love aaj kal movie

LOVE AAJ KAL is JAB WE MET without the intensity of Geet. However, here you have the confused, so-called ‘me stud man’ image of Jai Vardhan Singh (Saif Ali Khan), which takes a beating and comes out fighting to salvage his love, or whatever it is that is left of it. So Jai who hogs the best dialogues and even screen space when he is required to listen takes Geet’s place convincingly.

One scene is when Meera (Deepika Padukone) is getting married and asks her friends to call Jai (who also is at the reception) to meet her. Obviously, she has something to say, but what happens is Jai steals the show with his ‘Amitabh-like’ lines while you are left wondering what is it that Meera wanted to tell him. Point to note Imtiaz.

Imtiaz Ali has spun a two-layered tale of love and has Saif Ali Khan portraying love in today’s time (Aaj) and love two decades ago (Kal). In both roles, Saif is super convincing. Love seems to be the flavour for Imtiaz and he handles the subject with a degree of confidence that has now become his trademark.

Jai and Meera meet and fall in love in London. After two years of courtship, Meera’s archaeological background takes her to India while Jai has his dreams to work on a project in San Francisco. They decide to break-up and even have a ‘break-up party’. How cool is that. Their meeting, falling in love, tender moments and even the break-up is capsuled well by Imtiaz. But somewhere deep down, both know that they can never be separated. For Jai, break-up means he is now ready to date more girls, while for Meera it is work and the prospect of meeting new men. Jai is the super-cool dude who does not believe in the philosophy of love. Not for him is the Romeo-Juliet kind of romance. This is Love Aaj.

Rishi Kapoor, who owns the restaurant where the ‘break-up’ party is held, reminisces of his love and how he wooed his girl to Jai. Patiently following her cycle rickshaw in the by-lanes of Delhi and even going to Calcutta to track her down after she had moved away. Saif Ali Khan plays the younger, vulnerable, and unsure in love Rishi. That was Love Kal.

In both tales, Imtiaz weaves a pattern to display that whatever era you may have been in, Love has a singular momentum and you only love once. Both love stories are unraveled together and as they head to the climax, Imtiaz has you firmly in his grip.

The first half moves fast but you just get the feeling that the second half could have been tighter. It drags and you wonder why Imtiaz is letting his grip off the proceedings.

Deepika comes out shining. Put her in the hands of a good director and she can do wonders. Imtiaz coaxes out a good performance from her. But believe me; this girl can do much, much better. She stands up to the much-experienced Saif Ali Khan in the lighter moments as well as the more intense ones. If she makes the right choices, she will be an actress to watch out for.

Saif Ali Khan makes a smooth transition from actor to producer. He may not have promoted his film with the force of a Ghajini, but he managed to create just the right kind of hype. Maybe, if Team India had to progress further in the recently concluded T-20 World Cup, the hype would have gotten bigger. Saif has shown a sharp business eye looking into every aspect, including the music by Pritam.

Love knows no language. Besides, it cuts through people from all age. Aaj, Kal and what have you. It is neat, clean and full of romance. This one is for ”The mango people. The Aam Junta”, as Saif’s Jai says in one of his dialogues. Go for it.

Nagesh Kukunoor gives this flick a super Hollywood feel and manages to pull off a slick thriller. But I have a problem with the end, which escalates, or should I say degenerates to a climax of a typical Bollywood masala film. But this is not to deny the finesse with which this film has been captured on camera and the climax when the murderer is revealed. But you pretty much guess the involvement of one of the characters in the film.

Akshay Kumar is shattered by an incident, which takes place when he is perhaps eight years old. Deeply traumatized he absorbs the power of venturing into a photograph to understand what could have transpired, thus helping many who come to him for help when the police have failed. He now has the unenviable task of venturing into a photograph, clicked just moments before his father could die, to find out whether it was murder or natural death. His journey to unravel the mystery keeps you on the edge of your seat.

What the incident was that moved him to these powers is vaguely shown, and you realize towards the end that it was not a convincing shot because his parents were not at all shattered by that huge loss. In fact, it looks like a picnic out when the tragedy was colossal. I will not divulge what the tragedy was, because that would mean giving the story away. But I have a question for Kukunoor. How could you show such a tragic incident so nonchalantly? I mean, we as an audience think it is the loss of a football, when the fact is little Jai (Akshay Kumar’s) world has come crashing down. And his parents, I mean they do not even acknowledge the loss, or were they not told of the scene you were canning? Even the hospital scene where Akshay is helped by a staff on duty for a blood transfusion in a storeroom is not happening.

Akshay Kumar as a forest officer in Canada is convincing and so is his performance. No tomfoolery here. There’s not much for anyone else to do, with the exception of Jaaved Jaffery who impresses in his role as a cop. The action sequences are slickly shot and the camera moves delightfully capturing every thrill. The background score is fantastic. If only Kukunoor had been more open about the sequence in the flashback, the finale would have been well received. I mean, the audience is no dodo. Or perhaps he had no faith in his script that he had to indulge in a vague hotchpotch of a plot (read flashback) to come up with the climax.

What Kukunoor was looking for was the climax of Wolfgang Petersen’s 1991 thriller, SHATTERED. That climax was out of this world.

Having said that, this movie does thrill and chill.

Deepa Mehta’s VIDESH (HEAVEN ON EARTH titled internationally) is a mixed bag of spousal abuse, submissive daughter-in-law, violent husband, cruel in-laws, packaged with mythological elements. Over the years, a handful of filmmakers have depicted the plight of victims of marital abuse, the disturbing scenario through powerfully-told characters in Hindi films. And Deepa’s VIDESH deals with the same cliched subject. After giving some thought-provoking films like FIRE, EARTH, WATER, a lot was expected from the director Deepa Mehta but VIDESH falls dreary.

From a small town in Punjab, the happy-go-lucky girl Chand (Preity), strangely enough, is sent all alone to Canada, to marry Rocky (Vansh) whom she has never met. Full of dreams in her eyes of a happy married life; her dreams are shattered on her wedding night itself. The jobless mamma’s boy & Chand’s husband Rocky (Vansh Bharadwaj) is highly frustrated person who has no sexual interest in his wife or rather no human feelings at all, except anger, which erupts in physical violence. Chand soon realizes life as a non-resident Indian is not all it’s made out to be. You expect some expression of anger or shock from Chand (who is an educated, city girl), but she is totally passive. Disheartened Chand who brings along her mom’s narrated poems and folktales seeks solace in reciting her mom’s narrated myths of the holy snake ‘Sheshnaag’ (who is considered to take form of any individual). Rocky and his mom’s insulting behaviour increases with Rocky often brutally beating Chand up. But then one night, her ‘’snake god” from her backyard comes to life and enters her bedroom in the form of her husband Rocky.

The basic plot is interesting but Deepa Mehta has made a complete mess of it. The snail-paced movie has mystifying black and white portions. Too many close shots also don’t work in film’s favour, at times it irks you.

From an unmarried mom to bubbly babe to brave lady to tormented wife in VIDESH the feisty girl of Bollywood Preity Zinta has come long way. She has portrayed the character of Chand magnificently. The differing shades of excitement, confusion and then helplessness are portrayed very well by Preity but sadly a whole film cannot ride on it. Though Deepa Mehta has got the perfect ensemble cast in place but it doesn’t work. Except for Preity the film appears lifeless.

All in all VIDESH doesn’t offer you any Heaven in your cinema!

Bobby Deol after a long time returns to action with EK under the command of Sangeeth Sivan. It is more of a modern interpretation of BAMBAI KA BABU and DUSHMAN, having parallels more to DUSHMAN as the family and its problems are what brings about a transformation in the criminal and reforms him to become a Good Samaritan.

The brilliance of the movie from the cinematographic angle appears in patches more so in the evocative shots of the sunset in the villages and the silhouette that it creates, as also in the stunt scenes that Bobby Deol has performed, emphasizing that he is an action hero. The shooting of action scenes in two tone colors may have been done with the idea to create an impact, but it is not able to live up to it.

While Sangeeth Sivan had drawn parallels with GHAJINI for his film EK, and in terms of the action it may have parallels, the comparison flounders on the music front. A R.Rahman can enliven an action film by creating scope of music as he did in GHAJINI, but Pritam has not been able to do it in EK, the music does not have the same punch.

The redeeming feature of the film is the brilliant cameo that Nana Patekar has performed, and he has again underlined the fact that even though he made his debut in 1980s, he still can give other actors a run for their money. The punch lines of EK have been reserved for him. It indeed is a stark reality that three Ps Police, politician and the prostitute define the space in which the common governance operates these days.

May be there is a need to revisit the notion of rural landscape with the mustard fields of Punjab, as it has become such a flogged horse that the element of novelty as a cinematic oeuvre has been lost. In an action film it is rarely that the female lead star gets equal footage, and same has happened with Shriya Saran.

While Nandu, the character played by Bobby Deol is an orphan, had his process of indoctrination into a criminal been dealt in slightly more detailed manner, may be the character of Nandu could have drawn more empathy from the audience.

While the multiplex audiences may not be that receptive to EK, it would surely be able to develop a bond with the audience in the India outside the metropolitan and multiplex cities. The dialogues of the film would ensure that.

For the fans of Bobby Deol and Nana Patekar this film is a must dekho, more so because of the fact that in its original avatar as a Telugu film it was a super hit, and this is the kind of audience that also exists in the Hindi film world outside the metropolitan cities.

Time-n-again it is proved that Bollywood has still a long way to go and polish itself in futuristic, sci-fi thrillers zone. First-time director Jehangir Surti’s so-called fast paced sci-fi thriller AA DEKHEN ZARA is another good example of sort.

Jehangir who had a very interesting concept at the helm of AA DEKHEN ZARA - using a gizmo - a camera that can look into the future, had all the chance to explore and give away an exhilarating thriller. But the slick thriller that starts off well fades away just after the first hour. Post interval it loses its sheen as the script seems to go haywire with no specific direction. The post interval portions have been written without much imagination with convenient co-incidences coming up at regular intervals.

Ray Acharya (Neil Nitin Mukesh), a seeking work, freelance wild-life photographer inherits such a magical, antique-looking camera from his grandpa (Biswajeet) that changes things overnight for him. How? Well the camera has the special ability to reveal the future through the photographs taken from it (but it only takes pictures 24 hours into the future). As anyone in Ray’s place would have done, he takes a peek into the future and bets on horses, lotteries and stock market through photographs. And starts enjoying life with his girlfriend Simi (Bipasha) who works as a DJ in a night club. The audience roots for Ray as he starts winning the horse races and lotteries thanks to his future seeing camera. But Ray soon discovers that the camera has mysterious powers. It shows the future, including Ray’s impending death. Suddenly this camera with special powers becomes a national issue and many hands try to grab it including one Captain (Rahul Dev). Now Ray has to keep the camera safe from the evil forces headed by Captain.

AA DEKHEN ZARA is painfully inconsistent and doesn’t even stay true to its own wrapped logic. Picture this; suddenly the camera which can only take pictures 24 hours into the future, as told in the beginning, takes the photographs of the happenings six days away, in the latter part of the movie.

After winning wide accolades & awards for the stupendous performance in his debut flick JOHNNY GADDAR, all expectations were pinned on Neil for AA DEKHEN ZARA. But Neil appears expressionless for most part of the movie and fails to leave any mark as the film doesn’t offer him much scope to perform. Bipasha is glowing by the day, she looks hotter & fit but sadly even her character has been given limited horizon unlike what she could do with a thriller like RACE. Not only the performances of the lead actors, but even the desired chemistry lacked between Neil-Bipasha. Sophie Chaudhary who is playing a R. A. W. agent in the film is utterly wasted. Her presence is hardly felt. Rahul Dev is okay in his part but his character could have been developed in a better way.

One thing is worth mentioning that despite of several flaws and loopholes in the script the film manages to keep you on the edge of your seat, nah, not because of the characters or story but because you get hooked to know about the futuristic events shown by this magical camera.

Could have been better fare had the director & writer worked on the script part harder.

Psst… Is the director hinting a sequel in the last reel? AA DEKHEN ZARA

The headline says it all, Dhimaag Chaat! Mirchi Movies have come up with yet another dud! The story is weak, the acting below average and the cast just not upto the mark.

Get a load of this: The story is based in Delhi. The family is happy that their boy is returning from America. Unknown to him, preparations are on to find him a bride. But boy already has a Muslim girlfriend back in the US. So boy and uncle decide to stage an act where they will hire a firang girl to play his girlfriend, and get his actual girlfriend to come to his house as her friend, and make her win his parents heart while the firang runs riot and makes his family hate her.

