Review: Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns

March 9, 2013 by Keyur Seta 1 Comment

By: Keyur Seta

Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia

Producers: Brandsmith Motion Pictures, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and Tigmanshu Dhulia Films

Writers: Tigmanshu Dhulia and Kamlesh Pandey

Cast: Jimmy Shergill, Irrfan Khan, Mahie Gill, Soha Ali Khan

Music: Sandeep Chowta

Genre: Thriller

Rating: * * *

Story Outline: Aditya Pratap Singh aka Saheb (Jimmy Shergill) and his loyal servant Kanhaiya (Deepraj Rana) somehow survive the bloodshed that took place at the end of the first installment Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster. But Aditya is now wheelchair bound although he might be back on his feet in a year’s time. Therefore, Saheb’s mother wants a successor to the family after Adityas is fit again.

Aditya’s drunkard wife Madhavi (Mahie Gill), however, is in no state to conceive. So now, Aditya’s mother wants his son to have another wife for that purpose. She tries to fix his second marriage with Ranjana (Soha Ali Khan), daughter of another royal family headed by Birendra Pratap (Raj Babbar). But Ranjana is in a relationship with his father’s loyal servant Indrajeet Singh (Irrfan Khan). What follows is a complicated game of betrayal.

Review: Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster (2011) was a royally shot royal thriller about a royal prince. Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns can also be called the same but the overall satisfaction derived from the sequel is slightly lesser than the first film due to the writing. But the film can surely be enjoyed once, especially if you liked the first part.

The writers get things right on the story part. The tale has an interesting mixture of betrayal, revenge, deceit and politics. After the introduction, they have smartly developed the story with the first plot point. But more than that, the writers should be highly applauded for some extraordinary and appealing dialogues. The witty lines keep flowing continuously! However, what slightly disappoints in the first half is its length of almost 90 minutes!

There are a good number of interesting twists in the second half but after a point of time, complication and confusion creep in, especially due to the political track. There also comes a period where there are too many events taking place which gives way to a lack of focus. But thankfully, an intelligently presented twisted climax makes sure you leave the cinema hall with a degree of satisfaction.

Dhulia gets perfect support from Yogesh Jani’s intelligent camerawork and Sandeep Chowta’s powerful background score. Chowta deserves praise as a music composer too. It is very rare these days for all songs (‘Jugni’, ‘Chhal Kapat’, ‘Idhar Gire’, ‘Media Se’ and ‘Kona Kona’) in an album turning out to be impressive. But the ‘Idhar Gire’ track strongly brings back memories of ‘Kaise Paheli’ from Parineeta, not only the music and lyrics but also the whole setting. This is not all though. ‘Chhal Kapat’ bears striking similarity to ‘Aarambh Hai Prachand’ from Gulaal.

The performances are the backbone of this performance oriented film. Jimmy Shergill is simply outstanding as Saheb. In fact, he has gone few notches higher than the first film making this as one of his finest acts. Irrfan Khan lives up to his image as one of the finest actors to have emerged from India. It’s an absolute delight to see him perform. Mahie Gill plays her part well as she is completely believable as a frustrated drunkard.

Soha Ali Khan was required to underplay her character which she does well and also manages to speak through expressions. Deepraj Rana once again shows his acting prowess while Pravesh Rana makes a confident debut. Veteran actor Raj Babbar plays his part well but his performance has nothing new from what he has done in the last decade or so. The film is well-supported by Rajeev Gupta, Sitaram Panchal and Rajesh Khera.

Overall, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns won’t disappoint you if you prefer watching unusually twisted thrillers. The film has a decent chance at the box office but only if it receives some rapid word of mouth.

Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns Box Office Prediction

March 7, 2013 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia

Producers: Brandsmith Motion Pictures, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and Tigmanshu Dhulia Films

Writers: Tigmanshu Dhulia and Kamlesh Pandey

Cast: Jimmy Shergill, Irrfan Khan, Mahie Gill, Soha Ali Khan

Music: Sandeep Chowta

Genre: Thriller

Release Date: March 8, 2013

Analysis:

Star Value: Although Irrfan Khan is one of the best actors ever to come from India, he isn’t a big crowd puller. Nevertheless, he commands respect even among the masses which will surely create excitement for the movie. And considering the presence of known names like Jimmy Shergill, Mahie Gill (both retained from the first installment of the franchise) and Soha Ali Khan, we can say that Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns has a decent star value.

