The Common Man Speaks

Life Of Pi Review

by Leave a Comment

Direction: Ang Lee

Production: Ang Lee, Gil Netter and David Womark

Writers: Yann Martel (novel), David Magee

Cast: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Rafe Spall, Adil Hussain, Tabu

Music: Mychael Danna

Genre: Adventure

Rating: * ½

Plot: Based on the novel by Yann Martel, the film tells the story of Pi Patel (Gautam Belur, Ayush Tondon, Suraj Sharma and Irrfan Khan), son of the zookeeper Santosh Patel (Adil Hussain). Due to some problem, Pi’s family is forced to shift their house and zoo from India (Pondicherry) to Canada. Since it also includes the stressful task of shifting all types of animals thousands of miles away, Santosh arranges for a special cruise as a mode of travel.

During their journey, a disastrous storm takes place which separates Pi from his family. Worse, he lands on a lifeboat with a zebra, hyena, an orangutan and the Royal Bengal Tiger. Later on, only Pi and the tiger are left on the boat. Will Pi be able to survive with a wild beast on a journey that looks like never ending?

Review: Life Of Pi achieves the incredible by shooting some unthinkable scenes with some jaw-dropping visual effects. However, such mind-blowing thrills and visuals do little to amuse you when the overall experience is a deadly mixture of boredom, disturbance, irritation and depression!

Before Pi’s family commence their voyage, the film appears quite interesting, especially during Pi’s interaction with his parents and his take religion. Things are quite okay even during the voyage and the storm incident, which is captured brilliantly. However, some time after Pi lands on the lifeboat (second half), the proceedings go on to disturbing levels.

By this time, we start doubting that the film just has no story to tell. That indeed turns out to be the case as you are just subjected to Pi’s miserable experience on the lifeboat which not only becomes a difficult test of your patience but also makes you cringe with some disturbing and depressing incidents. No doubt, the camerawork and the way of filming deserve salute but why should one invest money and time to watch such a story? Such a tale suits only for a novel.

The background score is commendable while the editing should have been tighter. The 3D effects in some scenes are of top draw but there should have been some more out-of-the-screen moments.

Some performances leave you spellbound. Suraj Sharma’s debut act is one such performance that deserves tons of praise, especially since he is someone who is never been into acting or performing arts. Irrfan Khan once again shows why he is one of the finest actors to have emerged from India. Adil Hussain and Tabu provide mature acts. Rafe Spall fits the bill perfectly. All the animals too deserve applause for being able to do what they were asked to.

Overall, one and a half stars for Life Of Pi for the breathtaking visuals and performances.

Khiladi 786 Review

by Leave a Comment

Direction: Ashish R Mohan

Production: Hari Om Entertainment Co, HR Musik and Eros International

Writers: Bunty Rathore and Himesh Reshammiya

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Himesh Reshammiya, Asin, Mithun Chakraborty, Raj Babbar, Mukesh Rishi, Rahul Singh, Rajesh Khattar

Music: Himesh Reshammiya

Genre: Action/ Comedy

Rating: * * * ½

Plot: Manuskh (Himesh Reshammiya) destroys his father Champak Lal’s (Manoj Joshi) marriage bureau business to such an extent that the latter throws him out of the house. Just then, Mansukh gets to know that Mumbai’s most dreaded don Tatya Tukaram Tendulkar (Mithun Chakraborty) is looking for a groom for his daughter Indu (Asin). Mansukh takes this as an opportunity to prove his worth to his father.

Mansukh feels Bahattar Singh (Akshay Kumar), whom he had met in Punjab once out of co-incidence, could be the right match for Indu. Although both families happily agree for Bahattar and Indu’s marriage, what follows is a series of crazy events due to the fact that both families have lied about their real professions.

Review: After watching the promos of debutant filmmaker Ashish R Mohan’s Khiladi 786, you don’t need a statutory warning to keep logic and reasoning miles away. So if you manage to do that, you are in for a treat full of dhamaal and laughter. There are a number of hiccups on the way (mostly, in the second half) that stop the film from being incredible. But considering the genre and the huge number of hilarious moments, you won’t be bothered much by it.

