Lords to witness history… again!

May 31, 2014 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

By: Keyur Seta

Memorable matches are the ones that witness an extraordinary feat by a player, a team or both teams. So naturally, a match becomes memorable after it’s over; in the past tense. Even a World Cup Final becomes unforgettable only if something great happens in it. But a match to be played on July 5 has already achieved a title of ‘memorable’ or ‘unforgettable’, although it is very much in the future tense right now.

Tendulkar during MCC v/s ROI match in 1998 (Picture: Espncricinfo.com)

The said match is between MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) and Rest of the World on July 5 at Lords, the home of Cricket. It is the presence of some legends in both teams that is responsible for the match to be terribly awaited.

Just imagine, Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Warne, Brian Lara, Rahul Dravid, Adam Gilchrist, Mutiah Muralitharan, Yuvraj Singh, Kevin Petersen, Virender Sehwag, Brett Lee and Shivnarine Chanderpaul together on the field! It doesn’t get bigger than this, can it? Plus, this might even be the last time we would be able to see the likes Tendulkar, Warne, Lara, Dravid, Muralitharan and Gilchrist on a Cricket field. And if we are lucky enough to see a battle between Tendulkar and Warne or Lara and Warne, what more can a Cricket fan ask for?

So the occasion will not only be memorable but also highly emotional for anyone who has grown up watching these great ambassadors of the game. Needless to say, one player that would be looked forward to the most is Tendulkar, not only by Indians but fans from around the globe. After the legendary farewell he received last November, watching him bat again will be a heavenly feeling.

But even if some of these great names fail to live up to the expectations, their mere presence is enough to generate tons of excitement, like it happened in 1998 when a similar match was played at the same venue in memory of Lady Diana. If you grew up in the 90s, I am sure you would remember that contest. Tendulkar and Chanderpaul are the only two out of the 22 players that had played the 1998 match. Interestingly, they both scored centuries in it.

So July 5 is our date with history!

Teams:-

MCC: Sachin Tendulkar (Captain), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Rahul Dravid, Aaron Finch, Brian Lara, Brett Lee, Chris Read, Saeed Ajmal, Shaun Tait, Umar Gul and Daniel Vettori

ROI: Shane Warne (Captain), Tino Best, Paul Collingwood, Adam Gilchrist, Muttiah Muralitharan, Kevin Petersen, Virender Sehwag, Shahid Afridi, Peter Siddle, Tamim Iqbal and Yuvraj Singh

Venue: Lords Cricket Ground, London

Date: Saturday July 5, 2014

Time: 10:45 am local time; 3: 15 pm India time

Highlights of Tendulkar’s innings from the 1998 Diana Memorial Match:

Lok Sabha Election Result: Pre-Result Analysis

May 15, 2014 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Tomorrow’s 2014 Lok Sabha Election result is like a match between AUSTRALIA and ZIMBABWE. People supporting the former are sure of victory and have already started celebrating. They will tune in to see the margin of victory. Those supporting the other team will tune it with some hope of miracle. Neutrals like me will only ask from time to time – Oye SCORE kya hua?

But still, let’s look at the chances of major political parties:-

Congress: The question shouldn’t be whether Congress will win or lose. The question is – by what margin will it lose? Due to the abysmal performance in 10 years, especially the last term, this might well be the party’s biggest defeat ever.

BJP: The only party that is sure of winning. The anti-Congress feel, the popularity of Narendra Modi and the crazy marketing campaign will surely work in their favor. It doesn’t look as if there will be an upset. But if the party win’s only around 200 seats on their own, it will surely be an upset of sorts as it will surely raise a big question on the presence of a ‘Modi Wave’.

AAP: They are getting a place in this write-up because of their sudden popularity since December 2013. The Aam Aadmi Party aren’t looking to form the government as this is their first Lok Sabha election. So anything over 4-5 seats will be a great achievement for them. Of course, things would have been different for them had their rule in Delhi wouldn’t have turned controversial.

All in all, the winner of the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections seems to have been declared already. Let’s see whether it turns out to be that way or if there will be a twist in the climax.

Keep watching this space for the results.