All this is done by the girl to make the boy’s family accept her. But what about the girl’s family? Don’t they have to accept the boy? Does not her family have any say in the matter? Or does she have no family at all? Director saab, did you not look into this aspect of the film?Actually, there is not much the cast could have done; there was no script in the first place.

Naseeruddin Shah gives a lesson in acting in BARAH AANA, which is worth a million bucks. That he is a brilliant actor is a given. His performances in the past and the more recent ones have had the cynics, critics and his fans watching in rapt attention when he comes on screen. In this film, he does not speak for a full three-quarter of the film. But his acting speaks volumes. No, he is not playing a dumb character, but leaves everyone dumbfounded with his super body language that portrays every emotion he is going through.

Another performer who hits out at you is Tanisha Chatterjee. This chatterbox of a character who is in love with Aman (Arjun Mathur, very competent) leaves no doubt about her abilities as an actor. She portrays the pesky girl who is besotted by the good-looking Aman in her chawl to such a believable extent that you can feel the pulse of her emotions at the common tap, where they always bump into each other.

Then there is Vijay Raaz, who as the watchman of a housing society, brings to light, the plight of thousands of migrants who land in the city in the hope of making a living. A security guard is now the surest way of landing a job. No, you don’t have to be ’super fit’, or have any basic knowledge of security. Just switching the tap on and off is enough along with running errands for the society members. Double duty now seems to be the bane of housing societies who always find their guards sleeping not knowing that the poor man has been up since early morning!

Director Raja Menon begins well in depicting the lives of three such migrants who live in the same chawl. Naseeruddin Shah (Shukla) is a driver; Vijay Raaz plays Yadav while Arjun is a waiter at a local cafe. They all lead diverse lives, making ends meet with what they get at the end of the month. Shukla is being ridiculed by his boss’s wife who leaves no opportunity to insult him, while Aman is madly in love with a foreign guest at his cafe, Kate (Violante Placido). He in turn, is being chased by Rani (Tanisha Chaterjee).

Yadav has a situation back in the village where he has to send money for his ailing father. No one at the housing society comes forward to help and it is left upto Shukla to help him out. But fate plays a cruel trick on Yadav as he is robbed at the station.

Forlorn, he spends time sitting at a food stall when three drunks drive up for a bite. They call out to him but Yadav does not respond. One smart guy gets out to ‘teach’ him a lesson but ends up being the victim. He gets a solid whack from Yadav that sends him reeling on the floor. Until here, Menon has got the track right. After this, the screenplay takes a nose-dive.

Yadav gets the unconscious man at home (there was no reason to do so). But I guess this was to support the madness, Menon was to step down to. Yadav calls the man’s family and tells them he is unconscious. Thinking he has been kidnapped, they force him to take money. Yadav agrees and makes a quick Rs 30,000 without the knowledge of the other two. It’s only when he goes to give them their share of Rs 10,000 that they realise what he has been up to. They then agree to make it their business to kidnap people and ask ransom.

While the first half of the film is thoroughly enjoyable, the second half slides rapidly. To Menon’s credit, he does succeed in touching upon everyday situations that you can immediately relate to.

Watch it for the first rate performances.

Nandita Das arrests your attention right from the opening scene of her directorial debut that shows a disturbing mass burial. As a truck discards more dead bodies, the graveyard gives an impression of a dumping ground where corpses have replaced composite waste. The sight clearly befits the ruthless temperament of the 2002 Gujarat riots and its aftermath which the film attempts to explore.

Firaaq is a fictional account on the repercussions of the dreadful communal riots of Gujarat in 2002. The story is set one month post the riots and unveils through multiple parallel narratives. Muneera (Shahana Goswami) is attempting to restore her life while trying to uncover faces who had set her house ablaze. A Gujarati housewife (Deepti Naval) is unable to overcome her guilt of closing the door on to a Muslim woman frantically seeking safety from a frenzied Hindu mob.

A contemporary Hindu-Muslim couple (Tisca Chopra – Sanjay Suri) decides to relocate from Gujarat, as the husband is terrified of acknowledging his true identity in the given circumstances. Much against the anxiety of his caretaker (Raghuvir Yadav), a devout musician (Naseeruddin Shah) remains optimistic about the state-of-affairs and his diminishing student count until his idealism is shaken. Meanwhile a child who has lost his family in the riots becomes witness to the city set on fire.

In terms of both its social subject and screenplay structure, the film instantly reminds of Nishikant Kamat’s Mumbai Meri Jaan . Like Kamat’s film, Firaaq too has its stories evolving post the riots and steers away from any political overtones making it work as a basic human drama at the common man level. However, the character conflicts and their conversion pale in comparison. The establishment of most characters is effective but somewhere marred by weak transformation or unsettled resolution of their conflicts.

The sudden despair in Naseeruddin Shah’s pious character post his perpetually positive outlook isn’t convincing. Sanjay Suri’s overnight acceptance of his true identity appears both hurried and unpersuasive. The concerns of his Muslim individuality in a Hindi dominated state is effectively brought out but the metamorphosis of his character isn’t credible. The Deepti Naval track denotes domestic violence over social unrest but is half-baked and concludes abruptly. Though Paresh Rawal as her dictating husband is a refreshing change from the comic stereotype, his character is not fleshed out and short-lived. Shahana’s track gets monotonous after a point with her repeated attempts to know the men who burnt her house. Her subplot seems incomplete.

Nandita Das still tries to end her film showing ray of hope as the Muslim musician strikes a chord with his two Hindu disciples. Also, Sanjay Suri comes to terms with his minority identity and shows courage to coexist amongst the majority community including his wife. The final frame that ends on the innocent face of the child who had been wandering the city is thought-provoking. It makes one wonder how the vulnerable young mind would shape up in future after witnessing so much violence. The outcome lingers on individual outlook, depending if one can bury the past or get ready for revenge.

The language credibly switches from Hindi, English, Gujarati to Urdu in individual episodes and the wordplay is particularly expressive in Sanjay Suri and Naseeruddin Shah’s chapters. The pacing is slow. The orphan child is a common link to merely two subplots but the movie could have been more fulfilling had he been mutual to all tracks, making the entire film a parable seen through his tiny eyes. The performances are of high order with each member of the cast delivering outstanding acts.

Firaaq (implying quest) isn’t flawless but is sensitive enough to end your search for a poignant human drama.

Anurag Kashyap’s GULAAL restricts itself, when it could have cut across the audience. It begins with a bang, with Kay Kay Menon as Dukey Bana giving off an explosive speech to his band of followers. He wants a separate state to be ruled by the Rajputs, but what follows next is not what was promised.

As the camera closes in on Menon, looking solid and purposeful in his effort to start off a movement, you settle in for an engaging fare. But nothing much happens. The ragging is not what it was meant to be, disturbing and devious; Jessy Randhawa as the college professor does not fit the bill and her trying to be around the student Dileep (Raj Singh Chaudhary) who was locked nude with her for three days, also does not have any purpose. That aspect of the relationship is not dwelt upon. In addition, the relationship between Kiran (Ayesha Mohan) and Karan (Aditya Srivastav), the brother-sister duo who have their own agenda is not dealt with. In short, the multiple characters hold the film together with their performances.

In the end, it turns out to be a love story gone wrong. Where the girl uses the boy to plan her moves and the boy, surprisingly, is not able to see the devious her. He loses his mind and goes off on a killing spree.

Only two characters are perfectly touched upon. One is Dukey Bana and Menon as the fanatic does a fantastic job. The other is Rananjay Singh Ransa (Abhimanyu Singh). As a rebel who has moved from his family heritage, Abhimanyu is excellent. His make-up and attitude goes with his character that has a mind of his own, inspite of being the beneficiary of a Royal Line in Rajasthan. Deepak Dobriyal as Menon’s right hand (Bhatti) is once again immersed in his character. Mahi Gill who surprised with her act as Paro in DEV. D has proved that her performance was no fluke. She, like Dobriyal, belongs to the class of actors who believe in being the character. Jessy Randhawa in her first full-fledged role is very impressive but her character lacks meat, and towards the end, she lacks conviction in her part. That’s because the director, instead of capitalizing on her humiliation is more concerned about Kiran who has political aspirations.

Rajeev Ravi as the cinematographer combines well with Kashyap in his mode of thinking and portrays on screen just what the director wants. The two seem to be working in sync, with Ravi fully understanding Kashyap’s thought pattern.

But Kashyap had on his hand a wonderful subject. If only he had focused on one aspect (college politics and Dukey Bana’s role in it), the film would have turned out to be a hard-hitting one. Trust Kashyap to go into the abstract. But then, that’s his brand of filmmaking.

This has to be the ‘Most Atrocious’ movie of the year so far. I mean, it’s nice to have those ‘leave your brains behind films’ where sometimes the maker does entertain you through his product, but this here is plain foolish. I get a feeling that someone wanted to rewrite his account books before the year ending and invested a lot of money to produce this absolute no-brainer! At least some losses could be accounted for. Like the wily producers (Paresh Rawal and Kunal Khemu) in DHOONDTE REH JAAOGE (released last week), who set out to produce a flop film. It’s a pity they could not lay their hands on this script, considering Kunal is part of this venture.

Jai (Fardeen Khan) is an undercover cop while Veeru (Khemu) is a small time crook. Jai befriends Veeru to get to the big fish, an underworld don played by Arbaaz Khan. When Veeru comes to know of Jai’s status during a ‘Pick up’ of counterfeit notes, he accidentally shoots him in the head. It’s no surprise Jai survives. I mean this dude here has taken a bullet in his head. That’s not all, he tells Veeru later that he has a metal plate in his forehead! This is how far they have gone! And there is not a scar to prove that!!

The rest is super mumbo-jumbo. While the losses will be right up there for the accountants to verify, Kunal Khemu walks away with some gains in sharpening his acting skills at the producers cost.

Chalo, at least he benefitted from this whole exercise.

by http://www.moviebunch.com

Call it creative bankruptcy or just another take on creativity. Whichever way you look at it, you cannot help but come out smiling from the theatres. Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge is one such exercise, which I dare say, is not futile. At least it conforms to the basic requirement of cinema, that to entertain. And entertain it does in huge doses. If you are looking to lighten your mood, backed with ‘recession rates’ at multiplexes, this movie will definitely give you your fix.

It’s a spoof all right, but not slapstick comedy. Director Umesh Shukla (who has also written the screenplay) has mixed five hit movies and topped it with the situation of a failed producer who owes his investors huge amount of money. The movie also takes a dig, albeit lovingly, at the workings in the industry with anyone and everyone being qualified to direct a movie. ”He will learn as he makes films along the way,” says Paresh Rawal’s character, Raj Chopra, of his selection of a masseur as a director of his enterprise, which he hopes will flop big time.

Raj Chopra (Paresh Rawal) wants to sign the reigning superstar Aryan Kapoor (Sonu Sood) for his film. The star obviously gives him a tough time. Anand Pawar (Kunal Khemu) is a righteous man who will not do any wrong. But situation gets him to cross ways with Raj because of his girlfriend Neha (Soha Ali Khan), an aspiring actress. In the first meeting, Anand is conned by Raj. He later exacts revenge, but soon realizes that the two can actually make millions together.

heir plan is simple. Float a company; take Rs 5 crore from 21 investors, without letting the other know. Stack away Rs 100 cr and invest Rs 5cr to make a flop film. When a film flops, no producer will demand his share in profits. They float ‘Charsubisi’ a so-called Japanese collaboration and have a press conference. The next day, there is a queue of financiers. There’s also that call from the Bhai in Dubai who wants to finance. That’s a hilarious track, especially when Bhai in a burkha, wants to go to the gents washroom at the premiere. Also watch Sholay’s Thakur taking strike with bat!

To cut the long story short, there’s a mix of Sholay, DDLJ, Gadar, Lagaan and Rangeela. Johnny Lever as Rubber Singh, seen on screen after a long time, is a riot. Incidentally, he is also the scriptwriter of the flop film. Parvez Asharraf is his character, a general who is mortified of his wife!

Sonu Sood is a competent performer. He needs that big banner to catapult him into the big league. Kunal Khemu and Paresh Rawal combine well in their scenes. Both complement the other. In fact, Khemu is taking giant strides in his acting. Soha fits the role to the ‘T’, while Hrishitaa Bhatt in a guest appearance completes the situation.

Go, lighten your mood. As for the script, DHOONDTE REH JAAOGE!

There’s a killer in the house in the dead of night. He is banging the television set in the living room and not one of the people sleeping in is disturbed. And this is the 13th floor of a high-rise, not some palatial bungalow.

