The Common Man Speaks

Review: Yaariyan

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Rating: 0.5 out of 5

By: Keyur Seta

The motto of debutant director Divya Khosla Kumar’s Yaariyan is to encourage carefree youngsters to become responsible adults. But the path taken by the makers to derive at the point is so unconvincingly silly that the film just becomes a laughing stock by the time it ends. On top of that, it also resorts to some high degree of vulgarity.

yaariyanFour happy-go-lucky and naughty youngsters – Lakshya (Himanshu Kohli), Jiya (Nicole Faria), Neil (Dev Sharma) and Pardy (Shreyas Pardiwalla) – are having the time of their lives in St. Stephens College in Sikkim. Lakshya’s father passed away in a war when the former was just a year old. Much to the grudge of his mother (Smita Jaykar), Lakshya has no respect for the country.

The dream lives of the youngsters come crashing down when they get to know that an Australian firm is all set to take over their college to convert it into a business avenue. But the students of St. Stephens College still have a chance of regaining their college provided they beat a set of Australian students in some sports events.

The following is a scene from the film – During a play, a girl is playing the character of Bharat Mata. Soon, her saree is stripped and she is reduced to almost bare essentials. So a stripped Bharat Mata dances on ‘Sheila Ki Jawani’ and those playing soldiers try to woo her with horny advances. If this isn’t annoyingly vulgar, what is? And just minutes later, a character says, “It hurts the most when someone insults our country.” Oh really? How cute! Sadly, there are more doses of cheapness at regular intervals, especially in the first half.

Even if one tries to ignore these antics, the film still doesn’t appeal because, frankly, nothing makes sense. Try to fathom these points:-

  • Apart from the issue of Australians suddenly claiming to take over the college, what is more absurd is to see the principal choosing a useless bunch of five students to save their college.
  • When Indians visit Australia for the first round, an Indian student is mercilessly killed by an Australian. Strangely, the culprit isn’t booked. He even visits India for the next round where Indians welcome him and his team! After all, Aamir Khan has advised us to believe in Atithi Devo Bhava!
  • In a hospital, a character is said to be so critical that he can die any moment. But he is not put to any life support whatsoever! Not just that, he is even allowed to talk freely with his friends in such a fatal condition!
  • The final round includes a dangerous sport where a slight mistake can even kill a participant! Whatever happened to law and order enforcements!

There is much more silliness in the narration but I haven’t mentioned it to avoid spoilers. Also, in between the writers address too many issues and thereby raising a question as to what the film is exactly about! Perhaps the only positive point one can derive is that the second half provides a number of unintentionally humorous moments, mostly during the closing stages.

Songs like ‘Allah Wariyan’ and ‘Meri Maa’, are impressive and offer relief but others like ‘ABCD’ and ‘Sunny Sunny’ are not only irritating but plain cheap! Perhaps Sameer Arya’s camerawork and good production values become the biggest plus points. It is sheer pleasure to see the picturesque locales of Sikkim and Shimla.

From the six debutants, Rakul Preet impresses the most. Apart from decent dialogue delivery, she scores the most while speaking through eyes. Himanshu Kohli isn’t bad either. Although his act isn’t up-to-the-mark, he has some acting potential. Shreyas Pardiwala, Vikas Verma and Dev Sharma play decent supporting acts. But Nicole Faria is simply irritating and unbearable! The sole purpose of her character was to offer skin show.

Serah Singh too has nothing much to do apart from planning kissing sessions with Kohli. Evelyn Sharma irritates once again. It is difficult to understand why veteran artists like Deepti Naval, Gulshan Grover and Smita Jaykar signed such a film. They don’t get much scope either.

Overall, Yaariyan is not only dumb but it also continues to lower the standards of mainstream Hindi cinema where vulgarity has become a norm these days. The disgraceful Bharat Mata scene mentioned above is simply unforgivable!

Timepass (Marathi Movie) Review

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Director: Ravi Jadhav

Producer: Ravi Jadhav

Cast: Prathamesh Parab, Ketaki Mategaonkar, Vaibhav Mangale, Bhalchandra Kadam

Music: Chinar-Mahesh

Genre: Romance/ Comedy

Rating: * *

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Dagadu (Prathamesh Parab) is thrown out of the house by his angry father after he fails in the 10th standard yet again. To support himself, he becomes a newspaper boy. Meanwhile, his friends urge him to get a girlfriend as they believe such ‘time pass’ is a must in life. Just then, Dagadu’s eyes fall on the innocent Prajakta (Ketaki Mategaonkar) and he falls head over heels for her. But Prajakta’s father hates Dagadu to the core after an ugly encounter with him. Will Dagadu succeed in the very first love story of his life?