The film starts in an average manner but once the story starts developing, the laughter just doesn’t seem to end. In fact, you will be in splits after every few seconds! Bunty Rathore deserves high praise for some intelligently mindless yet hilarious humor. Some of the one-liners and incidents are extraordinary, especially the mention of Kejriwal! Unusual tributes to films Chak De! India, Singham, Devdas, Gadar – Ek Prem Katha and Housefull 2 deserve thumbs up too.

In comparison to the first half, the post-interval portion is a bit of a disappointment. The way a character falls in love all of a sudden is the biggest flaw of the movie. However, some hilarity and entertainment in the final culmination, although predictable, along with the great time you had in the first half, make sure you leave the cinema hall with a wide smile.

Other negative point that surely deserves mention is the fight scenes (Attar Singh Saini) which (throughout the film) take the mindless genre and its audience too much for granted. Due to this, you don’t get amused by the action on a number of occasions. Some degree of racism should also have been avoided.

After Bol Bachchan, Himesh Reshammiya once again makes sure that the music of the film contributes to the plus points with some foot tapping tracks, ‘O Bavaria’, the title song, ‘Long Drive (best of all)’, ‘Balma’ and ‘Hookah Bar’. It’s not often these days that you get impressed by almost every song of an album. The background score (too loud at times), cinematography and editing are average.

Akshay Kumar is lovable in the title role. Although this is not the first time he is seen doing such things, his entertaining performance will surely impress his fans. In such films, the leading ladies don’t get much scope to perform. The same is the case with Asin but she does manage to impress with her acting skills and not just good looks. Mithun Chakraborty is very impressive. He manages to generate that fear which was needed by his character.

Himesh Reshammiya is the surprise package. It is his weird expressions and dialogue delivery that provides intentional as well as unintentional humor. But he is at least bearable for the first time! Rahul Singh gives a fine performance while playing a difficult character. A series of supporting actors – Raj Babbar, Sanjay Mishra, Rajesh Khattar, Mukesh Rishi and Manoj Joshi – provide decent acts. Good performers like Johnny Lever and Bharti Singh are underused. Mushtaq Khan is just okay.

Overall, Khiladi 786 is an enjoyable affair as long as you can keep your topmost organ at rest. The film will slowly climb the box office ladder. The fact that it has two full weeks to earn will be an advantage.

Khiladi 786 Box Office Prediction

by Leave a Comment

Direction: Ashish R Mohan

Production: Hari Om Entertainment Co, HR Musik and Eros International

Writers: Bunty Rathore and Himesh Reshammiya

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Himesh Reshammiya, Asin, Mithun Chakraborty, Raj Babbar, Mukesh Rishi, Rahul Singh, Rajesh Khattar

Music: Himesh Reshammiya

Genre: Action/ Comedy

Release Date: December 7, 2012

Analysis:

Star Value: With the presence of superstar Akshay Kumar and talented Asin, the star value for Khiladi 786 is high!

Hype: The promos of the movie have received a decent response, although not very good. This is because of its supposed similarity with a number of mindless action flicks of recent times. Due to the promotions and publicity, the hype has been good if not terrific.

Music: The songs of Khiladi 786 are slowly becoming popular. Apart from the title track, ‘Long Drive’, ‘O Bavaria’, ‘Balma’ and ‘Hookah Bar’ are gaining popularity.

Prediction:

Khiladi 786 will get a decent to good opening at the box office if it gets positive initial reports. However, the response won’t be terrific, which is expected from such films, since Aamir Khan’s Talaash (released last week) is still doing well. The good thing for the Akshay Kumar starrer is that no major film is releasing next week which gives it a good two weeks’ period to earn moolah before Salman Khan’s hugely awaited Dabangg 2 releases on December 21. Khiladi 786 has potential to do well in single screens as well as multiplexes, although its chances lie higher in the former due to the genre.