Picture Source: Livemint.com

Ajoba (Marathi Movie) Review

May 9, 2014 by Keyur Seta 1 Comment

Director: Sujay S. Dahake

Producers: Supreme Motion Pictures Pvt. Ltd and Illusion Ethereal Film Company

Writers: Sujay S. Dahake and Gauri Bapat

Cast: Urmila Matondkar, Hrishikesh Joshi, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Shashank Shende,s Shrikant Yadav, Om Bhutkar, Neha Mahajan

Genre: Adventure/ Drama

Rating: * * * *

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Ajoba is based on true events experienced by wildlife conservationist Vidya Athreya between the years 2009 and 2011. A leopard is found in a well in Junnar village in Maharashtra. Wildlife Biologist Purva Rao (Urmila Matondkar) gets the animal rescued with the help of forest department workers.

She fits an electronic chip at its tale and, as per the procedure, frees it. She names the animal Ajoba. The whole idea is to trace Ajoba’s journey in order to learn more about it and its thinking. Although the leopard is on a journey, Purva and his team are experiencing the adventure out of it.

Review: When a leopard enters a city and kills a man, naturally, the wild animal is labeled as the devil. But this is far from the actual fact. Such incidents have a much deeper meaning, which is explored by Sujay S. Dahake in Ajoba in a manner that would compel you to applaud not only his end product but also his act of bravery towards creating such bold genre of cinema.

Firstly, it can be a stressful nightmare for anyone to make a film on this subject. To create such an experience on screen not only requires painstaking patient efforts but also some great talent. As Dahake manages to go through the grind, half the battle is won.

The second half is won by a gripping narrative that either thrills or moves you throughout the duration. Soon you realize that the film is not story-based but treatment-based. The journey of the leopard and the subsequent twists keeps you glued. The smart characterization and the internal drama between characters also play their parts in making sure the film doesn’t go into the docu-drama mode whatsoever.

But there does come a period in the second half where the narration slows down thereby making you a bit impatient. Thankfully, this period doesn’t last long due to what follows. The closing moments and the climax deserve special mention for the soul-stirring effect it produces and the questions it raises about the indirect dangers and hypocrisy of ‘human nature’.

Apart from the above-mentioned point, what can go against the film is that the Indian audience isn’t friendly with such genre of films. Needless to say, those wishing for conventional entertainment might be disappointed.

Shooting such a film can also be a hell of a task for the cinematographer. Diego Romero has shot the entire movie using a hand-held camera. For getting his craft right, creating a visual treat and keeping the frame un-shaky, his work should be described as brilliant. The haunting background score suits the flick perfectly and stays with you. There is also some smart display of visual effects, especially the CGI image of the leopard.

Urmila Matondkar’s thoroughly dedicated performance too is one of the biggest plus points. Her Marathi film debut can move anyone due to the way she gets into the psyche of Purva Rao. It’s nothing short of excellent! After Yellow, Hrishikesh Joshi ones again turns up with an adorable act. Om Bhutkar, Shashank Shende and Shrikant Yadav give earnest support. Dilip Prabhavalkar and Yashpal Sharma create strong impact in cameos. Neha Mahajan and Anita Date are good in their cameos.

Overall: Ajoba is a spectacular cinematic treat; something that you haven’t experienced before. The film surely has a chance of making a good impact at the box office through positive word-of-mouth.

Salaam (Marathi Movie) Review

May 3, 2014 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Director: Kiran Yadnyopavit

Producer: Calyx Media and Entertainment

Writer: Kiran Yadnyopavit

Cast: Vivek Chabukswar, Abhishek Bharate, Girish Kulkarni, Kishore Kadam, Atisha Naik, Jyoti Chandekar

Music: Rahul Ranade

Genre: Drama

Rating: * * * ½

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: In a picturesque village in Maharashtra lives Raghunath aka Raghya (Vivek Chabukswar), studying in seventh standard. His father (Girish Kulkarni) works with Mumbai police as a constable; he visits his family in between. Shankar aka Sada (Abhishek Bharate) is Raghya’s classmate and close friend. His father is an officer with the Indian Army.

Sada believes his father’s profession is more prestigious than Raghya’s father while Raghya feels vice-versa. Once, their school teacher (Kishore Kadam) hands over a voluntary task of collecting funds for a noble cause to the students. This exercise becomes the turning point in the friendship of Raghya and Sada.

