The Common Man Speaks

The Attacks Of 26/11 Review

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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.

The-Attacks-Of-26-11-movieBeing 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

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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.

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Kai Po Che Review

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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.

Kai-Po-CheThe 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

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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.

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Special 26 Review

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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.

Special-26Another 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.

Special 26 Box Office Prediction

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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

Release Date: February 8, 2013

Analysis:

Star Value: Akshay Kumar is one of the biggest superstars ever in Hindi cinema. This fact, coupled with the presence of class performers like Anupam Kher and Manoj Bajpayee ensures that the star value for Special 26 is high.

Hype: The promos of the movie have created good excitement and eagerness to see the film. The issue about real versus fake CBI officers has gone down well with the audience along with the fact that the film is based on an unreported crime of the 1987 era. And since this is Neeraj Pandey’s first film after the classic A Wednesday has added on to the hype.

Music: There is no scope for music in such genre of films. ‘Dhar Pakad’ is the only song that is somewhat known.

Prediction:

Special 26 will get a good opening at the box office. However, unlike most Akshay starrers of recent years, this film won’t get a rocket start at the ticket window due to the genre. Hence, it won’t rely on the collections of the first weekend. This is one of those content based films which slowly climb up the box office ladder due to positive word of mouth. Of course, this would happen only if it manages to impress with the content in the initial days. Its chances rely both in single screens and multiplexes.

Special-26

Vishwaroop/ Vishwaroopam Review

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Director: Kamal Haasan

Producers: Raajkamal Films International and P.V.P Cinema

Writer: Kamal Haasan

Cast: Kamal Haasan, Rahul Bose, Andrea Jeremiah, Pooja Kumar

Music: Shankar Ehsan Loy

Genre: Action

Rating: * * * ½

Plot: Nirupama (Pooja Kumar) marries an elderly Kathak dancer Vishwanath (Kamal Haasan) not because she loves him but only to get a green card and complete her PhD. After fulfilling her motive, she needs a reason to separate from Vishwanath. Hence, she hires a detective to keep a look on Vishwanath as she doubts him having an affair. But since the tactic goes horribly wrong, Nirupama realizes the mystery behind her husband’s actual profession!

Review: There are good films been made every now and then but there are very few which can be described as landmark films of Indian cinema. Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroop (Hindi dubbing of Vishwaroopam) is certainly one of the rare films that deserve such distinction for various reasons despite the fact that it falls short of being a classic. In fact, it also won’t be an overstatement to say that India finally has its own action flick of international standards.

Talking about the shoddy controversy surrounding the film, there is not a single frame that can be termed even close to offensive to any community. The ones who are up in arms against Vishwaroop are either too dumb or too evil!

Every great film has a solid base in the form of a watertight story and Vishwaroop is no exception. The movie tells a fascinating tale about terrorism from the point of view of a mysterious central character. In the initial moments, you are hugely surprised to find only light humorous moments.

VishwaroopamBut once the plot point is introduced, you are in for an intriguing roller coaster ride. It starts from Haasan’s sudden fight scene which can be described as one of the best seeti-bajao moments in recent years! You are also left amazed by the realistic portrayal of Afghanistan. Truly an example of brilliant set designing! Haasan has also shown some experimentation in the form of abrupt freeze framing and replays of some scenes which works very well!

As mentioned at the start, the film isn’t entirely superlative. The story doesn’t quite take off in the second half, although this doesn’t give rise to boredom in any way. Haasan also misses out on including more clap worthy moments which was surely possible due to the subject and the central character’s heroism. Such a moment was definitely needed in the climax which doesn’t provide the punch that one expected. But this in no way turns you off due to the memorable moments earlier and the fact that the makers reveal their plan of making a sequel.

A word of caution for the weak hearted: The film would have done without so much of gory violence. Although it deals with terrorism, there was no need to show hands being chopped off and a body half cut off in an explosion in such a mass oriented film.

