk of the film’s empathetic notes, and the majority of the rationale for the viewer to care about what ultimately happens. It’s worth seeing the film for his performance alone, because it reveals Khan’s capabilities more than a lot of his recent work.
Namastey London had similar naïve bumpkin comic elements as London Dreams, and I’d venture that Akshay Kumar plays the pathos of his character, also a man alone in London, much more convincingly and sympathetically than Devgan’s Arjun, who is so wooden, even when onstage, that he veers into bathos. Facial expressions that are supposed to be tortured can instead resemble the lopsided look he brought to his mentally challenged character in Main Aisa Hi Hoon (2005), and I don’t think that’s intentional.
Devgan has brooding malevolence down. His eyes narrow as he plots his way past the impediment that Mannu has become by “stealing” his spotlight and perhaps even his love interest. However, especially since it’s clear Arjun has had emotional wounds since childhood, Devgan would have done well to consistently convey the affective layers that lead his character to behave as he does. Doing so would elevate his role beyond that of a soap opera villain, which is what he more often resembles. Devgan’s version of being happy (which doesn’t come often) seems forced and insincere. For a change, I’d love if he’d switched roles with Khan in this film to play someone more emotionally open.
One hopes Asin Thottumkal, playing the third lead, was well paid for this turn, which is a step back after co-starring in Ghajini (2008), since her Priya (also the love interest’s name in the musical “Bombay Dreams”) has so little to do and virtually no detail to her character. She functions more as a symbolic point of conflict. Arjun is secretly in love with her (of course he gives no indication, so she doesn’t know), while Mannu begs her over and over to make an honest man of him by agreeing to marry. The plot throws us a tiny bone by showing her negotiating a second-generation immigrant’s double life by being “traditionally” Indian at home and more “Western” in the rock band, but most of her nuances are unexplored. In the band she starts as backup singer (yawn), and is relegated to leading the dance ensemble when Mannu shows up. Thottumkal works with crumbs to give Priya a bit of a spirited personality, but not much is asked of her other than as a love object in songs.
In a film about a rock band, the music and dance seems to have been an afterthought. The choreography isn’t featured much and the songs are pedestrian rock that will neither inspire nor inflame. None stand out after leaving the theatre. Ultimately, this film’s flaws mirror its script. Not enough human details about the characters, and not enough emotion in the music and dance make for something technically admirable that will not have a long-term effect. After admiring the filmmaking skills, clever script and effort, you leave the theatre without the sublime emotional impact characteristic of beloved films.

Acid Factory

As a genre (of late), the action thriller never made a huge impact at the box-office in Bollywood, with the exception of the Dhoom franchise, the super-success of Race (2008) and the moderate success of Anubhav Sinha’s Dus (2005). All other movies falling in the genre lately have fallen off the box-office records like a pack of cards, the latest in memory being the very odd Luck (2009), and a confusingly executed Cash (2007). The added speculation that only Tamilised action a la Ghajini (2008) or Wanted (2009) work in the Indian film industry has made most action lovers stay away from such movies of late.And then, in the midst of all this so-called ‘boycott’ come the killer promos of Acid Factory, directed by Suparn Verma of Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena (2005) fame. And from one promo to another, the producers paved up a fantastic marketing strategy for the movie, hence making action-crazy fans sit up and notice. The soundtrack perked up further interest with urban dance tracks such as Yeh Jism, Raftaar and Kone Kone Mein making the biggest impact of the lot.
A lot of radio airplays, interviews (both audiovisual and print), promo watches and song unveilings later, the time has finally come for the movie to reveal it’s magic (or perhaps the lack of it) to the audience. And with such an ambitious tagline – "Some thrillers go too far… this one starts from here" – the director is left with no choice but to fulfill the expectations of the viewers. So, does it impress? Is it fit to be called ‘the mother of all thrillers’? Or does it fall, yet again, in the category of ‘stale Bollywood action thrillers’? Read on to know more!
What happens when one fine day, you wake up to find no trace of your past? What happens when an innocent man wakes up to find his memory erased? Will that change his perception of reality? What happens when a killer wakes up one fine day to find his memory erased? Will that change his record of the past crimes he has committed? Acid Factory traces the lives of five such people who wake up in an acid factory to find out that they don’t have an inkling of their past lives. Sometime later, a phone call from the leader of the gang makes them know that they have been kidnapped and the better half will be gotten rid of after ‘the work is done’. After some treachery and a few failed survival attempts, the leader arrives unveiling a shocker and turning a lot of tables by way of revealing the shocking past of the lives of the people.
Some stories may sound like blockbuster material on paper, but it is the execution that decides the fate of the movie. As a respite, the execution of the story (Milind Gadagkar) and screenplay (Sanjay Gupta, Suparn Verma) of the movie is terrific, and to be very honest and frank, this is the first action thriller after ages that has managed to provide the audience the thrill-a-minute factor, with each character and each story having a layer of its own. Every character in the acid factory is given some time to develop, such that the audience manages to get an overview of what the character does. But the real fun lies in the narration of the movie, which constantly moves back and forth between the past and present, thereby keeping the viewer uptight and – literally – on the edge of the seat. Characters have been sketched out really well, and not a single character has been ‘left out’ metaphorically, and this is where the storywriter and the screenplay writers score highly. Dialogues (Saurabh Shukla) are very well-penned, which gives the movie an overall edge. And to top it all, Suparn Verma as a director is top-notch, and it is due to him that the movie has delivered so well, he certainly appears to be in total control of the proceedings this time. Hats off to Suparn!
Technically, the movie is brilliant, and has scored on many aspects. The movie boasts of some amazing camerawork, which deserves brownie points. Cinematography (Sahil Kapoor) also hits the bullseye, where the locales of Cape Town are well captured. The editing (Hemal Kothari) is amazing and in fact, it is this very aspect of the movie that supports its execution to the T. The sound mixing (Nimish Chheda, Harjeet Singh) is eclectic and at times, mind-blowing. Action choreographer Tinu Verma takes away all the accolades for executing some breathtakingly choreographed stunts from the stars, and gives us just the thrills that action lovers want. The music (more like the background score) of the movie (with the exception of Khatti Meethi by Manasi Scott), supports the movie and gives it a stylish feel. It is interesting to note that part from Khatti Meethi and the remix of Jab Andhera Hota Hai which appears in the end credits, no other song has been lip-synced, which is good to see, considering even the oddest of sequences in some films have a lip-synced song squeezed into it! Thankfully, the music here doesn’t act as a dampner, and, with its urban techno sounds, adds to the overall mood and gives the movie a style of its own.

Performances are noteworthy. Fardeen Khan has given one of his better performances in this film as Suparn Verma clearly stated in an interview, “he has outdone himself.” Dia Mirza looks stunning and clearly stuns everyone with her performance as well, as she not just looks the part she plays – she is the part! Irrfan Khan gets the meatiest role, and plays it with aplomb. Aftab Shivdasani does tremendously well, and makes the required impact. Dino Morea is amazing. His dry humor really jells well with the theme. But speaking about dry humor, the king of it should be Manoj Bajpayee, who incidentally gets the best one-liners throughout the first half of the movie, though it is his overall performance and sticking to his characterization that floors you. Danny Denzongpa is really cool. He’s just himself in this flick, and you will probably forget his miscast in Luck after watching him here. Others, including Gulshan Grover and Neha Bajpayee (it is a pleasant surprise to find her back on screen after a long time), are efficient.
There aren’t many flaws and weaknesses but if you look closely you may notice some jump cuts in editing. Also, the movie has a very slight resemblance to the 2006 movie Unknown, though it has many different aspects.
Overall, the movie is a winner all the way; a high-octane suspense-action thriller that delivers a punch to the audience in terms of execution, thrills and suspense. At long last we get to watch a thriller that differs from the ‘been-there-done-that’ spin-offs. This one has an edge, and on some levels, turns out to be a mind-blowing piece of work particularly due to it’s tight script and even tighter execution. As a result this one comes highly recommended. Go watch it, you will not regret a second!

