Before we dissect the film, let’s get down to the plot of the film. Janardan [Ranbir Kapoor], is born and brought up in middle-class Delhi background nurses a dream of being a rockstar like Jim Morrison. The going is not at all easy; he gets ridiculed and has nasty jibes directed at him. As he analyzes his failure, he comes to know that all music stars have a tragic commonality. He feels that there is nothing called pain in his life and it would be very important if he has to become a rockstar.

Enter Heer (Nargis Fakhri) is the diva of the college campus; she has it all – beauty, wealth, talent and is arrogant to the core. Janardhan likes the fact that she has broken many a heart and would like his broken too. He ultimately gets what he desires but in the end, loses his heart as well.

What works for Rockstar:
It starts off with a lot of promise and one starts to expect much from the film. The music by A.R.Rahman is delightful, the songs are not just situational, and they also track his journey from nobody to somebody. The cinematography of the movie is really interesting every frame is like a painting that you’d like to cherish. The dialogues are also simple, real and lucid. One of the most instrumental factor that can win accolades for the film is the lead actor-Ranbir Kapoor, he is just amazing in the film.

What does not work for Rockstar:
The film falters big time after second half, it becomes nauseatingly slow. Also the writing is erratic and so is the characterization. Ranbir’s character is shown moody, inconsistent does not have any explanation, we were not looking for any kind of flashback but at least there should be some clarity. His relationship with Heer also does not hold much interest, they look unreal. Even the ending of the film is going to leave some people mystified as they will wonder what happened to one of the movie’s main characters.

Imtiaz Ali is known to be a good director who has made the cult Jab We Met and the decently good Love, Aaj Kal but this one falls way below expectation because two main things in the film, script and screenplay let the film down heavily. You may take some good moments from the film which includes Ranbir Kapoor and Rahman’s music but nothing else is there to write home about.

Performances in Rockstar:
Rockstar is the late Shammi Kapoor’s last film and as you watch him, you will understand why he was such a brilliant student of cinema. Shernaz Patel is convincing in her role, Aditya Rao is shortchanged with an insignificant role. Piyush Mishra and Kumud Mishra are scene stealers. Nargis Fakhri may still have a long way to go in terms of acting but in terms of screen presence and looks, our current crop of actresses do have a competition. The rockstar of the film Ranbir Kapoor comes with a rocking performance. This is an author-backed role for him just like Rocket Singh Salesman and he does it exceptionally well.

Conclusion:
This is the weakest Imtiaz Ali film, the screenplay is the biggest culprit. If you love Rahman and Ranbir Kapoor, you can watch the film but not with much expectations.

Rating:** (Average)

Rockstar The Movie

Rockstar The Movie

Rockstar The Movie

Rockstar The Movie

Rockstar The Movie

Rockstar The Movie

Rockstar The Movie

Rockstar The Movie

Story of Ra.One:
Shekhar Subramaniam is an affable nerdy, guy who is in the field of robotic engineering. However, his son Prateek is not entirely happy with his dad because he does not find him cool enough. Finally, dad gets son’s approval, when he makes a robot called Ra.One with really villainous set of qualities that the son is looking for. The son enjoys the video game with G. One as the good robot and Ra. One as the bad one; and then leaves the game in the pause mode. Ra.One does not like it and vows to seek vengeance against Lucifer( Prateek’s game ID). Ra.One comes out of the ‘game mode’, ventures out and goes on a killing spree, terminating one of the engineers. He then meets his creator Shekhar who says that he is Lucifer to save his son. Ra.One scans him and realizes that he is not the one, but kills him anyway

The family is shocked at the demise of Shekhar. Wife Sonia (Kareena Kapoor) wants to pack the bags and come home but the son is adamant to find out the person who killed his father. He later comes to know that the person behind his dad’s death is actually a robot, Ra. One. Nevertheless they do come to India but not before the son initializing the good robot Ga. One. The good robot G.One joins the family as they drive from London to the airport and fights Ra. One.

Back home in India, the mother and son adjusts to the new good robot in the family. G.One entertains them, helps them but still warns them that Ra. One can come anytime looking for them. And he does. The rest of the movie is how Ra.One comes to India to seek vengeance and how the ultimate game is played.

What works for Ra.One:
The technicalities of the movie are high quality; SRK has obviously left no stone unturned to ensure that the movie is no short of technical brilliance. Sabu Cyril’s art direction, the action by Andy Gill and Spiro Razatos, the cinematography by Manikandan and Nicola Pecorini and the music by Vishal Shekhar are all commendable. Anubhav Sinha has pieced all aspects of the movie together to make it palatable to everyone, including the ones who do not know much about computer gaming or graphics. One thing that is remarkable is that the story of Ra.One is quite different from the usual super-hero movies. The novel concept is definitely going to be appreciated. Also, the way the concept woven smartly into Indian sensibilities definitely takes the movie a couple of notches forward.

What does not work for Ra.One:
There are major loopholes in the script. The robots are showing taking flights to India from UK, where the movie originated. In the present day and age, where security is tight, one cannot fathom such a thing can happen. There are three writers in the film and still there is not one good dialogue that can make the movie look cool. The first scene of Lucifer fighting against Sanjay Dutt for his lady love Priyanka Chopra feels drastically short of expectations. Ditto for the climax, one would have appreciated more knockouts and punches instead of the so-called ‘power’ flying here and there. The plot meanders in the second-half ; it drags for a while before Ra.One emerges and the movie gallops to a hurried climax. The entry of Chitti Robot (Rajnikanth) is possibly the worst scene in the film. The gimmick falls flat on the face and all the news about Rajnikanth giving constructive feedback on the film that SRK and his team accepted looks like one big sham. G.One is shown emerging again in the last reel, which defeats any emotion the movie may have evoked.

Best scenes in Ra.One:

• The scene where Prateek plays the game with Ra.One as the adults dance to the ‘Criminal’ song. The interpolation of the game along with the song and dance looks cool.
• The Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus scene where a local train is taken over by Ra. The scene could have edited better though.
• A ‘hatke-scene’ where Shah Rukh Khan touches Kareena Kapoor’s breast by mistake. May not be the best scenes, but it is truly the most original scene in the film,.
• Tom Wu chasing Kareena Kapoor and her son before the interval is also thrilling and so is the combat of Ra.One vs G.One.

Performances in Ra.One:
Armaan Verma as the kid had done a neat job. The supporting characters, Shahana Goswami, Dilip Tahil are good in their parts Satish Shah is wasted. Kareena Kapoor has never looked sexier. If you discount her glamorous look and look for acting prowess, she does not disappoint there as well. Shah Rukh Khan plays the superhero with aplomb but then becomes quite clichéd in the last scene where he reprises the MNIK role. Arjun Rampal does not get much screen space to act; the focus is more on his look rather than his expression. The star performer of the film is Tom Wu, who plays Ra One in the first half, he is minty cool with a Terminator-like personality.

Conclusion of Ra.One:
Ra.One is an average fare, go with zero expectations and you will walk out pleased. But if you are expecting too much fromit, be ready to be disappointed.

Rating: ** (Average)

Story of Rascals:
This Sanjay Dutt production has him and Ajay Devgn in lead roles, playing the roles of Chetan and Bhagat, the only genuinely funny reference in the film. The whole plot or the lack of it is these two idiots trying to steal from an unsuspecting Anthony Gonsalves (Arjun Rampal) to win the love of a rich heirness Kangna Ranaut in Bangkok. To put it flatly, Rascals is a shoddy mix of Deewana Mastana, Bluffmaster and Jodi No. 1

What works for Rascals:
Are you kidding? May be the lust-oozing figure of Kangna may suffice.

What does not work for Rascals:
Everything, there is no structure in the plot, no motive, no chemistry, no flashes of technical brilliance; and it is not even mildly funny. Every gag falls flat, and unless you are a fan of jokes on poverty, handicap and loud dialogues, you may be just cursing your stars.

David Dhawan’s regulars Kader Khan, Shakti Kapoor and Johnny Lever who managed to take the 90s flicks to a stellar level are replaced by Satish Kaushik and Chunkey Pandey and their pathetic attempts to be funny. Women are reduced to objects of lust, the camera having a field day focusing on the breasts and buttocks of Kangna Ranaut and Lisa Hayden. Sigh!

Performances in Rascals:
Ajay Devgn sadly get a negative marking in his amazingly galloping career of back to back hits. Okay, we excuse him he is effective and does whatever he is capable of. Sanjay Dutt tries to act silly and stupid and the joke is on him rather than what he says. It is genuinely funny seeing Bollywood’s two bad dancers trying to shake their legs to a noisy track. Yes, this is another funny part in the film apart from the names of the characters. The less said about Kangna Ranaut the better, she can give you a headache with her overacting. Lisa Hayden disappoints as well, with her expressionless histrionics.

Conclusion:
Find something better to do and stay away from Rascals

Ratings: *(Poor)

Rascals The Movie

Story of Soundtrack:
Raunak Kaul is intrinsically humble and helpful by nature, when he sees a beggar who has exceptional talent for singing, he takes note of him and makes him sing for his album. DJ Raunak begins as a DJ at the Tango Charlie Club and this is the place where he happens to meet an agent by the name of Charlie who later initiates him into the world of drugs, alcohol, wild parties and women.

Once he chooses the wrong path, Raunak finds that his real talent has drifted away, his quality of music begins to wane and he is actually booed out by an angry club crowd. Raunak who once nursed an ambitious of being famous, wonders if he will die unsung like his father. The DJ is then diagnosed with loss of hearing in one ear, and a partial loss in the other. This makes him stay away from sounds and music.

Now begins a therapeutic phase in his life, when Raunak decides to live a frugal life. He happens to meet a lip reading instructor Gauri (Soha Ali Khan) who teaches him how to lip read. Raunak focuses on his work and comes up with an album in an absolute state of deafness.

What works for Soundtrack:
The performance of Rajeev Khandelwal, Soha Ali Khan and the director’s eye for authenticity.

What does not work for Soundtrack:
Well, we cannot say that these things do not work for the film but one cannot really come up with a fair review and credit to the film because the Indianized version is quite similar to the source without any personal touch that could distinguish this remake from the original.

Another thing is that the music of the film Soundtrack is weak; not a good thing considering it is a ‘musical’ film.

Performances in Soundtrack:
Rajeev Khandelwal can be depended upon to carry a film on his shoulders and he does a great job in this one as well. Soha Ali Khan has a tight, compact role and she does her role competently. Mohan Kapoor is apt for his character and it is refreshing to see him in a meaty role after a long time.

Conclusion:

Soundtrack remains an interesting watch for a few strains

Ratings: **1/2 (Above average)

Story of Love, Breakups Zindagi:

This is a cute story about love, life, guilt, realization and a few heartbreaks. There are a few confused characters and a predictable story all in the name of love. Govind (Cyrus Sahukar) is a 40 year old man who has been divorced twice, and is looking for his lady love. He is someone who is supposed to have a good sense of humor (in line with his real-life image). Paired opposite him is Tisca Chopra, who plays an Urdu teacher,

Dia Mirza (Naina) is the Mumbai girl who is quite smart, fun loving person with an eye and ear for all the good things in life. She is a great friend, a perennial source of joy to her mother (Shabana Azmi) and close to perfection in everything that she does. Close to perfection, because whenever it comes to love, she is a lost cause. She has a room-mate Ritu (Umang Jain) who takes to eating ice-creams as an antidote for breakup.

Jai (Zayed Khan) is the cool, fun-loving dude, a corporate boy who is earning handsomely. But he is a wimp when it comes to love. He is engaged to a control freak that is boring as one can get. The producers….oops, Naina and Jai meet at a friend’s wedding. Cupid strikes and love hits the air.

What works for Love Breakups Zindagi:

If you love sweet, fun-loving films that are without a trace of vulgarity, violence and catering to the up-market audience, you should probably give this one a try. Dia Mirza and Zayed Khan manage to whip up some interesting chemistry. The movie actually picks up pace after the second half. The music of the film is also good, with ‘Rab Rakha’ and other tracks sticking to your mind even after you exit from the theater.

What does not work for Love Breakups Zindagi: The director Sahil Singha takes more than a fair amount of time to establish his characters and their eccentricities. The characters are one-dimensional and in today’s times, such things look too trivial and boring. Tisca and Cyrus, surprisingly, are a watchable couple; one wishes that they were given more screen space. The attempts at comedy fall flat at some places. Shah Rukh Khan who is roped in as guest appearance just has a blink and miss role, what’s more, he looks aged and does not make the cut.

The breakups show in the films is devoid of emotion. Agreed that people are nice in the film to handle their breakup in a mature fashion, but showing Zayed breaking up with his would-be wife in a manner akin to a business deal not working out, seems awry. Sahil Singha seems to believe that having an emotionless breakup is a sign of positive energy.

Performances in Love Breakups Zindagi:

Zayed Khan seems to have improved a lot; Cyrus Sahukar is funny whenever he is on screen. The ladies do a tad better; Tisca Chopra is dignity personified and acts quite well. Dia Mirza is brilliant in her role; the lady is truly unlucky when it comes to the fate of her films. Hope this one works for her.

Conclusion: Love Breakups Zindagi is a good film but only if you have a thing for cheesy romances.

Ratings: **1/2 (Above Average)

Love Breakups Zindagi

Love Breakups Zindagi

Love Breakups Zindagi

Love Breakups Zindagi

Story of Sahib Biwi Aur Gangster:

Based in a little town in North India, we chance upon a Begum (Mahie Gill) her Nawab husband (Jimmy Shergill) and a driver (Randeep Hooda). The Nawab and Begum reside in their royal home, trying hard to maintain their regal status. But due to extreme financial crises that are the order of the present day, the Nawab finds it hard to maintain his status and royalty in contemporary times.

Nawab’s rival political party, which belongs to Gainda Singh [Vipin Sharma], wants to eliminate the Nawab and his allies take over the administration. Nawab is in constant stress for maintaining his position, campaigning for elections as well as safeguarding his life and property. At the same time, he is charmed by a beautiful mistress and the Begum tries hard to get her husband interested in her, but in vain.

The rival gang then plants a person called Babloo (Randeep Hooda) as the driver for the family, as they have already eliminated the old driver in an accident. This young driver is supposed to act as a spy but he falls to the charm of Begun and seduces her. The begum also gives in, sexually attracted to him, considering she has been ignored by her husband for a long time. Babloo falls in love with Begum and confesses about the plot to kill Nawab; he admits about his intentions and plans in front of the Nawab. As a result, there is high drama and a twist in the plot that takes the characters in the film as well as the audience by surprise.

What works for Sahib Biwi Aur Gangster:

The amazing plot-line, the fantastic execution, the rich, interesting dialogue and the captivating performances literally every element of the film, works in its favor. There is no unnecessary diversion into subplots that hold no relevance, like we have seen in many films of late. There are lots of twists and turns to keep you glued in. Moments of high drama mixed with powerful dialogue alone can give you money’s worth. The lines remain in your memory even after you are done watching the film.

What does not work in Sahib Biwi Aur Gangster:

Post the second half; the scenes could have been slicker. Also some of the twists may seem too much of a surprise and unbelievable. The music could also have been a couple of notches better.