Review: Kiran Yadnyopavit’s Taryanche Bait was about an obsessive desire of a child and his relation with his father. Although the storyline of his latest offering Salaam is entirely different, it also focuses on a fixated longing of a kid and his relation with someone, this time a friend. The similarities don’t end here as Salaam, just like Taryanche Bait, turns out to be a delightfully moving experience.

The film doesn’t follow a conventional storytelling method. Through the experiences and routine lives of the character, a plot emerges in the background. But this doesn’t test your patience whatsoever. Instead, you are treated to a series of pleasurable moments as the characters go about their business. The beautiful and utterly peaceful locations add to the delight. The effort to pay tribute to army officer and policemen is also laudable.

In the latter part of the second half, however, there comes a point when not only is your patience is tested but you are also left a bit confused by the turn of events. Thankfully, all your doubts are cleared by a soul-stirring climax that pleases you no ends! The simple manner in which Yadnyopavit has presented a pleasing message by just using the visual medium proves he is here to stay for long.

The scenic locations appear more beautiful through cinematographer Abhijit Abde’s lens. From Rahul Ranade’s music, the song ‘Timbacktoo’ is worth mentioning. His background score too goes well with the proceedings. But repeating a particular background tune too many times could have been avoided.

The performances of two kids play a large role in creating an impact. Vivek Chabukswar is excellent as Raghya! It is incredible how he can display such varied emotions at such a young age. Abhishek Bharate, as Sada, isn’t far behind either in a supporting role. Girish Kulkarni leaves a mark in a lovable cameo. Kishore Kadam too deserves a similar praise.

Atisha Naik, as Raghya’s mother, and Jyoti Chandekar, as his grandmother, also chip in with good performances. There are some well-enacted cameos also from Pravin Tarde, Shashank Shende, Savita Prabhune, Suhas Shirsat, Sanjay Khapre and few others.

Overall: Salaam is a gem of a film that deserves a salaam. But it is sad to see such lack of proper hype for such a good effort. Hence, it will struggle at the box office.

Postcard (Marathi Movie) Review

April 26, 2014 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Director: Gajendra Ahire

Producers: Smita Vinay Ganu and Prashant Gokhale

Writer: Gajendra Ahire

Cast: Girish Kulkarni, Sai Tamhankar, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Kishore Kadam, Vibhavari Deshpande, Radhika Apte, Subodh Bhave

Music: Gandhaar Sangoram

Genre: Drama

Rating: * * *

By: Keyur Seta

Review: A postman is considered a messiah when he brings delightful news. But he also has to bear the brunt of being labeled as inauspicious if the letter consist a tragic update. Ahire’s exploration of such interesting and unusual experiences of a postman in Postcard is not one of his best efforts but definitely worth watching for being visually stunning and heartwarming.

The three experiences of the central character of the postman are presented in three different stories. They are analyzed as under:

Ever since the age of 10-12, Bhikaji (Dilip Prabhavalkar) has been working as woodcutting laborer at the same place. Now, in his 80s, he wishes to join his family staying in a nearby village and spend the rest of his days with them. But he is unable to leave as he faces severe exploitation from his boss. Bhikaji develops a bond with the postman (Kulkarni), who reads the good news of his newly born grandson.
This is the best of the three stories simply because of a solid storyline. The happy and sad turn of events and the final emotional twist is enough to win your hearts. But it is Prabhavalkar’s brilliant act that plays a large role in the overall effect. It is incredible to see him carry out such a physical demanding role in this age with ease.
The postman is transferred to a scenic hill station. While entering a school to deliver a letter, he is stopped by a soldier Kamble (Kishore Kadam). He hands over a letter to the postman and pleads him to deliver it to her daughter studying in the school. He finally agrees but the task lands him in some mysterious trouble.
What starts as a funny tale turns into something unusually emotional. The intriguing narrative and an unexpected culmination are the strong points here. But it is strange to see some vital questions left unanswered. Also, the postman’s reaction to a shocking revelation is highly surprising. As expected, Kadam provides an aptly moving performance. In a limited screen time, Vibhavari Deshpande leaves behind a solid and memorable impact!
The postman’s next destination is a village with some barren land. Here he comes across a young girl Gulzar (Radhika Apte), who is a courtesan. She entertains numerous guests but longs for her lover (Subodh Bhave). She waits for hours for the postman to receive a letter from her beau, who has promised to marry her.
This story is beautifully shot and it also contains an earnest performance from Apte. She deserves to be seen much more. But this part tests your patience after a point of time as there is not much in terms of story development. Hence, it appears dragged most of the times. A surprising step taking by the postman also serves no purpose. Subodh Bhave provides a decent act.