Story
Based on the 1987 videogame sensation and later made into an anemic 1994 Jean-Claude Van Damme action flick, this latest version pits the forces of evil vs. good in the slums of modern day Bangkok but fails to capture any of the excitement that made Street Fighter a legend among gamers. In this edition, evil crime boss Bison (Neal McDonough) is joined by henchmen Balrog (Michael Clarke Duncan) and Vega (Taboo of The Black Eyed Peas) in taking over the Thai city, using extremely violent power. Out to stop him from adding to his growing collection of heads are a group of disparate warriors, including the half-Caucasian, half-Asian beauty Chun-Li (Kristin Kreuk), who has given up her American life of privilege to help the oppressed. Joining her in the fight are her Kung Fu master Gen (Robin Shou), an Interpol cop Charlie Nash (Chris Klein) who has been tailing Bison around the world and his co-hort, homicide detective Maye Sunee (Moon Bloodgood).

Acting
While most martial arts films are hardly a showcase for actors, this film hits new lows. McDonough utters straight-faced lines such as, “when people are hungry there’s nothing they won’t do because everyone has a price,” which apparently also means himself or why else would he take the role of such a wooden villain? The acting is so bad that even the Americans, including Duncan, Taboo and Klein, feel like they’ve been victims of a bad dubbing job. As the lead, the attractive Kreuk also proves to be a fierce martial arts artist, which at least partially makes up for the pedestrian dialogue and leaden narration she has to utter throughout.

Direction
The one thing Polish director Andrzej Bartkowiak has gotten right with Street Fighter is the kung fu of it all, but that’s hardly enough to recommend slogging through the rest of this mess. As a renowned cinematographer (Terms of Endearment, The Verdict) Bartkowiak exhibits a sharp eye for color and detail, but the drab look of Street Fighter makes one wonder if as director he ever bothered to look through the lens at all. This is strictly paint-by-the-numbers filmmaking of the most unimaginative order. When Klein spots a flashing red button signaling an explosive device about to go off he yells, “Bomb! Everybody out!” He just as well could have been talking about this movie, too.

Story
Clearly influenced by the 2005 Oscar-winning Crash, writer/director Wayne Kramer’s multi-character, segmented story focuses on the hot button issue of immigration — illegal and otherwise — told from several vantage points. A teenager (Summer Bishil) is targeted as a potential terrorist because of an essay she wrote; a young mother (Alice Braga) fights to keep her child after being deported; an Australian actress (Alice Eve) prostitutes herself to get a green card. We also meet a Korean teen , a British musician, a Mexican worker and others, whose lives and dreams of American citizenship intersect with a group of people working for and closely with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in L.A. Chief among them is Max Brogan (Harrison Ford), a veteran but burnt-out agent not beyond bending the law to uphold the fading ideals that brought him to the job in the first place.

Acting
Ford is terrific in a low-key but touching portrayal of a man struggling to keep up with a changing world of immigration law, clinging to the moral compass that originally got him started. It’s not the kind of starring role we normally see him do, but he blends nicely into a superb ensemble of international actors. Ray Liotta is rather effective as a hapless applications manager willing to risk his career and marriage to an immigration defense attorney (an understated Ashley Judd) for a sordid affair with an Australian actress, played by the sultry Eve. This aggressive bimbo is cheating on her likeable British boyfriend, sweetly played by Jim Sturgess (21) as both try desperately to get a green card in equally unethical ways. Other standouts in the large cast include Bishil as a young suspected terrorist and the wonderful Braga as an illegal Mexican factory worker trying to hang on to her son.

Direction
Kramer’s in-your-face, vivid directorial style has served him well in the critically acclaimed The Cooler and even his over-the-top but entertaining second film, Running Scared. With Crossing Over, he generally tones it down to tell a tricky multi-level story in which he tries to juggle several characters constantly merging in and out of the film. If it’s not ultimately as successful as Crash, this storytelling technique is, in many ways, just as effective due to the subject matter. Kramer, a South African, became a naturalized American citizen himself in 2000 and knows this scenario all too well. He paints us a picture people, caught up in this fast changing world of immigration and using any means to keep their dreams alive against long odds.

Story
Of course, the film is even better if you’re female between the ages of 9 through 15 — and have a fully functional set of lungs to scream your heart out. My goodness, what a stir these boys create among the ‘tween set, but it makes sense. Girls have been screaming for boy bands since, well, forever, and Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas fit the bill perfectly. Their songs are those serviceable pop tunes anyone can tap their toes to, and they genuinely seemed to be enjoying themselves. More importantly, the film shows how their meteoric rise to stardom since appearing with Miley Cyrus on her concert tour last year continually surprises the boys, but in their kindest of hearts, the brothers really do care about their fans.

Acting
There are also some behind-the-scenes moments the Jonas Brothers’ fans will enjoy, especially the opening scene in which the boys’ oversized caretaker/bodyguard “Big Rob” wakes them up at 4:30 in the morning to start their very long day. The brothers kid around with each other during their early morning breakfast and then it’s off to the races, including a Austin Powers-esque scene, in which team Jonas are chased by a gaggle of screaming girls. Looks like the guys might have some comedic chops. Actually, the film could have benefitted with a few more of these moments. But mostly, it’s the boys on stage, doing what they do, with guest stars Demi Lovato of Camp Rock fame and Taylor Swift. These two girls aren’t nearly as much fun to watch.

Direction
Director Bruce Hendricks (ESPN’s Ultimate X) has waaaay too much fun with this directing gig. Either that, or he urges the Jonas Brothers to go for it and use the 3-D technology as much as they can. This means throwing drumsticks, sticking their cute mugs and generally hamming it up in front of the specialized cameras. There’s even a point in which the boys hose down the screaming throngs with foam, which leaves those of us in the audience feeling as if we have some in our own hair. 3-D is the way to go these days, and this Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience certainly wouldn’t have been nearly as entertaining without it.

by http://www.hollywood.com

Most directors/actors have that innate desire to experiment with cinema. But the economics of the industry is such that it does not afford anyone this largesse. Hence, commercial Hindi cinema, as it is come to be known, thrives, with themes and plots and twist and turns that sometimes makes even the actors wonder what they are up to. In a recent interview, Paresh Rawal was asked if his wife (Swaroop Sampat) was working on any projects (Hindi films). In his own inimitable way, Rawal shot back, ”Is it not enough that one man in a family is doing a bad job?” He was not referring to his acting, just the roles that were coming his way.

A few years ago, Subhash Ghai who produced JOGGER’S PARK mentioned at a press conference that ”These were the type of films he was always interested in. Earlier, I could not afford to do it, now I can.”

So why am I digressing from the point in question, which is SIDDHARTH. Precisely for the same reason for what this film is all about. This film is about experimenting, evolving and involving oneself to such an extent, that you no longer worry about commercial success. It’s the inborn creativity of the director that is coming to the fore with the help of actors who will never shy away from such projects; in fact, they thrive on it. Case in point is Rajat Kapoor who is now becoming the master at experimenting with characters and plots that would earlier find no takers. SIDDHARTH is one such story.

Even though the plot is vague, the film captivates you with its twists. Director Prayas Gupta underlines the underworld without making a statement. You are hooked into knowing what will happen of the cyber caf� help who has failed to take care of a brief case full of money, which has accidently been replaced by Siddharth (Rajat Kapoor). In the bargain, Siddharth, who has just been released from prison (we do not know his crime), has lost his only manuscript, dedicated to his wife. He wrote the book while in prison and it’s his last attempt to win back his wife who has filed for a divorce (his wife is never shown).

Mohan (Sachin Nayak) has to now find the briefcase as the mob is after him. Siddharth has stumbled upon a fortune in the bargain losing the only copy of his manuscript. Will Mohan find the booty or will Siddharth start anew with his newfound wealth? Here, Prayas keeps the thrills as he shows Siddharth’s state of mind as he battles with the demons within. Without saying much, Rajat explains a lot. His body language is what reaches out to you. On the other hand, Sachin Nayak as Mohan the cyber caf� help is your boy next door who you can identify with. He pulls off a super performance.

The cinematography by Mrinal Desai and background score deserves special mention. SIDDHARTH appeals to your creative instinct but the end is a bit tame, I think. But yes, if you want to treat yourself to some intense stuff from India, stuff which you only see from the directors of the West, SIDDHARTH is your man!

by http://www.glamsham.com

Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Waheeda Rehman

Delhi-6 clearly isn’t an autobiographical take on Rakeysh Mehra’s childhood days in the capital city. That’s because the story is set around the monkey-man episode that made headlines in Delhi some years back and Mehra surely wasn’t a child then. The treatment of the film, however, gets childishly corny at places. Of course do not expect a thriller treatment with the monkey-man chapter. Rather, Delhi-6 thematically apes the banner’s (UTV) own Swades (2004) and remains a social drama all through.

So you have the purported protagonist Rohan Mehra (Abhishek Bachchan) coming to India, though this time not to fetch his nanny, but to get his granny (Waheeda Rehman) to Delhi gullies where she wants to spend the final phase of her life. In the bylanes of Chandni Chowk in old Delhi, Rohan is introduced to customs, conventions and relations alien to him. Meanwhile panic spreads in Delhi as news of random attacks by a mysterious creature titled monkey-man makes headlines.

Muddled up between the liking for his land and ladylove Bittu (Sonam Kapoor), the movie progresses as monkey-man gives ways to discuss social and political issues like the Hindu-Muslim and upper-lower class divide.

The movie makes an interesting start as it introduces multiple characters and gets into multi-track storytelling. But soon the characters and the tracks start jumbling up, giving way for continuity lapses in the multi-dimensional narrative. It’s surprising that the same multi-layered storytelling that Rakeysh Mehra exploited brilliantly in Rang De Basanti , intermittently handicaps the narration in Delhi-6 .

Midways the movie, it’s still difficult to comprehend what’s the central lead of the story amongst Rohan’s love for Bittu, Bittu’s quest for Indian Idol independence, grandma’s loyalty towards motherland or a family feud (Om Puri – Pawan Malhotra sibling rivalry). Unfortunately even the monkey-man track doesn’t help connecting the individual installments and rather works only on peripheral level. However, it resolves all above conflicts in a single-stroke climax, in addition to an Ayodhya-Babri Masjid kind of issue it incites towards the end.

The core theme bears a striking resemblance with Swades which is augmented by the theatrical Ram Leela episodes and the cast-and-class concerns it tackles. But while Ashutosh Gowariker had a direct approach of facing the issues of India in Swades , Mehra handles it indirectly using the monkey-man metaphor. While the screenplay remains cheerful in the first half, it doesn’t escape the preachy trappings in the climax.

Some smart gems in the screenplay include the scene where a cow is delivering amidst jam-packed main road traffic and being worshipped by every passerby. And an abstract-cum-artistic sequence from the same screenplay includes an Indo-American fusion fantasy song ‘ Dil Gira Dafatan ’ which confuses in conveying its concept. There isn’t any conspicuous chemistry between the lead pair of Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor. And Amitabh’s intangible appearance in the last scene was absolutely avoidable.

The art direction decently recreates the Delhi set in Jaipur studio but is confined to four lanes at the Chandni Chowk crossroads. Binod Pradhan employs disturbing camera movements while Vaibhavi Merchant adds grace to Masakali movements. Rahman’s soulful music lacks a befitting body though.

From its eclectic cast, it’s startling to see that the supposed lead players Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor have very shallow characterizations and thereby weak screen-presence as well. With his existing image, it’s difficult to visualize Abhishek Bachchan as a NRI. It never comes across in his accent, attitude or outlook. Sonam Kapoor’s immature act isn’t impressive.

The better performances come from the character-artist cast of Deepak Dobriyal, Atul Kulkarni, Vijay Raaz, Pawan Malhotra and Om Puri. Rishi Kapoor is pleasing but his character is too short-lived. Same for Divya Dutta, who is likeable in her small role. Waheeda Rehman sounds stressed.

Comparison with Mehra’s last attempt is inevitable, thereby generating gigantic expectations. Rakeysh Mehra seamlessly connected with the audiences through his mesmerizing storytelling in Rang De Basanti . Sadly, Delhi-6 is quite colourless in that contrast.

Then, one fine day, the village is in a tizzy. Shahir Khan (Shahrukh Khan), the reigning superstar of Bollywood, has chosen this very village for his next film’s shooting. Suddenly there is news of him being Billu’s friend. The whole village takes a U-turn. The Principal comes to his home to give him the good news that his children’s education will now be funded from the school Trust and all he has to do is to get Shahir Khan to their school function. Billu’s dilemma has just begun. There are hordes of other such requests, which Billu cannot deny and he portrays it brilliantly with his eyes and body language.

