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Jism 2 Review

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Director: Pooja Bhatt

Producers: Clockwork Films and Fisheye Network

Writers: Mahesh Bhatt and Shagufta Rafique

Cast: Sunny Leone, Randeep Hooda, Arunoday Singh, Arif Zakaria

Music: Arko Pravo Mukherjee, Mithoon, Rushk and Abdul Baasith Saeed

Rating: * *

Plot: Secret Indian Intelligence officer Ayaan (Arunoday Singh) approaches pornstar Izna (Sunny Leone) for a secret mission. Izna’s mission is to act as a honeytrap for a dreaded terrorist Kabir (Randeep Hooda) in order to destroy him and his terror outfit. Things become complicated due to the fact that Izna and Kabir are ex-lovers.

Review: Jism 2 is in news ever since the Bhatts decided to cast pornstar Sunny Leone in the movie, which was touted to be the boldest film from Bollywood. But thanks to our Censor Board and the ineffective writing, the film fails to please both section of audiences – the ones expecting to see a sensible, intense thriller and the ones interested due to ‘other’ reasons.

The unconvincing factor hovers around for almost the entire film. Ayaan’s meeting with Izna, her casual commitment to a hugely dangerous mission and, later, the consequences of the mission fail to involve the audience due to the absence of an intelligent script. In the end, even the final culmination, which is very similar to Gangster, doesn’t appear convincing. Ironically, scenes which provide unintentional laughs act as a saving grace.

The plus points include few creatively shot scenes, especially in the first half. The thrill at the end of the first half is by far the best moment of the movie. Some of the dialogues are very impressive and witty, although on some occasions they appear silly. But it is the music which turns out to be the biggest plus points. It is a rarity these days to have an album full of impressive songs.

The film scores well in the technical departments too. Nigam Bomzan shows his brilliance in his creative camerawork. The makers should be lauded for selecting such unexplored yet beautiful locations in Sri Lanka.

Plenty of eyebrows were raised when Sunny Leone was cast as the main lead. The decision, however, turns out to be well made one as the debutant chips in with the right emotions and expressions. One can’t comment on her dialogue delivery as her voice is dubbed. Randeep Hooda once again shines with a mature act in the role of a crazy assassin. The actor is improving film after film.

Arunoday Singh is mostly average as he struggles during intensely emotional scenes. Arif Zakaria once again proves why he is one of the best character artists. Sumeet Nijhavan is average.

Overall, Jism 2 suffers due to faulty writing. At the box office, the film has a chance of clicking in the metros. It will be largely helped by the section of audience queuing up to see Sunny Leone.

Jism 2 Box-Office Prediction

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Director: Pooja Bhatt

Producers: Clockwork Films and Fisheye Network

Writers: Mahesh Bhatt and Shagufta Rafique

Cast: Sunny Leone, Randeep Hooda, Arunoday Singh, Arif Zakaria

Music: Arko Pravo Mukherjee, Mithoon, Rushk and Abdul Baasith Saeed

Release Date: August 3, 2012

Analysis:

Star Value: Perhaps for the first time in the history of Indian cinema, a female debutant has added plenty of star value to the movie way before its release. The fact that she is a porn star with killer looks is the reason for this, apart from her stint in the television show Bigg Boss. The Sunny euphoria coupled with the presence of known faces of good performers like Randeep Hooda and Arunoday Singh, brings high star value for Jism 2.

Hype: The hype for Jism 2 started ever since Mahesh Bhatt decided to cast Sunny in the film. The hype, which kept on increasing as the shoot neared completion, reached the maximum after the promos and posters of the movie were released. Due to this, a large section of audience will queue up for the movie for obvious reasons. But apart from the hot factor, the promos also promise an intense thrill ride.

Music: The title song ‘Yeh Jism Hai To Kya’ has managed to impress. Other songs like ‘Abhi Abhi’ and ‘Yeh Kasoor’ are also well received. The music has also helped in creating excitement for the movie.

Prediction:

Jism 2 will get a good to very good opening at the box-office, largely due to the Sunny Leone factor. Although the movie has a chance of clicking both in single screens as well as multiplexes, it will score more in the latter as it is a metro product.

What will affect the film’s collections is that the keenly anticipated Gangs Of Wasseypur 2 and the hugely awaited Ek Tha Tiger are slated to release on August 8 and 15 respectively. Hence, it is vital for the film to impress initially and earn as much as possible in the first five days. All in all, Jism 2 is a safe bet due to its low budget.

