MOVIE REVIEW: FASHION

After one full month of movie drought, Bollywood finally gave its aficionados(like your's truly) a smile in the form of 4 movies this Diwali, the biggest 2 of which released this Wednesday: Fashion and Golmaal Returns.

Fashion is Madhur Bhandarkar's(MB) 6th film in a list of films mirroring the various facets of the Indian society, after Chandni Bar, Satta, Page 3, Traffic Signal and Corporate.Fashion is touted as a film which will show the darker behind-the-scenes picture of the ultra-glamorous profession. Produced and marketed by UTV, Fashion already has generated enough curiosity factor, thanks to Bhandarkar's track record with such ventures, good music, and in spite of the fact that there is no male lead to talk of, in this film. The question now arises: Is it worth your hard-earned greenery this festive season? Keep reading to find out.

MB delivers another gem in his lineup with Fashion. There numerous sequences which hold enough shock-and-awe value and with which the average patron of yellow journalism would identify. And with MB at the helm of affairs, the impact of certain sequences are elevated to a good level.But (yeah, this BUT always butts in) he seemed to have been so enamoured by his own creation( actually, the blame is on the editor), that he just stretches and stretches the second half, like a chewing gum, until you are forced to shout out "C'mon, let's get this done with... PLEASE!!".

Fashion begins well, with Priyanka Chopra's character's (Meghna Mathur) zeal and drive established in the first sequence itself when she rebels against her parents and leaves Chandigarh to land in Mumbai. From thereon,begins her ascent; her journey from a struggler to a model to a supermodel which forms the plot of the first half. The viewer is introduced to various people she encounters on her ascent: her struggling model boyfriend Manav, her model friend Janet, head honcho of a hot-shot fashion magazine Abhijeet Sareen, among others. Here, the narrative ramifies into 3 sub-plots: the primary one being of Meghna, while the other 2 being that of the compromises that Janet makes, and the descent of Shonali (Kangana Ranaut), the reigning supermodel. The pace in the first half, though not electrifying, is brisk enough to keep the viewer interested, and by the time it ends, you know you have a good film on your hands, and wait to see what happens in the second half.

The second half, for the majority portion, doesn't disappoint. The spotlight here, is firmly on Meghna, with Janet's and Shonali's characters taking a backseat. How success corrupts Meghna's mind when she becomes a supermodel, and the price she has to pay for all the attention she basks in,is shown vividly in this half. From a supermodel to a nervous wreck, the descent is gradual and amazingly believable. But from hereon, the films just loses way. As a viewer, you don't know what the script is getting at as scene after scene unfolds in front of your eyes. The film just stretches endlessly as you start to lose patience and reaches a crescendo when you REALLY want the film to end. This is one of the biggest flaws in Fashion, and may impact its future is it's not dealt with at the earliest.

As a director, MB is again bang-on with his research and knowledge of his subject-matter. At no point does he give a feeling that he is going over the top with his depiction of the fashion world, at least to the common public. He introduces the viewer to the various tricks and terminologies of the glamour world, while moving his story forward. Plus, his treatment of a lot of sequences are extremely impactful, though he seriously could've shortened the second half, which is a patience tester.

Coming to the technical aspects, the cinematography by Mahesh Limaye is top-notch. The sparkle of the glitz and the glamour is expertly captured by the camera. The picturisation of each fashion show deserves brownie-points. They are near-perfect. Everything from the dresses, to the sets, to the models are authentic to the core. So, full marks to the technical team. Music by Salim-Sulaiman perfectly blends with the mood of the movie. Finally, we have an MB movie where music is an asset and not standing out as a sore point.

Now the performances:

Priyanka Chopra has had a torrid year of 2008. With 3 gargantuan flops (Love Story 2050, God Tussi Great Ho and Drona), she really needed a movie like Fashion. With a rare role, where she is directly under the spotlight and can also display her histrionics, and with MB as a director, she couldn't have asked for more. She completely digs her teeth into the role and comes up with an accomplished performance, reminding us that she is still the same actress who gave us Aitraaz. The ease with which she transforms herself into a simple girl from a small town to a reigning supermodel to a psychological wreck abusing drugs and back into a model, she is a serious contender for this year's Filmfare award for the best actress. She would've been heaving a sigh of relief after seeing the end result and would be more optimistic about her next release, Dostana.

But the real showstopper was Kangana Ranaut. Agreed that she has done a similar role in Gangster and Woh Lamhe, you still can't take your eyes off her in this film, as she delivers a knockout performance as Shonali Gujral. You just can't imagine any other actress doing this role. She carries an air of supreme confidence with such a commanding and condescending aura that it leaves you speechless, when she walks the ramp. You know you are seeing a supermodel in action. And in the sequences where she is required to show her mental trauma and extreme form of drug abuse, she does them effortlessly (actually she can sleepwalk through such sequences now). She really sparkles in the scene where she has a wardrobe malfunction. Even though she has small screen time, hers is a performance you carry home after the movie ends.

Among other actors, Mugdha Godse as Janet,shows supreme confidence in her role. Arbaaz Khan pitches in with a solid performance as the despicable head honcho of a fashion mag. Arjan Bajwa is there only in the first half, and gives a good account of himself. Samir Soni and Kitu Gidwani match upto expectations. Suchitra Pillai gets no scope at all.

Overall, a good investment of time and money this Diwali. If you can pardon the last 30 mins of the flick, then you definitely won't be disappointed.

My Rating: ***

THE AIDS JAAGO Short Films Part 1

The following is the first part of a 2-part review of a set of short films made by 4 of the best directors India can boast of, in a bid to spread awareness about AIDS among the people.These are 4 20-minute films which are available for free viewing on www.jaman.com.

Under the auspices of Mirabai films and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the AIDS 'Jaago' Project presents four short dramatic films by cutting-edge Indian directors Mira Nair, Vishal Bharadwaj, Farhan Akhtar and Santosh Sivan that aim to dismantle myths and misconceptions about HIV/AIDS.

1. BLOOD BROTHERS:

Dir.: Vishal Bharadwaj

Cast: Sidhhartha (of Rang De Basanti fame)

Ayesha Takia

Pawan Malhotra

Pankaj Kapur

BB starts off in a mysterious fashion, with Arjun Dutt (Siddhartha) following Pawan Malhotra everywhere, right upto the building he lives in. Pawan Malhotra smells something fishy and confronts him. From then on begins the story of Arjun, how he was leading a happy, marital life before he is diagnosed with HIV. How this one revelation changes his life forever, as he just leaves everything, out of the blue. How another discovery again turns the course of his life forms the rest of the plot.

Vishal Bharadwaj nicely builds it up like a thriller in the initial 3 minutes. The sequences leading up to Arjun's diagnosis and the reason which he initially believes that led to his state are very engaging and seem very real and probable, especially when viewed from the urban perspective. However, what happens thereafter, with Arjun just running away from everything because of the lack of enough strength to face his wife, and the sequences thereafter leave you a bit puzzled. What actually happened there?? is what you think. Even Pankaj Kapur's character is an enigma. But, things become clear in the concluding minutes when Arjun discovers something which shocks him and how that changes his life.

Short films are the arena where directors get the chance to prove their mettle. In a 3-hour movie, the director has all the time in the world to come to the point and then drill it in the psyche of the viewer( though in no way is that an easy job), but in a 20 minute feature, the contraint of time restrains a build-up. Vishal Bharadwaj, for once, moves away from his literary adaptations which has been his fetish for his last 3 films, and puts it in an urban setting. Except for the portions where Arjun leaves home and wanders around befuddled, virtually in drunken stupor, which confuses the viewer, he is in form yet again this time. The way he drives home the point in the last few minutes, gives hope, like the light at the end of the tunnel, even though that light is from the fire which burns on a candle which is about to melt down, informing the viewers that AIDS does not mean a 'dead end' to the road of life.

Performance-wise, the spotlight is on Siddhartha who delivers a very honest performance. See him in the scenes where he realizes the blunder he has committed and the expressions of guilt and sadness on his face, when he lacks the guts to face his wife, and you realize that Rang De Basanti was not a fluke. Hopefully, we see more of him in Hindi cinema.

Pawan Malhotra comes up with another dependable performance, especially in the last few minutes. Ayesha Takia and Pankaj Kapur are adequate in their parts. Pankaj Kapur, I feel, was wasted in his part, though his character still had that spark which he has shown in the performances in his earlier films with Vishal Bharadwaj.

Overall, a good film which does drive home the point and also clears some misconceptions about HIV and AIDS.