Wake Up Sid

It’s quite conceivable that Ayan Mukerji - the director of Wake Up Sid - has been a traveller. Not the sort of traveller who stays in five star resorts but one who really gets to experience a city from its street level outwards. The sense of experiencing an environment for the first time; of learning how to function within it, is very well articulated in this unpretentious coming of age story. Aisha Bannerji (Konkona Sen Sharma) - a 27 year old writer from Calcutta is new to Bombay (as it is lovingly referred to in this film). There she meets with Sid (Ranbir Kapoor) - an immature but privileged college student who also eventually journeys to a world outside his comfort zone. Mukerji has mentioned that his film is a little like Dil Chahta Hai (Farhan Akhtar, 2001) and Luck by Chance (Zoya Akhtar, 2009) and he’s not wrong. Wake Up Sid - like these films - has a youthful feel to it, a knack for character development, humor and attention to detail. In the opening scene - set in Sid’s bedroom we get a snapshot of where he’s at: superhero screen saver, Star Wars T-shirt, Spongebob sheets, empty pizza boxes and in the midst of Boy-dom there’s Sid vacillating between studying a business problem and drawing Homer Simpson. It’s a nice example of visual humor which evolves naturally - doesn’t feel contrived.
Or Aisha and Sid are flat hunting and have been told that someone in an apartment block named Sonia - is renting a flat. A curious child guides them to Sonia’s door where the lady emerges looking like she is selling her person as well as rooms. The child is in the habit of observing Sonia and is clearly entertained by her appearance at which point a straight-laced mother emerges to take him away from corrupt influences. The beauty of the scene is that it sets up economically yet powerfully two minor characters who appear in a major scene later on. So often peripheral characters appear in Bollywood films for no apparent reason never to be seen again. Here we have an example of the kind of detail that raises the film a notch.
In quite a number of recent romances dialogue and screenplay writers don’t seem to know what to do with characters when they are courting. They know that viewers are hanging in there for the declaration - the ‘I love you’ part but it’s almost like ‘killing time’ till that point. There are those who favor the cute interlude - flowers, ice-creams, chocolates or perhaps the raunchier club scene. Then there are those whose who contrive an accident, a drunken episode or perhaps a stalled car or cottage on a stormy night in the middle of nowhere. Once the couple has been thrown together by fate it seems such a chore to make their togetherness interesting because the characters are not the sum of their interactions but a set of clichéd responses to a set of tired situations. Wake Up Sid progresses very smoothly. Both characters are fleshed out and situations seem to unfold seamlessly if not a little too languidly. When clichés occur there is usually a slight twist involved which makes them more watchable.
It’s not that Wake Up Sid is more real. Portraying reality is not a measure of better filmmaking - and certainly Bollywood hasn’t made a feature of reflecting it. The film’s strength lies in drawing out points of contact - authentic moments of distilled emotion that connoisseurs of Bollywood romance appreciate. What we observe between the four walls of a shared apartment is akin to the journeys on trains experienced in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (Aditya Chopra, 1995) and Jab We Met (Imtiaz Ali, 2007) We realize in an instant why father and son have grown apart or how friends bond on the basis of a quirky sense of humor. All up it’s a very good screenplay from Ayan Mukerji. There are a few slow sections in the second half but it’s an understated narrative by Bollywood standards which breathes modernity but retains strong Indian family values.
Ranbir Kapoor has been boyish in all three of his first films but his acting in Wake Up Sid - more than the other films convinces me that he is a good actor. In Sawariyaa (S.L. Bhansali, 2007) the other-worldliness of his character made his motives more than a little unclear. Bachna Ae Haseeno (S. Anand, 2008) was focused on Ranbir to the detriment of the female characters. It is only now - freed from the constraints of monologue and engaged in meaningful interaction with other properly configured characters that his talent really surfaces. Whether Kapoor is very good at his craft will be apparent when he has played a wider range of roles. Konkona Sen Sharma essays a part which is familiar to her - one of an independent but slightly deluded career woman (Metro, Luck By Chance). The difference is that the character of Aisha is a tad more subtle and Konkona gives her the light and shade which good writing engenders.
There is no grandeur and spectacle from Anil Mehta, the cinematographer who gave us the larger-than-life Veer Zaara (Yash Chopra, 2004), Lagaan (Ashutosh Gowariker, 2001) and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (S.L Bhansali, 1999). The shared apartment in Wake Up Sid takes on many aspects depending on the film’s mood and time of day: from homely to glamorous; from stark to ugly. Aisha and Sid inhabit the space - not as talking heads but as moving, evolving beings. Songs by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and their picturisations complement the story telling without interrupting character development or narrative flow.
It’s a very good first film from Ayan Mukerji. What remains to be seen is whether he can cross from the semi-autobiographical material of his youth to the less comfortable terrain of writing about characters and situations which are more distant. I wish him well on his journey.

What`s Your Raashee?

Imagine yourself at your own wedding. Your family and friends are here, but the focus is on who’s in debt to whom, who’s paying for what, who’s been lied to and who’s been lying. There’s a lot of drama, but it’s not necessarily happy, and people are preoccupied rather than engrossed in the celebration. And the pandit goes on and on when he could have edited his remarks for more impact, so the people who really want to share your fun become distracted and bored as time goes on. At the end of the day, would you be glad or sad?
That’s the feeling left after Ashutosh Gowarikar’s What’s Your Raashee? The film has color and movement, but the emotional core is missing and there’s a lot of distracting extras that largely divert from the main story.
Saari film’s tensions are laid out rather prosaically in the first five minutes. Nanaji’s decided to give all his land to Yogesh Patel (Harman Baweja), his grandson in the US, because he’s the only family member who’s not self-centered. Meanwhile, back in India, Yogesh’s dad is consulting the astrologer about how to pay his other son’s considerable gambling debts. The jyotishii surprises them all by predicting that Yogesh’s fate is to be married by the end of the month, and at the ceremony he’ll come into great wealth. Then grandpa calls, and they find out about Yogesh’s gift. Ka-ching!
True to grandpa’s depiction of their self-serving natures, the family hatches a plan to trick Yogesh back to India, get him married quickly, and use the money he doesn’t yet know he has to get them out of the fix they’re in. It’s a grim co-dependent family, and Yogesh is nothing if not an enabler.
The decision he makes on his own is to streamline the process of finding a bride by meeting one woman from each raashee, with the idea that by sampling the astrological spectrum of possible personalities, he’ll have a better chance of falling in love at first sight, which is his self-serving goal. He wants a love marriage out of all this.