 

Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum Box-Office Prediction

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Director: Sachin Yardi

Producers: Balaji Telefilms Ltd and Alt Entertainment

Writers: Sachin Yardi

Cast: Riteish Deshmukh, Tusshar Kapoor, Sarah Jane Dias, Neha Sharma, Anupam Kher, Chunky Pandey

Music: Sachin-Jigar, Shankar Ehsaan Loy and Anjjan – Meet Bros

Release Date: July 27, 2012

Analysis:

Star Value: With lead actors like Riteish Deshmukh and Tusshar Kapoor, the star value for Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum is low. But it is the brand of this adult comedy (after its first in 2009) that is the real star for the movie.

Hype: The movie has generated decent hype but only among the college students mostly. The promos have impressed that section of the audience due to the weird acts of the lead actors.

Music: ‘Dil Garden Garden Ho Gaya’ has become quite known among the youth. ‘Shirt Da Button’ is also slowly becoming popular. The rest of the songs aren’t much known.

Prediction:

Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum will at the most get a decent opening at the box-office. It has good prospects only in the metros. The collections might be affected by last week’s The Dark Knight Rises. It is vital for the film to impress initially in order to have a long run at the ticket window.

“Anand Mara Nahin, Anand Marte Nahin”

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Being born in the 80s, I was exposed to the cinema of the 90s during my growing up days. Due to this, I wasn’t interested in watching movies of the 60s or 70s or listening to songs from that era. But a chance encounter with the song ‘Mere Sapno Ki Rani’ and few Rajesh Khanna films made me realize the beauty of that period. Thus, it won’t be wrong to state that it was largely due to Khanna that I started respecting the songs and movies of the yesteryears.

What amazed me was the ease with which the actor had an impressive effect on the audience, even while mouthing the simplest of lines. And talking about the songs he featured in, his special dancing technique made them extra-special. No wonder, he is considered the first superstar of Bollywood. Naturally, when an artist of that caliber leaves us forever, it saddens me to say the least, more so since he was the one who got me exposed to the Golden Era of Indian cinema.

Like all movie buffs, his death brings to memory the climax scene of his evergreen movie Anand. The very last line of the scene and the film acts as a fitting tribute to Kaka – Anand Mara Nahin. Anand Marte Nahin. Rest In Peace Rajesh Khananji!

Have a look at that scene: –

 

 

Liberty Cinema: Standing tall against odds!

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Understandably, an unsatisfactory movie makes us feel our money and time got unnecessarily wasted. However, an unsatisfactory movie at Liberty Cinema doesn’t make me feel so. The beauty of the place makes even a bad movie a paisa vasool experience! The simple yet beautifully interiors, comfortable seating, artistic ceiling designs, royal staircase (especially the ones which lead on to the balcony) and a perfect sound system have been more than a treat for cinema lovers since over six decades (see pictures).

But what makes it further special is that the cost has always been pocket-friendly. This allows the middle-class and the lower middle-class to relish the memorable experience unlike those multiplexes charging Rs 300 or more for a single ticket and Rs 60 plus for a tea that doesn’t taste like one! This fact generates tremendous respect for the single screen theatre from my side.

Recently, however, my respect for Liberty grew ten folds further when I read in a newspaper that the owner Mr Nazir Hossein is in no mood to convert the historical theatre into a swanky multiplex, despite the collections not being as high during its heydays.

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(All picture courtesy – Liberty Cinema Facebook page)

Since last decade or so, destruction of old buildings and monuments in the name of so-called development is on the rise in Mumbai. Naturally, some of the famous theatres of Mumbai have been demolished too to make way for multiplexes. In other words, owners of Mumbai’s famous architectural heritages themselves didn’t blink an eye before demolishing it.

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Metro Cinema, a stone-throw away from Liberty, is a classic example of this fact. A theatre which was once thronged by people from all classes of society now caters only to the elite classes. There is no sign of the common middle class public courtesy some abnormal ticket rates.

It would have been very easy to give in to the temptation when almost the whole of Mumbai is marching towards redevelopment. It takes a big heart and a strong will like Hossein to keep the flame alive. In order to survive the reducing numbers, the owner is now thinking of also bringing art shows, music concerts, etc to the theatre. This is an example of how a strong business sense can be applied to keep traditions alive. Of course, this doesn’t guarantee for the cash registers to keep ringing but for few people like Hossein, pride comes first.