My Rating: ***

Watch it here: http://www.jaman.com/movie/Blood-Brothers/0HsYuptHveNs/

2. POSITIVE

Dir.: Farhan Akhtar

Cast: Boman Irani

Shabana Azmi

Arjun Mathur

There are certain films which you watch and forget. And there are certain films which linger on in your mind even after the show is over. Cinema entertains and enlightens. But on a more deeper level, the most powerful films are those which establish that soul-to-soul connection with the audience. It is that emotional connect which impels people to follow what a film preaches, and shining examples are films like Lage Raho Munnabhai and Rang De Basanti. Another one in that list is Positive.

Positive catapults Farhan Akhtar into a different league altogether. Praises have been showered on him after Dil Chahta Hai and Lakshya. But this one's very very special. This is, in my honest opinion, his finest work till date. With no 'stars' to boast of here, as compared to the rest 3 which had known lead actors, Positive weaves a poignant tale around 3 lives, who are hit, in varying degrees by this deadly disease.

Positive begins with events narrated from the eyes of a child, whose mother is a home-maker and father, a fashion photographer. The family looks the quintessential happy family, but inside there is something not-so-right about it. The child looks on at his father, puzzled and bewildered, seeing his father flirt with his female model clients. His insecurities increase seeing his parents fighting, when he tells about this to his mother. As the boy becomes a teenager, negativity between him and his father reaches such a level, that he flies off to South Africa for further studies. A few years later he comes back when he gets to know his father has contracted AIDS.

The film starts off well, in a nice, subtle and child-like manner, with events unfolding in front of the tender eyes of a toddler. The confused expressions of the child are noteworthy when he does not understand his father's weird behaviour towards the models. As a viewer, you know what is in store, even though the father tries to talk his way out of a home fight. And then , the most touching portions begin when the teenage son sees his father, helpless, on the hospital bed. The sequences thereafter force out that odd tear out of your eyes, they are so touching. From start to the finish, the film flows like a breeze, with at no point, looking like the director's skill has been constrained by the time factor.

Farhan Akhtar shows that rare maturity, which some directors imbibe after directing atleast 10 films. The way he has handled the entire plot, hats off to him. Every scene, every shot, every camera angle is loaded with the stamp of a creative genius. The film is like a soulful song: it has a poetic start, a meaningful body and metaphoric finish, with the tone reaching its crescendos at crucial points in the film, with the film hammering-in the point in the human psyche that AIDS does not affect a person, it affects those who love him as well, and their suffering is no less than the patient himself.

Performance-wise, each and every actor gives a heart-tugging performance. Boman Irani as the father, gives the performance of a lifetime here. Give this man a script like Positive and then see him fly. Undoubtedly, one of the finest actors in the country today, Boman Irani proves that there is an ocean of talent inside just waiting to be tapped. BRILLIANT!!

Shabana Azmi plays the mother, and gives yet another restrained performance. She is as usual, extremely good.

Arjun Mathur as the teenage son, is a discovery. He is just awesome!! Watch his outburst in the hospital lawns when he tells his father that he has sold his camera. The unrestrained flow of emotions sweeps you along with it as well. Hoping to see more from this fantastic actor.

Overall, a must watch film, be it for the message or for the treatment.

My Rating: ****

Watch it here: http://www.jaman.com/movie/Positive/0Xx3EGJchtzo/

THE AIDS JAAGO Short Films Part 2

3. MIGRATION

Dir.: Mira Nair

Cast: Shiney Ahuja

Raima Sen

Irrfan Khan

Sameera Reddy

Vijay Raaz

It is a very noble gesture on the part of these 4 well-known directors to educate people about HIV and AIDS, more so because people ,still, have a lot of misconceptions about these topics. But when you set out to make a film, the plot should be something that the viewer can identify with, or atleast relate to. The plot goes for a major toss in Migration, and the end product is plain ridiculous.

Migration sets out to inform the audience that AIDS is not an 'urban' disease; it affects people from all strata of the society, be it rural or urban. Shiney Ahuja and Raima Sen are a married couple living in poverty in their village. To gain that extra buck, Shiney comes to Mumbai to work as a labourer. One such assignment sees him getting sexually entangled with the lady(Sameera Reddy) of the house where he works, whose husband(Irrfan Khan) is homosexual. How that one lusty moment turns a nightmare for both Sameera and Shiney forms the plot.

The plot tries to put every social taboo into one film, which is to last only 20 minutes. Everything from homosexuality to infidelity is dealt with in this film. This is where the film falters. Had it been just a single track storyline, the viewer could've easily concentrated on one point. What happens is the viewer is confused what exactly is the issue that the film addresses (or does it even address an issue). Another flaw, and, according to me, the most ridiculous one , is when the worker and the lady have that sexual encounter. How can you ever buy that???!!!... this is the most unreal and the most incredible thing in the movie. After that the film just nose-dives. In the end, you have no sympathy for any of the characters because you realize midway that these things are unimaginably fictitious and can happen only in films.What comes out is completely bland and vapid, and hardly does anything to convey the message. Absolutely not what you expect when Mira Nair's name is associated with such a project.

Performance-wise, all the actors were adequate for their parts, getting more or less, equal screen-time, though Irrfan Khan performed a notch above the rest.

Overall, deeply disappointed. The weakest short film of the quartet.

My Rating: **

Watch it here: http://www.jaman.com/movie/Migration/0mPGmGr2oVoU/

4. PRARAMBHA(The Beginning) (Kannada)

Dir.: Santosh Sivan

Cast: Prabhu Deva

This one's a dream come true for me. My first review for a South-Indian film, in its true form, unspoiled by the incongruous dubbing in Hindi( the subtitles helped me there).

Prarambha, directed by Santosh Sivan, tells the story of Kittu, a 6 or 7 year old boy, going to Mysore, in search of his mother, who had abandoned him to live with his grandmother. He hitchhikes a ride in Puttuswamy Gowda's (Prabhu Deva) truck, following an interesting encounter, and Gowda takes it upon himself to make the little boy meet his mother. On reaching Mysore, he is shocked to find out that Kittu's mother is in a hospital, on the last stage of AIDS, and also that, Kittu also has contracted AIDS during his birth. Kittu further reveals that he is shunned by his schoolmates and expelled from school, because their parents are scared that their kids may contract the disease from him. Gowda,then, sets out to clear the prejudices among the parents and the teachers and re-admit Kittu.

Southie movies have always been more colourful and a bit louder than their Mumbai-made counterparts. But therein lies their charm. Prarambha is the most commercial out the four movies in the quartet, because it has that outgoing character in itself; a character which people (atleast down South) can easily identify with and relate to. Once that relationship is established, the message is conveyed effectively without being too preachy.

Santosh Sivan is an ace cinematographer. But this film showcases his directorial skills too. He is well-known to extract excellent performances from children in his films, be it Halo or Tahaan. He again succeeds in building a character like Kittu and then extracting an extremely endearing performance from the child actor.

The script and the execution is very simple yet effective. The tension factor, which was prevalent in the other 3 movies, is, thankfully, not present here. The entire movie has a feeling of joie de vivre, and doesn't tax your mind one bit. But, the script is not without its share of flaws. The entire issue of AIDS awareness is handled so effortlessly by a truck-driver, that it looks very unreal. Then, again, how quickly, the parents and teachers rid their misconceptions is also very questionable. The ease with which Gowda accomplishes his task, does inject that feeling of fiction in the movie. But you tend to forgive the script-writer and overlook these errors, as the movie culminates, leaving a smile on your face.

Prabhudeva is absolutely delightful in the role of Puttuswamy Gowda. But the show belongs to the child actor who plays the role of Kittu. He is just brilliant. His mannerisms and expressions (especially his confused look when Gowda calls him his 'son') are perfect. Not for a moment does he give you an impression that he is acting. All the other actors adequately perform their portions.

Overall, a nice, breezy film with a wonderful message, told in the most friendly and amiable way.

My Rating: ***
Watch it here: http://www.jaman.com/movie/Prarambha-Beginning/0PAwG7iB4je0/

If I were to rank the movies according to their content and style of story-telling, and their overall impact, my list would be:

1. Positive
2. Prarambha- The Beginning
3. Blood Brothers
4. Migration

MOVIE REVIEW: WELCOME TO SAJJANPUR

When the promos of this film first came out, one got the feeling that this would be different from the run-of-the-mill kind of productions being churned out by our own Bollywood every Friday. A modest setting, a bunch of interesting, colourful characters with that rustic awkwardness and introducing all of them, Shreyas Talpade. But what was shocking was the name of the director: Shyam Benegal.