Performances in Sahib Biwi Aur Gangster:

This is a performance powered film, the trio of Randeep, Jimmy and Mahie Gill need to be repeated, so electrifying is their chemistry. The brilliant actor Jimmy Shergill packs in enough intensity and sparkle to keep the audience in tenterhooks. Randeep Hooda shines in his role and gives a measured performance which makes us wonder what he has been doing all this while. The beautiful Mahie Gill excels in a role that has been tailor-made for her. She is superb as a neglected wife, very convincing as a seductress and impressive as a woman with a complicated state of mind. The other actors, Deepraj Rana, Deepal Shaw, Vipin Sharma, Rajeev Gupta and Shreya Narayan are equally competent and are a perfect foil to the trio.

Conclusion:

Saheb Biwi aur Gangster is a must-see film that hangs on a powerful plot, superb script, fantastic dialogue and inspiring performance. You cannot skip this one

Rating: ****(Very Good)

Story of Force:

The love story is the backbone of the plot while the movie is fleshed out with action. Yashvardhan [John Abraham] is a senior narcotics officer who does not necessarily play by the book, he works more on an undercover mode. He does not believe in handcuffs, he would like to eradicate crime in his own manner, by killing people who try to destroy the society. In his tryst to wipe out the drug mafia, he found an evil–minded equal in Vishnu (Vidyut Jammwal) who has decided to get back at the narcotics team who had destroyed his business and killed his brother.

Yashvardhan happens to meet the free-spirited Maya (Genelia D’Souza) who works as a social worker and a teacher. The person, who has no intention of faling in love, lest it could change his practical perspective, finally gives in to the cute girl’s charm and marries her. It proves to be a wrong decision because Vishu eliminates her and trains his gun at Yash.

What works for Force:

Despite a predictable plot, Force packs in a lot of punches, kicks and some real raw action that is reminiscent of a street fight. No silly computer graphics, pure adrenalin. There are enough twists and turns in the second half to keep you cued in to the proceedings. It is to the credit of the director Nishikant Kamat who takes the views through a lot of emotional upheavals and actions in this engrossing crime drama. Overall, this is a cat-and-mouse game with heavy action and stupefying climax. Post second half, the movie packs in a lot of punch, literally as well as figuratively. The action scenes by Allan Amin definitely deserve thumbs up.

What does not work for Force:

The first half of the movie is rather slow and there are a few scenes that are clichéd. Also Genelia’s role of a do-gooder looks like a badly rehashed version of what Asin did in Ghajini. Barring one song ‘Khwabo Khwabo’, the others are not really effective. Music director Harris Jayrat disappoints.

Performances in Force:

Genelia is effective as a sweet girl who is head over heels in love with John; she has not looked as pretty as she does in this film. But then she has to get over the ‘nice girl’ act and irritating style of dialogue delivery. One wishes to see her doing more experimental stuff in future. She shines in some sequences which shows that she is capable of doing much better.

John Abraham is impressive, he looks good, his chiseled body is a traffic-stopper. Watch out for the scene in which he lifts a 120kg bike and hurls at one of the goons. The man seems to be quite comfortable and confident in the role. It is obvious that John has worked very hard on his physique and his role. John, however finds tough competition in the villain, newcomer Vidyut Jammwal who is quite a worthy opponent, in terms of physique and performance. Vidyut does not even give you an impression that he is a debutant; his lean, toned body, his impressive martial kicks and a sweeping performance keeps you glued to the seats. Mohnish Bahl comes with a convincing performance especially in the penultimate moments. Watch him in the scene when he in a dilemma about killing his friend to save his wife’s life. Mohnish’s wife played by Sandhya Mridul is also quite competent. The rest are mere props in the film

Conclusion:

Force is regular bad vs good film laced with adrenalin pumping action. Don’t miss

Rating:*** ( Good)

What is good about Mausam:
Kudos to the cinematography by Binod Pradhan, and the efforts of producers Sheetal Vinod Talwar and Sunil Lulla; to make it as grandiose as possible.

What is not so good about Mausam:
Just about everything. The problem with the film that it is not appealing to the youth; the choreography is in place, the style is; but there is no screenplay, no sense of direction, no sense of plot or narrative.

Pankaj Kapur(father of the main lead Shahid Kapur) may be a very good actor but as a writer and director, he has miles to traverse. He wants to say that the couple has experienced it all-the 92 riots, bomb-blasts, 9/11 attack, the riots in Gujarat but still they manage to find each other, despite fading in and out of the other’s lives. But, one does not connect with anything either those politicized events or with the pathos of the lovers. The transition from the little hamlet in Punjab to a huge palatial house in Scotland sounds off-key.

Whenever the lovers meet, there is no chemistry, no passion and no longing, even on a platonic level. It is as if the couple wants to play a game of catch and run; for instance when Sonam sees Shahid in Scotland, she evades him only to make him find her. In a real world, people don’t really do that, do they, especially when they haven’t met for years?

There are a lot of mundane scenes that only add to the drab plot. The audience is clearly bored with every interaction between the couple and the other proceedings that tow along. In fact, one may say that right from the beginning of the film, the boring tempo was all set. There is a forced element of heroism at the end, but that is far from convincing.

Performances in Mausam:
Shahid Kapur submits himself to his father and lets him mould him in whatever role, daddy has visualized for him. One cannot fault his performance though, he has done everything he possible can. Sonam Kapoor manages to act well, a couple of notches better than her previous performances. Supriya Pathak is superb, while Aditi Sharma manages to overshadow even Shahid in some scenes.

Conclusion:
Mausam is a blunder.

Rating: * (Poor)

Story of Mere Brother Ki Dulhan:

The story is about one Khush Agnihotri (Imran Khan) who is looking for a bride for his brother Luv Agnihotria (Ali Zafar) who is based in London. He finds an ideal find in Dimple Dixit (Katrina Kaif) a girl who is a perfect foil of Indian sensibilities and English charm, just what his brother needs. But during the course of the wedding preparations, Khush and Dimple fall in love with each other, and then we have the same old love triangle coming up with the main lead winning the girl.

What works in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan:

The script laced with humor is the forte of the film. The first part of the film is well edited and has a lot of interesting sequences in the first part. The performances in the film, with a surprising spirited performance from Katrina Kaif raise the bar of the film. The direction by Ali Abbas Zafar is also quite interesting, there is never a dull moment specially in the first half. There are no over-the-top scenes and even the love triangle scenes are directed in a smart manner. There are no tragic or sad scenes; it is a fun-fare all the way with the right balance of emotions. The comical timing of Ali Zafar and Katrina Kaif can keep you in splits.

What does not work in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan:

The clichéd theme of the film is a big let-down. The proceedings become quite predictable in the second half, so much that people can guess what a character would say even before he or she starts to say something. There is no real struggle in the film. In the earlier days, we had such tough characters like Amrish Puri’s in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, who seemed like such a hard nut to crack, but in today’s films; you hardly see any challenge. Problems are solved in such a jiffy in movies like Mere Brother Ki Dulhan that the audience does not get to feel the character’s emotions, they have to just watch the movie for the sake of watching.

The length of MBKD is dismally long, it would not be wrong to say that the Yash Raj Films may just snip a couple of songs in future to restrict the length. Finally, Imran Khan is back to his boring roles again. One thing is to be borne in mind; when he says that it is indeed a different role, we may have to take his statement with a pinch of salt. He is doing the same thing that he did it I Hate Luv Storys, even his profile of an assistant direction in that film is here. If he takes on such mundane roles, one may not be really charged up about seeing his films

Performances in the film:

Imran Khan, being in comfort zone, plays his character to the hilt, and sleepwalks through the role. Ali Zafar displays amazing comic timing. The film really belongs to Katrina Kaif, this is her best performance. The girl impresses with her superb comic timing and looks a million bucks as well. If you are a Katrina Kaif fan, you cannot dare miss this. Even if you are not someone who does not like Katrina’s performances, you can just end up drooling over her gorgeous looks.

Conclusion:

Mere Brother Ki Dulhan is tailor-made for the Katrina Kaif lover in you. Do not go expecting a mind-blowing script; you may well be satisfied the song and dance fiesta, and some funny lines in the first half.

Ratings: **1/2 (Average)

Mere Brother Ki Dulhan

Mere Brother Ki Dulhan

Mere Brother Ki Dulhan

Mere Brother Ki Dulhan

Mere Brother Ki Dulhan

Director Prakash Jha’s films like Gangajal, Raajneeti, Apaharan and Damul have always managed to make varying degrees of impact due to their socially relevant themes. Aarakshan had a touchy topic as well and so it was natural that there would be a whiplash from some streams of the society. But even then, the film should have delivered on the premise; not distanced itself from the core issue, which is also the title of the film.

Prabhakar Anand (Amitabh Bachchan) is a noble, kind-hearted professor who is in charge of Shankuntala Takarai college. Two people, lecturer Deepak Kumar (Saif Ali Khan) and Sushant Seth(Prateik Babbar) share diametrically opposite views, while the former who is a son of a Dalit, who supports the supreme court verdict of reservation, Sushant feels that admission should be merit-based only. Amidst all this, there is this conniving professor Mitleish(Manoj Bajpayee) who takes advantage of the situation and befriends political heads who assure that that he has all the leeway to make huge sums of money by floating his own coaching class.

When professor Anand comes to know of Mitleish’s shady job, he issues him a show-cause notice. But in the bargain, Anand is insinuated with playing caste-based politics and he becomes the target of the media. Beleaguered, the professor resigns and leaves his honorable position to Mitleish.

Mr. Anand is in for more shock when he comes to know that his house is being run by Mitleish as a private coaching class. His daughter Purvi (Deepika Padukone) wife Tanvi Azmi are tired of Mr. Anand’s uncompromising values but the man is steadfast in his belief that he will get back his house someday. How he gets back his lost glory forms the rest of the story

What works for Aarakshan:

This is perhaps one of the few films of Prakash Jha where there is more controlled agitation of the cerebral variety rather than nonsensical violence. The first half is good too, with some good sequences involving Saif Ali Khan and Mr Bachchan.

What does not work for Aarakshan:

Aarakshan fails miserably when it comes to sticking to its core subject. The issue was of student reservation quota and the politics around it. But post interval, the film takes another turn and distances itself from the main subject, big time. The second half is a boring take on private coaching classes and their profit motives. It is just another thing between the good and the evil with the good winning in the end.

Apart from compromising with the idea, we can also sense that the director Prakash Jha is confused and not so sure of the product. Come to think of it, even the romance between Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone is on a confusing track because at times, it does look evident that she has a thing going for Prateik as well. The director seems to be wondering if he could extend Prateik’s track with Deepika or just let it be.

The songs are boring and create a further dent in the proceedings. The performances are unimpressive as well, only Saif and Amitabh Bachchan leave a mark

Performances in Aarakshan:

Amitabh Bachchan is superb as the principal. The get-up is just the same as the one in Mohabbatein but this character has more depth. Saif Ali Khan may not look like a Dalit but he does pack in a powerful performance. Unfortunately, he gets less scope to perform. Deepika Padukone, one of the better actresses in the contemporary arena, disappoints. Prateik Babbar is also a let-down, can’t believe he was so natural in his earlier films The worst performance is from an exceptionally good actor Manoj Bajpayee, he has been given a shoddy getup and he hams badly in the film.

Conclusion: Aarakshan is avoidable; the second-half is a huge letdown.

Rating: **1/2

Aarakshan

Aarakshan

Story of Aarakshan:

Story of Bodyguard:

Yes, it is wafer-thin and there is nothing that can be called a plot. However, this is a tried and tested formula of director Siddique who has met with success when he released this film in Malayalam and Tamil before he shot in Hindi. There are minor changes in the Hindi without much discernible improvement. Our hero, Lovely Singh (Salman Khan) has a debt owing to a wealthy feudal lord Sartaj Rana (Raj Babar) which he cannot repay. This rich moneybags stays in a sprawling mansion in Jaisinghpur. The loyal bodyguard is ready to give his life for his master. The master has the apple of his eye, his beautiful daughter Divya, who is asked to pursure learning in management school in distant Pune. Lovely Singh is entrusted with the responsibility to keep a watch on her and protect her from any harm. Sartaj Rana may have enemies but he is happy because his daughter is safe as a moth in a cocoon. The girl thinks of ways and means to get her off his back but they fall flat and she falls in love with him. Need you be told that their love story has its share of thorns and the wiling hero is ready to fight opposition against all odds and get his lady in the end?

What works in Bodyguard?

As usual, Salman Khan. His buffoonery, self-deprecating humor and brawn towers above the script and though one gets a dose of exaggerated in the name of entertainment, people are ready to make an exception for him. It has got its generic ingredients right-an item number with Katrina Kaif, a mass-loving entry for the hero, romance, comedy, action; the works. Every character in the film seems to have a gala entry. High on everything, Sallu engages in some entertaining action scenes that are SFX aided fights, although the technology applied is mediocre. But then Salman manages to give people their bang for buck and yes, there is his torso and chest sparkling again, amidst wolf-whistles. Director Siddique loses no opportunity in exploiting Salman’s cult hero status to the hilt.

What does not work in Bodyguard:

After Dabangg, filmmakers who cast Salman Khan do not think highly about the script and screenplay, they just put elements that would appeal to the common-man and give him a welcome respite from his daily drudgery. So, there is nothing logical in the film, there is no film-making lesson to delve in, there is no realism and there is nothing realistic in the film. Salman fights all opposition tooth and nail and he emerges unscathed without even his hair ruffled, forget the wounds and marks. The confusion of the director is evident in the second half when he does not seem to know whether to give softer, romantic scenes to his hero or just keep the flow as it was.

The comedy is the worst part of the film, there is a funny guy called Tsunami Singh (Rajat Rawail) who does not raise any laughs. The kind of jokes that you can come across in the film is of making jokes on physical deformity, on an overweight person and on a midget-student.

Conclusion:

Among the things that work on Bodyguard’s favor is the timing of the release. It has released in the festive season, which mean hordes of people come in the holidays and the so-called merriment will extend towards the weekend as well. Enjoy the movie at your own peril

Rating: **1/2 (Above Average)

Story of I am Kalam:

Born in a family that is sinking in abject poverty, Chhotu (Harsh Mayar) a clever boy with a zing for life, is not cowed by the dismal conditions around him. In order to fend for his family, the boy works in roadside food stall during the day, and in the evenings, spends his time reading books that he manages to purchase with the earnings. He has a dream of creating his own destiny and rising above the circumstances that he is in.

One day, Chhotu happens to meet a local prince (Hussan Saad). The impoverished child is impressed at the sight of the crisp tie worn by the prince. The prince on the contrary, is interested in the camel that the pauper has. A friendship develops between the two and they defy the so-called barriers of class and status much to the amusement of others in the village

One fine day, on hearing a speech from the former president of India, Dr. Abdul Kalam, Chottu decides to change his future. From that day onward, the boy decides to drop the name ‘Chhotu’ a term used to refer to many child labors across the country and adopts a new alias called ‘Kalam’. Taking a cue from the president, the boy decides to become a hero some day. He is helped in his endeavor by his friend, the prince.

What works in I am Kalam:

A beautiful film in every manner, it touches topics like child abuse, child labor, and poverty in a sensitive yet effective manner without being too stark or depressing. By giving the proceedings a fairy tale touch, the movie tends to be quite entertaining rather than a drab documentary. The message, without being preachy, is loud and clear. As an inspirational movie, it is surely going to touch the chord of the viewer.

