Movie Review: Mukkabaaz
Over the last few years, we have had several films on sports [CHAK DE INDIA, BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG, MARY KOM, M.S. DHONI: THE UNTOLD STORY, DANGAL, SULTAN, SAALA KHADOOS] and most of them have been fairly successful at the box office and have been loved as well. These flicks also tackled several issues apart from showcasing the sports element. But not a single film has talked about how sports is often taken up by people to get a stable government job. Anurag Kashyap’s latest outing MUKKABAAZ talks about this aspect and several other issues faced by people in present-day India. So does it manage to make a great impact or tank? Let’s analyse.
MUKKABAAZ is the story of a lower caste youth who faces innumerable hurdles when he falls in love with a girl from a higher caste. Shravan (Vineet Kumar Singh) is a low caste boxer in Bareilly who falls for Sunaina Mishra (Zoya Hussain). Sunaina however is the sister of the local goon Bhagwan Das Mishra (Jimmy Sheirgill) who vehemently disapproves of this match not just because of the caste disparity but also because Shravan had assaulted him once. Bhagwan Das is a powerful authority in the boxing federation and he ensures that Shravan never gets selected for the district championship. Shravan then goes to Varanasi and trains under Sanjay Kumar (Ravi Kishan). He is desperate to win so that he can get a job in the railways and thereby also ask Sunaina's hand in marriage. This obviously is not going to be easy and moreover, Bhagwan Das has still not forgotten the humiliation of being assaulted by Shravan. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
The first thing that one notices is that MUKKABAAZ doesn’t seem like a typical Anurag Kashyap film at all. This is in fact his most commercial film till date. The film is replete with clapworthy dialogues and action scenes. At the same time, the film talks about a lot of issues plaguing the society. The caste hierarchy that forms the backbone of the society in rural areas is well presented. On the flipside, the film is too long at almost 150 minutes. The execution is scattered at places and scenes don’t play out in a flow. This coupled with the fact that songs start playing every few minutes at a lot of places doesn’t make the desired impact.
Anudeep Singh’s story is beaten to death especially the hero-villain track. However Anurag Kashyap, Vineet Kumar Singh, Mukti Singh Srinet, K D Satyam, Ranjan Chandel and Prasoon Mishra’s screenplay ensures that one doesn’t get a déjà vu of similar action and sport films in the past. Their dialogues are witty and acidic, making the right impact.
Anurag Kashyap’s direction is not his best as he fails a bit at several places in keeping the flow organic. A few scenes start and end incoherently. Also it’s brave of him to speak about beef related lynchings. But he keeps it extremely subtle and doesn’t even use the word 'cow'. Hence, those who aren’t acquainted with these shocking incidents won’t understand properly what’s going on. But on the positive side, some sequence are handled deftly like the scene where Sanjay Kumar and Bhagwan Das meet for the first time, Shravan threatening his railway boss, the very last scene etc.
Vineet Kumar Singh has delivered some great performances in films like GANGS OF WASSEYPUR, UGLY etc. But here he gets to play the main lead and rocks the show. He looks dashing and has worked hard on his body and also he gets the emotional quotient right. One of his most memorable scenes is when he’s blasting his father. Notice how he starts with being sarcastic and then suddenly tears come into his eyes. Zoya Hussain doesn’t speak at all and communicates merely through sign language. She masters it very well and even otherwise, she does very well. Jimmy Sheirgill is quite great in the villainous role. His eyes do a lot of talking and that’s quite a feat. Ravi Kishan (Sanjay Kumar) has a late entry but plays the crucial part with panache. Shree Dhar Dubey (Gopal Tiwari) makes his presence felt. Rajesh Tailang (Shravan's father Vijay) is fair. Other actors who leave a mark are the ones who play Sunaina's parents, Shravan’s sister, the cop and the junior coach. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is alright in a song.
There are far too many songs and most are forgettable. Also they are placed in such a way that one won’t be able to recall them. ‘Paintra’ sounds great but it’s relegated to the background and the dialogue overlaps during this track. ‘Mushkil Hai Apna Meil Priye’ is the best of the lot and serves as a theme song. 'Haathapai' is interesting while 'Chhipkali' and 'Saade Teen Baje' leave some impact. Prashant Pillai's background score is much better and dramatic and elevates the impact.
Shazia Zahid Iqbal’s production design is authentic. Rajeev Ravi, Shanker Raman, Jai L Patel and Jayesh Nair’s cinematography is gritty and also neat, as per the demands of the sequence. Aarti Bajaj and Ankit Bidyadhar’s editing could have been slicker and smooth. Vikram Dahiya and Sunil Rodriguez’s action is a highlight of the film.
On the whole, MUKKABAAZ is Anurag Kashyap's massiest film till date. It scores thanks to the performances, dialogues, action and some well executed sequences. But the long length, incoherent direction combined with a low buzz plays spoilsport and would surely affect the prospects of the film at the ticket window.
Movie Review: Kaalakaandi
The maximum city Mumbai is unique and unlike any other metropolis in India. The manner in which people of different strata of society have no choice but to interact with each other and have a symbiotic association is a part of the city’s DNA. DELHI BELLY writer Akshat Verma’s directorial debut KAALAKAANDI attempts to throw light on this aspect of Mumbai but in a quirky way. So does it manage to entertain or prove to be a disappointment? Let’s analyse.
KAALAKAANDI is the story of how people from diverse backgrounds converge in one maddening night in Mumbai. Rileen (Saif Ali Khan) finds out that he’s suffering from stomach cancer and that he has only a few days to live. Tara (Sobhita Dhulipala) is dating Zubin (Kunaal Roy Kapur) and has a flight to catch. She goes to meet Ayesha (Shenaz Treasury) as it’s her birthday. They meet in a club and sadly there is a raid by cops. Tara realises that she’ll get late for the flight thanks to the raid and subsequent investigation and makes a daring plan to escape. Waris (Deepak Dobriyal) and Amjad (Vijay Raaz) work for the dreaded gangster Raza (Asif Basra). They make a plan to get rich overnight by deceiving Raza. Angad (Akshay Oberoi) is Rileen's brother who is getting married the same night to Neha (Amyra Dastur). He gets a call from his ex-girlfriend Selina (Amanda Rosario). She tells him that she is in Mumbai and wants to meet him immediately. Angad immediately agrees. How all these tracks make an impact on the lives of the characters that night forms the rest of the film.
KAALAKAANDI's first half is quite interesting and funny. The characters are introduced neatly and director Akshat Verma handles the multiple tracks well. Saif Ali Khan's track takes the cake as it’s hilarious and brings the house down. The manner in which he starts hallucinating is very well done. Shockingly things go downhill thereafter. The film stops being funny and gets boring. Tara-Zubin's track ends on a sweet note but this is not something we expect in such a film. Waris-Amjad's track goes out of control and difficult to comprehend especially the way it ends.
Akshat Verma’s story is promising to an extent but then goes haywire. The plot had the potential to be the next 99, SHOR IN THE CITY and even DELHI BELLY but sadly the writer fails to do so. Akshat Verma’s screenplay is engaging till the first half but then doesn’t engross. Akshat Verma’s dialogues are funny and witty, especially the ones mouthed by Saif Ali Khan and Shenaz Treasury. Akshat Verma’s direction is fine for a debutant. But with such a poor script, there’s little he could do to salvage.
Saif Ali Khan is the best thing about the film. He delivers a crazy performance and it turns out to be the sole novelty factor about the film. Akshay Oberoi is sincere and gives a decent performance. Sobhita Dhulipala handles her difficult part quite well. Kunaal Roy Kapur is fair and raises laughs in his entry sequence. Deepak Dobriyal gets to shine but Vijay Raaz doesn’t get much scope. Shenaz Treasury is hot and raises laughs. Shivam Patil (Jehangir) leaves a mark in the Emraan Hashmi sequence. Nary Singh (Sheila) is quite an endearing character and does very well. Amyra Dastur is cute but is hardly there. Asif Basra is menacing. Neil Bhoopalam (Ustad) plays a unique character, unlike anything he has done in the past but has limited screen time. Isha Talwar (Rakhi) gives a good performance but one wonders why she is clicking pictures all the time.
Sameer Uddin's music is nothing great. ‘Swagpur Ka Chaudhary' is slightly memorable while ‘Kaala Doreya' is forgettable. Background score however is funky.
Himman Dhamija's cinematography is neat. Nidhi Rungta's production design is authentic. Shan Mohammed's editing should have been slicker. VFX is terrific, especially in the scenes where Saif is hallucinating.
On the whole, KAALAKAANDI has a promising first half but goes completely downhill. At the box office, it has slim chances of becoming commercially successful.
Movie Review: 1921
Horror can never go out of fashion, despite the fact that many horror films in recent times like DOBAARA, RAAZ REBOOT, THE FINAL EXIT, MONA DARLING, ALONE etc haven’t done well. Vikram Bhatt, the horror expert of Bollywood, who made several scare fests in the past has now come up with 1921, as a follow up to the 1920 franchise. So does he manage to give a chill down the spine this time? Or does he fail in giving audiences a scare? Let’s analyse.
1921 deals with a couple’s battle with extreme paranormal activities created by a ruthless and cursed spirit. Ayush (Karan Kundra) is from Mumbai (then Bombay) who plays the piano really well. The kind hearted and rich Wadia (Vikram Bhatt) tells him to go to the city of York in United Kingdom to learn music. He offers to sponsor Ayush's fees and in return he has to be the caretaker of Wadia Manor in York. Ayush hence goes to UK. In the mansion, he starts having piano sessions where listeners are asked to pay him if they wish. Wadia's niece Mehar finds out about it and confronts Ayush. A scared Ayush begs her for forgiveness. She asks for a private piano session and attempts to seduce him. In the ensuing madness, Mehar is accidentally killed. Ayush is petrified as an evil spirit starts to haunt him. At this point, he learns about Rose (Zareen Khan) who can communicate with the dead. He asks for her help and Rose readily agrees as Ayush’s music has helped her heal old wounds. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
1921 comes at a time when audiences have in a way seen it all when it comes to stereotypical horror films. Vikram Bhatt himself has made several such flicks and in that aspect, 1921 doesn’t offer anything new. Few sequences do give a scare but that’s about it. The romantic track is lackluster and sans any sizzle. There comes a point in the first half when Ayush reveals the truth to Rose by writing a letter and Rose too shares things about her life to Karan in a letter. This bit is quite nice and also the intermission point that raises curiosity. But things go downhill in the second half.
Vikram Bhatt’s story is intriguing till the point that all the cards are not laid out on the table. Once that happens, it turns out to be disappointing as it gets too complex after a point. Vikram Bhatt, Tanya Pathak and Esha Desai’s screenplay is routine and nothing extraordinary. Vikram Bhatt’s dialogues are filmy as always. Vikram Bhatt’s direction is ordinary and doesn’t bring any novel value. The horror bit is underwhelming. Even the masses, for whom the film is primarily targeted, will give it thumbs down as even they have been watching Hollywood horror films in dubbed versions and they are much ahead than a film like 1921.
Zareen Khan gives a fine performance and gets a chance to display her acting prowess. She is in much better form here than in her last release, AKSAR 2. Karan Kundrra gets a bit over the top but has a good screen presence. The actor playing Nafisa leaves a mark. The actor playing Vasudha and Dina Shaw do a good job. Vikram Bhatt is strictly okay in the cameo.
Harish Sagane’s music is disappointing. Music plays an important part in the film as Ayush is shown as a reputed performer. Also his music heals Rose. But the songs don’t do justice to this aspect. ‘Sunn Le Zara’ and ‘Aanewale Kal’ are a bit memorable. The rest - ‘Kuch Iss Tarah’, ‘Yaara’ and ‘Tere Bin’ are forgettable. Sangeet and Siddharth Haldipur’s background score is dramatic.
Prakash Kutty’s cinematography is alright. Kuldip Mehan’s editing is tacky. Iain Andrews’s production design brings alive the bygone era. The film is shot in some beautiful locales but using the same location again and again takes away the sheen and brings to the fore the low budget element of the film.
On the whole, 1921 is a routine horror drama that offers nothing new. At the box office, it may find some audience during the weekend but later on, it will find it difficult to sustain.
Movie Review: Padmaavat is a remarkable motion picture experience
Something I wrote about BAJIRAO MASTANI holds true for PADMAAVAT as well...
“It’s a pre-requisite to possess a mega budget, have exhaustive knowledge of the subject matter, possess nerves of steel to handle the gigantic cast/crew and last but not the least, the vision and fortitude to bring a historical to life on celluloid in today's times. You can face instant rejection from the paying public or face controversies and protests for deviating from facts. The film-maker has to walk a tight rope.”
PADMAAVAT – everyone’s aware – has made it to the front page of newspapers and on prime time news on national television. It’s the most talked-about, voraciously discussed and hotly debated film of our times. The mileage it received – nationwide and internationally – has only enhanced the curiosity. Everyone’s curious to watch, examine, evaluate and scrutinize PADMAAVAT. The stakes are high and so are the expectations.
The moviegoer in me is enthralled by historicals and mythologicals. I’ve vivid memories of the classics helmed by the doyens and stalwarts of Indian cinema, such as Sohrab Modi, K Asif and Kamaal Amrohi. Ramanand Sagar’s RAMAYAN and BR Chopra’s MAHABHARAT – on television – were much revered, while Ashutosh Gowariker’s JODHAA AKBAR and SS Rajamouli’s BAAHUBALI [1 and 2] reignited my love for period films.
I am no historian to comment on how authentic PADMAAVAT is, but as a cinematic experience, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s latest endeavour left me mesmerized. Let’s come to the point right away: PADMAAVAT is a spectacular looking period film that matches international standards. And it’s not merely a stunning looking film, it’s well structured too: The love story, the simmering tension, the conflict that ensues, the dramatic altercations, the battle sequences and the nail-biting finale... PADMAAVAT brings the past vividly to life.
Final word? PADMAAVAT is not just body beautiful. It has soul too. Delivers solid drama with a terrific climax. It won’t be erroneous to state that PADMAAVAT is Bhansali’s most accomplished movie to date.
When you think of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the first thing that crosses your mind are the exquisite frames and gorgeous visuals [recall HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM, DEVDAS, GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA and BAJIRAO MASTANI]. Having said that, the celebrated storyteller has mastered the art of striking the right balance between form and content. PADMAAVAT will not only be talked about the compelling visuals, but taut screenwriting and right pacing as well.
PADMAAVAT is a reaffirmation that Bhansali is capable of accomplishing incredible results if he refrains from getting overindulgent. In the past, the supremely talented storyteller had squandered off the opportunity [SAAWARIYA and GUZAARISH]... not this time. The screenplay is focused; it piqued my interest and kept me involved in the narrative, while the characters are well-etched and powerfully portrayed. In fact, the watertight screenplay, which encompasses drama, action and romance, are beautifully juxtaposed in the narrative. In short, everything blends beautifully like a symphony.
Besides captivating screenwriting, PADMAAVAT is bolstered by strong performances. It doesn't take a crystal ball to foretell that not only will Deepika’s act dominate the award season next year, but she will also win tremendous love and adulation for her portrayal. She is the lifeline, the strength of PADMAAVAT. It’s easily her career-best act, eclipsing her earlier works so far.
This is Ranveer’s third movie with Bhansali. Although the actor has delivered sparkling performances in the two collaborations with Bhansali [GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA and BAJIRAO MASTANI], you’ve got to watch him as the treacherous, vicious, vindictive and villainous Khilji in PADMAAVAT. Actually, Ranveer doesn’t just play Khilji; he inhabits him. It’s an astounding, gutsy performance that will be talked-about and discussed for sure.
Shahid is tremendous and his act gives depth and feeling to the character. He captures the essence of his part wonderfully, while the camera captures every emotion that flickers across his face. I’d also like to add that the Shahid-Deepika chemistry appears natural and striking.
PADMAAVAT has a noteworthy supporting cast. Jim Sarbh is creepily effective and owns every sequence he’s in. Aayam Mehta is fantastic. Ujjwal Chopra is first-rate. Aditi Rao Hydari is unforgettable. Anupriya Goenka doesnt get much scope. Raza Murad is excellent.
One cannot ignore the compositions/soundtrack in a Bhansali film. His music, like the images brought to the screen, should've added depth to the emotions of the characters, but is strictly okay this time. In fact, that's the only hiccup here. The review would be incomplete without a mention of the battle sequences. The volatile, high-octane finale is a visual spectacle. The camerawork is splendid: gorgeous and artistic. The production design is top notch. Dialogue are well worded and garnish the sequences beautifully.
One more thing: The Hindi film industry has badly used and abused 3D, turning it into a gimmicky tool, but Bhansali is one of those rare storytellers who knows how to utilize the technology to his advantage and how it can enhance the overall theatrical experience. Having watched PADMAAVAT on IMAX 3D, I can only state that the results were simply stunning.
On the whole, PADMAAVAT is a remarkable motion picture experience that’s backed by proficient direction, spellbinding screenwriting and superlative acting. For Sanjay Leela Bhansali, it’s the best title on an impressive filmography. A sure-shot winner at the box-office!
Movie Review: PAD MAN scores high on content as well as emotions
Akshay Kumar for long has been championing social and nationalist causes in his films with TOILET: EK PREM KATHA, AIRLIFT, JOLLY LLB 2, HOLIDAY, BABY, NAAM SHABANA, among others. It would be safe to say that the actor has carved his niche with integrating pertinent issues in commercial cinema space, leading to few of his detractors limiting him to that particular category. Akshay, who also is one of the most bankable stars in the business currently, returns to the big screen with R Balki’s PAD MAN based on the issues, relating to menstruation, faced by underprivileged women in rural India. The film is produced by Twinkle Khanna’s Mrs Funnybones Movies and has Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte in lead roles along with Kumar.
So yes, with all this hoopla around PAD MAN, it is only logical to expect a lot from the film. Does it meet our collective expectations? Read on to find that out. We have you covered.
