Monthly Archives: August 2012

Gokulashtami = License for sexual harassment?

Festivals are the most special days of the year as they bring a sense of joy or celebration in our routine life. But festivals like Gokulashtami (Janmashtami) and Ganesh Chaturthi have ceased to rejoice me since many years. Instead, these festivals make me feel ashamed as a Mumbaikar due to the encouragement it provides to hooligans to indulge in eve-teasing and worse, sexual harassment. What is more infuriating is that the police and government are turning a blind eye to it!

Incidents of sexual harassment with a couple of my friends will infuriate anyone who has a woman in his life, be it a mother, sister, wife, friend or a girlfriend. These incidents show that the level of hooliganism has reached insane levels in our city during these festivals. The incidents are as follows: –

— When Miss Y went out to get some groceries today (on the day of Janmashtami) she didn’t know she would experience one of the worst incidents of her life. As she was walking, a large group of Janmashtami enthusiasts tried to touch her and a number of other ladies on the road. Not just that, they passed the filthiest of comments on them.

— Miss Z was returning home after a tiring day in the office. Like every day, she took a bus home after getting down from the train. She didn’t know she would experience the shock of her life when she got the window seat. A truck with Janmashtami enthusiasts was running parallel with the bus. The mawalis started making great efforts to touch my friend from the truck. Even here, they made lots of obscene comments and gestures.

One can feel the fear, shock, humiliation and angst only after one experiences such acts. In both the cases, the victims could do nothing except to let the incident pass. These are just two cases. God knows how many more incidents must have taken place in the city today. In fact, such incidents have become a regular feature during festivals like Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Dusshera, etc.

Such festivals are carried out to please Gods. How pleased the God would be seeing such scenes! As such incidents are continuously making a terrible joke of religious festivals, I wonder why there isn’t a single protest shown by groups like VHP, BD or RSS, who consider themselves as custodians of Hindu religion. If they are ‘working’ for the betterment of the religion, why aren’t they showing at least some concern for such grave issues?

It’s high time we make efforts and say a big NO to such incidents, instead of relying on the government or anyone. I have started an online petition against this. Please sign it here and spread it – http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Stop_sexual_harassment_during_festivals_like_Gokulashtami_Ganesh_Chaturthi_etc/?cveddcb

I will also send a letter or an email to the police authorities demanding protection to women from such anti-social elements. Hoping to receive lots of support from fellow Mumbaikars for a cause that needs immediate action!

Ek Tha Tiger Box Office Prediction

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Director: Kabir Khan

Producer: Yash Raj Films

Writers: Aditya Chopra (Story), Neelesh Misra and Kabir Khan (Screenplay and Dialogues)

Cast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Ranvir Shorey, Girish Karnad,

Music: Sohail Sen and Sajid-Wajid

Release Date: August 15, 2012

Analysis:

Star Value: If a film has Salman Khan in the lead, nobody can disagree that its star value is supremely high! Since Ek Tha Tiger also has one of the most famous actresses Katrina Kaif, its star value becomes the highest.

Hype: These days, a Salman movie creates hype right from the time it is announced. The same was the case with Ek Tha Tiger. And as the promos and songs released, they created tremendous excitement, as expected.

Music: The music of the movie has added to the euphoria surrounding the movie. Songs ‘Mashallah’ and ‘Laapata’ have received thumbs up from the audience. The rest of the tracks too are gaining popularity.

Prediction:

If an unimpressive Salman movie like Bodyguard can create box office history, predicting the outcome of Ek Tha Tiger is a child’s play. The actor’s presence coupled by the hype will fetch the movie an earth-shattering opening at the box office, both in the metros as well as the smaller centers.

There is no doubt that the film will be the biggest hit of the year so far, regardless of the level of content. Don’t be surprised if Ek Tha Tiger becomes just the second movie after 3 Idiots to cross the Rs 200 crore mark. It is also certain that the film will break Ra.One‘s record of earning Rs 25 crore on the first day, which is highest collections for a movie on a single day. There are speculations that the Salman and Katrina starrer might even be the first film to earn Rs 30 crore on the first day.

I still support Anna Hazare but…

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I have always wholeheartedly supported Anna Hazare’s fight against corruption and voluntarily taken part in almost every agitation of his group in Mumbai. Reports and pictures of all major rallies are reported in this blog. However, I have not posted anything about Anna and his team’s decision to enter electoral politics. All these days, I was hoping to get convinced by this decision. Unfortunately, as that hasn’t happened, I think it is time to break my silence and declare – I am against their move of forming a political party! But I would like to make myself clear that I am only against their move and not against them. My support for Anna remains intact.