Enter the film’s main story engine – finding the ladki. Each zodiac avatar is played by Priyanka Chopra, in what must have been an impressive challenge of concentration to keep them all separate. Like the turning astrological wheel, the scenes circuit mechanically through one raashee/ woman after another. The book that the film is based on is methodical in this way, and what works on the page isn’t necessarily the most captivating screenplay. Without faltering, the narrative plods along, and this film is 3.5 hours long. By the end, it’s lost momentum under its own weight.
And somewhere along the way, perhaps in the name of symmetry, there are 13 songs in the film, one for each raashee/woman, and a final one that combines them all. Ideally, the songs move the film forward and provide some insights into the characters. Instead, these often slow the film down by pausing the narrative for a repetitive message. The most egregious example, the Cancer song “Bikhri Bikhri,” cuts between Baweja and Chopra standing still staring at each other. The higher energy ones, like “Aaja Lehraate” (for Gemini), don’t uplift. The dancing is just not up to snuff here with tired and slow moves, and the “You’ve been served” energy is very subdued. The cinematography is also a bit languid, and sometimes seems more suited to a TV soap opera than a big-screen story, which requires a different intensity.
The Gemini/Kajal segment is a good indicator of Baweja’s contribution to the film. Chopra’s Kajal character is a peppy college student, with a personality matched only by her bright, modern, skimpy clothes and large hair. As they talk after the big dance-off, she tries to get to Yogesh’s romantic core, asking him to act as if he were proposing to the woman he loves. Yogesh, who could take the opportunity to sell himself in his desperation to get married, is instead wooden and uptight. Despite his earlier pretensions to true love, he doesn’t seem to have any imagination about what the feeling would really be like. Welcome to Baweja throughout the film – a bit of a drip. While Chopra is clearly working hard to bring each different personality to life, he sleepwalks through his role, lacking charisma or much personality. The biggest reaction we get out of him is when he’s confused or overwhelmed, which is often.
Chopra’s star shines here, and perhaps brighter when contrasted with Baweja. Her avatars are not fully developed characters, partly because they are standing in for a star sign, partly because functionally they each get only a small bit of screen time. Still, Chopra is clearly working to make them distinct, and for the most part she succeeds, with a little help from styling and some outrageous wigs. It must be frustrating to focus so hard on the craft, though, while the lecherous camera focuses on the curves of her back, which get a lot of attention. Chopra gets some interesting roles and perhaps someday we will get to see her dig into them without so much emphasis on her as eye candy (“Aaja Lehraate” may remind you of Billu’s (2009) “Khudaya Khair/You Get Me Rockin’ & Reeling” for its soft-core dancing, which will probably either delight or creep you out).
However, with the exception of a couple of cringeworthy film moments, for the most part the film is neither exciting nor dramatic. There are a few laugh-out-loud jokes, including one when a woman who’s convinced she knows Yogesh from a past life asks to take a picture of him to remember the moment. He balks, saying “You remember a lot anyway.” The Pisces song, “Sau Janam,” is a knowing homage to film songs from the ‘80’s, complete with the huge green valley vista swaying out below the couple at the edge of a cliff and the voice of Udit Narayan.
Background music and a couple extraneous subplots seem like holdovers from films of a decade ago or more – they are played overly broad, loud and predictable. Ostensibly these elements make films play better to “the masses,” and I’d submit that even the masses have moved to a different film style by now. These dated gimmicks, without an ironic wink of parody (à la Om Shanti Om), seem lost in time. The other featured characters, consisting largely of the Patel clan, are predictable stock roles, and the talents of people who are largely drawn from television serials and Gowarikar’s other films are spent on one-note personalities.
It’s despair-inducing to come to a film, especially one from a competent director, with high hopes and see the well-intentioned work of mostly talented people circle the drain. With a tighter script, more consistent story logic, and better (and perhaps fewer) songs, this film could have gone the distance, and perhaps saved a few thousand feet of film!

kambakht ishq

Kambakkht Ishq is a case of bling over substance, in this first directorial effort from Sabir Khan who also developed the screenplay for this vacuous romance. Filmed largely in Los Angeles and featuring Universal Studios, Rodeo Drive and Hollywood Boulevard - it’s more about Bollywood’s love affair with Hollywood than any thing involving the yawn-inducing protagonists.Viraj Shergill (Akshay Kumar) is a stuntman who succeeds in Hollywood. Bowing down to touch the feet of his guru - Sylvester Stallone, he accepts a stuntman of the year trophy at a gala function attended by the Hollywood now set. This moment is strategically placed not only to woo the feisty Simrita (Karina Kapoor) but to offer viewers latent insight into Viraj’s otherwise nasty, chauvinistic character. Hey he can’t be all that bad; he has this ‘healthy’ respect for Sylvester Stallone and he clearly loves his mother because he mentioned her in his acceptance speech. This is as deep as it gets folks.His sparring partner - supermodel - Simrita Rai - is almost equally superficial. She’s supposed to be a strong female character of the type Yash Raj has been showcasing lately, but surprise - she’s putty under the stony façade. There’s a bit of a back story about how she’s all messed up because of her parents’ broken marriage but nothing that gives her character heart or soul.Lighten up - you might say - this is a comedy. Only if you think it’s funny. I smiled on two occasions: firstly - when Viraj was in hospital saying funny things (which sounded improvised) under the influence of an anesthetic and secondly (a smile of relief) when the end credits rolled.The problem rests with the screenplay which sets up too many inane situations at the expense of proper character development. For example Simrita influences her simple friend Kamini (Amrita Arora) to abstain from having sex with her husband - supposedly to test whether he loves her or not… (How silly is that?) Or how about - “Give me just 7 days and I’ll make her fall for me” from Viraj as lead in to another “test”. Where it counts though, attitudes change in a blink with no real build up or explanation. Why do Simi and Viraj fall in love? There doesn’t seem to be any connection beyond the physical?Karina Kapoor pouts and struts while Akshay Kumar swaggers and blusters. They call each other ‘dog’ and ‘bitch’ a bit too often as the storyline atrophies. Somewhere, on the periphery Javed Jaffrey appears ineffectually as a sleaze interested in making a quick buck. Boman Irani plays a deaf psychiatrist so we get the benefit of some sexually oriented double-entendres. Cream pies are thrown, Akshay does a few stunts …lots of skin and a fair bit of kissing.The only interest lies in the use of the mantra - Om Mangalam which issues from a musical charm bracelet given to Simi by her Aunt Dolly (Kiron Kher). The journey undertaken by the charm is more interesting than the life-journeys of all the characters put together. To explain in greater detail is to give too much away.I read somewhere that the aim was to make a dubbed English version of the same film minus the songs. For me the musical interludes (Anu Malik) and choreography (Vaibhavi Merchant) served to strengthen an otherwise, hollow creation. It is regrettable that the acting talents of Kapoor, Kumar and Aftab Shivdasani have not found a worthier vehicle.

