Movie Review: Ajab p…ppp…fff..frame ki ggga…ga…gg..jab Kahani

Beat this – you are walking down the street with your girlfriend, and someone stops you and asks you if you are interested in a trip to Hawaii. All for 50 bucks. You say yes, very eagerly so. The dude then points you to the latest brand of Hawaii chappal. All for 50 bucks. That’s what Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani Is.

It’s  A-JAB to break your FRAME.  APKGK is A movie that Santoshi made PK .

I had walked into the theater with high hopes, expecting to see a movie which was going to be different (these guys have also come up with APKGK comics as well, hum-tum style). The theater was housefull. India had just lost a match despite a thunderous innings from Sachin while chasing 351. The mood was somber, and a good light hearted comedy could have just been the right solution. But alas – Indian film-makers are rapists. They try to get you in a corner and rape you.  Of your sensibilities, money, and worst of all, your sense of humor.

The movie starts with a random Lord Hastings’ (or some Lord from Brit Era) mannequin harassing a dumb reporter looking for an “Ajab” story in this unnamed place, where nobody is to be seen. I knew that it’s likely going all downhill from here. But I had paid 300 bucks, and I had liked some of the songs. And I knew that Katrina Kaif was yet to come. At least there will be some visual delight in the movie.  That’s what I meant by cornering the unsuspecting audience like me.

After introducing an extremely over the top Ranbir Kapoor who has no idea why the bloody character of Prem was created in the first place, they introduce a “talking” Katz. C’mon, give me a break. Who pays money to hear Katz talk. She is supposed to walk in, look good, wear good dresses, smile a little, mumble some innocuous things, and dance, and make merry and leave. I would like to believe that Biwi is also usually happy to see Katz, for she might get some good dress, pumps and boot ideas.  But Santoshi does the unthinkable. She wants Katz to act. So here she is, stammering when she is upset, trying to act out of her skin. Totally justifying the salary she might be getting, she gets emotional, defends a set of mean foster parents, goes around town with Frame (that’s what it sounds like when Jenny calls out for Prem), and in the whole process, disappoints us beyond redemption. Sometimes, I wonder if the stammer-when-I-am-upset track was introduced simply to cover for Katz’s exquisity dialogue delivery.

Prem hangs out perennially with his friends, helping other people elope with their lovers. Not doing anything worthwhile, he runs happy club, which has no members, apparently. People come to play carrom, TT, etc. to happy club. And Prem is the smartest cookie in town, who is 9^th fail, and he also stammers when upset. The character is so over the top that in one scene he actually falls from the top of a cliff, bicycle and thief asunder. The same thief vows revenge, and later becomes Don bhai, but the director forgets to remind him of his earlier reason of anger with Frame.  And so, they indulge in Priyadarshan style mindless fight scene where everyone is hitting everyone.

To be honest, I don’t have anything against Ranbir. I liked him in the bad movie Bachna Ae Haseeno, as well as the good movie “wake up sid”. I think the dood has potential if he can get over his doped look. But he is like Yuvraj Singh right now. Got sweet timing does not mean you can hit every ball outta the park. The characterization of frame is all over the place. In one shot, he is good for nothing. In another, he makes more than 5k per month just working as a halwai shop assistant. He walks to the halwai shop in a tie and shirt. Indian halwais sure are sure going places.

The worst though is reserved for a so-called special appearance from “Upen Patel”. Remember the UK return patel duuuude, who has acted in several movies as the sidekick now (like 36 China Town, Namastey London, etc.). His accent in the movie is thicker than waddi glass of lassi from Punjab, and surely thicker than Katz’s accent. He is a dude who is ready to settle down in Frankfurt and buy a Ferrai for Katz (Jenny). Frankfurt-Ferrari-Ferrari-Frankfurt.. you know.. the works… yeah yeah.. And buys a 1.5 Crore necklace for Jenny. And Jenny leaves him still. It’s got to be his extremely amazing histrionic skills that embarrassed Katz. How can I be seen with someone who looks like a patchwork and acts worse than Sunil Shetty in Balwan!!!

There are some saving graces – the best scenes of the movie are reserved for baap-beta interactions between Ranbir and Darshan Zariwala. Even though an extremely loud and hamming performance, Darshan still manages to deliver a few really funny ones.  Smita Jaykar as the mother is absolutely wonderful, especially in the scene where she is trying to stop Darshan from going to the bathroom because Katz is already in there. There is one scene where Ranbir comes with Jenny to a dance party. Slightly OTT, but Ranbir is fabulous in that scene.

The songs are good. But usually misplaced. In one song (kaise batayein), you almost get a feeling that it’s a Diamond ad. Not my company Diamond, but like a real Diamond. The kinds where actresses are wearing blank long dresses, and the brightness is artificially low, so that the glitter of the diamond is for everyone to see. Remember? Yeah, that kinds.  In another song, the whole city dances singing “Prem ki naiya hai ram ke bharose”. Yep. And it seems Allah Meherbaan to Gadha Pehelwaan. Nikhat Kazmi finds the movie to be worth four bloody stars. And I am sure there are others in his (or her?) ilk, who will find the movie adorable because Ranbir and Katz just look gorgeous on the screen.  Or, something like that.

In Masand style – I will go in with 1 star for this one, since it’s a bad movie, with a bad story, with bad characterizations, supported by bad acting and bad direction and  bad editing. The one star is for good songs, Smita Jaykar, and the Turkey shots in Kaise Batayein (given my recent trip to Turkey, I have an attachment to the place).

 

p.s. Turkey shots? ahem ahem… i am trying to imagine what it would be like to take turkey shots!! quite disturbing i guess!

The Show Must Go On..

I must not forget, in my recent state of mind, that much of what I crap on this blog is about bollywood.. And as an act of defiance, I shall continue being the buff that I am, who is not going to step into the theatres or enjoy life. YSo, here is a lowdown on all that I have seen recently.