Review: The two main characters in Ravi Jadhav’s Timepass are just repeated from two successful films – the guy from his own Balak Palak and the girl from Sujay Dahake’s Shala. One won’t mind this if the film turns out to be enjoyable. And surely, there is hilarity aplenty in Timepass.

But the basic aim of every movie is to tell a story and this is where it falters. In the end, it turns out to be just a poor remake of Shala. This comes as an unpleasant surprise since there are high expectations from the film, which is seen from the tremendous opening it has taken in the first weekend.

The high point of Timepass is obviously the character Dagdu and his crazy antics, born out of his funny act and witty dialogues. As he goes about trying to win Prajakta’s heart, the audience is treated to a laugh-riot, especially in the first half. Dagadu’s scenes with his friends and Prajakta’s cuteness at various occasions also deserve special mention.

But in the post-interval portions, Dagdu’s antics start becoming too repetitive. This is felt more because there isn’t any major development in the story. Later on, an illogical self-destructive incident involving a character (not possible to reveal much) just takes away much of your interest. Even if we ignore that moment, the pre-climax and climax don’t satisfy. You just feel watching Shala or Balak Palak again is a much better option.

From Chinar-Mahesh’s music, ‘Fulpakharu’ and ‘Mala Ved Laagle’ are impressive tracks. The camerawork and background score suit the subject perfectly. The editor should have used his scissors more. The length of 142 minutes is too high for the film. A dream sequence between the lead pair should have surely been shortened.

Although Prathamesh Parab and Ketaki Mategaonkar repeat their performances from Balak Palak and Shala, it is a joy to see them perform. Parab is once again very impressive as Dagdu. His comic timing is superb. Mategaonkar too is notable while playing a shy character. Vaibhav Mangale is brilliant as Prajakta’s angry father! He too shines in the comic scenes.

Bhalchandra Kadam does well in the role of Dagadu’s father. Urmila Kanitkar provides good support. Although Bhushan Pradhan has a narrow screen time, he is decent as Prajakta’s brother and so are the rest of the supporting actors.

Overall: Despite a whole lot of funny moments, Timepass doesn’t rise up to the expectations. Due to the hype and a great opening, the film will succeed at the box office.

 

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2013 reinforced our belief in Hope & Humility

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By: Keyur Seta

Until mid-November, 2013 seemed like an ordinary year as there wasn’t single event that delighted the masses. But after half of the eleventh month was over, when we had hardly any hope from the year, two events emerged that turned 2013 on its head with joy. Those events reinforced our beliefs in hope and humanity. They are as follows date-wise:

Sachin Tendulkar’s Farewell Speech:
All those who listened to the historic speech Sachin Tendulkar gave would agree that it was much, much more than a speech. After having a closer look at it, one realizes that it is a precious lesson on humbleness. Just imagine – a man who is hailed as the God of cricket and one of the most loved Indians is seen behaving like just like an ordinary Common Man.

Tendulkar’s humility and down-to-earth behavior isn’t new to the world. We have seen it all these years from the kind of career he has had and the way he has spoken to the media. But in his extempore speech, where he thanked a list of people who helped him become what he is today, we got a first-hand account of his inner self. It indirectly taught us that even after achieving the unachievable, one needs to hold on to humbleness, despite receiving a Godly status.

Children are often preached by their elders and teachers on how to become good human beings. Now, they have an easier option of making them listen to the 20 minute speech by the Master Blaster.

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AAP’s Miraculous Success:
Till the start of December 2013, the nation had witnessed the triumph of the Common Man only in movies. It won’t be an overstatement that the masses had given up any hope as far as cleansing the politics was concerned. But how things changed once the results of the Delhi general elections were out!

People from the political fraternity had laughed at Arvind Kejriwal and his team when they decided to contest Delhi elections through their Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). I too, personally, thought it won’t garner any success. Although I had no doubt on their determination, I felt it was next to impossible to change the current filthy political scenario. But the impossible was made possible on December 8 when AAP won 28 seats in their debut election. Earning this many seats in your very first election is nothing short of a miracle.