Hype: The biggest hype factor for the movie is the fact that it is the sequel to the successful and impressive Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster (2011). The promos of the movie have got a decent response although not excellent. The inclusion of Irrfan and Soha has added on to the excitement. But for some reason the overall hype hasn’t been as high as expected, although it isn’t bad.

Music: The hit number ‘Jugni’, from the first installment, is recreated in this movie. That song has managed to make heads turn. The rest of the songs aren’t known.

Prediction:

Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns will get a decent opening at the box-office. The not-so-high hype will make sure the opening isn’t very impressive. It needs to impress initially to have a good run at the ticket-window. If it does, it has a fairly good chance of making good profits since the nature of the film suits both single screen and multiplex audience.

As there are no big releases up for the next week, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns might slowly climb the box office ladder like most of the content-based films, provided it gets thumbs up from the masses.

The Attacks Of 26/11 Review

March 3, 2013 by Keyur Seta 1 Comment

Director: Ram Gopal Varma

Producers: Eros International and Alumbra Entertainment

Writer: Rommel Rodrigues

Cast: Nana Patekar, Sanjeev Jaiswal, Saad Orhan, Ganesh Yadav

Music: Rooshin Dalal, Amar Mohile, Vishal R Khosla, Sushil R Khosla and Mohan Khan

Genre: Drama/ Thriller

Rating: * * *

Plot: Just after the ghastly attacks of 26/11, the then Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police Rakesh Maria (Nana Patekar) narrates every account of the event in front of an inquiry committee. The film portrays the terror attack and its consequences in detail including the arrest of the infamous terrorist Ajmal Kasab (Sanjeev Jaiswal).

Review: Not just every Mumbaikar but the whole of India is aware about the 26/11 attacks in detail due to the shocking nature of the crime. Therefore, Ram Gopal Varma had his task cut out in The Attacks Of 26/11. Despite some unwanted alteration of facts and too much of sadistic visuals, we can say that the fearless filmmaker has carried out his task well and given a much deserved tribute to the Mumbai Police.

The writer and the director succeed in the extremely vital task of recreating the insane event and making the audience feel the same horror. For this reason alone, the whole team deserves thumbs up. The gory visuals and bloodshed, however, is overdone in most of the occasions, especially in the first half. Although it can be argued that it was needed due to the subject, it will surely stop the film from getting a wider acceptance.

Being a feature film, it was necessary to dramatize some of the events but the serious alteration of facts in some important events wasn’t necessary because the original events itself were dramatic. Some examples – The all-important arrest of Kasab (read the actual account HERE) and, later, his confrontation with the Joint Commissioner. Especially, the confrontation scene over here appears sillier because we have seen the actual confrontation video which is still viral on the internet. (Watch it HERE.) However, one wouldn’t mind the alteration of facts in the pre-climax and climax for it provides a moving effect.

The film receives wonderful support from some artistic camerawork (Harshraj Shroff and M. Ravichandran Thevar) and a thrilling background score (Amar Mohile). Don’t worry, there aren’t any irritating camera angles here. The track ‘Maula Maula’, which is used in the background, produces goose bumps and is apt for the proceedings. ‘Raghupati Raghav’ suits the situation too.

The veteran artist Nana Patekar hit bulls-eye with one of his career best performance! The actor shows why he should be considered as one of the best in the business when it comes to playing character roles. His act in the climax will force you to shower applause.

Playing the role of the most hated individual Ajmal Kasab in your first film can be more than a daunting task for anyone. Sanjeev Jaiswal does that and that too very convincingly. He is surely a lookout for the future! The film is also well supported by cameos from Ganesh Yadav, Atul Kulkarni, Jitendra Joshi (well-known Marathi cinema actor), Ravi Kale (of Sarkar fame), Asif Basra and the actors playing the roles of Kasab’s gang members.

Overall, despite the distortion of some of the facts and the gruesome nature, The Attacks Of 26/11 deserves to be seen for the tribute it pays to the victims and heroes of the terror event.

P. S: The character name of Nata Patekar isn’t mentioned at any point in the movie or during the credits. But since Rakesh Maria was the Joint Commissioner of Mumbai police at that time, the name of the character is assumed in the review.