So, does Billu really know Shahir Khan? This is the suspense that Priyadarshan builds up. And as a viewer, you are impatient to know the truth as well. Billu does not help matters, with him not forthcoming with any information. Even when his wife asks him whether he really knows the superstar all he says with a wry smile is, ”What difference does it make.” You wonder then what BILLU is all about.

Priyadarshan has veered slightly away from his trademark comedy and he handles the subject with sensitivity. Yes, there is his humour, where one scene in particular has you in splits, where the hotel manager requests Shahir for a bit role in the film. On the whole, he juxtaposes the lives of two contrasting characters to make for an inspiring climax.

All Shahrukh Khan has to do is play himself. It comes off effortlessly. In one scene, where one of the school trustees tries to get too familiar, he puts him in place in his own inimitable way. He also refers to the ”Khan fights,” as something that happens in any family and ”this film industry is one big family.” His speech to the schoolchildren is inspiring; full marks to the scriptwriter. Here is when he tells the kids of this being the best years of their life. Here is when he reminisces of the best years of his life and of the time when he had nothing and how a friend helped him out. Sharing his tiffin in school, because he never had food, inspiring him and regaling him with impersonations of film stars, thus igniting in him a desire to reach for the stars; giving him a hair cut sneaking into his father’s saloon and even selling off his earrings and giving him the money to go to the city to pursue his dreams. That was the last he saw of BILLU.

Billu who is at the venue with his wife is teary-eyed. His wife looks back with such pride that their whole relationship is captured in one freezing moment. Never once had he mentioned what relationship he shared with the superstar. Shahir comes home to meet his Billu. The reunion is poignant. Both the Khans elevate the scene with their power-packed emotional performance.

While Irrfan is outstanding, SRK lends his class and appeal to the script. Lara Dutta is a revelation. She blends well into Billu’s life. Irfan’s kids played by Pratik Dalvi and Mitali Mayekar are first rate. The rest of the cast combine well with their support. What’s surprising is that Priyadarshan has got the usually ‘over the top’ Rasika Joshi (the school principal) to give a restrained performance.

The director has got the mood and feel of the film spot on. This movie has soul. It will move you.

by http://www.glamsham.com

Manish Gupta has touched upon a very interesting subject and perhaps something very tricky for the Mumbai Police force. He dwells on the murders, which took place in Bombay in the early 1980s between Sion and Matunga. At the site of every murder, there was a huge stone found by the investigating officers. After nine such murders the killings stopped. A few years later, similar killings were reported in Calcutta. While the police files have termed these murders as ‘unsolved’, the director has nailed the culprit. Is this cinematic liberty or plain fact? Also, the reasons for the Calcutta murders have been touched upon giving ample evidence of the truth. So will the files now be reopened? Just a thought!

To Manish’s credit, he sets up chilling scenes to replicate the time and moment. There is an air of dread in the night when the killer stalks the streets of Bombay and suspended police officer Sanjay Shelar (Kay Kay Menon) is given the go-ahead to conduct a parallel investigation by his superior. Shelar has been suspended because of custodial death, and thinks he knows something and he even forewarns his superior about more such killing.

As the film progresses his colleagues in the force suspect him of being the killer as on a few occasions he has been found near the site of the killings and on one occasion he is seen helping a victim and given chase.

In hiding now, Shelar informs his superiors that there will be another killing (the ninth) and they will then stop. He has read up on some ancient voodoo rituals and is convinced that this is the work of some ill-informed person misguided by a tantric to cure his impotency.

Shelar meets the killer, blissfully unaware that he could be his ninth victim.

The sound track and cinematography are in sync with the mood of the film. Shot mostly at night, Gupta gets it right with the lighting and camera work. But somewhere, there is something missing in this film, I get a feeling it is the end. As for acting, it is Kay Kay Menon all the way with Virendra Saxena throwing in a surprise performance.

Not for the fainthearted.

by http://www.glamsham.com

What do you say of a movie that has won four Golden Globe Awards and is nominated in 10 categories at the Oscars? What do you say of a movie that has already wowed the critics and audience alike in the West? What do you say of a movie that has released with such rave reviews [minus doctored media hype]? Well, I just have this to say, it’s a masterpiece! You don’t even need a review to make up your mind to watch a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience in Indian cinema. Just go for SLUMDOG CROREPATI (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE in English).

For an Indian to watch the underbelly of poverty is just another day on the street. This is not to say that there is no poverty or crime in the West or the dirty underbelly to explore there. It’s just that it’s so exposed and ‘in your face’ here, that for us, instead of shocking, it has become a way of life. But for Danny Boyle, the director from the West, he came, he saw, he sketched and then he captured… and how! It takes a person of intense creative intelligence to do what Boyle has done.

Cut to cut, the film is a marvel. The shift in scenes from then to now, as Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) is on the hot seat with Anil Kapoor on the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati, is slick. The tracing of the root of every answer Jamal gives on his way to the winning jackpot is stuff of what ‘genius’ is all about. Jamal’s nerve of not falling in Anil Kapoor’s trap, gives a new meaning to the phrase ’street smart’.

Slumdog… is a movie about a boy from the slums who lands on the hot seat of the game show. The movie is told in the questions asked and the answers given by Jamal. It traces his life from childhood [his mother, his struggle to survive along with his brother, his love and his dreams], till the time he hits the jackpot

There’s action, painful romance, a dash of humour, life in the slums and the underbelly of crime. Everything is neatly packaged and delivered to the viewer. Yes, some scenes are unpalatable, but then that’s the reality of life. And Danny Boyle is pulling no punches… he just delivers them in style.

Dev Patel who plays the central character of Jamal is a fine actor. In fact, he overshadows Anil Kapoor and the rest of the cast. The younger actors who play Jamal and his brother Salim are simply awesome. They take you on their journey with such glee not knowing what’s in store at the bend. Freida Pinto as Latika is a class act. She lets her eyes do most of the talking. Mahesh Manjrekar, Irrfan Khan and Saurabh Shukla all lend credible support. Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwala the boy who plays a slightly older Salim (Jamal’s brother) is a revelation. Ditto the boy who plays the role of a slightly older Jamal.

The casting is top notch and Danny Boyle and his team has to be lauded for giving cinema SLUMDOG CROREPATI (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE in English).

As for A R Rahman’s music and background score, all that can be said, to sum up the sentiments of moviegoers is, JAI HO!

The severe spanking Anurag Kashyap received from critics and audience alike for NO SMOKING, propelled the director to delve deep into his creative reserves to come up with a rabbit out of his hat. He gives us Dev D, a movie, whose main protagonist, is loosely inspired by the novel Devdas written by Saratchandra Chattopadhyay. Herein ends the ‘inspiration’. This DEVDAS hits the bottle, snorts coke, visits brothels and then finds the rainbow. In short, he is virtually the prodigal son, who returns to find his bearings.

Take a bow, Kashyap, for this wonderfully directed movie scripted with finesse. Every character stands out; every scene is a dream. Kashyap takes ordinary moments and peppers it with rappers to skillfully drive home the point with lyrics to match the mood. You know this movie is a winner when the scene opens to a young Dev and Paro and his parents. You see the immediate bonding between Dev and Paro, and between Dev his dad. On the surface, his dad appears to be his greatest enemy. But scratch it, and you see a wonderful bonding between the two, especially in the latter half when he indulges his son with whatever he asks for.

Dev (Abhay Deol) is packed off to UK for studies and he never loses touch with his Paro (Mahi Gill). On chat, they do what normal teenagers do. Once he asks her to email him her photographs. She replies that she already has. ”Not those,” Dev types on his keyboard. ”One without clothes.” Paro obliges. Back from the UK after years, Paro, who is now even more in love with Dev than she ever was, cannot take her eyes off him. They try to meet in odd places with her Dad always showing up at the wrong time. Being a good looker, and always chirpy, there’s loose talk about Paro; of her being the conquest of someone else. Dev believes what he hears and snubs her. In fact, he insults her telling her she can’t even dream of coming into his family.

Paro moves on and marries. Dev is shattered. He does not know what has hit him. He hits the bottle. However much he may try, Paro is always on his mind. Here, Kashyap makes a smart detour in introducing the other character that will take the film to another level. Chanda (Kalki Koechlin) is introduced with a back-story about how she lands in a brothel where Dev is a frequent visitor. There is a poignant moment, which Kashyap catches to show the bonding between Leni (who later becomes Chanda) and her father. She is woken up from bed by her mother and she goes to her father in his room where he is still asleep to snuggle up to him. Cut to the scene when she calls him a ‘Sicko’ because of her MMS scandal. He cannot take it. He shoots himself.

Then begins Dev and Chanda’s romance. Both are hurting, both need healing. Both turn out to be the other’s emotional anchor. And after constantly telling Chanda he loves only Paro, he finally falls in loves with Chanda. ”I never looked at Paro in the right way,” he tells Chanda. A bitter truth if you put all the earlier scenes between Paro and Dev into perspective.

The films constantly connects you with Dev’s hopelessness, Paro’s perplexity and Chanda’s circumstances.

Abhay Deol is turning out to be a class act. One can sense him submitting himself completely to the director. Not one wrong step. Deol is completely in sync with the character and his surroundings. Not once does he try and go over the top. He downplays some moments with subtle body language and pain in his eyes.

Mahi Gill is a revelation. As the bubbly Paro who will do anything for her Dev, she is simply irresistible. Smart, sexy and wanting to make the first move on Dev, she is first rate. Kalki, as the young schoolgirl who wants to have her share of fun fits the bill. As someone who is shunned by her family and friends, she finds her feet back in a brothel, where love finally comes knocking on her door in the form of a stoned Dev.

The music and background score are just perfect. DEV D is awesome. It’s big bang for your bucks.

This one will do well in the interiors of India; in the small towns where there are aspiring cricketers. VICTORY is all about a small town boy with ‘rare’ cricketing talent who is suppressed by the system; where selection to the state Ranji team is becoming a nightmare.

Luckily for him, the National team is in Jaipur for a conditioning camp and Vijay (Harman Baweja), who has lost all hope of donning the national colours, is given hope by his coach who has an idea. He wants Vijay to bat against the Indian bowlers and inspire the coach (Dalip Tahil). Vijay, the small town lad from Jaisalmer, makes the trip. He approaches the coach and tells him that he has read his interviews where he says he would give any talent a chance and asks for his chance. The coach scoffs. Vijay walks off. The coach has a change of heart and asks him to prove himself. Bowling to him are Harbhajan Singh and Ashish Nehra. Balls are hit out of the stadium. Lad makes entry into Ranji team. Scores double hundred on debut, storms into the national team.

This one will do well in the interiors of India; in the small towns where there are aspiring cricketers. VICTORY is all about a small town boy with ‘rare’ cricketing talent who is suppressed by the system; where selection to the state Ranji team is becoming a nightmare.

Luckily for him, the National team is in Jaipur for a conditioning camp and Vijay (Harman Baweja), who has lost all hope of donning the national colours, is given hope by his coach who has an idea. He wants Vijay to bat against the Indian bowlers and inspire the coach (Dalip Tahil). Vijay, the small town lad from Jaisalmer, makes the trip. He approaches the coach and tells him that he has read his interviews where he says he would give any talent a chance and asks for his chance. The coach scoffs. Vijay walks off. The coach has a change of heart and asks him to prove himself. Bowling to him are Harbhajan Singh and Ashish Nehra. Balls are hit out of the stadium. Lad makes entry into Ranji team. Scores double hundred on debut, storms into the national team.

This one will do well in the interiors of India; in the small towns where there are aspiring cricketers. VICTORY is all about a small town boy with ‘rare’ cricketing talent who is suppressed by the system; where selection to the state Ranji team is becoming a nightmare.

Luckily for him, the National team is in Jaipur for a conditioning camp and Vijay (Harman Baweja), who has lost all hope of donning the national colours, is given hope by his coach who has an idea. He wants Vijay to bat against the Indian bowlers and inspire the coach (Dalip Tahil). Vijay, the small town lad from Jaisalmer, makes the trip. He approaches the coach and tells him that he has read his interviews where he says he would give any talent a chance and asks for his chance. The coach scoffs. Vijay walks off. The coach has a change of heart and asks him to prove himself. Bowling to him are Harbhajan Singh and Ashish Nehra. Balls are hit out of the stadium. Lad makes entry into Ranji team. Scores double hundred on debut, storms into the national team.

here are good cricketing moments, especially when the final is drawing to a close, but that’s as close as it gets to a humdinger. Commercially it has its rona dhona moments. Harman does a better job than his debut and is supported well by Anupam Kher and Amrita Rao. For rest of the cricketing clan that makes it appearance, I wonder what their reaction will be when they see the ‘highlights’ [the film in total]. Maybe, like the main protagonist, they were lured by their respective managers to ‘play this game as well’.