Shyam Benegal and his association with the rural life is as pronounced as that of Yash Chopra with the Swiss Alps or JP Dutta and the desert. Right from his early films like Ankur and Manthan, to his recent ones like Hari Bhari, he has vividly highlighted the life and the plight of villages and how people are still living there, trying to make ends meet. Moreover, Shyam Benegal has always been associated with serious cinema, cinema that impels the viewer to think, to get out of his comfort zone and see the grass on the other side which is far from being green. So, with his name associated with a comic venture, there is some curiosity to see how an ace director like Benegal proves his mettle in a hitherto unventured genre.

WTS tells the story of a small hamlet, Sajjanpur, and the people living there from the eyes of Mahadev Kushwaha (Shreyas Talpade), a BA graduate, who dreams of becoming a renowned writer someday, but currently, he writes letters for the people living there. His crafty play of words in his letters has mesmerised all his fellow villagers, who flock to his 'office': a table, chair and a bunch of postcards, all set up below a tree, and pay him to write. The rest of the film introduces a number of characters, all with their own personality quirks and idiosyncracies, superstitions and prejudices: the village goon contesting for elections, the eunuch who is his competitor, the young widow, her retired army man father-in-law and her compounder lover, the superstitious lady who is hell bent on marrying her daughter to a dog, just because her horoscope has a 'problem' and other sundry characters. How their lives are intertwined with our letter-writer's, forms the plot.

It is an extremely tough job to review a film by Shyam Benegal, especially for an amateur reviewer like me. His films are not that straight-forward and linear like that of some of the mainstream dream merchants, so as to pass off a judgement midway through the film. Be it Mammo or Sooraj ka Saatvaan ghoda( these are the only films I've seen of Benegal, apart from, of course, WTS), they have a unique quality, something je ne sais quoi that stops one from jumping onto a conclusion or a judgement. These films require a solid, well-read and researched mind of a connoisseur to understand the nuances he brings to each film of his (that is the reason I've still not been able to write a review of Sooraj ka Saatvaan Ghoda). However, I'll try my best.

WTS isn't a conventional comedy, i.e., you definitely do not (or should not) expect the slapstick style of humour, nearly patented by the likes of David Dhawan and Anees Bazmee.The film is the kind of feel-good, slice-of-life, sunshine cinema that strongly reminds you of the films made by Basu Chatterjee (like Rajnigandha, Choti si Baat, Baaton Baaton Mein and Khatta Meetha). There is no deliberate attempt to raise a laugh, but the simplicity and the earthiness of the characters do make you chuckle. The protagonist,Mahadev,  who also doubles up as a narrator introduces you to the people of his village, calmly, carefully and steadily unfurling their insecurities or strengths, and how each of them, whatever be their situation, comes to Mahadev for his skills. So, there is nothing there to call a solid story as there are 4-6 parallel stories packed into a single one, each having its own sweet moments, before the scene shifts to another one, the common thread in each being Mahadev. As has been mentioned in all the reviews written about this film, the films reminds of Malgudi Days , with the setting and the style of narration. There are no overtly dramatic points, nothing that makes you shed buckets of tears, but at certain points, the simplicity and the earnestness of emotions do tug the strings of your heart.

Talking about the technical aspects, starting with the art direction, the village setting of the film looks very authentic. A special mention has to go to Ashok Mishra, the screenwriter and the dialogue writer. His dialogues are extremely witty and acidic, carrying the rustic fragrance of the fields.Dialogues are the lynchpin, which makes a comedy comic, and here, they are excellent.Characterizations are another asset. Every character, though being of the same village, is clearly made as distinct as possible from each another. The characters are colourful but not caricatured, they are very human and identifiable. The music by Shantanu Moitra is of OK quality. 

Focussing on the negatives, the presence of songs act as a speed-breaker. They do not move the story forward. If they had been shortened to just a minute, the film would have been a lot crisper. The editing too sags at a few places, but this is only a trivial flaw. Moreover, as the entire film is based in the village, the sets are very few. So seeing the same settings over and over does create that bit of impatience and build a slight boredom in the viewer.

Moving on to the performances, all I can say, when you see a Shyam Benegal film, you don't see it for the performances, or lets say, the performances are so real, you don't admire the histrionics of the actors; the focus is completely on the work of the director.Therefore, never ever will you call Manthan, a Smita Patil movie or Mammo, a Farida Jalal movie. Shyam Benegal films are known only for Shyam Benegal. Coming back to the actors, as the protagonist Mahadev, Shreyas Talpade carries the film on his shoulders effortlessly. His character, though being central to the film, does carry some grey shades, and Talpade makes them look endearing to the viewer. Although, in certain scenes, you do get the feeling that he is overacting or putting on an act or deliberately trying to sound dehaati, he is pretty good overall. Amrita Rao, playing the role of Kamla, who hasn't seen her husband for nearly 4 years, and who is also the object of affection of Mahadev, gives a good account of herself. Underplaying the role to suit the character, she bowls you over with her simplicity. Also, her rustic diction is near perfect.

Among other actors are Shyam Benegal regulars like Rajeshwari Sachdev Badola (adequate) as the young widow, Ravi Jhankal (Fantastic, literally a live-wire on screen, with a character which has the liberty to go over the top, he wonderfully restrains his performance, packing in all the prerequisites needed for the role) as the village eunuch Munni bai and Ila Arun (Very endearing and lovable)  as the superstitious mother. Yashpal Sharma delivers a strong impact as the village goon; he is both likeable and despicable at the same time.Ravi Kishan is also very likeable, in a brief role, as the compounder in the village hospital.Divya Dutta hardly gets any screen time. Rajit Kapur and Kunal Kapoor make friendly appearances.

Overall, this is a film which fills you with a feeling of joie de vivre after it finishes. Watch it for the sheer easy awkwardness and superstitions, that maybe still prevalent in our villages even today,or the nostalgia of writing a letter to a loved one in this age of e-mails and SMSes, or the smart quips delivered by its characters, bringing a smile to your face. This is a worthy addition to the list of films made by this celebrated director.

My Rating: ***

AD REVIEW: Aamir Khan's TATASKY Ad

I can't believe myself that I am reviewing an ad!!! What can you review in a 20 second clip?? it starts and before you notice what's happening, it finishes. Moreover, all of them, nowadays, have started looking the same.... similar concepts, similar locations, and more often than not, the same old Big B or SRK, or now , the current hot favourite endorser, Mahendra Singh Dhoni. How can you expect to find novelty in something so predictable??

But one ad has not only forced everyone to sit up and take notice, but also compelled me to write a few comments of own about it, here.

Finally an ad which revives memories of the golden age of advertising: the 80s. Aamir Khan's TATASKY commercial is, of late, one of the finest commercials to come out on Indian television. Finest, because it does 3 things:

1. Hits home the point about the brand 

There have been multitude of ads which do everything else other than promote the brand. In the end, it's the ad that people remember and not the brand behind it.[ Case in point being the ad featuring a gal called Tulika Sharma, who gifts a big car to her dad.... I still can't recollect which insurance company's ad was it]

2. For the first time, a star's presence has been justified

This is arguably, the first ad on Indian TV, where a star has been used most effectively to convey the point. Frankly speaking, all the other ads featuring the biggest star brands of India (SRK and Big B ) have just used them as caricatures, as mere props, thinking that their mere presence with their product would boost sales. What comes out is something completely bland. When you have the biggest stars at your disposal, you better well use them intelligently( and this is where I feel the biggest loser is Pepsi. For the past 10-15 years, Pepsi has enjoyed the company of the biggest stars of the country, be it Big B or Sachin Tendulkar or SRK, or the recent ones like Ranbir Kapoor and MS Dhoni, and have continuously dished out substandard ads, which try hard to evoke mirth but fail miserably).

3. The simplistic genius of a concept and deft execution by a class performer

Ads don't have to be grand. Grand ads may fetch you a Lion at Cannes, but does hardly anything to market your product well ( as was the case with Happydent White gum.... a multi-crore elaborate ad, which although was recognised for its execution, but still was criticised as too much labour had gone into selling a product worth 50 paise). The TATASKY ad has a simple premise, no elaborate settings and ... Aamir Khan. 

Aamir Khan once again shows what a creative genius he is. If you start analysing his performance here, it is better than any film role he has ever done. Being a man and a woman side-by-side means, changing your expressions, mannerisms and modulating your voice all at one go. Have a look when Aamir Khan, the man, is making love to Aamir Khan, the woman("tussi na bade shararati ho ..... aaa to shararat karne toh de!!!") : his expressions change from being the shy bride to the naughty groom... all in one turn of his body.