Now all of a sudden, the masses slowly but surely got awakened to the power of ordinary citizens. The same people who had given up any hope from politics are now unable to stop talking about the subject simply because Kejriwal and AAP have shown a ray of hope, which was missing since time immemorial.

Ever since AAP formed the government on December 28, their popularity is increasing day-by-day. This has sent shockwaves in almost every political party of India. Talking about the politicians that had made fun of AAP, the joke is on them now.

In 48 hours after AAP formed the government, they have already begun delivering by making water free for Delhites, discarding VIP culture and red beacon cars and declaring Rs 1 crore compensation to all police officers sacrificing their lives on duty. If this continues, India will soon see a political revolution like never before. All the best to them for the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections.

Here’s wishing more power to the Common Man in 2014!

Rangkarmi (Marathi Movie) Review

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Director: Sanjiv Kolte

Producers: Shashi Sumeet Motion Pictures

Writers: Sanjiv Kolte and Sumeet H. Mittal

Cast: Dr. Amol Kolhe, Mohan Joshi, Sheetal Dabholkar, Sharmishtha Raut

Music: Pravin Kunvar

Genre: Drama

Rating: * *

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Keshav (Dr. Amol Kolhe) acts in village tamashas much to the opposition of his father. This forces him to leave his house and migrate to Mumbai because acting in theatre means everything to him. Over there, he bumps into Dwarkanath (Mohan Joshi), the most famous make-up artist in Marathi theatre. Impressed by Keshav’s dedication and honesty, Dwarkanath not only offers him an odd job in his theatre group but also shelter at his residence.

Soon, Dwarkanath realizes Keshav’s excellent acting talent and helps him land the lead role of Karna in the play Shoor Karna. As time passes by, Keshav becomes a hugely successful theatre actor. But along with fame and success, pride and ego too take hold of him.

Review: An unknown common man becoming a celebrity and then having a great fall is not a novel concept. But predictability is not the biggest problem with director Sanjiv Kolte’s Rangkarmi. It is the disappointing finale that overshadows a number of plus points the film offers. You personally feel bad to see this as the film is quite a good tribute to Marathi theatre artists and theatre lovers.

The trailer of the film is a giveaway. But even if you haven’t seen a single promo, you will realize the plot in the first few seconds. Thankfully, you won’t mind sitting through the predictability due to a sincere and smart narration of Keshav’s journey from an unknown villager to a superstar. This ensures a number of smile-producing moments in the first half. Plus, the working style and the behind-the-scenes of a theatre group are presented realistically. In various ways, they have paid homage to the art of theatre.

Naturally, due to the developments, the second half isn’t as engaging, although your interest isn’t hampered. However, the pre-climax and the climax turn out to be highly disappointing. Even after the defining moment in the climax, the film keeps moving aimlessly just to dish out another disappointment right before the ending credits. (It is not possible to explain further to avoid spoilers.) The conclusion also makes you wonder at the aim of the makers. So much to give a message that success shouldn’t enter your head?

Pravin Kunvar composed songs are impressive and they suit the situations perfectly. Cinematographer Santosh Sindhe has captured even the simplest of scenes in an artistic manner. The background score is average and the editing is as per the need.

Dr. Amol Kolhe lives the character of Keshav perfectly through an act that is heartwarming. He also handles the transformation part well. As expected from a veteran artist, Mohan Joshi gives an earnest and honest performance. Sheetal Dabholkar and Prafull Samant play their respective characters well while Sharmistha Raut is decent.

Overall: Rangkarmi offers a good tribute to Marathi theatre but the film falters due to the concluding parts. It has a bleak chance at the box office.

 

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Review: Dhoom 3

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Director: Vijay Krishna Acharya

Producer: Aditya Chopra for Yash Raj Films

Writers: Aditya Chopra and Vijay Krishna Acharya

Cast: Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Uday Chopra, Katrina Kaif

Music: Pritam

Genre: Action Thriller

Rating: * * ½

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Sahir (Aamir Khan) has created havoc in Chicago by robbing huge amounts from The Global Bank twice. He is not an ordinary thief. He has a secret mission for robbing the same bank, which is related to his late magician father (Jackie Shroff). As the thief writes a message in Hindi in the bank after each robbery, the Chicago Police calls ACP Jai Dixit (Abhishek Bachchan) and his assistant Ali (Uday Chopra) from Mumbai to help them solve the case.