Having said that, there’s a good chance of the movie doing well. It’s cricket after all, and like they say, the game is a religion in India. Baweja may be no SRK or Tendulkar, but as Vijay, he carries the hopes of a million Indians.

As luck would have it, Zoya Akhtar’s directorial debut LUCK BY CHANCE, is an offshoot of Sudhir Mishra’s KHOYA KHOYA CHAND, which released on December 7, 2007. Mishra explored the underbelly of Bollywood through the journey of his central character, Soha Ali Khan. Here, Zoya, uses her brother, the now established actor Farhan Akhtar, and Konkona Sen Sharma to take us through the machinations of the film industry.

In a subtle way, Zoya explores the dark side of film-making; of aspiring starlets, wannabe actors, struggling script-writers, star tantrums, harried producers, failed actors turned directors [all because they have a family business in Bollywood], scheming mothers, and the ever so omnipresent directors and producers waiting to exploit that girl who is desperate for a break in films.

In a nutshell, this film is a docu-drama on the film industry and though the attempt is sincere, it falls flat in places. In the beginning, in trying to establish her plot, Zoya uses too much time to explain her moves. There’s the Nand Kishore Acting School [read Namit Kishore] she focuses on. The bond between Farhan and his two friends, justifying Hrithik’s presence in the film in a ‘guest appearance’, an unnecessary scene between Manish Malhotra and Rishi Kapoor. I mean, getting all the personalities is fine, but does the script really justify it, especially when you don’t want to go overboard where time is concerned. In that respect, the film is a good 20-25 minutes long. The beginning just rambles on until the time a friendship is struck between Konkona and Farhan. That’s the time the film really moves forward.

Sona (Konkona) is hooked on by a false promise by a producer in the hope of that elusive break. She does bit roles at his insistence hoping that when his film goes on the floor, she will play the lead. Vikram Jaisingh (Farhan), a theatre actor, has moved from Delhi to Mumbai in search of his big break. Sona soon learns that she has been taken for a ride. By chance, she drops the envelopes containing Vikram’s photographs with her ‘producer friend’. As luck would have it, the photographs reach the right hands. The rest as they say is history.

Vikram gets his break, not for a side role, but for the lead. He makes his move with the heroine, Nikki Walia (Isha Sharvani). The press gets a whiff of the story and before his release; the ‘dirt’ has been splashed. Sona gracefully moves away, rejected a second time. Vikram shifts gears into his newfound stardom. Somewhere he realizes that he misses Sona. But she has made up her mind.

It’s touching at times and at times, a spoof. It drags, as well as amuses. For an audience fed with a daily diet on the working of the film industry through articles and interviews and ’scoops’ from ’sources’ not only in film glossies but in dailies as well, this is nothing new.

Vikram gets his break, not for a side role, but for the lead. He makes his move with the heroine, Nikki Walia (Isha Sharvani). The press gets a whiff of the story and before his release; the ‘dirt’ has been splashed. Sona gracefully moves away, rejected a second time. Vikram shifts gears into his newfound stardom. Somewhere he realizes that he misses Sona. But she has made up her mind.

It’s touching at times and at times, a spoof. It drags, as well as amuses. For an audience fed with a daily diet on the working of the film industry through articles and interviews and ’scoops’ from ’sources’ not only in film glossies but in dailies as well, this is nothing new.

There is no Raaz in this film. There is not story in this film either. And there are just two scenes that jolt you. Also, there are only two performers. One is Kangana Ranaut and the other, Adhayan Suman. The lad has improved after his HAAL-E-DIL disaster.

In the first few opening shots, we are treated to Kangana walking the ramp. You ask yourself, is this Fashion Part II. It could jolly well have been.

From the mundane, Mohit Suri movies, to the insane as he tries to plot a horror flick around the lives of Kangana and Adhayan. He also throws in Emran Hashmi, Vishesh Film’s lucky mascot, for some added spice but it turns out to be the biggest disaster. He is greeted by laughter from the audience. From then on, the film moves downhill all the way, as Mohit tries to clutch at the straws to cling to whatever is left to make sense. But by then, the audience is already jittery; they know they have wasted their bucks.

We had great expectations, immense hope that right from the beginning of the year 2009, Akshay will do wonders in the film ‘Chandni Chowk to China’ and Box Office would be flooded with unprecedented collection.

It was also being said that ‘Chandni Chowk to China,’ made in the budget of Rs 80 cr will bridge the gap between Hollywood and Bollywood. But ‘Kinng’ Akshay disappoints and the film appears nothing but a waste of time and money.

Such is the effect of the film that one will have to think thrice before watching Akshay’s next film. The actor has gone over-the-top and over confident in his comic sequences. The storyline is miserable and the plot flawed.

The story revolves around Siddhu (Akshay Kumar) – a vegetable chopper in Chandni Chowk. He wants to learn and acquire everything without doing anything. On the other hand, there is a small village in China, which is ruled by the evil Jojo (Gordon Liu). The villagers want to escape from his rule and eagerly await some messiah, who would free them.

Incidentally, they come across Siddhu in Chandni Chowk and feel that he is God sent for them. They start considering him as their king and take him to China. As a result, Siddhu reaches China, and attempts various jocularly acts. He also meets two separated sisters Sukhi and Suzi (Deepika Padukone). But amidst all this, he looses his Dada (Mithun), who keeps egging him on to fight, despite being a ghost. This comes as a turning point in his life and he goes on to become a master in Kung Fu. Now, who will win at the end is anybody’s guess but the way the climax has been presented is obnoxious.

Nikhil Advani has failed on directorial front. Even if you avoid looking at the technical flaws, there are serious problems with direction. Comic sequences are lame and incapable of evoking laughter. Camerawork is good but Music disappoints. Except for the title track, there is nothing worth commending on and choreography is equally poor.

Apart from Akshay’s worthless attempt at comedy, other actors too have done their best to try the audience’s patience. Deepika Padukone has been reduced to a glam-doll and her much hyped action scenes are a work of special effects, Ranvir Shorey’s role was short and Mithun Chakraborty has done nothing except for thrashing Akshay.

To sum it up, CC2C appears like a cartoon film – as Akshay had mentioned. Ironically, in the climax scene, the filmmaker has put the board of ‘To be continued’. But evidentally after seeing the fate of the film, moviemakers Warner Brothers would never agree to continue with it. Two cheers!

by Ashwini Kumar http://www.zeenews.com

THE PRESIDENT IS COMING was to release in November last year. Wonder why the delay? Probably, the makers wanted to time the release with President George W Bush’s official exit from the White House, which is slated for later this month. But the timing, I dare say, has nothing to do with the movie’s fate at the box office. It’s for a niche audience, and will, at the most, run for a week.

Of course, it has a wonderful concept, good cast and is well executed. But for all its finer moments which leave you laughing your guts out at some scenes, it’s not something that you will highly recommend. It has its Fs and Bs moments, with the characters going at each other in the quest to win the slot to shake the President’s hand, which sometimes shock, more than amuses. But therein lies the honesty of the flick. It’s not apologetic.

The movie is a take-off on President Bush’s visit to India in 2006. Interspersed is a situation where a PR firm has been hired to shortlist an Indian below 30 years of age to shake the President’s hand. Six candidates are short listed and they are subjected to a ‘reality’ situation where they are put through various tests to determine their skills and aptitude. Yes, there is elimination, sans drama, and the winner will shake the President’s hand. But why the fuss to shake the President’s hand in the first place? That’s exactly the puerile premise of this satirical movie.

The six short-listed are from different places in India with varying intellectual degrees and personalities. There’s Konkona Sen Sharma, Ira Dubey, Vivek Gomber, Satchit Puranik, Namit Das and Anand Tiwari. Shernaz Patel and Shivani Tanksale, who head the PR firm, put them through the paces.

What one cannot understand is how one of the contestants, Anand Tiwari, gets a hold of a video of two others ‘making out’. Also, how does Konkona know that another candidate for a Presidential Handshake is gay? Anyways, to put it bluntly, all six are desperate for a handshake, for their own motives. While Konkona has a sinister plan in place, Anand Tiwari, who’s a stock market freak, wants to rope in Bush for a scam to raise the index. The motives of the other four are not clear. But in the end, it is the watchman who gets to do the honours.

Director Kunaal Roy Kapoor has shown finesse for situations and he plays with the six diverse characters with ease to set up hilarious situations. In the end, you walk away with the feeling of having watched a good sitcom.

by http://www.glamsham.com

This here is a movie that could have been a laugh riot, but somewhere along the line, director Varun Khanna concentrated too much on the bickering of the gangs, thus throwing the focus off gear. What comes out strongly in the end is the ‘mild gang war’ rather than the comedy that is supposed to rest on Govind’s bad luck. And for a raw actor, VJ Gaurav Kapoor who plays Govind, does a good job of it. He is supported well by the others and what rankles most is the plot going off target post intermission.

What is well established is that Govind has terrible bad luck, which means that even if his shadow falls on somebody, that person is in for trouble. What is not established is how some of them he comes in contact with are not affected. Also, the supposed gang rivalry between Kapoor (Parmit Sethi) and Pandey (Lalit Mohan Tiwary) is not penciled out. There could have been a sepia-toned flashback to establish their credentials to the plot but no, instead the director wastes time with a card game towards the end, which drags the film, even though it clocks just 120 minutes.

To come back to the story, a situation in the News Channel where Govind works in New Delhi, results in the anchor going ‘live’ on national television about her mother-in-law. Govind decides to come to the city of dreams, Mumbai. On the way, he is robbed of his bag and he lands up at a hospital to donate sperms to make a quick buck. There he meets Vishal (Amit Mistry) who gives him shelter in his chawl. Govind confesses his ‘problem’ to Amit and he is overheard by one of Kapoor’s cronies. They use him to bring the other gang down.

It’s good luck for Parmit Sethi who excels in his role. Ditto Archana Puran Singh in her cameo. As for Zakir Hussain, he gets to show his softer side and he does it with panache. So fare we have only seen him in sinister roles. This here is a versatile, volatile performer. Amit Mistry too impresses. A good talent. Hrishitaa Bhatt’s role may not have had meat, but the actor delivers what is asked of her to essay some semblance of sanity in the hospital ward.

A word for director Varun Khanna; it could have been good luck all the way had you stuck to a few basics.

by http://www.glamsham.com

Acting
Granted, Kate Winslet is one of the finest young screen actresses, but her range in The Reader will astonish you. It’s an extremely tricky part that could easily lose the audience’s sympathy if done incorrectly, but Winslet handles it with aplomb. She runs through the whole gamut of emotions — aging from her 30s to 60s — all at once sexy, mysterious, conflicted, contrite as well as many other colors. As Michael, newcomer Kross is devastatingly good, the most impressive acting discovery in a long time. Although he plays 15, he was 17 at the start of filming and production had to shut down until he turned 18 for the graphic sex scenes. As the story flashes forward, Ralph Fiennes takes over the role as the older Michael and does so with a touching sincerity. Lena Olin also has a strong cameo as a Holocaust survivor with definite opinions of Hanna.

Direction
Although this is only acclaimed stage director Stephen Daldry’s third film, he once again he shows a mastery of the medium far beyond his limited cinematic resume. Like The Hours and his debut film Billy Elliot, he has crafted another film to savor. The Reader isn’t necessarily the most comfortable film to watch, but Daldry guides the subject matter with a delicate and steady hand, giving us a complex and touching love story between the most unlikely couple. It also delves into how one generation of Germans can come to terms with the horrors of another. Daldry’s directorial restraint and power perfectly serves David Hare’s impressive screenplay and delivers a memorable movie-going experience.

Acting
Nothing Like the Holidays gains its strength from a superbly chosen cast, including the wonderful Molina as the family patriarch, who tries desperately to keep his family and marriage together. As his long-suffering wife Anna, Pena is superb, cutting right to the core of who this woman is. Also very impressive is Six Feet Under star Rodriguez, who plays the returning Iraq vet with touching pathos. Leguizamo, on the other hand, pretty much sleepwalks through his one-dimensional role and is miscast opposite Messing who still manages to evoke sympathy for her career woman quickly running out of time to have a baby. Ferlito is just fine as the fledgling Hollywood actress who seems more at home than the rest. Hernandez is an attractive and forthright presence as the local boy who finds himself attracted to the possibly unattainable star. Meanwhile, a cameo by terrific character actor Luis Guzman provides comic relief.