Coming to the technicalities, cinematographer Yogesh Rajguru has presented a visual treat while capturing the beautiful locales, especially the hill station. There is not much scope for music (Gandhaar Sangoram) but the Mujra song featuring Apte is soulful.

Present throughout the film, Girish Kulkarni realistically gets into the skin of the character of a postman and gives a brilliant performance. Sai Tamhankar, as his wife, too plays a part well; she plays a rural character for a change.

Overall: Postman deserves a watch for being a realistically amusing tale of a postman. But it will have a tough time at the box office due to a low hype and the fact that three other Marathi films and three Hindi films have released simultaneously.

Dialogues: Main Tera Hero

April 8, 2014 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Compiled By: Keyur Seta

Writer Milap Milan Zaveri’s crazy and whacky one-liners have played a large role in making David Dhawan’s Main Tera Hero a truly hilarious affair. So here’s revisiting some of the humorous lines from the Varun Dhawan starrer:

Ehsan toh mujhpe Shankar aur Loy ne kiya tha.
Yeh humein degree ke naam pe third degree dega.
Yeh tujhe bohat mahanga padega… No problem, waise bhi sasti cheezon mein main interest nahin rakhta.
Jab main Pampers mein thi tab se mere dad mujhe pamper karte aa rahen hain.
Jaise har Coke Coca-Cola nahin hota, jaise har chana chhola nahin hota usi tarah har shareef dikhne wala aadmi bhola nahin hota.
Ab pata chala, jab Veeru paji Basanti ko bandook chalana sikha rahe the tab Basanti ko kaisa feel hua hoga.
Arunoday Singh: Srinath Prasad (Varun’s character) kahan hai? Rajpal Yadav: Arre who toh kab ka retire ho gaye. Aajkal commentary dete hain.
Main tum logon ko aise dhounga jaise Sachin aur Sehwag ne 2003 World Cup mein Pakistan ke bowling attack ko dhoya tha.
Tumhare dil mein mere liye ghanti nahin baji, toh kya ghanta tumhe mujhse pyaar hua?
Yeh toh chumme ka sequel ban gaya. Krrish 2 ke baad Kiss 2… Krrish 3 ke baad Kiss 3.
Purani Haveli ke paas Chikni Chameli ko dekh ke toh kisi se bhi galti hogi.

Main Tera Hero Review

April 7, 2014 by Keyur Seta 1 Comment

Director: David Dhawan

Producers: Balaji Motion Pictures

Writer: Tushar Hiranandani and Milap Milan Zaveri

Cast: Varun Dhawan, Ileana D’Cruz, Nargis Fakhri, Arunoday Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Rajpal Yadav, Anupam Kher, Manoj Pahwa

Music: Sajid-Wajid

Genre: Comedy

Rating: * * * ½

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Staying in Cunnoor, Srinath Prasad aka Seenu (Varun Dhawan) is a nuisance in college. He also has to face wrath from his professor and parents for his poor academic performances. In order to prove a point to his parents, he goes to Bengaluru for further studies. His eyes fall on a fellow student Sunaina (Ileana D’Cruz) and he instantly falls for her.

However, Sunaina has been blackmailed into being the girlfriend and future wife of the evil and hot-tempered cop Angad (Arunoday Singh). Despite Angad’s strength and power, Seenu decides to fight against him to win Sunaina’s heart. But things go ugly for Seenu when Ayesha (Nargis Fakhri) forcefully enters his life.