The film revolves around life of Lakshmikant Chauhan (Akshay Kumar) based out of a village in Madhya Pradesh and his inspiring journey of spreading awareness about menstruation and smashing taboos associated with it in the conservative society. Now, first of all let us all agree that it was indeed brave of Akshay to touch upon this subject, given his massy appeal. There is a probability that aam junta might shy away from watching the film because of its unconventional content. But the makers have made sure that there is enough publicity going around which will make people shun their ignorance and embrace this cause wholeheartedly. So, a newly married Lakshmi is a welder but extremely curious about female menstruation and is disturbed by the lack of sanitation or awareness around it. It all starts when he finds out that his wife Gayatri (Radhika Apte) uses dirty cotton cloth for the lack of sanitary pads during her periods. He then fashions a cotton pad and persuades his wife to use the same. Despite repeated attempts, he fails to make a sustainable napkin. His relentless pursuit to make the perfect sanitary napkin leads his entire family to disown him until he manages to convince the society that menstrual hygiene is a burning topic which needs to be addressed.
Akshay Kumar is at his natural best in the garb of a village bumpkin Lakshmi. The supporting cast of Radhika Apte, Mrunmayee Gokhale and Jyoti Subhash are brilliant, complementing his performance. The first half is filled with a lot of bittersweet moments between Akshay and Radhika but one scene that stood out for us was just before the interval. Lakshmi, in an attempt to make a full proof napkin, attaches an animal blood pouch to his waist making the blood drip steadily into his handmade pad. Thinking that his job is done, he happily strides away only to realise to his dismay that the pad is leaking. The mere sight of Akshay taking a plunge into the nearby river with soiled pants is moving, impactful and breaks stereotypes in every way possible. It is indeed brave for a mainstream Hindi film hero to attempt something like this. The dialogues written by Swanand Kirkire and R. Balki are funny, emotional, bringing out a very earthy side of the lead hero. Though we felt that Lakshmi’s UN speech could have been shorter.
In the second half, director R. Balki slips a little bit as the film gets too technical showing Lakshmi building a pad manufacturing machine from scratch. The editing treatment given to these bits by Chandan Arora could have been tighter. Also, Sonam Kapoor’s entry is a little too convenient and the way she begins her association with the PAD MAN Akshay is a tad bit filmy. Sonam tries to deliver an honest performance as a confidante and marketing guru to Akshay’s character but there is little focus on her in the movie. She however tries to make the best of what she has, engaging us for most part. Despite saying this, a love angle created by the makers between her and Akshay seemed forced and unnecessary.
The screenplay (R. Balki) is quite engaging and entertaining. It sure drops at a few places but eventually manages to pick and keep you glued to the story.
Since this film, which is inspired by the life of Tamil Nadu’s social entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganantham, is adapted to suit North Indian sensibilities for greater viewership, PAD MAN is shot across scenic locales of Maheshwar, Indore and Mahu in Madhya Pradesh. PC Sreeram has done an excellent job with the cinematography. The camera work is beautiful and expansive capturing the simplicity of the lifestyle of the people living there. One finds a massy connect in the way characters are treated as far as their costumes, dialogues and overall appeal is considered.
Amit Trivedi’s music is good but not spectacular, to be honest. Only two tracks ‘Aaj Se Teri’ and Pad Man title track stand out but then there is little scope for the music when the film is so heavy on content.
It is worth mentioning here that Akshay Kumar manages to maintain perfect gravitas as a feminist icon who is emotional and passionate about his cause. It is indeed applause worthy for him to take a taboo topic (after TOILET: EK PREM KATHA) and make a commercial film out of it, without letting it get too preachy for its own good. Also, it is interesting to note that Balki’s gallery has always been the urbane multiplex going audience and yet he pleasantly surprises us by making a rooted film which has the potential to cut across class/caste barriers.
On the whole, PAD MAN is a brave and an inspirational attempt at creating a commercial cinema out of a taboo topic. The movie scores high on content as well as emotions. At the box office, Akshay Kumar’s mass appeal will surely help to pull in the audiences. It has the potential to grow steadily at the box-office with the positive word-of-mouth. Period.
Movie Review: Black Panther (English)
With so many superhero films releasing in a year, it often comes to feel like they all look the same. As Marvel continues to make more expensive and larger than life films, there comes Marvel's 18th superhero film, BLACK PANTHER. There arrives Ryan Coogler's sprawling saga which blends mythical tones with classic drama in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Black Panther was a character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1966, the son of the king of the African nation Wakanda. The film opens with a monologue from King T'Chaka while he introduces his son T'Challa to the big world of Wakanda. Cut to the story about King T'Chaka's brother played by Sterling K Brown who betrayed Wakanda. The film finally begins with Wakanda in flux over the death of its leader during CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) is ready to take the charge as the King but is struggling to be the voice of continuity. He's regal, gracious and well- mannered to take the charge. The story moves to another part of the world where the main antagonist Killmonger (Michael B Jordan) is prepping to take over Wakanda and it's leadership and plans to turn it into an interventionist world power. As seen in trailers, Killmonger also turns into gold plated Black Panther who is one man army hellbent to kill T'Challa. The story unfolds as the director begins to tell the story of leadership, loyalty and black power.
Chadwick Boseman, who plays Black Panther, was introduced back in 2016 in CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. While the seed was planted earlier, his first appearance as Black Panther impressed the comic book fans. In 2018 film BLACK PANTHER, Chadwick Boseman brings gravitas to T’Challa’s struggle of becoming suddenly becoming a King from a Prince after his father's assassination. He brings charisma and charm to the table as he isn't just any superhero. He is a leading black superhero who makes the part his own.
Michael. B. Jordan, the main antagonist Killmonger, plays the classic comic book villain and exudes spellbinding performance. His character channels the childhood pain and faces of the Black Panther. His complex and nuanced character plays the central part in the film which absolutely grabs attention.
Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o essays the role of T’Challa’s ex Nakia who is one of the nation’s undercover war dogs helping the community in need. Letitia Wright essays the role of T’Challa’s super smart kid sister, Angela Bassett as T’Challa’s proud mother, to Daniel Kaluuya as a shifty ally to Andy Serkis as a side villain. The breakout star of the film is Okoye played by Danai Gurira who happens to badass warrior standing up for the King and Wakanda.
The script, co-written by director Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, is a dramatist who makes this mythical superhero come to life. Ryan Coogler has managed to assemble his own set of crackerjack Avengers aka actors who give texture to every character.
On the whole, BLACK PANTHER is in some ways a world of fantasy but also seems to be a very real world. It blends dynasty drama with global politics very maturely. After 52 years since its first mention in comic books, BLACK PANTHER rises high on being bold, vital and brings a welcome refreshment to Marvel Cinematic Universe. As the story continues, Black Panther will be seen in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War. And of course, lastly but definitely not the least, WAKANDA FOREVER!
Movie Review: Aiyaary misses the mark and is a huge letdown
Director Neeraj Pandey is one of the best in the business and has a penchant for making thrillers taking a political, crime issues as its central theme. His past experiments with Akshay Kumar, Special 26 and Baby, have worked both at the box office and with masses. This time around, he is back with Aiyaary which again has a strong plotline and a holds out a promise of dumdaar performances by its leads Manoj Bajpayee, Sidharth Malhotra, Vikram Gokhale and Rakul Preet Singh and added appearances by director's favourites Anupam Kher and the effervescent Nasseruddin Shah. With masses still warming up to Akshay Kumar’s PadMan,Aiyaary has released at an opportune moment. Here are our thoughts about the film. Watching the espionage thriller over the weekend? Find out our verdict.
First of all, one must be wondering what Aiyaary actually means? So, according to the maker, the word is an embodiment of all the qualities a true soldier must have. A successful soldier is the one who brings out his best in the time of adversity. So, Aiyaary means a combination of sharpness, wit, tact, ability to change appearances and combating techniques a soldier uses to emerge victorious. The movie revolves around Colonel Abhay Singh (Manoj Bajpayee) and Major Jai Bakshi (Sidharth Malhotra) who are both army officers. It majorly focuses on corruption within the army and the system efforts to hunt down Jai who goes rogue after finding out the ugly truth about the defence system. While it is loosely based on the Adarsh Society scam which rocked the nation in 2010, the maker does not revolve the entire movie about it. Instead, he builds on the tension using different plots which come together to make one massive issue, in this case: corruption in the Defense Ministry. The undercurrent of the film is raging generation gap between Singh and Bakshi. Friends turned foes, both lead characters focus on keeping viewers engaged with their car and mouse chase.
While the director Pandey tried to build on the suspense, he fails to keep the viewer's attention because of it's run time and clumsy writing. The movie talks about arms and ammunition scam for about one and a half hour, but ends with a focus on Aadarsh society Scam. The movie could have been salvaged by tighter editing but Praveen Kathikuloth fails to deliver on that front. Aiyaary suffers from a weak script but we liked a couple of dialogues which are apt to describe the Indian political circus and the subsequent corruption. For example, in one scene Manoj talks about the Kashmir issue and says the reason it's not getting solved is because lot of people have to gain from it. Kashmir is not just an issue but has become an industry. Bitter yet true. The film has all the makings of a Neeraj Pandey film. Yet, it somehow fails to have a massy connect.
DOP Sudeep Palsane has done a good job. Special mention to the make up artistes and also costume designer Falguni Thakore for doing such amazing work with Sidharth and Manoj's different guides in the film. Action by Abbas Ali Moghul is okay but honestly, there is nothing to write home about.
Talking about the performances, Manoj Bajpayee is as usual excellent. He tries really hard to hold the film on his shoulder; after all he is one of the central characters. His seasoned act shines through. Sidharth Malhotra looks to redeem himself, after the box office debacles: A Gentleman,Baar Baar Dekho and Ittefaq, with this film. His romantic portions with Rakul Preet Singh fails to work and seems forced. The supporting cast of Vikram Gokhale, Kumud Mishra, Aadil Hussain, Naseruddin Shah shine through.
The music of the film is good but not extraordinary. This film has one such track ‘Lae Dooba’ which is on radio charts but is not as effective.
On the whole, AIYAARY misses the mark and is a huge letdown on the account of its flawed script and the lengthy runtime. At the box office, it will be a disappointing fare.
Movie Review: Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety
Director Luv Ranjan shot to fame with a surprise hit, PYAAR KA PUNCHNAMA, in 2011 and the highlight of the film was the bromance between the three new but attractive male leads: Kartik Aaryan, Divyendu Sharma and Raayo S Bakhirta. The film’s success was based on the fact that it was light, youthful and played on the fun stereotypes about women and dating. Now, the filmmaker is back with yet another film with his favourites: Kartik Aaryan, Sunny Singh and Nushrat Bharucha. Yes, and it is love triangle but with a twist. SONU KE TITU KI SWEETY (SKTKS) is a clash between Romance Vs Bromance. The undercurrent here though is the same: Is the dosti between men more precious than a romantic liaison with a woman? Find out here.
The movie revolves around Titu (Sunny Singh) who is a hapless victim of romance. A perpetual lovesick puppy, he falls in love way too easily and gets his heart broken at the drop of his hat. Sonu (Kartik Aaryan), his street-smart, suave pal is his saviour. He literally saves him from bad company, relationships and is kinda obsessed with him… in an endearing sort of a way. Sonu advises Titu to stay away from Sweety (Nushrat Bharucha). Titu does not pay any heed to Sonu’s advice but in turn tells him that his motherly instincts are making him say so! This sentence sort of summarises the extent to which these guys are close!
So, the film mounts on as Titu falls deeper in love with the seemingly flawless Sweety who tries her best to woo him. Sonu remains skeptical, waiting for a chance to find something against her that he can use. She too realises his true designs and declares a full-blown war against Sonu. The suspense of the film is who wins? Dosti or Pyaar or do these plots take a totally different trajectory? The makers successfully hook us on with the cat and mouse game between his hero and the 'villain’.
Well, there is no denying that the target audiences for these movies are young college going kids. The film caters to them and does a good job with its dialogues and plot to keep the viewer constantly hooked. The dialogues with punches written by Rahul Mody along with Luv are young and funny. There are many cusswords used with beeps in it, which add to the overall fun. Along with Kartik, Alok Nath’s punch lines are very funny too.
Director Luv Ranjan holds the film in place and keeps us engaged throughout with surprise twists and the Tom and Jerry like chemistry between Sonu and Sweety. No, the ending is nothing like you'd ever expect and would take you by surprise. SKTKS will surely keep you on the edge of the seat.
There are certain scenes which stand out and deserve a mention. The scene where Sweety is introduced for a rishta with Titu, Sonu keeps getting anxious at the prospect of his friend ending up with her are noteworthy. Another sequence which is interesting is when Titu’s ex Pihu (played by the electric Ishita Raj) shows up in the story. Sonu’s funny segment with servant Babu, who is appointed by Sweety, will make you laugh hard.
Talking about the performances, Kartik Aryan’s screen presence is top class. His evil grin and devilish charm will make you fall in love with him. Sunny Singh is a total eye candy and delivers as a shy, romantic fellow. He is natural and believable as Titu. Nushrat Bharucha commands your attention and her moments with Kartik are pure fire. Their chemistry is sizzling and they totally look good together. She holds on to her character and delivers a solid performance. Special mention to Alok Nath who plays a quirky patriarch Ghasitaram. He is refreshingly good as a whiskey+kebab loving grandfather and adds a much-needed zing to the plot. Ishita Raj as Titu's ex Pihu does her role fantastically well.
The writing by Rahul Mody and Luv Ranjan is fiery and does not slip one bit. The film keeps you on the edge from start to end, guessing what’s coming next.
The music of SONU KE TITU KI SWEETY is already hit after music director Hitesh Sonik revamped some of the chartbusters: ‘Dil Chori’ and ‘Bom Diggy Diggy’. Hitesh Sonik’s background score goes really well with the overall appeal of SKTKS.
As for visuals, the film looks very good as DOP Sudhir K Chaudhary does a fine job of making every frame look pretty and colourful. Editor Akiv Ali keeps the movie tight and crisp. Vicky Sidana gets the casting spot on.
On the whole, SONU KE TITU KI SWEETY entertains as well as packs a solid punch. It is witty and sharp both in terms of drama and execution. At the box office, it will be lapped up by its target audience - the youth - who will take an instant liking towards the film. Strongly recommended.
Movie Review: Welcome To New York
WELCOME TO NEW YORK (WTNY), directed by Chakri Toleti and produced by Vashu Bhagnani’s Puja Films releases this week along with Luv Ranjan’s SONU KE TITU KI SWEETY. WELCOME TO NEW YORK stars Sonakshi Sinha, Diljit Dosanjh and Karan Johar in pivotal roles and has an entire entourage of Bollywood A-listers making cameos as it is based against the backdrop of IIFA Awards. The film is meant to be a satire on the Hindi film industry and the two leads Diljit and Sonakshi play underdogs who make it big in Bollywood, despite coming from a humble background.
The movie is about a sloppy recovery agent Teji (Diljit Dosanjh) who dreams of being an actor and a ‘dhinchaak designer’ Jinal (Sonakshi Sinha) who wants to escape from her dreary life. They win a contest and are selected to showcase their talent at the IIFA Awards by Sophie (Lara Dutta) who is a part of the organising team spear headed by Gary (Boman Irani). Sophie purposely selects the ‘two losers’ Teji and Jinal in order to settle scores with her Gary, who refuses her partnership in the company. The entire film is supposed to be a comedy of errors with both Teji and Jinal winning Bollywood fraternity’s hearts with their genuine talent. What it turns out to be is a whole different story. In between all this is the main celebrity host of the show Karan Johar, who has his own set of issues with the organiser Gary. But at the same time, Karan is also under threat of being kidnapped by his lookalike NY based gangster Arjun (Karan Johar) who wants to punish him for making romantic films. Riteish Deshmukh, who is the co-host of the show, uses this situation to his own selfish benefit. In between all this chaos behind the scene, IIFA awards take place in New York.
Karan Johar, in his double role as Karan (the director and head honcho of Dharma Productions) and Arjun (the gangster) manages to keep the movie engaging. There is a lot of self-referencing and self deprecative humour (be it about his sexual orientation or his movies) which does make you laugh at quite a few places. Diljit Dosanjh as the goofy Teji Singh is adorable. His comic timing is impeccable. Sonakshi Sinha is lost throughout the film and is not very convincing. Even a dream sequence with Salman Khan does nothing to the character that is weak. Boman Irani as the stressed out, snarky stooge managing the event looks solely disoriented as he flits listlessly around from frame to frame. Lara Dutta tries to save the film as she does her part in whatever little scope she has been offered. Salman Khan, Sushant Singh Rajput, Katrina Kaif, Aditya Roy Kapur and Riteish Deshmukh ‘s cameos look forced and out of the sync.
The first half of the film manages to keep one engaged because the writers Dheeraj Rattan and Sara Bodinar create some interest in the lead characters after they land in New York and there is a certain curiosity about who Karan’s doppelganger is and why he wants to harm the Dharma Productions’ head honcho so bad. Director Chakri Toleti’s comedy of errors goes wrong especially in the second half because whole plot of the film goes out of the window, due to the lack of a proper script.
Editor Ritesh Soni has kept the film at two hours, five minutes instead of making it even more long and exhaustive. The film’s music is forgettable except for the last dance number ‘Pant Mai Gun’. Cinematographers Neha Parti Matiyani and Santosh Thundiyil do an average job.
On the whole, WELCOME TO NEW YORK comes across as a blatant endorsement of IIFA with a handful of funny gags thrown in here and there. The impeccable comic timing of Diljit Dosanjh and Karan Johar's funny take on himself and the industry act as the saving grace. At the box office, the movie will have very limited scope.
Movie Review: Pari
Anushka Sharma and Parambrata Chatterjee are all set to spook us with their latest offering: PARI – NOT A FAIRYTALE. Mysterious title, scary teasers (nay, screamers) and a promising cast urge us to believe that Anushka’s experiment with horror is going to be rather interesting. The movie is produced under the actress’s banner Clean Slate Films along with Prerna Arora’s KriArj Entertainment. It is directed by the first time director Prosit Roy who also assisted on the sets of PHILLAURI. We have not seen a really good horror movie since long and so will PARI fit the bracket with its perfectly scary, sleek appeal? Let’s find out.
