Category Archives: Bollywood

Rann Movie Review

Truth or TRP?

Ratings: * * * ½

In a time when news channels are busy with celebrity gossips, astrology, saas bahu news, promoting blind faith, creating sensationalism over petty issues and cooking news about mythological evidences, one tends to wonder what the real role of a news channel is. Ram Gopal Varma’s Rann tries answering the question and not only that; it also shows how the whole political scenario of a nation can change due to the abuse of media.

Vijay Malik’s (Amitabh Bachchan) TV channel India 24 X 7 is low in TRPs as it has not surrendered to sensationalism like other channels. But this won’t bend Malik’s traditional and ethical ways of journalism. Of course, Malik’s ideology is not appreciated by people from his own company including his son Jai (Sudeep). However, Purab (Riteish Deshmukh), an upcoming journalist, considers Malik as a Godly figure because of his honest ideology. One day, India 24 X 7, knowingly and unknowingly, becomes the reason for a major chaos in the country, which benefits a corrupt politician Mohan Pandey (Paresh Rawal).

Ram Gopal Varma does achieve his goal and, surprisingly, without much media bashing. His intelligently crafted scenes create intenseness throughout with the focus not shifting from the topic for once ever. Plus, Amit Roy’s unusual yet out-of-the-box cinematography and Amar Mohile’s powerful background score generate further interest. However, one does hope there were some more powerful punches considering the hard hitting subject. Because of their absence, the film may not go down well with the entertainment hungry creatures.

The songs, which are used only in the background, suit the mood of the film perfectly, especially the Vande Mataram track and a song on TRPs.

The ways of describing Bachchan’s up-to-the-mark performance have exhausted over the decades. So I’ll only say that this performance should be added in Big B’s long list of qualitative performances. Over here, he skillfully manages to convey his message thorough his expressions when his inside is full of lava. Despite Bachchan’s presence, Sudeep manages to surprise amazingly. He is flawless throughout with his expressions, actions and dialogues. He surely deserves lots of opportunities.

With this performance, Ritiesh Deshmukh proves his worth even as a serious and intense performer. His pre-climax scene with Bachchan is memorable. Paresh Rawal, in the role of a baddie politician is too good. You love to hate him. Rajpal Yadav, Mohinish Behl, Suchitra Krishnamurthy and other supporting cast play their part well. However, Neetu Chandra is wasted. All she does is expose her body and cool down Sudeep in almost her every scene.

Rann should surely be watched by all those who take every word from these TRP-hungry news channels. The film will surely appeal to those who prefer meaningful, insightful and hard-hitting cinema. Its chances, however, look bleak because of an unimpressive opening.

3 Idiots Movie Review

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Are you really educated or just well trained?

Ratings: – * * * ½

Ever wondered about the difference between well educated and well trained? Ever thought that intelligence and good marks are poles apart? Ever felt that our education system sucks? Ever thought being happy, satisfied and successful doesn’t always mean earning big bucks? Ever felt the urge of doing what your heart likes? If your answers are yes, go and watch Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots and feel proud of yourself. And if your answers are no, still watch 3 Idiots to destroy your illusionistic image of life.

Loosely based on Chetan Bhagat’s book 5 Point Someone, the film embarks the journey of three engineering students – Rancho (Aamir Khan), Farhan (Madhavan) and Raju (Sharman Joshi).

Rancho never hesitates to challenge, question or prove somebody wrong even if it is the director of his college Viru Sahastrabuddhe (Boman Irani). He will go any heights to help someone and even enlighten others like he does to Farhan and Raju, who have joined engineering without any passion to learn the subject. After changing people’s lives, Rancho, however, suddenly disappears after graduation. Today, after five years, Farhan and Raju get a chance to finally meet their best buddy.

After Munnabhai MBBS and Lage Raho Munnabhai, Hirani is back with an enlightening film, but of course, without appearing preachy. The way he has narrated the tale will appeal to both youngsters and their parents. Even as the writer, Hirani deserves full marks for adding some jaw-dropping funny moments, that will leave you in splits even after the movie is over, and also some touchy incidents.

Shantanu Moitra’s music and Swanand Kirkire’s lyrics add icing to the cake. All the tracks – Aal Izz Well, Give Me Some Sunshine, Zoobi Doobi, Behti Hawa Sa and Jaane Nahin Dungaa – fit the story and the plot perfectly. Even the cinematography deserves special mention.

Despite, however, a long list of winning moments, there are present some flaws in the plot as well as in some scenes. The whole motto of Rancho while he was graduating (which is revealed after the first half) is purely unrealistic. And the destination where Aamir’s character reaches at the end is highly questionable. Mona Singh’s child delivery scene is indigestible and debatable while Sharman’s hospital scene doesn’t fit well. Also too much shedding of tears could have been avoided and the overall length should have been tighter. The inclusion of a large number of filmi moments doesn’t suit in a film which has an enlightening message. Lastly, some funny moments are not comfortable for family viewing (especially the ragging scene).