Talaash Review (Spoiler Free)

by Leave a Comment

Director: Reema Kagti

Producers: Excel Entertainment, Aamir Khan Productions and Reliance Entertainment

Writers: Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti

Cast: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Raj Kumar Gupta

Music: Ram Sampat

Genre: Thriller

Rating: * * *

Plot: A Bollywood superstar is killed in an accident under mysterious circumstances. Police Inspector Surjan Singh Shekhawat (Aamir Khan) takes up the investigation of the case. As he digs deeper into it, he finds himself entangled in a web of confusion and mystery which becomes worse due to his troubled married life with Roshni (Rani Mukerji) and the constant haunting of his dark past.

Shekhawat’s investigation gets him in contact with a prostitute Rosy (Kareena Kapoor). He also gets to know that a roadside criminal Taimur (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) is linked with the superstar’s death. Will these two leads be enough for Shekhawat to solve the case?

Review: (No spoilers whatsoever) In every whodunit thriller, the suspense at the end needs to be both shocking as well as convincing. In the case of Talaash, while the writers (Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar) manage to get the shocking part right, they disappoint with the conviction of the finale. This is the biggest reason, along with others, for Kagti’s film falling in the strictly one-time-watch category, which is surely below expectations.

‘Muskanein Jhoothi Hain’ song sets the right mood for the film right at the start. Apart from the lyrics, the picturisation is truly praiseworthy! The main point is brought soon which leads on to an intriguing narration in the first half as the case gets more complicated. The pace is deliberately kept slow but that in no way gives rise to boredom. In fact, it helps in building up excitement, mostly due to the sub plots. Some of artistically crafted scenes are a work of brilliance from the point of view of both writing and filming.

Picture courtesy – Talaash Facebook page

Unfortunately, the script starts going downhill in the second half with more importance being given to Shekhawat’s personal life than the case in question. The prolonged scenes between Shekhawat and one of the main characters test your patience. Lastly, the all important suspense at the end doesn’t live up to the excitement. Of course, there is no doubt that the final revelation will shock you and might even jerk you out of your seat but it lacks believability and conviction. (Personally, I feel the final outcome is harmful for the intellectual development of India!)

For the way she has filmed the story, Kagti deserves applause though. She is just let down by the proceedings of the second half that stop the film from being a commendable thriller. Another disappointing factor is that the main ‘hero’ is hardly given any heroics to perform. This is largely felt at the ending moments.

Mohanan’s cinematography is one of the biggest plus points. He has even captured the dark underbelly of Mumbai with perfection. Ram Sampat’s background score adds thrill. The editing is adequate. Songs don’t have much scope in such a film. ‘Muskanein Jhooti Hain’ is the only track that has a strong effect.

Aamir Khan succeeds in carrying the film on his shoulders. However, he is not at his best. The writing should be blamed for this for keeping his character too serious and depressed at times. Rani Mukerji does full justice to the character of a traumatic wife and mother. Kareena Kapoor is the one who steals the show. She perfectly moulds herself into the character of a prostitute and even manages to speak through expressions.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui once again shows why he is currently one of the finest character artists. He deserves many more films! Raj Kumar Gupta, Shernaz Patel and Sheeba Chaddha give mature performances in supporting roles.

Overall, Talaash is good but unfortunately it falls in the could-have-been-better category. Due to the hype and Aamir’s popularity, the film will garner very good collections at the box office.

Talaash Box Office Prediction

by Leave a Comment

Director: Reema Kagti

Producers: Excel Entertainment, Aamir Khan Productions and Reliance Entertainment

Writers: Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti

Cast: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Nawazuddin Siddiqui

Music: Ram Sampat

Genre: Thriller

Release Date: November 30, 2012

Analysis:

Star Value: Aamir Khan is not only a highly respected superstar but he is also someone who keeps his exclusivity alive by appearing onscreen just once in few years. These two factors, plus the fact that the film also has big stars like Rani Mukerji and Kareena Kapoor, make sure that the star value for Talaash is sky high!

Hype: Just like every Khan movie, Talaash has been in the news before the shoot commenced. And as expected, the promos garnered high excitement for the film’s release. A unique feature noticed is that the hype for this film is not about instant gratification which we see for Salman Khan’s movies. People are expecting a high degree of satisfying experience from this motion picture.