Since the theater was built during the time of India’s independence in 1947, it was named Liberty, which means freedom. The name is apt as the place is free… free from the clutches of business-like attitude! All thanks to Hossein sir for retaining the feeling of the old, simple and uncomplicated Bombay!

To be a part of this proud historical figure of Mumbai and to keep yourself informed about various events at this place, join the Facebook page of Liberty Cinema by clicking here – https://www.facebook.com/libertycinema2012

Have a look at some more of the majestic pictures of Liberty Cinema: –

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Cocktail Box-Office Prediction

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Director: Homi Adajania

Producers: Eros International and Illuminati Films

Writer: Imtiaz Ali

Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Diana Penty, Dimple Kapadia, Boman Irani

Music: Pritam

Release Date: July 13, 2012

Analysis:

Star Value: Although Saif Ali Khan is not one of the biggest crowd-pullers of Bollywood, he is a well-known star. On the other hand, Deepika Padukone stands out as one of the most famous young actresses currently. The debutant Diana Penty has also managed to make heads turn. Due to these factors, the star value of Cocktail is high.

Hype: The hype has been good if not remarkable. The songs and the promos have received thumbs up from youngsters, mostly the college-going crowd.

Songs: ‘Tumhi Ho Bandhu’ has got a tremendous response from the youngsters. Other songs like ‘Daru Desi’ and ‘Second Hand Jawani’ have become well-known too. In short, the music has played the biggest role in creating excitement for the movie.

Prediction:

Cocktail will certainly get a good opening first-up in the metros. Since it is a content-driven film, it is important for it to impress first up if it has to succeed at the box-office. The major hurdle for the film is that its content suits only to the urban multiplex audience. Due to this, the film won’t get a good response at smaller centers. Plus, the fact that last week’s Bol Bachchan is still going very strong might also affect its box-office collections. But the good news is that there are no major Bollywood releases next week.

 

Bol Bachchan Review

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Director: Rohit Shetty

Producers: Ajay Devgn Films, Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevison Ltd.

Writers: Farhad-Sajid (Story, Screenplay and Dialogues) and Yunus Sajawal (Story and Screenplay)

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Abhishek Bachchcan, Krushna Abhishek, Asin, Prachi Desai, Krushna Abhishek, Archana Puran Singh, Asrani, Neeaj Vora

Music: Himesh Reshammiya and Ajay-Atul

Rating: * * * *

Plot: On the verge of bankruptcy, Abbas Ali (Abhishek Bachchan) and his sister Sania (Asin) have almost reached a dead end in life. They find a ray of hope when their family friend Shastri (Asrani) takes them to Ranakpur in Rajasthan in the hope of finding a job for Abbas at Prithvi’s (Ajay Devgn) place. Prithvi is the rough and tough hunk of Ranakpur who doesn’t think twice before roughing up liars.

At Ranakpur, circumstances force Abbas to reveal his name as Abhishek Bachchan when he comes face-to-face with Prithvi. Impressed by Abhishek’s (Abbas) nature and hardworking attitude, Prithvi hires him. But in order to hide his one lie, Abbas has to use a series of lies. This gives rise to a number of rib-tickling incidents. However, how will Prithvi react after knowing he is conned by the one whom he trusted?

Review: It is believed that great stories can be re-told in any time zone by using characters totally different from the ones in the original. Stories by the great Shakespeare are classic examples of this fact. But Rohit Shetty’s remake of Bollywood’s classic comedy Gol Maal (1979) as Bol Bachchan is (in my opinion) the riskiest remake since, apart from changing the time zone and characters, the filmmaker has replaced innocence and reality with utter craziness.

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Reading this, one might feel Shetty has insulted the original Hrishikesh Mukherjee classic. I felt the same when I heard about this and saw promos, especially after seeing how royally David Dhawan failed in a similar task in Chor Machaye Shor (2002). However, after watching Bol Bachchan, I was pleasantly shocked (not just surprised) to see the film turning out to be one of the most enjoyable comedies in the mindless genre. In this way, Shetty has indirectly proved the versatility of Gol Maal and has, I dare to say, paid a tribute to it.