All in all, This ad delivers one hard blow to TATASKY's nearest competitors'( DishTV) campaign: if they made King Khan chant the word "Santusht" in his characteristic starry manner, then this one shows the world who is actually the Ace!! 

MOVIE REVIEW: BACHNA AE HASEENO

A star is born!!... that's the first feeling you get after coming out of the theatre after watching BAH. For a long time, nearly close to 2 decades, the Hindi film industry has been rules by the Khan trio. The start of the new millennium saw the addition of Hrithik Roshan to that list. Well, 2008 sees a new addition to that list : Ranbir Kapoor. More on his performance , later.

Coming to the movie, Bachna Ae Haseeno is Sidhharth Raj Anand's third venture, after Salaam Namaste and Tara Rum Pum. SRA is known to tackle themes with which the Gen X can relate to. If Salaam Namaste dealt with the theme of live-in relationships and Tara Rum Pum with that of the carefree youth splurging money, leading ostentatious lifestyles, without any future planning, BAH deals with yet another young theme: lack of commitment.

The films tells the story of Raj Sharma (Ranbir Kapoor), who is a self-proclaimed "killer": a no-holds-barred casanova, who loves falling in love but hates a long term relationship ("Yeh hamesha wala 'HAMESHA' nahin, sirf 3-4 hafte wala 'HAMESHA tha"). The story tracks 3 separate times of his life, when he has flings with 3 girls: Mahi (Minnishha Lamba), Radhika (Bipasha Basu) and Gayatri (Deepika Padukone). The first two are unceremoniously dumped our "killer", but he falls hard for the last one, who dumps him. This makes him realize what a cad he had been to the previous 2, and as atonement, he sets off to plead forgiveness from them. What happens when the loverboy meets them and how they forgive him forms the rest of the plot.

BAH is a true Yashraj film: from the pristine Swiss locales to the fields of Punjab, everything which Yash Choprafilms are associated with, they are all there.A few romantic scenes here, a few romantic songs there and polishing it down with some light emotional scenes with a happy ending for dessert, the popular Yashraj thaali is served for the viewers to relish.

Even though SRA has dealt with young themes, his style of storytelling has been very simple to comprehend for an average movie-goer. He packs in enough commercial masala in the movie to keep the front-benchers happy, but side-by-side, is able to tell his story effectively. BAH is no different. The movie starts off with a rocking number (Bachna Ae Haseeno remixed), with Ranbir setting the dance floor on fire, with 3 "WOW" dolls ensuring that the temperature is maintained at oven temperature. After that, the narrative moves in an episodic manner, giving full attention to one fling at a time. The first half flows like a breeze. However, things start to shake a bit in the second half. The sheer effortlessness with which he gains Mahi's forgiveness is a bit hard to digest. Again, how quickly scorned-for-being-wronged Radhika forgives Raj is also unpalatable. But you still try and gulp it down.But the last 10 minutes of the movie are a shocker. SRA has this habit of trying to emulate Priyadarshan style climaxes, in which something drastic happens, events take place so quickly that you can't help but laugh. But this has been his biggest weakness... so much so that the graph of the film just nose-dives to such an extent that it may change the whole audience opinion of the movie. He did it in Salaam Namaste, he does it again with BAH. Cut it out of the movie, and the movie does look much better.

Cinematography and art-direction deserve brownie points here. Sharmishtha Roy, who has been responsible for giving that rich ambience in all of Yashraj movies post Chandni, is at work again. You become nostalgic when you see Switzerland and the references to DDLJ, and the beauty of Mumbai, Sydney and Capri is captured quite amazingly by the camera. Dialogues by Anvita Dutt Guptan deserve a special mention: they are very fresh, very today's lingo, and minimal on the conventional hindi film stuff.

Musically, Vishal and Shekhar have done a decent job, though being a Yashraj film, a chartbuster of an album was the need of the hour. The absence of that one song which sends the audience into raptures is very strongly felt.


Now to the performances:

Ranbir Kapoor shows that he has arrived. He promised a lot in Saawariya, and he fulfills them in BAH with a near perfect performance in a dynamic role. The sheer effortlessness with which he plays an 18 year old, a 25 year old and a 30 year old, all in the span of 2.5 hours displays the range he possesses as an actor. A special mention is when he has that naughty glint in his eyes during the Bipasha Basu episode in the first half--- he truly lives the average GenXer's ultimate male fantasy. Add to that, the sheer charisma and the powerful screen presence he has. He just blazes on the screen: he is graceful dancer, his comic timing is near perfect and he also shows his depth in romantic and emotional sequences, he fulfills all requirements of the typical Yashraj loverboy. A very judicious and intelligent choice of films will most definitely catapult him into super-stardom. A STAR's PERFORMANCE is all I can say!!

Bipasha Basu delivers a knockout performance. If she sizzles as the sexy neighbour in the first half (May God bless all us bachelors with neighbours like that!!), she perfectly justifies the saying "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned"in the second.

Minnissha Lamba gives a very sweet, adorable, and endearing performance as Mahi, who searches for her "Raj"(of DDLJ). The sincerity that she brings to her role as Mahi, forces the viewer to empathize with her when Raj breaks her heart.

Deepika Padukone suffers because of a badly written character. There was nothing there in the role to justify her presence in this film. Add to that, a badly scripted climax. She should forget this film in a hurry.

Overall, a good family entertainer; a film where you can leave all the stress of your life and enjoy a good 2 and a half hours, and go out of the hall with a smile.


My Ratiing: ***

MOVIE REVIEW: ROCK ON

A movie like Rock On is a very very risky venture, because:

1. Rock music plays an integral role in the film. Now, leave the interiors(meaning smaller cities and towns), even in urban centres like Delhi and Mumbai, rock is a very niche genre. So, this limits the audience by a good degree.

2. Farhan Akhtar has been synonymous with cinema with a very strong urban feel to it. There are no two ways about the quality of cinema he has made.... they have had excellent content. But his biggest handicap has been that his treatment hasn't found acceptance with the masses.

3. The most well-known face among the cast is of Arjun Rampal, who himself isn't an actor who can guarantee a great initial start to a film, even though he has been noticed for his performance in Om Shanti Om. Farhan Akhtar is making his debut, as is Prachi Desai (of Kasamh Se fame), but the crowd at which this movie is targeted, would not have watched her serial. Plus, Luke Kenny and Purab Kohli are no crowd-pullers.

4. Very little is known about Abhishek Kapoor's directorial skills.

When your film is loaded with 4 solid handicaps even before the first show is screened, the content of the film HAS to be bang on target, otherwise it's a Titanic.

So..... does Rock On really rock???......Well, keep reading :-)

Rock On tells the story of 4 friends: Aditya Shroff (Farhan Akhtar), KD(Purab Kohli), Joe Mascarenhas (Arjun Rampal) and Rob (Luke Kenny), who are passionate about their music and form a rock band called Magik. Everything moves smoothly till something happens that breaks the group. 10 years down the line, the 4 are leading lives, which may seem normal, but is incomplete without their music. How they re-unite for that one last rocking finish to their dreams forms the rest of the story.

Rock On can be termed as Dil Chahta Hai 2. The premise is very similar: story of 4 close buddies, due to a tiff they break up, and years later patch up. What happens to each of them in those intervening years is shown in the movie. But do not mistake it to be a wannabe DCH. The film has a soul of its own, it has a story to tell.

The film starts off sluggishly, when all the 4 characters are introduced, 10 years after the band broke up. Then the narration keeps flip-flopping between flashbacks and present, very smoothly and in an easy-to-comprehend manner. The cause of the split is shown in the second half.... and the reason given is well-justified and purely circumstantial. The film finally culminates in the perfect setting of a rock concert and with a very soulful ballad followed by a rocking number.

Those expecting DCH "coolness"(read: the kind of youthful masti that the trio shared in DCH) would be a tad disappointed. Rock On is an emotional story of 4 friends with rock forming a background. Actually, it's more like a supporting actor.... it's like the 5th friend.... it is what actually brings them together. So, for those thinking that Rock On is only for lovers of rock, let me tell you it is much more than that. Coming back to my point, the comic portions are few and far between, so even though the emotional portions are very well executed, you do feel the need of some lighter moments in the flick. But on the positive side, the emotional sequences are not loud and melodramatic..... they are very real, very human feelings, and Abhishek Kapoor should be praised for displaying such sensitivity, that too in his very first venture.