The Attacks Of 26/11 Box Office Prediction

March 2, 2013 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Director: Ram Gopal Varma

Producers: Eros International and Alumbra Entertainment

Writer: Rommel Rodrigues

Cast: Nana Patekar, Sanjeev Jaiswal, Saad Orhan, Ganesh Yadav

Music: Rooshin Dalal, Amar Mohile, Vishal R Khosla, Sushil R Khosla and Mohan Khan

Genre: Drama/ Thriller

Release Date: March 1, 2013

Analysis:

Star Value: Although Nana Patekar is a veteran in the film industry who is also a quality performer, he isn’t a crowd puller, as they say in commercial terms. But the fact that the film is based on the infamous attacks of 26/11 is the real crowd puller for The Attacks Of 26/11.

Hype: The film is in the news ever since Ram Gopal Varma decided to make it and visited the Taj just after the attack to get his facts right. Although it was negative publicity as Ramu was highly criticized for it, the film grabbed more than eyeballs. But surprisingly, as the film neared its release after the famous promotional clip was released, the hype seems to have reduced. Although there is some eagerness to watch the film but the excitement factor isn’t high somehow.

Music: Films of this genre aren’t known for their music. The song ‘Maula Maula’ is a great composition. It should find takers if the film does well.

Prediction:

Due to the low hype, The Attacks Of 26/11 will only get an average to decent opening at the box office. The film is expected to do well mostly in the multiplexes of the metros. Due to the dark and disturbing nature of the subject, it won’t attract the masses, especially the family audiences. However, it does have a chance if it manages to impress initially because the curiosity level is quite high.

Being great not enough to be Sachin!

February 27, 2013 by Keyur Seta 2 Comments

By: Keyur Seta

The recently concluded first test match between India and Australia at Chennai will mostly be remembered for Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s unbelievable knock of 224. But taking nothing away from Dhoni, this feature focuses on India’s batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar’s 81 in the first innings that rescued India from a ghastly situation.

However, since last 24 years, Sachin’s greatness has been described millions of times in so many ways that there are no words or adjectives left in the dictionary to write anything new about it. So I won’t go into how wonderfully he played under pressure (like always) because that has been reported everywhere and we all have seen it. Instead, I will focus on the background of the innings which goes back to the start of January this year.

After reaching 100 in the Ranji Quarterfinal (Picture – TOI)

Sachin wasn’t having a good run in test cricket during the latter part of 2012. Somehow he was not able to stay long at the crease and was getting bowled most of the times. Apart from the man himself, it was also heartbreaking for us, the fans. Naturally, his bad run also gave a free ticket to these silly news channel anchors to force him to retire. Such a thing can happen only in India where those who mustn’t have held a bat in their lives can dictate terms to the best batsmen ever!

Any international player with such experience would have labeled this period as a bad patch without accepting that something is wrong with his game. At the most, he would have practiced in the nets for long hours or taken guidance from his coach.

But Sachin is not ‘any international player’. Despite bagging the most number of batting achievements ever, he was humble enough to accept some error in his play. And instead of just resorting to basic techniques to improve his game, he went back to play domestic cricket for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. Despite having played at the biggest international platforms, there he was playing in the Ranji Trophy Quarterfinal against Baroda at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium with the same determination.

Much to his and his admirers’ delight and relief, the Master Blaster went on to score a hundred and drove his team out of trouble. This might appear as just a domestic level century but Sachin and his admirers, who had gathered to watch him despite India-Pakistan one dayer being played elsewhere, knew the worth of the innings. A couple of over-enthusiastic fans also ran to the field and, much to everyone’s disbelief, touched their God’s feet! I and my friends were hugely lucky to witness the scene in front of our eyes.

Historic moment (Picture – Deccan Chronicle)

This was followed by a half century in the semifinal against Services. More than the innings what was more impressive was that a player of Sachin’s caliber went to play at a venue which was as poor as a school playground! He was looking great in the final against Saurashtra as well but was run out by fellow batsman Wasim Jaffer. But instead of giving an angry look to Jaffer, Sachin gave him words of encouragement! Who would have done that considering the innings was so important for him and the team? This time, we witnessed the kindest side of a champion, again in front of our eyes. The pep talk helped Jaffer who made a valuable contribution to Mumbai’s 40^th Ranji triumph.