What does not work in I am Kalam:

Though the writing and the execution is fantastic, things go slightly unrealistic when Chotu goes to Delhi and his friends and family trace him rather easily in the crowded city. But other than that, there is nothing seemingly wrong in the film.

Performances in I am Kalam:

Gulshan Grover is tops and the French actor Beatrice Ordeix is so unassuming and effortlessly natural. Pitobash and Meena Mir also fit their roles to the T. The film however, belongs to the two gems, the child actors Hussan Saad and Harsh Mayar who come up with performances that deserve two rounds of applause. Harsh, as the protagonist is quite adorable.

Conclusion: I am Kalam is quite inspiring, a must-watch movie!

Ratings: ****1/2

I Am Kalam Movie Still Featuring Beatrice Ordeix

I Am Kalam Movie Still

I Am Kalam Movie Still

I Am Kalam Movie Still

Story of Singham:

Fundamentally, true to the core of any masala film, this Tamil adopted movie is the fight between the good and the bad. The story is based in Shivgad, a little village on the periphery of Maharashtra. There is an honest police inspector Bajirao Singham (Ajay Devgn) who has his own principles and ethics while dealing with injustice and malpractices. Circumstances force Singham against a vile and powerful criminal politican called Jaykant Shirke (Prakash Raj) who has a totally different set of beliefs. He creates a nightmare out of Singham’s life. He has support in the form of a loving girlfriend called Kavya (Kajal Aggarwal). A chance tryst with Sonali Kulkarni who happens to be the wife of the slain Rakesh Kadam changes Singham’s perspective and he decide to eliminate the root cause of wall woes Jaykant Shirke .

What works for Singham:

Singham is a throwback to the 70s generation known for death defying action scenes and valor but on a much slicker note. The actions scenes are cleverly choreographed. So we get to see raw power marshaled by stylishly adapted thrills of South Indian films. Before one watches Singham, he or she is bound to make comparisons of the film with Dabangg. But apart from the protagnoist’s heroism and the fact that they are police offices, there is nothing common between the two films.

Take a bow, Rohit Shetty, it is the director’s best film yet. The Rohit Shetty-Ajay Devgn partnership remains one of the strongest actor-director partnerships in the industry. Though the story is something that one has seen before in terms of the good versus bad drama, there is not a moment for boredom. The treatment is slick and the dialogues zippy. The director has shown that he is as gifted in action films and can do them as effectively as he directs a comic caper.

The screenplay by Yunus Sajawal is purely aimed for the masses, Farhad-Sajid’s dialogue work smoothly and goes for a kill during the confrontational scenes. The background score by Amar Mohile is superb.

What does not work for Singham:

The chemistry between Ajay and Kajal Aggarwal is missing and what’s more, it actually becomes an impediment to the narrative. The romance between Salman and Sonakshi that was quite charming does not have that zing in Singham. But then to be fair to the movie, the drama is so potent that you do not want the romance to intervene and play spoilsport. The sound-track in the movie is also not that catchy, considering it has been done by Ajay-Atul who came up with a winner for the Marathi film, Natarang. The title track by Sukhvinder however, does have its moments.

Best scenes in Singham:

1. Ajay Devgn’s confrontation with the minister Anant Jog.
2. Ajay bashing the goods who misbehave with Kajal in the movie theater.
3. The finale.

Performances in Singham:

Ajay is truly the heart of Singham (Lion). He plays the righteous cope with a larger than life persona very well. Always known to underplay his part, Ajay goes over the top for this one and we do not mind it at all. Simply said, this is one of Ajay Devgn’ best performances ever and considering he has a long list of amazing performances, this one is another feather to his cap. Prakash Raj as the maverick villain is as powerful as Ajay during the dramatic scenes. A sheer genius, you just love to hate him in the film. Kajal Aggarwal is reduced to a side-kick in the film and one cannot really say that this is a good debut film for her if she is looking for Bollywood as a comeback (she had already worked in Kyon..Ho Gaya Na, 7 years ago). There are other actors like Govind Namdeo, Anant Jog, Sonali Kulkarni, Murli Sharma and Sudanshu Pandey who register quite an impact in their cameos

Conclusion:

Singham is a masala film peppered with raw heroism, larger than life action scenes, amazing drama and the power of the reliable trio-Ajay Devgn, Rohit Shetty and Prakash Raj. If you are looking for a massively entertaining film, you cannot miss out on Singham.

Ratings: ****(Very Good)

Singham Movie

Story of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara:

Kabir (Abhay Deol) who has been engaged to Natasha (Kalki Koechlin) decides to invite his school friends for an extended road-trip to Spain. Though the three meet, one can sense that all is not well between Arjun (Hrithik Roshan) and Imraan (Farhan Akhtar). As the three haul up for a road-trip, they indulge in friendly banter and find out more about each other; and their fears. Arjun who has a phobia for deep sea-diving gets friendly with Laila (Katrina Kaif) and they begin to develop feelings for each other. Imran has a phobia of heights and he is eventually able to overcome It. Kabir is not really 100 percent happy about his marriage, his to-be-wife is increasingly possessive and does not give him space that worries him. Through this movie, one is able to take a look into oneself and draw parallels with the characters of Imran, Arjun, Kabir and Laila.

What works for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara:

The characterizations are real-like; there is nothing filmy or over-the-top. The cheerful conversation and friendly jibes are as realistic as possible minus the ovedose of abuse that we are prone to see these days. Europe never looked so beautiful in a Hindi film, Spain looks incredibly gorgeous. The director Zoya Akhtar shows that there is no need to delve into a character’s background and certain references are enough to make the audience understand the trappings of a character. The story of the film may not exactly be different, we have seen coming of age and buddy movies before but the freshness that is injected in this one, surely hits you like a whiff of fresh air.

What does not work for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara:

One feels that there could have been more interesting lines and dialogues in the film in addition to everyday lingo used. The first half is a little slower than the second half

Best scenes in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara:

• The confrontation between Naseeruddin Shah and Farhan Akhtar.
• The romantic scenes between Katrina Kaif and Hrithik Roshan (wonderful chemistry)
• The paragliding scenes
• The wonderfully choreographed “Ek Junoon” song.

Performances:

The performances of everyone in the cast has been appreciable While Abhay Deol is understated, Farhan Akthar gets to show his confident, effervescent side. As a character, Farhan gets to emote a range of emotions. Hrithik seems to have a permanent scowl in the beginning but he is quite effective in the second half of the film. Katrina Kaif is likeable; Kalki gets a short but impactful role.

Conclusion: Zidagi Na Milegi Dobara is indeed a fantastic watch devoid of errors. Go for it!

Ratings: ***1/2

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Movie Scene

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Movie Scene

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Movie Scene

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Movie Scene

Story of Murder 2:

Emraan Hashmi is a guy who has left police force, when he finds a lucrative living as a pimp. He has a friend with benefit, Jacqueline Fernandez whom he meets only for his convenience. Suddenly his conscience is awakened all of a sudden when he finds out that one of the girls he had offered to close-in as a bait on a serial killer was a minor. He finds out who the serial killer (Prashant Narayanan) is and puts him behind the bars. But the serial killer is not so bothered about his being in the prison and knows that he will come out. There is confusion in the police force, the officer in charge tells Emraan to collect more evidence. In due process, the serial killer is released and he goes to kill the girl who had managed to escape. Emraan has a task to stop him; will he succeed?

What works for Murder 2:

Murder 2 has an interesting plot about serial killing that has not been such much in a Hindi film The performance by Prashant Narayanan is tops; in the past few years, no one has seen a chilling act like this. The editing is technically proficient and the visuals do create an impact

What does not work for Murder 2:

Mohit Suri who has copied The Chasers, seems to have forgotten that the things that that are in the Korean culture, do not really fit in Indian scheme of things. For instance, how can a serial killer, who has already confessed to his crime, get scot-free? And which ‘top brass’ people will support this killer and for what reason? In any case, a eunuch comes and gets the serial killer released, funny!
The killer as mentioned before, is revealed in the first half only, and there is nothing much to look forward except go through the motions of Emraan Hashmi collecting proofs.

The sex is cold, the chemistry does not match the one between Mallika Sherawat and Emraan Hashmi. Unnecessary excess baggage of emotions like all the actors having a sad past. Emraan’s father committed suicide, Jacqueline’s mother was tormented by her father, the crazy psycho killer’s family is messed up anyway. The violence also does not hold enough shock value, they seem to be clichéd. Finally, this movie has two very important things missing in the film-good screenplay and deft direction. The Korean movie had a better emotional grip on the audience with the protagonist who was once a pimp turning father figure to the girl who has been lured by the serial killer. But in the desi-version, the producers have concentrated more on getting Emraan to romance his heroine rather than establish his character in a more meaningful manner.

Performances in Murder 2

Jacqueline Fernandez is the weakest heroine in a Bhatt movie in terms of characterization. She hardly has a role worth talking about, though she has a body to die for, she does not have the appeal that can even match half of that of Mallika Sherawat. Emraan Hashmi sleepwalks through the role and is pretty decent. The real scene stealer is the villain Prashant Narayanan who manages to keep the movie interesting whenever he is in the frame. See him in the scene where he stretches his mouth in an O expression to intimidate Hashmi, he really looked like a wolf seeking vengeance. We definitely want to see more of him.

Conclusion: Murder 2 has a bad story that is compensated to an extent with some fine acting by Prashant Narayanan

Rating:** (Average)

Murder 2 Hindi Movie Poster

Story of Delhi Belly:

Tashi(Imran Khan), Arup (Vir Das) and Nitin (Kunal Roy Kapur) are flat-mates and friends who later become partners-in-crime by chance. Tashi, a journalist, is to get married to the beautiful Sonia (Shenaz Treasurywala). Arup works as a graphic designer for an annoying boss while Nitin is a reporter and sting photographer.

The three guys lead a regular life, till they find themselves dragged in crime syndicate. It so happens that Shehnaaz has been asked to deliver a parcel contains diamonds which is switched by a similar parcel which contains stool sample of Nitin, who get a major case of stomach upset after eating road-side chicken tandoori. The trio gets their hands on diamonds and think that they can make good with the money but not before knowing that they are check-mated in their own game.

What works for Delhi Belly:

Delhi Belly is raunchy, cheeky, and blasphemous and the content is the most lurid ever in a Bollywood film. One can put this caper in the same category as Hangover, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels but this Hindi film is cleverly juxtaposed to fit seamlessly to give a culture shock to Hindi film audience. In retrospect, I dare say, Delhi Belly is even bolder than the Hollywood films. So for shock value, the movie scores big time.

The screenplay is done deftly, the scene transitions from one to the other deftly. Backed by superior performance and amazing music, this comical thriller speaks language that the youth can connect with, instantly.

The visuals are authentic; Delhi Belly has been filmed at authentic locales. There are no eye candy locales here, but real lower-middle class homes and clammy, thin lanes. Technically, the film is slick and sound.

What does not work for Delhi Belly:

There is an overdose of toilet humor and expletives, agreed that it is an adult movie but some of the content can be even embarrassing to watch along with your fellow adult. The anthem of the youth ‘D K Bose’, ‘Nukkaddwale Disco’ and ‘Sweety Sweety’ merely play in the background for a short-while and ones wishes the eye-candy videos that would have looked good in the film. There is no D.K. Bose in the film; so along, the fact that makers of the film justified ‘D.K.Bose’ as a character of the film is nothing but eyewash.

Performances in the film:

All the performers act brilliantly but the man to watch out for Vijay Raaz. He simply steals the show, he is so attractively restrained that you wait for him to explode and when he does, it is so fantastically entertaining. Imran Khan may be the hero by default but the others Kunal Roy Kapoor and Vir Das are simply superb. Both get ample scope to perform and they manage to tickle their way into the hearts of the audience. Imran Khan by himself, has given his career-best performance. As for the ladies, Shenaz Treasurywala is more than just a voluptuous eye-candy. She has come up with a spirited performance. Poorna Jagannathan has more screen-time and she manages to overshadow the guys whenever she is in the frame. Also do not miss the scorching smooch between her and him. Aamir Khan, however, disappoints at the end with his item number.

Conclusion:

Delhi Belly is one of its kind capers, a trend-setter in Bollywood. However, this movie is not for everyone. It is not for the purists or people who cannot digest abusive language but if you love cuss words flowing free and adult comedy, this is one of the best deals you can go for. But what would happen to the movie, if the abusive language was toned down? Well, then it would be just another film getting an above average rating. Sad but true. The cuss makes all the ruckus, shit happens!

Rating:***(Good)

Story of Bbuddah Hoga Terra Baap:

Amitabh Bachchan (Viju) is a retired gangster who also runs a pub in Paris. He comes down to Mumbai to complete an assignment and his hands are itching for a target. He is charismatic, engages the ladies, irritates the guys and bashes people who call him ‘Bbbuddah’. There is not much to say about the plot, except for a twist in the second half, which makes you realize what exactly he wants to do when he was looking for his ‘target’. The movie ends in a grand finale, doing poetic justice to the Bollywood legend. Guess what; he matches the role to the hilt, so much that one can safely say that if it was not for Amitabh Bachchan, this movie would never have been made.

What works for Bbuddah Hoga Terra Baap:

Bachchan is truly the Baap and this film reinforces this in its own special way. Big B’s attitude shines right though the film, his charisma, his impeccable dialogue delivery, his demeanor, his dance moves and even his clothes that seem loud at first, stick with you even after you are done with the film. Of late, Bollywood is going the Tollywood way with actors like Salman and Aamir getting larger than life roles. To be frank, Amitabh Bachcha in Bbuddah Hoga Terra Baap is even more impressive than the Khans in their past few films. The chemistry in the film between Hema Malini and Amitabh is exquisite and reaffirms the fact that the two always make a dignified, beautiful pair. One is floored by the medley of Vishal–Shekhar ‘Go Meera Go’, highly entertaining and interesting. Mr. Bachchan is eye-candy here; you simply wish the song was even longer. The soothing ‘Haal-e-Dil’ and the title song , both sung by Big B are also beautiful. The action stunts by Vijay and the cinematography by Amit Rathod too leave a mark.

What does not work for Bbuddha Hoga Terra Baap:

There are some disjointed scenes that do very little to push the plot ahead. For instance, Raveena Tandon is saddled with a role that has nothing to boast about. Her character is such that she simply does not leave an impact. In one scene, she is pitifully made to make contorted expressions for at least a minute.

Performances in the film:

Though Mr. Bachchan looms high in the film, the other actors still get their screen space unlike movies like Ready where others ended up looking like props, compared to the male protagonist. Sonal Chauhan looks pretty and is just fine, Charmee Kaur who is quite successful down South is delightfully voluptuous and quite likeable in the funny scenes. Sonu Sood, looks fit and dashing and does not seem to be overshadowed by Bachchan’s towering presence. Whenever he is there in the scene, he shows that he can be as good as the top rung actors. Hema Malini is graceful and quite adorable in the few scenes that she gets opposite Big B. As for the superstar, one can only say that he is to Bbuddha Hoga Terra Baap what Salman Khan was to Dabangg.

Conclusion: If you are an Amitabh Bachchan fan or not, you cannot miss this film.

