Monthly Archives: October 2022

Har Har Mahadev review: Subodh Bhave & Sharad Kelkar are a deadly combo

Making a historical on a personality like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on a large scale can be a major challenge for any filmmaker. In the case of writer and director Abhijeet Shirish Deshpande’s Har Har Mahadev, it was even tougher since there have been a series of films on the Maratha history in recent years.

Out of all these movies, Digpal Lanjekar himself has made four – Farzand (2018), Fatteshikast (2019), Pawankhind (2022) and Sher Shivraj (2022).

Har Har Mahadev tells the story of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (Subodh Bhave) before his coronation. It starts off with a feud between the Bandal warrior Bajiprabhu Deshpande (Sharad Kelkar) and Shivaji Maharaj during the latter’s youth phase. He wants all Marathis to unite and fight against Adilshahi’s atrocities. He finally succeeds in making Deshpande his trusted aide.

The movie features the famous incident where Shivaji Maharaj kills Afzal Khan. Later on, it focusses on Siddhi Jauhar (Milind Shinde) acquiring Panhala, the struggle for the safe evacuation of Shivaji Maharaj from there and, more importantly, the iconic battle of Pawankhind.

Subodh Bhave and Sharad Kelkar in Har Har Mahadev

This makes it clear that Har Har Mahadev features the two events that were individually portrayed by Lanjekar in Sher Shivraj and Pawankhind.

But Deshpande’s movie still succeeds in being interesting through its entertaining narrative and some applaud-worthy heroic dialogues. The action sequences are impressive and they are enhanced by the music. In short, there is plenty for the masses to cheer, especially in single screen theatres.

Although Shivaji Maharaj is on the highest stature in Maratha history, Har Har Mahadev gives equal prominence to Bajiprabhu Deshpande as well. Hence, the film also works as one of those two-hero action films.

There is some powerful as well as moving chemistry between Bhave and Kelkar. They form a deadly combo that makes you go through various emotions. Bhave gets the act of playing a tough character of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj incredibly right. His body language is the highlight of his performance.

Kelkar lights up with screen through an energetic act. He is terrific in both action-oriented and emotional moments.

The other supporting cast, including Amruta Khanvilkar, Nishigandha Wad and Sayali Sanjeev score decent in roles with limited screen time. Raj Thackeray, the chief of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), generates impact as the voice of Sahyadri.

The movie, however, uses the usual trope of portraying the bad guys as weak and, sometimes, as laughing stocks. It is important for the villains to be powerful in such films, but that is far from the case here. This, obviously, affects the performances of Milind Shinde and the actor who played Afzal Khan.

Har Har Mahadev has other issues too. The film doesn’t start on a smooth manner in terms of the screenplay. The momentum slows down after a while in the second half. The finale fight sequence is stretched. The movie should have gotten over before 161 minutes.

Also read: Ram Setu review – Last 1 minute somewhat saves Akshay Kumar’s movie

Also, you can’t help but realize that you would have liked the film more if there wouldn’t have been an overdose of films on the Maratha history in recent years.

Overall: Har Har Mahadev has enough going for itself for the masses.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Director: Abhijeet Shirish Deshpande

Producers: Zee Studios and Shree Ganesh Marketing and Films

Writer: Abhijeet Shirish Deshpande

Cast: Subodh Bhave, Sharad Kelkar, Milind Shinde, Nishigandha Wad, Amruta Khanvilkar, Sayali Sanjeev

Ram Setu review – Last 1 minute somewhat saves Akshay Kumar’s movie

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Despite starring in different genre of films in the last two decades, Akshay Kumar is known the most for his action roles. This is the first image he acquired among his fans and he remains to be a specialist in this form of cinema. Although he plays an archeologist in Ram Setu, he gets more than a chance to showcase his action skills yet again.

But overall, the film falls more in the adventure and mystery zone. Akshay’s stunts are kept simple because of the profession of his character. Ram Setu is not one of his best acts. However, the actor has a knack of carrying a film on his shoulders even while giving decent performances. He has done the same in this film as well.