This isn’t all though. Sachin slammed another ton in the Irani Trophy match next week, once again witnessed by us. Sadly, other batsmen threw their wickets which left him stranded on 140. What was noteworthy here was Sachin’s disappointment to see Mumbai falling short of Rest Of India’s total although he scored a hundred. This proves that even a domestic match means so much to him despite tasting World Cup glory and some memorable test victories!

In this way, he had a series of good scores before the first test against Australia. This helped him and India immensely for the Master Blaster was able to dig the team out of a hole after being 11 for 2!

The reason I find this story fascinating is because Sachin could have opted to rest instead of going back to domestic cricket since there wasn’t a chance of him being dropped from the Indian squad. But his actions clearly showed his love for the game and his concern towards his own form despite being at the top of the world for more than 20 years! And his concern didn’t deter him to accept his bad run in front of the world and improve his form by going a level below.

What makes Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar so great is not only his supreme talent but also his humble, down to earth nature which can be seen from the example above. It is this lovable human quality that is responsible for him winning hearts not just in India but world over and being an inspiration not just for upcoming cricketers but for people from all walks of life… including me!

(Picture – India Today)

Padmanabh Bind: Marathi cinema needs innovative publicity

February 25, 2013 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

By: Keyur Seta

People normally shudder at the mention of struggle. But actor Padmanabh Bind firmly considers struggle as something positive which should even be enjoyed. It is this enjoyment that has helped him taste success as a theatre actor and later gain accolades for his act in his Marathi film debut Shree Partner, based on Va Pu Kale’s classic novel Partner. Apart from elaborating the phenomenon of struggle, the actor, in a friendly chat with Halti Chitre, speaks about the publicity scenario in Marathi film industry and the difference he experiences while acting in theatre and films.

(Interview taken from the website Halti Chitre.) (To join us on Facebook, click HERE.)

Tell us about your background and your journey towards your first movie Shree Partner.
Right from my childhood, I have been doing theatre with my father. So I knew I would enter this field. After passing HSC from my hometown Yavatmal, I joined Lalit Kala Kendra in Pune and did my graduation and post-graduation in theatre. Well-known personalities from Marathi theatre were our faculty with the famous playwright Satish Alekar being our HOD. Similarly, we also got guidance from the likes of Vijay Kenkre, Waman Kendra, Jabbar Patel, etc. Aniruddha Khutwad also taught us direction and acting, mostly method acting. He largely molded me as an actor. I have worked in few of his plays including Mahapur, Ek Rikami Baju and Mr Behram.

After passing out from LKA and doing an experimental play Enigma with Vibhavari Deshpande, I came to Mumbai and did plays with Manaswini Lata Ravindra. Talking about Shree Partner, the makers had kept auditions but I couldn’t attend as I was having a theatre performance simultaneously. But I had mailed my photos and Sameer (Surve) sir knew about me being a theatre artist so he called me for an audition later. After few rounds, I was told I will be playing the character of Shree. What I found positive is that the main hero of a good Marathi movie is chosen through auditions. For that matter, even Shweta (Pagar) was chosen likewise.

How different is working in both mediums – theatre and films?
Apart from the basic difference that people have pointed out, I personally feel working in films is more difficult because you have to continuously be aware about your character’s continuity. For example, after shooting the 42^nd scene, you directly jump to the 53^rd. Likewise; all scenes that need to be shot inside a house are shot together. Whereas, in theatre, you play your entire character at one go. In Shree Partner, we have shown a span of at least 5 years. In these years, a person’s outlook and other things definitely change. So an actor needs to calculate this in cinema.

There is a general belief that people with no film background or godfather have to struggle a lot. What is your opinion on this?
I feel everybody has to struggle. You can’t avoid it. I just can’t understand why people consider struggle as negative. I believe there should be joy in making an effort to prove yourself as that is what struggle is. You have entered this profession because you like it. And if I have to take pains to achieve my goal, I can’t consider it negative. That is the real joy! It can only be negative for those who have entered a field without interest. One friend wanted to become a guitarist but due to his father’s wish, he did MBA and is now working in a company. For him, it is struggle. Frankly, everyone has to struggle with or without a godfather because it doesn’t end at getting your first break. You have to prove yourself. Even Ranbir Kapoor has to. Only the level of struggle is different. Ranbir might get 10 opportunities to prove himself while Padmanabh Bind might get only one. Even Amitabh Bachchan faces struggle to sustain the level he has reached.