The makers were extremely careful so as to not let any plot details out before the release and hence went easy with their promotions. There is an element of mystery in the story which is NOT let out by its teasers. The film set in Kolkata, is about Rukhsana (Anushka Sharma) who is an orphaned woman. The story builds on the mystery about Rukhsana and we are left perturbed thinking if she is the ghost, or it's victim? Arnab (Parambrata Chatterjee), a loner, provides shelter to her given that she is distressed and has no one to look out for her. Despite many warnings and family opposition, he develops a liking for her but little does he know that she has an evil, supernatural power. As the story movies forward, we are introduced to more characters. Rajat Kapoor is the spooky, blood thirsty professor in the film, who torments the thoughts of the lead character constantly. He belongs to a controversial exorcists’ group and is hunting down Rukhsana. Arnab is filled with speculation but is enamoured by the wild and vulnerable Rukhsana. As the movie progresses, Arnab goes through a tumult of emotions and is sucked into this mess. The movie then answers the most vital question: Is Anushka the tormented or the tormentor? And also explains us the title in the process.
PARI – NOT A FAIRYTALE overall has a very gloomy palette and works well to create a scary setting. The makers have worked on creating atmospheric horror and are largely successful in doing the same. Prosit Roy and Abhishek Banerjee have a good concept but they fail to write an engaging screenplay. The scenes do create a lot of intrigue but a lot is held back from the audience for too long. Anvita Dutt does a good job with the dialogues, maintaining a much needed restrain.
As a horror film, PARI has the right amount of chills and thrills that will spook the viewer. Prosit Roy, who has directed the film, carefully mounts the story, creating a lot of suspense and intrigue about the lead characters in the minds of audiences. However, due to a weak screenplay, the film falls weak at many places.
Talking about the performances, Anushka Sharma successfully impresses with her carefully cultivated acting chops. Easily, this is one of her best performances till date. Restrained as the abused victim but completely spooky when required, it’s great how she displays her range as an actor. She is vulnerable at one moment and super scary in other. Her pairing works well with the Bengali sweetheart Parambrata Chatterjee. Param plays his part with a lot of conviction. Together, they create many innocently romantic moments, giving a much needed relief from all the gore in the film. Rajat Kapoor as the exorcist is beyond amazing and the twist in his role will leave you surprised.
In the horror genre, the role of a DOP is the most crucial. Jishnu Bhattacharjee does not disappoint us at all. He creates a world which is very creepy and bone-chilling, at the same time but there is a strange beauty, allure and mystique to it. Editing by Manas Mittal is decent. Sunil Rodriques's action sequences well executed. Anupam Roy’s music and Ketan Sodha’s background score take the plot ahead. But it is the sound effects by Debajit Changmai and team which does the trick to spook the viewer!
A special mention to make up artiste Clover Wootton for transforming Anushka into a hollow eyed possessed victim Rukhsana on one hand and creating a totally different bloody, creepy look, a drastic change from her original appearance. The prosthetics and make up done for other characters in the film is also very impressive.
Despite quite a few positives, PARI also comes with a baggage of some serious drawbacks. One of the major problems with the film is that it has a very slow pace and a weak first half. Though there are series of events happening in the first half, as an audience, one wonders where exactly is the story going. The answers to all the questions come much later in the second half. The director clearly wanted to build up the suspense but many may not be impressed with that narrative. Another factor is that more than the story of the film, it is the sound effects that do the scaring. In fact the story gets a little predictable towards the climax and even shifts away from the horror genre altogether. But the most risky factor about film is the amount of blood, gore and violence shown in the movie, which may gross out a lot of viewers. The promos of the film were spooky, but not every viewer, excited to watch Anushka Sharma’s experiment with horror, will be prepared to handle the gore scenes.
Overall, PARI – NOT A FAIRYTALE has an interesting premise with a fair amount of chills and thrills. However, the weak screenplay and unnecessary blood and gore is off putting. At the box office, the film will appeal to the segment of audiences who enjoy the horror/gore genre of films.
Movie Review: Death Wish (English)
It is known that the remakes and reboots are kind of Hollywood’s thing. In the recent past, many remakes like JUMANJI and MURDER IN THE ORIENT EXPRESS have made its way to the big screen. While some have done a little justice to the original movies, others have failed to impress the audience. Going on the same lines is the Bruce Willis’ gritty violent action-thriller, DEATH WISH, a remake of 1974 controversial film. For the uninitiated, the original DEATH WISH film starred Charles Bronson, Hope Lange, Vincent Gardenia, Jack Wallace, and Stuart Margolin among others. The original film was a dark drama which revolved around a man who becomes a one man vigilante after his wife’s murder and assault on his daughter. Will this Bruce Willis version of the film impress the audiences? Lets analyse.
DEATH WISH (2018) follows the story of a doctor Paul Kersey (Bruce Willis) who is leading a normal life working in an ER in Chicago until tragedy hits him. His wife Lucy Kersey (Elisabeth Shue) is murdered and daughter Jordan Kersey (Camilla Morrone) is in coma after a break-in at their house. This leaves him grieving and frustrated at the same time because the lack of the progress on the case by the police. Eventually, Paul Kersey decides to take justice in his own hands and follows the path of vigilantism. From getting untraceable weapons to taking lessons from Youtube, Paul takes the vigilante path to seek vengeance. Not only does he question that his actual profession as a doctor is about saving lives but somehow he has chosen now to take crime out of the streets. When he does get the lead on the goons who had broken into his house, he plans to seek revenge.
Elli Roth’s DEATH WISH starts off a little slow as the story of the family is set up first and every key character is introduced. Even after the tragedy takes place, Bruce Willis’ character takes time for the reality to sink in, while his daughter recovers from her injuries. However, once Willis turns into a vigilante, the film goes into a fast track mode with its action thriller theme. The best part about the film is that director Roth maintains subtle humour throughout the film, especially after a doctor who has never even used a gun, turns into an amateur vigilante at night and shoots down the bad guys.
Bruce Willis who essays the role of Paul Kersey is just as good as he is in his previous films. Every DIE HARD fan knows what he is capable of when it comes to acting and action. He takes over the role of Charles Bronson but nothing like the original character. He is angry, flippant and just in shooting spree. Dean Morris of Breaking Bad fame essays the role of Detective Kevin Raines. He makes a strong impact on screen. Elisabeth Shue, who essays the role of Lucy Kersey, has less screen time but is good in whatever time she has. Vincent D’Onofrio, who plays Paul Kersey’s ex-con brother, has literally nothing to contribute in the story. Camila Morrone is impressive in her role as Jordan Kersey.
The screenplay by Joe Carnahan is average. It does build an emotional connect with the Kersey family but one does feel that the writing could have been stronger, especially when you have such a stellar cast to perform the material on screen.
Cinematographer Rogier Stoffers uses stunning camera angles, especially while shooting the city at night during the vigilante scenes. Mark Goldbatt’s editing is tight and crisp. Ludwig Goransson’s music is catchy and helps build the momentum. The action scenes are shot very well as the gun fights are quick and action is very situational.
On the whole, DEATH WISH is an action thriller which has a basic storyline but manages to entertain with its action scenes and subtle humour. The film will appeal to the hardcore Bruce Willis fans.
Movie Review: Hate Story IV
HATE STORY has been a very successful franchise, with HATE STORY 3 [2015] doing huge business at the box office. So does HATE STORY IV also manage to entertain like the previous parts? Or does it falter like the recent adult flicks? Let’s analyse.
HATE STORY IV is the story of a girl who causes a rift between two brothers. Tasha (Urvashi Rautela) comes to London to become famous but is unable to find success. Luck favours her when she meets Rajveer (Karan Wahi), a photographer who is also a womaniser. He is floored by Tasha's glamorous appeal and recommends her to his brother Aryan (Vivan Bhatena) and his girlfriend cum business partner Rishma (Ihana Dhillon), both of whom are looking for a fresh face for their upcoming cosmetic brand. Tasha is signed and she becomes famous. Both Aryan and Rajveer start lusting after Tasha and try to get close to her. Meanwhile their father Vikram Khurana (Gulshan Grover) is running for London Mayoral elections and he has cautioned the brothers not to do anything untoward which would jeopardize his chances of victory. However, things begin to go wrong as Tasha gets involved with both Rajveer and Aryan. A mysterious blackmailer also emerges who has photographic evidence of all the wrongdoings, including a murder. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
HATE STORY IV begins with intriguing opening credits and is quite nicely done. The first sequence is unexpected as the film begins midway and then the narrative goes in a flashback mode. Some of the recent erotic films failed as they didn't have adequate dosage of sex that the promos promised. HATE STORY IV thankfully is an exception. The film has enough steamy scenes and thrill to give the target audience its money's worth. Also despite the numerous twists, the narrative is very simple. Moreover, Hindi subtitles have been displayed during all the English dialogues. These efforts show that the makers want to ensure that audiences in B and C centers are able to fully enjoy the film.
Sammeer Arora's story is a bit weak and has far too many twists and turns after a point. But Sammeer Arora and Vishal Pandya's screenplay is simplistic and effective, though it fails to neatly camouflage some of the flaws in the plot. Milap Milan Zaveri's dialogues are appealing and massy. But it's not fair to have punchlines in practically every sentence. Vishal Pandya's direction is decent. He ensures that the film remains a complete commercial masala fare.
Urvashi Rautela has the oomph factor for sure and it comes to the fore very well. Even performance wise, she is decent and nicely manages to ooze evilness and vulnerability. Karan Wahi looks dashing and does a fine job. Vivan Bhatena has a slightly lengthier role and performs as per his character’s requirement. Ihana Dhillon also has her share of sizzling scenes but her screen time is limited and is okay. Gulshan Grover delivers quite an entertaining performance. Tia Bajpai (Bhavna) and Shaad Randhawa (Ashwin Chaudhary) are good in special appearances. Mohit Chhabra (Ron) and Rita Siddiqui (Monica) are average.
The music of HATE STORY IV is well woven with the narrative. ‘Aashiq Banaya Aapne’ is the best of the lot. ‘Boond Boond Mein’, ‘Badnaamiyan’ and ‘Tum Mere Ho’ come next and all these songs are laden with intimate scenes. ‘Mohabbat Nasha Hai’ is sadly wasted. Sunny Bawra and Inder Bawra's background score is quite exhilarating and adds to the drama and thrill. Sunita Radia's cinematography is neat and the film has been shot in some beautiful places and houses of England. Manish More's editing is slick while Neesha Sharma and Shyamli Arrora's costumes are quite glamorous, especially the ones donned by the girls.
On the whole, HATE STORY IV has its fair share of intimacy and thrill, which has been the primary reason for the success of the series. At the box office, it will prove to be a safe bet for the makers considering its investment and the returns.
Movie Review: Dil Juunglee
Taapsee Pannu has had a good run at the box office lately. She got critical acclaim with Amitabh Bachchan starrer PINK in 2016 and since then her career has seen an upward trajectory. JUDWAA 2 with Varun Dhawan and Jacqueline Fernandez saw commercial success while NAAM SHABHANA got her critical acclaim. She also did a few South films which earned her accolades from masses. Now, she is back with a romantic comedy, DIL JUUNGLEE, which is presented as your typical rom-com fare. Taapsee Pannu is joined by Saqib Saleem in this flick. But does the film manage to impress at all? Find out here.
The story revolves around its two lead characters Koroli Nair (Taapsee Pannu) and Sumit Uppal (Saqib Saleem) and the way they meet, fall in love and live happily ever after. Bored already? Pannu essays the role of a rich London-based girl who comes to New Delhi to become a teacher. English literature is her calling and her character is a prototype of a typical ‘poor little rich girl’. Saqib’s Sumit is ‘Delhi ka desi launda’ who dreams of making it big in Bollywood. He starts taking English classes, no prize for guessing who his teacher is. After learning that Koroli is from a super rich family, he conveniently falls in love with her, elopes to Mumbai to get married but leaves her at the altar, or in this case mandap. Cut to seven years later, Koroli has become a no nonsense business woman in London, is all sleek and polished while Sumit is a small time actor essaying mythological roles in small films. They meet again and sparks fly. Koroli is engaged to a rich businessman while Sumit is committed to his co-actor. The movie plods further before giving us an unoriginal, uh-so-typical happily ever after!
DIL JUUNGLEE is directed by the first timer Aleya Sen, who is the co-founder of a production house– Chrome Pictures. It is far too evident from the overall treatment given to the project to understand that a novice has helmed the movie. Writing by Aleya, Tanoya Sen Sharma and Shiv Singh is lacklustre and boring. Despite being a woman, Sen paints her female lead in a poor light often making her look needy, desperate and a pushover. Koroli’s aim is to ‘settle down’ and constantly hankers for male validation from her boyfriend, fiancé or father. She ultimately falls all over again for a man who can only be described as entitled and selfish. DIL JUUNGLEE has a fairly clichéd plot with clichéd characterisation.
Performance wise, Saqib makes an effort to keep masses engaged with his impeccable comic timing and other histrionics in the first half of the film. But it looks like Taapsee has sleepwalked through the movie after a point. She gives up on DIL JUUNGLEE midway, just like the audience. Web sensations Nidhi Singh (Sumit’s fiancée) and Sirshti Srivastava (Koroli’s friend) are good and are true to their characters. Abhilash Thapliyal who plays Sumit’s friend is fine too.
Cinematography by Amol Rathod is decent; especially the camerawork in London. Background score by Abhishek Arora does not work and only one song from film: ‘Nachle Na’ by Guru Randhawa stands out. Editor Dev Jadhav manages to keep the movie short with its run time of almost 2 hours, yet the film feels like a drag. Going by the look of the film, costume designer Ayesha Khanna makes the lead actors look chic and young.
On the whole, DIL JUUNGLEE fails to connect with its target audience, thanks to its predictable storyline and way too many clichés. With no buzz around the film whatsoever, it is bound to struggle at the box office.
Movie Review: Raid
Director Raj Kumar Gupta is known for making critically acclaimed movies like AAMIR and NO ONE KILLED JESSICA. And now he is back with RAID starring Ajay Devgn. So, the expectations from the movie are high and well justified too. So let’s find out if RAID lives upto those expectations or not.
RAID, the title itself is self-explanatory. But for the uninitiated, the plot revolves around the no-nonsense, honest-to-the-core Income Tax officer, Amay Patnaik (Ajay Devgn), and his quest to raid all the top notch businessmen, henchmen and politicians of the country defaulting on the Income Tax. Rameshwar Singh AKA Tauji (Saurabh Shukla), a typical greasy politician is his nemesis. Together, they begin a cat and mouse chase kind of game which results in amazing twists and turns as the film progresses, keeping masses at the edge of their seats, waiting for more. Amay’s target is to recover a whooping amount of Rs. 420 crores which Tauji has hidden away in his 'white house'. As the film progresses, Tauji mounts pressure on Amay to withdraw the raid but despite all this, he carries out the procedure. Does Amay succeed in his mission? Well we wouldn’t like to give that away.
First and foremost let’s get to the performances of the leads. Both Devgn and Shukla shine through their characters. They are impactful and totally keep you hooked. Every time they appear on screen, sparks fly and you end up feeling the tension. Ajay Devgn looks strong and powerful playing the role of an honest IT officer who is not scared of anyone. He impresses everytime he delivers a punchline and emotes so much through his eyes. Saurabh Shukla as the corrupt politician is equally good and gives Ajay a tough fight on screen. Ileana D’cruz, as Devgn’s wife, gives depth to his character. Pushpa Joshi, who plays Saurabh Shukla’s mother, has a key role in the whole film. Every time she appears on screen, her wry sense of humour releases tension and provides a good break from all the intensity.
While the leads have done justice to their characters, supporting actors, Amit Sial, Amit Bimrot and Gayathri, who play Ajay’s colleagues, give an honest performance. Saurabh Shukla’s family members played by Ravi Khanwilkar, Sheeba Chadha, Devas Dixit, Pravin Sisodia, among others stay true to their on screen roles of flawed relatives of a corrupt politician.
Director Raj Kumar Gupta mounts the film well and has made sure that the audience’s attention is not diverted from the main topic: Raid. And it actually works in his favour. He arrests our attention with all the twists in the film, especially the sequence prior to interval which can only be described as top notch. Also, he has made sure that the movie culminates beautifully towards the climax, keeping us on the edge of our seats for most of the time. This has to be his best work till date. The only hiccup is that the romance between Ajay and Illeana is strictly okay and the songs create slight restlessness and deviation from the main plot.
The Background score by Amit Trivedi works well for the film but songs re-created by Tanishk Bagchi seem pretty unnecessary.
A special mention to Ritesh Shah, who has written the screenplay, story and the dialogues of RAID. The dialogue-baazi is sure to be greeted with whistles and claps. While all dialogues are brilliant, one sequence is especially stellar. Somewhere in the film, Tauji is having dinner at the table. He rounds the people sitting with him one by one and then asks wryly, “Vibhishan Kaun Hai?”. In a dramatic style, the identity of this said Vibhishan is revealed in the end, shocking your senses.
Talking about the editing, Bodhaditya Banerjee has done a decent job keeping the thriller crisp. Its total runtime is 2 hrs 8 mins.
DOP Alphonse Roy is good as his camera moves smoothly, taking us head-on through this gritty narrative. RP Yadav’s action is pretty neat and whatever little scope there is for Ajay to show his expertise in the department, he does it with panache.
Let’s take a moment here and appreciate Ajay’s choice of films. He maintains a sleek balance between commercial and content driven films with the proficiency of a seasoned performer. While he has films like GOLMAAL in his kitty, he does DRISHYAM and a RAID and impresses us just as effortlessly.
On the whole, RAID is a realistic and hard-hitting thriller that keeps you hooked right till the end. A film that is sure to win accolades as well as positive word of mouth. This twisty tale is definitely a must watch movie this weekend.
Movie Review: Pacific Rim - Uprising (English)
Today almost every film that hits screens comes along with loads of visual effects and CGI that promise to leave the viewer spell bound. Well, this week, we see the release of one such film, PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING, which heavily relies on visual effects to not just take the story forward but also to give the viewer a complete cinematic experience on a larger than life canvas. The film is a sequel to 2013 release PACIFIC RIM that created quite an impact with its massive mech warriors going head to head with alien life forms that threaten to destroy earth as we know it. But will it manage to live up to the expectations that have been created by the first, or will it buckle under the pressure, is what we analyse.
PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING is set 10 years after the epic ‘Battle of the Breach’ which acted as the climax of the 2013 release. With a brief recap of what transpired in the first film, the sequel dives head first into telling a new tale on epic proportions. With the cataclysmic events behind, the surviving human race has moved on with life. However, there is still a division prepping in the wings just in case another such event happens. But with the advancement in technology, we see the rise of new breed of automated Yeagers that can be remotely piloted. Things seem to be progressing idyllically in the global neighbourhood when out of the blue; a rogue Yeager lays waste to the city of Sydney. Jake Pentecost (John Boyega) a once-promising Jaeger pilot whose legendary father gave his life to secure humanity's victory against the monstrous Kaiju assisted by pilot Lambert (Scott Eastwood) must defend what is left. Stunned by this sudden attack, Pentecost and Lambert undertake a mission to investigate a base buried in ice. Here they are waylaid once again by the rogue Yeager. But the duo piloting Gypsy Avenger, manage to overpower it and haul it back to base. Back home, they learn that the rogue Yeager has been developed after cloning a secondary Kaiju brain. However, the battle is far from over with multiple such rogue Yeagers appearing opening up a new rift for the Kaiju to pass through. Will the battered and bruised team of motley Yeager pilots be able to defend Earth, is what forms the rest of the film.
Right from the onset PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING directed by debutante feature film director Steven S DeKnight is a visual treat. With a throwback to the previous film, this one too gives viewers a feel of watching something larger than life unfold. The film does feature some of the best mecha warrior action with well-choreographed fight sequences, wanton destruction, thrilling after-effects and of course some touching dramatic sequences. However, the film does not feature anything new in the overall scheme of the story. In fact, like the first film, PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING still toes the line of an alien species invading earth aiming to cause an extinction level event, being fought off bravely by a rag tag team of defenders ultimately saving the world from certain destruction. While the first half of the film starts off well laying the foundations for a thrilling second half, the on screen progressions do not really connect with the seasoned viewer. On the other hand though, the film does come across as one that is aimed more at catering to kids/ teenagers who would love the dollops of destruction and action on offer. Progressing further, the second half of the film doesn’t get any much better. Though replete with nail biting action sequences, unlike the first film, PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING does not manage to develop a similar kind of awe in the viewer. Instead the film comes across as a valiant effort to live upto the cracker of a movie Guillermo del Toro gave us in 2013.
Coming to the performances in PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING, John Boyega as Jake Pentecost does well in his given role, however, the burden of living up to his father Stacker Pentecost’s image played by Idris Elba seems to be too much. Though Boyega does a decent job, his enactment of an inspiring speech session to mimic that of Elba’s from the first film falls flat. Scott Eastwood as Nate Lambert, Cailee Spaeny as Amara Namani, Burn Gorman as Dr. Hermann Gottlieb and Charlie Day as Dr. Newton 'Newt' Geiszler do similarly well in their given roles. However, it is the visual effects of the film that are truly its main lead. Unlike the first film, that features a slightly darker theme, PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING is surprisingly light both in terms of theme and overall doomsday proclamations. Sadly, though the film is a fun watch, it does not compete with Del Toro’s ode to the monster films of old.
Coming to background score, something that has become rather major when telling a large canvas story, is severely lacking in the film. With no memorable scores that help build the tension and overall weight of the on screen happenings, the viewer feels rather disconnected.
On the whole, PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING, though not as good as the first part, does manage to hold its own. If you enjoy the thrill of watching giant mecha robots go head to head with monstrous aliens, this film is certainly meant for you. At the Indian box office, with a bit of competition coming in from the Bollywood release HICHKI, PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING that enjoys a wide release across four languages, looks set to register decent numbers.
Movie Review: Hichki
Rani Mukerji is all set to make a smashing comeback after over four years with yet another woman oriented movie: HICHKI produced by Yash Raj Films and directed by Siddharth P. Malhotra. Judging by its trailer, the film gives out positive, feel good vibes as it is the story about a teacher who turns her biggest weakness into her strength. Is the movie as good as it looks? Read on our full review to find out.
The story of the HICHKI revolves around Naina Mathur (Rani Mukerji) and her earnest struggle to break into her dream career of teaching while battling Tourette’s syndrome. After much trepidation and tussle with management and Principal (Shiv Subramanium) of a fancy public school, she lands a job as a teacher. The glitch here is that she is given a class full of mischief makers as students. The challenge comes in form of these unruly kids and of course, her own physical shortcoming. First, it starts with the students resisting her efforts, pulling pranks on her, absolutely frustrating her to the point of breakdown and later it moves on to a great issue: Elitism prevalent in the education sector. Soon it is Naina’s class of unruly kids from a nearby ghetto vs the privileged students of the St Notker’s High School who ‘legitimately belong’ there. This class of 14 students essentially come from underprivileged background and are a part of school, only because of the compulsion by the Right To Education Act on the school management. It is a classic underdog-take-on-the-world and wins kind of situation. What happens when Naina takes up the challenge teaching this class of rejects is what forms the rest of the story.
HICHKI is inspired by the Hollywood flick FRONT OF THE CLASS based on the book by Brad Cohen, Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had, co-authored by Lisa Wysocky. The premise is old and films like HINDI MEDIUM and TAARE ZAMEEN PAR come to mind when one thinks of HICHKI.
The film works when it comes to the basic storytelling and holds the attention in the first half. While the story is predictable, the screenplay is engaging and keeps you hooked on to its first half. Anckur Chaudhry’s dialogue, story and screenplay starts off on a great note. It is sharp, clever, zingy and funny but slips eventually towards the second half. Director Siddharth Malhotra has co-written the story and screenplay with Chaudhry, Ambar Hadap and Ganesh Pandit. Though their intention was genuine, they try too hard to somehow to drive the message home towards the end.
Director Siddharth P. Malhotra has done an earnest job by creating heart-warming moments between Naina and her students who slowly but surely come around to appreciate their teacher’s efforts. Malhotra takes a simple story but keeps it engaging throughout and that speaks a lot about his talent as a story-teller.
What makes HICHKI a decent watch really is Rani Mukerji’s effervescent performance and the way she shoulders the film throughout with a renewed zest. Rani is likeable and inspiring and you sure empathize with her cause. She is relentless, spirited and totally right into her character. She does not lose her bearing even once and holds your attention with her amazing screen presence. There is a little ‘act’ in her acting and it makes you wish she did more films! The actors playing her students are true to their characters and do a brilliant job in their bearing of the rebellious turned studious kids. Harsh Mayar playing the role of Aatish stands out. Neeraj Kabi as the disapproving teacher is spectacular. Ivan Rodrigues as the Principal is good. Supriya Pilgaonkar, Kunal Shinde, Shivkumar Subramaniam, Asif Basra, Hussain Dalal, Suprio Bose, Jannat Zubair Rahmani are all fantastic.
Editor Shweta Venkat Mathew does a decent job, though the second half could’ve been tighter. Avinash Arun handles the cinematography well as he plays with his lens to highlight small quirks about the key character of the film. His camera work makes the film look good overall. Music by Jasleen Royal is average. However background score by Hitesh Sonik is good and goes with the narrative.
Overall, HICHKI is a simple, meaningful and an inspiring film that stays with you. Rani Mukerji is back in full form and her fans will be immensely impressed. At the box office, the film will mainly appeal to the younger audiences.
Movie Review: Baaghi 2
Action has been the mainstay of Bollywood flicks and it’s as important as song and dance. Although action flicks have been churned regularly by Bollywood, there are not many current actors who come under the category of action stars. At such point, Tiger Shroff came as a breath of fresh air. Action is his USP and the manner in which he beats up the baddies is quite entertaining. Tiger has become a darling of the masses and one of the big reasons why that happened was thanks to his second film BAAGHI [2016]. Now it’s second part, BAAGHI 2, has released in cinemas. So does it go beyond the first part and emerge as a great action entertainer? Or does it fail to entice? Let’s analyse.
BAAGHI 2 is the story of a fearless rebel who undertakes a dangerous mission when his ex-girlfriend seeks his help. Ranveer Pratap Singh (Tiger Shroff) is a brave army officer. One day he gets a call from his ex-girlfriend Neha (Disha Patani). She asks for his help in finding her daughter Rhea who got kidnapped two months ago. Ranveer begins his investigation but hits a dead-end soon enough. Nobody is a witness to the kidnapping. Some even claim that Neha never had a daughter. Neha's husband Shekhar (Darshan Kumaar) also confirms this fact. He adds that Neha is suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder due to which she is imagining her daughter getting kidnapped. Ronnie confronts Neha over this revelation but she remains adamant. Ronnie refuses to believe, prompting Neha to take a shocking step, which devastates Ronnie. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
BAAGHI 2 begins on a thrilling note. Ronnie’s entry as expected is quite clapworthy. One expects fireworks as soon as he lands in Goa to find the missing Rhea. Sadly, two songs are placed almost back to back. This dilutes the impact a bit. But the action scene in the police station brings the film back on track. A sea of characters are then introduced in the next 30-40 minutes and they add a lot of weightage to the narrative. Thankfully, each one of them are there for a reason. There’s also unpredictability in the plot, which makes for a good watch. But the film suffers due to lack of logic. Also, the fights are hardly there before the interval. The second half has more action sequences and this would surely impress the masses. At the same time, the emotional quotient comes out well. The climax has a high dose of fights and the final scene of the film is lovely.
BAAGHI 2 is adapted from a Telugu film KSHANAM by Sajid Nadiadwala and the plot is very weak. Although one is not supposed to look for logic in masala films, the level of absurdity in this flick is too high. Jojo Khan, Abbas Hierapurwala and Niraj Mishra's screenplay is twisted for no reason and is devoid of logic. In the climax, it gets a bit haywire during the flashback. It might be difficult for some viewers to guess what exactly happened. Hussain Dalal's dialogues are quite massy and whistle inducing. Ahmed Khan's direction is quite an improvement as compared to his previous attempts. He still falters in a lot of scenes but overall he manages to execute the film in a neat and simple manner.
Coming to performances, Tiger Shroff delivers a terrific performance and enters successfully in the intense zone. It’s great to see how he’s able to look agitated and at the same time quite vulnerable. His action and dance as expected makes for 'paisa vasool' fun. Disha Patani sadly has lesser screen time and she surely has a long way to go when it comes to her performance. Her chemistry with Tiger however is good. Manoj Bajpayee (Ajay Shergill) gives a nice, subtle performance as per his character's requirement. Randeep Hooda (Lodha Singh Dhul aka LSD) gets to essay the most colourful character in the film and he’s too good. Viewers are sure to go crazy after witnessing his antics. Prateik Babbar (Sunny) gets into the skin of his character. Deepak Dobriyal (Usman) leaves a mark with his performance and one-liners. Grandmaster Shifuji Shaurya Bharadwaj (Colonel Ranjeet Walia) is quite a livewire but sadly this time he doesn’t have much to do. Darshan Kumaar (Shekhar) is quite okay while Sunit Morarjee (Sharad Kute) goes overboard. Jacqueline Fernandez is quite sizzling in her item number.
The Songs are strictly okay but barring the item number, the rest don’t make the desired impact. ‘Mundiyan’ is forced but is quite peppy. ‘Ek Do Teen’ is energetic, ‘OSaathi’ is lovely while ‘Lo Safar’ is wasted. Julius Packiam's background score is quite impactful.
Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran's cinematography is eye catching. The aerial shots especially are quite well captured. Ram Chella, Lakshman Chella, Kecha Khamphakdee and Shamshir Khan's action is quite entertaining and the mainstay of the film. Rameshwar Bhagat's editing is okay and the film could have been shorter. Laxmi Keluskar and Sandeep Meher-Lasa's production design is rich.
On the whole, BAAGHI 2 boasts of an extraordinary action and spectacular performance from Tiger Shroff with an absence of a convincing and engaging screenplay as a minus point. At the box office, it will score huge over the weekend in the mass dominated circuits. However the real test for the movie will begin from Monday onwards.
Movie Review: Blackmail
Extra marital affair is arguably as old as the institution of marriage. A lot of films have already been made on this aspect. But take a look at various newspaper articles on extra-marital affairs and you’ll realize that some of them don’t go the conventional way and twisted and weird developments do take place. BLACKMAIL, directed by DELHI BELLY director Abhinay Deo, attempts to tell one such tale and as per the makers, it is inspired from a true story. So does BLACKMAIL manage to entertain with its novel storyline? Or does it turn out to be a disappointing fare? Let’s analyse.
BLACKMAIL is the story of a bored and in-debt husband who devises a bizarre idea when he finds out that his wife is having an extra marital affair. Dev Kaushal (Irrfan Khan) works for Boss DK (Omi Vaidya) at My Handy, a toilet paper company. He is married to Reena (Kirti Kulhari) and their marriage has lost the spark. He prefers being in the office till late and playing games on the computer rather than going home early and spending time with his wife. Dev’s colleague Anand Tripathi (Pradhuman Singh Mall) advises him to go home early one day, buy flowers and surprise his wife. Dev likes this idea and goes home early only to find Reena sleeping with her ex-boyfriend Ranjit Arora (Arunoday Singh). On the other hand, Dev isn’t going to get a pay raise from DK and he has mounting debts. Hence, he buys a prepaid SIM card and blackmails Ranjit anonymously. Dev asks him to pay Rs. 1 lakh or else he’ll tell the truth to Dev! Ranjit is married to Dolly Verma (Divya Dutta) who suspects that Dev is cheating on her. Ranjit is broke and he asks for the blackmail amount under the pretext of starting a new business. Dolly hands him the said amount and he in turns hands it to Dev. Dolly’s father (Nav Ratan Singh Rathore) then asks Ranjit to return the Rs. 1 lakh that he took from Dolly and threatens him with dire consequences. With no other option in hand, Ranjit creates an anonymous email account and blackmails Reena into giving Rs. 1.20 lakh! He uses the same kind of words used by Dev in the blackmail message so that Reena would assume that it’s the same blackmailer. Reena has only Rs. 30,000 as savings and desperate to arrange the balance amount, she asks none other than Dev for Rs. 90,000! Dev agrees to give her the money but also realizes that he’ll be in debt again! So he asks for more money from Ranjit! As a result, Ranjit takes the Rs. 1.20 lakh from Reena, takes Rs. 20000 for himself and gives away the remaining amount to Dev! While this merry go around is going on, Dev confesses about blackmailing his wife’s lover to Anand. Anand in turn blurts out about it to Prabha (Anuja Anil Sathe), who has joined My Handy recently and whom Anand crushes on. Now Prabha starts blackmailing Dev for money and threatens that she’ll tell the truth to Reena if he doesn’t pay her up. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
BLACKMAIL doesn’t have a great beginning. The first 15-20 minutes are a bit dry and the film picks up when Dev learns about Reena’s extra marital affair. The madness enhances after a lot of players jump on the blackmail bandwagon! There are far too many characters and each one of them has his/her own quirks. Also the execution is stylish yet simple. Hence, despite so many characters and so much of blackmailing taking place, one doesn’t get lost or confused. The humour isn’t rib-tickling and it’s quite dark but it makes for a great watch. On the flipside, the climax is a bit of a downer. The film doesn’t sum up well at this juncture and a few questions are left unanswered. Dev’s act in the last scene is unpredictable but it’s not entirely convincing. Also, Dev-Reena’s bond is not properly established. No backstory is provided or no explanation is given as to why Dev is unhappy with his married life.
Parveez Shaikh’s story is quite novel and very entertaining but loses steam in the last 10 minutes. Pradhuman Singh Mall's dialogues are simple, straight out of life and witty. Parveez Shaikh’s screenplay is effective and gives the film the required edge and quirk. Abhinay Deo’s direction is very good and he handles the plot with panache. The director disappointed with GAME [2011] and FORCE 2 [2016] but with BLACKMAIL, he gets back in the zone of his landmark film DELHI BELLY [2011]. In fact, there are lot of similarities between the Imran Khan-starrer and BLACKMAIL right from the opening credits to the unreasonable boss to the protagonist not being happy in the relationship to multi-track narrative and finally, the toilet humour! But no worries since the toilet jokes here are not in-your-face like in DELHI BELLY. Moreover, there are some novel additions this time as well like Dev stealing photographs of women from office every evening to pleasure himself. This aspect is hilarious and would surely bring the house down. Also, the use of texts and supers gives the film a nice touch.
Irrfan Khan delivers a great performance and surprisingly, he doesn’t get to mouth a lot of dialogues. But then, Irrfan is known to communicate a lot with his silences and that’s what he does with BLACKMAIL. Also, his eyes speak a lot and one of the most memorable sequences of the film is where he sees his wife sleeping with another man. Just his eye is shown and one can instantly feel the sadness. Arunoday Singh is like the second lead actor of the film since he has a very crucial part to play. He delivers a fabulous performance and after MIRCH [2010] and YEH SAALI ZINDAGI [2011], this shall rank as one of his most memorable acts. Kirti Kulhari gives a genuine and earnest performance but surprisingly, she has limited screen time. Divya Dutta has a rocking entry sequence and she takes the film to another level with her performance. Pradhuman Singh Mall brings in the required fun and he does much better in the second half. Anuja Anil Sathe has a small role but she leaves a tremendous mark. Omi Vaidya is as usual quite funny and it’s great to see him after long. Gajraj Rao (Chawla) gets to play an interesting character and is quite fair. Abhijeet Chavan (Inspector Rawle) and Nav Ratan Singh Rathore add to the madness. Vibha Chhibber (Blind Woman) is hilarious and her sequence would be greeted with claps and whistles. Neelima Azeem doesn’t have much to do. Urmila Matondkar looks glamorous in the item song.
The songs are quite trippy and quirky which reflect the mood of the film. ‘Badla’ is the soul of the film while ‘Sataasat’ is in a similar zone. ‘Nindaraan Diyaan’ gets better in the last bit. ‘Bewafa Beauty’ is okay but comes at a crucial point in the flick. ‘Patola’ is played in the end credits. Mikey McCleary and Parth Parekh's background score has a similar feel as the music and that adds to the fun. It also prevents the film from becoming a serious fare.