The writers (Farhad-Sajid and Yunus Sajawal) have delivered just what you expect from a film of this genre: non-stop hilarity in the form of some whacky, crazy punches that make you laugh out loud after, at most occasions, almost every seconds. From these moments, Ajay Devgn’s unthinkably weird English interpretations deserve special mention. Devgn’s manner of delivering those lines and their unexpected timing make it further hilarious. In fact, you continue to giggle recalling those one-liners long after leaving the cinema hall, although there would be some who might wince at such homour.

The major incidents from the original are narrated with the use of some creatively funny incidents. These include Abhishek’s gay act and dance, the scene where Archana Puran Singh appears as Abhishek’s fake mother and the climax, which although totally mindless, is unpredictable which makes it funny. But the one moment which surely deserves appreciation is the manner in which Devgn and his comrades react after knowing Abhishek’s true identity.

Thinking of the flipsides, the first thing that appears is the action, which crosses the level of silliness. Surely, they could have done without these juvenile car stunts and fight scenes. Apart from this, the content of the film, including some part of the humour, will get thumbs down from a section of the audience.

The film is well supported by the music (Naino Se Baan and Nach Le), although the title song is simply poor. Technical departments like cinematography (Dudley), background score (Amar Mohile), art direction (Narendra Rahurikar) and editing (Steven H. Bernard) add to the plus points.

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It was vital for the lead actors to give top-notch performances and that is exactly what is seen here. Ajay Devgn succeeds in showing his macho side but at the same time is hilarious during the comic scenes, especially while mouthing his silly English. Another proof of his versatility. Abhishek Bachchan enacts two diverse characters – a simpleton and a naughty gay – with brilliance. His popularity might have lessened due to the fate of his films in last few years but with this performance, proves once again he is one of the most talented actors currently.

Krushna Abhishek continues his brilliant act from the television show Comedy Circus to his Bollywood debut. His comic timing is remarkable. Archana Puran Singh too doesn’t lag behind in an unusually funny role and so do Neeraj Vora and Asrani. Asin and Prachi Desai are average. They don’t get much scope. Jeetu Verma, in the role of the baddie, is strictly okay. Amitabh Bachchan’s cameo in the title song is not bad.

Overall, Bol Bachchan is mindlessness at its best if you can put your topmost organ away. Needless to say, the film will take the box-office by storm. And for those who believe 100 crore is a yardstick for measuring success, yes, the film will cross that milestone.

Bol Bachchan Box-Office Prediction

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Director: Rohit Shetty

Producers: Ajay Devgn Films, Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevison Ltd.

Writers: Farhad-Sajid (Story, Screenplay and Dialogues) and Yunus Sajawal (Story and Screenplay)

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Abhishek Bachchcan, Asin, Prachi Desai, Krushna Abhishek, Archana Puran Singh

Music: Himesh Reshammiya and Ajay-Atul

Release Date: July 6, 2012

Analysis:

Star Value: Despite his last two films Tezz and Rascals turning out to be complete duds, Ajay Devgn’s start power is still high. This is largely because his 2011 blockbuster Singham is still fresh in audience’s minds. Abhishek Bachchan’s star value has decreased in the last few years due to a series of flops but he is still a very well known face of Bollywood. Due to these factors coupled with Rohit Shetty’s mind-blowing record at the box-office, one can say the star value for Bol Bachchan is high.

Hype: The response for the promos of the movie has been impressive but not extra-ordinary. As the publicity and the promotions have also been low key, the hype for Bol Bachchan isn’t as high as one would expect from an out and out commercial caper with big stars. Having said this, one can’t deny that the film is becoming well-known slowly.

Music: Rohit Shetty’s films have never been known from their music. The same is the case with Bol Bachchan. The songs haven’t become very popular with the masses, although ‘Chalao Na Naino Se Baan Re’ and the title song are getting known.

Prediction:

As expected, Bol Bachchan will get a good to very good opening at the box-office. But since the hype is not too high, the response won’t be excellent. If it manages to impress initially, it will be one of the biggest hits of the year. If it doesn’t, it will still manage to make some good money.

Maximum Movie Review

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Director: Kabeer Kaushik

Producer(s): Vainteya Films

Writer(s): Kabeer Kaushik

Cast: Sonu Sood, Naseeruddin Shah, Vinay Pathak, Amit Sadh, Mohan Agashe, Neha Dhupia, Swanand Kirkire, Rajendra Gupta

Music: Amjad Nadeem, Devi Shri Prasad

Rating: * * *

Plot: Encounter specialist Pratap Pandit (Sonu Sood) has climbed the ladder of success much quicker than his senior counterpart Arun Inamdar (Naseeruddin Shah). This has ignited a fire of jealousy inside Inamdar who starts using unfair tactics, including the misuse of people in power, to bring Pandit’s successful world crashing down. Who will bite the dust in the end? It is said that the film is based on a true story of encounter cop Pradeep Sharma.