Direction
Director Alfredo De Villa has proven he knows his way around a character-driven drama with his film Washington Heights. And with Holidays, he clearly invests a lot of time making sure these interconnected storylines make sense in the scheme of things and turns the sometimes pedestrian situations into what almost seems like live theatre. The performances snap, crackle and pop, and the seasonal atmosphere really contributes to the satisfying dramatics . Although some of the actors are allowed to go over the top occasionally, De Villa keeps control of the film and makes it work as a very engaging and lively holiday confection you and your family will most likely identify with.

It’s very rare for another actor to steal the thunder right from under Shahrukh Khan’s nose. Even though the script is the winner here, newcomer Anushka Sharma walks off with an applause-worthy performance. It’s difficult to believe that this is her debut. RAB NE BANA DI JODI will be spoken more for the spunk in her performance than for SRK’s dual role. Knowingly or unknowingly, SRK is supporting Anushka!

Right from the first frame, until the last, Anushka captures the screen and keeps her character alive with effortless ease. She portrays a gamut of emotions with the grace of a seasoned pro. Here is a natural beauty with an impish grin and an infectious screen presence. A crazy dancer, too. A star is born.

With her performance, she has thrown her hat in the ring for a plethora of awards. Best Actress, Best Debut, Fresh Face of the Year… This film too, will be a top contender for the Best Film Of The Year Award along with JODHA AKBAR, JAANE TU… and ROCK ON. Of course, GHAJNI is still to hit the cinemas.

For a newcomer, Anushka has handled well the pressures of standing up to one of the biggest stars in Bollywood. She matches SRK scene for scene. So powerful is her presence and performance, that SRK at most times, pales in the shadows. This, in no way means that SRK has under-performed. Keeping his character in mind, he has stayed ‘within’, playing perfectly to the script and the direction of Aditya Chopra. To his credit, it must be said that it’s a brave decision to have played the character he played because the role of Anushka has turned out to be the central point on which the film rotates. And this would not have missed the sharp eyes of SRK at the post-production stage.

The movie plays within itself and the concept that some relationships we choose, while others are ordained by God. This is exactly the story of Surinder Sahni (SRK) and Tanni (Anushka). By a twist of fate, they are married off. While Surinder loves her deeply, Tanni cannot bring herself to love her husband and she also makes this fact clear to him. She marries Surinder because her father asks her to on his deathbed after suffering from a massive heart attack because her husband-to-be and the entire marriage party are killed in an accident.

He is a simpleton working in a government office while she is, or rather was, just the opposite. She expresses her desire to take part in a dance competition. Surinder encourages her and also hits upon an idea of going in for an image change (for fear of being recognised by her) to take a closer look at her during her dance rehearsals. What was meant to be a one-time makeover goes on until the end. So who wins in the end, Surinder, or Raj, the makeover persona?

This movie is loaded with the right dose of emotions, action, lighter moments and ‘masala’ scenes. In one song, SRK does an ode to Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna and Rishi Kapoor. He is accompanied by Kajol, Bipasha Basu, Lara Dutta, Preity Zinta and Rani Mukherjee. A clean take on the yesteryear stars, without fear of lawsuits. Remember Manoj Kumar and OSO?

On the flip side, I fail to understand why every film from the Yash Raj banner needs to have references from their past hits… or flops.

Anushka, once again, take a bow. Aditya Chopra, you too. This one is an ordinary love story told in an extraordinary manner. In the current scenario where everyone’s emotions have taken a beating, this film is sure to lift up your spirits.

Most storytellers seek inspiration from Hollywood films. But very few film-makers look at what our auteur have to offer. MAHARATHI is the cinematic adaptation of Uttam Gada’s Gujarati play, which was a huge success two decades ago. Another reason that enhances the curiosity is the fact that it brings four of the finest talents of the Hindi film industry together.

But not all plays are fit for cinematic adaptations. MAHARATHI may be a hugely successful play, but it’s not as engaging as a cinematic experience. Let’s face it, cinema and theatre are two different mediums altogether!

Also, MAHARATHI is not one of those Bollywood thrillers where everything, right up to the minutest detail, is spoon-fed to the viewer. Besides, it falters, loses balance and gets clichéd and contrived when the director and writer decide on winding up. And that’s not good news for any thriller.

Subhash [Paresh Rawal] has spent the last ten years unsuccessfully trying to get acting parts in films. One night, he saves a man’s life. He accompanies the injured man back home. Subhash is awe-struck at the affluence of Mr. Adenwalla [Naseeruddin Shah]. Subhash realizes this may lead to a generous tip.

Soon enough, Subhash is hired by the grateful Adenwalla as his driver. The wife, Mallika [Neha Dhupia], resents Subhash for his proximity to her husband.

Subhash is now firmly ensconced in Adenwallas’ house and discovers his wife’s evil designs. On the other hand, Adenwalla, driven to the point of insanity by his money-hungry wife, decides to take the ultimate revenge. He commits suicide!

Subhash recognizes this as an opportunity to rid himself of a lifetime of middle class mediocrity and poverty. He collaborates with Mallika to acquire all the money and property. Working hand in glove, they get a caretaker [Tara Sharma], with the help of their family lawyer Mr. Merchant [Boman Irani], to be a witness to an ailing Mr. Adenwalla’s presence in the house.

But the best plans can go awry and this brings ACP Gokhale [Om Puri] and Inspector Borkar [Vivek Shauq] into the picture.

The problem with MAHARATHI is its inconsistent script. To start with, there should’ve been a valid reason for Naseer to commit suicide. In the first place, if he had to teach Neha a lesson, why should he shoot himself? Why not shoot Neha instead? Much later, even Neha’s death looks unbelievable. Another pertinent question that crosses your mind is, why does Naseer bequeath his riches to Paresh? In fact, he barely knows Paresh. The Boman track in the end is quite confusing as well.

On the brighter side, MAHARATHI has several well-executed sequences and that’s why the deficiencies in the script bother you. It could’ve been an engaging experience, which it isn’t.

Director Shivam Nair has shot the film well, but how one wishes he would’ve opted for a far more convincing screenplay. There’s no place for songs in the film and the sole track towards the end — the promotional number — looks out of place. Cinematography is striking.

With a crème de la crème cast on hand, it’s natural to expect sparkling performances from the cast. Naseeruddin Shah is convincing. Paresh Rawal scores yet again. Boman Irani is in form. Om Puri deserved a meatier role. Neha Dhupia is okay. Tara Sharma is fair. Vivek Shauq is hardly there.

On the whole, MAHARATHI has some curiosity-value thanks to its interesting cast and an equally inviting promotion. But the film lacks the power of an arresting script. That, in turn, will make the journey tough for the film.

I’ll tell you right away that this film is possibly the worst this critic has seen in a long time. Having declared this, I must continue with the review to explain why, while you have the option of scooting. But do stay, and amuse yourself with the details.

God, here is played by Saurabh Shukla, in a tight white suit. His mannerisms are inordinately unbecoming of this high stature. We hear Shukla’s voice-over from a temple calling for security; it’s God wanting to get rid of a pesky devotee.

Rajendra Dubey (Vinay Pathak in his millionth role as the podgy, bespectacled everyman) starts a personal monologue with God about his DhanVruksh Scheme, one of those get-rich-quick propositions I’m sure you’ve encountered at some point.

We hear this conversation without any cuts; and realise that point been made, this scene is just stretching without any supervision.

Rajendra’s boss Shekhar (Harsh Chaya) is a strange type who is being divorced by his wife and has a screaming-for-sympathy demeanor. While the office folks run away from `scheme man’, Shekhar agrees to a dinner invitation by Rajendra.

They are accompanied by Rajendra’s wife Suman (Divya Dutta), who that afternoon was in a room-full of kids spraying the terrifying tots with shaving cream. This was to establish that she loves kids, while Rajendra wants his scheme to work before extending family.

At dinner, he gets sloshed and is carried home by Suman and Shekhar. The boss sobs saying that his employee has “the perfect wife which I never had”. That’s it. This long scene has no relevance whatsoever to the story.

Next: Rajendra meets his friends Pidhu and Minu (Gaurav Gera, Pubali Sanyal) at a supermarket and offers to sing at their home for a jagran party. We see his performance in detail.

Ya, and this scene has nothing to do with moving the story forward as well. In the next few reels, we see a leisurely shot urinal scene, a never-ending conversation with god (by the wife this time), and Rajendra reporting to a new boss.

God then decides to help him out and for making Rajendra rich, takes the form of a lottery seller, a shady criminal and a cop. All attempts at humour, including this fancy dress parade, only make you unbearably restless.

You wonder if God could sue the makers for representing him as rather dense—his ploys for giving the money to Rajendra couldn’t fool even a kid. Towards the end, tired of escaping the briefcase full of money that keeps mysteriously appearing for him, Rajendra goes loony.

We see God as the mental hospital doctor, and learn that all this was to teach Rajendra the lesson that instead of being greedy, one must appreciate the smaller pleasures in life. Honestly, with a God like that, who needs the devil eh?

Overall the filmmaking is amateur. Technically, the product is below par. Performances by Vinay Pathak and Divya Dutta are earnest. One can empathise that this tale may have sounded immersing on paper (the story has been credited to five writers!), but that has certainly not transferred onto the screen. Avoid, unless you want to suffer the same fate as the protagonist.

by http://sify.com

Meerabai Not Out’s poster has Mandira Bedi in stilettos, wearing just a T-shirt. The film makes fun of this as central protagonist Meera reacts to a man remarking about her resemblance to Mandira Bedi.

“Main poore kapde pehenti hoon,” she shouts out at the unsuspecting fellow who made the comparison. You smile at this sporting, self-deprecating dig. This genial tone of humour is retained throughout the film, save a few portions where it slips.

Meerabai Not Out begins with a song that’s been shot awkwardly and serves no purpose. Next, we meet Meera Achrekar, a Math teacher at the VishwaPrem School and a cricket enthusiast. Her passion for the game has her solving Math problems using cricket lingo, much to the delight of her devoted students.

Dressed in crisp ethnics, long hair tied neatly, glasses perched on the pert nose and sitting astride on her scooter, Meera is immediately identifiable as the affable girl next door.

Her family comprises a jaded brother (Mahesh Manjrekar) — a closet cricket lover who has forsaken all pleasures in life for household responsibilities, a bhabhi who’s stepped straight out of a saas-bahu serial, and a nephew Chickoo who’s cute as a button.

Making everyone’s life miserable is the churlish mother (Vandana Gupte), who cannot be happy for Meera unless she’s married. Undeterred, feisty Meera continues as the unofficial cricketing spokesperson of her housing locality and roots wholeheartedly for her favourite Anil Kumble.

Arriving in a long car is Prince Charming in the form of Dr Arjun (Eijaz Khan) who underestimates Meera’s obsession for cricket leading to some surprises.

Meerabai Not Out is a breezy story, but the fun is spoilt by a few regressive turns. Take the match that is played between her brother and Arjun to decide her fate. Or the emphasis on marriage, almost as if her success at work or the satisfaction she derives from her passion mean zilch. Disappointingly, she does say that her “cricket chapter is closed” to win over her father-in-law (which doesn’t really happen).

Director Chandrakant Kulkarni’s style is simple and effective. But sometimes, his methods for taking the story forward are passé – for example, we are spoon-fed introductions to all the characters through the omnipresent V.O.

Mandira Bedi makes Meera a very likeably quirky character: you’re rooting for her at every turn. Plus she’s so delightful when she’s dancing with the boys at local festivals, and painting her face with the Indian flag to show her solidarity.

Those who’ve seen Mandira Bedi in the play Anything But Love already know she’s a knock-out performer. But for others, Bedi is a revelation, folding a range of emotions expertly. Her fresh-faced, minimally done-up look is a relief from the over styled mainstream characters of our films.

Arjun is an interesting character as well – he falls for his spirited girlfriend and then wonders if he can handle it. He loves Meera dearly and even respects her passion for cricket, but falls weak and cannot stand up for her under pressure from his dad. Eijas Khan as Arjun does very well, bringing out the grey shades nicely.

Arjun’s father is the party pooper who’s not sporting enough (pun intended) to accept a cricket loving bahu. Anupam Kher as the disapproving fuddy-duddy is good as usual. Mahesh Manjrekar as Manoj Achrekar gives a wonderful performance.

Prateeksha Lonkar (also played the young mother in Iqbal) is earnest. Vandana Gupte, albeit talented, is getting typecast as the overbearing matriarch. Anil Kumble is likeable as the riddled-with-hiccups cricket star.