Ram Setu is a period film that takes place in 2007. Dr Aryan Kulshreshtha (Akshay) is a successful archeologist married to a professor (Nushrratt Bharucchha). He is an atheist who only believes in facts and science. He is sent on an expedition in Afghanistan to restore Buddhist statues that were destroyed by Taliban terrorists.

It is also the period where India’s then government refuses to believe that the Ram Setu bridge between India and Sri Lanka wasn’t made by Ram’s vaanar sena [army of animals] and that it is formed naturally. A wily businessman (Nassar) also has his eyes set on the bridge in order to make a project over there that will benefit him immensely.

The Ram Setu matter goes onto the Supreme Court. Aryan’s next assignment involves studying the bridge and filing a report on the findings to conclude whether Ram Setu is the same as mentioned in the Ramayana.

It was obvious from the trailer itself that Ram Setu is intended to please people from a particular political inclination. The whole film makes it even clearer by taking subtle jibes at the Indian Government of 2007 without taking the name of the party running it.

Talking about the content and the craft, Ram Setu regularly takes creative liberties and shows disregard for logic. You might lose count on things happening so conveniently for the protagonist and his team. This includes Aryan’s escape from the clutches of Taliban, which is not even shown; we are only made to assume.

Despite this, Ram Setu does have a positive point in the form of its engaging and entertaining narrative. The events are lined up in such a way that there is just no scope for boredom.

But what saves Ram Setu the most from falling more is the twist in the very last scene of the climax related to one of the prominent characters. It comes as a surprise and is sure to please the worshippers of the heroes of the Ramayana like lord Ram and Hanuman.

After Akshay, south actor Satyadev Kancharana, who plays Anjaneya Putra aka AP, rules the film with his confident performance. Nassar’s potential as a quality artiste isn’t seen simply because his character is quite one-dimensional. Pravesh Rana, another negative character, fares better.

Also read: Adipurush teaser has triggered opposite political reactions

Nushrratt Bharuccha lends good support but her role doesn’t offer much. Jeniffer Piccinato shows promise. Jacqueline Fernandez struggles but this is hardly surprising now.

Overall: Ram Setu is somewhat rescued by the twist in the climax and the fast-paced narrative. The film would have appeared little better if it had released before the Telugu movie Karthikeya 2, a similar spiritual adventure thriller and much better.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Director: Abhishek Sharma

Producers: Cape Of Good Films, Abundantia Entertainment, Lyca Productions and Prime Video

Writer: Abhishek Sharma

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Satyadev Kancharana, Nassar, Jacqueline Fernandez, Pravesh Rana and Jeniffer Piccinato

Babar Azam did what MS Dhoni didn’t in 2007

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The match between India and Pakistan in the ongoing ICC World T20 will go down as one of the most memorable ever. Of course, Indian fans are jubilant and the ones on the other side of the border aren’t. But if looked from a neutral point of view, such games eventually help in making a sport even popular.

This game brings back memories of the 2007 World Cup final between both the nations. Despite it being 15 years, the match still remains a tense and high-octane clash between both the teams. It eventually saw India win by 5 runs after they scored 157 for 5 in their allotted 20 overs, electing to bat first.

Apart from the fact that it was a match that went all the way down to the wire, the 2007 match also had a similar situation during its ending moments.

Babar Azam and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Sources: Twitter and Indiatvnews.com)

Pakistan struggled mostly while chasing India’s modest target. But Misbah-ul-Haq turned the match around singlehandedly by changing gears in a couple of overs before the last one. Similarly, India too struggled today during their chase but Virat Kohli had other plans. He brought India back in the game in a similar way. His 2 sixes off against the crafty Haris Rauf announced India’s fightback.