Aamir Khan proves yet again why he is one of the best in the business when it comes to carrying the film on one shoulder. The actor is adorable in each and every scene. Because of his brilliant portrayal of a college youth, you completely forget his real age. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi provide perfect support. Both are flawless and lovable throughout. The nature of Boman Irani’s character is the same as in Munnabhai MBBS. Despite that, he portrays his part with a new dimension and perfection. Kareena Kapoor (Pia) too should be proud of her act. However, it is Omi’s (Chatur aka Silencer) mind-blowing comic act that takes everyone by surprise. Omi’s character and its hilarious accent will be remembered as long as the movie itself!

All said and done, watch 3 Idiots for the shower of hope that it provides while giving a new definition of life. And those creatures who are looking for non-stop fun, the film is worth multiple watches. The huge and extraordinary first weekend collections indicate that 3 Idiots will surely become the highest grosser ever in Bollywood!

Personal Note: – I never felt ashamed or disappointed for scoring less than 50 % marks in most of my college exams and after watching Rocket Singh and 3 Idiots, I have started flaunting my marks.

Rocket Singh – Salesman Of The Year Movie Review

Damn These Dialogues!

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By: Keyur Seta

Right from its inception, Bollywood has churned out some memorable flicks with some classy and landmark dialogues. However, amongst these praiseworthy dialogues, there have also been some which are plain idiotic.

Surprisingly, many of these stupid lines have appeared in movies which are highly regarded and respected. Being subjected to hearing such lines since childhood, I can’t help but make fun of them. There’s some force which is compelling me to interpret these dialogues (in capital letters) in my way, which can be more idiotic than the original lines!

– Agar tumne uske saath shaadi ki to mera maraa moo dekhogi! – AS IF OTHER PARTS OF YOUR BODY WOULD BE ALIVE.

– Main tera khoon pee jaaunga – A HOPELESS AND HELPLESS VICTIM OF WATER SHORTAGE.

– Doctor tells a lady that her husband is no more and she says, “Keh do ki yeh jhoot hai!” Just imagine the doctor saying, “Haan aisi situations mein mujhe mazaak karne ki aadat hain.”

– Yeh gaajar ka halwa maine apne haathon se banaya hain – YES WE CAN COOK FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR BODY.

– Nikaah kabool hain? – NAHIN YAAR. MAIN YAHAN ITNE ACHHE SE TAYAAR HOKE SIRF TIMEPASS KARNE AAYAA/AAI HOON!

– Kanoon ke haath bohat lambe hote hain – KAASH PAIR BHI LAMBE HOTE TO POLICE TIME PE POHOCHTI!

– Mera dimaag mat khao – MAIN SADI HUI CHEEZEN NAHIN KHATA!

– Bachne ka koi rasta nahin. Police ne tumhe chaaron taraf se gher liya hai – THEN WHY YOU SOUNDING SO PETRIFIED?

– Itne kharche? Ghar mein ek phooti kaudi nahin hain – AGAR HOTI TO BHI KYA HO JATA? IS IT ACCEPTED AS CURRENCY IN INDIA?

– Main kahan hoon? Main kaun hoon? – ACTUALLY YOU SHOULD ASK, “MAIN KYUN HOON?”

– A typical maa asks with a startling and spooky expression, “Tumne mujhe maa kaha? – GALTI HO GAYI. PHIR SE NAHIN KAHUNGAA!

(And now the killer of all:-)

– Aage jaane ke liye tumhe meri laash pe se guzarna hoga – NAHIN MAIN ITNA BHI NIRDAY NAHIN HOON. MAIN LAASH KE SIDE MEIN SE CHALA JAAUNGA. I WILL MANAGE ALL RIGHT!

Having made fun of all these lines, I still want the idiocy to continue so that I can write more such blog posts!

Kurbaan Movie Review

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Almost Kurbaan

Rating: – * * *

Each and every department of a movie, no matter how perfect and up to the mark, can go unnoticed if the basic plot is infected with flaws. That’s exactly the problem with Rensil D’Silva’s directorial debut Kurbaan. One really wishes the plot was as flawless and watertight as the performances, of each and every artist, and the technical aspects.

The story goes around professor Avantika (Kareena Kapoor), who thought her life is a bed of roses when she married her lover Ehsaan Khan, also a professor, (Saif Ali Khan) until she discovered she is being used as a pawn in a huge terror conspiracy. There’s also Riyaaz (Vivek Oberoi), a war journalist with disguised intentions.

As stated earlier, the problem with Kurbaan lies in the plot itself. The whole idea and motive of Riyaaz is devoid of much logic (not going through the details in order to avoid being a spoiler).

Another scene, the most vital in the plot, is plain laughable. Just figure this out – Avantika gets to know that the plane, in which her friend (Dia Mirza) will be travelling, is going to get blown up. What does Avantika do when she couldn’t get through Dia’s mobile phone? She phones at Dia’s office landline just 15 minutes before takeoff and leaves a recorded message urging and pleading her not to take the flight. How the hell can she expect Dia to receive the message in her office just 15 minutes before the takeoff? She could have called the police, the FBI or the airport authorities but looks like she didn’t trust them.