Mustufa Stationwala's production design is quite realistic and impressive. The sets are eye catching – right from Dev’s office to the restobar to Dev’s residence to Ranjit-Dolly residence. Jay Oza’s cinematography is neat and captures the locales of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai very nicely. Huzefa Lokhandwala's editing is slick and ensures the film moves smoothly. Harpal Singh’s action is real but doesn’t get gory at any point. Veera Kapur Ee’s costumes add to the realism touch.
On the whole, BLACKMAIL is quite an unconventional entertainer and a good black comedy. It may not have a pan India appeal but the target multiplex audience are sure to enjoy this flick. The costs of this film are reasonable and as a result, it’ll turn out to be a profitable venture for its producers.
Movie Review: October
Almost every other film made in Bollywood is a love story or has some element of romance. Hence, it is a genre that has been extremely beaten to death. Making a film on love that is novel and unconventional can be quite a difficult and even a risk, since the audiences might not accept something that they are not habituated too. Yet, Shoojit Sircar takes the risk with OCTOBER, which promises to be a ‘hatke’ love story. Moreover, Varun Dhawan, who has not had a flop film in his career and known for his massy films, features in this film in the lead role. So does OCTOBER manage to entertain and impress? Or does the risk fail to pay off? Let’s analyse
OCTOBER is the story of an unconventional bond shared by two people in an extraordinary circumstance. Danish Walia aka Dan (Varun Dhawan) works in a five-star hotel in Delhi. He is arrogant and often argues with his seniors and even the guests. Shiuli (Banita Sandhu) also works there and both are friends but aren’t that close. On the eve of New Year, the hotel staffers decide to have their own little party at the rooftop of the hotel, situated on the 3rd floor. Shiuli attempts to sit on the parapet and she slips and falls down on the ground. She is immediately hospitalized and slips into coma. Shiuli’s colleagues, including Dan, pay her a visit and in a few days, they move on. But Dan is unable to do so and few weeks later, he learns from his colleague that Shiuli’s last sentence before slipping was ‘Where is Dan’. As soon as Dan comes to know about this information, he gets even more obsessed. He regularly starts paying Shiuli a visit at the hospital and even gets introduced to her mother, Professor Vidya Nair (Gitanjali Rao) and her siblings. Shiuli’s uncle meanwhile makes it clear to Vidya that there’s not much hope when it comes to improvement in Shiuli’s health and that she should pull the plug. But Dan motivates Vidya not to do so. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Juhi Chaturvedi’s story rests on a wafer-thin plot and is too arthouse. Her screenplay is not quite engaging as well as it moves at a slow pace. The movie is devoid of love story and romance however there are moments which indicate that it is a love story. One has certain expectations from her since she’s written some very interesting films like VICKY DONOR [2012], MADRAS CAFÉ [2013] and PIKU [2015], all also directed by Shoojit Sircar. But her work in OCTOBER is a far cry from her previous films. Also one gets a déjà vu of the character of Anand bhai in MUNNABHAI MBBS [2003] and the recent much loved Hollywood film THE BIG SICK [2017]. But again, OCTOBER is nowhere close to both these movies. Even with the screenplay, she struggles. Juhi Chaturvedi’s dialogues however are quite interesting. Shoojit Sircar’s direction too is a bit shaky. It’s surprising to see such a film made by a prolific director having abrupt cuts, sudden fade out etc. A few sequences might be difficult for viewers to comprehend. For instance, the scene where Dan informs Shiuli where he was on that fateful night. The slow pace moreover tests the viewers patience. Thankfully, in the second half, when the film becomes a bit simple, the film has lovely scenes. But overall, a very miniscule section of audience is going to give the film thumbs up!
The opening sequence of OCTOBER is beautiful. The opening credits are surprising as Banita Sandhu is mentioned followed by Geetanjali Rao and only then Varun Dhawan’s name appears on the screen! The workings of the five-star hotel are very nicely depicted and Dan’s entry is quite simple but gives an idea about his bizarre traits. The sequence where Shiuli falls from the rooftop is presented in a very matter-of-fact way, sans any drama. In a way, it adds a lot to the impact. But sadly from here on, there’s hardly any movement in the story. Even in the second half, not much happens but few moments are nice and touching. The climax is very emotional but these are too little and appear too late in the day.
Shoojit Sircar manages to extract some fine performances. Varun Dhawan is the soul of OCTOBER and is the glue who keeps the film tied together. He gets to play a very different character that is positive but also has certain annoying habits. But Varun ensures that in the long run, Dan doesn’t turn out to be an irritating person. The audience hoots for him as he struggles to heal Shiuli and this aspect would surely be loved by the viewers. Newcomer Banita Sandhu makes a very promising debut and gets to play a very difficult character. One might argue that she doesn’t have much to do. But even in scenes where she’s merely lying on the bed, the expressions that she gives are praiseworthy. Gitanjali Rao gives a very nuanced and credible performance. She brings out the trauma faced by a mother and the only earning member of the family who’s suddenly faced with the biggest challenge of her life. Sahil Vedoliyaa (Manjeet) is decent while Prateek Kapur’s (Asthana) performance works big time due to his impeccable dialogue delivery. Ashish Ghosh (Dr. Ghosh) is endearing. The actors playing Manjeet’s girlfriend, Dan’s mother, Shiuli’s siblings, Shiuli’s uncle and the nurse also do a fine job.
OCTOBER surprisingly is a songless film with only ‘Manwaa’ played in the end credits. October Theme also is featured and has a nice, emotional feel to it. Same goes for Shantanu Moitra’s background score.
Avik Mukhopadhyay’s cinematography is excellent and captures the empty Delhi streets, the ICU, the cold Delhi weather, the flowers lying on the ground and the beauty of Manali perfectly. Mansi Dhruv Mehta’s production design is first-rate. Veera Kapur Ee’s costumes are real but at the same time appealing. Chandrashekhar Prajapati’s editing is good but a bit rough at places.
On the whole, OCTOBER is an offbeat and a sensitive film which rests on a wafer thin plot and suffers from a slow pace. The movie is sure to win critical acclaim for Varun Dhawan's outstanding performance but has hardly anything for the masses. At the box office, the movie will appeal to a niche section of the multiplex going audience.
Movie Review: Beyond The Clouds
The city of Mumbai has been shown by countless filmmakers, even by Hollywood filmmakers [the classic example being the Oscar-winning SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE]. But there’s still lot to the city that largely remains unexplored. Acclaimed Iranian director Majid Majidi now takes up the challenge of weaving a sensitive tale in the fabric of the maximum city and the result is BEYOND THE CLOUDS? So does this film manage to leave the audiences in awe like it happened in previous Majidi films? Or does the master director fail to impress? Let’s analyse.
BEYOND THE CLOUDS is a story of hope and happiness in the times of despair. Aamir (Ishaan Khatter) is a young guy from Mumbai in his early 20s who peddles drugs for a living. One day, cops get on his trail and to escape their clutches, he seeks refuge at his sister Tara (Malavika Mohanan). He also gives her a drug package and tells her to hide it. Both Tara and Aamir are orphans and Aamir had separated from Tara after her ex-husband used to beat him up. The next day, Tara goes to collect the package at the 'dhobi ghat', where she works. She goes to meet Akshi (Gautam Ghose) who has hidden the package. Akshi however at this point tries to rape Tara and she brutally assaults him. She is arrested on charges of attempt to murder. When Aamir learns about this episode, he goes to the hospital and finds out that Akshi is severely injured and unable to walk and talk. It’s important for Akshi to testify to the cops that Tara hit him in self defence. Realising that the faster Akshi heals, the faster Tara will be released, Aamir starts attending to Akshi and his medical needs. In jail, Tara is disturbed and befriends Chotu, a young son of an inmate (Tannishtha Chatterjee). What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Majid Majidi’s story is simple and has scope for an emotional, touching fare. Majid Majidi and Mehran Kashani’s screenplay is a bit faulty in the first half but gets better in the second half. BEYOND THE CLOUDS’s first half is a mixed bag. In some of the scenes, the emotional graph goes over the top. For instance, Tara’s outburst after her argument with Aamir and Aamir banging on the police jeep at the railway crossing. Moreover, it was advertised as a film that’s entirely shot in Mumbai and has the city as a character. But shockingly, some of the scenes seem to be shot outside the city but are passed off as Mumbai. And the locations are such, like the railway crossing for instance, that one can easily make out that it’s not Mumbai. Even Tara’s house seems quite spacious for the city’s poorer section to which both Tara and Aamir belong. Also, the locality doesn’t give any feel of Mumbai. Even story-wise, there are some flaws. It is not established that under what circumstances Tara is arrested. Tara attacks Akshi in a place that was kind of in the middle of nowhere and she could have easily run away after the attack on Akshi. Whether she herself surrendered or whether she is caught by witnesses (the possibility is remote) is never shown. Moreover, the film focuses on the slums and poverty of Mumbai and hence, it immediately gives a déjà vu of SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE [2009]. Questions might be raised as to why these international filmmakers always get interested in India’s poverty when the country has so much more to offer.
Thankfully, BEYOND THE CLOUDS has its share of pros too. The first half gets better once Aamir starts to visit Akshi in the hospital. The way he threatens him makes for a great watch. In the second half, the manner in which Aamir forms a bond with Akshi’s family is lovely and even quite moving. In the parallel track, Tara-Chotu’s relationship is also quite endearing. The ending is a bit ambiguous but the film ends on a happy note.
Vishal Bhardwaj’s Hindi dialogues are realistic but gets a bit unconvincing in the beginning portions. Majid Majidi’s direction goes a bit off track in some of the sequences of the first half. But overall, he tries to get creative with his execution and it works. The use of cloth and light, festival of Holi in the end and of course using the kids in the best way possible in his trademark style is surely impressive.
Majid Majidi also brings out great performances from his actors. Newcomer Ishaan Khatter is quite confident and takes the film to another level. He has the common man look and doesn’t possess any starry airs in his performance. This helps big time as he really looks like someone who belongs to the poorer section of the society. Watch out for him when he dances while injuring a person who betrayed him – it’s terrific! Malavika Mohanan doesn’t impress initially but then gets better and in control. Sadly, her screen time is quite limited as compared to that of Ishaan. Gautam Ghose conveys a lot through his performances and eyes. In the beginning however, he could have done a better job. G V Sharada (Jhumpa) delivers a brilliant performance and the sadness that she conveys through her eyes is seen to be believed. Dhwani Rajesh (Tanisha) is lovely and her track is quite crucial. Tannishtha Chatterjee is okay. The actors playing Anil and Rahoul are fair.
A R Rahman’s music is subtle and doesn’t stand out. But it is in sync with the narrative. The sole song ‘Ey Chhote Motor Chala’ is relegated to the background. Anil Mehta’s cinematography is award-worthy and captures the gritty side of Mumbai beautifully. Amaar Shetty’s action is real and raw. Hassan Hassandoost’s editing is decent. Mansi Dhruv Mehta’s production design and Planet D’s art direction is nice but is quite unrealistic in some of the scenes. Payal Saluja and Bibi Zeeba Miraie’s costumes however seem authentic.
On the whole, BEYOND THE CLOUDS is a nice, touching tale that works despite the minuses. At the box office however, its chances are bleak due to its niche appeal.
Over the last few years, we have had several films on sports [CHAK DE INDIA, BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG, MARY KOM, M.S. DHONI: THE UNTOLD STORY, DANGAL, SULTAN, SAALA KHADOOS] and most of them have been fairly successful at the box office and have been loved as well. These flicks also tackled several issues apart from showcasing the sports element. But not a single film has talked about how sports is often taken up by people to get a stable government job. Anurag Kashyap’s latest outing MUKKABAAZ talks about this aspect and several other issues faced by people in present-day India. So does it manage to make a great impact or tank? Let’s analyse.
MUKKABAAZ is the story of a lower caste youth who faces innumerable hurdles when he falls in love with a girl from a higher caste. Shravan (Vineet Kumar Singh) is a low caste boxer in Bareilly who falls for Sunaina Mishra (Zoya Hussain). Sunaina however is the sister of the local goon Bhagwan Das Mishra (Jimmy Sheirgill) who vehemently disapproves of this match not just because of the caste disparity but also because Shravan had assaulted him once. Bhagwan Das is a powerful authority in the boxing federation and he ensures that Shravan never gets selected for the district championship. Shravan then goes to Varanasi and trains under Sanjay Kumar (Ravi Kishan). He is desperate to win so that he can get a job in the railways and thereby also ask Sunaina's hand in marriage. This obviously is not going to be easy and moreover, Bhagwan Das has still not forgotten the humiliation of being assaulted by Shravan. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
The first thing that one notices is that MUKKABAAZ doesn’t seem like a typical Anurag Kashyap film at all. This is in fact his most commercial film till date. The film is replete with clapworthy dialogues and action scenes. At the same time, the film talks about a lot of issues plaguing the society. The caste hierarchy that forms the backbone of the society in rural areas is well presented. On the flipside, the film is too long at almost 150 minutes. The execution is scattered at places and scenes don’t play out in a flow. This coupled with the fact that songs start playing every few minutes at a lot of places doesn’t make the desired impact.
Anudeep Singh’s story is beaten to death especially the hero-villain track. However Anurag Kashyap, Vineet Kumar Singh, Mukti Singh Srinet, K D Satyam, Ranjan Chandel and Prasoon Mishra’s screenplay ensures that one doesn’t get a déjà vu of similar action and sport films in the past. Their dialogues are witty and acidic, making the right impact.
Anurag Kashyap’s direction is not his best as he fails a bit at several places in keeping the flow organic. A few scenes start and end incoherently. Also it’s brave of him to speak about beef related lynchings. But he keeps it extremely subtle and doesn’t even use the word 'cow'. Hence, those who aren’t acquainted with these shocking incidents won’t understand properly what’s going on. But on the positive side, some sequence are handled deftly like the scene where Sanjay Kumar and Bhagwan Das meet for the first time, Shravan threatening his railway boss, the very last scene etc.
Vineet Kumar Singh has delivered some great performances in films like GANGS OF WASSEYPUR, UGLY etc. But here he gets to play the main lead and rocks the show. He looks dashing and has worked hard on his body and also he gets the emotional quotient right. One of his most memorable scenes is when he’s blasting his father. Notice how he starts with being sarcastic and then suddenly tears come into his eyes. Zoya Hussain doesn’t speak at all and communicates merely through sign language. She masters it very well and even otherwise, she does very well. Jimmy Sheirgill is quite great in the villainous role. His eyes do a lot of talking and that’s quite a feat. Ravi Kishan (Sanjay Kumar) has a late entry but plays the crucial part with panache. Shree Dhar Dubey (Gopal Tiwari) makes his presence felt. Rajesh Tailang (Shravan's father Vijay) is fair. Other actors who leave a mark are the ones who play Sunaina's parents, Shravan’s sister, the cop and the junior coach. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is alright in a song.
There are far too many songs and most are forgettable. Also they are placed in such a way that one won’t be able to recall them. ‘Paintra’ sounds great but it’s relegated to the background and the dialogue overlaps during this track. ‘Mushkil Hai Apna Meil Priye’ is the best of the lot and serves as a theme song. 'Haathapai' is interesting while 'Chhipkali' and 'Saade Teen Baje' leave some impact. Prashant Pillai's background score is much better and dramatic and elevates the impact.
Shazia Zahid Iqbal’s production design is authentic. Rajeev Ravi, Shanker Raman, Jai L Patel and Jayesh Nair’s cinematography is gritty and also neat, as per the demands of the sequence. Aarti Bajaj and Ankit Bidyadhar’s editing could have been slicker and smooth. Vikram Dahiya and Sunil Rodriguez’s action is a highlight of the film.
On the whole, MUKKABAAZ is Anurag Kashyap's massiest film till date. It scores thanks to the performances, dialogues, action and some well executed sequences. But the long length, incoherent direction combined with a low buzz plays spoilsport and would surely affect the prospects of the film at the ticket window.
The maximum city Mumbai is unique and unlike any other metropolis in India. The manner in which people of different strata of society have no choice but to interact with each other and have a symbiotic association is a part of the city’s DNA. DELHI BELLY writer Akshat Verma’s directorial debut KAALAKAANDI attempts to throw light on this aspect of Mumbai but in a quirky way. So does it manage to entertain or prove to be a disappointment? Let’s analyse.
KAALAKAANDI is the story of how people from diverse backgrounds converge in one maddening night in Mumbai. Rileen (Saif Ali Khan) finds out that he’s suffering from stomach cancer and that he has only a few days to live. Tara (Sobhita Dhulipala) is dating Zubin (Kunaal Roy Kapur) and has a flight to catch. She goes to meet Ayesha (Shenaz Treasury) as it’s her birthday. They meet in a club and sadly there is a raid by cops. Tara realises that she’ll get late for the flight thanks to the raid and subsequent investigation and makes a daring plan to escape. Waris (Deepak Dobriyal) and Amjad (Vijay Raaz) work for the dreaded gangster Raza (Asif Basra). They make a plan to get rich overnight by deceiving Raza. Angad (Akshay Oberoi) is Rileen's brother who is getting married the same night to Neha (Amyra Dastur). He gets a call from his ex-girlfriend Selina (Amanda Rosario). She tells him that she is in Mumbai and wants to meet him immediately. Angad immediately agrees. How all these tracks make an impact on the lives of the characters that night forms the rest of the film.
KAALAKAANDI's first half is quite interesting and funny. The characters are introduced neatly and director Akshat Verma handles the multiple tracks well. Saif Ali Khan's track takes the cake as it’s hilarious and brings the house down. The manner in which he starts hallucinating is very well done. Shockingly things go downhill thereafter. The film stops being funny and gets boring. Tara-Zubin's track ends on a sweet note but this is not something we expect in such a film. Waris-Amjad's track goes out of control and difficult to comprehend especially the way it ends.
Akshat Verma’s story is promising to an extent but then goes haywire. The plot had the potential to be the next 99, SHOR IN THE CITY and even DELHI BELLY but sadly the writer fails to do so. Akshat Verma’s screenplay is engaging till the first half but then doesn’t engross. Akshat Verma’s dialogues are funny and witty, especially the ones mouthed by Saif Ali Khan and Shenaz Treasury. Akshat Verma’s direction is fine for a debutant. But with such a poor script, there’s little he could do to salvage.