The movie wouldn’t have become what it is without Sanu Varghese’s brilliant camerawork. The same amount of praise should be given to the background score and editing. Music wise, the powerful title song rightly suits the film and Haasan’s character. Apart from this, the track ‘Jung Hai’ is worth mentioning.

Kamal Haasan carries the film on his strong shoulders and how! He is brilliant and completely believable as a secret agent. Getting into the psyche of a character is what is shown by him. He also plays a completely opposite character of a Kathak teacher and is remarkable even in that! Rahul Bose stuns with one of his career best performances despite Haasan’s constant presence.

Andrea Jeremiah lends perfect support to Haasan and so does Shekhar Kapur. After Gangs of Wasseypur, Jaideep Ahlawat once again impresses. Pooja Kumar, the foreigner male in Haasan’s team and the rest of the actors are likable too.

Overall, Vishwaroop is a memorable cinematic experience which shouldn’t be missed. Given its content, it should do well at the box office even in Mumbai and north India.

Phalke’s magic recreated on big screen!

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Indian cinema took birth a hundred years ago when Dhundiraj Govind Phalke’s Raja Harishchandra was released in May 1913 at Mumbai’s (then Bombay) Coronation Theater. The film was a result of some painstaking efforts by Dadasaheb Phalke, due to which he acquired the title – Father of Indian Cinema. Now, almost a hundred years later, the magic of Phalke’s earliest films was recreated on the big screen recently at Mumbai’s National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA).

Raja-Harishchandra-movieA group of audience that had gathered was bestowed with a memorable experience of watching Phalke’s Raja Harishchandra (1917), Kaliya Mardan (1919), Lanka Dahan (1917), Shri Krishna Janma (1918) and a documentary on him named Dream Takes Wings (1970).  Composer Rahul Ranade’s background score was added to the films to make viewing more pleasurable for people of today’s era who aren’t used to watching silent films. The screening was made possible by the National Film Archives of India (NFAI) based in Pune. The event was a part of NCPA Flashback Series which is started to celebrate 100 years of Indian Cinema.

Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benagal, who was the guest of honor at the event, seemed pretty excited for the screenings. “It’s a pleasure to see Phalke’s films. His (Raja Harishchandra) was the first film to be made completely in India. So it is Phalke who is responsible for spreading cinema in India,” he said. Benegal also revealed how quickly cinema got acceptance in India. “After the introduction of sound (talkies), Indian cinema just took off as if it was invented here.”

Shyam-BenegalBy going back to the pre-independence time, Benegal also criticized the need for films to be censored. “British Government used to ban films that had nationalist sentiments. Unfortunately, even 66 years after independence, films are still censored, which, I think, is ridiculous in a democracy.”

Director of NFA Prashant Pathrabe shared some good news for the audience. He said screening of more of such classic films under NCPA Flashback Series would take place at the end of every month at NCPA for the next year. “We would love to take our association with NCPA forward,” he said.

Some of the films that would be shown in the upcoming NCPA Flashback Series include Sant Tukaram (Marathi, 1936), Sikandar (Hindi, 1941), Achhut Kanya (Hindi, 1936), Manthan (Hindi, 1976), Devdas (Bengali, 1935), Chandralekha (Tamil, 1948), etc.

So if you are lover of quality cinema, you know where you should be heading at the end of each month!

To receive updates on the upcoming screenings, visit – http://www.ncpamumbai.com/
Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/NCPAMumbai
Twitter page – https://twitter.com/ncpamumbai

Race 2 Review

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Direction: Abbas-Mustan

Producers: Tips Music Films and UTV Motion Pictures

Writers: Shiraz Ahmed and Kiran Kotrial

Cast: Saif Ali Khan, John Abraham, Anil Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Jacqueline Fernandez, Amisha Patel

Music: Pritam

Genre: Thriller

Rating: * ½

Story Outline: After amassing abnormal amount of wealth through crook, multi-millionaire Arman Malik (John Abraham) is enjoying the luxuries of Europe with his step sister Alina (Deepika Padukone) and girlfriend Onisha (Jacqueline Fernandez). This is when Ranvir Singh (Saif Ali Khan) enters his life. Through some illegal ideas, Ranvir helps Arman add up to his already colossal wealth. But why is Ranvir doing such favors on Arman? Meanwhile, cop-turned-casino-owner Robert D’Costa provides all the support to Ranvir but is he really on his side?