Rating:****(Very Good)

Story of Double Dhamaal:

The movie starts from where the first one ended. Roy (Riteish Deshmukh), Boman (Ashish Chaudhary), Adi (Arshad Warsi) and his moronic brother Maanav(Jaaved Jaffery) are nursing their bad luck, looking for a way to get back the money that they were so close to attaining in the original. They come to know that the spoilsport Sanjay Dutt, the smart ex-cop has turned into an ace con-man who has two ladies Kamini (Mallika Sherawat) and younger sister Kiya(Kangna Ranaut) to give him company. The four decide to first plead and then blackmail Kabir Nayak (Sanjay Dutt) into making them partners in his business. Though they think that they have life miserable for Sanjay Dutt, we finally know that the four have to eat humble pie.

What works for Double Dhamaal:

The gags are a tad funnier in the second half. Performances of the foursome are great and one sees amazing camaraderie between the actors Riteish, Arshad Warsi, Ashish Chaudhary and Javed Jaffery. The movie picks up in the penultimate moments and the last 20 minutes are entertaining.

What does not work for Double Dhamaal

While Dhamaal worked because of a good screenplay, funny one-liners and a unique theme of the movie being an all guy show, the second one does not have anything going for it. The jokes are stale, borrowed or sheer non-sense, the screenplay is terribly weak and some of the scenes are downright boring. Though the narrative improves a bit in the second half, and there are some forceful gags put to bring in the laughs, one can sense the desperation of the team to get cracking. The result-over the top gags, and meaningless digs on movies like Taare Zameen Par, Peepli Live and Guzaarish. The constantly interrupting songs do not help in anyway.
Don’t really know why the proceedings had to shift to Macau. Nothing else changes apart from the same stale gags and insipid lines. There is so much slapstick overdose; that you feel like heading to a chemist shop to soothe your frayed nerves.

Performances in Double Dhamaa:

Javed Jaffery is brilliant in his role. Just like Tusshar in Golmaal series. Close second is Riteish Deshmukh who despite bad hairstyling hams his way nicely. Arshad Warsi is competent; he has discernibly meatier role compared to what he got in the first half. Ashish Choudhary who looks sidelined in the first half comes across as a cleavage baring moll called Barbara Hori, and while doing so, spoils whatever little could have been done for damage control. Sanjay Dutt is insipid while Satish Kaushik is remarkable. The ladies do not have much to do, Mallika Sherawat finds happiness with an item number and the two girls get couple of scenes each to perform, which they do passably well.

Conclusion:

Double Dhamaal is double torture, so be ready for the risk factor-frayed nerves. It is more painful to digest because people had high expectations on the sequel after seeing the entertaining original

Rating: **(Average)

Double-Dhamaal Movie Still

Double-Dhamaal Movie Still

Double-Dhamaal Movie Still

Story of Ready:

Salman Khan is a spoilt brat from a wealthy family; who does not do a thing well. At best, he is good at rubbing people the wrong way. Since he does not do any job, the only hobby that he specializes is in helping people find their soul mates. He keeps a tab on his uncle’s extramarital affairs and helps a bride escape from her wedding at the nth hour.

Salman’s father Rajeev Kapoor (Mahesh Manjrekar) is an industrialist who suffers from memory loss. As a result, he has trouble using words properly and ends up giving obscene, comical gestures or words, the way Suniel Shetty did in Awara Paagal Deewana.

Sanjana (Asin) comes into Prem’s life. She has her own set of agenda and surprisingly, her mirth-filled personality makes his eccentric family dote on her. Asin’s main concern is running away from her uncles, Akhilendra Mishra and Sharat Saxena who have eyes on her wealth. The supporting cast also includes Anooradha Patel, Arya Babbar, Sudesh Lahiri and Manoj Pahwa end up as props for the machismo of Salman Khan. By the second half, it is up to Sallu to take care of the misunderstanding, solve the problems; so much that the characters realize their folly, and all is well that ends well.

What Works for Ready:

Nothing looms larger than Salman Khan here. He is larger than life yet he is someone you easily warm up to. Some of the one-liners and comic antics will go well with the front-benchers and whistle blowers. Two of the songs ‘Character Dheela’ and ‘Dhinka Chika Chika’ which are no short of anthems get fans raving for more. Direct Aneez Bazmee’s goes the Rohit Shetty way, the movie making digs on some of the movies of the recent past like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Ghajini. You can see that there is a bit of ‘Hulchul’ (the Priyadarshan movie) too.

What Does Not Work for Ready:

The movie is full of done-to-death gags and stale one-liners. ‘Is ko laga daala toh Life Jhingala’ is an old one and so are some others. The plot is immature, the heroine does not have much to do, the characters are just mere props. There are toilet jokes; sexual innuendoes and raunchy double meaning humor that are going to make the critics look the other way as the junta break into a smirk. The Salman Khan fascination looks too much; the makers would like us to believe that the fans can sit through any kind of gibberish that is shown as long as Salman Khan is in the frame. For instance, even in the romantic songs, the camera is more focused on Sallu’s biceps rather than his chemistry with Asin.

Performances in Ready:

Hats off to Asin, who stands her ground in a movie that, may well be titled ‘Main Salman Khan Hoon’. She manages to evoke some laughs with her funny antics. Looks like there is finally someone who can well be a contender to Juhi Chawla’s throne. Okay, we can discount the others and come back to Salman Khan. He is happy to oblige his fans with his bare chest, and strut around in a devil-may-care attitude. He does not act; he is just himself in the film as he was in Dabangg. But is this movie another Dabangg; well..far from it.

Conclusion:

If you are not looking for a story line and only Salman Khan is the reason for you to watch the film, then by all means, go watch Ready

Rating: **1/2 (just above average)

Story of Ragini MMS:
Uday (Raj Kumar Yadav) and Ragini (Kainaz Motivala) decide to spend a naughty weekend with each other at a farmhouse of a friend. From the beginning we know that Uday is a city-bred cheapster who is insensitive and has his own agenda for taking her to the farm house.

Whenever they start making love, there is some or other thing that hampers their intimate moments. First, it is unwelcome guest, a couple who comes to play spoilsport while all the time, there is some or the other paranormal, eerie activity happening in the house. When Uday handcuffs her to get kinky, this is when the real action happens. Uday begins to feel something creepy happening around him, which pushes him, slaps him and eventually makes him kill himself. But before that, Ragini discovers that there is one more thing that is strange in the room – a camera that was hidden to record their intimate activity. She is furious, confused and scared as she comes to terms with what is in store for her. With Uday dead, what happens to Ragini in the lone room with a spirit for company?

What works for Ragini MMS:
The eerie factor is tops; Ekta Kapoor should be lauded for coming with a very smart concept that blends sex and horror beautifully. There is fear in anticipation, the dark rooms, the mysterious confines and the mirrors-every horror mechanism is employed in the best manner possible. The characterization of the two actors is apt, Raj Kumar Yadav’s character moves from insensitive and impulsively foul-mouthed to someone who is consumed with fright. Kainaz’s character Ragini is also quite believable and brilliant. Caught handcuffed with no way to escape and her boyfriend’s bleeding corpse lying nearby, her perplexed expressions makes the audience root for her and wish she could escape.

The shaky camera work is brilliant and so are the situational dialogues. Pawan Kriplani and Vaspar Dandiwala’s direction and screenplay is undiluted and looks realistically disturbing. The taut climax that keeps you tongue-tied is the icing on the cake.

What is not so good about Ragini MMS:
There were quite a few places in the movie where the fear mechanism could have been placed in a better manner. Also, the censor board cuts are quite apparent in the film and one fills that once it is termed as an ‘adult’ movie, going for cuts like these are absurd. Also in the end, the part that talks about what happens to the girl in the end goes so fast, that many audiences reeling from the effect are not able to get it.

Performances in Ragini MMS:
Raj Kumar Yadav is in top form, he makes the movie wonderfully real. Kainaz Motivala is a revelation, she acts so well without going over-the-top in a role that could have easily been over-dramatized.

Conclusion:
Ragini MMS is a superior horror movie, makes for a fantastic viewing. So go with your date or mate and enjoy the spook.

Rating:****(Very Good)

Story:
Young Stanley (Partho) and his pals are enjoying their time in school, but for one qualm-the teachers ask them to share their tiffin. In fact, the kids are happy to share their food with Stanley because he regales them with interesting stories. Life becomes quite tough when the Hindi teacher (Amole Gupte) insists that Stanley should get his own tiffin box or stop coming to school. Will Stanley get his own tiffin box? Besides this, why does he not bring the dabba in the first place.?

What works for Stanley Ka Dabba:
Amole Gupta excels in getting his point across with a simple, cute story that touches your heart. His wife, Deepa Bhatia, who is also the co-producer and editor of the film, has woven the film so well that the movie likes a breath of fresh air. From the starting credits that hold your attention with stupendous animation to the fantastic performances and a refreshing finale, the movie is quite impressive.

What does not work for Stanley Ka Dabba:
There is nothing in the movie that has room for complaining. One only feels that the movie should have been better marketed and had a known face to endorse it in today’s time of ‘heavy visibility commanding maximum attention’. Hopefully, word of mouth publicity should take the movie far.

Performances in the film:
The loving English teacher Miss Rossy (Divya Dutta), the strict Science teacher Miss. Iyer (Divya Jagdale) are people you’d instantly relate to. Every child in the film makes its mark, quite telling of what a sound film-maker Amole Gupte he is. He had actually downplayed the fact that his son Partho was the main-lead in the film and had instead said that he was launching 170 children in the film. Partho’s innocence before the camera keeps you involved right till the end.

Conclusion:
Stanley ka Dabba is not just a movie, it is an experience – a look into your nostalgic past for the adults and a fun watch for the kids. Do not miss it.

Rating: ****1/2 (almost excellent)

Stanley-Ka-Dabba-Collage

Story of Haunted:

Set amidst a lush landscape is a sprawling mansion called Glen Manor, in which lies a haunted, scary secret. Rehan (Mahaakshay aka Mimoh Chakraborty) visits this mansion to complete its sale that his father had initiated through their brokerage firm. In no time, does he realize that the manor is spooky; there are various signs that threaten him while at the same time, he finds that there is a presence of a girl who is reaching out for help through music. He sets out to find what ails the mansion. Rehan unearths the bitter past of the house; he finds that that this home has an 80 year old, the story of Meera (Tia Bajpai) and her piano professor Mr. Iyer (Arif Zakaria) who rapes her repeatedly. When he tried to do it first, Tia hits him with a vase, which kills him. After death, his evil spirit comes back to haunt her, rape kill and make her life miserable to the point of driving her to death.

Rehan feels strongly for her and wants to free Meera’s spirit from the evil spirit of the professor. To do this, he has to go back into the past and change certain things. But it is not so easy; because there are lot of elements that go against him; some of them extremely scary ones.

What works for Haunted:

When 3D meets horror, it is sure to be exciting and when you have the best man in the business to deliver, things may not go wrong. Vikram Bhatt knows the mechanics of horror very well and knows when to use horror and when to use silence as a tool to elicit fear. He goes for the kill right from the beginning; there is no beating around the bush.

Also, in Haunted; we are in for some really new things that we have not seen before-dealing with two spirits, a better plot (not the usual clichéd revenge plot) and a time travel concept blended nicely with horror. Raju Rao’s background score is very good and sets the tempo, while Chintan Bhatt’s music is also pleasing to the ears.

What does not work for Haunted:
The clichéd things still remain-distorted face, hanging bodies, flying objects, dropping of things in an uncanny manner, weird sounds etc, and lights going on and off etc; some of them taken from his past ventures like Raaz and 1920. Nevertheless, we can live with them.

Best scenes of Haunted:

• Edge of the seat opening sequences that set the mood
• Achint Kaur’s tree sequence
• A bonding scene between Meera and Rehan , which has Mahaakshay dancing and also comparing about mobile phones in 2011 and life in 1936. Forcefully put, it is the only peaceful part in the film.
• The climax

Performances in Haunted:

Mahaakshay Chakraborty tries to deliver his best, and thanks to his set of 3 expressions, he manages to just about get it right; because there is not much to do apart from feeling baffled, panicky and angry. Newcomer Tia Bajpai is quite good in horror scenes; specially her horror-struck expressions take the cake. But the two stars of Haunted as Arif Zakaria and Achint Kaur, both create an impression that sticks to the mind for the remaining part of the day. Sanjay Sharma is competent as Sufi saint while Mohan Kapoor and Prachi Shah get little cameos.

Conclusion:

Do you feel like watching a horror film? Then go watch Haunted-3D…Now!

Rating:**** (Very Good)

Story of Shor in the City:

On the lines of the ‘Four Lions’ the British comedy in its approach, the film centers on three stories in the midst of noise and grime of the Mumbai city. There is a realistic yet funny gangster backdrop with the thrilling quotient too.

There are three protagonists, Abhay (Sendhil Ramamurthy), Sawan (Sundeep Kishan) and Tilak (Tusshar) in the film. Abhay an NRI who is settled in Mumbai leads a solitary existence till he finds company in the chic, sophisticated woman called Shalmili (Preeti Desai). Sawan is a young, stressed-out cricketer who wants to make it big and is desperate to get into the junior cricket team but comes to realize that his dream is worthless without supplying money to fend it. Tusshar married to one Sapna (Radhika Apte) is a bootlegger and a mastermind who plans to loot a local train with his friends Ramesh (Nikhil Dwivedi), and Mandook (Pitobash Tripathi). How these three people play their game in this city forms the core of the story.

The characters are not connected with each other; they do not even cross paths. The characters do not meet till the end, but when they do there is an attachment that cannot be disregarded.

What works for Shor in the City:

The movie is a good mix of comedy and thrills. It is slick, has raw energy and with an unconventional plot and deft execution, it gives you entertainment in huge doses. Directors Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K. can stand and take a bow for their brilliant execution. The direction is complimented with a taut screenplay by Raj Nidimoru, Krishna D.K., Sita Menon and an exciting finale. The penultimate moments do perfect justice to the plot. One of the rare movies that is very good, in both the halves. The cinematography by Tushar Kanti Ray is exceptional and captures Mumbai in its true, stark form while the dialogue rings in your mind, even after you left the theater. Though music does not have much scope, two songs by the composer Sachin-Jigar, ‘Saibo’ and ‘Karma is a Bitch’ stand out; both different but equally infectious.

Performances in Shor in the City:

It is a male dominated movie; but the women look alluring and are therapeutic with their performances. Radhika Apte is a complete natural, Preeti’s screen presence is alluring, Girija too impresses.

The men are brilliant in their parts. Pitobash is just outstanding, Sendhil is effortless while Nikhil shines in the second half, Particularly in the climax. Sundeep is very good in showing his vulnerability. Tusshar Kapoor shows another side of his performance, and we welcome this one which is miles away from his ‘Golmaal’ portrayal. Amit Mistry and Zakir Hussain are also fantastic in their parts.

Conclusion: A movie with hardly any fault, Shor in the City comes close to perfection. Do not expect standard Bollywood fare but it has a distinctive sense of thrill, adventure, drama and understated humor that is sure to make you go for a repeat viewing

Rating: ****1/2 (Almost excellent)

Story of Zokkomon:
Darsheel Safary plays Kunal, a boy who has lost his parents in an accident at a much younger age. He is now at the mercy of his evil uncle Anupam Kher. Darsheel is pulled from his boarding school and put into a village one, his uncle comes to know that Darsheel is the rightful heir of a lot of money. So he decided to bump off his nephew and take over the inheritance. The little boy is presumed to be dead soon but Kher is not really sure. This is because after this incident, the entire village is witness to a a child with super-heroic powers. So the uncle wonders if Kunal is really dead, or is his guest terrorizing the village? Or has the kid acquired superpowers to seek justice?