Review: One doesn’t need a statutory warning to keep reasoning aside while watching the Dhoom series. But to enjoy Dhoom: 3, the third installment of the series, one needs to keep logic away like never before. So if you are willing to accept a film that sets a new benchmark for mindlessness in return for some outstanding action and stunts, Dhoom: 3 is for you. If not, stay thousands of kilometers away from this one!

Dhoom: 3 is very unlike the first two films of the franchise for there is a strong emotional angle attached with the character of the thief. But the USP is, of course, the action that will take you by surprise on numerous occasions. In fact, it won’t be an overstatement that the film’s action, chase and stunt sequences are something never tried before in Indian films. However, on many occasions, the makers have taken cinematic and genre-related liberties to an idiotic level. In fact, the stunts seen in Rohit Shetty’s film would appear much realistic after watching some in this film.

But the mindlessness in the film is not just limited to this. There is a huge surprise element that will give you a jolt. It isn’t something that is revealed in the climax but it forms a major part of the story. This serious twist is not only unfathomable but also plain hilarious. I can’t explain any further since it will be a huge spoiler. But what I can explain is that the basic plot just leaves you speechless. Just because a thief writes a message in Hindi, two cops are imported all the way from India. Well, to understand the thief’s message, you don’t need cops, you just need a translator!

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Apart from this, the very motto of the thief is simply psychotic. This doesn’t go with a character which is not quite a psycho. Lastly, the final culmination is also far from satisfying.

The film becomes a visual treat due to the camerawork. Sudeep Chatterjee deserves high applause for his work, which mostly included shooting some utterly difficult shots. Action directors Conrad Palmisano and Sham Kaushal too deserve equal praise. The editing (Ritesh Soni) is sleek and as per the need while the background score is an overdose of the Dhoom theme. Apart from the track ‘Malang’, Pritam’s music is nothing much to talk about.

For Aamir Khan, this was one of the most challenging roles of his career and he does full justice to it. Barring awkward expressions on few occasions, he is terrific not only during action sequences but also during emotional moments. The chemistry between Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra works once again. Although they are getting repetitive, some smart humor, different from the first two films, works for them. Abhishek also scores well during confrontation scenes with Aamir.

Katrina Kaif has nothing much to do. But whatever little part she has, she irritates with her non-acting skills yet again. Some portions of her dance performance during the song ‘Kamli’ are simply scary! Siddharth Nigam, the child actor playing younger Aamir, is remarkable in a very difficult role. Jackie Shroff isn’t bad. It’ just that he struggles with simple lines in between. Andrew Bicknell does well playing the owner of the bank while Tabrett Bethell isn’t bad.

Overall: Dhoom: 3 is a never seen before action adventure in Hindi cinema. Yet the film rises just to an average level due to the various issues listed above. At the box office, it is set to create new records due to the mind-blowing opening it has received.

2011: Anna unites India, 2013: Anna shocks India

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By: Keyur Seta

anna-hazareAnti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement of 2011 to pass the Jan Lokpal Bill made the impossible look possible: lakhs of Indians from all walks of lives took on to the roads all over the country for the cause of anti-corruption; this was something that was considered impossible in the current era of India. As I too took part in the movement, it became the biggest turning point of my life. Not only was I happy to be a part of a national movement but, personally speaking, it also changed my perspective towards life completely!

At that time, however, I and many other Indians weren’t expecting things to take such a drastic change two years later and that too for the bad. Anna, his team and the entire country were protesting against government’s weak Lokpal Bill and were pushing for the Jan Lokpal Bill. The latter has the power of severely punishing those guilty of corruption. The former is weak in all aspects and is like a free license for the corrupt to indulge in the dirty activity.

To know its weakness, refer to the following points:-

  • All government officers don’t come under the scanner of Lokpal.
  • It doesn’t include Citizen’s Charter through which government agencies need to give a deadline for replying to the applications made my public, failing to which they can be fined.
  • It doesn’t compel every state to make a Lokayukta based on the Lokpal at center.
  • No whistleblower protection!!!
  • No independence from the government to the agencies investigating corruption cases. If the investigating agencies aren’t free from the pressure of the government, how can we expect corrupt government officials to get punished?
  • It imposes imprisonment up to 5 years if a complaint turns out to be frivolous. So if a corrupt minister manages to free himself from the charges by using his power, the poor complainant will be sent to jail! How can we expect people to report cases of corruption if one is always in a danger of being imprisoned?