Saif Ali Khan is the best thing about the film. He delivers a crazy performance and it turns out to be the sole novelty factor about the film. Akshay Oberoi is sincere and gives a decent performance. Sobhita Dhulipala handles her difficult part quite well. Kunaal Roy Kapur is fair and raises laughs in his entry sequence. Deepak Dobriyal gets to shine but Vijay Raaz doesn’t get much scope. Shenaz Treasury is hot and raises laughs. Shivam Patil (Jehangir) leaves a mark in the Emraan Hashmi sequence. Nary Singh (Sheila) is quite an endearing character and does very well. Amyra Dastur is cute but is hardly there. Asif Basra is menacing. Neil Bhoopalam (Ustad) plays a unique character, unlike anything he has done in the past but has limited screen time. Isha Talwar (Rakhi) gives a good performance but one wonders why she is clicking pictures all the time.
Sameer Uddin's music is nothing great. ‘Swagpur Ka Chaudhary' is slightly memorable while ‘Kaala Doreya' is forgettable. Background score however is funky.
Himman Dhamija's cinematography is neat. Nidhi Rungta's production design is authentic. Shan Mohammed's editing should have been slicker. VFX is terrific, especially in the scenes where Saif is hallucinating.
On the whole, KAALAKAANDI has a promising first half but goes completely downhill. At the box office, it has slim chances of becoming commercially successful.
Horror can never go out of fashion, despite the fact that many horror films in recent times like DOBAARA, RAAZ REBOOT, THE FINAL EXIT, MONA DARLING, ALONE etc haven’t done well. Vikram Bhatt, the horror expert of Bollywood, who made several scare fests in the past has now come up with 1921, as a follow up to the 1920 franchise. So does he manage to give a chill down the spine this time? Or does he fail in giving audiences a scare? Let’s analyse.
1921 deals with a couple’s battle with extreme paranormal activities created by a ruthless and cursed spirit. Ayush (Karan Kundra) is from Mumbai (then Bombay) who plays the piano really well. The kind hearted and rich Wadia (Vikram Bhatt) tells him to go to the city of York in United Kingdom to learn music. He offers to sponsor Ayush's fees and in return he has to be the caretaker of Wadia Manor in York. Ayush hence goes to UK. In the mansion, he starts having piano sessions where listeners are asked to pay him if they wish. Wadia's niece Mehar finds out about it and confronts Ayush. A scared Ayush begs her for forgiveness. She asks for a private piano session and attempts to seduce him. In the ensuing madness, Mehar is accidentally killed. Ayush is petrified as an evil spirit starts to haunt him. At this point, he learns about Rose (Zareen Khan) who can communicate with the dead. He asks for her help and Rose readily agrees as Ayush’s music has helped her heal old wounds. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
1921 comes at a time when audiences have in a way seen it all when it comes to stereotypical horror films. Vikram Bhatt himself has made several such flicks and in that aspect, 1921 doesn’t offer anything new. Few sequences do give a scare but that’s about it. The romantic track is lackluster and sans any sizzle. There comes a point in the first half when Ayush reveals the truth to Rose by writing a letter and Rose too shares things about her life to Karan in a letter. This bit is quite nice and also the intermission point that raises curiosity. But things go downhill in the second half.
Vikram Bhatt’s story is intriguing till the point that all the cards are not laid out on the table. Once that happens, it turns out to be disappointing as it gets too complex after a point. Vikram Bhatt, Tanya Pathak and Esha Desai’s screenplay is routine and nothing extraordinary. Vikram Bhatt’s dialogues are filmy as always. Vikram Bhatt’s direction is ordinary and doesn’t bring any novel value. The horror bit is underwhelming. Even the masses, for whom the film is primarily targeted, will give it thumbs down as even they have been watching Hollywood horror films in dubbed versions and they are much ahead than a film like 1921.
Zareen Khan gives a fine performance and gets a chance to display her acting prowess. She is in much better form here than in her last release, AKSAR 2. Karan Kundrra gets a bit over the top but has a good screen presence. The actor playing Nafisa leaves a mark. The actor playing Vasudha and Dina Shaw do a good job. Vikram Bhatt is strictly okay in the cameo.
Harish Sagane’s music is disappointing. Music plays an important part in the film as Ayush is shown as a reputed performer. Also his music heals Rose. But the songs don’t do justice to this aspect. ‘Sunn Le Zara’ and ‘Aanewale Kal’ are a bit memorable. The rest - ‘Kuch Iss Tarah’, ‘Yaara’ and ‘Tere Bin’ are forgettable. Sangeet and Siddharth Haldipur’s background score is dramatic.
Prakash Kutty’s cinematography is alright. Kuldip Mehan’s editing is tacky. Iain Andrews’s production design brings alive the bygone era. The film is shot in some beautiful locales but using the same location again and again takes away the sheen and brings to the fore the low budget element of the film.
On the whole, 1921 is a routine horror drama that offers nothing new. At the box office, it may find some audience during the weekend but later on, it will find it difficult to sustain.
Something I wrote about BAJIRAO MASTANI holds true for PADMAAVAT as well...
“It’s a pre-requisite to possess a mega budget, have exhaustive knowledge of the subject matter, possess nerves of steel to handle the gigantic cast/crew and last but not the least, the vision and fortitude to bring a historical to life on celluloid in today's times. You can face instant rejection from the paying public or face controversies and protests for deviating from facts. The film-maker has to walk a tight rope.”
PADMAAVAT – everyone’s aware – has made it to the front page of newspapers and on prime time news on national television. It’s the most talked-about, voraciously discussed and hotly debated film of our times. The mileage it received – nationwide and internationally – has only enhanced the curiosity. Everyone’s curious to watch, examine, evaluate and scrutinize PADMAAVAT. The stakes are high and so are the expectations.
The moviegoer in me is enthralled by historicals and mythologicals. I’ve vivid memories of the classics helmed by the doyens and stalwarts of Indian cinema, such as Sohrab Modi, K Asif and Kamaal Amrohi. Ramanand Sagar’s RAMAYAN and BR Chopra’s MAHABHARAT – on television – were much revered, while Ashutosh Gowariker’s JODHAA AKBAR and SS Rajamouli’s BAAHUBALI [1 and 2] reignited my love for period films.
I am no historian to comment on how authentic PADMAAVAT is, but as a cinematic experience, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s latest endeavour left me mesmerized. Let’s come to the point right away: PADMAAVAT is a spectacular looking period film that matches international standards. And it’s not merely a stunning looking film, it’s well structured too: The love story, the simmering tension, the conflict that ensues, the dramatic altercations, the battle sequences and the nail-biting finale... PADMAAVAT brings the past vividly to life.
Final word? PADMAAVAT is not just body beautiful. It has soul too. Delivers solid drama with a terrific climax. It won’t be erroneous to state that PADMAAVAT is Bhansali’s most accomplished movie to date.
When you think of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the first thing that crosses your mind are the exquisite frames and gorgeous visuals [recall HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM, DEVDAS, GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA and BAJIRAO MASTANI]. Having said that, the celebrated storyteller has mastered the art of striking the right balance between form and content. PADMAAVAT will not only be talked about the compelling visuals, but taut screenwriting and right pacing as well.
PADMAAVAT is a reaffirmation that Bhansali is capable of accomplishing incredible results if he refrains from getting overindulgent. In the past, the supremely talented storyteller had squandered off the opportunity [SAAWARIYA and GUZAARISH]... not this time. The screenplay is focused; it piqued my interest and kept me involved in the narrative, while the characters are well-etched and powerfully portrayed. In fact, the watertight screenplay, which encompasses drama, action and romance, are beautifully juxtaposed in the narrative. In short, everything blends beautifully like a symphony.
Besides captivating screenwriting, PADMAAVAT is bolstered by strong performances. It doesn't take a crystal ball to foretell that not only will Deepika’s act dominate the award season next year, but she will also win tremendous love and adulation for her portrayal. She is the lifeline, the strength of PADMAAVAT. It’s easily her career-best act, eclipsing her earlier works so far.
This is Ranveer’s third movie with Bhansali. Although the actor has delivered sparkling performances in the two collaborations with Bhansali [GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA and BAJIRAO MASTANI], you’ve got to watch him as the treacherous, vicious, vindictive and villainous Khilji in PADMAAVAT. Actually, Ranveer doesn’t just play Khilji; he inhabits him. It’s an astounding, gutsy performance that will be talked-about and discussed for sure.
Shahid is tremendous and his act gives depth and feeling to the character. He captures the essence of his part wonderfully, while the camera captures every emotion that flickers across his face. I’d also like to add that the Shahid-Deepika chemistry appears natural and striking.
PADMAAVAT has a noteworthy supporting cast. Jim Sarbh is creepily effective and owns every sequence he’s in. Aayam Mehta is fantastic. Ujjwal Chopra is first-rate. Aditi Rao Hydari is unforgettable. Anupriya Goenka doesnt get much scope. Raza Murad is excellent.
One cannot ignore the compositions/soundtrack in a Bhansali film. His music, like the images brought to the screen, should've added depth to the emotions of the characters, but is strictly okay this time. In fact, that's the only hiccup here. The review would be incomplete without a mention of the battle sequences. The volatile, high-octane finale is a visual spectacle. The camerawork is splendid: gorgeous and artistic. The production design is top notch. Dialogue are well worded and garnish the sequences beautifully.
One more thing: The Hindi film industry has badly used and abused 3D, turning it into a gimmicky tool, but Bhansali is one of those rare storytellers who knows how to utilize the technology to his advantage and how it can enhance the overall theatrical experience. Having watched PADMAAVAT on IMAX 3D, I can only state that the results were simply stunning.
On the whole, PADMAAVAT is a remarkable motion picture experience that’s backed by proficient direction, spellbinding screenwriting and superlative acting. For Sanjay Leela Bhansali, it’s the best title on an impressive filmography. A sure-shot winner at the box-office!
So yes, with all this hoopla around PAD MAN, it is only logical to expect a lot from the film. Does it meet our collective expectations? Read on to find that out. We have you covered.
The film revolves around life of Lakshmikant Chauhan (Akshay Kumar) based out of a village in Madhya Pradesh and his inspiring journey of spreading awareness about menstruation and smashing taboos associated with it in the conservative society. Now, first of all let us all agree that it was indeed brave of Akshay to touch upon this subject, given his massy appeal. There is a probability that aam junta might shy away from watching the film because of its unconventional content. But the makers have made sure that there is enough publicity going around which will make people shun their ignorance and embrace this cause wholeheartedly. So, a newly married Lakshmi is a welder but extremely curious about female menstruation and is disturbed by the lack of sanitation or awareness around it. It all starts when he finds out that his wife Gayatri (Radhika Apte) uses dirty cotton cloth for the lack of sanitary pads during her periods. He then fashions a cotton pad and persuades his wife to use the same. Despite repeated attempts, he fails to make a sustainable napkin. His relentless pursuit to make the perfect sanitary napkin leads his entire family to disown him until he manages to convince the society that menstrual hygiene is a burning topic which needs to be addressed.
Akshay Kumar is at his natural best in the garb of a village bumpkin Lakshmi. The supporting cast of Radhika Apte, Mrunmayee Gokhale and Jyoti Subhash are brilliant, complementing his performance. The first half is filled with a lot of bittersweet moments between Akshay and Radhika but one scene that stood out for us was just before the interval. Lakshmi, in an attempt to make a full proof napkin, attaches an animal blood pouch to his waist making the blood drip steadily into his handmade pad. Thinking that his job is done, he happily strides away only to realise to his dismay that the pad is leaking. The mere sight of Akshay taking a plunge into the nearby river with soiled pants is moving, impactful and breaks stereotypes in every way possible. It is indeed brave for a mainstream Hindi film hero to attempt something like this. The dialogues written by Swanand Kirkire and R. Balki are funny, emotional, bringing out a very earthy side of the lead hero. Though we felt that Lakshmi’s UN speech could have been shorter.
In the second half, director R. Balki slips a little bit as the film gets too technical showing Lakshmi building a pad manufacturing machine from scratch. The editing treatment given to these bits by Chandan Arora could have been tighter. Also, Sonam Kapoor’s entry is a little too convenient and the way she begins her association with the PAD MAN Akshay is a tad bit filmy. Sonam tries to deliver an honest performance as a confidante and marketing guru to Akshay’s character but there is little focus on her in the movie. She however tries to make the best of what she has, engaging us for most part. Despite saying this, a love angle created by the makers between her and Akshay seemed forced and unnecessary.
The screenplay (R. Balki) is quite engaging and entertaining. It sure drops at a few places but eventually manages to pick and keep you glued to the story.
Since this film, which is inspired by the life of Tamil Nadu’s social entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganantham, is adapted to suit North Indian sensibilities for greater viewership, PAD MAN is shot across scenic locales of Maheshwar, Indore and Mahu in Madhya Pradesh. PC Sreeram has done an excellent job with the cinematography. The camera work is beautiful and expansive capturing the simplicity of the lifestyle of the people living there. One finds a massy connect in the way characters are treated as far as their costumes, dialogues and overall appeal is considered.
Amit Trivedi’s music is good but not spectacular, to be honest. Only two tracks ‘Aaj Se Teri’ and Pad Man title track stand out but then there is little scope for the music when the film is so heavy on content.
It is worth mentioning here that Akshay Kumar manages to maintain perfect gravitas as a feminist icon who is emotional and passionate about his cause. It is indeed applause worthy for him to take a taboo topic (after TOILET: EK PREM KATHA) and make a commercial film out of it, without letting it get too preachy for its own good. Also, it is interesting to note that Balki’s gallery has always been the urbane multiplex going audience and yet he pleasantly surprises us by making a rooted film which has the potential to cut across class/caste barriers.
On the whole, PAD MAN is a brave and an inspirational attempt at creating a commercial cinema out of a taboo topic. The movie scores high on content as well as emotions. At the box office, Akshay Kumar’s mass appeal will surely help to pull in the audiences. It has the potential to grow steadily at the box-office with the positive word-of-mouth. Period.
Chadwick Boseman, who plays Black Panther, was introduced back in 2016 in CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. While the seed was planted earlier, his first appearance as Black Panther impressed the comic book fans. In 2018 film BLACK PANTHER, Chadwick Boseman brings gravitas to T’Challa’s struggle of becoming suddenly becoming a King from a Prince after his father's assassination. He brings charisma and charm to the table as he isn't just any superhero. He is a leading black superhero who makes the part his own.
Michael. B. Jordan, the main antagonist Killmonger, plays the classic comic book villain and exudes spellbinding performance. His character channels the childhood pain and faces of the Black Panther. His complex and nuanced character plays the central part in the film which absolutely grabs attention.
Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o essays the role of T’Challa’s ex Nakia who is one of the nation’s undercover war dogs helping the community in need. Letitia Wright essays the role of T’Challa’s super smart kid sister, Angela Bassett as T’Challa’s proud mother, to Daniel Kaluuya as a shifty ally to Andy Serkis as a side villain. The breakout star of the film is Okoye played by Danai Gurira who happens to badass warrior standing up for the King and Wakanda.
The script, co-written by director Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, is a dramatist who makes this mythical superhero come to life. Ryan Coogler has managed to assemble his own set of crackerjack Avengers aka actors who give texture to every character.
On the whole, BLACK PANTHER is in some ways a world of fantasy but also seems to be a very real world. It blends dynasty drama with global politics very maturely. After 52 years since its first mention in comic books, BLACK PANTHER rises high on being bold, vital and brings a welcome refreshment to Marvel Cinematic Universe. As the story continues, Black Panther will be seen in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War. And of course, lastly but definitely not the least, WAKANDA FOREVER!
First of all, one must be wondering what Aiyaary actually means? So, according to the maker, the word is an embodiment of all the qualities a true soldier must have. A successful soldier is the one who brings out his best in the time of adversity. So, Aiyaary means a combination of sharpness, wit, tact, ability to change appearances and combating techniques a soldier uses to emerge victorious. The movie revolves around Colonel Abhay Singh (Manoj Bajpayee) and Major Jai Bakshi (Sidharth Malhotra) who are both army officers. It majorly focuses on corruption within the army and the system efforts to hunt down Jai who goes rogue after finding out the ugly truth about the defence system. While it is loosely based on the Adarsh Society scam which rocked the nation in 2010, the maker does not revolve the entire movie about it. Instead, he builds on the tension using different plots which come together to make one massive issue, in this case: corruption in the Defense Ministry. The undercurrent of the film is raging generation gap between Singh and Bakshi. Friends turned foes, both lead characters focus on keeping viewers engaged with their car and mouse chase.
While the director Pandey tried to build on the suspense, he fails to keep the viewer's attention because of it's run time and clumsy writing. The movie talks about arms and ammunition scam for about one and a half hour, but ends with a focus on Aadarsh society Scam. The movie could have been salvaged by tighter editing but Praveen Kathikuloth fails to deliver on that front. Aiyaary suffers from a weak script but we liked a couple of dialogues which are apt to describe the Indian political circus and the subsequent corruption. For example, in one scene Manoj talks about the Kashmir issue and says the reason it's not getting solved is because lot of people have to gain from it. Kashmir is not just an issue but has become an industry. Bitter yet true. The film has all the makings of a Neeraj Pandey film. Yet, it somehow fails to have a massy connect.
DOP Sudeep Palsane has done a good job. Special mention to the make up artistes and also costume designer Falguni Thakore for doing such amazing work with Sidharth and Manoj's different guides in the film. Action by Abbas Ali Moghul is okay but honestly, there is nothing to write home about.
Talking about the performances, Manoj Bajpayee is as usual excellent. He tries really hard to hold the film on his shoulder; after all he is one of the central characters. His seasoned act shines through. Sidharth Malhotra looks to redeem himself, after the box office debacles: A Gentleman, Baar Baar Dekho and Ittefaq, with this film. His romantic portions with Rakul Preet Singh fails to work and seems forced. The supporting cast of Vikram Gokhale, Kumud Mishra, Aadil Hussain, Naseruddin Shah shine through.
The music of the film is good but not extraordinary. This film has one such track ‘Lae Dooba’ which is on radio charts but is not as effective.