What works for Zokkomon:
The performances are brilliant, especially of Darsheel who shows that he is really a superhero when it comes to acting. The direction too is quite appreciable by the first timer Satyajit Bhatkal who gets the camera angles right. Anupam Kher is a treat to watch specially in the double role, the one of a crazy scientist Dr . Vivek Rai. It is almost difficult to recognize that it is him.

What does not work for Zokkomon:
There are too many clichés in the script; the plot itself is nothing new. The film turns preachy instead of entertaining. Walt Disney’s first Hindi venture is not quite the stuff one expected it to be.

Performances in Zokkomon:
Darsheel and Anupam Kher put the movie on high gear due to their amazing performances. Manjari Phadnis looks beautiful but there is nothing worthy writing about her role. She gets to wear a dozen getups in a song but there is no impact in a role that is inconsequential.

Conclusion: Do not go with high expectations, this is just average stuff

Rating:** (Average)

Story of Dum Maaro Dum:
Writer Sridhar Raghavan tells us the story of four people whose lives meet at an intersection a la Yuva of Mani Rathnam. Abhishek Bachchan plays a cop ACP Vishnu Kamath, who is in a depression mode and has been called to do a cleanup act of Goa. Prateik’s character is called Lorry, an agent who works for a drug mafia, not by choice but due to circumstances. Bipasha Basu as Zoe, plays an air-hostess makes the same mistake as Lorry and becomes captive to the drug market . South sensation Rana Daggubati is her boyfriend Joki, a DJ who is not able to save her but does make amends by trying his best to save Lorry.

What works for Dum Maaro Dum:

The brilliant performance of Abhishek Bachchan and edgy direction by Rohan Sippy deserve accolades. Only he could come with a movie that could come with understated thrills and elicit a powerhouse performance from Junior B. Dum Maaro Dum has some very good scenes, especially the shootout at the market in the night. There are some real cool dialogues and as an icing on the cake, we have Deepika shaking her booty at the end.

What does not work for Dum Maaro Dum:
The movie lacks authenticity; though Abhishek’s character seems quite real, every other characterization is half-baked or fake. Also when the movie is transitioning very well, a song comes and disturbs the flow of the film. These make the movie choppy and do not allow us to sink in to the emotional appeal of the film. The villain Aditya Panscholi who plays Lorsa Biscuta could have had a meaner menace, Bipasha’s character seems fake; even in the prison, her hair look salon-fresh and Rana Dagubatty may be an eye-candy but when he opens your mouth, you wish he could just vanish.

Performances:

Though others are just passable or mediocre, only Abhishek Bachchan manages to raise the bar with his visceral performance. His character is a mix of his papa Amitabh Bachchan in Zanjeer and Mel Gibson’s role of a suicidal cop in Lethal Weapon 1.

Conclusion: Do not look for a good script, enjoy the thrills and the sizzle

Rating:***(Good)

Dum-Maaro-Dum Bipasha-Basu and Rana-Duggabati

Dum-Maaro-Dum-Abhishek Bachchan

Dum-Maaro-Dum_Rana-Daggubati

Dum-Maaro-Dum_Bipasha-Basu

Dum-Maaro-Dum Abhishek Bachchan

Dum-Maaro-Dum

Story: Sunny Deol comes from Canada to India to look for his father, Dharmendra and his brother Bobby Deol, who have been separated from him during childhood. He finds them earning a living as thugs in the streets of Benares.  He wants to take them back abroad but before that he has to settle his brother’s complicated love-story by talking tough with the girl Kulraj Randhawa and her brothers. Finally, all’s well that ends well.

What works for Yamla Pagla Deewana: It is always a pleasure to see the trio, Bobby Deol, Sunny Deol and Dharmendra in one frame. They did it well in Apne, a few years ago. But while that was an emotionally driven subject, this is mirthful and more entertaining.  The Deols clearly rock the film, with the legendary Dharmendra at the helm. The goofy attempts to bridge the differences, the bonding between father and son Bobby Deol are the high points of the film. The locales in the film, which move from the beautiful hills of Benares to the greenery of Punjab, also add to the indigenous flavor.

The music of the film is also a notable mention, the item number ‘Tinku Jiya’ and ‘Jat Yamla Deewana (remix)’ being the ones to look out for.

What does not work for Yamla Pagla Deewana:  This movie is mostly brawn and less brain.  The script is choppy, the screenplay grates at times and the dialogues do not have the trademark Deol effect. However, the comic timing of Dharmendra and Bobby as well as various humorous situations definitely tilt the movie in the favor of entertainment despite the above shortcomings.

Performances in Yamla Pagla Deewana: All of the three heroes get to do what they do the best. Sunny Deol plays the gentle giant; Booby is a prankster cum lover boy while Dharmendra is a partner-in-crime and a chaddi-buddy.  The thespian is able to carry his act so effortlessly that he easily overshadows his talented sons in many scenes. Kulraj Randhawa does not have much to do in the film, but she does look gorgeous reminiscent of the Preity Zinta in her 20s.

To sum up: Yamla Pagla Deewana is an above average movie, recommended if you are a Deol fan and a time-killer if you do not have much to do.

Ratings: ***

Yamla Pagla Deewana (YPD)

Yamla Pagla Deewana (YPD)

The story: A filthy rich spoiled brat goes to a socialite bar, and when denied drinks, shoot the waitress model (Jessica Lal). She dies while being admitted to the hospital. The influential father of the murderer uses all his political clout to ensure that his son does not land up in jail. So witnesses turn hostile and evidence is tampered. The accused, who is caught, is acquitted by the court of law. Meera, a no-nonsense reporter who revels in cuss language, does not take the case seriously but then plunges head-on in making sure that Jessica’s sister Sabrina Lal gets justice.

What works for No One Killed Jessica: You have seen this story many times especially in the recent Halla Bol, but in most of these films, this particular part thing was just a part of the story and was treated as a mechanism to move the plot forward. However in NOKJ, Rajkumar Gupta gives the movie, its due realistic treatment peppered with entertainment so that it does not look like a docu-drama. The first half stays true to real life while the second half is dramatized with the use of a fictionalized reporter who is said to be largely responsible in having the case reopened.

The vulnerability of a family, who is helpless even though it has truth on its side, is shown remarkably well. Special points should be given to the shooting incident and the drama leading to the courtroom scene; they have been done so well that it may be a lump-in-the-throat experience for a few people.

The scenes are kept short in length and the editing is crisp. The director uses several scenes very imaginatively to bring about the tense feeling of the protagonist, Sabrina Lal. One such incident is that she is walking along the road, so much lost in her mental chaos that she fails to see that there is an approaching elephant just ahead of her. The scene where Manu Sharma’s parents meet Jessica’s parents, are also shown in its cold element, strapping of all melodrama. The dialogues are to the point, non-compromising and acidic.

The soundtrack of the film by Amit Trivedi is brilliant, the cinematography is competent and the extreme ‘Ram Gopal Varma type’ close-ups in the court room seem to be a well-thought one.

UTV, the producers, do smart work and skillfully embed a scene from Rang De Basanti where the characters are shown taking candle-lights to stir a movement. This of course, is true, because this scene was a catalyst in garnering public support for the Jessica Lal case.

Performances in No One Killed Jessica: Vidya Balan is brilliant in the role of Sabrina Lal. She symbolizes the common man or woman’s fight for justice against all odds as much as she depicts the vulnerability of a commoner on the face of people who have political influence.

Rani Mukherji is superb as well, her character is artificial and glamorized, a far cry from the other elements in the film. But since, hers was the ‘entertainment’ factor in the film, Rani slips into the role like a glove and comes up with a remarkable performance. We would always like to have the talented actress come up with such gutsy roles. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub in the role of Manu Sharma does not only look like the real guy but portrays his role well.

Every other character does a very good job, the special mentions being Neil Bhoopalam as the prime witness who turns hostile, Myra as Jessica Lal and Rajesh Sharma as the inspector in charge of the case.

Conclusion: Do not miss this fantastic piece of cinema by RajKumar Gupta.

Rating:****(Very Good)

No One Killed Jessica

No One Killed Jessica

I haven’t exactly been a fan of Farah Khan’s cut and paste jobs but am not completely blind to her talents as a director. Her slices of Bollywood have been self-deprecating, sly and deliberately silly. Most Bollywood does not promise cinematic greatness but she has delivered her brand of silliness with unapologetic confidence. Once you get past the loudness and over-the-top acting, her films  – with stylized sets and costumes, funny in-jokes, and an almost gleeful lack of logic – simultaneously served as satires as well as love letters to Bollywood.

But Farah Khan’s ‘knowingness’, however refreshing, can’t save a film alone.

The farcical elements of her earlier films were anchored by their emotional cores (The father-brother angle in “Main Hoon Na” and the lovers’ trials in “Om Shanti Om”).Here the serious stance of the characters, late in the film, only comes across as forced and irritating.

The script is by Mrs. Khan’s husband Shirish Kunder who is also the Editor, gives background score and even composes the title track! A talented Renaissance man he’s not because all those things suck! His script, especially, is a meandering, unconvincing mess. Complementing this is Farah Khan’s direction which tests viewer’s patience with it’s alarming ineptness.

Despite this, thanks largely to it’s actors, the film manages to build some steam before the intermission. But viewers will be advised not to raise their hopes as things become only worse. The film’s heist elements are totally devoid of suspense, better suited to a more gentle and measured treatment, as in the original and it’s comic elements work only sporadically.

The actors come off surprisingly well. Akshay Kumar, though he does nothing here which he hasn’t, is entertaining. His comic timing is ably supported by his sidekicks (Vijay Maurya,Dharampal and TV Veteran Ali Asghar). Just to lay some speculation at rest, he is also better suited to the role than Shah Rukh Khan.

Akshaye Khanna as an Oscar obsessed superstar who missed getting cast in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ – a joke on Shahrukh, is in good form. Arya Babbar (Raj Babbar’s “other” son) leaves his mark. One wonders what his career would have been like had it begun with a comedy. For me, Katrina’s act as a dumb aspiring actress is a welcome change from her bland, expressionless acts. Real-life twins Raghu and Rajiv provide some fun moments as Johri Brothers, conjoined twins and antique smugglers. Murli Sharma and Aman Verma top them as gay cops, Chatterjee and Mukherjee. There is also a cameo by Anil Kapoor.

The film truly comes alive during two songs (by Vishal- Shekhar). One, of course, “Shiela ki Jawani”, which could easily be this year’s best item song. The other being “Wallah- Wallah”, featuring Salman Khan, whose presence only reminds one of ‘Dabangg’, a better entertainer.

If you have been a fan of Farah Khan, “Tees Maar Khan” would be a huge disappointment. If you hated her films than you have a perfect opportunity to say, “I never liked her films, anyway”.

Tees-Maar-Khan, Katrina Kaif

Tees-Maar-Khan, Katrina Kaif

Tees-Maar-Khan, Katrina Kaif and Akshay Kumar

Tees-Maar-Khan, Katrina Kaif and Akshay Kumar

Story:

Sorry to say, but in this case, the plot is not even worth mentioning. There are just weird characterizations to fit in aimlessly in a non-existent story. We have Yash (Sanjay Dutt) and Raj (Akshaye Khanna) as small-time crooks and buddies. Yash robs the First Village Bank,and the gullible innocent bank manager, Zandulal (Paresh Rawal) also comes under the needle of suspicion. Investigating the case is Arjun (Anil Kapoor) in a Pink Panther hangover, a bungling cop,married to Kajal(Sushmita Sen) with a split personality. Then there is the other deranged track of the villain Sunil Shetty, Neetu Chandra and Ranjeet who are after the diamonds. We are leaving the story incomplete here because the movie is on similar lines, incomplete and inconsistent.

What works for No Problem:

Believe it or not, Vijay Raaz, a suicidal, anarchist is the only one who works up a decent performance.

What does not work for No Problem:

• Fundamentally speaking, the humor falls flat on its face.  The film tries too hard to thrust comedy in our throats; and the result is not flattering at all. Barring a couple of scenes, you just do not react as an audience
• The script and the screenplay couldn’t have been worse. Things fall into place too easily and the director seems to be too hushed to finish the shot and go over to the next one. There are too many continuity issues going in here; thanks to some tacky editing. The cinematography is also not much to speak about; there is a gloomy overcast ambiance in the first few scenes.
• The music is not really impressive, except for the song ‘Mast Punjabi’. The racy number of ‘No Problem’ is not present.
• With so many good actors on-board, it is a case of too many cooks spoil the broth for Mr. Azmee. He is not able to justify even one of them and make all of them look and act insipid.

Performances in No Problem:

As mentioned, no one really stands out in the film. As it is an Anil Kapoor film, he gets the funniest role and does it well. Sanjay Dutt is effortless, as usual, sleep-walking through it.  Paresh Rawal is also in his usual, funny element, no big deal, for him. The lesser said about the others, the better. Akshaye Khanna, shockingly, is wasted and Sushmita Sen hams her way through the entire movie. Suniel Shetty is okay, Neetu Chandra as a moll is bearable and  Kangana Ranaut shows us that she is not cut out for comedy. The others, Shakti Kapoor, Baby Saloni and legendary on-screen villain Ranjeet are totally wasted and it is seemingly evident that their scenes have been chopped on the editing table.

Conclusion:

No Problem is one of the worst films of 2010, do you still want to check it out?

Rating:*

Story :

Raktha Charitra and its sequel, both are the better films directed by the maverick Ram Gopal Varma.  The sequel that we are talking about, begins with a little flash of the first film, which captures the rise of Pratap Ravi (Vivek Oberoi) and  how he avenges the death of his father and brother, to become the second-in-command to actor turned politician Sivaraj (Shatrugan Sinha)

However, as they say; as you sow, so shall you reap. Pratap Ravi is close to reigning as a minister, when Surya(Suriya), the son of son of Narasimha Reddy (Kitty), whom Pratap had killed, emerges.  His intent is to destroy the one who killed his family. Tagged along this revenge saga, is Surya’s wife Bhavani (Priyamani) and his child, so he accepts DCP Mohan Prasad’s (Sudeep) offer to surrender. By now, the war has just begun.

What works for Raktha Charitra:

The clash of titans, so to say, Vivek Oberoi and Suriya makes for interesting views. If you are a fan of any of the actors, you may even want to watch repeats of Raktha Charitra 2. The fight scenes and the performances of both the actors are sure to keep you rooted to the seat.

What does not work for Raktha Charitra:

What will send you squirming is Ram Gopal Varma’s casual treatment of the story. He is so obsessed with both the men that he just survives on close-up shots and strange 360 degree turns. There is not much story here, no twists, and no turns; just primal fight to finish. Too much action and bangs can also irritate, which is evident here. The dialogues are staid, repeated so much that you feel like shouting back and Dharam-Sandeep’s music is headbanging noise.

Performances in Raktha Charitra 2:

Vivek Oberoi and Suriya can really act, and they come up with astounding performances. Priyamani and Radhika Apte impress as well, while Sudeep is given a raw deal, hardly much to do for a talented actor like him

Conclusion:

Raktha Charitra 2 could have been made more sensibly, but it just ends up as as a fag end of the the first one.