In recent years, a lot of Marathi films are receiving great critical acclaim but are not making it very big at the box office regularly. What according to you is the reason for this?
I personally feel we lag behind in publicity. I am not talking about innovative publicity and not the normal publicity. What is important is that if people are not reaching out to us, we should reach out to them in a different, creative manner. During Shree Partner, we created bookmarks and distributed them in libraries in various cities and asked them to hand it over to the members. Even the makers of Masala started their publicity campaign in Nagpur in an innovative way and it worked. So if you publicize your film innovatively, people will surely watch.

Another important thing is that people in a city like Mumbai are more interested in Hindi films. Even my friends in Yavatmal will compulsorily watch Salman Khan’s films. But what is surprising is that good Marathi films don’t even release in Yavatmal! Apart from Kaksparsh, no other good Marathi film has released there since last year despite it being a city. Even own film wasn’t released there! In such scenario, how will people develop interest in Marathi films?

What is your dream role?
Whichever character I will play next will be my dream role. Acting in films and theatre gives me immense pleasure and I feel charged up. So every character I play, no matter big or small, is a dream role.

What next after Shree Partner?
I am in talks with few makers and I have read few scripts but nothing is decided officially. So I can’t speak anything now. Even during Shree Partner, I didn’t reveal anything while I was shooting for it. Until and unless a movie is dubbed and released you can’t say anything about Marathi films. It can be scrapped at any moment, not necessarily due to financial reasons. Recently I read a survey that out of all films made in India, only 20% see a release! But I would like to say I am doing a Marathi play based on The Lover by the late Herold Pinter. I will act as well as direct it.

Kai Po Che Review

February 24, 2013 by Keyur Seta 2 Comments

Director: Abhishek Kapoor

Producers: UTV Spot Boy

Writers: Chetan Bhagat, Abhishek Kapoor, Pubali Chaudhuri and Supratik Sen

Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Amit Sadh, Raj Kumar Yadav, Amrita Puri

Music: Amit Trivedi

Genre: Drama

Rating: * * ½

Plot: In their early twenties, Ishaan (Sushant Singh Rajput), Govind (Raj Kumar Yadav) and Omi (Amit Sadh) are the best of friends living in Ahmedabad in the early 2000s. After a lot of struggle, they succeed in starting a sports equipment shop and a cricket academy. The film tells the story of their dreams and how their friendship is affected by the Gujarat earthquake and riots.

Review: There have been numerous successful Hindi films about male bonding between three friends. Films like Dil Chahta Hai, Rock On! and 3 Idiots are the names that come to our minds instantly when we think of the subject. But despite these many films made on the same genre, Abhishek Kapoor’s Kai Po Che has a unique freshness born out of the simplicity of the characters and the narrative style. But unfortunately, a not-so-perfect second half and disappointing climax makes sure the film falls into just an average category.

The first few minutes of the film are enough to make you realize that any common man from India would be able to relate with the characters and the story. The life of three friends and their dreams might be ordinary but it is this ordinariness that is captured and written so beautifully that it makes you root for them instantly when they desperately try to start a business or when they try to improve an adolescent’s. Kapoor has proved that even normal, everyday scenes can be amusing. This is only the analysis of the first half though.

The events and incidents in the second half do keep you engrossed but there is no proper focus in the story. But what provides a big disappointment is the final culmination which is unacceptable and, in pure terms, just laughable (not revealing anything to avoid spoilers). This could have worked in a book but not quite in a movie. Even the title appears questionable after the climax. Kai Po Che is generally a triumphant expression but looking at the final outcome, it just turns out to be a joke!

Composer Amit Trivedi has once again complemented the subject well. His tracks ‘Shubharamh’ and ‘Manja’ are impressive. Anay Goswami has wonderfully managed to capture simple, everyday scenes artistically. The background music (Hitesh Sonik) and editing (Deepa Bhatia) also suit the simple subject.

Sushant Singh makes a remarkable debut. He displays perfect acting skills with confidence. Surely an actor to look out for! This performance will add infuse plenty of new life into Amit Sadh’s career. He had the difficult task of playing two different characters but he manages both with perfection. After doing very well in Ragini MMS, Shaitan and Gangs Of Wasseypur, Raj Kumar Yadav pulls off a brilliant act this time.

The kid playing the role of Ali deserves plenty of appreciation too. He doesn’t get to mouth a lot of lines and hence he does the challenging task of speaking through expressions. Amrita Puri is not bad while the rest of the supporting actors play their parts very well.