Review: So far in Hindi cinema, only experienced actors or superstars have successfully managed to pull off hero-centric roles in hardcore masala entertainers. But Varun Dhawan, in his father David Dhawan’s Main Tera Hero, has managed to do that just in his second film and how! With his lovable heroic antics, he just doesn’t cease to impress you, regardless of your gender. His act coupled with Milap Milan Zaveri’s writing results in a non-stop laugh riot. After last year’s successful Chashme Baddoor, David Dhawan continues his winning streak.

It is common sense to keep logic and reasoning away in such genre of films. But to enjoy Main Tera Hero, you need to keep both the entities miles away and be ready to accept some madcap, crazy humor. If you can’t do that, don’t even think of watching it. But if you can, be ready for a laughter dose lasting for little over two hours.

What is most impressive about Zaveri’s writing is that he has managed to include punch lines and PJs after almost every few seconds. Despite being silly most of the times, Tushar Hiranandani’s screenplay should also be lauded for the way he has connected various crazy situations, without giving you any time to think.

On few occasions, however, the craziness crosses the limits. You can forgive such points for the laugher provided in return but this will affect a section of the audience. What also goes against the film is some amount of vulgarity. It is absolutely fine for such things to be included in an adult comedy but not in a film targeted for family audiences. Apart from this, the situation in the second half is similar to Sajid Khan’s Houseful 2.

Sajid-Wajid’s music adds to the entertainment with every song – ‘Tera Dhyan Kidhar Hai’, ‘Galat Baat Hai, ‘Besharmi Ki Height’ and ‘Shanivar Rati’ – turning out to be enjoyable.

As mentioned above, Varun Dhawan is simply outstanding, be it comedy, action or dance! His father has made him do stuff that Govinda does in his films. But Varun has managed to do it so early in his career, which is a remarkable achievement. He surely should continue it! Ileana D’Cruz plays her part well. Nargis Fakhri’s bad acting skills are visible here too. Thankfully, it doesn’t trouble you much due to the overall entertainment.

Arunoday Singh is the surprise package. He not only scores with his villainous antics but also with the unusual comedy he had to do. Rajpal Yadav is brilliant at what he does best. Saurabh Shukla and Anupam Kher once again display their talents. Manoj Pahwa and Supriya Shukla, as Seenu’s parents, are decent. Evelyn Sharma is wasted. Shakti Kapoor is hilarious in a cameo.

Overall: Through Main Tera Hero David Dhawan once again delivers what he always promises: lots of entertainment! The film should do well at the box office due to its mass appeal and Varun Dhawan’s act.

Yellow (Marathi Movie) Review

April 4, 2014 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Director: Mahesh Limaye

Producers: Riteish Deshmukh and Uttung Hitendra Thakur

Writers: Kshitij Hitendra Thakur, Ambar Hadap and Ganesh Pandit

Cast: Gauri Gadgil, Mrinal Kulkarni, Upendra Limaye, Rishikesh Joshi, Manoj Joshi, Aishwarya Narkar, Usha Nadkarni

Music: Kaushal Inamdar

Genre: Drama

Rating: * * * * ½

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: The film revolves around Gauri (Gauri Gadgil), who is a special child for having Down’s Syndrome. Despite her condition, her mother (Mrinal Kulkarni) is hopeful of Gauri succeeding in life. But at the same time she is tensed and anxious about her future. Gauri’s father, however, is ashamed of her. After he rudely rejects her, Gauri’s mother breaks-up with him and relocates to her brother’s (Hrishikesh Joshi) place forever. Later on, Gauri’s life starts changing after she joins a ‘special’ school and slowly develops an interest towards swimming.

Review: A film revolving around a patient suffering from Down’s Syndrome obviously sounds depressing or, at least, too serious. But it takes director Manish Limaye’s just first effort Yellow to prove that even a film dealing with such a subject can be told through continuous flow of delightful and humorous moments. But having said this, it also does complete justice to the subject by being an inspiration for its sufferers and their parents.

To talk about the plus points, they are aplenty. In fact, Yellow is one of the rarest films to score brownie points in every department. Talking about the writing, Kshitij Hitendra Thakur, Ambar Hadap and Ganesh Pandit have achieved brilliance. To narrate a story of a child suffering with such condition in such a light-hearted manner while making sure the focus isn’t shifted even a bit is something special. The conflict aspect later on too is interesting.