Music: The music hasn’t been that popular yet but it is expected to climb the music charts if the film does well. The song ‘Muskaanein Jhooti Hain’ is becoming known though.

Prediction:

It is easy to guess that Talaash will get a very good opening at the box office. This is a type of film that is expected to stay in theaters for a longer duration if it impresses. It won’t follow the silly trend of cashing in on the first weekend by booking almost every theater in the country which a lot of big budget movies do these days. This can also act as an obstacle for Akshay Kumar’s Khiladi 786 which releases on December 7. Like all Aamir movies, this one caters to both multiplexes and single screen theaters. Even if it gets decent initial response, it will surely enter the Rs 100 crore club.

Picture courtesy – Talaash Facebook page

Jab Tak Hai Jaan Review

by 4 Comments

Direction: Yash Chopra

Producers: Yash Raj Films

Writers: Aditya Chopra and Devika Bhagat

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma, Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Singh, Anupam Kher

Music: A R Rahman

Genre: Romance

Rating: * *

Plot: Samar Anand (Shah Rukh Khan) is a happy-go-lucky Indian living in London. He does odd jobs and struggles to make ends meet but that doesn’t lower his spirits. One day, out of nowhere, Meera (Katrina Kaif) walks into his life. The couple fall in love but as fate would have it, they are separated. Years later, Akira (Anushka Sharma), a carefree youngster, is moved to tears after knowing Samar’s story. Will Akira help Samar and Meera reunite or will she fall for Samar?

Review: Being a Yash Chopra-Shah Rukh Khan combo coupled by the fact that it is the last movie of the former, there were expectations from Jab Tak Hai Jaan. However, the hugely awaited film is nothing but a mixture of all done-to-death clichés that one could associate with typical love stories found in Bollywood. Sadly, that is not all. The film also suffers from a lack of logic, apart from a dragged length. It is only SRK’s greatness that makes it a somewhat watchable affair.

Anybody who has been following Bollywood love stories over the years would be able to predict the entire movie after the initial ten minutes. So when you know exactly what is going to happen throughout, you at least expect the story to be narrated in a convincing manner. Unfortunately, that is not the case here. The typical boy-meets-girl saga in the first half looks half baked. The way the story is narrated looks straight out of Ghajini. Later on, the film also reminds you of Chopra’s last Veer-Zaara. But what is worse is the separation under idiotic circumstances.

(Review continued after picture)

Picture courtesy – JTHJ Facebook page

The second half, thankfully, has some smile-producing moments due to the conversations between Shah Rukh and one of the actresses. But soon we are subjected to some unconvincing twists and a not-so-perfect as well as predictable climax. Although the film has some winning moments but they don’t manage to overtake the negative points at all! The three hour length (excluding interval) doesn’t help either.

Considering it to be an effort from a master storyteller, it is also highly surprising to see disregard being shown for logic. From a number of such incidents, this is felt the most when a man doing odd jobs in London is, after few years, seen as a Major in Indian Army who diffuses deadly bombs to earn a living. Of course, so no matter which wire he cuts, it will turn out to be the right one. Lastly, the two accidents, that move the story forward, are very silly!

From the songs, ‘Challa’ steals the show completely but the rest of the songs fail to amuse much. The combo of Gulzar-A R Rahman doesn’t live up to the expectations. The use of sleaze in ‘Ishq Shava’ appears questionable considering the film is targeted at family audiences. Anil Mehta once again proves why he is one of the best cinematographers in the industry. The background score is apt while the editing could have been tighter.

As mentioned at the start, Shah Rukh Khan carries the film on his shoulders with a brilliant act. He plays two starkly opposite characters with maturity and ease. Like most of her films, Katrina Kaif struggles with her diction and dialogue delivery. Things would have brightened up if a talented performer was in her place. Anushka Sharma is superb as she perfectly fits into the character of a modern, bubbly young girl. Rishi Kapoor shines in a cameo. Neetu Singh and Anupam Kher are adequate.