1. Oye Lucky Lucky Oye - Good movie. Great comic timing. Some awesomely likable performances, 

a script laden with subtle nuances for those who understand Delhi, serious comedy (and I mean it in a serious way, not a comic way), lots of puns, great attention to detail. But, a tad too slow at times. And a bit repetitive on the stealing track. Plus, assumes the viewer to be intelligent. Should do roaringly well in Delhi and around. May not do well south of Jaipur, I would think. But if you’ve been to Delhi, loved/hated some of the idiosyncracies about Delhi and Delhiites – must watch. 7.5 on 10 (I have spent 10 years in Delhi!). “Oye lucky, commissioner saab tera in-tero-diction khood kirayenge.” “Sirji, posh kaloney ka kutta hai.. angreji mein bulao.. come come bol ke”

2. Sorry Bhai - Simply awesome. Chitrangada is hot. Sharman and Shabana have acted at a different level. 

Boman, after a while, has not been wasted, and has great comic timing. Sanjay Suri.. well, he need not have been there. But to be fair to the dude, has not spoilt the movie either. And yeah, Chitrangada, but for a couple of places, has acted beautifully well. The script is a whiff of fresh air. Its light, comical, flawed but pleasant kinds. The kinds that Hugh Grant has popularized. Awkward situations, simple stuff. And the use of Mauritian locales is quite nice. Actually made me wonder if I should plan a trip there soon. Downer – the music is quite average.  OVERALL – MUST MUST WATCH. 9 on 10

 

3. Yuvvraaj - Run while you still have some energy left. Much as I have avoided all of Subhash Ghai movies recently, here is a movie that I thought 

would put the SG of Karma and Hero era back. But I was overestimating him. I think he has lost it. The movie, Sallu dear in the movie, the script, dialogues, etc etc are downright pathetic. The only couple of things good about the movie – I do like the music somewhat, Katrina still looks beautiful, and the Prague and other locales used are beautifully shot. Rating – 0. Because I couldnt survive the movie. It would be unfair to even rate this movie and say that I was read to evaluate it. 

 

4. Quantum of Solace – Watch it if you like good action movies. 

Don’t watch it based on the hyperbolic expectations set by Casino Royale (which to me, seems like one of the best bond movies ever). The movie has a lot of good things. But, its not a bond movie. Its very different. This bond is more angry than suave. The country-skips are far too frequent. The gadgetry is largely missing. This movie is not a stand-alone bond adventure, and it seems like the next one is gonne be one either. This movie requires you to remember what happened in Casino Royale, and the whole Vesper Lynd plot. Not that I mind recalling how beautiful Vesper was! The plot is not as thick and intriguing and most of the villains are buffoons. The ladies, not as interesting. And Bond’s escapades, not so glorious. Judi Dench is still endearing though. And quite interestingly, the establishment is fallible. Quite fallible. But, its a movie in the Bourne genre of films, and should be an interesting watch nevertheless. Rating – 7 on 10.

5. Dasvidaaniya - Awesome. Quite awesome. I think you can call Vinay Pathak the Om Puri/Amol Palekar kinds of this era. He just makes it so believable. And has great variety. With the basic premise borrowed from “The bucket list”, I found the treatment to be totally new, especially considering that the protagonist dies in the end. But the movie is not about death. Its about life. its about simplicity. There is an irrelevant and idiotic track in the movie where Vinay falls in love with a Russian. Barring that, the movie seemed quite perfect to me. It made me smile, sombre, quiet, emotional. But never did it depress me. The movie does not take away hope, even for a moment. And the support cast, like Sarita Joshi, Rajat Kapoor, Ranvir shorey, et al are so unobtrusive and relevant. I loved Saurabh Shukla as Pathak’s boss, and Sarita Joshi as his Mom. Now that I look back at the movie in the light of Mumbai terror attacks and how fleeting a moment your entire life can be, I love the movie a lot more. Must Watch – Rating – 9 on 10. 

6. Dostana - Decent. Good fun. Has it fair share of comic moments. Has its marked in bold, dark outrageous colors, stamp of Karan Johar all over the movie. Priyanka is dressed exquisitely well, and Abhishek actually looks gay, the way he’s dressed up (or rather, the gay stereotype that so many movies have created). Boman was over the top. Bobby Deol was clueless and ok in equal measures. John Abraham, for a change, hasnt acted badly. He has managed to carry his own. But the sparkling performance of the movie is Abhishek. Priyanka is good as well. The hilarious moment of the movie belongs to Kiron Kher, when she welcomes John as the bahu/damaad of the family. Music catches on and is hummable. Whats with the recent flurry of punjabi tracks. Is no other state in India capable of producing catchy dance numbers? Anyway, K-Jo has an ace here. This movie will do great business in the  metro centers and abroad. It might already have done so. K-jo was blogging about his success here.  But the downers for me are K-JOness of the movie, a fair bit of stereotyping, loud, slow at many points (thum rule – if a movie gives you a chance to look at your blackberry and see if there is a new mail, thats a downer), unrealistic glossiness, and some of the fall-flat kinda humor.  Rating – 6.5  on 10.  Do watch it for some light hearted fun.

Music Review: Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi

 

RabNeBanaDiJodi (*ing Shahrukh Amol Palekar Khan)

 

This is the latest trend music – glossy YR Films or a lookalike movie (OSO, Bachna Ae Haseeno, Race, Dostana etc.) with about 6-7 songs – one romantic number, one sad song sung by (usually) Shreya Ghoshal or Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, a peppy number by (usually) Sunidhi Chauhan where some dude named Blaze uses words that I dont understand the meaning of,and lastly, if its not getting covered in the above categories, a song by Sukhwinder Singh/ Atif Aslam. One song per singer in the movie is the new paradigm. Remix of 1-2 sings in the main album itself is another (they are just not letting some the remixing DJs survive, I tell you!)