Technically, the film is alright. Dialogue is interesting and very today. For some reason, the urban characters keep pronouncing hospital as aspatal like in yesteryear films. The editing is lax and could have trimmed several repetitive dialogues and scenes. For the unique story and Mandira Bedi’s class act, Meerabai Not Out, is well, not out.

by http://sify.com

Till sometime back, the three-letter word, sex, was considered taboo on the Hindi screen. But it’s out of the closet now. DIL KABADDI goes a step further — it takes you inside the bedroom of two couples and makes you listen to the bedroom chat that they indulge in, bringing the sex lives out in the open.

Heavily inspired by Woody Allen’s 1992 film HUSBANDS & WIVES, DIL KABADDI is bold and piping hot for the Indian audiences. The question is not whether Indian audiences are ready for a theme like this. The question is, does the script hold your attention for the next 2 hours? Sadly, it doesn’t!

DIL KABADDI has no plot as such and debutante director Anil Senior adopts an abstract style of storytelling. It’s more of an assemblage of assorted incidents and individualistic sequences. At several times, the characters keep talking to the camera, talking of their feelings, fantasies and thoughts.

DIL KABADDI works in bits and spurts, but not in totality. The script suffers mainly because there’s no beginning, no middle, no end. Just assemblage of assorted sequences!

DIL KABADDI is a marital comedy that delves into the lives of two couples who are caught in the web of post-marital boredom. How the couples deal with an irresistible temptation of lurking out of the relationship for some fun is what the film explores. It’s essentially a take on some urban relationships.

There’s tremendous shock-value in DIL KABADDI. Just about everything related to the sex life is discussed in this film. A few sequences do register an impact, like the one when Irrfan goes out on a date with his office colleague and ends up doing shirshasana. Also, Rahul Bose’s student demanding a passionate kiss on her birthday. And the sequence at the party when Payal Rohatgi ends up giving aerobic lessons to some senior citizens… But after a point, the narrative gets monotonous and worse, verbose.

Music is strictly functional. Cinematography is striking, especially the hand-held camerawork, which is wonderful.

DIL KABADDI is rich in performances and that’s because of the presence of such accomplished actors. Irrfan Khan is in terrific form. Soha Ali Khan is getting better and better. She’s excellent! Rahul Bose is fabulous. Konkona Sen Sharma is brilliant. Rahul and Konkona’s scenes are amazing. Rahul Khanna is first-rate. Payal Rohtagi is good. Saba, as Rahul’s student, is a complete natural.

On the whole, DIL KABADDI has shock-value, but not a strong plot to leave an impact. At the box-office, it caters to a niche audience. It’s a film for a handful of multiplexes in a handful of cities. At most places, this ‘Kabaddi’ will run out of breath. Strictly for adult viewing!

And you wonder… Hello??? What happened to the good old comedies like Padosan, Gol Maal and even Hera Pheri where the actors pitched their parodic propensity at just the right temperature to create belly laughs that didn’t make you squirm in discomfort.

Everything and everyone in BACHKE REHNA RE BABA (BRRB) is so baggy and over-the-top, you wonder what the director was thinking while shuttling from one queerly conceived shot to another in search of a laughter that’s lewd rather than luscious.

And to reduce the once-luscious Rekha to this fatuous farcical state… Allah! It’s worse than watching Joan Of Arc burn on the cross.

But let’s not bring Joan into this. This isn’t a film about witches but bitches… And I use that word without inhibitions.

Welcome to the amoral world of wanna-get-rich-at-any-cost bitches. Like Govind Menon’s previous Sherawat-helmed outing KIS KISS KI KISMAT the stakes here are higher than the writer and director’s imagination, so that we often end up looking at a product that’s too ambitious for its good.

More crude than comic and more farcical than funny, BRRB leaves you speechless with its limp and lurid mediocrity. What’s worse is its unbearable tedium. Stretching to nearly 3 hours of unalloyed bilge the crap-trap goes from caper to caper like a paper tiger trying to snarl through the plastic bars of a sham zoo.

The animal instincts, often projected through the two leading ladies’ lip-smacking admiration for male sexuality, are as phoney as Ms Sherawat’s bouncy assets. You can’t take your eyes off them - the phoney feminine sexuality and the leading lady’s in-your-face assets - because they stare you in the face in almost every single frame.

One can understand the film’s younger sassier female lead mouthing embarrassing innuendos, doing her slurpy kisses with the callow new co-star and all the other things that Sherawat has patented. But what was Rekha thinking when she agreed to all the unsmart shoddy double-entendres and the obnoxious nudge-nudge-wink-wink stuff more suitable to Kader Khan and Shakti Kapoor than two leading ladies?

In one longish inter-lewd, Rekha posing as a French aristocrat bids for a statue of male nude with an erection. While the statue is being carted out the hits the doorframe and falls into the ground.

Later we see Sherawat running around with the clay- … The penile parody goes limp before long. Phallic farce is a new one for Hindi cinema. Wish it were even half as funny as it would sound on paper.

The collective comic aptitudes of the two leading ladies amounts to nothing more than a series of facial contortions with a whole lot of other rapidly-moving parts trying desperately to supplement the shallow hammy performances.

And hello hello? Is this the same Rekha who once gave rousing comic performances in KHUBSOORAT and BIWI HO TO AISI? In trying to go from rousing to arousing Rekha makes a mockery of her mythic stature as a diva. The director of this film should be legally punished for what he has done to one of Bollywood’s most abiding star-actresses.

Paresh Rawal too is uncharacteristically out of sorts. As Rekha’s love-smitten Punjabi husband, chasing her all the way to Mauritius (where much of the pathetic parody plays itself out) Rawal shines in spurts.

But clearly the guy having all the fun is Satish Shah. As a gutka-addicted Sindhi businessman being ensnared by the gold-digging Rekha, Shah gets all the expressions of celebrating mediocrity right, specially when he has to play dead.

Satish Shah had earlier played a corpse in Kundan Shah’s JAANE BHI DO YAARON. This time his cadaverous act is a signal for the plot to lie down and breathe its last.

Newcomer Karan Khanna gets a chance to show his competence as a kisser. Acting? Who’s doing much of that anyway?

Many portions of this film are so clumsily shot and edited you wonder what the director was thinking while concocting the cornucopia of witless corniness.

by http://www.glamsham.com

In BAABUL, the script is dashed up with nothing but contrived situations and spongy dialogues. The writer Dr. Achala Nagar does nothing special to keep the viewers riveted. But in patches it does work. Some scenes, like Amitabh Bachchan star gazing and talking to himself, a few comic situations, have been well-written.

The film’s story goes something like this. Balraj Kapoor (Amitabh Bachhan) and Shobhna Kapoor (Hema Malini) is a middle-aged couple, both rich and happy. Avinash (Salman Khan) is their only kid and very much a ‘laadla’. The father-son duo keep calling each other ‘buddy’ all the time, stating that they are more of friends. Avinash falls in love with Mili (Rani Mukherjee) and they get married. This hurts Mili’s best friend Rajat (John Abraham), a singer, who has feelings for her.

In the mean time Avi and Mili have a son, Ansh. All is going well until one fateful day when Avinash meets with an accident and dies off. Mili is devastated. Now Balraj is not able to bear Mili’s sufferings. So he decides to get her remarried and for that he thinks of Rajat who has been Mili’s childhood friend. So he goes to look for Rajat who is now settled in Europe and sings Hindi songs over there, with lots of girls swooning around him (didn’t know Hindi songs are that popular in Europe).

Balraj is opposed against getting Mili remarried by his elder brother Balwant (Om Puri) and also mildly by Shobhna. But Balraj doesn’t budge and in the end Mili and Rajat are married off.

Amitabh Bachchan delivers an upright performance. Rani Mukherjee and Hema Malini also impress in their respective roles. This is a walk in the park role for Salman Khan. He fits the bill perfectly. John Abraham also puts a neat show. Om Puri, Smita Jaykar and the rest provide able support.

But Aadesh Srivastava has disappointed with his music. The music is an average fare. The title song sounds good on ears but that’s been composed and sung by Amitabh Bachchan! On the technical front, the photography by Barun Mukerjee looks good.

The movie could go well with the single screen audience and smaller centers. Family sagas have always been loved and cherished by the audiences. As far as the multiplexes are concerned, it’s a little uncertain. But a decent attempt by director Ravi Chopra who has brought in a complete package for the family audiences.

ARYAN can be divided simply into two parts: in the first part he is battling to win his girl and in the second he is fighting to win the title and be the champ. So that tosses up the obvious question of whether it’s a love story set against the backdrop of boxing or a boxing movie set against the backdrop of love? Because the tagline for the movie calls Aryan unbreakable for whom winning is the only thing. So it ideally should have been a boxer’s story and his triumph and that is seen only after the intermission, which should have been the focus but a lot of time is devoted (read: wasted) on the romantic interludes of Aryan and his lady.

ARYAN (Sohail Khan) is a tough boxer, a college champ but sacrifices his passion for the (another) love of his life Neha. He is compelled to marry her after he learns she’s pregnant. He has a son Ranveer, a job as a sport commentator and he’s quite happy with it till circumstances force him to get into the ring and regain him his passion as well as his dream to be the champ. This is the story line in general. ARYAN is pitted against the ruling champ Ranjeet who in a way instigates him to fight again and Aryan has his tough gut trainer Ranveer (Aryan names his son after this guy) by his side.

While watching the film one does feel that the story had potential to turn out to be an engaging movie, had the director Abhishek Kapoor provided an eye for detail and a little attention towards the screenplay. He had a good opportunity here to deal with the psyche and frustration of Aryan when he quits boxing and is reduced to living a rudimentary life. He does try to present it but in a very unconvincing way. For that he turns Aryan into almost a wife beater, something that seems more frantic than factual.

And also Aryan’s final confrontation in the ring with Ranjeet ends up being filmi. Ranjeet, who in the first half comes up as a normal looking guy, gets transformed into a monster in the latter half. No explanations for that are provided and it all seems to have been done to serve the purpose. Also the boxing match between the two is, does not pack a punch. Those hardly look as boxing wounds, instead it looks a cupful of tomato ketch-up being been splashed on their faces!

But Abhishek Kapoor does have a few things on his side. First of all he had an average bunch of actors for the lead roles. Here too they don’t do anything exceptional but the director at least makes them to stand and deliver. And secondly it was Neelabh Kaul’s cinematography that’s worth a mention. He does impress with the way he captures the mood and uses the lighting in the post-interval proceedings. The music is fine with only the song ‘Choona hai Aasma Ko’ giving the right zest and energy to the story.

There’s a line in the film said by Aryan’s coach that he (Aryan) should keep his punch to himself and not to his girlfriend if he ever wants to become a champion. The director should have stuck to that line while building the screenplay as he often makes Aryan to go against the advice. As a result Kapoor does enter the film into the ring but makes sure it goes down without a fight!

by http://www.glamsham.com

Mercifully there are no cat-humping jokes to boost the chuckle quotient in Apna Sapna… What the plot lacks in innovativeness is made up for by a certain breathless momentum and crass candour that’s meant to drive audiences into over-the-top gear. And never mind the finer sensitivities. At least the cats are left alone this time.

The story about the run for precious diamonds gives Riteish Deshmukh a fine, if somewhat dull, actor a chance to try out numerous get-ups including a drag act, which is dead-on. Deshmukh sinks his teeth into the job at hand with more than passing interest. Alas, the material provided to sustain his skills at role changing is so slim, you wonder which came first: the farce or the flair that Deshmukh dares to air.

Anupam Kher and Rajpal Yadav provide a comic consistency to the proceedings that tend to get cock-eyed. Yadav’s take-off on Mr Bachchan from SARKAR would’ve been funny if it wasn’t so put-on.

To their credit, all the actors male and female have themselves a whale of a time. So much so that after a while you begin to feel guilty for casting a cynical eye on what’s finally meant to be nothing but an innocuous farce-fest. To that extent, Money Money gives you your money’s worth. Specially rib-tickling are the scenes where Deshmukh (constantly poker-faced and solemn in his satirical stabs) is wooed by Anupam Kher. The two-some isn’t quite Kamal Haasan-Amrish Puri in CHACHI 420. But does anyone really expect this farce to live up to any other standards than those set by MASTI, MALAAMAL WEEKLY and PHIR HERA PHERI?

Just one word of advice for those who expect some laughs. Your belly won’t ache. Though going by the level of noise pollution, your ears sure will.

As for the stretched-out comic season that started with Indra Kumar’s MASTI two years ago… Enough!

You know it’s true. But you cannot, but shudder at the sheer disintegration of moral values in Jha’s brooding and damned world of moral anarchy where characters discuss kidnap victims as “damaged goods” and “intact piece”.

I remember, my favourite Jha film “Mrityudand” opened with an image of a mother and a daughter being chased down and brutally slayed by a mob of frenzied villagers. To think of the harsh reality that sequence reflected makes me shudder even today.