Abhishek Kapoor, if you remember, was launched some 8-10 years back, opposite Twinkle Khanna in a film called Uff Yeh Mohabbat. The film sank without a trace, and with that, his acting career as well. As a director, he belongs to the Farhan Akhtar school of direction,i.e, making English films with Hindi dialogues and songs; films which are very urban, both in setting and in mindset. But one aspect that Rock On has that DCH lacked was control over the script. The film is very tight from start to finish, with at no point, the hold of the director loosening over the setting. The emotional moments, as already mentioned, are beautifully executed... the director shows his maturity in handling those moments with dexterity. The odd comic scene is also very subtly slipped into the goings-on without making them conspicuous by their presence, and making the viewer smile.

Cinematography is top-notch as is the art-direction. Editing left a lot to be desired. The film could have been wrapped up in 2 hours straight.... there are a number of sequences which unnecessarily prolonged the film, and could have been done away with (especially the scene where KD starts to sing in the party and then asks Sakshi to sing).This is,perhaps, the only negative aspect of the film, in my opinion.

Music has to be bang on target in a film where music forms the backbone. Shankar,Ehsaan and Loy have given music which is as fresh as a spring morning. The tunes and the orchestration perfectly mimic a rock concert, and the songs do set your pulse racing ( a special mention for the rock guitaring portion). But they are most severely let down in the lyrics department(Javed Akhtar). It is true that the first impression of a song is made by the music; the lyrics are noticed thereafter. But here the lyrics for a few songs (the title track, "Socha Hai") are so out of place with the genre and the tune, that they are easily noticed. They completely deflate the songs. However, the mellow numbers (" Yeh humaari mulaaqaatein" and the last ballad) do salvage some pride for the lyricist.They are both, musically and lyrically, very soothing and soulful.

Farhan Akhtar makes his singing debut here as well, and sings as much as 5 songs. I won't say that I was blown away by his vocal skills, but he was also not cacophonous as the lead singer. His singing suited the genre to the T, so even though his singing is not anywhere close to conventional Hindi singing (which requires perfect sur with a decent vocal flexibility), he was pretty "hearable" here.

Now over to the performances:

Barring Arjun Rampal all are newcomers or 1/2 films old, so the director had a huge task of extracting good performances from the cast. But he wouldn't have had to worry, because every single actor gives a knockout performance here.

I really can't believe this is Farhan Akhtar's first film as an actor. He displays that rare maturity and gravity in a very complex role. His expressions are just perfect, be it as a rock star, or as the serious investment banker unhappy with his life. A scene worth mentioning is his outburst, when confronted with his wife, which comes just before the intermission. At no point does it seem that he is trying very hard to come up with the right emotion; he just flows naturally with the story. A very IMPRESSIVE debut!!!

Arjun Rampal finally gets a role that suited him to the T. This role was made for Arjun Rampal, and no other actor would have done justice to it better than him. Be it the young,impulsive and hot-headed lead guitarist of the band, or the quiet and brooding unemployed man, who leads a hollow life without music 10 years hence, Arjun Rampal conveys a gamut of emotions through his eyes and facial expressions. Plus his overall personality lends that extra bit to the role, with the long flowing locks and the handle-bar moustache he looks every bit the rocker that his role wanted him to look. His performance can be summed up in one word..... BRILLIANT !!

Purab Kohli is, as usual, very dependable. He is to the film what Saif Ali Khan was to DCH. The character is a bit of a buffoon, but acts as a buffer between the two hot heads Aditya and Joe. Everytime he is on-screen, he does extract that smile from the viewer.

Luke Kenny is a revelation. With his slightly foreign looks, his rocker status (he is an actual rocker) and this being his first film, I was slightly apprehensive about how he'd perform. To my surprise, he was effortless and, in fact, very much into the character throughout the film.

Prachi Desai also marks her debut with this film. Coming from the Ekta Kapoor brand serial background, I expected nothing but full-on hamming, if it was a big role, or a small miniscule, insignificant role of a sidey. But she stunned me. She played a pivotal role in the movie as Farhan Akhtar's wife, and with great care, maturity and sensitivity for the character. In an age where being an actress means shedding all your clothing, and exposing your washboard flat tummy, without a care in the world for your expressions, she is a breath of fresh air. She not only emotes well, but looks beautiful and elegant as well. I was very very impressed.

Among other actors, Shahana Goswami as Joe's wife Debbie registers a strong impact. Koel Puri as Devika is competent.

Overall, a GREAT film to watch, be it with family(because of the rich emotional content) or with buddies (because of the youth factor in the film), though it's slow pacing does take a wee bit of its shine away from it. I loved it.



My Rating: ***

MOVIE REVIEW: THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS

"It was right then that I started thinking about Thomas Jefferson on the Declaration of Independence and the part about our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And I remember thinking how did he know to put the pursuit part in there? That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue and maybe we can actually never have it. No matter what. How did he know that? "

There are films.......and then there are films; films so poignant in their depiction of human emotions, that they stir you up till your throat is choked. Shining examples here include cinematic masterpieces like Forrest Gump , Shawshank Redemption, etc. Here is another addition into that celebrated list.

Will Smith is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood today, probably(and not possibly---- those who have seen the movie would have understood the joke) the most paid star in the world. Whenever you think of Will Smith, larger than life movies like Men in Black, Independence Day,I Am Legend, and the recent Hancock come to your mind. Movies where, more often than not, he is saving the world from deadly intergalactic creatures. In short, he is associated with films which guarantee full-on entertainment for the entire running time. So TPOH comes as a real surprise, at least to me.

Finally had the good chance of catching the movie yesterday on HBO, and I'll be making an understatement if I say I was impressed.

I won't divulge the entire story here, but to be precise, the film is a biographical account on the life of Chris Gardner,millionaire, motivational speaker and a philanthropist who, during the early 1980s, struggled with homelessness while raising his toddler son, Christopher Jr.

Directed by Gabriele Muccino, TPOH beautifully traces his life, right from the time he was a bone density scanner salesman, his troubled marriage, his financial worries, his internship and the associated hardships he faced, and how in spite of all these stumbling blocks and the bane of leading such a life, he became the best father for his toddler son.

The film starts off as a sarcastic take on his misery, with the protagonist narrating each episode of his life and naming each episode. Even though the premise is anything but rosy, you start enjoying it. But this sarcasm transitions into seriousness which unfurls the grief which the Gardner family experiences. One failure after another is fired at them by fate. And according to me, this is where the film becomes much more believable.

It is often seen in many a movie that even though the protagonist is suffering, something accidentally happens that suddenly changes his fortunes and he lives happily ever after. But this is a far cry from reality, where miracles happen a bit less frequently than in films, and this is shown vividly in the movie.

Every time you think that something will turn for his good and make him happy again, something or the other goes wrong. I surprised myself as for the first time in my life, I was praying to God for the well-being of a cinematic character. Every time when there was a glimmer of hope in the life of the protagonist, I would root for him. This is where lies the power in the narration.

But the biggest victory for the film lies in the message it conveys through its hero; yes, he is a hero and not in the conventional sense. A conventional hero fought miscreants, but our hero fought life. And how he fought and the way he won.... I admit without any shame, that I cried when the hero won, because that win was inspirational.

That win is a slap on all our faces who think their life is the worst of all people on the planet; those who constantly complain to God for their sorry state, accuse Him of denying them what they deserve and how He gives the bouquets to all and all the brickbats are reserved for their skulls. This film forces you to realize the fact that for all the miseries you have in your life, none can be as big as those faced by Mr.Gardner. The kind of times he has seen, you pray not even your worst enemy faces them. And in spite of that, when you see him emerge victorious, not only professionally but also as a father, you realize how God has gifted you and eased your life as compared to others. The thought is spiritual, and the impact is hammer-strong. Hats off to the director, the script-writer and the screen-writer for coming up with something so simple yet having so many layers to it when you start analyzing the film in detail.

Going into the technical details, cinematography is adequate for a film of this genre. The camera captures the beauty of 1980s San Francisco, right from the dingy areas the protagonist inhabits to the overwhelming office crowds. Background score is another major asset. I've always maintained that a good background score raises the movie up or pushes it down, because the tone of a scene is decided by the background score. The use of songs, and especially the signature music of the movie, raises the power of a lot of scenes.

Now to the performances!!