In the 2007 final, Pakistan needed 12 off the last over. After a lot of deliberation, Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni decided to hand over the ball to the inexperienced Joginder Sharma, over the experienced Harbhajhan Singh, who also had one over left. The obvious reason was that the latter was smashed around by Haq in his previous over.

The move initially looked like a mistake as Sharma bowled a wide and, worse, was hit for a 6. But, as we all know, Haq played that infamous scoop shot and was caught at short fine leg by S Sreesanth.

In this match, Mohammad Nawaz had given 20 runs in his previous over after letting the opposition hit 3 sixes off that one. But Pakistani captain Babar Azam still decided to go with him. He had the option of giving him the 19^th or the 18^th over but he decided to give him the last one. The move, obviously, didn’t work, with the extras proving it to be worse.

Also read: Meet the 49-year-old test debutant

This is not to say that if Rauf or some other fast bowler had bowled the last over, India had no chance of winning. It’s just an interesting similarity in both the matches between the same nations with different batting order as well as the result.

Chhello Show (Last Film Show) review

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Although filmmaker Pan Nalin’s Gujarati movie Chhello Show (English title: Last Film Show) released in India this week, it has been making a lot of noise internationally for the last two years. It is also India’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language film at the prestigious Oscars.

Whether it is a worthy choice for the Oscars is debatable. But, after going through the experience, it is a no brainer that the film deserves applause for its ode to the medium of cinema.

Chhello Show tells an interesting tale of a boy named Samay (Bhavin Rabari), who stays with his father (Dipen Raval), a tea-seller, mother (Richa Meena) and little sister in a remote village in Saurashtra. His father abhors movies but he once takes the entire family to watch a film at a nearby town simply because the movie in question is a devotional one. The father says that this is Samay’s first and the last film at a cinema hall [hence, the title].

But the little boy is mesmerized by the medium of cinema. He decides that this can never be his last show. So he steals money from his father, bunks school and secretly visits the theatre in that town, called Galaxy, to catch a film. His father gets to know of his ‘crime’ and he beats him up.

However, Samay strikes a friendship with the projectionist Fazal (Bhavesh Shrimali), who allows him watch films for free as long as he lets him eat his delicious lunch prepared by his mother. While Samay is loving being in company of cinema, his road ahead with the medium is full of thorns.

Pan Nalin’s writing and presentation makes you a keen observer of Samay’s life and his world instantly. If you happen to be a movie lover, you will deeply root for the boy to keep his affair with cinema continuing, despite the odds. But what works most for the film is the establishment of the protagonist’s innocence.

This ensures that you will support the kid even when he carries out immoral activities because they aren’t born out of any greed for money; it’s only for his love and fascination for cinema. The film has various moments that make you smile and at the same time feel emotional as you can sense that the overall film itself is a result of someone’s fascination for the art.

The technical aspects, in term of the natural camerawork and minimal background score, play a quiet yet important role in creating the overall effect.

Bhavin Rabari is nothing short of a main ‘hero’ who carries Chhello Show on his shoulders. Despite his age, he lives and breathes a character that doesn’t cease to adore you. Rahul Koli, as the protagonist’s friend, is equally good. It is super tragic that he passed away just before the release of the film.

Bhavesh Shrimali easily brings out the endearing nature of Fazal. Dipen Raval and Richa Meena are perfect as Samay’s parents. Thankfully, the former isn’t limited to being a strict father.

Although Chhello Show is semi-autobiographical account of the filmmaker himself, an important moment during the ending part is difficult to digest considering the age of the protagonist. The film also deserved to be crisper on a few occasions.

Also read: When SRK did a Panchayat 33 years ago

Also, it is impossible to not think about the classic Cinema Paradiso (1988) while watching Chhello Show. Once again, despite it being the real story of Pan Nalin, the basic idea and the main characters are similar to the 1988 movie. A line acknowledging the inspiration could have been added.