Overall, Kai Po Che is a decent effort which falls short of being superlative, mostly due to the final moments. It has had a good opening which, coupled with the hype, will fetch good numbers for the producers.

Kai Po Che Box Office Prediction

February 22, 2013 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Director: Abhishek Kapoor

Producers: UTV Spot Boy

Writers: Chetan Bhagat, Abhishek Kapoor, Pubali Chaudhuri and Supratik Sen

Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Amit Sadh, Raj Kumar Yadav, Amrita Puri

Music: Amit Trivedi

Genre: Drama

Release Date: February 22, 2013

Analysis:

Star Value: With a debutant Sushant Singh Rajput as the main lead and lesser known actors like Amit Sadh and Raj Kumar Yadav completing the main cast, the star value for Kai Po Che is obviously low. However, the fact that the film is based on Chetan Bhagat’s widely popular novel 3 Mistakes Of My Life adds star value to the film.

Hype: The promos of the movie have managed to impress and created a lot of excitement. The simplicity and bonding between the friends has mainly made that possible apart from Bhagat’s stamp.

Music: The song ‘Shubharambh’ and ‘Manja’ have gained popularity. They might become super famous if the film does well.

Prediction:

Kai Po Che will get a positive opening at the box office. Due to the genre, the film has a better chance in the multiplexes of the metros. But the business will surely be sky high in the state of Gujarat in both single screens and multiplexes since the story is based over there. One should note that this is not the type of film that tries to cash in on the first three days of the release. It will keep climbing the ladder of success slowly and will stay in theatres for a long duration, providing it manages to impress.

Jai Maharashtra Dhaba, Bhatinda Review

February 16, 2013 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Director: Avdhoot Gupte

Producers: Ekvira Productions, A Square Entertainment and Black Gold Films

Writer: Avdhoot Gupte

Cast: Abhijeet Khandkekar, Prarthana Behere, Vikram Gokhale

Music: Avdhoot Gupte

Genre: Romance

Rating: * * ½

Story Outline: In order to prove to someone that a Marathi person can be a successful businessman outside Maharashtra and Maharashtrian food can impress even non-Maharashtrians, Sayaji Nimbalkar (Abhijeet Khandkekar) starts a dhaba in Bhatinda (Punjab) named Jai Maharashtra Dhaba, Bhatinda.

Within a year, his dhaba crosses great levels of success as the Maharashtrian cuisine makes the local Punjabis go crazy. In the meantime, Sayaji also falls for a Punjabi girl Jaspinder Kaur (Prarthana Behere). But is the couple destined to be together?

(For more reviews, news and information on Marathi Cinema, click HERE.) (To follow us on FACEBOOK, click HERE.)

Review: Avdhoot Gupte’s unique idea of mixing Maharashtrian and Punjabi culture with the use of food in Jai Maharashtra Dhaba, Bhatinda should be lauded for it gives rise to a number of smile-producing moments. But the overall satisfaction derived from the dish isn’t as mouth-watering as expected due to a not-so-perfect writing among other things.

From the positives, the film hits bulls-eye right at the start in mixing the two cultures with the song ‘Bolato Jithe Chaughada’. Likewise, the rest of the songs are also a very intelligent blend of Marathi and Punjabi music which is a remarkable achievement by Nilesh Moharir. Narration-wise, the first half makes for a decent watch, mostly due to some scenes between the lead pair and Sayaji’s warm relationship with the locals of Bhatinda. The short length of this part works well too.

Now, onto some flipsides. The very vital moment of the protagonist seeing the leading lady for the first time and falling in love doesn’t appeal much since he behaves more like a flirt than a lover boy. There is also a lack of proper aim or focus in the second half due to few sub-plots, including the forceful humorous track of Sayaji’s sardar friend. The pro-Marathi heroic dialogues don’t produce the kind of impact that was needed. Lastly, the all-important twist, although unpredictable and heart-warming, doesn’t convince entirely.

The film also doesn’t appear like a love story between a Mahrashtrian and a Punjabi because firstly, Behere doesn’t look like a Punjabi. And since we have seen her in Marathi serials and the fact that in the movie she is shown as someone speaking Marathi flawlessly also doesn’t help.

As mentioned above, the fusion music is one of the biggest strong points with all songs making a mark. The technical areas (cinematography, background score and editing) are praiseworthy too.