 

Look back at some of the musical hits that fall in the glossy category this year, and you will know what I mean.

Anyway, how does Rab ne bana di jodi fit on the trend line -

1. Romantic Song - Haule Haule belongs to the combo of Sukhwindar and romantic category. Or, you can add, TUjh mein rab dikhta hai
2. Sad - The shreya ghoshal version of Tujhme rab dikhta hai
3. Fun – Dance pe chance by Sunidhi 
4. Remix – Dance pe chance remix
5. Rahat/Atif not in this album. Ably replaced by Sonu Nigam and Roop Kumar Rathod.

Now – what do I think of the music? 

If you are ready to forget and forgive Aditya Chopra for setting expectations through DDLJ and Mohabattein, the music is not that bad. But if you are looking for that charm, forget it!! Salim Suleiman, do not even meet their own high standards! 

Haule Haule, as can be seen through the new found popularity of the RNBDJ promos, is the pick of the lot. Sukhwindar adds a lot of soul to the sing, the punjabi touches, and a lot of passion. It grows on you. And it is growing on me! Another Sukhi ace! 

Tujhme Rab dikhta hai - its a good song, but it does not hit you that hard. Shreya Ghoshal version is better than Roop Kumar Rathod version (probably because its sadder). I am a sucker for sad songs. 

Dance Pe Chance – Average joe. Will catch on as the song is promo-ed on air. Thats my forecasting model talking. But not my heart. Shut up and bounce is catchier than this one! 

Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte - is a spoof song. With lyrics made up of songs and hindi movie names of yester years. So.. my guess is that again, the picturisation of the song will do the trick. Otherwise, very difficult to hum along, and not that great either. 

 

Overall -
I would give it a 3 on 5 – Average – because the singers do put in a lot of heart behind the songs which are quite average. Recommendation – download/stream and listen. If you like it, buy the CD. 

 

Passing Thought – Do you also think the Sonu Nigam is loosing his touch with singing? I think his voice is flattening out now

Movie Review: A Wednesday

I saw “A Wednesday” yesterday. And here is what I think – its a superb muvee. And if better not wait till a wednesday to watch this movie. Watch it TODAY!

Its a movie driven by 2 big factors-  and I am counting some great acting by Naseer, Kher, Shergill and Bashir as just one of them. The other is some very tight editing. All of about 100 minutes, the movie keeps you with the motions all through. And there are these minor subtleties, attention to detail that you should/can not miss.

Coming to a detailed download of what I really liked -

Lead actors-  Nobody doubts their skills anyway. But Naseeruddin Shah and Anupam Kher are talents that have been wasted more often than they have been utilized by mainstream bollywood. Some of their finest performances are relegated to the perjoratively called parallel cinema. But here comes a movie, where Naseer crafts yet another mindblowing performance. And needless to say, he does not need to Ham, speak too many dialogues, get into mindless histrionics, and break into a song and dance routine to do this. From the first shot, his body language is that of a frustrated common man trying to game the system. There is nothing about him that makes him stand out from the crowd. Anupam Kher, on the other hand, is the second in command here. A more routine role of a Police Commissioner does not stop him from acting his heart out though. You can see an officer worn with age and different frustrations, and who has started getting amused by the trivialities of a police job (such as an actor running for security at the first possible threat, or using the minority card for no reason or the innumerable times he might have been forced to submit under political pressure). I read somewhere that the only scene where these actors come together, Anupam wanted it re-shot simply because he felt that he did not play his part as well as Naseer played his. When you see the scene, you realize that there is nothing that either of the two could have done better in that shot.

Lest I forget mentioning Jimmy Shergill and Amir Bashir – these two have done a great job. Its good to see Jimmy Shergill stick to what he is good at. A restrained and angry role. With a bare minimum set of dialogues, you still see his screen presence. Amir Bashir is equally good as the dependable cop. The bus scene where the extremists are trying to instigate the two and bothe Jimmy and Amir are not speaking, their face expressions are wonderful.

Others are ok, and have carried the movie through. Because of these four, they largely becamme unnoticeable. Especially, Deepal Shaw.

Story – Refreshing, to say the least. The best thing – they never reveal the name of the commoner out to game the system lest it be construed as a religion sentiment. Because the movie, in my head, belongs to the genre of thrillers, and not as much to the genre of “serious cinema”. There are a lot of implicitly answered questions which a lot of movies spend too much time answering. Commissioner having clear ideas about an encounter, or him realizing that there are no bombs and yet ordering the final acquiescence. The entire room changing their personal stand on the situation without altering their professional stand.

Simplicity – the story is not about using too many gizmos and gadgets to befuddle the system. It uses basic information that probably is available on the internet to blow the daylights out of an outdated system. At some point, a young college dropout says as much to the commissioner of police. It treats the story like a common man’s set of questions – whats stopping the terrorists to bomb this particular local railway station? Where is the security? These fat hawaldars? What if I just leave a bag somewhere here? Can I hack someone’s cell? etc.

Editing/Direction – its all of 100 minutes long. And does not lose you at any point in the movie. Keeps moving. At quick pace. Its moving at such a pace that even Naseer looking at his watch looks like an aberration! Neeraj Pandey – You rock!  Sorry – Pandey ji!! You rock!

Overall – please please watch it. It is shameful that we keep saying that bolllywood does not come up with good cinema, and let these occasional wonderful movies not become the commercial successes that they deserve to be!

Movie Review: Singh is Kinng

I will try to be honest.. about what comes to my mind now when I see this picture

Humpe ye kisne.. hara rang daala
maar daala… allah.. maar daala….

So.. I watched one of the kinngs of bollywood (SRK is one, AB is another, Aamir K is a third.. and Akki is the fourth) take the screen in a pre-premier show at PVR Goregaon. (I like the sound of the ringing NNNNNNs in Kinng… reminds me of Bheja Fry – It is ringing)…

And here are my two conflicting thoughts about the movie -

1. The movie is going to be a hit. One of the bigger hits of the year.
2. The movie is trash! Barring the occasional comic moments, the movie is a mindless creeper that takes 140 minutes to get over!