Having said that, Chhello Show has plenty going for itself that’s enough to move the movie lover in you.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Director: Pan Nalin

Producers: Pan Nalin, Dheer Momaya, Siddharth Roy Kapur and Marc Duale

Writer: Pan Nalin

Cast: Bhavin Rabari, Bhavesh Shrimali, Dipen Raval, Richa Meena

Aye Zindagi review – An incredible real story narrated convincingly

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Director Anirban Bose’s Aye Zindagi initially appears like just another story about a person struggling against a terminal illness.

The film begins in 2004 when the 26-year-old Vinayak (Satyajeet Dubey) is being diagnosed with severe liver cirrhosis. He works in Lucknow but visits a hospital in Hyderabad to check if he can undergo a liver transplant because he has only six to seven months to live. Over there, he meets Revathy (Revathy), a grief counselor. Her job also includes encouraging people to go for organ transplant.

Although Vinayak stands a chance for getting a liver transplant, the process has some major financial and emotional challenges in store, including his own deteriorating health. His elder brother Kartik (Sawan Tank), a medical student, keeps his studies aside to look after Vinayak. While undergoing treatment, he develops an unusual bond with his doctor and nurse, played by Hemant Kher and Mrinmayee Godbole respectively.

Despite the storyline, Aye Zindagi is much more than what we expected it to be at half point. It’s based on an incredible true story that took place in India some years back. This is a rare film where the makers haven’t tampered with the real tale and kept it as it is. However, there was no need for this since the real story itself is highly emotional and dramatic, which we get the know in detail once the film ends.

In a film relying on as much reality as possible, it was necessary for it to shine during its various emotional moments and that’s exactly what happens here. The narrative is filled with moments triggering different emotions and each one moves you. The best one happens when there is a major twist in the tale. This particular incident keeps haunting you long after the film is over.

It is vital for such films to be high on performances in order for the audience to feel for the characters. Aye Zindagi doesn’t disappoint on this front too. Satyajeet Dubey provides a dedicated act where we constantly feel for him as he goes through a whirlpool of emotions. The scene where he breaks down with his brother and the climax deserve special mention.

As one would expect from a seasoned artiste like Revathy, she is thoroughly impressive. Hemant Kher, Mrinmayee Godbole and the rest of the actors too contribute positively.

Also read: When SRK did a Panchayat 33 years ago

Aye Zindagi comes with its share of minuses as well. The film’s length, which is 105 minutes, could have been reduced further, especially during the ending moments. The character of Revathy’s son should have been given more importance, in order to increase the impact of the basic storyline.

But the positives easily override the negatives making Aye Zindagi a surprise package of the year where Hindi cinema has been criticized a lot for its content.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Director: Anirban Bose

Producer: Shiladitya Bora

Writers: Anirban Bose

Cast: Satyajeet Dubey, Revathy, Hemant Kher, Mrinmayee Godbole

When Subodh Bhave was rejected for the role of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

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Subodh Bhave will be playing the role of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Abhijeet Shirish Deshpande’s Har Har Mahadev. This is yet another real-life character played by the actor in his long list of biopics.

During the trailer launch of the movie, Bhave revealed that he had once got a chance to play the role of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj more than two decades before but things didn’t work out.

“When I had recently shifted to Mumbai to become an actor, Vinay Apte was making a TV serial on Shiv Chhatrapati in Hindi,” he said. “I had auditioned for the role of Shiv Chhatrapati. But I wasn’t selected. I had to wait for 22 years to play that character. Maybe it was Maharaj’s will to let me get prepared to play his character.”

Subodh Bhave further revealed that even after being offered the role, he, initially, had refused the film. He said that the same thing had happened with the earlier film he did with Deshpande Ani… Dr Kashinath Ghanekar (2018)

“There is one similarity in both the films,” said the actor. “I didn’t want to play Kashinath Ghanekar’s character too but I did. Also when Abhijit wanted to shoot the film [Har Har Mahadev], I had the US tour coming up for my play. But in order for me to play this character, Corona arrived, there was lockdown and the shoot dates were postponed and I got the role.”