Two years ago, Anna, rightly so, sternly opposed the weak Lokpal Bill. He kept opposing it until 2013 when he went on another hunger strike to pass the bill. During this time, our parliamentarians, mostly leaders from Congress and Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), unanimously agreed to pass the weak Lokpal Bill. But as shocking as it may sound, Anna and his associate Kiran Bedi have happily given their nod for such a bill! The same person who wholeheartedly opposed the bill is now happy with it for reasons best known to him.

He has not only left millions of his supporters clueless but also with a sense of betrayal. If he is so happy with the bill why didn’t he give a nod for it in 2011 itself? Anna is the person who has changed my attitude towards life so I am saying this with great pain. But I am left with no other choice because he has just made a mockery of the protest that we carried out for more than two years.

What has hurt us the most is the way Anna recently said, “This is my movement, so I will decide which pass should be passed.” All this while, he was heard saying that this is people’s movement. I can seriously smell some ego from this statement; more so because Anna decided to sit on a fast again right after Aam Aadmi Party, formed by his estranged member Arvind Kejriwal, garnered a miraculous show in the Delhi elections.

Naturally, this has left the Congress and the BJP overjoyed. As soon as Anna okayed the weak bill, people from both these parties happily gave their word of passing it. The fact that they so happily agreed to pass it proves how weak it is.

In recent developments, Anna just gave biggest shock when he wrote a letter to Rahul Gandhi thanking him for his commitment on Lokpal! I am speechless at this. This is equal to rubbing salt on the wounds of the Common Man! I have no qualms in saying that the person who started this movement has given a serious blow to it!

Pitruroon (Marathi Movie) Review

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Director: Nitish Bhardwaj

Producers: IME Motion Pictures

Writers: Original Story by Sudha Murthy and Screenplay by Bhardwaj and Pravin Tarde

Cast: Sachin Khedekar, Tanuja, Suhas Joshi, Ketaki Vilas, Poorvi Bhave, Om Bhutkar, Mrunal Deshpande

Music: Kaushal Inamdar

Genre: Drama

Rating: * * * *

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: The film is based on author Sudha Murthy’s short Kannada story. Venkatesh Kulkarni (Sachin Khedekar), an architect, vows to fulfill his late father’s unfulfilled wish while performing his last rites. He confronts his mother (Suhas Joshi) about his father’s unfulfilled wish but she brushes away the topic.

When Venkatash visits a village in the Konkan region for a project, he is amused to realize that one of the locals is his exact lookalike. He is further amused when he comes to know that even his lookalike is named Venkatesh Kulkarni. His amusement turns into disturbance when few more shocking similarities emerge between the two. Do the two Venkatesh Kulkarnis have anything in common or is it a mere co-incidence?

Review: Due to some reason or the other, the genre of dramatic thrillers isn’t explored often in Indian films. But in his directorial debut Pitruroon, Nitish Bhardwaj has not only explored the genre but also made sure that the film turns out to be an artistically crafted drama that keeps you engrossed and interested throughout.

The basic prerequisite of every film is its story and this is where Pitruroon scores the most. Sudha Murthy’s tale is like a thriller but at the same time, high on emotions. But it is the screenplay and presentation that makes the film version so impressive. Due to some regular thrilling and intriguing moments, one is just glued to the screen for the entire 106 minutes, except for the songs. The makers should also be lauded for sticking to the short length.

The aforementioned plus points give rise to a number of memorable scenes that include:

  • First meeting between the two Venkatesh Kulkarnis.
  • Bhagirathi narrating her life story to one of the Venkateshes.
  • Hanumant getting to know about someone’s death through news on radio.
  • Bank locker scene.
  • The instance where the mystery is solved.
  • The all-important climax.

(Some scenes are purposely not included to avoid spoilers.)

The major negative aspect here is the predictability, especially in the first half. They could have done away with a lot of filmi-ness. There is also a laughable moment when the ever-stammering Venkatesh is seen singing fluently! Apart from this, the stark difference of complexion between the older and younger Bhagirathi is questionable.