Wanted

Welcome to masala ville – a place where the guy romances and jigs with the girl in exotic locations, uses fantastic punch lines repeatedly to grab attention, walks without a care, breaks into a dance whenever he wants to, and fights like he’s the most powerful man in this world! Yes – I’m talking about the cinema of the late seventies and the early eighties, where movies like these used to rule the roost with actors of the likes of Sunny Deol with the dhaai-kilo-ka-haath image used to be taken very often for such roles in such movies, which, over time, became an overkill, and where the tried-and-tested concept of one-man-heroism started to look clichéd to the audience – they wanted something new; something fresh; something to relate to! And after a very long time does one get to see a very brash, unapologetic entertainer which manages to entertain the masses, and how! In this dog-eat-dog world, where corruption is on a consistent rise, what with the rate of gangsters and gangs of criminals rising constantly, a different but extremely powerful gangster Radhe (Salman Khan), who works for money and money alone, is asked by Gani Bhai’s (Prakash Raj) associate Golden, to work for his gang. Meanwhile, Radhe falls for the sweet, simple Jahanvi (Ayesha Takia), who is a victim of the lustful eyes of a corrupt Inspector Talpade (Mahesh Manjrekar). In the midst of this drama, Commisioner Ashraf Khan (Govind Namdeo) is in his efforts to eliminate crime from India by eliminating gangsters through his special team. But one fine day, a series of events leads to dire consequences of truths being uncovered, identities being revealed, and lives being crushed. Who will survive? Watch to find out!
Sounds very been-there-done-that, doesn’t it? But Prabhu Deva has given such a very 80’s story a very powerful execution, such that every scene creates an impact and generates ceetees and applause from the masses. Each scene (Shiraz Ahmed and Poori Jagannath for screenplay and story respectively) has been well-written, and each dialogue (Shiraz Ahmed again!) has been well worked on, such that every line sounds like a punch line, and every scene is THE scene! Picturesque locations of Greece (for ‘Dil Leke’) have been well captured, and otherwise as well, the cinematography (Nirave Shah, S. Sriram) really packs the punch and grittiness that accentuates the movie’s rustic appeal.
And who can forget praising the most integral part of an action thriller? Vijayan Master’s well-choreographed action sequences really provide the required impact that should be given to the audience, with each stunt given a perfect look and feel.
And these action scenes have been edited with finesse, as also coupled with some outstanding visual effects and production values that, at some places, boast of an international appeal. One can see that a camera with a really high frame-rate has been used to play with the speed of some action shots, something that always works in any action movie. Otherwise, the editing at many places is choppy and could have been tighter, but for the well-edited and thrilling action sequences, one can forgive the editor.
The placement of music is a sore point though. Apart from the electric ‘Jalwa’ featuring Prabhu Deva, Govinda and Anil Kapoor, the other songs just get in without any prior permission or knocking, which might annoy the viewer. But out of the other songs, it is ‘Love Me Love Me’ and ‘Dil Leke’ which deserve praise for its treatment, which makes the song enjoyable enough. The song ‘Le Le Mazaa Le’ deserves special mention for its brilliant choreography, though one might feel annoyed for (yet again, sadly) its sudden uninvited entry.
Other flaws include the pace, which takes a dip at places where some scenes were unnecessary and some subplots not required in the script. For example, the Manoj Pahwa angle really did not fit the story, and even the humor was cheesy. Tighter writing could really help the movie better, as watertight scripts (coupled with the right execution and right acting) help even the lamest of stories rise and shine. Also, the sudden abrupt end of the movie might turn some audience off!
When it comes to acting, the very first person that can be mentioned in this list has to be the one and only Salman Khan who makes a powerful comeback at the box-office after a series of disasters, namely Yuvvraaj and God Tussi Great Ho. His performance, if not his career-best, has to be his most powerful in this decade, with each scene and each frame being designed so as to give every move and verb of his a certain impact. He’s the man, I must say, something that must impress fans of Salman Khan and force the foes of Salman Khan to actually admit being impressed by his career’s most stalwart performance (if, at the risk of repeating myself, not the best)
Ayesha Takia looks pretty and her chemistry with Salman Khan clicks. And though she acts well, her talent here, I must say, is unfortunately wasted, as her role was of nothing but an eye candy. Prakash Raj excels as the villain spewing venom, sarcasm and dry humor at the same time, an act that very few people can actually pack in. A revelation, I must say!
Govind Namdeo comes back with his first powerfully positive role in a very long time, and plays aptly. Mahesh Manjrekar enacts the role of a corrupt womanizing cop with unsuppressed glee, thus making us notice that he has been consistently improving with each performance (though one misses his directorial days!). Vinod Khanna does well in a short role, but the only thing that was required of him was more screen time, which he unfortunately didn’t get! Mahek Chhal did nothing but added to the glamour quotient and tried to be rough, which was required of her. She isn’t disappointing though. Inder Kumar is decent. Asseem Merchant as Golden also doesn’t disappoint and in fact gives an able performance. But the most annoying performance is the unnecessary filler of a performance by Manoj Pahwa (who last impressed in Aloo Chaat), which was not required.
Overall, Wanted not just marks the comeback of Salman Khan, it literally announces it. With an ordinary plot given an amazing execution, I must say that this movie will be a darling of the masses and the Salman Khan fans who wanted that ONE bona fide “ego booster” featuring himself in almost every frame, mouthing the best dialogues, and best of all, kicking butt better than anyone else in the whole of the movie. Pseudo-intellectuals beware, this movie is not your type; it’s a typical fun movie that takes us back to the 80’s with a powerful execution. So go grab your tickets right now, and have a blast, while keeping your intelligence safely out of the way to enhance your viewing pleasure! Go for it (if only for the sake of Salman)!

Love aaj kal

Just when everyone is losing heart, up comes a movie that has the potential to reignite that passion for moviegoers, particularly in view of the awful year so far and irrespective of the debacle surrounding the strike between multiplexes and producers.Saif Ali Khan and Dinesh Vijan's production house Illuminati films are set to release its maiden venture Love Aaj Kal. The movie's key selling point is that it is director Imtiaz Ali's much awaited release after the most enjoyable and commercially successful movie Jab We Met. Indeed the buzz surrounding the movie is further heightened by the star cast including Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukoue, Rishi Kapoor and Rahul Khanna in the lead roles.One of the most intriguing aspects of course is that Saif and Deepika are paired together for the very first time. Says a source "Saif and Deepika are looking fabulous together... the chemistry they share is unbelievable!!If you are still not convinced then expect to be blown away by the music courtesy Pritam who if you recall, did such a fantastic job with the score for Jab We Met. Incidentally the soundtrack for Love Aaj Kal should be releasing shortly.As the name suggests, Love Aaj Kal is set to have a fresh take on relationships in a language that will appeal to everyone so this should be on your watch list soon. Let's hope there are no further delays with this one!

New york

Probably one of the most horrific tragedies that I have ever witnessed was the terrorist attack on New York on September 11, 2001. I still remember my thoughts at the time, as I could only observe the second World Trade Center Tower come crashing down. If that wasn’t horrible enough to witness with one’s own eyes, the rampant paranoia in the days following the event were even more difficult to experience.In the short time after 9/11, having brown skin immediately brought with it the stigma of suspicion and fear. This suspicion and fear not only came from some private citizens, but also from the people in authority. There were stories of Sikhs being beaten up by groups of civilians, and if that were not disturbing enough, there were the whispered tales of innocent Indians, Pakistanis and Middle Eastern individuals being detained.The whispers continued, telling of the harsh treatment of these detained people, even though they were innocent. For sure the days during and right after are dark times for everyone around the world.We’ve seen Hollywood deal with the tragedy in several films, but now it’s Bollywood’s turn with the aptly titled “New York” which deals more on the aftermath of the tragedy and the out of control paranoid fear that eventually harmed even more innocent people.Now some reviewers have claimed that ‘New York’ is not about 9/11, and that is false. You cannot say that, because without the tragedy of 9/11 you could not have a movie like ‘New York’. If the basic plotline of an innocent man being wrongly accused, accosted, and tortured by authorities who think he might be a terrorist sounds familiar to the basic plot of excellent Pakistani film, “Khuda Kay Liye”, then you are right. It’s the way that the screenplay of ‘New York’ unfolds the drama, the director’s vision, and the stellar cast that make the Bollywood film different than its Pakistani counterpart.Director Kabir Khan may not be a household name, but he has proven to be quite a good filmmaker with his past release “Kabul Express” and the documentary, “The Forgotten Army”. It’s not often that a very good documentary maker can jump genres to become a very good filmmaker, but lucky for us that he was able to do so, and seems to be getting better with each film. His direction truly sets “New York” miles ahead of most other Bollywood releases, resulting in a film that should be universally accepted by not only the masala crowd, but also by the serious minded as well. The movie would be much less in the hands of a less capable director.The story revolves around the tried and trusted formula of three friends Sam (John Abraham), Omar (Neil Nitin Mukesh) and Maya (Katrina Kaif). They meet, they bond, they begin to build the foundations of a friendship that should last a lifetime, until that friendship is torn under post 9/11. All films need an antagonist, and this time around it’s Agent Roshan (Irrfan Khan) whose actions provide the catalyst for all the twists and turns of the plot.Yash Raj Films has produced one of their best as “New York” is entertaining from first frame to last. The three lead actors each act with sincerity. This is, without doubt John Abraham’s best film, as the normally wooden actor shows a remarkable emotional depth this time out. Neil Nitin Mukesh captivates the audience in every frame he is in and disappears into the character of Omar. Katrina Kaif, who is normally relegated to playing female caricatures, finally shows that she can portray a realistic character, and is truly a fine actor. She holds her own against the guys and audiences will remember her performance. Irrfan Khan is solid as ever.The music by Pritam is catchy and familiar enough to be pleasant. Luckily for us, Kabir Khan makes sure that songs are not just dropped into the narrative in a disruptive way, which would have spelled doom for a movie like this. Instead we get an organic progression from narrative to song and back again.The rest of the production team, from cinematography, background score, and set design have all done a very commendable job. An A class effort, “New York” is that rare thought provoking, yet entertaining film wherein director, actors, and screenplay all deliver their best resulting in a movie that stays with you even after it is finished.