Also read: Play review – Ashrunchi Zali Phule starring Subodh Bhave

Produced by Zee Studios, Har Har Mahadev will be releasing during Diwali on 25 October. The film will also be released in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malyalam. This is the first Marathi film to be released in five languages.

Adipurush teaser has triggered opposite political reactions

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Filmmaker Om Raut’s Adipurush has been one of the keenly-awaited films ever since it was announced more than a couple of years back. The filmmaker’s Hindi debut Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, his previous effort, had become a runaway hit at the box office, so there was anticipation on what he would offer next.

Apart from the cast of Prabhas, Saif Ali Khan and Kriti Sanon, the major reason why Adipurush made heads turn was because of its adaptation from the great Indian epic Ramayana.

But the reaction to the long-awaited teaser finally released more than a week back would have taken the team of Adipurush by a rude surprise. The initial footage has been panned on social media for more than one reason.

Firstly, the VFX has been criticized as the visuals didn’t impress the viewers. But more than that, the look of Saif Ali Khan’s character of Raavan has been literally lambasted for it doesn’t match with what people imagine the character to be.

Not just that, the looks of Prabhas and Devdatta Nage, who play Lord Ram and Hanuman, along with the depiction of the Vaanar Sena have also come under criticism.

It was gradually realized that the teaser has given rise to opposite political reactions.

Om Raut started off his career with the Marathi movie Lokmanya: Ek Yugpurush in 2015. Apart from narrating the life story of Bal Gangadhar Tilak aka Lokmanya Tilak, the film also gave special footage to the protagonist’s efforts in writing Gita Rahasya, his own interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita.

Adipurush starring Prabhas and Saif Ali Khan — Prabhas and Saif Ali Khan in Adipurush (Source: YouTube teaser screenshots)

His next Tanhaji, his debut in Hindi, was about the achievement of the Maratha warrior Tanaji Malusare.

In other words, both the films were appreciated by the Indian Right Wing. Of course, the movies weren’t aimed at them specifically but their subjects were such that they naturally found takers in people from that particular political side.

The announcement of Adipurush naturally excited the Right Wingers since the film is based on Lord Ram. Plus, Raut’s social media posts are also appreciated by them, especially the ones about the upcoming Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Another reason for the excitement for Adipurush for them was the casting of Prabhas as Ram. The actor has formed a fan base among the Right Wingers after the mammoth success of both the Baahubali movies. The films are considered pro-Hindu because of their content, although they were appreciated with people across political opinions.

Unfortunately for the makers, it is the Right Wingers who have been offended the most by the teaser of Adipurush. Although Prabhas is facing criticisms for his look as Ram, it is the portrayal of Saif that is receiving the maximum flak for him allegedly looking as a Mughal ruler or Alauddin Khilji. Despite being evil, Raavan was a learned scholar and, as per the reactions, Saif isn’t appearing like one in this get-up.

But that’s not all. Quite a few ‘pro-Hindu’ groups have started protesting and calling for a ban on the movie. The teaser has also triggered one such group to demand ‘Sanatani Censor Board’ to ensure that Hindu gods aren’t portrayed in a ‘derogatory’ manner in movies. A few BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leaders too have slammed the teaser. Right Wingers on social media have also been trending boycott against the movie.

The film’s teaser was launched at a grand event in Ayodhya, where the much talked-about Ram Temple is being constructed currently. Ironically, the chief priest of the same temple has demanded a ban on the film.

On the other hand, the liberal crowd or those against the Right Wing have been providing full support to Adipurush since they believe there should be freedom of expression for the makers to portray any character the way they want. Their main argument is that nobody knows how the characters present in the Ramayana looked in real.

Before the teaser came out, not many would have expected a pro-Hindu movie made by pro-Hindu stars to be slammed by the Right Wing and supported by those having an opposite political view. The moral of the story is that trying to please people of any political ideology can backfire.

We can just wait and watch what happens when the full trailer of Adipurush is released.