On the whole, AIYAARY misses the mark and is a huge letdown on the account of its flawed script and the lengthy runtime. At the box office, it will be a disappointing fare.
The movie revolves around Titu (Sunny Singh) who is a hapless victim of romance. A perpetual lovesick puppy, he falls in love way too easily and gets his heart broken at the drop of his hat. Sonu (Kartik Aaryan), his street-smart, suave pal is his saviour. He literally saves him from bad company, relationships and is kinda obsessed with him… in an endearing sort of a way. Sonu advises Titu to stay away from Sweety (Nushrat Bharucha). Titu does not pay any heed to Sonu’s advice but in turn tells him that his motherly instincts are making him say so! This sentence sort of summarises the extent to which these guys are close!
So, the film mounts on as Titu falls deeper in love with the seemingly flawless Sweety who tries her best to woo him. Sonu remains skeptical, waiting for a chance to find something against her that he can use. She too realises his true designs and declares a full-blown war against Sonu. The suspense of the film is who wins? Dosti or Pyaar or do these plots take a totally different trajectory? The makers successfully hook us on with the cat and mouse game between his hero and the 'villain’.
Well, there is no denying that the target audiences for these movies are young college going kids. The film caters to them and does a good job with its dialogues and plot to keep the viewer constantly hooked. The dialogues with punches written by Rahul Mody along with Luv are young and funny. There are many cusswords used with beeps in it, which add to the overall fun. Along with Kartik, Alok Nath’s punch lines are very funny too.
Director Luv Ranjan holds the film in place and keeps us engaged throughout with surprise twists and the Tom and Jerry like chemistry between Sonu and Sweety. No, the ending is nothing like you'd ever expect and would take you by surprise. SKTKS will surely keep you on the edge of the seat.
There are certain scenes which stand out and deserve a mention. The scene where Sweety is introduced for a rishta with Titu, Sonu keeps getting anxious at the prospect of his friend ending up with her are noteworthy. Another sequence which is interesting is when Titu’s ex Pihu (played by the electric Ishita Raj) shows up in the story. Sonu’s funny segment with servant Babu, who is appointed by Sweety, will make you laugh hard.
Talking about the performances, Kartik Aryan’s screen presence is top class. His evil grin and devilish charm will make you fall in love with him. Sunny Singh is a total eye candy and delivers as a shy, romantic fellow. He is natural and believable as Titu. Nushrat Bharucha commands your attention and her moments with Kartik are pure fire. Their chemistry is sizzling and they totally look good together. She holds on to her character and delivers a solid performance. Special mention to Alok Nath who plays a quirky patriarch Ghasitaram. He is refreshingly good as a whiskey+kebab loving grandfather and adds a much-needed zing to the plot. Ishita Raj as Titu's ex Pihu does her role fantastically well.
The movie is about a sloppy recovery agent Teji (Diljit Dosanjh) who dreams of being an actor and a ‘dhinchaak designer’ Jinal (Sonakshi Sinha) who wants to escape from her dreary life. They win a contest and are selected to showcase their talent at the IIFA Awards by Sophie (Lara Dutta) who is a part of the organising team spear headed by Gary (Boman Irani). Sophie purposely selects the ‘two losers’ Teji and Jinal in order to settle scores with her Gary, who refuses her partnership in the company. The entire film is supposed to be a comedy of errors with both Teji and Jinal winning Bollywood fraternity’s hearts with their genuine talent. What it turns out to be is a whole different story. In between all this is the main celebrity host of the show Karan Johar, who has his own set of issues with the organiser Gary. But at the same time, Karan is also under threat of being kidnapped by his lookalike NY based gangster Arjun (Karan Johar) who wants to punish him for making romantic films. Riteish Deshmukh, who is the co-host of the show, uses this situation to his own selfish benefit. In between all this chaos behind the scene, IIFA awards take place in New York.
Karan Johar, in his double role as Karan (the director and head honcho of Dharma Productions) and Arjun (the gangster) manages to keep the movie engaging. There is a lot of self-referencing and self deprecative humour (be it about his sexual orientation or his movies) which does make you laugh at quite a few places. Diljit Dosanjh as the goofy Teji Singh is adorable. His comic timing is impeccable. Sonakshi Sinha is lost throughout the film and is not very convincing. Even a dream sequence with Salman Khan does nothing to the character that is weak. Boman Irani as the stressed out, snarky stooge managing the event looks solely disoriented as he flits listlessly around from frame to frame. Lara Dutta tries to save the film as she does her part in whatever little scope she has been offered. Salman Khan, Sushant Singh Rajput, Katrina Kaif, Aditya Roy Kapur and Riteish Deshmukh ‘s cameos look forced and out of the sync.
The makers were extremely careful so as to not let any plot details out before the release and hence went easy with their promotions. There is an element of mystery in the story which is NOT let out by its teasers. The film set in Kolkata, is about Rukhsana (Anushka Sharma) who is an orphaned woman. The story builds on the mystery about Rukhsana and we are left perturbed thinking if she is the ghost, or it's victim? Arnab (Parambrata Chatterjee), a loner, provides shelter to her given that she is distressed and has no one to look out for her. Despite many warnings and family opposition, he develops a liking for her but little does he know that she has an evil, supernatural power. As the story movies forward, we are introduced to more characters. Rajat Kapoor is the spooky, blood thirsty professor in the film, who torments the thoughts of the lead character constantly. He belongs to a controversial exorcists’ group and is hunting down Rukhsana. Arnab is filled with speculation but is enamoured by the wild and vulnerable Rukhsana. As the movie progresses, Arnab goes through a tumult of emotions and is sucked into this mess. The movie then answers the most vital question: Is Anushka the tormented or the tormentor? And also explains us the title in the process.
PARI – NOT A FAIRYTALE overall has a very gloomy palette and works well to create a scary setting. The makers have worked on creating atmospheric horror and are largely successful in doing the same. Prosit Roy and Abhishek Banerjee have a good concept but they fail to write an engaging screenplay. The scenes do create a lot of intrigue but a lot is held back from the audience for too long. Anvita Dutt does a good job with the dialogues, maintaining a much needed restrain.
As a horror film, PARI has the right amount of chills and thrills that will spook the viewer. Prosit Roy, who has directed the film, carefully mounts the story, creating a lot of suspense and intrigue about the lead characters in the minds of audiences. However, due to a weak screenplay, the film falls weak at many places.
Talking about the performances, Anushka Sharma successfully impresses with her carefully cultivated acting chops. Easily, this is one of her best performances till date. Restrained as the abused victim but completely spooky when required, it’s great how she displays her range as an actor. She is vulnerable at one moment and super scary in other. Her pairing works well with the Bengali sweetheart Parambrata Chatterjee. Param plays his part with a lot of conviction. Together, they create many innocently romantic moments, giving a much needed relief from all the gore in the film. Rajat Kapoor as the exorcist is beyond amazing and the twist in his role will leave you surprised.
In the horror genre, the role of a DOP is the most crucial. Jishnu Bhattacharjee does not disappoint us at all. He creates a world which is very creepy and bone-chilling, at the same time but there is a strange beauty, allure and mystique to it. Editing by Manas Mittal is decent. Sunil Rodriques's action sequences well executed. Anupam Roy’s music and Ketan Sodha’s background score take the plot ahead. But it is the sound effects by Debajit Changmai and team which does the trick to spook the viewer!
A special mention to make up artiste Clover Wootton for transforming Anushka into a hollow eyed possessed victim Rukhsana on one hand and creating a totally different bloody, creepy look, a drastic change from her original appearance. The prosthetics and make up done for other characters in the film is also very impressive.
Despite quite a few positives, PARI also comes with a baggage of some serious drawbacks. One of the major problems with the film is that it has a very slow pace and a weak first half. Though there are series of events happening in the first half, as an audience, one wonders where exactly is the story going. The answers to all the questions come much later in the second half. The director clearly wanted to build up the suspense but many may not be impressed with that narrative. Another factor is that more than the story of the film, it is the sound effects that do the scaring. In fact the story gets a little predictable towards the climax and even shifts away from the horror genre altogether. But the most risky factor about film is the amount of blood, gore and violence shown in the movie, which may gross out a lot of viewers. The promos of the film were spooky, but not every viewer, excited to watch Anushka Sharma’s experiment with horror, will be prepared to handle the gore scenes.
Overall, PARI – NOT A FAIRYTALE has an interesting premise with a fair amount of chills and thrills. However, the weak screenplay and unnecessary blood and gore is off putting. At the box office, the film will appeal to the segment of audiences who enjoy the horror/gore genre of films.
DEATH WISH (2018) follows the story of a doctor Paul Kersey (Bruce Willis) who is leading a normal life working in an ER in Chicago until tragedy hits him. His wife Lucy Kersey (Elisabeth Shue) is murdered and daughter Jordan Kersey (Camilla Morrone) is in coma after a break-in at their house. This leaves him grieving and frustrated at the same time because the lack of the progress on the case by the police. Eventually, Paul Kersey decides to take justice in his own hands and follows the path of vigilantism. From getting untraceable weapons to taking lessons from Youtube, Paul takes the vigilante path to seek vengeance. Not only does he question that his actual profession as a doctor is about saving lives but somehow he has chosen now to take crime out of the streets. When he does get the lead on the goons who had broken into his house, he plans to seek revenge.
Elli Roth’s DEATH WISH starts off a little slow as the story of the family is set up first and every key character is introduced. Even after the tragedy takes place, Bruce Willis’ character takes time for the reality to sink in, while his daughter recovers from her injuries. However, once Willis turns into a vigilante, the film goes into a fast track mode with its action thriller theme. The best part about the film is that director Roth maintains subtle humour throughout the film, especially after a doctor who has never even used a gun, turns into an amateur vigilante at night and shoots down the bad guys.
Bruce Willis who essays the role of Paul Kersey is just as good as he is in his previous films. Every DIE HARD fan knows what he is capable of when it comes to acting and action. He takes over the role of Charles Bronson but nothing like the original character. He is angry, flippant and just in shooting spree. Dean Morris of Breaking Bad fame essays the role of Detective Kevin Raines. He makes a strong impact on screen. Elisabeth Shue, who essays the role of Lucy Kersey, has less screen time but is good in whatever time she has. Vincent D’Onofrio, who plays Paul Kersey’s ex-con brother, has literally nothing to contribute in the story. Camila Morrone is impressive in her role as Jordan Kersey.
The screenplay by Joe Carnahan is average. It does build an emotional connect with the Kersey family but one does feel that the writing could have been stronger, especially when you have such a stellar cast to perform the material on screen.
Cinematographer Rogier Stoffers uses stunning camera angles, especially while shooting the city at night during the vigilante scenes. Mark Goldbatt’s editing is tight and crisp. Ludwig Goransson’s music is catchy and helps build the momentum. The action scenes are shot very well as the gun fights are quick and action is very situational.
On the whole, DEATH WISH is an action thriller which has a basic storyline but manages to entertain with its action scenes and subtle humour. The film will appeal to the hardcore Bruce Willis fans.
HATE STORY IV begins with intriguing opening credits and is quite nicely done. The first sequence is unexpected as the film begins midway and then the narrative goes in a flashback mode. Some of the recent erotic films failed as they didn't have adequate dosage of sex that the promos promised. HATE STORY IV thankfully is an exception. The film has enough steamy scenes and thrill to give the target audience its money's worth. Also despite the numerous twists, the narrative is very simple. Moreover, Hindi subtitles have been displayed during all the English dialogues. These efforts show that the makers want to ensure that audiences in B and C centers are able to fully enjoy the film.
Sammeer Arora's story is a bit weak and has far too many twists and turns after a point. But Sammeer Arora and Vishal Pandya's screenplay is simplistic and effective, though it fails to neatly camouflage some of the flaws in the plot. Milap Milan Zaveri's dialogues are appealing and massy. But it's not fair to have punchlines in practically every sentence. Vishal Pandya's direction is decent. He ensures that the film remains a complete commercial masala fare.
The story revolves around its two lead characters Koroli Nair (Taapsee Pannu) and Sumit Uppal (Saqib Saleem) and the way they meet, fall in love and live happily ever after. Bored already? Pannu essays the role of a rich London-based girl who comes to New Delhi to become a teacher. English literature is her calling and her character is a prototype of a typical ‘poor little rich girl’. Saqib’s Sumit is ‘Delhi ka desi launda’ who dreams of making it big in Bollywood. He starts taking English classes, no prize for guessing who his teacher is. After learning that Koroli is from a super rich family, he conveniently falls in love with her, elopes to Mumbai to get married but leaves her at the altar, or in this case mandap. Cut to seven years later, Koroli has become a no nonsense business woman in London, is all sleek and polished while Sumit is a small time actor essaying mythological roles in small films. They meet again and sparks fly. Koroli is engaged to a rich businessman while Sumit is committed to his co-actor. The movie plods further before giving us an unoriginal, uh-so-typical happily ever after!
DIL JUUNGLEE is directed by the first timer Aleya Sen, who is the co-founder of a production house– Chrome Pictures. It is far too evident from the overall treatment given to the project to understand that a novice has helmed the movie. Writing by Aleya, Tanoya Sen Sharma and Shiv Singh is lacklustre and boring. Despite being a woman, Sen paints her female lead in a poor light often making her look needy, desperate and a pushover. Koroli’s aim is to ‘settle down’ and constantly hankers for male validation from her boyfriend, fiancé or father. She ultimately falls all over again for a man who can only be described as entitled and selfish. DIL JUUNGLEE has a fairly clichéd plot with clichéd characterisation.
RAID, the title itself is self-explanatory. But for the uninitiated, the plot revolves around the no-nonsense, honest-to-the-core Income Tax officer, Amay Patnaik (Ajay Devgn), and his quest to raid all the top notch businessmen, henchmen and politicians of the country defaulting on the Income Tax. Rameshwar Singh AKA Tauji (Saurabh Shukla), a typical greasy politician is his nemesis. Together, they begin a cat and mouse chase kind of game which results in amazing twists and turns as the film progresses, keeping masses at the edge of their seats, waiting for more. Amay’s target is to recover a whooping amount of Rs. 420 crores which Tauji has hidden away in his 'white house'. As the film progresses, Tauji mounts pressure on Amay to withdraw the raid but despite all this, he carries out the procedure. Does Amay succeed in his mission? Well we wouldn’t like to give that away.
First and foremost let’s get to the performances of the leads. Both Devgn and Shukla shine through their characters. They are impactful and totally keep you hooked. Every time they appear on screen, sparks fly and you end up feeling the tension. Ajay Devgn looks strong and powerful playing the role of an honest IT officer who is not scared of anyone. He impresses everytime he delivers a punchline and emotes so much through his eyes. Saurabh Shukla as the corrupt politician is equally good and gives Ajay a tough fight on screen. Ileana D’cruz, as Devgn’s wife, gives depth to his character. Pushpa Joshi, who plays Saurabh Shukla’s mother, has a key role in the whole film. Every time she appears on screen, her wry sense of humour releases tension and provides a good break from all the intensity.
While the leads have done justice to their characters, supporting actors, Amit Sial, Amit Bimrot and Gayathri, who play Ajay’s colleagues, give an honest performance. Saurabh Shukla’s family members played by Ravi Khanwilkar, Sheeba Chadha, Devas Dixit, Pravin Sisodia, among others stay true to their on screen roles of flawed relatives of a corrupt politician.
Director Raj Kumar Gupta mounts the film well and has made sure that the audience’s attention is not diverted from the main topic: Raid. And it actually works in his favour. He arrests our attention with all the twists in the film, especially the sequence prior to interval which can only be described as top notch. Also, he has made sure that the movie culminates beautifully towards the climax, keeping us on the edge of our seats for most of the time. This has to be his best work till date. The only hiccup is that the romance between Ajay and Illeana is strictly okay and the songs create slight restlessness and deviation from the main plot.
PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING is set 10 years after the epic ‘Battle of the Breach’ which acted as the climax of the 2013 release. With a brief recap of what transpired in the first film, the sequel dives head first into telling a new tale on epic proportions. With the cataclysmic events behind, the surviving human race has moved on with life. However, there is still a division prepping in the wings just in case another such event happens. But with the advancement in technology, we see the rise of new breed of automated Yeagers that can be remotely piloted. Things seem to be progressing idyllically in the global neighbourhood when out of the blue; a rogue Yeager lays waste to the city of Sydney. Jake Pentecost (John Boyega) a once-promising Jaeger pilot whose legendary father gave his life to secure humanity's victory against the monstrous Kaiju assisted by pilot Lambert (Scott Eastwood) must defend what is left. Stunned by this sudden attack, Pentecost and Lambert undertake a mission to investigate a base buried in ice. Here they are waylaid once again by the rogue Yeager. But the duo piloting Gypsy Avenger, manage to overpower it and haul it back to base. Back home, they learn that the rogue Yeager has been developed after cloning a secondary Kaiju brain. However, the battle is far from over with multiple such rogue Yeagers appearing opening up a new rift for the Kaiju to pass through. Will the battered and bruised team of motley Yeager pilots be able to defend Earth, is what forms the rest of the film.
Right from the onset PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING directed by debutante feature film director Steven S DeKnight is a visual treat. With a throwback to the previous film, this one too gives viewers a feel of watching something larger than life unfold. The film does feature some of the best mecha warrior action with well-choreographed fight sequences, wanton destruction, thrilling after-effects and of course some touching dramatic sequences. However, the film does not feature anything new in the overall scheme of the story. In fact, like the first film, PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING still toes the line of an alien species invading earth aiming to cause an extinction level event, being fought off bravely by a rag tag team of defenders ultimately saving the world from certain destruction. While the first half of the film starts off well laying the foundations for a thrilling second half, the on screen progressions do not really connect with the seasoned viewer. On the other hand though, the film does come across as one that is aimed more at catering to kids/ teenagers who would love the dollops of destruction and action on offer. Progressing further, the second half of the film doesn’t get any much better. Though replete with nail biting action sequences, unlike the first film, PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING does not manage to develop a similar kind of awe in the viewer. Instead the film comes across as a valiant effort to live upto the cracker of a movie Guillermo del Toro gave us in 2013.