TheOtherEndoftheline

By now, almost everyone in the world has heard the terms outsourcing and call centers. You know that the terms have entered the public consciousness when Hollywood and Bollywood start making films about the lifestyle that has developed around these wonders of modern customer service. For the few that aren’t aware, chances are that when you pick up the phone and dial that one eight hundred number, you won’t be reaching someone local, but rather, your call will go thousands of miles away to a call center in India.So, what if you call your bank for some tender loving care and an attractive sounding person picks up on the other end of the line? Can love be sparked from thousands of miles away? Is life truly full of surprises? Would you fall in love with someone you’ve never seen? What happens when cultures clash? “The Other End of the Line” is a film that presents us with some wonderful light-hearted answers to those questions in a breezy romantic manner.Call centers have created a sub-culture, and several movies have tried to capitalize on this. Films like the Bollywood film “Hello” and the Hollywood film “Outsourced” have resorted to clichéd situations and campy humor, but what sets “The Other End of the Line” apart from those other rom coms (romantic comedies) is that the humor is not forced down the audience’s throat, nor is the romance. Instead, both come off with a sweet sensitivity, resulting in a film that is not only entertaining, but tugs at the heart strings as well.
As for the story itself, it focuses on Priya Sethi portrayed excellently by Bollywood actor Shriya Saran, a Mumbaiite working at a call center. Answering customer service questions for Americans, requires her to “fool” her clients into believing that she is right around the corner, in the good ole U.S. of A. She’s bored with life, and engaged to a momma’s boy that she finds a bit repulsive. Jesse Metcalf plays Granger Woodruff (a groan inducing name), an ad executive halfway around the world. You see, he’s going through some tough times, with his job, with his girlfriend, and with his life. Looks like he needs some Indian fusion love stat! The two make a love connection over the phone, and Priya decides to fly to San Francisco to meet the man whose voice she’s fallen in love with. Unfortunately, Granger has no idea that the woman that he’s been talking to on the phone is actually Indian and not American.
Director James Dodson, has a light handed approach, switching locales from India to San Francisco with ease, giving each of the cast an opportunity to be in the spotlight in a way that leaves the viewer pleasantly surprised by the wit of the screenplay. The screenplay, written by Tracy Jackson, requires a bit of the old suspension of disbelief during several moments as the coincidences pile up, yet as a viewer (and romantic at heart), we always find ourselves touched by romance done right in a movie. What elevates the screenplay is the quite apparent chemistry between Saran and Metcalf. The two actors are instrumental in conveying the first flutterings of love, with Indian and American spices thrown into the mix. Saran in particular really steals the show, as she is able to show a wide range of emotions as the woman who is putting her heart on the line. Still, the two would be nowhere without the excellent supporting cast consisting of Anupam Kher (star of numerous films like "Bend it Like Beckham" and "A Wednesday") who plays the Indian girl’s overly hyperventilating father Rajeev Sethi. It’s his character’s traditional Indian values that drive him to try and “save” his Indian daughter from the “lecherous” American boy. Also of note, is the oddball humor that is brought into play by comedian/actor Larry Miller (“Get Smart”) whose role as the eccentric owner Kit Kawkskin of the hotel that has hired Granger’s ad agency brings just enough quirkiness to the film, to lighten every frame he is in.
I have to mention that the film on the whole has a very romantic light ‘n’ airy feel to it throughout, and that’s thanks to the very good work by cinematographer Harlan Bosmajian. The editing by Ethan Maniguis allows the film to breathe without stretching the plot interminably and keeps the viewer interested all through the movie. All in all, a fine looking motion picture produced by Ashok Amritraj (who has previously produced quite a few films, including the Steve Martin movie, “Shopgirl”). Bollywood producer Adlabs and Hollywood’s MGM studio have gotten together to create a movie that rises above to become that elusive creature that all studios hope for, namely, an entertaining film.
Will Granger accept that he has fallen in love with an Indian girl? Will the girl’s father save her from the American Boy? Will the Indian girl live happily ever after as she chases her dream of marrying someone she actually loves? Will Granger be able to dodge rickshaws to reach the girl he loves!?!? Why is it that Granger doesn’t need to stand in line to get a tourist visa!?! Tune in to the breezy, light hearted, romantic comedy, “The Other End of the Line” to find out!THE DVD:MGM DVD/VIDEO brings us the NTSC region 1 DVD. It is presented in 2.35:1 aspect ratio, widescreen format with Dolby 5.1 surround sound. The main menu is artistic in design, but the disc itself is bare bones with no special features. The lack of features detracts a bit from the home entertainment experience, as it would have been nice to see the trailers, and perhaps a behind the scenes feature. As for the film itself, the transfer is clean with warm colors, clear black levels, and no noticeable digital artifacts. The sound mixing is well done and effective. All in all, this is a disc and film worth adding to both a Bollywood and Hollywood enthusiast’s collection.

EKTHEPOWEROFONE1P

EK – THE POWER OF ONE is vintage Bollywood masala, flooded with action, drama, comedy, and of course romance. Unfortunately, like most in its category, it fails to leave any lasting impact thanks to a very familiar tale wrapped in an oversimplified script.The story chronicles the split life of orphaned criminal Nandu (Bobby Deol), who is hired by Maharashtran Opposition Leader Anna (Sachin Khedekar) to stage a fake assassination attempt in order to gain sympathy from the masses. However, before Nandu is able to pull the trigger, another fateful shot takes the life of Anna, transforming a slimy political trick into a full-on murder case.
With the police fresh on his trail, Nandu escapes their grasp by catching a train to Punjab where he runs into Puran Singh (Akshay Kapoor) – a down-to-earth twenty-six year old on his way to reunite with his estranged family after eighteen long years. At one of the stops, an officer spots Nandu and takes a shot that accidentally strikes Puran, killing him on the spot. Nandu reaches Puran's village to deliver the grave message, but before he can say anything the family mistakes him for their beloved Puran. Unwilling to break their hearts, Nandu continues the charade and is soon enveloped by the family's warmth and love. All the while, witty CBI Inspector Rane (Nana Patekar) is hot on Nandu's trail. Will Nandu surrender his true identity to the family? Will Nandu be prosecuted for a crime he did not commit? These are some of the burning questions that develop throughout the film.Director Sangeeth Sivan is one who is more for the mindless comedies (Kya Kool Hai Hum, Apna Sapna Money Money). And although EK is mindless in parts, it deviates markedly from Sivan's familiar territory. The categorical schism shows considerably in Sivan's execution, or lack thereof. Apart from a dispassionate directorial front, the film relies on a story that has unfolded several times before. Pankaj Trivedi's unbalanced script is unable to save the narrative from the trenches of predictability.The screenplay limps at a sluggish pace throughout much of the running time. Editor Chirag Jain seems to have nodded off a time or two, as the film could have easily been trimmed by 20-30 minutes to create a more symmetrical product. Action by Peter Heins is very amateur, with many fight sequences lasting much too long.Performances do little in pushing EK above the lines of mediocrity. It's sad to see Bobby Deol, a man belonging to a lineage of great actors, struggle endlessly in his lackluster career. Career aside, Bobby has yet to deliver a single breakthrough performance (closest being his work in 1997's Gupt). Once again Bobby fails to create any sort of connection with the viewer, resorting to a wooden tough-guy image we've seen him attempt time and time again. His poorly written character doesn't help his cause either, developing unevenly from start to finish.Nana Patekar, as CBI Inspector Rane, was a distantly glimmering bright spot. Thanks to limited screen time, Nana too is unable to create a place for himself in the film. Nevertheless, he flaunts his versatility with an impressive subtle comedic performance. The supporting cast is average, with Kullbushan Kharbanda as Puran's grandfather stepping furthest in front.When it's all over, you really don't know what EK – THE POWER OF ONE set out to achieve. Because of a heavily disjointed outline, its climactic culmination ends rather unconvincingly. If Sangeeth Sivan had to choose between such a masala potpourri and mainstream comedy, I regrettably choose comedy.