Kaushal Inamdar’s music is melodious and it suits the situations. However, they could have shortened the length of the songs. The camerawork plays a major role in making the film look artistically brilliant. Some beautiful shots of Konkan deserve special mention. The background score adds to the thrill and drama. The editing should also be praised for the short length.

The film goes few notches higher due to the performances. Sachin Khedekar lives up to his image of a talented veteran by perfectly getting into the skin of two starkly opposite characters. It is difficult to imagine someone else in this role. Despite his act, Tanuja super impresses in her Marathi film debut with an outstanding performance!

Ketaki Vilas too does a fine job as the younger Bhagirathi. Suhas Joshi is believable as an aged and hurt woman. Poorvi Bhave provides a decent act and so do the rest of the supporting actors – Mrunal Deshpande, Madhavi Soman and Om Bhutkar.

Overall: Pitruroon is an example of an interesting story told in a very interesting manner. Due to the quality of the product and the popularity of Khedekar, it is expected to do well at the box office.

 

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AAP Success: Revolution in Indian politics!

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By: Keyur Seta

When Arvind Kejriwal and his group decided to form a political party, I was disappointed as I was sure it won’t yield any results to the cause of clean governance. Big political parties like the Congress and the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) gave a different reaction to this – they laughed their hearts out since they were sure it was a suicidal step.

But circa December 2013, the joke is now on the Congress and the BJP courtesy an unbelievable performance by Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Delhi assembly elections! Garnering 27 seats out of 72 in your very first elections is not only incredible but almost like a miracle! Personally speaking, I have never been so happy at being proved wrong before!

aap-logoFor Sheila Dixit and Congress, this is their worst defeat ever. To put it bluntly, they completely deserved that after continuously allowing humongous scams of unthinkable amounts to take place, failing miserably in protecting women and using police force in monstrously beating up innocent, peaceful protestors. These are just their mainstream blunders.

But it is a much bigger loss to the BJP, who would have had a cakewalk in the Delhi elections if there was no AAP. By helping AAP perform such incredibly in their first elections, the people of Delhi have given a strong reminder that the opposition’s job is not just to criticize the ruling party. The most important task is to strive to bring a change in the dirty system and this is where AAP has scored. These facts along with the communal history of the BJP have affected them.

The road to victory for AAP, however, has been full of potholes created by the Congress and the BJP. There has been constant allegations and mud throwing against Kejriwal and his team from both the political forces. It’s incredible how enemies join hands to crush a common threatening source! But AAP’s biggest challenge came in the form of a rigged sting operation by Media Sarkar, which became a laughing stock later. These factors couldn’t stop the debut political party though.

Another important issue that deserves a mention is the utterly cheap practice by both the Congress and the BJP of buying votes by supplying liquor and other lucrative items. This too didn’t help! Combating this major hurdle is another achievement for AAP. All thanks to the common sense of a large group of Delhi-ites. I am mighty proud of them!

Although AAP has succeeded only in Delhi, the result is nothing short of a political revolution at a time when there was practically no hope. Finally, we can say that the power of the Common Man is not just limited to Hindi films!

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Review: Asa Mee Ashi Tee (Marathi Movie)

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Director: Atul Kamlakar Kale

Producer: Usha Satish Salvi for Shree Swami Samarth Pictures

Writers: Sachit Patil, Atul Kamlakar Kale and Ashish Raikar

Cast: Sachit Patil, Pallavi Subhash, Mansi Salvi, Atul Kale, Bharat Dabholkar, Shoma Anand, Anuja Sathe

Music: Amitraj

Genre: Romance/ Drama

Rating: * * *

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Siddharth aka Sid (Sachit Patil) seems to be living a happy life with his son Mihir (Atharva Bedekar). But deep inside, he is trying to come to terms with the loss of his beloved wife Rhea (Mansi Salvi). Fate brings Akshara into his life through a business venture. Slowly, their relation becomes less professional and more personal. Unknown to Sid, the heavenly custodian of fate Shambhu Maharaj (Bharat Dabholkar) and his disciples are having a constant look at each and every turn in his life.

Review: Judging from the title, director Atul Kamlakar Kale’s Asa Mee Ashi Tee appears like a typical boy-meets-girl saga. However, that is not the case as the title has no relevance to the film’s story. It has a plot quite similar to the Hindi film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai with a dose of supernaturalism. While the love story works, the supernatural element isn’t completely convincing. Still, the film has enough heart-touching moments to watch it once.