But the subject is such that it requires some skillful and mature handling by the captain of the ship and that is exactly what Manish Limaye does. And to see him carry out such a task in his very first film as a director is a remarkable achievement. Although it is difficult to list down few memorable moments, Gauri’s scenes with her uncle and coach (Upendra Limaye) deserve special mention.

It is very difficult to find a flaw from Yellow. You can only point out that the tragedy fallen upon a cameo character should’ve been avoided as that sub-plot gets no place later on. Also, the film could have been told in a shorter duration.

The song ‘Special’, sung by Apeksha Dandekar and composed by Kaushal Inamdar, is soulful and it perfectly suits the subject. Inamdar’s background score too invokes the right effect. Manish Limaye has shown his skills as a cinematographer too, especially during the swimming competition scenes.

The film rides high on performances. Gauri Gadgil is outstandingly heartwarming! She had a very difficult task but she carries it out effortlessly. The girl playing the younger Gauri too is excellent. Upendra Limaye displays his acting prowess in a first-rate performance. It is also good to see him play a non-rural character for a change. Mrinal Kulkarni gives a performance that moves you.

Hrishikesh Joshi is just lovable due to the comic timing he brings in even during serious moments. Manoj Joshi brings in the right emotions while playing Gauri’s father. Aishwarya Narkar too plays her part well. Usha Nadkarni is excellent in a cameo.

Overall: Yellow is simply a must-watch. It has the potential of being a box office winner. With the makers providing English subtitles, the non-Marathi crowd too will chip in once the word spreads.

Youngistaan Review

April 2, 2014 by Keyur Seta 1 Comment

Director: Syed Ahmad Afzal

Producers: Pooja Entertainment and MSM Motion Pictures

Writers: Syed Ahmad Afzal, Ramiz Ilham Khan and Maitrey Bajpai

Cast: Jackky Bhagnani, Neha Sharma, Farooq Sheikh, Prakash Belawadi, Deepankar De, Triveni Sangam Bahuguna

Music: Jeet Ganguly, Shreya Khanwalkar, Shiraz Uppal and Shree-Ishq

Genre: Political Drama

Rating: * * * 1/2

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Twenty-eight year old Abhimanyu Kaul (Jackky Bhagnani) is the son of India’s Prime Minister Dashrath Kaul (Boman Irani). Working as a gaming specialist in Japan, he is living a dream life with his girlfriend Anvita (Neha Sharma) and a close friend (Kayoze Irani). But his life takes a major twist when he has to return to India after his father succumbs to cancer. Circumstances force Abhimanyu to become the interim PM much to the opposition of Anvita. But will an utterly inexperienced Abhimanyu be able to run the world’s biggest democracy?

Review: Can you digest the fact that a completely inexperienced 28-year-old can become India’s Prime Minister? If you can, you would be impressed by debutant Syed Ahmal Afzal’s Youngistaan for its intentions and the message it puts forth in a positive way. Despite its flaws and other issues, the film manages to provide a heartwarming effect since it has its heart at the right place.

From being a wild party film, the proceedings suddenly shift gears after the death of the PM. But this transformation should have been smoother and natural rather than sudden. Nevertheless, the crucial phase of Abhimanyu becoming the PM is handled with care and a sense of believability. Unlike other political dramas, the love track over here is a concrete part of the story, realistic and not thrown in just for the heck of it. Therefore, there is no question of the narration shifting to the love track since it is always moving ahead with the basic plot.

The most impressive aspect of Youngistaan is surely the motivational message it gives after Abhimanyu gains control of the situation. His speech at the United Nations and various rallies, his method of connecting with the masses and the climax are the winning moments that will leave you delighted. Without being preachy, the film also highlights that politicians are bad, politics isn’t. But despite giving such a serious message, the film never shies away from the light-hearted mode, which adds more mass appeal to it.

As hinted before, there are obvious flaws. Considering the basic storyline, it doesn’t come as a surprise either. I can’t list them to avoid spoilers. At the most, they could have lessened them. One point that can be mentioned is that Abhimanyu and Anvita could have easily got married. Plus, after a point in the second half, the narrative does suffer from some complications that could have been avoided. But due to various other plusses, you tend to make peace with the fallacies.