Will Smith does a complete about turn this time with a role which does not require him to save the world. And WHAT A PERFORMANCE!!!.. He must have got the soul of Chris Gardner into himself when he performed, because nothing else explains the sheer effortlessness with which he slid under the skin of the protagonist. His expressions were impeccable.... be it in the sequences with his son or with his estranged wife or with his bosses at Dean Witter or otherwise, here is a superstar who is a super actor as well; a very versatile one at that. He should be extremely proud of this performance because it takes a lot to make a commoner look like a hero without bashing up villains. An AWE-INSPIRING PERFORMANCE!!!

Jaden Smith, who plays Christopher Gardner Jr., and who also happens to be Will Smith's real son, justifies his gene pool with a performance which complemented Will Smith's performance. Note the scene where the father and son are thrown out of their house and have nowhere to go, and they seek shelter in the toilet of a metro station, or the scene where the son wants to go to the ball game and he asks his father whether they will go there or not to which his father responds with a "Possibly"..... their chemistry crackled on the screen and made the sequences look very real and endearing to the viewer. A Wonderful performance.

Among other actors, Thandie Newton as Linda also pitches in with a power-packed performance. The pain and anguish she endures before she walks out of her marriage and the helplessness which she feels while doing so are wonderfully captured in her performance. Brian Howe as Jay Twistle and James Karen as Mr.Frohm are adequate in their parts.

All in all, one of the most beautiful films I've had the good fortune to see. TPOH is the perfect film to see and get inspired from, or just to admire the poignant heart-tugging performance by Will Smith, the actor. A MUST WATCH!!!



My Rating: ****

MOVIE REVIEW: MAMMO

I had heard a lot about the cinematic genius called Shyam Benegal. Associated with many movies, which broke all rules of conventional film-making and created what is known as the "Parallel Cinema Movement": films where there was no hero or heroine, no dances, no melodrama, songs, action and happy endings. These films showed real people, showing real emotions, and the society being the villain and the supporting hero, all at the same time. He gave the film industry, names like Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Govind Nihalani, people fresh out of acting schools, looking for quality work in an industry dominated by mammoth stars like Amitabh Bachhan and Dharmendra, who had a huge fan following. And thankfully, people did take notice to the intellect of this former ad-film maker. This is what I had heard about him, but the first film I saw of him, Sooraj ka Saatvan Ghoda, being aired on Doordarshan, a good 10-15 years, put me to sleep midway through the movie. Commercial, masala fares were my tastes.

After so many years, when a revolution is coming in the world of film-making, when lines between "art" and commercial cinema are blurring, when new-age film-makers are telling stories about us in the most convincing styles, I thought let's see what Mr. Benegal made in those times. Being a movie fanatic, and brought up on a staple of dishoom-dishoom flicks, I thought of changing my tastes, venturing into an unknown territory. I had seen the first half of Zubeidaa on TV and liked it very much..... excellent performances from the cast, and what looked like a great script. Then I heard, that Zubeidaa marked the last part of the trilogy of films written by noted film critic and director Khalid Mohamed and directed by Shyam Benegal, the other 2 being Mammo and Sardari Begum. So, was pretty interested in catching Mammo.

As I have mentioned already, Mammo, Sardari Begum and Zubeidaa are semi-autobiographical (please correct me if I am wrong) stories woven around women who made a telling impact on the life of Khalid Mohamed. Mammo tells the story of Riyaaz (probably based on Mr. Mohamed.... played by the HUGEly underrated actor in films, and a noted theatre actor Rajit Kapur, popularly known as Byomkesh Bakshi), a film writer, who lives with her maternal grandmother
, Fayyaazi (played by Surekha Sikri Rege), after her mother, Zubeidaa's demise. His father, a spineless man, had long ago abandoned him and his mother (shown vividly in the film Zubeidaa). They live in a lower middle class flat in Mumbai. Then begins the flashback when Riyaaz remembers his Mammo Naani, sister of his naani Fayyaazi. Cut to the past when young Riyaaz is around 13-14 years old (played by child actor Amit Phalke), right on the brink of adolescence, with rising curiosity levels coupled with the shame of living a lower middle class lifestyle. One day the doorbell rings and in comes Mehmooda Begum Ahmed Ali or Mammo (played by Farida Jalal) to live with them.

Mammo married Ahmed Ali,against the wishes of his family, in the pre-partition era. Partition saw them moving to Pakistan. Although Mammo couldn't conceive, she was showered with love and affection by her husband. After her husband's death, her in-laws started torturing and ill-treating her. With no one to call her own in Pakistan, she comes to live with her sister Fayyaazi and grandson Riyaaz.

Mammo is a motormouth, extremely blunt but very caring and sweet person, though she has a tendency to follow her heart, much to the displeasure of Riyaaz, who doesn't quite take a special liking towards her. But over time, things start to get better between the two as Mammo starts to become a part of the family.

But there is a problem: Mammo is on a tourist visa to India, so evidently, she could not stay forever in this country. Every time she makes lame excuses just to prolong her stay in India to the officers in the visa office(forgive me for forgetting what those officers are called who raise the time limit for tourist visas). But a sudden twist of fate has her forcibly sent back to Pakistan back the police officers here. What happens to Mammo, Fayyazi and Riyaaz after that?

Though this movie may be named after Mammo, the film tells 2 stories: one of Mammo, of course, and other of young Riyaaz-- his life and friends, his trysts with cigarettes, adult films and pornography, his embarrassment that he is not as wealthy as his friends, his personality quirks, his irritation on seeing a guest trying to become part of his family and his dreams of becoming a writer some day--- all common actions and aspirations of adolescent youngsters.

Actually, there is nothing much happening in the movie, till 90% of the movie is over. It just shows how Fayyazi and Riyaaz have problems adapting to Mammo, who plans to live with them forever, their fights with Mammo, Mammo's talkativeness and her temper. But it is the character of Mammo and the character of Riyaaz which keeps the viewer's interests alive. Two people with mercurial tempers.... and their collision and how a bond starts to develop between them is very well depicted.

This is my first full-fledged, serious viewing of any Shyam Benegal flick, and I am very satisfied with what I saw. Although it may not be path-breaking cinema, it is a very sensitive and poignant depiction of human emotions. I am now looking forward to watching many more movies by Mr. Benegal. There are certain scenes which just break your heart:

1. Riyaaz's outburst when Mammo calls all his friends to his place to give him a surprise party on his birthday.

2. Mammo talking about the trauma of partition.

3. Mammo being dragged away by the police, without even letting pack her bags, and put on the train back to Pakistan.

4. Riyaaz running all the way to the VT station to look for Mammo and their emotional separation.

Though there is one problem which I found in the movie, and that is, there is no mention of what happened to Mammo when she reached Pakistan. She had nobody to call her own there, how did she survive there? and how did she return back to Bombay after a good 10 odd years?

Music wise, there is just one song, but what a song!! written by Gulzar and rendered by Jagjit Singh (need I say more!!), Yeh Faasle Teri Galiyon Ke comes at the very critical points in the film, and enhances the impact of a few scenes, especially when Mammo leaves home after Riyaaz's outburst and Fayaazi and Riyaaz search for her all over Bombay and find her in Haji Ali Dargah, and when Riyaaz and Mammo get separated.

Now over to the performances: Farida Jalal gets a lot of meat in the role of Mammo and she comes up with a sterling performance. It seemed like the role was written having her at the back of the mind. You CANNOT imagine ANY other actor performing such a complex role with effortless ease as she does. She took to the role as a fish takes to water. No surprises that she won the Best Performer-Critics in the Filmfare Awards of 1995. A Fantastic performance!!

In the role of young Riyaaz, Amit Phalke delivers a knockout performance. The role of Riyaaz was of an equal standing to Mammo's. To stand up and hold his own in front of acting powerhouses like Farida Jalal, Surekha Sikri Rege, Himani Shivpuri and Srivallabh Vyas, kudos to Amit Phalke for displaying supreme confidence. And Shyam Benegal also deserves a compliment for extracting such superior performance from a young actor. A performance at par with, if not better than Darsheel Safary's in TZP.

Surekha Sikri Rege as Fayaazi, is pivotal link between Mammo and Riyaaz. She is , as usual, brilliant in her role as she brings out all facets of her character--- as the strict disciplinarian, as the caring grandmother, as the still-a-small-girl-at-heart when she reminisces her childhood with Mammo and as the acid tongued lady in her confrontations with Riyaaz and Mammo.

Among other actors, Himani Shivpuri, as Anwari, and SriVallabh Vyas as her short-tempered husband, are competent and carry off their roles effortlessly. Rajit Kapur is totally wasted as he is there at the start and at the end of the movie..... it is very much like a guest appearance.