Witch-hunting in one form or another continues to haunt Jha’s cinema.

In comparison with Jha’s earlier cinema, the violence in “Apaharan” is far more filmy, more harnessed though no less honest. The hinterland is harsh - but the director’s vision has softened considerably.

More than a film explaining the intricacies of the kidnapping industry in Bihar, the film whisks you away into a familiar family realm of father-son confrontations patented by those gripping parent-son Bachchan (Actor Amitabh Bachchan) dramas like Ramesh Sippy’s “Shakti”, Yash Chopra’s “Deewaar” and Mukul Anand’s “Agneepath”.

Unemployed, wayward and finally criminalised, Devgan’s multi-faceted character Ajay and his troubled relationship with his father (Mohan Agashe) harks back to the great Bachchan era but with a difference.

Jha is always reluctant to let the emotions spill out. Barring two sequences (one towards the first-quarter and the other at the end) Devgan and Agashe, playing the emotionally and morally disconnected son and father, seldom come out in the open.

You often wish we would be given a better view of the protagonist’s innerscape of how Devgan drifts away from his father’s rigid ideology to join hands with the freewheeling communally clenched morality of Patekar’s character and finally redeems himself by becoming a police informer.

Jha is always reluctant to let the emotions spill out. Barring two sequences (one towards the first-quarter and the other at the end) Devgan and Agashe, playing the emotionally and morally disconnected son and father, seldom come out in the open.

You often wish we would be given a better view of the protagonist’s innerscape of how Devgan drifts away from his father’s rigid ideology to join hands with the freewheeling communally clenched morality of Patekar’s character and finally redeems himself by becoming a police informer.

The principal and peripheral characters (Yashpal Sharma, Murli at al, all excellently in-sync) often look like Ram Gopal Varma’s gallery of goons transposed to the Bihari bad-land.

In fact the Patekar-Devgan “guru-shishiya” (teacher-pupil) relationship of criminal camaraderie appears a carryover of Devgan-Vivek Oberoi conflict in Varma’s “Company”.

Yes, this time Jha is as interested in the politics of the country as the politics of commercial cinema. He blends both in a compelling mix of thrills and politics. Often the rough edges and that trademark savagery, which characterises Jha’s cinema make you wince (for example that sequence where goon Yashpal Sharma makes Devgan lick his spit - ugh!).

Still, there’s a remarkable balance of the brutal and the brittle qualities of life, achieved through mildly touching and savagely humorous demonstrations of human violence.

Some of the sequences delineating the kidnapping are fluently funny. If you look hard at Devgan’s clumsy first-attempt at kidnapping you cannot but chuckle at its amateurishness. By the time the character arrives at the elaborated climax, you want to get into this muddled Bihari youth’s dangerously awry head.

But the director draws a curtain on the cinematic life that he nurtures with deliberate dispassion, like a stern father looking after a son who knows the child must go out in the world to seek his fortune as soon as possible.

“Apaharan” is a film in a hurry about society gone over the brink into the abyss of chaos.

Welcome to the dark, dangerous and dreadful world of kidnapping. Jha knows the frightening fundas well. Fortunately, for his film he doesn’t flaunt his research.

Doing away with that dryness that debilitated a share of Jha’s last film “GangaaJal”, “Apaharan” sweeps you into the anarchic arch. The effect is like a punch in your solar plexus.

The dusty, crusty and sinister bylanes of a small-town in Bihar where the Muslim politician Tabrez (Nana Patekar) rules beyond the khaki regime, the nefarious activities of various politically backed factions.

These are the director’s familiar gullies. He takes us into them with a surety of purpose that angers the audiences, provokes you into questioning your lopsided socio-political system without losing the thread of the cinematic experience.

In the film, Jha has achieved a balance-not always neat but constantly riveting - between drama and documentation, irony and tension, without letting go of his beliefs. He has his dependable cast to support his cause.

Nana Patekar, Yashpal Sharma and Mukesh Tiwari (as an honest cop trying hard not to buckle under corruption) are outstanding. Devgan knows what he is doing. He does it effectively. Bipasha Basu has little to do, and she does it well.

by http://www.glamsham.com

This innocent act of sheltering wounded love triggers off a bizarre chain of events. TV cameras simmer across the horizon, a film crew with an item girl materialises on the spot and a spaced out journalist (Rajpal Yadav) searches for George Bush’s mobile number.

Wily politicians who are spurned by women and constituencies walk across Jha’s crowded canvas creating a tempo and temperature that is at once intriguing and provocative.

Jha, who earlier made “Matrubhoomi” - an unbearably gruesome film on female foeticide and mass rape - turns vaguely lyrical here.

“Anwar” is partially a political parable and partly a love story. I’d rather see the politics that envelopes the entire murky skyline as an offshoot of the love story about the sensitive Anwar whose love for the girl next door Mehroo (Nauheed Cyrusi) is thwarted by the happening Hindu boy (Hiten Tejwani).

The triangle builds up into a frightening deadlock culminating in three deaths one after another.

“Anwar” is a dark and wounded work. Its creditable plot line is largely unsupported by any marked pockets of tenderness or sensitivity from the fringes. Every character has a story to yell - and I do mean yell.

Manisha Koirala playing a Barkha Dutta-styled TV journalist speaks to her weeping repentant lover (Sushant Singh). A troubled cop (Yashpal Sharma) has a terminally ill wife and whiny daughter to deal with while trying to flush out the poor ‘terrorist’ from his holy hideout. And a slimy Hindu chauvinist (Sudhir Pandey) comes down on Valentine’s Day revellers because he has just been snubbed in his extra-marital affair.

Shiv Senaites, eat your hearts out.

All these headlines hardly hold together the brittle plot. The sharp edges stick out creating more ideological chaos than any definite denouement to the tangled story. Adding to the prevalent muddle is a beggar-charlatan-actor (Vijay Raaz) who thinks love is the most precious gift in the world. Raaz is both parodic and passionate.

What holds together is the central theme of love during times of communal conflict created not by rioters but within the domestic lifescape. Young Siddharth’s character gently nudges Aamir Khan’s in Deepa Mehta’s “1947: Earth”.

Jha uses granite locations (supposedly Lucknow) and mythological allusions with equal sincerity. He avoids overt sentimentality but ends up creating unconscious folds of tender feelings within the dilating communal canvas.

In the week of the epic “Guru”, let’s applaud this small but significant film about scarred souls trying to come to terms with a socio-political scenario that leaves no room for human values.

A fine central performance by that ever-competent actor Arshad Warsi playing a victim of destiny’s high-handedness, gives that extra edge and simmering sparkle to what could have been a precariously stylish pretext to film Thailand like never before.

Hemant Chaturvedi’s cinematography is top-notch. The use of sepia and brown shades in the first-half and more flamboyant colours in the second-half gives director Raj Kaushal’s film that certain edge of delicious irony and under-stated ecstasy generally denied to Hindi commercial cinema.

Indeed one of the films USPs is the subversion of cinematic conventions. The device of the victim Champak Chaudhauri, aka Champ (Warsi) narrating his story to a child-like gangster (Sanjay Dutt, and how many times has be played the gangster to perfection!) gives the narrative a chance to repeatedly jump the grin… and the gun… to give us a dollop of devilish delight that seems original and intelligent… a sort of Sanjay Gupta flick where a gentle quality replaces the savagery that usually attends celluloid treatises on gangsterism.

Dutt as Warsi’s sounding board reminds us how much Hindi cinema can benefit from its traditions if it only stops being slavish to convention. Dutt often ‘corrects’ Warsi’s narrative about his life. Watch that wickedly funny moment where Dutt slaps his story-telling hostage and tells him to woo his girl in the way they do in Yash Chopra’s films.

Yup, the hit-man is a movie buff. Predictably he falls for his intended victim’s love story. And why not? The romantic scenes between Warsi and Minissha Lamba (vastly improved from her earlier outings) are done up in a believable warm and endearing style.

Watch Warsi in the airport-located climax (gosh, how many filmy lovers have been united at this location in the last ten years!) where Minissha asks him to prove his love by breaking into song in full public view.

Warsi is priceless. Whether trying to dig diamonds out of a prison backyard or wooing Lamba with song and poetry… this guy just got what it ticks. Warsi has shaped into one of our more watchable performers, almost a new-age Kamal Haasan.

But it’s the movie references that sustain our interest. From the film’s title (a homage to Amitabh Bachchan’s Anthony Gonzalves in Manmohan Desai’s Amar Akbar Anthony)… director Raj Kaushal never fails to remind you that the more things change the more they remain the same… the trick is to do a shimmy with that sameness.

ANTHONY KAUN HAI does just that. And comes up with an endearing and engaging yarn which works when it’s not being too clever for its own good.

More than the chemistry between Warsi and Lamba and earlier in the narrative, Warsi and Anusha Dandekar (who exposes so much skin you wonder if under-dressing is mandatory in parts of Thigh-land) it’s the Warsi-Dutt combo that crackles and hisses with a livewire intensity.

Warsi is obedient and reverent, Dutt is cool and casual… Together they embody this watchable film’s spirit. It is both respectful and tongue-in-cheek about what makes Hindi cinema tick.

But is it an original?!

by http://www.glamsham.com

Vikram Bhatt’s cathartic voyage into the damned world of infidelity is often start and sweet simultaneously. Though ANKAHEE deals with situations feelings and positions that aren’t comfortable to contemplate, the director brings a certain freshness and élan to the dynamics of the extra-marital relationship.

Unlike Mahesh Battt’s ARTH to which Vikram’s film pays a direct homage, ANKAHEE tries to tell the story of betrayal and redemption from both the husband and wife’s point of view. ARTH, if one may recall that cult classic, restricted itself to the wife’s point of view.

Ameesha Patel, looking frail lovely and vulnerable, gives her best shot to the wife’s role. The script provides her generous space to put forward the bereft and betrayed wife’s case.

Esha Deol has the author-backed role. Seen completely from the outside (a la Smita Patil in ARTH) her character gets its jittery edge from the actress’ untapped layers of provocative and impassioned uncertainties.

But it’s the husband’s take on the unfaithful mistake that provides the most interesting fulcrum to the murky yet mollifying triangle. As played by Vikram Bhatt’s favourite actor Aftab Shivdasani, Shekhar is a weak –willed but noble soul who betrays his utterly devoted wife for a glamorous and unhinged woman who shrieks shouts whines and whimpers, all at once and once for all.

Esha Deol’s portrayal of the Other Woman is shockingly denuded of sympathy. We see her as a basket-case alternating between rage and depression, forcing the man to his knees, making you wonder why the hell would a decent white-collar guy get involved with a hysterical ‘manic depressive’ (as certified by the film’s inhouse shrink played by a totally miscast Amin Hajee) .

Initially the doctor-actress relationship reminds you of Vijay Anand’s TERE MERE SAPNE. That’s before Vikram Bhatt gets seriously explorative about infidelity. The way he uses spaces between the man and his wife as their marriage comes apart at the seams is truly a sign of maturity in the mellowing director.

Pravin Bhatt’s camera goes for sighing long shots to denote a state of alarming estrangement between the couple. Vikram Bhatt’s fascination with ARTH becomes evident in sequences such as the one where the wife lands up at the hyper-strung actress’ place to plead for her marriage through a closed door.

More originally there’s a sequence where, to cover up for his unfaithful sojourn in Goa the guilt-ridden husband screams, “Why do you have to be so devoted to me? Why is it always about me?”

Girish Damija’s dialogues catch the tenor of a workaday suburban relationship without losing their cool intensity. That goes for the rest of the film, which is at once anxious and laidback, agitated and calm. The synthesis of serenity and neurosis gives the narrative a cutting edge.

What you miss are those spatial expanses that separate a feature film from a soap opera. To preserve a sense of intimacy Bhatt shoots most of the film in confined spaces with glimpses of the outdoors lending a strange feeling of curbed freedom to the narration.

What cannot be doubted is the director’s integrity of purpose. The characters’ anguish rings true quite often, thanks to routine references to Mumbai’s newspapers and rendezvous points.

In one restaurant sequence the director appears as one of the guests at a table.

The portrait of a filmmaker as a narcissistic creator is thereby completed. The cast is sincere and dedicated to the task of making the triangle look convincing. More peripheral characters would have connected the plot to a larger social context.

There’s an interesting cameo by an actor playing Esha Deol’s devoted man-Friday who observes his benefactor’s lapse into a paranoiac passion with stoic grief.

You will find such mute and loyal observers all over the film industry. ANKAHEE courts observant silences on many occasions. Pritam’s background score is mildly evocative. But the songs try to be unnecessarily trendy in their intensity.

by http://www.glamsham.com