Rating: **1/2 (Above Average)

Story of Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey:

Explore the little known incident of the Chittagong Uprising of the 1930s. In those days of the undivided Bengal lay the sleepy, peaceful town of Chittagong. A revolutionary plan is being hatched by Surjya Sen(Abhishek Bachchan) and his team to at least, throw the British rule from their province and set a revolutionary example to the country. The spark to the movement is provided by some under 18 boys, who are stopped from playing football in a ground by the British recruited personnel.

And so, it happens on April 18: an army of 64 people, comprising 56 innocent but brave boys, 5 revolutionaries, 2 valiant women and an idealist leader (Surjya Sen) execute a series of attacks in different public places that have the British presence. The true story has been captured in a thrilling manner in the film.

What works for Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se:

1. This movie is perhaps the best example of splendid art direction and cinematography. Nitin Desai has been able to recreate the milieu and Kiran Deohans and Seetha Sandhiri’s work at cinematography helps liven up the era.
2. Director Ashutosh Gowariker had a task on his hand to not only capture the mood and essence of the 30s but also make it relevant to the present generation. One cannot see with confidence how many cinematic liberties he may have taken, but what comes on the screen, is truly inspiring and entertaining.
3. The screenplay by Raoul V. Randolf and Ashutosh Gowariker has manifested in the form of total justice to the way the book has been written.
4. Full marks to the authenticity; every nuance, body language, every tile and banner has a pragmatic bearing.

Performances:

Abhishek as Surjya Sen has got the character bang on. He comes with a restrained performance that is typical of a school teacher who runs a revolutionary movement on the sly. There is a seeming tranquil on the surface with the blood of a revolutionary boiling in his veins. Such kind of character has not been shown so brilliantly before.  Deepika Padukone’s reed thin figure may remind you that she is a model but her costume and her getup does the rescue act. She shows good poise and stands out in the film.

Sikander Kher is in top form, he excels in the death scene. Vishakha Singh may give a lot of actresses, a run for their money, she is brilliant. Every other actor in the frame(most of them first-timers), including the chil actors make an impression.

Conclusion:

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey definitely makes you reach for the web and find out more about the Chittagong uprising. In these times of fast bucks and quick box office businesses, this one is a rare movie that may not be market-friendly but is definitely a soul searching experience.

Rating:**** (Very Good)

Story of Break Ke Baad:

Abhay (Imran Khan) and Aaliyah (Deepika Padukone) are childhood buddies turned lovers, who have been with each other, even since they learnt ABCD and watched Mr. India. They grow up into people of different personalities, while Imran has to figure out what to do with his life, Deepika is ambitious and clear about the fact that she wants to go abroad for a degree in acting and mass communication. She goes to Australia, and finds herself a rented home where a young couple of Indian origin stays. An insecure Imran comes to Australia; he stays as Deepika’s neighbor much to her chagrin. There are arguments between them again and finally, they decide to give each other a break. The boy goes his way, misses his girl throughout but makes it big. The girl realizes her folly and comes back to his life, on bended knees to propose to him. End of the so-so saga.

What works for Break ke Baad:

The choreography is decent and Deepika Padukone comes up with another fine performance.

What does not work for Break Ke Baad:

1. Have u watched any of these…Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, I Hate Luv Storys, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Hum Tum, Kal Ho Na Ho, Salaam Namaste or Love Aaj Kal? Then, you will definitely get a déjà-vu feeling watching this bore of a film.
2. The writing is insipid, the screenplay (Renuka Kunzru and Danish Aslam) lacks enthusiasm, and ‘Break ke Baad’ ie; after interval, the film goes downhill with nothing to look forward to. So many scenes are clumsily borrowed from other films, for instance, Imran’s idea of opening an Indian stall (Kal Ho Na Ho) and Deepika’s idea of giving the relationship a break (Love Aaj Kal)
3. The music is below average. Vishal Shekhar who are usually reliable for these sort of films, disappoint. There is no one winning track that should make the movie memorable
4. Almost all the scenes are amateurishly shot, the comedy doesn’t humor you and the romance does not move you.

Performances in Break Ke Baad:

Imran Khan is okay, he is getting respetative; may be his choice of the same kind of films has a lot to do with this. Deepika Padukone is sincere, but with a film that does not give her scope to do different, her choice of film is also circumspect. Sharmila Tagore and Shahana Goswami are wasted, Yudhishtir is irritating and Navin Nischol, well; you feel sorry for him. Lilette Dubey is the only one who is in fine form.

Conclusion: Avoid this film, it is better to spend your weekend elsewhere.

Rating:* (Poor)

Imran Khan and Deepika Padukone in Break Ke Baad

Imran Khan and Deepika Padukone in Break Ke Baad

Imran Khan and Deepika Padukone in Break Ke Baad

Imran Khan and Deepika Padukone in Break Ke Baad

Imran Khan and Deepika Padukone in Break Ke Baad

Imran Khan and Deepika Padukone in Break Ke Baad

Story of Guzaarish:

Guzaarish is a tale of a talented magician Ethan Mascarenhas (Hrithik Roshan) who suffers serious injuries when a jealous competitor plans his fall, turning him into a paraplegic.  Poor Ethan is confined to a wheel chair for twelve long years. He becomes a Radio Jockey at an FM station, Radio Zindagi.  The show talks of hope, positive energy so much that audiences find it difficult to believe that someone who is the voice of their positive aspirations has a serious spinal injury for the past 14 years.  Sofia (Aishwarya Rai) is a nurse who takes care of him, and what they share between them is unspoken love.

Ethan one day, files in a court, a petition for mercy killing. He takes the help of his lawyer friend Devyani (Shernaz Patel) to support his plea. Sofia is clearly taken aback but Ethan’s mother Isabel (Nafisa Ali) supports Ethan’s decision. Ethan’s physician Dr. Nayak(Sushel Seth) stops his from going ahead with the case. Meanwhile, Omar (Aditya Roy Kapoor) comes to Ethan’s house, an aspirant who wants to learn the art of magic from him. Impressed by his dedication, Ethan agrees to pass the legacy to him.

What works for Guzaarish:

Only a prolific director manner like Sanjay Bhansali, who understands emotions well, can do poetic justice like this. It is a challenging subject in today’s time of inane comedies. Who else but him to come up with a story that tackles euthanasia? We have to give full credit to the writing done by Bhansali himself and Bhavani Iyer for coming up with an absorbing and a touching story line.

The visual splendor that is a prominent of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s every movie-Devdas, Saawariya or Black is very much there even in Guzaarish.  Though there were accusations that Guzaarish was a copy of The Prestige(Christopher Nolan) it seems that the movie is a blend of two films,  Whose Life is It Anyway and the Spanish Oscar winning movie Mar Adentro(The Sea Inside). But then they are just reference points rather than a blatant remake. Dialogues by Bhavani Iyer and Vibhu Puri have the right sense of touch and appeal.  A notable mention should be made about the apt costumes done by Sabyasachi

Guzaarish has been shot in a regal manner. The panoramic view of the outside and the looming indoors has an ethereal effect on the mind. The background music by Tubby and Parik may be subtle but has a distinctive touch that stays with you.

What does not work for Guzaarish:

There is not much on the flip side for Guzaarish, however the movie may not work with masses especially possibly due to the generous doses of English in the story. But since it is a Christian story based in Goa, it is obvious. However, if you want to connect, you have to speak the language of the people-Hindi.

Performances in Guzaarish:

It can be quite an ordeal to do the kind of role Hrithik Roshan has done in the movie. He has done complete justice to the role of a paraplegic.  One of the best actors this side of the planet, he has always been excellent, irrespective of the course of his films and thankfully, even the film matches to his brilliant persona. Confined to a wheel chair, Hrithik gives a performance that is simply, awesome, in one word.

Aishwarya Rai, has given this role a touch that shows her keen understanding of the subject. Never has she gone overboard, a thing that most actresses would have done. Aditya Roy Kapur gets a pivotal role which he does with elan. Nafisa Ali and Shernaz Patel are competent and it is always a joy to watch Sushel Seth.  The rest of them including Rajit Kapur, Moni Kangana Dutta and Makarand Deshpande also leave an impression.

Best scenes in the film:

1. Hrithik’s act gone wrong in the near-fatal accident.
2. The court room sequence and Aishwarya’s outburst.
3. The emotionally driven finale.

Conclusion:

Guzaarish is a tale of love, hope and sacrifice, narrated in a compelling manner. The film comes with a strong emotional component, invigorating music and yes, the crackling chemistry between Hrithik and Aishwarya Rai. Do not miss this ‘Drama of the Year’.

Guzaarish - Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan

Guzaarish - Hrithik Roshan

Guzaarish - Aishwarya Rai

Plus points of Action Replayy:

Vipul Shah has captured the 70s culture in the most vibrant way possible. Though, not a patch of any of his earlier works, Action Replayy is still a good watch. The lead performances raise the bar of the film, which has sloppy writing. To be precise, the movie is directed well, cinematographed well and acted well but there is one crucial element missing.

What does not work for Action Replayy:

The screenplay goes for a toss. Aatish Kapadia, Suresh Nair and Ritesh Shah mar the film with sloppy, unimaginative lines. The humor is not funny at all, and the actors cannot do much even with their timing if the lines do not elicit laughs. Apart from Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya’s story, every other subplot just does not hold water, be it that of Om Puri and Kiron Kher, Aditya Kapoor and Neha Dhupia or Rann Vijay’s negative character. Though the second hour has pace, the first hour grates and makes you feel lost.

Performances in Action Replayy:

Though one can applaud Akshay Kumar’s act of playing the buffoon and simpleton again, it is a bit too much now. Having said that, he has performed brilliantly and one must also congratulate him for not fearing to do roles that make him look ugly or loser; when in fact, he is one of the best looking men in the industry. But then, too much of a good thing is also not good and since most of the films for the past two years, had him in similar roles, the impact is saturated. Aishwarya Rai, a veteran by now, does a very good job. She continues to look beautiful and makes you believe that though other actresses can be beautiful and gorgeous, only Ash can cast a spell on the audience with her presence. The other actors do their bit well but Rann Vijay disappoints, perhaps due to the scope of his character.

Conclusion: This is passable stuff, you can watch it only if you dig time travel, Akshay and Ash.

Rating: **(Average)

Action Replayy, Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai

Action Replayy, Akshay Kumar and Aditya Kapoor

Action Replayy, Akshay Kumar and Neha Dhupia

Action Replayy, Aishwarya Rai

Action Replayy, Aishwarya Rai

Story:

Gopal (Ajay Devgn) lives with his brother Laxman (Shreyas Talpade), mom Geeta (Ratna Pathak Shah) and girl pal Kareena Kapoor (Daboo).  The other brats, Madhav (Arshad Warsi), Lucky (Tusshar Kapoor) and Laxman (Kunal Khemu) live with their dad Pritam (Mithun Chakraborty). The warning boys are always at logger-heads with each other, but the trouble sets in when the foster parents decide to marry. However, the road to marriage is not easy because the boys are not too happy with the Hum Saath Saath Hai logic; through Kareena tries her best appease both parties.

What works for Golmaal 3:

Rohit Shetty has a tough job at being funny and since he has put in a truckload of actors and character actors, he has to justify each of them. He does a good job at this; he makes every individual in the movie stand out in terms of a character trait.  Ajay Devgn is hot-headed, Arshad Warsi is a rogue, Sanjay Mishra makes spelling mistakes and Johnny Lever is an absent-minded thief; everyone in the movie has one flaw that raises the laughs. The dialogues and puns flow and the madness do not stop throughout the film.  Apart from the comedy, one may also say this is the most visually appealing movie from the director. He still showcases Goa but there has hardly been any movie that has made this town look this colorful.  If you look for a plot in this film, you are watching a wrong film. But if you want to chill out and enjoy clean comedy with clever punch lines and car chases, you are on your way to be entertained thoroughly.

What does not work for Golmaal 3:

It would be better if Rohit Shetty was more imaginative in getting a better ending to the movie, rather than the typical ‘all on the  house’ ending he has been doing for the first two parts, often reminiscent of what director Priyadarshan does in most of this films. Though in a multicarrier comedy, one does have to go that way many a time, it could have been better if there was more imaginative humor and situations rather than the predictable ones.

Performances in Golmaal 3:

It is not possible to isolate a single one performance as one, as it is a clubbed effort. All of them are good and effective, Ajay Devgn with his grunge look, cropped haircut and diamond studs looks menacing, Kareena Kapoor is spunky and cheerful,  Tusshar as usual brings the whole house down as a speech marvel; Shreyas Talpade and Arshad Waris impress big time while Kunal Khemu, the new entrant is funny as well. Rohit always manages to make his character actors stands out and give them their due. So in this respect, three people, Ratna Pathak Shah, Mithun Chakraborty and Johnny Lever are absolute riot. The other regulars Vrajesh Hirjee, Viju Khote, Ashwini Kalsekar, Sanjay Mishra and Mukesh Tiwari definitely make the whole proceedings quite entertaining.

Conclusion: Watch Golmaal 3, it is just about the perfect way to enjoy your Diwali holidays.

Rating: ****(Very Good)

Golmaal 3

Golmaal 3 - Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade

Golmaal 3 - Kareena Kapoor

Golmaal-3

Golmaal-3, Kunal Khemu, Tusshar Kapoor, Arshad Warsi

Story of Dus Tola:

Dus Tola narrates the story of one Shankar (Manoj Bajpayee) who falls in love with a beautiful girl called Suvarnalata (Aarti Chhabria). She is the daughter of the cunning astrologer Shastri(Dilip Prabhavalkar). Naturally, the father is opposed to the budding romance. The girl tells Shankar to make a necklace out of ten tolas of gold so that he can show it to her father, saying that he is capable enough to take care of his daughter. But the job is not as easy as Shankar thought. There is a shocking turn of events that stumps Shankar along the way. Though he stumbles across a few road blocks, finally all’s well that ends well.

What is good about Tola:

There are quite a few endearing scenes that may go well with the audience.

What is not so good about Dus Tola:

The director wastes a lot of time on driving home his point about ‘reaping what you shall sow’. There are many parallel tracks and sub plots that divert from the main track and make you wonder if you are really watching the story of Shankar and Suvarnalata or something else. There is a romantic track between a dance teacher and Mano, there is another one about Govind Namdeo and his third wife and there are some crude scenes involving Manoj’s father. The climax leaves a lot to be desired. The songs damage the proceedings as well.

Performances in Dus Tola:

The casting is a suspect, Manoj Bajypayee is not suitable for this role, someone younger would have been better. Aarti Chhabria is also miscast and you get the feeling that she would prance around in a mini skirt anytime. But yes, she tries hard to do a good job. Among the few actors who impress are Dilip Prabhavalkar, Ninad Kamat and Siddarth Makkar.

Conclusion:

Frankly speaking Dus Dola did not have much of a chance against the other three releases, which have been hyped better. But since content wise also, there is not much to write home about, you can avoid this one.