Overall, a very heart-warming film by Shyam Benegal. Watch it for feel of real characters, whom you relate to instantly (though lack of any 'masala' stuff in this film does make it boring for people looking for total entertainment)

My Rating: ***1/2

MOVIE REVIEW: THE DARK KNIGHT

There are very few movies made in this world, which have to be experienced. No matter how much I write and advertise (without being paid, of course :-( ), I still won't be able to express all that I saw in those 2 hours and 30 minutes of its running time, into words. I, for the first time in my life, have felt so short on vocabulary, that I would be guilty of using hackneyed phrases throughout this review.

The only movie possibly made which would fit into the above description is (personal opinion) The Lord of the Rings: Return of the king. But, it's time to add another name to the list. Put your hands together for a masterpiece of a movie, which marries technique with style, attitude with the darkness of human psychology, and super-entertainment with a solid story: The Dark Knight.However, what sets TDK far ahead of LOTR- ROTK is that the impact of the trilogy is somehow rolled into one motion picture.

Let's not get into the storyline, because you can find that on imdb.com . Let's get straight into the technicalities:

Hail the emergence of a director, story and screenwriter par excellence, the perfect heir to the throne of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, who goes by the name Christopher Nolan. I have to admit here that this is my first Nolan flick.... I haven't seen any of his movies, including Batman Begins, which itself is said to be a great film, so for me, he is a debutant. And does he impress me or what!!

I have seen the 3 parts of Spiderman series, directed by Sam Raimi. They were highly entertaining to say the least. But still, you know for a fact that everything shown on that 70mm screen is make-believe...total farce, somewhat similar to a roller-coaster ride-- high adrenaline-pumping action, some dollops of romantic moments and a smattering of emotions and voila... u get a summer blockbuster!! Total masala fare, as we put it.

But what happens with TDK is at a much deeper level. The story is make-believe all right, but still, one part of you doesn't think this is all farce... one-part of you believes this can happen, or this may happen, or this is happening, and this is where you know this is much more than pure masala entertainment. It addresses fears and insecurities deep down in human psychology, the dark and the evil streak in each one of us, which we conceal skillfully in our everyday dealings with people. We are made to believe that all we need is that trigger, that spark, that initiation to let loose our evil sides..... and you don't have to be blessed with super powers to do that. How an ordinary man, gets into the psyche of every person in Gotham City, including Batman himself, and then unleashes terror on the entire city, forms the storyline. You can fight villains, freaks with super-powers, cyborgs, machines...... how can you fight with your own mind??

All you can do is just salute the genius of Nolan, who has turned this comic-book hero franchise on its head, and lent a certain degree of gravity to the protagonist and has made him more human. Truly Exceptional!!!

Christian Bale ,as the Batman, is very good. He exudes a certain degree of flair, sophistication and charisma, which a character like Bruce Wayne deserves. He is equally effective as the Batman. The battles, both physical and mental, are excellently portrayed by this fine actor.

Aaron Eckhart, who plays the role of Harvey Dent, is also very good and likeable, in both his roles, especially in the role of Two-Face.... he enhances the effect that the antagonist has on people, being absolutely misguided and brainwashed, and on his path of self-destruction, punishing everybody who he thinks has wronged him.

Among other actors, Morgan Freeman, Maggie Gyllenhal and Michael Caine are adequate for their parts. Gary Oldman is very dependable in his portrayal.

The action sequences are FANTASTIC to say the least, but you kind of expect that kind of action from a Hollywood film, that too, if its a super-hero flick. Still, your heart threatens to jump out of your chest at the very sight of those scenes, especially the one big sequence before the interval.

And last, and dare I call it the least!!, the most towering performance by any actor worth his salt in the entire history of world cinema. You really are forced to stand on your seats and with outstretched hands, celebrate the performance of a lifetime by an actor, who would have catapulted straight, not into super-stardom, but into the status of an acting legend, had he been alive today. Heath Ledger!!! YOU ARE IMMORTALISED in the role of the Joker!! and my sympathies with the actor who dares to take on this role, ever in future. To say that Ledger delivers a knockout performance is demeaning his rendition of the Joker as it is one thing to perform a role and another to LIVE a role. If you roll every negative emotion present in this world...... anger, sadness,jealousy, betrayal, revenge..... and create a man out of it with all the insanity present in this world, he still wouldn't match up to the devil called Joker. A character so sinister, diabolical and infernal, he is Satan incarnate. And you know what?? you celebrate his antics, his confident moves towards aimlessness.... he doesn't want money or power, all he seeks is sadistic gratification, his efforts to satisfy the insatiable hunger for terror. So much so that Batman seems like a side-kick to him, and you are on Joker's side. Such is the impact!!!! I have nothing else left to say, so I'll quote a fan who said: " The Joker played the role of Heath Ledger extremely well in real life, but in TDK he attained nirvana". SIMPLY STUPENDOUS!!!

All in all, a request from the bottom of my heart: DO NOT COMMIT THE SIN OF GIVING THIS MOVIE A MISS!!!....and PLEASE watch it in the cinema hall (preferably an IMAX screen)... watching it live and streaming over the Internet will kill the movie and the experience.


My Rating: ***** (SIMPLY FANTABULOUS!!)

MOVIE REVIEW: HAAL-E-DIL

I don't know what got into me before I started to watch this movie; with absolutely no buzz surrounding this film, no popular songs and the most outdated of promos running on the television channels, I was surprised at myself. Well, after the movie got over, the emotions were the same as I thought "What, in this big world, made me see THIS FILM!!!". After the film got over, I was continuously thinking and trying to figure out, what exactly was the story of this film.

Well, I have still been not able to recollect what exactly the story was, so I'll write what I saw without revealing the whole plot (waise there is no point not revealing it, because anyways, its not worth watching, but still, for some die-hard film aficionados who HAVE to watch every film made in the world (I know some people like that ;-) ):

Girl(Amita Pathak) meets boy no. 1(Adhyayan Suman), both fall in love amidst light, misty mountains and their love blooms with the flowers in the valleys. Girl comes to Mumbai and, on her way back to the valleys and mountains, meets boy no.2 (Nakuul Mehta) in the train. Now, boy no.2 is the quintessential naughty-boy-with-a-heart-of-gold (sounds like Saawariya??). Boy 2 loves girl 1, but girl 1 loves boy 1. So, boy 2 tries to win her heart in all the weird ways possible. That's, perhaps, it.

As the movie starts, you can't help but burst out laughing, seeing the way boy 1 meets girl. I thought such hero-heroine intros were gone, right at the start of the new millenium. The boy and gal ka takraana, dono ka chakraana and then pahaad k kone pe khade hoke naach-gaana. But you still want forgive them for a false start. As the scenes unfold and boy 2 is introduced(supposed to evoke mirth, but too loud a humour to burst out laughing, still innovative entry, better than the boy-gal one) and the sequences in the train thereafter, give you a sense of deja vu. The film first tries to copy the evergreen classic, DDLJ, in the initial train sequences, when boy 2 starts irritating the girl. Then, when boy 2 and girl miss their train at a station, you are reminded of Jab We Met. After that, I just don't know what happened;its just a collection of scenes, which are there to fill up some screen time, perhaps because without them, the film's running time would have been just 1 hour.

On the positive side, the film is very well shot. The landscapes of Simla(supposedly, though I am sure it is Switzerland) and Ladakh look stunning.

The flip side: Err..... where is the story???, the characterizations are very very 80s and early 90s, ie, too good to be true (especially the character of Shekhar), the music is very weak barring the title track, the absence of a hit number is felt, more so because this is a romantic flick, and the second half is a huge drag, especially the forest scenes.

The performances: Amita Pathak, being the daughter of the producer Kumar Mangat, is present in every scene of the movie. This becomes a bit irritating, though she acts well. Secondly, she looked very plain and plump in the film, so the sequences where the 2 heroes fall in love with her, in first sight look the least convincing. In fact, they are funny. Perhaps, a better script would have lent more gravity in her performance, but she did well in whatever she was made to do.

Nakuul Mehta is given a character, very very similar to Ranbir Kapoor's in Saawariya. Plus, his expressions remind you of Hrithik Roshan, and his dialogue delivery, of Shahid Kapoor. He is totally let down by a pathetic script and a badly characterized role, though his sincerity shows in every scene and he gives a good account of himself in whatever he is offered.

Adhyayan Suman. Was THIS his debut movie? It looked more like a guest appearance. He is there for not more than three or four 5-minute scenes. Still, he shows some spark in whatever bits he is offered. He certainly deserved a better movie and more flesh in the role to begin his acting career. He is totally wasted in this film.