The performances of the debutant lead pair add to the plus points. Abhijeet Khandkekar succeeds in the difficult task of playing a tough guy and a lover boy simultaneously in his first film. Prarthana Behere also displays the acting skills and cuteness needed by her character. But there is still scope for improvement for both.

Although the sardar actor playing Abhijeet’s friend provides some laughter, he is over-the-top on a number of occasions. Veteran actor Vikram Gokhale plays his part well but he doesn’t get much scope. The rest of the supporting actors are adequate.

Overall, Jai Maharashtra Dhaba, Bhatinda can be seen only because of the fusion of Marathi and Punjabi culture. It requires some rapid word-of-mouth to succeed at the box office.

Special 26 Review

February 9, 2013 by Keyur Seta 2 Comments

Director: Neeraj Pandey

Producers: Wide Frame Films, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and A Friday Filmworks

Writer: Neeraj Pandey

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Anupam Kher, Manoj Bajpayee, Jimmy Shergill, Kishore Kadam, Rajesh Singh, Divya Dutta, Kajal Agarwal

Music: M M Kreem and Himesh Reshammiya

Genre: Thriller

Rating: * * * ½

Plot: The film is set in 1987 when conmen Ajju (Akshay Kumar), Sharmaji (Anupam Kher), Iqbal (Kishore Kadam) and Joginder (Rajesh Sharma) are raking in plenty of moolah by posing as fake Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers and raiding politicians and businessmen. So when Waseem Khan (Manoj Bajpayee), the real CBI officer, gets to know about this, he is hell bent in nailing them.

But to make matters worse for Waseem, none of the victims are ready to lodge a complaint since the money involved in the heist was black. Despite this, an enraged Waseem comes up with a secret plan against the fake CBI officers.

Review: Heist films are been made in Hindi cinema even before Akshay Kumar was born. So what is so special about Special 26? It is Neeaj Pandey’s out-of-the-box narration and presentation that makes the film stand out despite hundreds of films dealing with the same issue. But this could be said mostly because of the second half and a terrific climax.

Unlike most masala Hindi films, the heist shown here is straight out of reality. To watch a con film made in a realistic genre is what gives a different experience to the audience. But despite the realism, Pandey has managed to keep the entertainment quotient alive with some regular doses of humor. Also unlike most commercial con films, the characters over here are simple middle class Indians which works well in getting the audience sympathize for them.

Another applaud-worthy aspect is the perfect creation of the 1987 era which looks like a result of hard work in presentation as well as writing. Playing of on old papad advertisement was especially very impressive.

But the film has its share of limitations. The pace of the first half isn’t as fast as it should be. For this, Akshay and Kajal Agarwal’s utterly forced and unwanted love track is the culprit. When would we come out of the hangover of a compulsory love story? This also gives rise to two songs and that too in a span of just ten minutes! This is followed by another song at the start of the second half. Huh?

Thankfully, the consequences in the latter part of the second half and an unpredictable twist in the climax not only make you forget the negative points but also leaves you super impressed with Pandey’s storytelling. He proves he isn’t a one-film wonder with the epic A Wednesday.

Technical departments like cinematography (Bobby Singh) and background score (Sanjoy Chowdhury) help in adding thrill and giving a feel of the yesteryears. Although the editing (Shree Narayan Singh) also helps in adding sleekness, a number of scenes of characters blandly walking and travelling should have been shortened. ‘Dhar Pakad’, the theme song, is the only track that suits the film. The rest of the songs are neither required nor impressive.

Although Akshay Kumar has played a conman before, he is remarkable here due to a different dimension he brings to the character. He is brilliant during raid scenes and the moments where he is training youngsters. Talented veteran like Anupam Kher shows his super talent in the role of an anxious conman. Manoj Bajpayee is outstanding as a determined CBI officer. His act in the climax deserves special mention.

Despite the presence of a number of professional actors, Jimmy Shergill shines. He deserves more movies! Kajal Agarwal has basically nothing to do! Even performance-wise, she is strictly average. The rest of the supporting cast including Kishore Kadam (well-known Marathi cinema actor), Divya Dutta, Rajesh Sharma, Deepraj Rana and Mukesh Bhatt chip in with good acts.

Overall, Special 26 deserves to be seen due to a fresh take on con films. The film should slowly climb up the box office ladder due to a positive word-of-mouth.