Rating:*(Poor)

A lonely, sad ‘naagin’ (Mallika Sherawat) ventures into the city looking for her ‘naag’ who has been taken away by an American hunter who wants to use the ‘naagmani’ to cure his cancer. En route, this naagin(serpent) takes human female form (Mallika Sherawat) to seek revenge and rescue her love. On the way, she teaches a few lessons to evil-doers and helps exploited women. Chasing the trail left by this mysterious serpent is Irrfan Khan who seems to be confused between folklore and science. He is married to Divya Dutta and is often at the receiving end of his delusional mother-in-law, Laxmibai (the only entertaining part in the film). Vikram Gupta and his forensic team is assigned to investigate a string of bizarre and gory murders in the city which locals believe, is the handiwork of the ‘ichaadhaari naagin’ as she will stop at nothing.

What works for Hissss:

A nude Mallika Sherawat! She moves around the film most of the time, in her birthday suit.

What does not work for Hissss:

Apart from the visual element of Malilka Sherawat, there is nothing much to interest in the film. The content is zero, the film is handled very tackily, and you can mistake it for a B-grade film. Jennifer Lynch who seems to be interested in the Indian obsession for the snakes, has given her take on it and the result is for all of us to see – lackluster and lifeless. A movie like this demanded some very good special effects and the ones that are shown are disappointing to say the least.

Performances in Hissss:

The performance department is another dampener on Hissss. Mallika’s performance does not hold much water; the rest of the cast is terrible except for Irrfan Khan who manages to get the confused expression evocatively.

Conclusion:

When it comes to Naagin, only Sridevi is a go-to lady. Sorry, hun!

Rating:*(Poor)

Story of Rakhta Charitra:

The movie screams about the ‘law of jungle’ there is no law, no order; only the strong man wins. It is the true story of Paritala Ravi, one of the most feared gangsters in South India, with more than 54 murder cases on his head. It is a well-known fact that this man was actually a soft-spoken, shy sort of a guy who became a rebel, after his brother and father were killed by anti-social elements. He later went on to become the minister in NT RamaRao’s cabinet. Paritala’s role is reprised by the talented Vivek Oberoi.

In the first half of the movie, we see how Paritala Ravi becomes the most feared criminals. There is nothing but violence, violence and more violence in the first half. Some sanity creeps in the second-half. This is when a legendary actor turned politician (Shatrughan Sinha) enters the scene and takes Paritala Ravi under his wings. The sequences between Shatrughan and Vivek are well handled and are the most interesting parts of the film. After interval, it is more of a power fight rather than brutal killing. Since it is just part 1, Rakhta Charitra ends with Patiala making it is his mission to end Goonda Raj in the state.

What is good about Rakhta Charitra:

If you want a blood spilling, gore fest, then Rakhta Charitra is the right movie for you. The content in the film is also good, better than some of the movies that have come in the last few months. The length of the movie is taut and you get your money’s worth for the time you spend in the theater, and it surely does leave an impact. The movie ends with a promise; Suriya’s character entry at the end does raise curiosity for the second part.

What we really like is Ramu’s ability to surprise us every time. He is truly someone who makes films that he believes in. This movie has none of the trappings of a typical Bollywood fare, there are no good looking faces, no family functions, no smooches, no foreign locations, no romance, no comedy and just one song that does not even seem like one. But yes, it is a rebellious, angry cinema that screams at you.

In some of the scenes, Ramu even brings about his long lost brilliance that he showed in the likes of Satya, Shiva and Company. The cinematography by Amar Rathod and the tight screenplay by Prashant Pandey definitely raise the bar of the film.

What does not work for Rakhta Charitra:

Ramu still has not let gone the bad habits he acquired in his films, post Company – shaky camera angles and the background score and tight close-ups. Other than this sense of déjà-vu, one is happy with this small but impactful film.

Performances in the film:

Vivek Oberoi has come up with a brilliant performance that may even make some of his most accomplished performances in “Company” and “Shoot Out at Lokhandwala” pale. Shatrughan Sinha is a delight to watch and only a veteran like him could play a powerful personality like that of a yesteryear superstar turned minister. But Abhimanyu Singh as the bad-ass villain steals the day, he is so very much evil that you curse him, and that is where he wins.

Apart from these, the other actors pitch in with fantastic performances. Aswini Kalsekar, the diehard cop, Sushant Singh, the naxalite leader and Sudeep at the officer all score. Others like Radhika Apte, Zarina Waahab, Ashish Vidyarthi, Rajendra Gupta, Anupam Shyam, Darshan Jariwala, Sushmita Mukherjee, Vishwajeet Pradhan and Kota Srinivasa Rao are in fine form.

Conclusion:

Rakht Charitra is not for the lily-livered. If you have stomach to take in the brutality, you will find this movie to be your toast. However, compared to the Hindi version, the Telugu and Tamil version will surely do roaring business due to a strong subject identification

Rating:****(Very Good)

Story of Jhootha Hi Sahi:

Just like the likes of Professor, Chachi 420, Saajan, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Ghajini; Jhootha Hi Sahi is the clichéd story of someone concealing the identity or acquiring someone else’s identity to win the love of someone. But as opposite to the movies mentioned here, there is the phone playing the cupid in the lives of the lead pair.

One night, a sleepy Siddarth (John Abraham) gets a call one night from a man who is threatening to commit suicide; he manages to talk him out of it. Soon as days pass, he starts getting more calls of this sort, and he finds that he has become an agony uncle to many who are calling in to talk about their failures, their disappointments, frustrations, their heart-breaks etc. It so happens that John is at the receiving end of a mixed-up phone number but he makes good of it by successfully sorting out the lives of many people, on the phone One such person is Mishka (Pakhi)

Both discover a deep bonding between them and Sid becomes her faceless philosopher, guide and friend. And she becomes his reason to have a fresh perspective on life. Along the way to impress her, Siddarth begins to lie; he makes up stories about his dare devilry, exciting adventures and the sharks that he has tamed. Finally, one day they meet and Siddarth comes to know that he has never seen a better woman than her. He falls in love with her but how can tell her who he really is? That he is just a book seller with four friends, a tiny apartment and an irritating girlfriend whom no one likes.

What works for Jhootha Hi Sahi:

Just John Abraham and his Clark Kent look

What does not work for Jhootha Hi Sahi:

To begin with this, since this is a ‘cute’ lovestory, the chemistry between the lead pair has to be endearing; but there is nothing of that sort in this one. Both John Abraham and Pakhi(wife of director Abbas Tyrewala) go through the motions of the films as if they are just doing their roles.

The movie is insipid, boring and has no enthusiasm in its content. Since Jaane Tu Ya Jaana Na itself didn’t exactly have the world’s best story, there was A.R.Rahman gives one of his best scores for that film. That movie still features in the iPod lists of many music lovers. It is a almost tragic to see A.R.Rahman coming up with songs that are no short of a headache in this one

In a romantic film, if you cannot manage a good story, you should liven it u with interesting screenplay. But again, nothing of that sort crops up in this film. It is a two hour torture, if we may say so. That torture primarily is due other irritating subplots that take more screens time rather than the lead pair.

Pakhi’s characterization (written by herself) is another reason why people may not warm up to her. She comes across as a confused girl, who finds stability in life after John becomes a part of it but when she goes back to her ex(Madhavan) she dumps John. But then, after some time, she again dumps her ex, and goes back to John. So you don’t really care about the fact that the lovers unite at the end.

As mentioned, the multiple tracks mar the movie big time. The track of the gay couple is cheap; the sub plot about a dominant pregnant sister and her Japanese fiancé was not needed. The climax scene is over-the-top just like Jaane Tu but while that one was endearing, this one is grating.

Performances in Jhootha Hi Sahi:

John Abraham should be congratulated for breaking the mold and coming up with a very good performance in the film. But he has chosen a dull film to show the world that he knows acting by now. Pakhi is miscast; the woman is gorgeous in a simplistic manner, but not good enough to suit the character of her film. Also as an actor, she fails. Raghu Ram is unintentionally funny and should do roles that do not require him to dance and hee-haw. R. Madhavan should stop doing parts that do him no justice, at least not of the Raj Kiran variety.

Conclusion: Jhootha Hi Sahi is a terrible letdown.

Rating:**(Average)

Story of Knock Out:

In these times of cell phone dominance, where a phone booth is basically an outdated thing, director Mani Shankar decides to jazz it up with plush glass interiors and a bulletproof bottom pane. An investment banker (Irrfan Khan) enters the phone booth to make calls so that he is not traced back. It looks like he has millions stashed in his car, parked outside the booth. Just when he is about to leave the booth, the phone rings and an anonymous caller (Sanjay Dutt) keeps a close watch on him and tells him to stay put in the booth. Stationed in the opposite building, this guy holds Irrfan hostage inside the booth at gunpoint.

The police and the media contingent slowly come to the destination and the area is flooded with press reporters and the cops, as you may have seen in its Hollywood version. We have assorted characters coming up regularly like the self contradictory Gulshan Grover, a politican who asserts in the begiing that he does not trust anyone, yet he has a side-kick who remembers the password of his Swiss Bank accounts. There is enough dosage of exaggerated patriotism to make you feel sleepy due to the cliché element.

What is good about Knock Out:

Though the movie is mostly made of borrowed elements, there is nothing really impressive here. But there is a fair share of thrills and those who have no watched Phonebooth or Wednesday (tough call though!) may enjoy it

What is not good about Knock Out:

Knock Out may have copied from Phone Booth but it draws heavily from A Wednesday. Sanjay Dutt is also nameless as was Naseeruddin Shah’s character from the 2008 surprise hit. Like in a Wednesday, Sanjay Dutt also manages to deceive the cops and keep his identity secret. Surprise, surprise! Deepal Shaw’s shaky character from that movie is better than Kangna as a news reporter. Kangna falters with her misplaced accent and exaggeration. Also the patriotism that Dutt infuses is preachy and weary compared to A Wednesday.

The story telling could have been more on-the-edge and sharp but the movie becomes one-dimensional and there is no real tension that comes out between the protagonists. The proceeding tends to stretch post interval. Such a film should work on interesting repartees and excellent dialogue; there is nothing of this sort from Shiraz Ahmed.

Performances in Knock Out:

The performances in the film are nothing home to write about, considering the fact that this movie has three of the best actors in the business. Kangna is miscast, Irrfan Khan hams his way through the film, don’t know how Mani Shankar managed to extract this quality in him. Sanjay Dutt is the only reassuring character in this film, he sleepwalks through the film

Conclusion: Watch Phone Booth instead

Rating:**(Average)

After watching the fantastic Aakrosh, one is sure that Priyadarshan is better at realistic fare than he is at comedy (which is not bad either!). He should make more of such serious cinema because he deals with these topics very well, as evident in his past films.

Story of Aakrosh:
Akshaye Khanna and Ajay Devgn are two CBI officers investigating the disappearance of three medical students who go amiss following a visit to the town of Jhanjhar, Bihar.  This happens during the month of Diwali. Two months have passed, and no one from either the police or the CBI is able to explain about the missing students. So the duo, Siddanth (Akshaye) and Pratap (Ajay Devgn) decide to take charge of the case.  But then the road to solving the case is ridden with obstacles.  The townsfolk do not cooperate because they are under the fear of the narrow minded Shool Sena and local politicians, the law and order system is impotent and most matters are brushed under the carpet.  The missing case of three boys, as the duo come to know, is linked with a love affair that does not work out, due to the near-impossible caste barriers that govern the life in this town. The movie unravels the silent, brutality and the cover-ups behind honor killers in a thrilling manner.

What works for Aakrosh:

• Priyadarshan’s direction: This one just cements the factor that Priyadarshan is the most versatile director of them all. He can be as good in this one as he was in Hera Pheri. In this movie, Priyadarshan holds the narrative tight and does not let the story deviate from its plot
• The brilliant performances of Ajay Devgn and Akshay Khanna: Both complement each other very well. While Ajay Devgn plays an officer who is hot-headed and likes to rain some punches before eliciting the truth, Akshaye Khanna is into mind-games with the suspect. Paresh Rawal in a negative character definitely makes a huge impression in the film and comes up with a memorable performance.
• The interesting premise of the film, the honor killings, is sure to get accolades.
• Unlike many thrillers which lose their steam towards the end or start dragging, Aakrosh has its bearings tight, right till the end. A performance oriented film, with thrills and a good plot, what more do you need!
• The cinematography of the film is brilliant and S Tinu has been able to capture the sights and feel of rural Bihar with absolute perfection.

What does not work for Aakrosh:

• The action scenes though entertaining does not fit in well for this type of movie. You can show the actor leaping from one rooftop to the other, in a movie like Dabangg but definitely not in a realistic movie like Aakosh.
• The songs are bit of an irritation, slowing down the pace of the film

Performances in Aakrosh:

Priyadarshan makes the two men, Ajay Devgn and Akshaye Khanne come with their best performances.  Both are brilliant and it is hard to judge who is better. As for Ajay, he has been probably having the best year so far, and Aakrosh is definitely up there, when it comes to his performance. Akshaye Khanna (can we have more of him, please!) is very refined with his performance, and comes up with a top-notch performance as well. Bipasha Basu does not have much to do in the film, so she does her bit sincerely.  Though the two guys are impressive, you just cannot keep your attention off Paresh Rawal, who gets a negative role after so many years. As a corrupt cop, he makes his presence, one of the biggest reasons to watch Aakrosh.

In conclusion: Go get your thrills, guys. Aakrosh is fantastic

Rating:****(Very Good)

Jai Dixit aka Suraj Bhardwaj (Emraan) lives life by his rules; he does not have morals. He believes that since the world is twisted, there is no point in him being sorted out. He moves to Australia to make millions and he opts for the ‘make money by hook or by crook’ But he gets stuck in the Indian-Aussie racial war and falls in love with Neha Sharma, who tries her best to unite the two communities. Heading the Indian group is a guy called Arjun Bajwa who is hot-headed with patriotic fervor. Finally, it is left to Emraan to do unite both the parties and make them see sense in living in coexistence.  Will Mr. Crook turn Mr. Activist?

What is good about Crook:

Director Mohit Suri should be congratulated for coming up with a topical story and narrate it with the required grit and panache. For Emraan Hashmi, it is an easy film to do considering that he has done these kinds of ‘bad boy’ roles ever since he walked in the land of Bollywood. He put his ‘enfant terrible’ act again and comes up with a polished one, yet again.

Mohit Suri does a good job in portraying both sides effectively, he does not make judgments and show both Indian and Australian views as equally racist and confused. As expected in an Emraan film, the music is beautiful specially ‘Tere Bina’ and ‘Challa Babbu Mann’.

What does not work for Crook:

Crook begins on an aimless note and meanders uneasily till it comes to the point. In that aspect, movies like Jannat were better because they had a steady plot that did not deviate. Here the first half of the film is wasted in romantic escapades of Emraan with the Australian night club dancer and the Indian student. The story does pick up post second half. Arjun Bajwa’s character is not developed enough.

Performances in Crook:

Neha Sharma and Arjun Bajwa are okay. Emraan Hashmi is the mainstay of the film and he comes up with another endearing performance.

Conclusion: Passable fare; watch it for its topicality and the lilting music

Rating: ***(Good)

Story of Anjaana Anjaani: Akash(Ranbir Kapoor) and Kiara(Priyanka Chopra) meet on a bridge in Manhattan under sad circumstances.  Somewhat like Jab We Met but instead of one character, two characters are heading towards suicide when they bump into each other. Akash is a victim of recession while Kiara’s reason is not shown so quickly. The director wastes a lot of time going in flash-back mode showing a bored Zayed Khan, being the reason for her mighty heart-break.  Yep, the Zayed Khan track does not even merit the respect of a spoiler, but that is another story.