videsh

In Videsh (Heaven On Earth) , Deepa Mehta uses folklore to explore several socially relevant issues, from the sanctity of marriage to domestic violence and even exploring the meaning of true happiness. It is a simple yet complex film that compels you to be a part of its intense drama.
The film is based on Girish Karnad's stage play called Nagamandala which tells the story about a newly married young woman who becomes a victim of domestic abuse. Neglected by her husband and desperate to make the marriage work, she decides to win his love by using a magic love root given to her by another woman. If consumed by her husband, the magic love root would make him fall hopelessly in love with her. But unknowingly she feeds it to a snake (king cobra). The snake then takes the form of her husband which leads to surreal confrontations and some bittersweet consequences.Deepa Mehta uses the working-class immigrants' Canada as the backdrop where the characters of husband and wife are essayed by Vansh Bhardwaj (as Rocky) and Preity Zinta (as Chand) respectively. Here, Chand is a bubbly Punjabi girl who migrates to Canada for an arranged marriage with a man she has never met. Little did she know that this marriage would prove to be an exposè about the harsh realities of life. Vansh on the other hand is an expatriate who is struggling to support his large family through his small job as a cab driver.Deepa Mehta has always been honest towards her film's demands. She could have made this film in Hindi or atleast partially in Punjabi to achieve a wider audience but she uses unadulterated Punjabi throughout for a much more effective result. There is no room for unnecessary flamboyance in her films and in Videsh, she keeps the treatment simple and provides a realistic look at the lives of the first generation of immigrants wherein their loneliness, frustration, desires and struggles have been depicted very well. The supernatural element has been convincingly integrated into the narrative and the overall effect is surprisingly believable. Giles Nuttgen's photography also deserves brownie points for capturing the grim backdrop to the story with finesse.Videsh has standout performances by its leading cast. Preity Zinta shines in a very challenging role and she truly makes Chand's suffering and angst come alive on screen. This is undoubtedly one of her best performances till date. Vansh Bhardwaj makes a superb film debut and as he has been saying in the interviews, this indeed is a dream debut for him. He essays both the characters of Rocky and Sheshnaag (human form of king cobra) flawlessly. While Rocky requires him to be a frustrated, angry man, Sheshnaag has him in a romantic avatar. Performances of the supporting cast are very believable.Videsh might look like a simple film about domestic abuse on the surface, but it has much more to offer than that. The magical surrealism (a genre which has not been exploited much in Indian cinema) acts like a mirror to depict the frailties and complexities of human relationships. Watch it with an open mind and you'll see how beautifully the film delivers what it intends to at the outset

billobarber

Director Priyadarshan can safely be labelled as the king of remakes. Not surprisingly, for his latest venture Billu (earlier titled Billu Barber) he borrows the story from the original Malayalam film, Katha Parayumbol. This is the second time that this critically acclaimed film is being remade after last year's heavily panned and box office disaster Kuselan featuring Rajnikanth. Keeping this in mind and also Priyadarshan's recent decline as a prolific director, I went in with absolutely zero expectations. I just didn't want to witness another Priyadarshan film like Mere Baap Pehle Aap. Sadly enough, Billu disappointed me even with those low expectations. Billu is that kind of a film which defies the practice of good filmmaking and is solely aimed to rake in the moolah while the initial hype lasts.If you tend to use the idiot box frequently then you must have witnessed the aggressive promotions of Billu, many of them being the "item" numbers featuring Shahrukh Khan and his gang of pretty ladies. That's very much what you get to see during the film's first half without much story progression taking place. However, the film's premise is promising which is based on the bond of friendship that Lord Krishna shared with his childhood friend Sudama. Here Shahir Khan (Shahrukh Khan) is the rich guy and Billu (Irrfan Khan) is the somewhat impoverished friend.The film tells the story of how these two childhood friends go on their separate paths early in their life to achieve different heights. While Shahir achieved his dream of stardom and the riches, Billu was content with his simple and humble life as a barber in Budbuda village. Billu's life takes a U-turn when Shahir arrives in Budbuda to shoot for his next film. Villagers are thrilled about the filmstar's arrival and every other person is desperate to get a glimpse of him including Billu's wife and two children. When the village folk learn that Shahir Khan was Billu's childhood friend, they leave no stone unturned to please Billu so that they can somehow get to meet the superstar through him. Meanwhile Billu is hesitant to meet Shahir as he feels that he would embarrass himself with his shabby state. What consequences does Billu have to face for his hesitance and how does he finally meet Shahir Khan? That forms the crux of the remaining story and its climax.Priyadarshan hasn't really made a film that he should be genuinely proud of since Hera Pheri and that was way back in 2000. The films that followed were either formulaic entertainers or so-called comedies like Mere Baap Pehle Aap and Bhagam Bhag. Harsh but true, he hasn't evolved much as a filmmaker and it's rather sad because he's the man behind brilliant films like Kala Pani and Virasat. Unfortunately Billu has only extended his list of ever-growing duds. Billu doesn't have Priyadarshan's trademark comedy nor the intense dramatic depth. Even the characters look like extensions from his previous films. Blame the writers for that. While the original story has been credited to Sreenivasan, the screenplay for Billu has been adapted by Mushtaq Sheikh, who has previously scripted Om Shanti Om. Sheikh's adaptation is uninspiring, devoid of creativity and doesn't have a well-formed structure.The film doesn't get to its intended point until the intermission and quite annoyingly many scenes tend to be repetitive ultimately leading to a very predictable and forced emotional climax. Dialogues by Manisha Korde are average and SRK's lines for the climax seem to written in a hurry. Not to forget, the film totally deviates from its plot when comments are passed about film-star "Abhay" Kumar (no guesses on who "Abhay" is!) and SRK making a statement or two about the film fraternity being an united family etc. I also noticed some serious glitches in the writing, such as SRK shooting for a futuristic action sequence in the village as though film studios have become extinct and Lara Dutta looking glamorous with full make-up throughout the film when she's expected to be a wife of a poverty-stricken village barber.Irrfan Khan as Billu the barber (or rather hairstylist to be "non-controversial") is the only saving grace of this average film. He delivers a good performance but not one that can raise the bar of his previous work. Billu as a character had immense potential to become memorable, something like Munnabhai or even Gabbar Singh, but poor writing plays the spoilsport again. Lara Dutta is completely miscast as Billu's wife. The casting director should have watched the actress in Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost before casting her in Billu. She needed a de-glamorized look and more importantly some lessons about the mannerisms of a village woman.I'm not sure if Shahrukh Khan made a cameo or almost appeared as the lead actor. Whatever that may be, he isn't too impressive and fails to live up to the magnitude of his character. His emotional breakdown in the climax looks like an extension from K3G. Now the actual cameos by the three ladies; Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra and Kareena Kapoor, are quite forgettable. Blame that on garish make-up, unbelievably poor costumes, tacky sets and bad choreography. Rajpal Yadav is hilarious as always, especially in the film's finale. I wish he was given a little more screen time. The rest of the supporting cast is strictly average, mostly comprising of Priyadarshan regulars like Om Puri, Asrani and Manoj Joshi.Pritam's music is purely for the masses and doesn't have much to offer in terms of variety. The soundtrack is of-course a huge hit in the markets but in context of the film's plot, it doesn't work for me. Billu Bhayankar is the only decent track which has been penned by Gulzar. Technically the film is average to good. Special effects by Red Chillies VFX are amateurish. Ditto for art direction where attention to detail has been overlooked. For example, the likes of Vogue and Cosmopolitan magazines are seen in the village news stands and Billu's house looks unusually large from the exterior considering his poverty-stricken state. Editing by Arun Kumar isn't crisp enough and some scenes which appear repetitive require trimming. V. Manikandan's cinematography is commendable with some scenes framed and shot exceedingly well.I did not get much positive feedback from the audience that was seated with me and that's surprising for a film that features SRK. Overall, Billu is a forgettable Priyadarshan film that tries too hard to be commercial and in the process loses the charm that the story could have offered in abundance. Priyadarshan can still make wonderful films like he used to, but before that he needs to get rid of his obsession with remakes. I'm aware that Billu is red-hot in the film distribution circles and it will probably get a fantastic opening at the box office. Whether it will sustain or not is the big question. I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't.