The manner of announcing the decision was more shocking than the decision itself, not only for me but for a large number of Anna supporters. I would like to explain myself through the following points –

— Ever since the movement started, the government accused team Anna of having a political agenda, which was rubbished off by the former again and again. Mayank Gandhi (head of Mumbai IAC) too rubbished off such accusations in almost every IAC rally in the city.

— Team Anna went on an indefinite fast from July 25, 2012 to compel the government to take action against the 15 tainted ministers and pass the Jan Lokpal Bill. They said innumerable times that they will end the fast protest only after government takes some action.

— On July 27, 2012, Anna said he will not form a political party. Read here.

— On Sunday July 29, 2012, Mayank Gandhi, in Azad Maidan, once again announced that entering politics is not an option for us (team Anna). To stress his point, he gave this example – He used to consider Lalu Prasad Yadav as his hero during Jayaprakash Narayan’s campaign in the 1970s. However, we all know Lalu’s antics after he entered politics.

— On August 1, 2012, Delhi police asked team Anna to get admitted to hospital. This meant that the government was starting to get worried and the agitation was gaining momentum. Even on this day, Kejriwal announced they will end the protest only after getting results. But in Mumbai, Mayanji suddenly put forth the option of team Anna joining politics, which was accepted by a large number of people present at Azad Maidan. It was decided that the option of entering politics will be put forth in front of the core committee.

— On the afternoon of August 2, 2012, team Anna suddenly announces that it will end fast and instead enter electoral politics!!! Less than 24 hours ago, they were hell bent in continuing the agitation until they get the desired results. So what exactly happened in those hours that forced them to take a 360 degree turn? More importantly, why was the option of entering politics considered by Mayankji when just 2 days ago (July 29) we were told we would never enter politics! What happened in those two days?

I read Arvind Kejriwal’s letter, which explains the reason for taking the decision, with great anticipation but even that failed to convince me. (Read it here.) The letter says they were considering about entering politics since last few days before announcing, as per the demands put forth by a majority of supporters. If this was the case, why we never heard about it during those few days? Why they didn’t have any discussions and debates for some days before taking such a humongous decision? Lastly, why did team Anna, on August 1 (a day before announcing the decision) stress on the fact that they will continue the protest until the demands are met?

But leaving all this aside, I think people shouldn’t expect much from the party in the 2014 elections. Considering the large number of people unaware about Anna’s movement, mostly from the interiors of India, overpowering the current government looks like a remote possibility. Having said that, I would be delighted if Anna’s party achieves great success in 2014. As my support for him is firm, it’s needless to say that I will surely vote for his party in the coming elections.

Gangs Of Wasseypur 2 Review

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Director: Anurag Kashyap

Producers: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures

Writers: Zeishan Quadri, Sachin Ladia and Anurag Kashyap

Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Huma Qureshi, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Zeishan Ahmed, Richa Chadda, Rajkumar Yadav, Pankaj Tripathi, Piyush Mishra, Reema Sen

Music: Sneha Khanwalkar

Rating: * * * *

Plot: At the end of the first part, Sultan Khan (Manoj Bajpayee) fails to avenge his father’s death as he is killed by the same person who killed his father – political mafia Ramadhir Singh (Tigmanshu Dhulia). Gangs Of Wasseypur 2 is an account of how Sultan’s son Faisal Khan (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) transforms into a dreaded don in order to avenge his grandfather and father’s death.

Review: Gangs Of Wasseypur (first part) promised a bloody revenge saga but ended up going nowhere due to a weak script and narration in the second half. Director Anurag Kashyap and his team, however, fulfill the promise in Gangs Of Wasseypur 2 by presenting a thriller which is engaging, gripping, humorous and above all, entertaining. The film can also be a ticket to stardom for Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who gives a masterful act.

In terms of writing, GOW 2 is almost the opposite of the first part. Over here, interesting events unfold at a fast pace right from the start. The most vital event of Faisal Khan’s transformation is very intelligently presented. The writers also make sure that Faisal’s love track with Mohsina (Huma Qureshi) doesn’t hamper the narration at all. It continues from their ‘parmisan’ scene from the first part and provides lots of laughter. Inclusion of characters Perpendicular and Definite (Zeishan Ahmed) along with their crazy antics add to the humor.

Although Faisal doesn’t straightaway go about taking revenge, the above mentioned events coupled with some deadly twists make sure that the audience is highly engaged and entertained. A chase scene in the second half (which brings back memories of a similar scene from Kashyap’s Black Friday) and a silly telephonic conversation about food items, vegetables and fruits between Faisal’s gang members deserve special mention.

One might feel that the story is stretched a bit after the completion of the warring scene, which started the first part of the movie. Plus, Piyush Mishra’s fast paced narration and too many twists in the end can confuse a section of viewers. However, these points don’t act as a turn offs, especially after witnessing the brilliantly filmed climax. There is more blood and gore here but it certainly isn’t as disturbing as it was in the first part.