Okay, so our boy and girl decide to help each other die; they jump off bridge, try asphyxiation and even slam their car in the hoping of leaving Planet Earth but nothing works.  Finally, they decide to spend 20 days together and die before New Year’s Eve. However, in those twenty days, they end up having the sweetest time in their lives. Now, will they end up in a suicide or will they marry each other and live happily ever after?

What is good about Anjaana Anjaani?: The performances of Ranbir Kapoor and the chemistry between him and Priyanka Chopra is infectious.  Also the few scenes before interval where they try to commit suicide only to emerge alive and kicking, is humorous. But after that, everything is silly and down-hill. Vishal Shekhar’s music is peppy and sets the mood for the film.

What is not good about Anjaana Anjaani: There is complete lack of logic in this film. It is one thing to be sad with high hopes and there is another thing altogether, to getting ‘high’ like no tomorrow.  Ranbir does not look broke anyway and Priyanka too seems loaded with all the booty to spare; endless clubbing, full-on partying, nights at Las Vegas, sailing in the Atlantic , and basically doing a lot of things that go totally out of place with their characters.  And just when you thought our Kiera is all diva, she turns out in the end to be the shy, demure Bollywood girls with all her ‘izzat’ and sugar-coated double standards, very much in place. Also the turn-around of Priyanka as the sad and sorted girl is so very ‘Jab We Met’. Oh, we also forgot to tell you that Anjaana Anjaani rips off beautifully from the likes of movies like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, La Fille Sur Le Pont and The Bucket List, with not even half the magic of what they offered.

Performances in Anjaana Anjaani: There are just three people in this film: a forgettable Zayed Khan, an ‘outa-sight, outa mind’ Priyanka Chopra and the memorable Ranbir Kapoor.  Priyanka Chopra tries hard to keep her act going and that is where she falters.  She goes full-on with lip-locks and skin show but still the sexiness doesn’t work. Her performance is average, sometimes impressive and sometimes exaggerated. Ranbir Kapoor on the other hand, is brilliant and tries to bring in some sense with his endearing presence.  Frankly, speaking; if you can forgive Saawariya, ‘Anjaana Anjaani’ is Ranbir’s worst film to date, even though he is good.

Conclusion: Watch it only if you cannot do without Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra

Rating:**(average)

Khichdi may not be a slapstick laughaton but it definitely makes it worthwhile to spend 2 hours of your life in the theater. Hansa (Supriya Pathak)’s brother Himanshu(J.D.Matheija) has a silly ambition, he wants to experience a legendary love story. Parminder [Kirti Kulhari], Himanshu’s neighbour, falls in love with him and they get engaged.  One day prior to his wedding, Himanshu realizes that there was nothing extraordinary about his love story and the marriage will make things mundane. He feels that there has been no conflict, no drama, no climax, no resistance, nothing. So the dumb family decides to make things dramatic. They decide they would necessarily put obstacles in their marriage so that Himanshu’s love story lives to its legendary status.

What is good about Khichdi:

There is never a dull moment here; even tragic moments are filled with huge doses of humor.  When there is a death in the family, there is a parody of ‘Beedi Jalaile’ and ‘Bheege Honth Tere’ being played for the grief-stricken family. Every actor compliments each other well, so much that you just cannot afford to see even one family member go out of the screen. The courtroom sequence in the climax is a show-stealer for sure.

What does not work for Khichdi: The love story lacks finesse; the crime angle does not hold much interest. In short, whenever writer-director Aatish Kapadia tries something that is not his forte, even for minutes, it falls flat. But thankfully, there are lots of funny lines that you can take back with you, even after you have exited the theaters.

Performances in Khichdi: Every actor is brilliant in khichdi. Anang Desai is excellent, Supriya Pathak brilliant; Rajeev Mehta is definitely applause-worthy, as expected. J.D. brings in maximum laughs, Kirti Kulhari is beautiful and spunky, Girish and Keith are good, Kesar Majethia and Markand Soni are adorable while Nimisha Vakharia is outstanding. Farah Khan,  Paresh Ganatra and Deven Bhojani render very good support in cameo appearances.

Conclusion: Overall, Khichidi-The Movie is one big joy-ride that is funny and entertaining. Forget the logic, enjoy the fun.

Rating:****(Very Good)

Story of Robot:

Dr. Vasi (Rajnikanth) is a scientist who works so hard that he does not have time for his girlfriend or parents. His mission is life is to create a robot that will do the most mundane of things with ease and also serve humanity in many different ways. So the humanoid that he creates, is called ‘Chitti’, a robot that looks just like him and can do anything that the scientist commands.

Vasi goes two steps ahead of what he thought and teaches the robot, the value of emotions.  Predictably, the robot falls in love with the scientist-professor’s lady love, Sana(Aishwarya Rai) and becomes an unbeatable monster who just cannot take no for an answer. This is due to the red chip that a rival scientist, Danny Denzongpa has implanted in the humanoid. What remains to be seen is, will the scientist be able to control the robot or will the machine dominate the man?

What works for ‘Robot’:

This comic book-like story is surely a treat for children and for millions of Rajnikanth fans, there may have been nothing better than Robot.

For people who fail to understand why there is so much Rajnikanth hysteria, this movie will give them a hundred clues. And we literally mean hundred clues, because in the movie , you see almost hundred Rajnikanths doing all sorts of stunts and actions, smashing cars, devouring helicopters, creating mayhem, the works in short, stunning; like no Hindi film ever has ever shown.

The climax is absolutely interesting; the last half an hour gives one of the most visually entertaining sights you have ever seen.  With the action team of Stan Winston Studio that were involved in the action for Avatar and Jurassic Park, handling the stunts in Robot, you can settle for nothing but the best. The stunts have been choreographed by the Hong Kong action director, Yuen Woo Ping, who has directed the action scenes in movies like Matrix and Kill Bill.

Yes, Rajnikanth has always been larger than life doing things that are plain stupid but entertaining, but in this movie, when you see him in the guise of a robot literally shooting someone with his fingers, you got to believe him. And by now, we are so taken by the persona of Rajnikanth, we want him to do things that other actors cannot do. Since 40 percent of the film’s massive budget of Rs. 160 crores has been invested in action, it is money well invested for sure.

It is not mindless action; there is a plot as well with a smartly woven message that is not preachy but makes you realize quite a few things in this nearly 3 hour visual feast. The love triangle between the man-woman-machine is another unique angle to the movie. The songs are delightfully picturized and the dances are choreographed by two of the best talents of the country, Prabhu Deva and Raju Sundaram. For the ones, who are looking for drama and comedies, this masala-fare has all of them in balanced yet substantial amounts.

What is not so good in Robot: A.R. Rahman disappoints again with his music for Robot. With a fabulous music score, the movie would have been a perfect 10. Also we miss the trademark Rajni entry here, though the climax compensates in a much better manner.

Performances in Robot: Aishwarya proves why she is one of the best actresses around; she looks top-notch and acts sincerely. Rajnikanth brings to the table his style that is known to hypnotize audiences. And this time, we have two Rajnis, so ‘two much’ entertainment from this superstar. The supporting cast though credible, is overshadowed by these two talents.

Conclusion: Watch it for sure, Robot is unlimited entertainment, go for it.

Rating:****(Very Good)

Dabangg has opened in 1,584 screens in India and in terms of numbers, the film is expected to have a rake in a lot more  than Raajneeti [the biggest opener of 2010, which collected Rs. 10.5 cr. net on Friday] ; and should be even bigger than 3 Idiots, which is the biggest opener ever [collected Rs. 13 cr. net on Friday]. Since Eid and Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated on Saturday, the weekend should rock for Salman all the way to Monday at least.

Salman Khan in Dabangg

Salman Khan in Dabangg

Dabangg Poster

Story of  Dabangg: Chulbul Pandey (Salman Khan) is a modern-day Robin Hood, a corrupt, fearless cop who does not think twice about speaking his mind or hammering the bad guys to pulp. But he is a man of too many paradoxes.  He may have lots of black money stashed in his house but he makes sure that he gives all of them to the poor and the needy.  He even helps his step father, Vinod Khanna, who he detests from the bottom of his heart. Chulbul makes a lot of friends and a lot more enemies. One of them is Chedi Singh(Sonu Sood) who tries to bump his off in various ways but is unsuccessful. Somewhere down the line,  Chulbul Pandey falls in love with Rajjo (Sonakshi Sinha). And he goes again on a fight to finish the bad guys. By now, you must have guessed that there is nothing worth calling a “story” in this film but it comes out scoring 4/5 on entertainment factor, which is what today’s audience are exactly looking for.

Plus points of Dabangg:

1. Salman Khan, he is one man entertainment factory. Take him out and 80 percent of the movie is not worth watching. Put him in and the movie delivers 120 percent. The movie is an extension of  what the macho actor is supposed to be in real life-lion hearted, unpredictable, funny and aggressive.
2. The funny, sexy song “Munni Badnam Hui” shows why Malaika Arora is the most wanted item girl of Bollywood.
3. The witty punch-lines, the fight sequences are all trade-mark Salman Khan style; all of which any Salman Khan fan would devour.
4. Sonu Sood’s well-chiseled body. You guys go looking for Salman Khan’s macho body but you are rewarded with a well-toned bod of this guy that is just inspiring.

Minus points:

1. You do not go for logic in Salman Khan’s movies be they Judwaa, Partner, Wanted or Dabangg; so if you are looking for substance, you may not watch this.
2. Dabangg is not a good film when you are looking for story or plot development; it does not come anywhere closer to the other Salman Khan biggie, Wanted. But yes, Dabangg does pulls all stops when it comes to entertainment.

Performances in Dabangg:

Dabangg belongs the last standing actor hero of our times, Salman Khan; he makes a thunderous impact. This movie will draw whistles and shouts for him.  Sonakshi Sinha is delightfully curvy and yes, she has a good screen presence, though she has miles to go when it comes to acting.  Sonu Sood is a surprise; with a well-chiseled body and a perfect performance, he stands his ground against Sallu, a feat no simple to achieve.

Conclusion: Go, watch it and enjoy the festive season with Dabanng

Ratings: ****1/2

Sonakshi Sinha and Salman Khan in Dabangg

Sonakshi Sinha in Dabangg

Sonakshi Sinha and Salman Khan in Dabangg

Salman Khan in Dabangg

Story of We are Family: Arjun Rampal is divorced and his kids live with his ex wife Kajol (Maya).  He is now in a relationship with Shreya(Kareena Kapoor), a glamorous puss who has second thoughts about meeting Arjun’s kids.  The movie is mostly about how Kareena adjusts to the kids and how they reconcile with the ‘other lady’ in their house. Also there is another sub-plot like Kajol being a terminal patient like we saw in the original Hollywood version.

What is good about we are Family: The performances of all the actors in the film are good with Kajol and the teenager Aalliya leading the fray.

What is not so good about We are Family:

• There are many things that do not work in the film. The movie is besieged with too many clichés and forced moments.  The antics of the children resisting a new person in the family has been seen so many time and the treatment in this film is nothing new to boast about.
• Kareena’s characterization is flawed. Either she is shown being a hot model who does not care a damn about family values or she is shown adjusting to be a door-mat.
• The kids in the film do not like the 8 year olds or 13 years olds of today. They are too much into the la-la land making the entire thing look so filmy. Also one does not understand why the kids are not happy with the other woman in the house because in Australia, kids do no usually have hang-ups about their father having a girlfriend.
• The evolution of  Kareena into a caring woman is quite inconsistent and sporadic, so much that it looks suspicious. In the original movie Stepmom, Julia Roberts gradually wins the kids over and it is endearing to watch them; you don’t see any of such things in KJo’s movie.
• Kajol may have acted well, but her character looks fake and over the top. Imagine someone hamming instead of being subtle in her last days.
• Though they have credited the official remake, director and script writer (Venita Coelho) has liberally taken stuff from other kiddie movies and put it here. For instance, 13 year old Aliya who is asked to come back from a party because she went away without asking pemision is straight out of ‘Raising Helen’.
• There is also a song and dance drama by the family trying to convince Kajol about how much she will be missed, once she is gone; this is clearly grating on nerves. 1
• Arjun Rampal’s role has a weak characterization; there is just no substance in the film for him He looks like a bystander.

To sum up

It is better to avoid We are Family.  You can take your family out to a nice dinner instead, this weekend, if you have a choice.

Rating:*1/2

Story of Aashayein: Chain smoking Rahul is in for good luck and extreme bad luck. The day he wins a fortune at the lottery, he comes to know that he is suffering from terminal lung cancer.  Though he has a live-in girlfriend (Sonal Sehgal) who wants to marry him and live-in with him, Rahul  has left her in his mind, he is lost in a sense of self-pity.  Though he decides to leave his girlfriend, he decides to gift her his winnings before heading for a solitary existence.

Rahul lands at a hospital for the terminally ill and meets with the patients there. There is an older man Parthasarthi (Girish Karnad) who cannot speak, an ex prostitute Madhu (Farida Jalal) who is infected with HIV virus, a 17 year old cancer patient called Padma (Anaitha Nair) who has a crush on Rahul and a little boy called Govinda (Ashwin Chitale) who loves comic books.  We are in for some light hearted, funny scenes where Rahul lives his life to the fullest with the help of these people.

What works for Aashayein: Nagesh Kukunoor shows his deft treatment again as he did in movies like Iqbal and Dor. Though the movie may not be technically sound, it is visually appealing thanks to the cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee.

What does not work for Aashayein: None of the scenes are compelling, the dialogues and the screenplay is not heart-tugging enough. What may have looked good on paper, looks like an amateur effort on the screen. The background score also leaves a lot to be desired.

Performances in Aashayein: John Abraham’s best performance in his career is undoubtedly in Aashayein. In the first half, you may well be watching the usual John with his handsome look, trade-mark smile and his suave appeal but the second half has a measured, engaging performance, so much that you forget that you are watching John Abraham in the film.  The fact that John lost a lot of weight to get the right look for the film definitely adds to the impact

Conclusion: A strictly average movie, John Abraham’s performance gives it an extra rating

Rating: **1/2 (above average)

Story of Hello Darling: There are three women, with different personalities (read get-ups). Candy(Celina Jailtey) is a tart-type personal assistant, Mansi(Gul Panag) is the corporate lady with middle class values and Satvati (Isha Koppikar) is a new bite: all three are angry with their lecherous, lying, egoistical, sexist boss Hardik(Javed Jaffery).  The trio decides to hatch a plan to teach Hardik a lesson, take over the company and show women power to the world.  While doing all this, they take a lot of stupid decisions which are an excuse for the poor acting of the three girls in the film.  Not that the so-called actions are interesting anyway. Thrown in for a bad measure is the romantic sub-plot with Chunkey Pandey, the rock-star.  Boy!

What works for Hello Darling: Gul Panag is passably good in some scenes but in others she has the ‘what I am doing in this one’ expression plastered on her face.

What does not work for Hello Darling: Almost everything!  The cast seems to have a collective malaise called bad acting. The music by Pritam is disappointing.  As far as the script and dialogues are concerned, the lesser said, the better.

Conclusion: Stay away from Hello Darling and if you fancy skin show, watch some B-grade movie that stands up to the challenge.

Rating: * Poor