From the music, the title track and ‘Sangemarmar’ are impressive. ‘Tanki Monkey’ is weird! The technical aspects (cinematography, background score and editing) are as per the requirement.

The film wouldn’t have created this much effect without Jackky Bhagnani’s mature performance. In fact, the actor dishes out a major surprise with an act that is powerful and moving. He has now proved he is not just a star son. Despite his act, you can’t help but be amazed by Farooq Sheikh. He yet again shows he is a storehouse of talent that cannot be replaced.

Neha Sharma too plays her part very well. Like Jackky, even she will be recognized as a serious actor after this act. Prakash Belawadi is excellent as Murli. Deepankar De and Triveni Sangam Bahuguna too aren’t far behind. Boman Irani, Kayoze Irani and Meeta Vashisht are likable too although their roles are limited. The film has decent performances from a series of supporting actors.

Overall: Youngistaan deserves a watch for the message it gives. With elections just around the corner, the film has the capacity to encourage the youth to vote, especially the first-time voters.

Taptapadi (Marathi Movie) Review

March 31, 2014 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Director: Sachin Baliram Nagargoje

Producers: Sachin Baliram Nagargoje and Hemant Bhailal Bhavsar

Writers: Rabindranath Tagore (original story) and Sachin Baliram Nagargoje

Cast: Veena Jamkar, Kashyap Parulekar, Neena Kulkarni, Shruti Marathe, Ambarish Deshpande

Music: Sumeet Bellari and Rohit Nagbhide

Genre: Drama

Rating: * * ½

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Based on Rabindranath Tagore’s short story, the film is set during the pre-independence era in Maharashtra. Meera has been staying with her aunt (Ashwini Ekbote) and uncle (Sharad Ponkshe) ever since her mother passed away when she was six years old. Over there, Meera develops a close bond with her cousin Madhav.

As they grow up (as Veena Jamkar and Kashyap Parulekar), their friendship slowly blossoms into love. When Madhav is studying to become a doctor, they get married. The couple is enjoying their marital bond until Meera has a miscarriage. There’s further agony in store for her when she becomes disabled. This results in another woman Sunanda (Shruti Marathe) entering Madhav’s life. Will Madhav betray Meera by marrying Sunanda?

Review: Adapting Rabindranath Tagore’s story on celluloid in a different cultural setting and that too in your first film is no mean task. Debutant Sachin Baliram Nagargoje does show signs of maturity in his adaptation of the legendary writer’s tale in his Marathi film Taptapadi. However, few problem areas stop the film from being superlative. Nevertheless, it is worth watching once due to Veena Jamkar’s outstanding act.

Although the story takes place in the very olden days of the pre-independence era, it is shot and narrated in a completely new age manner. As a writer, Nagargoje has used simple yet smart techniques to connect scenes and take the story forward. The important and delicate issue of Meera’s disability too is introduced and developed intelligently. Santosh Suvarnakar’s artistic camerawork is also something that makes the film a visual treat.

However, all is not hunky dory for Taptapadi. The film loses pace after a point in the second half. But there are two other questionable aspects that hurt the most. Firstly, the change of heart of an important character doesn’t appear convincing. You can’t ignore this point since it is an important development in the story. Lastly, although the twist at the very end takes you by surprise and appears pleasurable, it lacks proper logic and appears incomplete. It also brings back memories of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Parineeta.

Sumeet Bellari and Rohit Nagbhide composed songs are soulful and apt for the situations but a couple of songs affect the narration. The background score is as per the need.

Talking about the performances, it is Veena Jamkar all the way! She gets into the skin of a difficult character and produces a performance that is worthy of all the applause. In fact, this will be one of the talked about acts of her career. Kashyap Parulekar too plays his part perfectly. It’s just that he doesn’t appear a college student on few occasions.

Neena Kulkarni, as Madhav’s aunt, is excellent as the regressive and manipulative lady. You just love to hate her! Shruti Marathe fits the character well and gives a good performance. As Meera’s brother, Ambarish Deshpande is perfect as the revolutionary and a protective elder brother. Sharad Ponkshe and Ashwini Ekbote and the rest of the supporting actors offer decent support.

Overall: Taptapadi is a one-time watch, mostly due to Veena Jamkar.