Ek Color Ke Terah Patte, Lekin Sab Mein Hai Ik King….
Read that as – there are several trashy movies like this, but there is a kind even amongst them! And most likely, Akki has another hit up his someplace yet again!

I went through a lot of emotions as I watched the movie. Some of it were related to my views on the movie. Some of it were related to my constant urge to check my mails in a hope that my colleagues in US would have something more sensible than Anees Bazmee’s crapshoot. In the end, the emotions had a similar flavor – Disappointment.

Akshay Kumar as Happy Singh manages to board a flight to Egypt while going for Australia. With no cash in his pocket, manages to go around Egypt with a hot chick. And Singh Sings and is Happy. Lands in Australia and meets the biggest underworld kinng (Sonu Sood) within an hour of landing (with no money and address of course!). Becomes an underworld kinng in the next 20 mins. Is Happy. Has a roadside lady pose as a rich woman at his mafia world’s expense – because the lady’s daughter does not know that her family is not rich anymore (sigh!) – while the henchmen play Yes Boss! More Sing-hing (its a different matter that Hing (asfoetida) is a pungent smelling thing added to some Indian dishes). And a whole lot of Priyadarshan Movie Climax scenes where humor is dependent on how clumsy people can be, and how outrageous the scene is. All this in 140 minutes (Yeah.. you do keep counting minutes!). Paisa Vasool.

Its a movie full of cliches, hamming, and average performances. In my book, it would be a below average movie. And being the bollywood buff I am, who can watch any trash, and being one who has no issues with leaving his mind outside the theater, I think I have a right to be unhappy (the pun on the name intended). The movie does not live up to the hype it created.

Now you may ask me – If everything is so bad, why is the movie going to be a hit. WELL .. I did not like Om Shanti Om that much.. and it became a rage. I hated Race. And from what I understand, its one of the biggest grossers of the year. And this movie belongs to the OSO genre of mindlessness. But beyond all this, there are some extremely funny moments and dialogues in the movie. Javed Jafferi in a loud role manages to create some cool moments. Yashpal Sharma manages to pull off another good comic performance. Katrina Kaif looks gorgeous as ever… and whether Sallu likes it or not, there is chemistry between KK and AK. Music is quite a rage already. Title track is going to be an anthem!

Anees Bazmee amazes me – Based on his IMDB record as a director, he cannot give two consecutive good ones. No Entry and Welcome had Sandwich and Benaam sandwiched in the middle. And before that, Deewangee came after Pyaar to Hona Hi Tha, which followed hulchul! Such variety!

I should have been careful!

At a certain point, a dialogue is – Ye aadmi to itna buddha hai ki sarkari naukri mein hota to ab tak teen baar retire kar chuka hota…. well…

Btw.. one really good thing about the show I watched – Trailers of 1. Kidnap, 2. The Last Lear, 3. Heroes and 4. Victory. Most of these movies – I did not have much idea about. Of these, Kidnap has Imran Khan (of Jane Tu Ya Jane Na) in an angry young man role taking Sanjay Dutt on. Last Lear is something I am looking forward to – Amitabh Bachan, Preity Zinta, Rituparno Ghosh, “Arindam Chaudhuri”, etc etc..

Movie Review: Sarkar Raj

[Caution - some spoilers ahead!]

So, I watched Sarkar Raj over the weekend. What do I think? I think its a good watch. And I have my reasons for it.

Amitabh Bachchan is out there to prove why he is better than 5-10 great actors put together. The versatility of this man is mind boggling. From being the father who has passed the throne on to his son, to the hapless father mourning over his dead elder son, to the father trying to give that last smile to his dying other son, and to the man who is Sarkar. The way his spine straightens, sleeves fold and the voice resembles the sign of authority that would have defined a Sarkar in the last 15 minutes of the movie is stuff that legendary actors are made of.

I think Abhishek has, after Guru, finally managed to deliver the goods. Its a movie that belongs to him for the first 3 quarters, and he does not disappoint.

Phenomenal Camerawork. I would like to request all readers to watch out for camerawork nuances. My favorites – the poignant discussion scenes between AB and AB Jr., and the shot where Ash and AB Jr are talking about the most difficult decision of his life. The way camera apes a swing with the subtlety of emotions in a doldrum is poetically beautiful. Use of lights, sepia tint, panoramic views (when Somji is delivering his speech)… the movie is littered with classic camerawork. There should be at least 50-odd stills from this movie worth turning into posters.

Good editing. Proof – The movie is just about 2 hours long. Songs are in the background; there isnt much time wasted on digressing romantic stuff and unnecessary politics. The movie maintains a good mix of extremely fast paced events and adds a deliberate touch to them. Its like a painter trying to give a body to city chaos without using loud colors.

The movie has some amazing one-liners- kisi ko maarna jurm hai, magar sahi waqt par maarna.. Rajneeti! Or, paas ke nuksaan ke liye door ka faayda nahi bhoolna chahiye.. Or, Log log hote hain, sambhaal loonga

And this movie looks as good, or even better than Sarkar. Sarkar was good, but was longer, meandering and multiple sub-plots.

Bad thing - Ash. And the fact that RGV picks Ash to be the next heir apparent of Sarkar, before Cheeku comes in.

All in all, I think its a good thriller to watch. And not to miss out on the suspense angle. Its one of the better disguised suspense angles that I have seen in the recent times.

Technorati Tags: Sarkar Raj, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan, Ram Gopal Varma, Bollywood, Movie Review

Movie Review: Winning the RACE hands down

In the last one year, bollywood has dished out some amazing crap. There have been movies like Goal, Strangers, Sunday, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Ta Ra Rum Pum, etc etc. But RACE beats them all hands down. It’s downright pathetic.