Overall, Jab Tak Hai Jaan is let down due to a poor script. At the box office, it will surely earn high profits and will certainly reach the Rs 100 crore mark. It isn’t a big deal if your film has a big superstar and you book almost every theater in the country.

Son Of Sardar Box Office Prediction

by Leave a Comment

Direction: Ashwani Dhir

Producers: Ajay Devgn Films, Viacom Motion Pictures and Eros Entertainment

Writers: Ashwani Dhir and Robin Bhatt

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Juhi Chawla

Music: Himesh Reshammiya, Sajid-Wajid

Genre: Action/ Comedy

Release Date: November 13, 2012

Analysis:

Star Value: Ajay Devgn and Sanjay Dutt are two of the biggest superstars of Hindi cinema. This fact coupled with Sonakshi Sinha’s presence makes sure that the star value for Son Of Sardar is very high.

Hype: There has been a good amount of hype for the movie due to the interesting promos. But the film’s controversy with Yash Raj Films’ Jab Tak Hai Jaan has also indirectly helped in the publicity.

Music: The music is becoming known. Apart from the title song, ‘Rani Tu Main Raja’ is making heads turn. The track ‘Po Po’ is also gaining popularity recently due to Salman Khan’s presence.

Prediction:

Son Of Sardar will surely get a very good opening. However, since Yash Raj Films’ have gone bezerk while booking theaters for their highly awaited Jab Tak Hai Jaan, the Ajay Devgn starrer has managed to get only few screens. What’s worse is that it has got very few single screen theaters where it is expected to do best business.

Plus, SOS will also face very tough opposition from the Shah Rukh Khan starrer due to the high excitement for the latter. Hence, it is vital for the movie to impress with its content. So a film which could have enjoyed high returns in the first few days due to the hype has to now rely on its content to make high profits. Overall, SOS has a chance, particularly in north India, but the collections will be highly affected due to the presence of JTHJ.

So far Devgn has entered the 100 crore club thrice (Golmaal 3, Singham and Bol Bachchan). SOS could have easily been his fourth if it was a solo release. Now it looks difficult although not impossible.

Jab Tak Hai Jaan Box Office Prediction

by 1 Comment

Direction: Yash Chopra

Producers: Yash Raj Films

Writers: Aditya Chopra and Devika Bhagat

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma, Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Singh, Anupam Kher

Music: A R Rahman

Genre: Romance

Release Date: November 13, 2012

Analysis:

Star Value: Needless to say, when a film has Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma as main leads, the star value of the film is supremely high. And since Yash Chopra has directed it coupled by the fact that it is his last film, it adds more star value to Jab Tak Hai Jaan.

Hype: Naturally, the hype for the movie was created ever since it was announced. As expected, the hype kept on increasing when the promos and the music of the movie were released. I feel sorry to say this but Chopra’s tragic death has made the film more popular. However, the film hasn’t created one of the highest excitements ever which was expected.

Music: The songs of Jab Tak Hai Jaan, mostly ‘Challa’, ‘Saans’, ‘Ishq Shava’, ’Jiya Re’ and the title song, have been appreciated by the audience as expected. But none of the song has become an anthem which is expected from such a romantic film.

Prediction:

Jab Tak Hai Jaan will surely get a very good opening at the box office. It has a chance of scoring in both single screen theaters as well as multiplexes. The six day Diwali holiday period will make sure it earns very well and even reaches the Rs 100 crore. Its business from Monday (November 19) onwards will be determined on whether it has succeeded in impressing the audience with its content. We also can’t rule out the fact that its collections will be affected by Son Of Sardar, which is releasing alongside.

Picture courtesy – Yashrajfilms.com

Bhandarkar launches Bhagwan dada biopic Albela

by Leave a Comment

A number of interesting, humorous incidents from the legendary actor’s movies and life were shared at the event

(For more news and information on Marathi cinema click HERE. To join us on Facebook, click HERE)

Acclaimed filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar recently said in an interview that he used to run a video library during his growing up days in Khar, Mumbai. But on Saturday he got further candid by revealing that his lot of 70-80 video cassettes always used to have few prints of Bhagwan dada’s popular movie Albela.