On the whole, please don't waste your time over this film. There are better ways to utilize both your time and your money. TOTAL NONSENSE!!!

My Rating: *

MOVIE REVIEW: THE BLUE UMBRELLA (Chhatri Chor)

Two reviews in 2 days!! I certainly some free time to kill on my hands!!

The Blue Umbrella is a Vishal Bharadwaj adaptation of a novella of the same name, written by the great Ruskin Bond. Vishal Bharadwaj started off with a bang as a music director in Maachis, and as a director with Makdee, which was also an award-winning children's film. He is, again, part of the brigade of new directors with a mint-fresh approach to the entire process of film-making. Personally, I feel he is the new-age Gulzar. Extremely versatile, he has shown that he can handle light-hearted films like The Blue Umbrella and Makdee with as much deftness, as he handles serious, dark and brooding films like Maqbool and Omkara. This is Vishal's third adaptation of a novella/story after Maqbool (based on Shakespeare's Macbeth) and Omkara(again, Shakespeare's Othello).

The storyline of the film is simple yet deep, metaphorically. Biniya is the livewire of a small hamlet, somewhere in Himachal Pradesh, and the people of the village adore her. Nandkishore Khatri is a local tea-stall owner, who is known to be a miser and a very self-centered person. One day, Biniya discovers a beautiful Japanese umbrella and exchanges her necklet for it. As she flaunts her umbrella around the village, it becomes the envy of many, including Nandkishore Khatri and he desires it intensely. Then one fine day, the umbrella is stolen, and Biniya's suspects Nandkishore of stealing it, though she has no proof. How Biniya finds her missing umbrella and what happens to Nandkishore Khatri after that forms the rest of the story.

Thank you ,Vishal Bharadwaj, for bringing innocence back into cinema. In an age, where skin-show, titillation, foul-language and gore seems to be the in-thing in cinema, without which films are doomed, he brings back the freshness of childhood. The movie makes us get in touch with the child in each one of us, makes us rid the vulgarity of popular cinema, for those 1 and a half hours of its running time.

Thank you, for retaining the mood that a Ruskin Bond novel has. Everybody, at some point in their lives, must've read a short-story or its excerpt by Ruskin Bond, either as leisure pleasure or as part of their curriculum (like I had in DPS, Vasant Kunj, my school), and would be familiar with the mood he sets in every story of his. The style of narration is subtle, simple and easy to comprehend. The language is simple, and the aura it creates, makes even the hot afternoon feel cool. Vishal Bharadwaj has not just copied the story and made it into a screenplay, he has got into the soul of the author.

Thank you, for lending some respect to children's intellect.Mind you, this is a children's film and not a childish film. Many people, in their attempt to please the children, try and make immature and childish movies, with zilch script, and oversmart characters who think on their feet, already have a way out of trouble, and the most pathetic part, assign 'Formula No.s' to each of their ingenious ideas. Which kid does that??? The director shows his maturity by showing kids very normal in their behavior and not little geniuses.

And, lastly, thank you for making us realize once again, what an underrated actor Pankaj Kapur is. To say he is fantastic is making a huge understatement. HE IS SUPERLATIVE!!! His character, though having shades of grey, is very human. His accent, dialogue-delivery, mannerisms, expressions, chemistry with the character of Biniya and the lust for the umbrella, are so perfect that they look endearing even though the actions lack moral justification. If Abbaji of Maqbool was a performance at the highest level, Nandkishore Khatri comes a very very close second.

Special thanks, to Samir Chanda (Art Director) and Sachin K. Krishn (Cinematographer), for capturing the beauty of Himachal. It looked more gorgeous than the Swiss Alps. The setting itself is a character, the hamlet has a soul of its own.

Vishal Bharadwaj, the director excels because Vishal Bharadwaj, the writer, the screenwriter, the dialogue writer and the music director lend adequate support. The dialogues deserve special mention: they are acidic and well-worded. Note the scene right near the end when Nandkishore Khatri goes for a shave; the impact of the dialogues and the expressions of Pankaj Kapur on hearing those, totally break your heart. Very tight story and screenplay, the film not for a moment drags.The metaphorical use of the summer, bright and sunny, and winter, cold and barren, shows the stamp of a creative genius. Music, though not popular, blends in well with the mood. He also extracts a solid performance out of Shreya Sharma (Biniya); standing up to an acting powerhouse like Pankaj Kapur requires supreme confidence which she displays quite well.

All in all: Please don't think this is boring, preachy art-house cinema. Also, please don't think this is only meant for children. This film is 90 mins of pure magic; give yourself a break from the same old pelvic-swinging item song and micro-mini stuff, that would in any case go on and on forever.

My Rating : **** and half (One of my all-time favourites)

MOVIE REVIEW: AAMIR

My very first blog , and starting it with the thing i love doing the most: writing film reviews

'Aamir'. I guess this is some sort of a magic word in the world of Indian cinema. Whichever movie this word is associated with, the movie guarantees top quality.

It's time to take your hats off and applaud a masterpiece of a debut by writer and director, Rajkumar Gupta, and the lead actor, Rajeev Khandelwal. Aamir is, by far, the best film to come out in 2008.

Hindi cinema is going through a revolution of sorts. New-age filmmakers, with fresh,gripping story lines and tight storytelling techniques are coming to the fore. The trend, sparked by filmmakers like Ashutosh Gowariker, Farhan Akhtar and Vishal Bharadwaj, is spreading like wild-fire, and has proven that, Indian cinema is much more than 7 songs, 3 emotional , 2 romantic, and 4 fight scenes. No surprises, therefore, that Indian cinema is being noticed internationally.

Coming back to the film, Aamir tells the story of Aamir Ali(Rajeev Khandelwal), a doctor, coming home to Mumbai, from London, to meet his family. How a supposedly harmless mobile phone, leads to a nightmare of a lifetime for Aamir, as he waddles through the unglamorous, shady bylanes of Mumbai, forms the rest of the story.

The film should not be considered art-house or 'boring' cinema: technically, the film is very slick. Its a thriller which does keep you at the edge of your seats. The editing, which has to be perfect for this genre, is brilliant. Camera-work is top-notch, and the power of the slow-motion camera work is shown brilliantly to convey the tension. There are no songs or love angles in the film, and that's a relief; the impact would have been nulled by the presence of even one song, out of place.

Very rarely does one come across a film, where the Hero is the Script. When the script is the hero and the technique is the heroine, the film is a winner. Then even the most filthy of places look better than the landscapes of Switzerland and the most common of faces have more charisma than Amitabh Bachhan. A case in point is the Colin Farell starrer Phonebooth. But note that Aamir is not by any stretch of the imagination, a copy of Phonebooth. The only thing common is a helpless man caught with a telephone in his hands, that is it.

Aamir is a film which addresses a topic of today, which has been viewed with a one-dimensional perspective by the majority. Rajkumar Gupta, presents another dimension, his own interpretation and his own opinion on the issue. The film shocks you. No one, at least your's truly, would have ever thought of viewing the issue from the perspective of the writer, and this is where lies the success of the writer. Right from the first few scenes, where Aamir Ali's baggage is checked, to the last scene, the writer compels you to think. Kudos to Rajkumar Gupta for daring to tread the path less traveled, and also proving the fact that it is easy to produce hit films but very difficult to produce good films. BRILLIANT!!

Rajeev Khandelwal, a well-known face on TV, demonstrates his intelligence and knowledge of his art with Aamir. When every other TV actor is desperate to get that elusive film role, and pouncing on the very first offer, regardless of the story, the director, the team and the production house involved, ending up making a fool out of himself on 70 mm ( Amarr Upadhyay and Aman Verma being cases in point), Khandelwal shows good thinking. Moreover, when every debutant today is expected to be a Hrithik Roshan: good looking, ribbed body, excellent dancer and a decent actor, here comes an ACTOR, who doesn't aspire to become an overnight sensation. He follows the Irrfan Khan-KK-Vinay Pathak-Ranvir Sheorey school of acting, giving a solid performance rather than showing off his charisma on-screen. He comes across totally believable: he is as normal as you and me, he feels puzzled when he is made run across Mumbai, feels angry,desperate, frustrated, helpless and surrenders at the end. A SCINTILLATING DEBUT!!

Overall, I have just 2 words for this film : FABULOUS and EYE-OPENER!!!! A Must-watch for anyone who loves quality cinema.

My Rating: ****







* : kabaad!!
** : theek theek
*** : acchi film hai!
**** : phaad!!!
*****: dharti-phod!!