First thought after the movie ended – After every 15 minutes, Abbas Mastan realized that they have already done a lot of (in)justice to the current plot and so, they need a twist. Net result- a movie where everything has a twisted touch. Ouch for me! I don’t have that twisted a sense of humor.

More analysis – It’s a movie which combines bad story, torturous dialogues, pretty bad performances, lousy characterizations, pathetic direction, some absolutely horrible editing and sheer mindlessness.

Last thoughts – The movie could have been cut down by at least 2 hours. The remaining 34 minutes of the movie would probably be the song and dance routine, sold as a music album with some (potentially) cool videos.

Real Lows – The dialogues. I think the dialogues did it for me. Extremely cheesy, LS, 1960istic, and I am running out of politically correct expletives.

Disappointments – Saif (who according to me has improved gazillions since his tu hai mera lucky number, tera number hai 12, main hoon Aashiq Awara days), Akshaye Khanna (I have always thought that the dude can act! More so after movies like Gandhi, My Father).

High Point – Katrina Kaif. She delivers. She has mastered this drill of walking into the movie in a tunic kinda dress, singing and dancing to a few songs, mouthing a few dialogues here and there in her twisted hindi accent with absolutely no emotion, looking pretty, and playing the role of the perfect bimbette. (Come to think of it, I think someone can turn this into a movie – The Perfect Bimbo!). However, as I said, she fulfills the promise she has made throughout her career.

Ugh characters – Anil Kapoor and Sameer Reddy. Its no surprise to me that Mallika Sherawat refused to play that character. IMHO, Mallika has “some” brain compared to most of the B/C grade actresses in the industry.

And last nitpicking thing – The audibly good songs of the movie have been completely wasted through some below average choreography. None of the star-cast can really dance to music. Neither do they have Shahrukh’s energy to live up to a choreographer’s design.

Taare Zameen Par: Must Watch!

There are several movies that I have seen in the recent
times, but haven’t felt the urge to write about. Movies that were good –
Ratatouille, average – Michael Clayton, bad – I Am Legend, Strangers, etc.

But I saw Taare Zameen Par on X-mas. And believe you me, it’s
a great movie! I am full of words, emotions, reactions about the movie. But I
wont speak that much.

I think Darsheel Safari as Ishaan is the pick of this year’s
movies. As good as or better than Vinay Pathak in Bheja Fry. TZP is better than
the other few movies I would have picked (Chak De India, Bheja Fry and Gandhi-
My Father). Aamir Khan, the director outshines Aamir Khan the actor (who should
be given a special prize for having these movies – Dil Chahta Hai, Lagaan, Rang
De Basanti and now, TZP).

Tisca Chopra as Ishaan’s mother has pulled off a performance
that she could not in her primer (remember, a forgotten movie called “Platform”
starring Ajay Devgan?). And despite its fair share of flaws, melodrama and
stereotypes (Ishaan’s father, some of his teachers, for instance), the movie is
nothing short of a perfect 3 hour movie for me!

 

But kudos to Aamir Khan for having thought about a movie
like this, getting a kid to act something that kids naturally are(no cute scenes,
no big gyaan coming from them, no extreme circumstances expecting them to turn
into heroes, no turnarounds around the intermissions), and being so sensitive
while handling a topic which could have so easily become preachy.

And last thing – I think some of the songs of the movie are
exceptional – especially “tujhe sab hai pata, hai na maa”!

Watch it if you  were
to watch just one movie for the next 6 months! It is! That good!

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Movie Review: Khoya Khoya Chand

I watched Khoya Khoya Chand on Friday. Its a different matter that I am writing the review now.

 To me, its a brilliant movie that would fail to make its mark. Reasons – to be honest, I dont want to dissect the this and that of the movie and kill a dream in the process. I see KKC as Sudhir Mishra’s tribute to his time in the Hindi Film Industry (pardon me for not referring to it as Bollywood yet). And I can tell you what I liked about the movie. Its brilliant in its canvas, cinematography, characterization. The music is quite awesome.the thought behind the movie is quite profound. The imagination vivid. The use of cinema within cinema is a novel way of showing the reality that cinema is supposed to present. And for that, I would like to give full marks to Mishra.

The place where the movie fails is its editing. Its too slow and too disjoint at times. Everything makes sense, everything fits, and yet, you are fidgety in your seat at times. At times you wonder, for how long has this thing being going on? And then, the twist happens. The twist in the personality, emotions bring you back to whats happening on the screen. Its a wait and bait game that the movie plays with you. If you fish for fun, waiting can be too boring. If its your bread and butter, you know that for a bigger catch, you may have to wait longer. The movie will not appeal to people who prefer spending 150 bucks on an Om Shanti Om, where every minute of the movie is supposed to be explicit, entertaining, and exciting. The movie will appeal to theatre enthusiasts who like the use of sets, dialogues, imagery, limited words, multiple interpretations, the play between characters, the way the story buildds for 10 minutes to give you an ephemeral kick. None of the characters is a “hero”. None of them is a villain either. They are all playing their part in the gray zone. The shot where Zafar (Shiney) is mad at Nikhat (Soha) for not having tried her best in getting his way with a producer is an exquisite display of the real side of people. We all lose it at times, say things that we dont mean in general, but we do mean them in the spur of the moment. The shot where Prem Kumar (Rajat Kapoor) asks Zafar and Shyamul (Vinay Pathak) “sirf main hi itna haraamzaada hoon? ya sab aise hote hain?” is again a reality check. In another shot, zafar asks Nikhat – “hum to yahin hain. aap kahan hain? aap kahan they?’  and in another zafar tells shyamul – ise chod ke jeena bhi to mumkin nahi hai! The movie is a gem. Its a gem that some people will appreaciate on DVDs. But its bound to bomb at the box office. It may get an award somewhere, but most likely, it wont get any financial rewards. I live with a hope to be proven wrong on this.