VICTORY

Ajitpal Mangat's Victory may not be a masterpiece but it does provide a big opportunity for Harman Baweja to showcase his acting abilities after a very forgettable debut in last year's sci-fi blunder, Love Story 2050. The good news is that the actor makes a superb comeback and carries a very average film all by himself with confidence.Victory is the story of Vijay Shekhawat (played by Harman Baweja), a middle-class boy from Jaisalmer, whose dream of playing for the Indian cricket team gets fulfilled when he gets selected for India's tour of Australia. He becomes an overnight sensation but soon gets entangled in wealth, wine and women and loses focus on his game. Consequently he is suspended from the team and on realization of his follies, he decides to fight his way back to regain what he has just lost. The film also focuses on the relationship between Vijay and his father (Anupam Kher) and his friend (Amrita Rao).It's very evident that director, Ajitpal Mangat, is a huge cricket fan and he succeeds tremendously in creating the numerous cricket sequences with flair. Roping in international cricketers like Brett Lee, Sanath Jayasuriya and Harbhajan Singh have definitely helped those sequences look very real. But Mangat is terribly let down by some uninspired writing. Agreed that most sports based films generally follow a formulaic plot but there are examples like Chak De India and Bend It Like Beckham which have improvised through smart writing and interesting characters. That just doesn't seem to happen with Victory. The screenplay is heavily clichéd, predictable and is mostly boring. That said, Mangat does have good hold on certain scenes and the emotional quotient works here and there. The film as a whole may not really appeal to the multiplex junta but it does have good chances at the single screens considering its commercial approach.Victory is a major challenge for Harman Baweja to compensate for his disastrous debut and fortunately he does very well. He looks much more comfortable in front of the camera and his dialogue delivery has improved by a large extent. I truly believe he is that lambe race ka ghoda and hopefully things will only get better for him with Ashutosh Gowariker's What's Your Raashee. Given the right director and the right script, this guy has the potential to do wonders. Amrita Rao manages to leave a mark. Gulshan Grover is terrific as the shrewd businessman and so is Dalip Tahil as the coach of the Indian cricket team. Anupam Kher is bearable. We've seen him in similar roles before and it's somewhat of a disappointment after his brilliant act in A Wednesday.The soundtrack has some very poor compositions by Anu Malik with We Love Kirket (sung by Kailash Kher) leading the pack. Lyrics are equally poor. The opportunity to create a cricket anthem is totally wasted, instead we get a very loud gibberish version of Balla Utha Chakka Laga. It's difficult to imagine a National Award winning composer churning out such run of the mill tracks. Cinematography is consistently good throughout the film and as mentioned the cricket sequences have been shot very well. Ballu Saluja could have done a better job with the editing; some odd 15-20 minutes require trimming. Background score is average.Overall, Victory lacks an attention grabbing script and has nothing fresh to offer. It's not an entirely bad film but when cricket is involved, expectations are way higher. Watch it only for Harman Baweja and the impressive line-up of top cricketers.

Lucky by chance

Watching the opening credits, you know that LUCK BY CHANCE is not going to be the run of the mill stuff. The film bears the stamp of the kind of cinema that promises to have its heart in the right place. Thankfully, you stand justified by the time the closing credits roll.
The film is essentially a light hearted look at the struggles of those associated with the glam world of the Hindi film industry. Debutant Zoya Akhtar gives us an insight into the film industry workings such as how Bhandarkar offered us one on the fashion industry (Fashion) or the Page 3 socialites, but of course in a much lighter vein.
Films that depict life behind the screen politics always make for interesting viewing. LUCK BY CHANCE is more on the lines of the Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s GUDDI or the recent Southern flick UDAYANAANU THAARAM (Malayalam) (remade in Tamil as VELLITHIRA). In fact, it can even find similarities to Hollywood movies like WHAT JUST HAPPENED?Zoya Akhtar throws it all into the package, from small time acting schools to big time corporate houses. On the one hand we have stars trying to save their current image, while on the other star-mom playing on their past ones. While producers cry about lack of respect to them, script writers sit back and watch their work being butchered. And with all of this, Zoya Akhtar might not be bringing something new to the table, yet ensures an effective jab is delivered without getting all preachy.The story takes us through the lives of the two main protagonists Sona (Konkona Sen) and Vikram (Farhan Akhtar). Vikram lands up in Mumbai to try his luck at the big league after his acting school stint. Sona meanwhile, is a struggler doing itsy-bitsy roles for the past three years in the hope that her producer-‘friend’ will some day stick to his word and give her the elusive role.Through the eyes of these characters, we are introduced to several more important players of the industry which includes producer Rolly (Rishi Kapoor), superstar Zaffar (Hrithik Roshan), the producers’ wife (Juhi Chawla), the star mom (Dimple Kapadia) and the star debutant (Isha Sharwani), all with their own baggage of anxieties.
Vikram soon befriends Sona and the two aspirants find common ground as their relationship blossoms. However while Sona learns that she is not getting the role she hoped for, Vikram suddenly finds himself shortlisted for Rolly Productions’ next big movie all thanks to superstar Zaffar backing out in the last minute. But Vikram realizes that it takes a lot more than talent to survive in the industry, and getting the big break, he is not the kind to let it all slip away that easily.It is a simple tale of struggles and aspirations, choices and compromises, that invites an average moviegoer to witness the behind the scene events that lead up to the final glossy finished product that we get every friday.Zoya Akhtar has managed to impress in her first outing, and one of the primary reasons is the wonderful performances that she has managed to extract from her entire cast. Rishi Kapoor is a delight to watch as Rolly and Juhi Chawla supports him with ease. Dimple Kapadia also puts in a powerful performance as the star mom and it was wonderful to watch the grown up ‘Bobby’ pair interact once again on the big screen, talking about their glory days of yesteryears. Sanjay Kapoor too manages to put in a noteworthy show as the flop actor trying his hand at direction. Hrithik and Isha perform their parts effectively. Also special mention to the cameos of Saurabh Shukhla, Anurag Kashyap as well as the performance of Arjun Mathur, who plays Vikram’s buddy content with theatre.The cameos come and go, but the one with Shahrukh Khan does leave a lasting impression. What is also interesting to note is how the stars doing the cameos end up lampooning themselves. We have Hrithik requesting to make his villainous character more positive, Aamir Khan expressing his concerns over the timing and dialogue delivery or when Shahrukh puts in an advise on how to select the right scripts, each is doing their own bit of fun and avid fans knows what they are digging at.Unlike her brother’s debut flick DIL CHAHTA HAI, Zoya decides to be a lot bolder and does not try to please everyone with a cliché sweetened climax. Neither does she give us the typical ‘choco’ hero or heroine either. The people are more real here, and situations are more grounded. Probably why, in spite of all the empathizing and sympathizing, we still do not emotionally connect with the characters. Whilst at times Farhan hogs the limelight, Konkona’s Sona comes in to push the focus right back onto her. Farhan once again excels, and though he might not be as polished as many of the seasoned performers, there is still that honest quality about him which makes him endearing. Konkona is certainly one of the few true talents that remain in the industry, sparkling each time she shares screens with her co-stars, completely overshadowing the rest.However the movie is not without its faults. For as Zoya does justice to her supporting characters, what we have is the narration slopping and plodding until the interval. It is only post interval that Vikram's character manages to find some footing and take the story forward. But the second half does come in strongly and fittingly.Zoya Akhtar is well supported by her technical team to make this project alive. Shankar Ehsaan Loy provide a different yet functional score but Zoya seems to overlook the effects of a good background score in many of the sequences in the first half. Javed Akhtar does shines with the pen however, working out some great lines (like the ‘crocodile in a chiffon saree’ one). Scenes like the film-school graduation, the producer breaking down in front of his wife, the superstar’s insecurity at the rise of a new one, the star mom explaining her stand to her daughter, the advise from one star to another on how to deal with the intoxicating fame and money, or Sona’s response to Vikram’s feelings are all well executed and ample proof that another Zoya Akhtar’s debut is a confident masterstroke.LUCK BY CHANCE is a well written script, executed rather efficiently if not perfectly, and brought alive onscreen by a superb performance from the ensemble cast. This welcome change certainly marks the entry of yet another talented Akhtar into the industry, which in no way is by chance!