“There was a lot of demand for Albela. People watched it again and again. Sometimes I used to urge my customers to watch it again and they used to happily oblige. Even I have seen the movie many times. I also have fond memories of watching Bhagwan dada a number of times in a small restaurant in Khar where he used to shoot his films.” said Bhandarkar.

Madhur Bhandarkar during the launch of Albela (Pictures – Ashish Desai)

The Chandni Bar director went into the flashback mode during the launch of the Marathi movie Albela, which is based on the life of the late yesteryear superstar Bhagwan Abhaji Palav aka Bhagwan dada. Produced under the banner of Kimaya Motion Pictures, the film is directed by Niranjan Patwardhan. The event also marked the launch of Isak Mujavar’s Marathi book Ek Albela, which is also based on the dancing superstar.

Patwardhan, himself a big admirer of dada, said he is eager to spread his art. “I was highly surprised when I realized nobody has ever written even 30 pages on him. If people had known even fifty percent of his talent, he would have been considered the biggest showman,” he said. This is Patwardhan’s first film as a director. He has earlier worked with Bhandarkar in Corporate, Traffic Signal, Fashion and Jail.

Various other guests spoke about dada’s greatness which turned out to be very informative for youngsters who don’t know much about him. “While working with him in any film, we always felt as if we have come for a picnic. His dance was remarkable. In fact, dada’s dancing style is also visible in Amitabh Bachchan’s dance steps,” said senior actor Viju Khote. “It is not possible for the current actors to match his dancing skills,” stated filmmaker Kiran Shantaram, son of the late legendary V Shantaram.

Some funny incidents about the actor were also shared by Mujavar and the yesteryear Marathi and Hindi film actress Sulochana Devi, who launched Mujavar’s book. “He had an unusual habit of sleeping while standing. But when the shot was announced, he used to automatically wake up and start acting,” laughed Sulochana.

Mujavar added, “Once during our train journey out of city, he fell down from the upper berth. So I was told to occupy his berth while dada was given the lowest berth. But in the morning, we realized he had fallen from the lowest berth as well.” He also revealed that some of his movies had the same basic plot but despite that, each film succeeded in keeping the audience engrossed.

Attendees also included dada’s son Arun Palav, yesteryear actresses Jeevan Kala and Leela Gandhi, Uday Chipalkatti and others. The event surely generated a lot of curiosity for the biopic. But one has to wait till 2013 to see how the film turns out to be.

Sulochana Devi launching Isak Mujavar’s book Ek Albela

Rush Box Office Prediction

by Leave a Comment

Direction: Shamin Desai

Production: Percept Pictures Company and Showman International

Writers: Shamin Desai and Sanjay Masoom

Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Sagarika Ghatge, Neha Dhupia, Aditya Pancholi

Music: Pritam

Genre: Thriller

Release Date: October 24, 2012

Analysis:

Star Value: Emraan Hashmi has become a kind of a crowd puller after gaining an image of a quality performer instead of just a serial kisser. This factor alone states that the star value for Rush is decent. The film also has some known names like Neha Dhupia, Sagarika Ghatge (of Chak De! India fame) and Aditya Pancholi.

Hype: There is hardly any hype for the movie. This comes as a big surprise considering it has Emraan in the lead. The promos have failed to create much excitement among the audience. But the biggest culprit for this is the very low key promotions. This has been the case with almost every Percept movie. Over the years, the banner has suffered heavily due to poor promotions or marketing but they don’t seem to be learning from their many mistakes.

Music: ‘Fukraa’ is the only song that is somewhat popular. The rest of the songs aren’t known to the audience.

Prediction:

Rush won’t get a good opening at the box office. At the most, it will only garner an average response. The film will struggle to make a mark at the ticket window if it doesn’t receive very positive initial reports. Although there isn’t much excitement for Prakash Jha’s Chakravyuh, which is releasing alongside, it will surely act as a tough opposition for Rush along with Karan Johar’s Student Of The Year, which will not even be a week older when the Emraan starrer releases.