It doesn’t take long for you to realize the story’s similarity to the Hindi film. So, if your story is predictable, you need to make sure the audience enjoys the predictability. Thankfully, this happens with AMAT most of the times since the majority of important scenes or events are handled very well. Examples: Rhea’s birthday party, the sequence about Adesh Bandekar’s TV show Home Minister, building of an emotional bond between Mihir and Akshara, love story between Sid and Akshara and a proposal scene.

The film also has an important supernatural angle about fate. Although it appears unusual, it was important to portray it so elaborately so as to explain to the audience. But on some occasions, it does go onto an unintentionally hilarious level. Plus, the way the mystery is solved isn’t completely convincing.

Amitraj’s music is melodious and it suits the situations. ‘Maula Maula’ is the song that stands out. Coming to the technicalities, the background score, camerawork and editing too go with the theme.

Sachit Patil provides a mature performance as Sid. He plays a father and a lover convincingly. After her debut Premsutra, Pallavi Subhash once again impresses; this time even more than her first film. Mansi Salvi too is first rate in a supporting role. The character of Shambhu Maharaj is tailor made for Bharat Dabholkar and he does full justice to it.

Atharva Bedekar does well as Mihir. The actors playing disciples of Shambhu Maharaj perform their job well. Anuja Sathe, Atul Kale and Latika Gore provide decent support. Intentionally or unintentionally, Shoma Anand is too loud.

Overall: Asa Mee Ashi Tee is a one-time watch if romantic films are your taste. The film will succeed at the box office only if it receives a strong word-of-mouth.

 

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Review: Mangalashtak Once More (Marathi Movie)

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Director: Sameer Joshi

Producer: Renu Desai

Writer: Sameer Joshi

Cast: Swapnil Joshi, Mukta Barve, Sai Tamhankar, Kadambari Kadam, Hemant Dhome, Vijay Patwardhan

Genre: Romance/ Drama

Music: Nilesh Moharir

Rating: * * ½

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Married couple Satyajit (Swapnil Joshi) and Aarti (Mukta Barve) are going through a troubled phase due to the former’s target-oriented job in a radio station. Although they love each other, there are constant fights between them, due to which they are also not able to bear a child. After their relation reaches a new low, they are separated. But are they separated forever?

Review: Sameer Vidwan’s effective and mature romantic flick Time Please – Love Story Lagna Nantarchi was released just less than four months ago. If you have seen that film, you won’t be too impressed with Sameer Joshi’s debut Mangalashtak Once More since it is like a not-so-convincing remake of the former. If you haven’t, the Swapnil Joshi and Mukta Barve starrer can be seen once for some appealing moments and, of course, the lead couple.

First, let’s come to the plus points. The clash between Satyajit aka Satya’s personal and professional life is handled with maturity through some realistic scenes at both fronts. Scenes inside Satya’s office deserve special mention as that is exactly the case in today’s target-oriented era.

But the film has two major problems. Firstly, the main issue of Satya throwing Aarti out of his house isn’t convincing since problems between the couple hadn’t reached such a high level. One can’t ignore it as ‘just a scene’ because the entire story is based on it.

Secondly, as stated above, the story is very similar to Time Please minus the delightful character of Himmatrao. But what is more surprising is that the pre-climax twist is also the same in both the films and that too involving the same actor – Sai Tamhankar! If it’s a co-incidence, it’s a huge one indeed! Apart from this, the scene between Aarti and a watchman appears unwanted.

Nilesh Moharir’s soulful music suits the situations well. The same can be said for the cinematography, background score and editing.

Swapnil Joshi and Mukta Barve performance is one of the biggest plus points. Swapnil displays various moods of his character with ease. Mukta shows maturity both while portraying helplessness and happiness.

Although Sai Tamhankar’s character is very similar to the one she played in Time Please, she succeeds in bringing a different take to it. But why is her supporting role listed as ‘friendly appearance’ in the credits? As Barve’s best friend, Kadambari Kadam plays her part well. Hemant Dhome is hilarious while Vijay Patwardhan and the rest of the actors offer decent support.

Overall, Mangalashtak Once More is an above average fair. The film has a taken a good opening and is expected to do well, mostly due to the lead pair.

 

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