Shiney, Soha, Rajat, Sonya,  Vinay, et al shine. And you can see the effort. At times, shiney does go slightly overboard, but only slightly. Soha is a find. There are shots where she looks exquisitely beautiful, and there are shots where she looks like an ordinary girl. Isnt that what cinema is? A make believe world.

And thats why you should see it. Its abotu all the things that make Cinema what it is. Glamorous, yet painful! Inviting, yet indifferent!!

Movie Review: Aaja Nachle…. Madhuri is back!

I have to write this post. Came back home a little while back after having watched Aaja Nachle. And have a flight to catch in an hour or so. So, best use of this one hour would have been to sleep. But then, I claim to be different!

Aaja Nachle re-establishes one of my firmest beliefs about Bollywood – Madhuri Dixit can beat the shit out of all current actresses with both her hands tied behind her back. She just rules the screen from the first shot. Its a Madhuri movie all along with good support from the other well cast actors. I think its a true entertainer of a movie.

A few of the high points of the movie -
1. Choreography – Boo to all those who tried to blast the choreography/music/dances of the movie. This is the best choreography I’ve seen after Devdas. Examples in context – 1. the choregraphy of O Re Pia sung by Rahat. First, its a beautiful song sung amazingly well by Rahat (thats hardly a surprise). Second, the song has beautifully used Ghunghroos in the background. The dancers seem to match the ghungroo ki jhanak perfectly. Madhuri has flawless movements and expressions in the song. The choreography has a classical base, which makes it a delight. Need more reasons? 2. Choreo of the title song – again, a phenomenal use of a talent like Madhuri. 3. Choreo of the long “nritya natika” towards the climax. I think that particular sequence just revives everything that a nritya natika (or, as the refined people would like to think about it – a broadway musical) should be. perfect use of props, individual positions, stage movements, and dance forms. I think the nritya natika on Laila Majnu is the high point of a movie which is all about dance.
2. Performances – Madhuri, undoubtedly, is the queen! But then, there are some refreshing performances by Vinay Pathak, Akshaye Khanna, Ranvir Shorey, Raghuvir Yadav, Yashpal Sharma, Konkona Sen, Kunal Kapoor, Irfan Khan et al. I think the beauty of this movie with a fairly average storyline lies in the characterization as well. The weakest characters in the fold are those of Konkona and Kunal, even though I think they have sleepwalked through their roles with consummate ease.
3. Music – Whatever people say, I think O Re Pia, Ishq Hua, Aaja Nachle, Show me your Jalwa.. all these songs will catch on very soon. Some have already, and some will now!

The enlightened will tell you that the story is weak, and there is an overdose of fantasy. Where does this dilapidated set get all the money and resources to set up such extravagant dances. I dont know. I dont care. The movie entertains. And the elite can go take a skywalk for all I care!

And yeah, just in case I havent given you enough reasons to watch the movie … My final.. nail in the coffin.. last straw to break the camel’s back… aakhiri hichki.. etc etc. argument is ….
GO WATCH IT FOR MADHURI!

Bollywood Gossip – Peeping Tom saw a certain Sonam Kapoor and a certain Ranbir Kapoor at Taj Lands End last night (Dec 3rd) having a noodly and dimsumy hot dinner at Ming Yang. Both were smoking. Since it was Tom Peeping, Sonam was looking extremely ravishing in a black tank top with her mid-riff well exposed with navel piercings and all. Tom wonders – is something brewing? er.. coffee?

Comment of the night – “Having seen her like this, I don’t think Bhansali was able to exploit Sonam completely during Saawariya!”

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Movie Review: Om Shanti Om

It’s a weird feeling to be writing a blog post after so long. Not surprisingly though, to voice my opinion of the haute news in town – Om Shanti Om. But that does not mean that I haven’t been watching movies lately. Its just that I have been terribly busy lately. Busy is not new for me. Terribly busy happens all the time. But this has been the worst possible spell ever of busy-ness. Saluja would have been proud to see me putting so many night outs. Something even Inductis could not do with such frequency.
Back to OSO, a tribute to the yesteryears (that part is similar to how Main Hoon Na was done) and an open admiration of SRK, is definitely watchable. You smile almost throughout the movie, but at the end of the movie, you have this weird expression in your mind which is that of your squint eyes staring at you and saying, “Well…..”.
Deepika Padukone impresses in her debut. She does what she can do really well – she looks gorgeous. However, she does what I did not expect a lot of – manage her way in the acting department.
Shreyas Talpade, as usual, is subtle and good. Kiron Kher, as usual, is loud but good.
Most importantly, SRK is, as usual, LOUD, hamming, but quite unusually, fitting. It’s a role that let him be – an over-actor, with an ease that can only come when you’re not acting!
The movie is a mish-mash of Karz, Madhumati, with plenty of spoofs (like The Great Indian Laughter Challenge), quite a few gaping voids (people leaving the hot shot producers to lie on the floor just when a mishap has happened), some great editing (I loved the shots where DP is dancing with Sunil Dutt (not Sanjay Dutt) and old-time Rajesh Khanna and Jeetendra, average to good music and a lot of masala. Comments on the industry cannot be missed – be it a Sooraj Barjatya searching for cliché dialogues, or the subtle reference to some star sons being superstars by virture of being star sons (read- Abhishek Bachchan), or the dominance of Khans and Kapoors in the industry. The best comment is when a director Partho Roy (reference to great Bengali directors) who has put in three cameras – one for Bimal Roy angle, one for Satyajit Ray angle and one for GuruDutt angle is suggested by Mukesh Mehra (Arjun Rampal playing a producer – Prakash Mehra?) – ek Manmohan Desai angle daal do, wahi kaam aayega! This definitely comes across as Farah Khan’s way of deprecating the industry/her comrades to create some laughters – just as dada (Subhrajyoti Ghatak) would do.
Story – Beaten to death reincarnation story, cameras panning in from all angles to remind the protagonist of his forgotten past life, a white-haired mother leaving no chance for cracking melodramatic monologues, a friend who’s grayed with the age and believes in his friend, a spirit who manifests just at the right time to seek her revenge, even as things are being kept as human as possible. A villain who conveniently commits a murder and leaves the country to return 30 years later where his past is waiting for him. Oh-so-convenient. Its not the story where the effort is put. The story is conveniently taken off from Karz, Madhumati (yeah! she thought I wouldnt notice!), chala murari hero banNe and the likes. It’s the screenplay and editing where the effort has been put.
Screenplay and editing – Good. Better than above average. Good comments, spoofs and humor.
Music – Ajab Si and Main Agar kahoon are definitely above average. Rahat’s Jag Soona Soona Lage is standard Rahat Fateh Ali Khan fare – soulful, nice, but wont make it as big as Saiyaan (Ta Ra Rum Pum) or Mann Ki Lagan. updated (11-Nov) – won’t make it as big as his previous songs (like Mann ki Lagan (Paap) or Jiya Dhadak Dhadak Jaye (Kalyug).  (Khan – Thanks for pointing out. My mistake!!)