Coming to the performances in PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING, John Boyega as Jake Pentecost does well in his given role, however, the burden of living up to his father Stacker Pentecost’s image played by Idris Elba seems to be too much. Though Boyega does a decent job, his enactment of an inspiring speech session to mimic that of Elba’s from the first film falls flat. Scott Eastwood as Nate Lambert, Cailee Spaeny as Amara Namani, Burn Gorman as Dr. Hermann Gottlieb and Charlie Day as Dr. Newton 'Newt' Geiszler do similarly well in their given roles. However, it is the visual effects of the film that are truly its main lead. Unlike the first film, that features a slightly darker theme, PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING is surprisingly light both in terms of theme and overall doomsday proclamations. Sadly, though the film is a fun watch, it does not compete with Del Toro’s ode to the monster films of old.
Coming to background score, something that has become rather major when telling a large canvas story, is severely lacking in the film. With no memorable scores that help build the tension and overall weight of the on screen happenings, the viewer feels rather disconnected.
On the whole, PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING, though not as good as the first part, does manage to hold its own. If you enjoy the thrill of watching giant mecha robots go head to head with monstrous aliens, this film is certainly meant for you. At the Indian box office, with a bit of competition coming in from the Bollywood release HICHKI, PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING that enjoys a wide release across four languages, looks set to register decent numbers.
HICHKI is inspired by the Hollywood flick FRONT OF THE CLASS based on the book by Brad Cohen, Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had, co-authored by Lisa Wysocky. The premise is old and films like HINDI MEDIUM and TAARE ZAMEEN PAR come to mind when one thinks of HICHKI.
The film works when it comes to the basic storytelling and holds the attention in the first half. While the story is predictable, the screenplay is engaging and keeps you hooked on to its first half. Anckur Chaudhry’s dialogue, story and screenplay starts off on a great note. It is sharp, clever, zingy and funny but slips eventually towards the second half. Director Siddharth Malhotra has co-written the story and screenplay with Chaudhry, Ambar Hadap and Ganesh Pandit. Though their intention was genuine, they try too hard to somehow to drive the message home towards the end.
Director Siddharth P. Malhotra has done an earnest job by creating heart-warming moments between Naina and her students who slowly but surely come around to appreciate their teacher’s efforts. Malhotra takes a simple story but keeps it engaging throughout and that speaks a lot about his talent as a story-teller.
BAAGHI 2 is the story of a fearless rebel who undertakes a dangerous mission when his ex-girlfriend seeks his help. Ranveer Pratap Singh (Tiger Shroff) is a brave army officer. One day he gets a call from his ex-girlfriend Neha (Disha Patani). She asks for his help in finding her daughter Rhea who got kidnapped two months ago. Ranveer begins his investigation but hits a dead-end soon enough. Nobody is a witness to the kidnapping. Some even claim that Neha never had a daughter. Neha's husband Shekhar (Darshan Kumaar) also confirms this fact. He adds that Neha is suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder due to which she is imagining her daughter getting kidnapped. Ronnie confronts Neha over this revelation but she remains adamant. Ronnie refuses to believe, prompting Neha to take a shocking step, which devastates Ronnie. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
BAAGHI 2 begins on a thrilling note. Ronnie’s entry as expected is quite clapworthy. One expects fireworks as soon as he lands in Goa to find the missing Rhea. Sadly, two songs are placed almost back to back. This dilutes the impact a bit. But the action scene in the police station brings the film back on track. A sea of characters are then introduced in the next 30-40 minutes and they add a lot of weightage to the narrative. Thankfully, each one of them are there for a reason. There’s also unpredictability in the plot, which makes for a good watch. But the film suffers due to lack of logic. Also, the fights are hardly there before the interval. The second half has more action sequences and this would surely impress the masses. At the same time, the emotional quotient comes out well. The climax has a high dose of fights and the final scene of the film is lovely.
BAAGHI 2 is adapted from a Telugu film KSHANAM by Sajid Nadiadwala and the plot is very weak. Although one is not supposed to look for logic in masala films, the level of absurdity in this flick is too high. Jojo Khan, Abbas Hierapurwala and Niraj Mishra's screenplay is twisted for no reason and is devoid of logic. In the climax, it gets a bit haywire during the flashback. It might be difficult for some viewers to guess what exactly happened. Hussain Dalal's dialogues are quite massy and whistle inducing. Ahmed Khan's direction is quite an improvement as compared to his previous attempts. He still falters in a lot of scenes but overall he manages to execute the film in a neat and simple manner.
Coming to performances, Tiger Shroff delivers a terrific performance and enters successfully in the intense zone. It’s great to see how he’s able to look agitated and at the same time quite vulnerable. His action and dance as expected makes for 'paisa vasool' fun. Disha Patani sadly has lesser screen time and she surely has a long way to go when it comes to her performance. Her chemistry with Tiger however is good. Manoj Bajpayee (Ajay Shergill) gives a nice, subtle performance as per his character's requirement. Randeep Hooda (Lodha Singh Dhul aka LSD) gets to essay the most colourful character in the film and he’s too good. Viewers are sure to go crazy after witnessing his antics. Prateik Babbar (Sunny) gets into the skin of his character. Deepak Dobriyal (Usman) leaves a mark with his performance and one-liners. Grandmaster Shifuji Shaurya Bharadwaj (Colonel Ranjeet Walia) is quite a livewire but sadly this time he doesn’t have much to do. Darshan Kumaar (Shekhar) is quite okay while Sunit Morarjee (Sharad Kute) goes overboard. Jacqueline Fernandez is quite sizzling in her item number.
The Songs are strictly okay but barring the item number, the rest don’t make the desired impact. ‘Mundiyan’ is forced but is quite peppy. ‘Ek Do Teen’ is energetic, ‘O Saathi’ is lovely while ‘Lo Safar’ is wasted. Julius Packiam's background score is quite impactful.
Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran's cinematography is eye catching. The aerial shots especially are quite well captured. Ram Chella, Lakshman Chella, Kecha Khamphakdee and Shamshir Khan's action is quite entertaining and the mainstay of the film. Rameshwar Bhagat's editing is okay and the film could have been shorter. Laxmi Keluskar and Sandeep Meher-Lasa's production design is rich.
On the whole, BAAGHI 2 boasts of an extraordinary action and spectacular performance from Tiger Shroff with an absence of a convincing and engaging screenplay as a minus point. At the box office, it will score huge over the weekend in the mass dominated circuits. However the real test for the movie will begin from Monday onwards.
BLACKMAIL is the story of a bored and in-debt husband who devises a bizarre idea when he finds out that his wife is having an extra marital affair. Dev Kaushal (Irrfan Khan) works for Boss DK (Omi Vaidya) at My Handy, a toilet paper company. He is married to Reena (Kirti Kulhari) and their marriage has lost the spark. He prefers being in the office till late and playing games on the computer rather than going home early and spending time with his wife. Dev’s colleague Anand Tripathi (Pradhuman Singh Mall) advises him to go home early one day, buy flowers and surprise his wife. Dev likes this idea and goes home early only to find Reena sleeping with her ex-boyfriend Ranjit Arora (Arunoday Singh). On the other hand, Dev isn’t going to get a pay raise from DK and he has mounting debts. Hence, he buys a prepaid SIM card and blackmails Ranjit anonymously. Dev asks him to pay Rs. 1 lakh or else he’ll tell the truth to Dev! Ranjit is married to Dolly Verma (Divya Dutta) who suspects that Dev is cheating on her. Ranjit is broke and he asks for the blackmail amount under the pretext of starting a new business. Dolly hands him the said amount and he in turns hands it to Dev. Dolly’s father (Nav Ratan Singh Rathore) then asks Ranjit to return the Rs. 1 lakh that he took from Dolly and threatens him with dire consequences. With no other option in hand, Ranjit creates an anonymous email account and blackmails Reena into giving Rs. 1.20 lakh! He uses the same kind of words used by Dev in the blackmail message so that Reena would assume that it’s the same blackmailer. Reena has only Rs. 30,000 as savings and desperate to arrange the balance amount, she asks none other than Dev for Rs. 90,000! Dev agrees to give her the money but also realizes that he’ll be in debt again! So he asks for more money from Ranjit! As a result, Ranjit takes the Rs. 1.20 lakh from Reena, takes Rs. 20000 for himself and gives away the remaining amount to Dev! While this merry go around is going on, Dev confesses about blackmailing his wife’s lover to Anand. Anand in turn blurts out about it to Prabha (Anuja Anil Sathe), who has joined My Handy recently and whom Anand crushes on. Now Prabha starts blackmailing Dev for money and threatens that she’ll tell the truth to Reena if he doesn’t pay her up. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
BLACKMAIL doesn’t have a great beginning. The first 15-20 minutes are a bit dry and the film picks up when Dev learns about Reena’s extra marital affair. The madness enhances after a lot of players jump on the blackmail bandwagon! There are far too many characters and each one of them has his/her own quirks. Also the execution is stylish yet simple. Hence, despite so many characters and so much of blackmailing taking place, one doesn’t get lost or confused. The humour isn’t rib-tickling and it’s quite dark but it makes for a great watch. On the flipside, the climax is a bit of a downer. The film doesn’t sum up well at this juncture and a few questions are left unanswered. Dev’s act in the last scene is unpredictable but it’s not entirely convincing. Also, Dev-Reena’s bond is not properly established. No backstory is provided or no explanation is given as to why Dev is unhappy with his married life.
Parveez Shaikh’s story is quite novel and very entertaining but loses steam in the last 10 minutes. Pradhuman Singh Mall's dialogues are simple, straight out of life and witty. Parveez Shaikh’s screenplay is effective and gives the film the required edge and quirk. Abhinay Deo’s direction is very good and he handles the plot with panache. The director disappointed with GAME [2011] and FORCE 2 [2016] but with BLACKMAIL, he gets back in the zone of his landmark film DELHI BELLY [2011]. In fact, there are lot of similarities between the Imran Khan-starrer and BLACKMAIL right from the opening credits to the unreasonable boss to the protagonist not being happy in the relationship to multi-track narrative and finally, the toilet humour! But no worries since the toilet jokes here are not in-your-face like in DELHI BELLY. Moreover, there are some novel additions this time as well like Dev stealing photographs of women from office every evening to pleasure himself. This aspect is hilarious and would surely bring the house down. Also, the use of texts and supers gives the film a nice touch.
OCTOBER is the story of an unconventional bond shared by two people in an extraordinary circumstance. Danish Walia aka Dan (Varun Dhawan) works in a five-star hotel in Delhi. He is arrogant and often argues with his seniors and even the guests. Shiuli (Banita Sandhu) also works there and both are friends but aren’t that close. On the eve of New Year, the hotel staffers decide to have their own little party at the rooftop of the hotel, situated on the 3rd floor. Shiuli attempts to sit on the parapet and she slips and falls down on the ground. She is immediately hospitalized and slips into coma. Shiuli’s colleagues, including Dan, pay her a visit and in a few days, they move on. But Dan is unable to do so and few weeks later, he learns from his colleague that Shiuli’s last sentence before slipping was ‘Where is Dan’. As soon as Dan comes to know about this information, he gets even more obsessed. He regularly starts paying Shiuli a visit at the hospital and even gets introduced to her mother, Professor Vidya Nair (Gitanjali Rao) and her siblings. Shiuli’s uncle meanwhile makes it clear to Vidya that there’s not much hope when it comes to improvement in Shiuli’s health and that she should pull the plug. But Dan motivates Vidya not to do so. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Juhi Chaturvedi’s story rests on a wafer-thin plot and is too arthouse. Her screenplay is not quite engaging as well as it moves at a slow pace. The movie is devoid of love story and romance however there are moments which indicate that it is a love story. One has certain expectations from her since she’s written some very interesting films like VICKY DONOR [2012], MADRAS CAFÉ [2013] and PIKU [2015], all also directed by Shoojit Sircar. But her work in OCTOBER is a far cry from her previous films. Also one gets a déjà vu of the character of Anand bhai in MUNNABHAI MBBS [2003] and the recent much loved Hollywood film THE BIG SICK [2017]. But again, OCTOBER is nowhere close to both these movies. Even with the screenplay, she struggles. Juhi Chaturvedi’s dialogues however are quite interesting. Shoojit Sircar’s direction too is a bit shaky. It’s surprising to see such a film made by a prolific director having abrupt cuts, sudden fade out etc. A few sequences might be difficult for viewers to comprehend. For instance, the scene where Dan informs Shiuli where he was on that fateful night. The slow pace moreover tests the viewers patience. Thankfully, in the second half, when the film becomes a bit simple, the film has lovely scenes. But overall, a very miniscule section of audience is going to give the film thumbs up!
The opening sequence of OCTOBER is beautiful. The opening credits are surprising as Banita Sandhu is mentioned followed by Geetanjali Rao and only then Varun Dhawan’s name appears on the screen! The workings of the five-star hotel are very nicely depicted and Dan’s entry is quite simple but gives an idea about his bizarre traits. The sequence where Shiuli falls from the rooftop is presented in a very matter-of-fact way, sans any drama. In a way, it adds a lot to the impact. But sadly from here on, there’s hardly any movement in the story. Even in the second half, not much happens but few moments are nice and touching. The climax is very emotional but these are too little and appear too late in the day.
Shoojit Sircar manages to extract some fine performances. Varun Dhawan is the soul of OCTOBER and is the glue who keeps the film tied together. He gets to play a very different character that is positive but also has certain annoying habits. But Varun ensures that in the long run, Dan doesn’t turn out to be an irritating person. The audience hoots for him as he struggles to heal Shiuli and this aspect would surely be loved by the viewers. Newcomer Banita Sandhu makes a very promising debut and gets to play a very difficult character. One might argue that she doesn’t have much to do. But even in scenes where she’s merely lying on the bed, the expressions that she gives are praiseworthy. Gitanjali Rao gives a very nuanced and credible performance. She brings out the trauma faced by a mother and the only earning member of the family who’s suddenly faced with the biggest challenge of her life. Sahil Vedoliyaa (Manjeet) is decent while Prateek Kapur’s (Asthana) performance works big time due to his impeccable dialogue delivery. Ashish Ghosh (Dr. Ghosh) is endearing. The actors playing Manjeet’s girlfriend, Dan’s mother, Shiuli’s siblings, Shiuli’s uncle and the nurse also do a fine job.
OCTOBER surprisingly is a songless film with only ‘Manwaa’ played in the end credits. October Theme also is featured and has a nice, emotional feel to it. Same goes for Shantanu Moitra’s background score.
Avik Mukhopadhyay’s cinematography is excellent and captures the empty Delhi streets, the ICU, the cold Delhi weather, the flowers lying on the ground and the beauty of Manali perfectly. Mansi Dhruv Mehta’s production design is first-rate. Veera Kapur Ee’s costumes are real but at the same time appealing. Chandrashekhar Prajapati’s editing is good but a bit rough at places.
On the whole, OCTOBER is an offbeat and a sensitive film which rests on a wafer thin plot and suffers from a slow pace. The movie is sure to win critical acclaim for Varun Dhawan's outstanding performance but has hardly anything for the masses. At the box office, the movie will appeal to a niche section of the multiplex going audience.
BEYOND THE CLOUDS is a story of hope and happiness in the times of despair. Aamir (Ishaan Khatter) is a young guy from Mumbai in his early 20s who peddles drugs for a living. One day, cops get on his trail and to escape their clutches, he seeks refuge at his sister Tara (Malavika Mohanan). He also gives her a drug package and tells her to hide it. Both Tara and Aamir are orphans and Aamir had separated from Tara after her ex-husband used to beat him up. The next day, Tara goes to collect the package at the 'dhobi ghat', where she works. She goes to meet Akshi (Gautam Ghose) who has hidden the package. Akshi however at this point tries to rape Tara and she brutally assaults him. She is arrested on charges of attempt to murder. When Aamir learns about this episode, he goes to the hospital and finds out that Akshi is severely injured and unable to walk and talk. It’s important for Akshi to testify to the cops that Tara hit him in self defence. Realising that the faster Akshi heals, the faster Tara will be released, Aamir starts attending to Akshi and his medical needs. In jail, Tara is disturbed and befriends Chotu, a young son of an inmate (Tannishtha Chatterjee). What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Majid Majidi’s story is simple and has scope for an emotional, touching fare. Majid Majidi and Mehran Kashani’s screenplay is a bit faulty in the first half but gets better in the second half. BEYOND THE CLOUDS’s first half is a mixed bag. In some of the scenes, the emotional graph goes over the top. For instance, Tara’s outburst after her argument with Aamir and Aamir banging on the police jeep at the railway crossing. Moreover, it was advertised as a film that’s entirely shot in Mumbai and has the city as a character. But shockingly, some of the scenes seem to be shot outside the city but are passed off as Mumbai. And the locations are such, like the railway crossing for instance, that one can easily make out that it’s not Mumbai. Even Tara’s house seems quite spacious for the city’s poorer section to which both Tara and Aamir belong. Also, the locality doesn’t give any feel of Mumbai. Even story-wise, there are some flaws. It is not established that under what circumstances Tara is arrested. Tara attacks Akshi in a place that was kind of in the middle of nowhere and she could have easily run away after the attack on Akshi. Whether she herself surrendered or whether she is caught by witnesses (the possibility is remote) is never shown. Moreover, the film focuses on the slums and poverty of Mumbai and hence, it immediately gives a déjà vu of SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE [2009]. Questions might be raised as to why these international filmmakers always get interested in India’s poverty when the country has so much more to offer.
Thankfully, BEYOND THE CLOUDS has its share of pros too. The first half gets better once Aamir starts to visit Akshi in the hospital. The way he threatens him makes for a great watch. In the second half, the manner in which Aamir forms a bond with Akshi’s family is lovely and even quite moving. In the parallel track, Tara-Chotu’s relationship is also quite endearing. The ending is a bit ambiguous but the film ends on a happy note.
Vishal Bhardwaj’s Hindi dialogues are realistic but gets a bit unconvincing in the beginning portions. Majid Majidi’s direction goes a bit off track in some of the sequences of the first half. But overall, he tries to get creative with his execution and it works. The use of cloth and light, festival of Holi in the end and of course using the kids in the best way possible in his trademark style is surely impressive.