Review: Director Kabeer Kaushik made a successful debut with his well written, engaging cop drama Sehar (2005). Maximum, his second venture also does justice to the same genre. But unlike his debut flick, this one turns out to be only for the admirers of the serious cinema courtesy a slow narrative and a lack of commercial value.

Kaushik has given a lot of onus on realism with respect to the conversation between the characters and live locations. Deliberately the sub plots are kept incomplete on few occasions without proper focus in the narrative. This works well in presenting a real-to-life picture but it will surely put-off the entertainment-hungry crowd. Naseeruddin Shah’s entry surely adds more life to the proceedings.

Thankfully, the rivalry between the two cops isn’t highlighted with this use of those clichéd dialogues where one character tries to rubbish off the other. Instead, it is nicely woven in the narrative. The proceedings are interrupted due to the forced item number ‘Aa Ante Amlapuram’. But the interval point nicely takes the story forward.

The post-interval portion has a good number of interesting incidents but after a point of time, the narrative becomes dreary. A number of scenes having some unnecessary dry discussions between few characters are largely responsible for this. But lastly, the way the final twist is presented is deceiving even though it doesn’t appear surprising. This leads on to a climax which, although not impressive, is quite descent. But one has to say that the plot could have used better in creating more thrill and drama.

Due to the nature of the subject, there isn’t any scope for songs. ‘Aa Ante Amlapuram’ is the only track that is actually used from the album. But it would have been better if the original south Indian song had been retained as the lyrics of the Hindi version appear juvenile. Krishna Ramanan’s camerawork suits the nature of the flick. The live location scenes, mostly involving local trains, are well shot. A particular background tune (Daniel B George) which appears throughout the film adds good effect to the narrative. The editing (Lionel Fernandes) is simple.

With this performance, Sonu Sood yet again proves his acting prowess. He lives the character of a tough cop perfectly with proper dialogue delivery and portrayal of different emotions. Naseeruddin Shah gives an honest performance. Although his fans would expect him to be more expressive but the nature of his character was such that he had to speak more through the eyes and expressions. Vinay Pathak gives an earnest performance as a north Indian politician.

Amit Sadh, in the role of a journalist, surprises with a mature act. He deserves more films. Neha Dhupia does well but her character doesn’t have much to do except mouth those age-old lines expected from a middle class Indian housewife. Mohan Agashe leaves a mark while Arya Babbar is strictly okay. Lyricist Swanand Kirkire makes his acting debut and surprisingly does well! The supporting cast including Rajendra Gupta, Murli Sharma, Ujjwal Chopra are likable.

Overall, Maximum is an interesting cop drama but the treatment makes it watchable only for a niche section of the audience. This fact coupled with a very low publicity makes sure it has no chance at the box-office.

Maximum (Hindi Movie) Box-Office Prediction

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Director: Kabeer Kaushik

Producer(s): Vainteya Films

Writer(s): Kabeer Kaushik

Cast: Sonu Sood, Naseeruddin Shah, Vinay Pathak, Amit Sadh, Mohan Agashe, Neha Dhupia, Swanand Kirkire, Rajendra Gupta

Music: Amjad Nadeem, Devi Shri Prasad

Analysis:

Star Value: Maximum is blessed by some quality performers like Naseeruddin Shah, Sonu Sood and Vinay Pathak. However, there is no star value as these actors don’t have the capacity to draw audiences to theatres.

Hype: There is just no hype for the movie as promos have not managed to impress that much. The way they have been crafted might be the reason for it not making heads turn. The makers have failed to promote and market the movie properly.

Music: The scope for music isn’t much in such films. The item number ‘Aa Ante Amlapuram’ is somewhat known but it has not impressed the audience.

Prediction:

Maximum will get a low opening at the box-office. Even if the film manages to impress a lot initially, it won’t have much effect on its performance. With Rohit Shetty’s Bol Bachchan releasing next Friday, it looks like Kabeer Kaushik’s cop drama might be a one-week wonder.