Overall – Definitely watcheable once. Don’t go by my cribs. I think it’s a director’s movie. She has played it by her creativity which is weird and funny. And she has done a tremendous job of editing. Actors are fitting. Everyone fits. Even the over acting kkkkkk.. Khan. .. shahrukh khan.

and on that note -I do want to watch Saawariya. Despite the complete snubbing it has got from many reviewers. 1. Its based on Doestoevsky’s White Night. 2. It wont disappoint me on a couple of counts – Great camerawork and sets, and some great imagination.

Dad’s fav from Baghbaan

This.. goes as a tribute to my dad’s love for the movie Baghbaan! I have seen this particular scene more times than probably my all time favorite movies..

The favorite lines from this one remain -

1. “Aur rahi meri baat… to humari chinta to aap kijiyega mat” loosely translated as.. and in sofar as I am concerned.. you don’t need to worry about us

2. “Tum ho to hum hain.. aur hum hain to sab kuch hai.. warna.. kuch bhi nahi” (If you are there, I am… and if we are there, then there is everything.. Else, there is nothing)

Much as I hate to admit it, I actually like this scene a lot! And I love you Dad!

Roundup…. No Title

Haven’t been blogging for a while, as the seasonal lethargy takes over. I can’t really blame it on anything else. Anyway, just a roundup of things/people/songs of note -

1. Television – I am in love with the 2 singing competitions on telly these days, Zee Saregamapa 2007 Challenge - Sangeet ka Pratham Vishwayud and Amul Star Voice of India. SVOI is going through a dramatic phase with Gajendra Chauhan ( the pioneer of such singing talent hunt shows) getting confused with his self created frankenstein. However, the singers to watch out for are Toshi Sabri (brought back into SVOI by popular demand, after being ejected on the basis of public voting), Harshit (SVOI), Amaanat Ali (SRGMP, an amazing voice from Pakistan) and Raja Hassan(SRGMP). Raja has the rusticness and purity in his voice, Toshi is probably the best trained and a sufi-genre singer. Harshit will make an awesome playback singer while Amanat probably is the most versatile of the lot, and will surely make a great ghazal singer if given a chance. His rendition of “Tujhse Naaraz Nahi Zindagi” yesterday (6th Oct) was plain simple awesome. The idea behind this long para on these people is to remind you guys that for every Dhoni who came out of Jharkhand, there are several who join Tata Steel on a small stipend! Please support, encourage and look out for these raw talents in the years to come. You can see the videos online here – SRGMP, SVOI

2. Music – 1. Main Agar Kahoon (Om Shanti Om) - beautiful romantic song with a very simple melody and another proof of how good Sonu Nigam is. Especially, when it comes to romantic songs, there are few who are as good. His voice has a certain yearning that others don’t
b. Yoon Shabnami from Saawariya  sung by Parthiv Gohil. A lot of you won’t even know who Parthiv Gohil is. Parthiv is the lost find of 1998 Saregama MegaFinal (youtube videos) (the year Sonu was still hosting the show,  Sanjeevani – another finalist, got a few movies as playback singers (such as Kareeb), and there were some truly amazing singers like Mohd. Vakil, Bela, Mukund and Sudeshna). An year or two after 1998 Shreya Ghoshal became the winner of Saregama. Anyway, Paarthiv had a very strong classical learning background and his rendition of songs like Ketak Gulab Juhi, and Dhanyabhaag Seva ka Awsar Paaya back in 1998 were wonderful. So, Bhansali has given Parthiv a break, along with Monty (the music director, who played some part in the background score of Devdas)
c. Songs from Manorama – 6 feet under.  From a collection of 4 songs (excluding remixes and versions), 3 belong to the category of very good to excellent. Woh Bheege Pal, Dhundhla jo sama bandha, Tere Sawalon Ke.. Try them out.

3. Movie – Johnny Gaddar is definitely my pick from bollywood. Bourne Ultimatum would be the hollywood pick. Johnny G is a wonderful movie which takes you back to the 70s thrillers where things just kept happening all through the movie. Director’s tribute to Vijay Anand and James Hadley Chase is visible throughout the movie. The movie could have been shortened by 15 minutes or so. But, but… its a wonderful movie to see on a weekend.

4. Books – Reading “Of Love and Other Demons” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez right now. Seems good so far, while being standard Marquez narration. Will update later.

However, just in case you got a feeling that this is what is keeping me busy.. Naah!  How many of you out there have lived out of a suitcase to get a house renovated. Working your butt off five days a week to reach home on a weekend (travelling usually in the middle of night both ways) to deal with tiles, cement, paints, designs and woodwork! Ugh.. its not easy!