Sneha Khanwalkar continues her great work from the first part. Every track complements the narration perfectly. ‘Chhi Chha Ledar’ of course is the best of the lot. ‘Moora’ with its unusual use of English words is funny and amusing. A number of other songs (‘Electric Piya’, ‘Kala Re’, ‘Taar Bijli’, etc) are impressive too. The creative cinematography (Rajeev Ravi) and powerful background score give a boost to the proceedings, just like they did in the first part.

Each and every actor rises to the occasion. Nawazuddin Siddiqui gets into the skin of his character with perfection and produces an earth-shattering act. He shows dedication and class while displaying every emotion. Courtesy this performance, it won’t be an overstatement that he enters the list of India’s most talented actors. Huma Qureshi, while displaying cuteness, gives a thoroughly mature act too. Tigmanshu Dhulia is once again brilliant as Ramadhir Singh. He should continue his acting stint further.

Debutant Zeishan Ahmed (who is also a co-writer of the movie) is outstanding as Definite. Aditya Kumar, another debutant who plays Perpendicular, provides an amusing act. He will become a known name in the days to come. Richa Chadda played a young housewife in the first part. She transforms herself as a middle aged woman here and gets into the skin of her character with perfection. Similar aging transformation is seen by Piyush Mishra, who speaks through his eyes and expressions brilliantly. Pankaj Tripathi and Rajkumar Yadav too are commendable. Reemma Sen, Anurita Jha, Vineet Singh, Jameel Khan, Yashpal Sharma and the rest of the supporting cast play their part well.

Overall, with Gangs Of Wasseypur 2, Anurag Kashyap proves himself as one of the most talented new age filmmakers of India. At the box office, the film will do good business in the metros. Its collections will surely be affected after Salman Khan’s desperately awaietd Ek Tha Tiger releases after a week.

Gangs Of Wasseypur 2 Box-Office Prediction

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Director: Anurag Kashyap

Producers: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures

Writers: Zeishan Quadri, Sachin Ladia and Anurag Kashyap

Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Huma Qureshi, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Manoj Bajpayee, Richa Chadda, Piyush Mishra, Reema Sen, Jaideep Ahlawat

Music: Sneha Khanwalkar

Release Date: August 8, 2012

Analysis:

Star Value: As actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Huma Qureshi are playing main leads in Gangs Of Wasseypur 2, the star value for the film isn’t high. But it is the Wasseypur brand that will be the drive audience to the theatres, after the appreciation the first part of the movie received.

Hype: The manner in which the first part ended created a lot of eagerness and anticipation for the second part. The exciting promos have also been welcomed by the audience. Putting up posters that look exactly like real-life posters of politicians added to the excitement.

Music: The unusual song ‘Chhi Chha Ledar’ has become a rage among a section of the audience. That song has played a big role in popularizing the movie. ‘Electric Piya’ is another track which is quite known.

Prediction:

Gangs Of Wasseypur 2 will get a decent to good opening at the box-office but only in metros. Like the first part, it caters more to the multiplex audience from big cities. One can’t rule out the fact that the film will mostly be seen only by those who have seen the first part. It is unlikely that someone, who hasn’t seen the first part of the story, will queue for the next part. Although it is unlikely, it’s not impossible.

The first part gathered steady collections even after the first week. However, the same won’t happen with Gangs Of Wasseypur 2 as Salman Khan’s hugely awaited Ek Tha Tiger is releasing on August 15. I am not saying that GOW 2 doesn’t stand a chance after August 15. It is just that the film has mostly one week to collect the moolah. If the film attains high success, Nawazuddin Siddiqui will be the next big thing in Bollywood!

Jism 2 Review

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Director: Pooja Bhatt

Producers: Clockwork Films and Fisheye Network

Writers: Mahesh Bhatt and Shagufta Rafique

Cast: Sunny Leone, Randeep Hooda, Arunoday Singh, Arif Zakaria

Music: Arko Pravo Mukherjee, Mithoon, Rushk and Abdul Baasith Saeed

Rating: * *

Plot: Secret Indian Intelligence officer Ayaan (Arunoday Singh) approaches pornstar Izna (Sunny Leone) for a secret mission. Izna’s mission is to act as a honeytrap for a dreaded terrorist Kabir (Randeep Hooda) in order to destroy him and his terror outfit. Things become complicated due to the fact that Izna and Kabir are ex-lovers.

Review: Jism 2 is in news ever since the Bhatts decided to cast pornstar Sunny Leone in the movie, which was touted to be the boldest film from Bollywood. But thanks to our Censor Board and the ineffective writing, the film fails to please both section of audiences – the ones expecting to see a sensible, intense thriller and the ones interested due to ‘other’ reasons.