aa-dekhen-zara

Ray Acharya who is played by Neil Nitin Mukesh, is a struggling photographer who at this time in his life has absolutely nothing going for him. But something changes for this man which will forever alter his luck and make him start to look up as far as life goes. A very special camera that his grandfather once owned ends up falling into his lap through an inheritance.This simple little camera ends up changing his life in a way he could have never pictured in his wildest dreams. His destiny is now altered. Over night things become a one big roller coaster for him. He goes from rags to riches. And eventually meets the love of his life Simi, played by Bollywood’s hottest Bipasha Basu. Simi is an exciting and sexy DJ who thinks quite independently. It all seems that his time has come to live happily ever after. But unfortunately this is not the case for Ray who finally got the changed he hoped for.As they say in Spiderman, "with great power comes great responsibility" and now Ray has to face great danger. Along with the good things happening for Ray a dark side of reality has now been revealed, that of which he must face. Now he must win not only against evil forces but also against fate

kaminey

Kaminey” stars Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra. Kapoor stars as twins Guddu and Charlie, identical twins in their early twenties hoping to leave the slums behind and hoping for a better life filled with riches. Growing up in Dharavi, the world’s largest slum.Guddu works as a trainee in a small NGO firm in the city. He hopes to climb up to the top of the corporate ladder, hoping he could become a bona fide member of the burgeoning Indian middle class. His career has only just begun though and the road to bourgeoisie is both long and arduous. Guddu is honest, diligent and careful. One defining characteristic about Guddu is that he stammers, especially when under pressure.Charlie on the other hand makes a living hedging bets at the race course. Being around rich people at the race course inspires him to want to become a bookie so he can permanently be in this environment, not to mention pocket some easy money. Charlie is street smart, wily and brave--and he is a little rough around the edges, having become accustomed to street life. While Guddu stammers, Charlie has a lisp.The two brothers do not like each other and feel like they have nothing in common due to their stark differences. They keep their own goals as their primary reasons for existing, caring little for the dilemma of the other brother. Because of their different lifestyles, they’re never around each other, which explains even why as identical twins, their appearances are different.Intercut between the parallel stories of the brothers as they run to protect themselves is their dreams and their love until a point where it converges and the brothers meet to come upon a life-changing realization. The story of “Kaminey” is how all of these changes and their paths eventually cross. This movie can become the feel good tale of the summer.

Veer

In the film “Veer,” Salman Khan plays the role of a warrior. Aside from starring in the film, Khan also adds his writing touch to the film by writing “Veer.” Directed by Anil Sharma, Jackie Shroff also stars alongside Khan.”Veer” is a period piece set in 1880. While Khan plays the role of King Mavendra Singh, Jackie Shroff plays opposite of him as the villain. Also appearing on the film is daughter of Jean Claude Van Damme, Bianca Van Damme. For the role, Salman Khan bulked up. Images released show Salman Khan with a long mane of hair and a toned and sculpted body. Fellow Bollywood actor Aamir Khan recently did a body makeover for his last film “Ghajini.” The difference though is that Aamir had over a year to work out while Salman only had a month.Also, for the role, Salman Khan was seen doing dangerous stunts. The film shows him running on top of a moving train,to relieve stress, Salman Khan rode a bike. The film has been the center of controversy. During shooting, the historic Amber Fort was damaged when a 15 people were injured when a part of the wall collapsed. “Veer” filmmakers are also facing allegations that they are haven’t paid fees for filming. There have been reports that while filming the crew cut down khejri trees in Gajner without permission.According to producer Vijay Galani, filming took place all over India. "We have moved to another location in Jaipur because of the High Court order. But our schedule is on track and we have not lost any days because of the wall collapse incident. After we wrap up shooting in Jaipur in 10 days, we move to a place called Sambar Lake on 17 February. Eight days later, the camp shifts to Jodhpur, then to Bhanjar for five days and then to Dulla for a schedule of 10 days. We then return to Jodhpur to shoot at the Mehranghar Fort for 12 days. In between we also have to shoot a train sequence in Bikaner for six days." “Veer” also had a lavish set. The set spread over 10 acres of land and had 400 people working on it

Blue

Blue” is a film that is breaking the typical Bollywood mold. The film is said to be the first official Bollywood film shot underwater. Akshay Kumar, following up his last thriller “8X10” comes back in another thriller with “Blue.” Directed by American born Anthony D’Souza, the film is shot in the Bahamas.D’Souza also enlisted actors Sanjay Dutt, Zayed Khan, Lara Dutt, and Katrina Kaif. “Blue has a immense budget” at 100-150 crores. It is supposed to have an international appeal. To achieve this, D’Souza enlisted the help of Australian pop icon Kylie Minogue. Minogue will be seen along Kumar in at least one of the films songs. The song is composed by Oscar winning artist A.R. Rahman and choreography is done by Farah Khan.For “Blue” Hollywood technicians were called in. The international technician crew consisting of Nickolette Skarlatos and Clarabelle Saldanha has worked on the film; their last film was the international blockbuster “Transformers.” In filming underwater scenes, D’Souza uses Pete Zuccarini. James Bomalick, who worked in Indiana Jones, choreographs the action sequences.Filming on the set was a bit scary, one scene called for Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, and Zayed Khan to be surrounded by 40 sharks. According to D’Souza, "We had shark handlers present on the shoot to make sure that nothing untoward happened. But it was a risky business. Everyone who was around knew that these were living, breathing sharks and that it was their turf." Akshay had to receive special deep sea diving training in Thailand because he wanted to do his own stunts.Other fears on the set came from Lara Dutt. Dutt has a fear of being underwater, however co-star Kumar helped ease her fears. Yes, Akshay's natural sporty spirit is highly contagious. And it did help me to take the plunge,” says Dutt.