Btw.. quick emotional outburst – Raikonnen has taken the pole. Hamilton has to wait. Vettel seems a driver to keep an eye on. The last couple of races are going to be amazingly interesting!

One of my all-time favs

A ghazal that I dont have the MP3 of.. and I have been desperately searching for it..

Movie: Mammo (1994) Director: Shyam Benegal

Farida Jalal is awesome in this movie. and this song is just pure simple awesome!

 

Lyrics -
ये फ़ासले तेरी
गलियों के हमसे तय न हुए -२
हज़ार बार रुके हम
हज़ार बार चले -२
Ye faasle teri galiyon ke, humse taiy na hue… Hazar baar ruke hum, hazaar baar chale…

ना जाने कौन सी मट्टी
वतन की मट्टी थी
नज़र में धूल, जिगर
में लिये गुबार चले
Na jaane kaun si mitti watan ki mitti thee, nazar mein dhool, jigar mein liye gubar chale
हज़ार बार रुके हम
हज़ार बार चले -२

ये कैसी सरहदें उलझी
हुई हैं पैरों में -२
हम अपने घर की तरफ़ उठ
के बार बार चले
ye kaisi sarhadein uljhi hui hain pairon mien, hum apne ghar ki taraf uth ke baar baar chale
हज़ार बार रुके हम
हज़ार बार चले -२

ना रास्ता कहीं ठहरा,
ना मंजिलें ठहरी -२
ये उम्र उडती हुई
गर्द में गुज़ार चले
na raasta kahin thehra na manzilein thehrin, ye umr udti hui gard mein guzaar chale..
हज़ार बार रुके हम
हज़ार बार चले -२
hazar baar ruke hum hazar baar chale…

ये फ़ासले तेरी
गलियों के हमसे तय न हुए
हज़ार बार रुके हम
हज़ार बार चले
ye faasle teri galiyon ke humse taiy na hue, hazar baar ruke hum hazaar bar chale

Courtesy: link

Movie Review: Gandhi, My Father

Rating: 9 on 10. 1 point deducted for the last 20 minutes which are a little slow.

The movie is not about Gandhi – the father of the nation. Its about Gandhi, the failed father of a failed son. The greatness of this movie is not in the greatness/Gandhi surname of its protagonists, but the fact that you come out of this 140 minute session without blaming either of the two. Coupled with some great performances from Akshaye, Darshan, Shefali and Bhoomika, this movie is an extremely sensitive portrayal of an issue which could have ignited quite a few factions in the society. However, having gone looking for good acting and some nice controversy (oh yes, I was expecting that), I came out having seen an excellent movie, directed with photographic finesse, enacted with artistic excellence, and consciously staying away from controversy while communicating everything the storyteller wanted to say.

The relationship between the Father and the Son is best described in a shot of the movie – Harilal reaches South Africa. Gandhiji could not go to the port to receive him. His retort – itne kaam hai aur waqt itna kam. Next dusk, early morning, Harilal goes to meet Mahatma, touches his feet and sits next to him. It’s a shot where only the silhouettes are shown and you can see an older but perfectly straight Mahatma Gandhi sitting next to a younger but slightly slouched/bent over Harilal. That posture, that subtlety, defines the relationship and the kind of people the two were.

Now, I might inviting the ire of a lot of people (critics, bloggers) who would call the movie drab, slow, unauthentic, lacking details, etc etc., but I guess I am entitled to my opinion.

Unlike many who love or hate the Father of the Nation in totality, I still have mixed feelings about Gandhiji. I respect him for being one of the greatest leaders of all times, and for bringing the entire (well, almost) nation under one philosophy. But at the same time, I don’t consider him God who could not have made mistakes. I do agree with some of the views of the nation paying a price for some of his decisions. That said, it does not take away all that he did this for a nation which comes together only for a cricket match or a war.

Anyways – the movie is about Harilal, Mahatma Gandhi’s son, and his relationship with his father, who incidentally, was the Father of the Nation. Its not about Gandhi family. Its not about the three other sons of Gandhiji. Neither is it about Kasturba Gandhi (Ba), or Gulab (Harilal’s wife). They exist in the movie as supplements to the relationship between Gandhiji and Harilal. And to that extent, full marks to the director for being so focused on what he wanted to show.

Direction is good, albeit slow at places. But lets not forget that this movie could not have had singing dancing the way run of the mill movies have. Neither a deep exploration of relationships is best shown at a rocket pace (remember? The “Art Movies” of yesteryears).

Its definitely acting where the movie scores a home run. Akshay and Darshan are phenomenal in their performances. Akshay continues to be one of the most underrated actors of the industry. The way he essays a character is quite understated and restrained. And that’s what makes him so lovable. Despite the fact that Harilal does come across as an idiot by the end of the movie, you don’t come out of the theatre hating him. You feel pity for him.

The surprise package, surely, is Darshan. I hadn’t seen a lot of him. I had no idea how good or bad an actor he is. I remember him from comedy serials, where he played his part well. But this movie marks his coming of age (high time ). Now, Gandhi, as a character, is not the easiest to play. From what I understand, and what I had imagined Mahatma Gandhi to be, Darshan did bring it to life. Gandhiji for me – perpetual smile/amusement/wonder, the ease with which he went about handling the most difficult of circumstances, his walk, his proud personality inside a (seemingly) frail body – I could feel that Darshan has done justice to his character.

Even Shefali Chaya as Kasturba Gandhi and Bhoomika Chawla as Gulab Gandhi have performed brilliantly. Their silences and agony tear you apart at times.

My endnote on this movie – If you have the sensibility of keeping your emotions for Gandhiji (as the Father of the Nation) aside, while evaluating what human relationships are all about, you should definitely see this movie. If you are looking for some mudslinging on Gandhiji/Harilal, then this is not the movie for you. This movie is just a reflection of a proverb from Indian mythology– one of the heaviest burdens to carry on your shoulders is that of your father’s fame.