Review: Abbas-Mustan’s Race 2 reminded me of the old phrase ‘Jana Tha Japan Pohoch Gaye Cheen (China)’. Although the intention of the makers might have been to make a sequel to the impressive thrilling ride Race (2008) but knowingly or unknowingly the director duo ends up making a sequel to their last film Players (2012). Second movie in the line of Players… Need I say more?

Race 2 has almost everything needed for a racy thriller – mind-blowing action sequences, exotic locations, thrilling chases, twists and turns, lots of style, expensive cars, choppers and some foot-tapping music. So what went wrong? Well, I did mention the word ‘almost’ in the second last sentence which was used for the most important thing – s-c-r-i-p-t!

Race-2The problem with the writing is that the story doesn’t unfold at a good pace as a lot of footage is given to some unconvincing, lame sequences and, of course, lots of glamour (read: cleavage and thighs). And when the story does move forward, it mostly produces twists that are not only predictable miles back, but also unintentionally hilarious. An example of just taking the genre and the audience for granted! The disgustingly cheap conversations between Anil and Ameesha’s characters truly deserve special mention!

To its credit, the film does have few things going though. Some chase sequences and stunts are out of the ordinary. The camerawork (Ravi Yadav), background score and some super-stylish editing also deserve praise. Pritam has come up with some good tracks (hoping they are original), although the songs are forcibly placed!

Saif Ali Khan pulls of the character of Ranvir Singh quite well but this time he isn’t as convincing and powerful as he was in the 2008 movie. John Abraham shows a lot of style but acting-wise, he is pretty average. A talented as well as experienced actor like Anil Kapoor is simply wasted! It was also disturbing to see his character indulge in such cheapness!

Deepika Padukone and Jacqueline Fernandez are just used to expose their toned bodies forcefully! Although, acting-wise, the former is okay, the latter is simply poor! Lastly, there is Ameesha Patel who gives one of the most irritating performances in recent years!

Overall, while the two main characters in Race 2 are constantly trying to fool each other, it is the audience which ultimately gets fooled. Due to some hype, the film might get a decent opening but it will struggle at the box office once the word spreads.

Akaash Vani Box Office Prediction

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Direction: Luv Ranjan

Producers: Wide Frame Pictures

Writer: Luv Ranjan

Cast: Kartik Tiwari, Nushrat Bharucha

Music: Hitesh Sonic

Genre: Romance

Release Date: January 25, 2013

Analysis:

Star Value: As the lead actors of Akaash Vani Kartik Tiwari and Nushrat Bharucha are just one film old, there is no star value in the movie. However, the fact that the full team of the well appreciated Pyaar Ka Punchnama has returned can be considered its star value.

Hype: The promos of the movie have garnered a decent response, if not very good. The promotions and marketing hasn’t been bad. Overall, the hype and excitement for Akaash Vani is above average.

Music: The film has good, melodious numbers but apart from ‘Rumani’ no other song is much known to the masses. The music has a better chance if the film succeeds at the box-office.

Prediction:

Akaash Vani will get an average opening at the box office. Its chances rely more in the multiplexes of the metros. It will struggle in the single screens and smaller centers. The fact that it will be released alongside a hardcore commercial film like Race 2 will surely affect its business. Hence, it is vital for Akaash Vani to get very positive initial reports.

But one should also note that this is a kind of film which doesn’t rely on the collections of the first three days. If it manages to impress the audience initially, especially the youngsters, it can even pick up during the weekdays and the next weekend as there is no major release next week.

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