The unconvincing factor hovers around for almost the entire film. Ayaan’s meeting with Izna, her casual commitment to a hugely dangerous mission and, later, the consequences of the mission fail to involve the audience due to the absence of an intelligent script. In the end, even the final culmination, which is very similar to Gangster, doesn’t appear convincing. Ironically, scenes which provide unintentional laughs act as a saving grace.

The plus points include few creatively shot scenes, especially in the first half. The thrill at the end of the first half is by far the best moment of the movie. Some of the dialogues are very impressive and witty, although on some occasions they appear silly. But it is the music which turns out to be the biggest plus points. It is a rarity these days to have an album full of impressive songs.

The film scores well in the technical departments too. Nigam Bomzan shows his brilliance in his creative camerawork. The makers should be lauded for selecting such unexplored yet beautiful locations in Sri Lanka.

Plenty of eyebrows were raised when Sunny Leone was cast as the main lead. The decision, however, turns out to be well made one as the debutant chips in with the right emotions and expressions. One can’t comment on her dialogue delivery as her voice is dubbed. Randeep Hooda once again shines with a mature act in the role of a crazy assassin. The actor is improving film after film.

Arunoday Singh is mostly average as he struggles during intensely emotional scenes. Arif Zakaria once again proves why he is one of the best character artists. Sumeet Nijhavan is average.

Overall, Jism 2 suffers due to faulty writing. At the box office, the film has a chance of clicking in the metros. It will be largely helped by the section of audience queuing up to see Sunny Leone.

Section 149 for Anna supporters, media silent!

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The Mumbai unit of India Against Corruption held another successful protest rally today at Azad Maidan. Although everything went on smoothly, we the supporters were in for a shock when we were told that Section 149 has been imposed. Due to this, once we were out of the Azad Maidan, we were neither allowed to wear Anna caps and, more shockingly, nor allowed to hold India’s tricolor in the vicinity! That’s all we were told. Someone knowing more about this, please enlighten me! But due to the act of the authorities, one is forced to ask the question whether we are still living under the British? Imagine, not allowed to hold India’s flag in India! And what harm does Anna caps do?As expected, the media is silent about this!

The webcast from Jantar Mantar in Delhi was received with a thunderous applause when Arvind Kejriwal’s doctors proved government doctor’s wrong. According to the doctors at Jantar Mantar, Kejriwal and his comrades are doing quite fine and they don’t need to be hospitalized. Reacting to funny man Digvijay Singh’s statement that they will have to force feed team Anna, Kejriwal firmly said he will pluck out needles and won’t chew food if he is forcefully given food after dragging him to the hospital.

Since we have been receiving weird statements from the government, it looks like the fast protest is making an impact. Talking about funny statements, Salman Khurshid, while reacting to team Anna’s fasts, said even he is fasting for the month of Ramazan. Now, even a primary student would know there can’t be any comparison between a Roza fast and a fast unto death. This is another example of how we are been governed by dumb-headed folks.

Pictures from today’s protest rally: –

At the Gateway Of India

Jism 2 Box-Office Prediction

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Director: Pooja Bhatt

Producers: Clockwork Films and Fisheye Network

Writers: Mahesh Bhatt and Shagufta Rafique

Cast: Sunny Leone, Randeep Hooda, Arunoday Singh, Arif Zakaria

Music: Arko Pravo Mukherjee, Mithoon, Rushk and Abdul Baasith Saeed

Release Date: August 3, 2012

Analysis:

Star Value: Perhaps for the first time in the history of Indian cinema, a female debutant has added plenty of star value to the movie way before its release. The fact that she is a porn star with killer looks is the reason for this, apart from her stint in the television show Bigg Boss. The Sunny euphoria coupled with the presence of known faces of good performers like Randeep Hooda and Arunoday Singh, brings high star value for Jism 2.

Hype: The hype for Jism 2 started ever since Mahesh Bhatt decided to cast Sunny in the film. The hype, which kept on increasing as the shoot neared completion, reached the maximum after the promos and posters of the movie were released. Due to this, a large section of audience will queue up for the movie for obvious reasons. But apart from the hot factor, the promos also promise an intense thrill ride.

Music: The title song ‘Yeh Jism Hai To Kya’ has managed to impress. Other songs like ‘Abhi Abhi’ and ‘Yeh Kasoor’ are also well received. The music has also helped in creating excitement for the movie.

Prediction:

Jism 2 will get a good to very good opening at the box-office, largely due to the Sunny Leone factor. Although the movie has a chance of clicking both in single screens as well as multiplexes, it will score more in the latter as it is a metro product.

What will affect the film’s collections is that the keenly anticipated Gangs Of Wasseypur 2 and the hugely awaited Ek Tha Tiger are slated to release on August 8 and 15 respectively. Hence, it is vital for the film to impress initially and earn as much as possible in the first five days. All in all, Jism 2 is a safe bet due to its low budget.