The above two loopholes turn you off from a rather well made thriller with some terrific edge-of-the-seat moments. Another flipside is the duration of 2 hours 40 minutes. One could afford to miss the initial 20 odd minutes where the hero goes head over heels when he sees his heroine and flirts with her in a typical 90’s fashion. In some more places, the editor should have used his scissors.

Despite the problems, D’Silva does leave a mark. Shooting such a film can be a hell of a task especially when it’s your first one. Therefore, D’Silva should get full credit for it. But the strongest factors come in the form of Hemant Chaturvedi’s cinematography, Salim-Sulaiman’s revolutionary background score, Parvez Khan’s action and Anurag Kashyap and Niranjan Iyenagar’s dialogues.

Salim-Sulaiman’s duo, as music directors, does produce some tuneful melodies but sadly the songs end up being interrupters and the most memorable title track appears at the end credits.

Both Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor enact their parts with flawlessness. Their emotional acts in the climax stay etched in your memory. However, it’s Vivek Oberoi who comes as a total surprise. He has played his part so well that it won’t be an overstatement to assert that the actor is back to his Company, Saathiya and Dum days. In a film which relies mostly on performances, the supporting cast needs to deliver top notch performances and Om Puri, Kiron Kher and the rest of the filling cast do exactly that.

The information and statistics provided in the script and the issues taken to light need special mention. Not many would have known that the US, in their efforts to curb terrorism, ended up taking many more than 15,000 lives in Iraq and Afghanistan which is five times more than the death toll in the 9/11 attacks (3,000).

All in all, Kurbaan is for those who like to enjoy some spine chilling moments without troubling their brains. Despite the big starcast, the film has had just an average opening which will make its going tough at the box-office.

Happy Birthday Shah Rukh Khan!

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Shah Rukh Birthday

Chauaalis (44) saal pehle 2nd November ko hua ek CHAMATKAAR. JOSH ke saath aayaa is duniya mein ek BAADSHAH ye kehte hue ki MAIN HOON NA! Us BAAZIGAR ke DIL SE barasne lagi MOHABBATEIN. SWADES aur PARDES mein logon ka is par DIL TOH PAGAL HAI. Sirf main hi nahin iska DEEWANA, is Bollywood ke DON ka to hai ZAMANA DEEWANA.

Very Happy Birthday to a talented actor and a down-to-earth human being!

A Thursday

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Why is October 12 so special for me? (No… it’s not my birthday and I am still single)

October 12… sounds like an ordinary date doesn’t it? But for me, it’s worth a thousand smiles. Something happened on this day which I so dearly wanted to happen since my childhood. I am sure many would consider my excitement as over the top but I can’t help. Three years back, I finally saw him in real and spoke with him (not her by any means). And before you start thinking, God knows what, let me come to the point and stop your weird imaginations. It was the day when I met the great Baadshah of Bollywood – Shah Rukh Khan!

I and my classmates, who were completing PG Diploma in Journalism, were sent by our college (K C College of Management Studies) to a talk show on NDTV show where SRK was the guest. I clearly remember how desperate I was to put in my name in the list of those who were interesting in attending the show. Thus began my wait for that Thursday, which finally arrived. After we reached Mehboob Studio for more than an hour, King Khan finally arrived dressed in a shirt and blue jeans. I could hardly believe my eyes and luck.

Pranab Roy, the host, quickly began the show. As Shah Rukh started answering questions on his daily life, we soon came to know how down to earth he is. We were all pleasantly surprised to see the biggest star behaving in the most simplest of manners just like any other common man. The show began to progress and so did King Khan’s friendliness with us. Also we were awestruck by his witty humor.

SPL18091_002

In between he also gave attitude tips in a totally non-preaching manner. It’s after listening to one of his tips that I have started doing every small activity with utmost dedication. SRK had said, “Even if you are just brushing your teeth you should brush it in such a way as if it is the last time you are getting a chance to do so.” Initially I wasn’t sure of this but still gave it a try few days after the show and today I am still enjoying doing every small activity enthusiasm.

Later in the show, selected few got a chance to ask Shah Rukh a question and of course I was one of them. While all were desperately pleading for the mike with all excitement, I just politely signaled Roy for a chance and it paid off. If there was a moment where calmness scored over desperation, this was one!

As I tried asking a question to SRK, I could feel my hand shaking, heartbeat thumping and my breath going irregular. I asked, “Are you looking forward to becoming a director ever?” and he answered humorously, “Yes, maybe after 4-5 years when nobody will give me work.” I won’t explain my reaction after this cameo of a talk with him because I will never be able to do so! And lastly, we broke the rules of the organizers and ran on the stage. Needless to say I was one of them. I can still feel his handshake.

SRK2

The show ended as Shah Rukh Khan danced with few members from the audience. And this time, I, being the worst dancer in the world, was happy sitting in the audience as I had no intentions of making a fool of myself on national television! Thus, the show ended and so did one of the best moments of my life.

When my course ended, majority of my classmates felt the money spent on the fees wasn’t worth. In fact, almost all of them felt that… except me. Those few hours spent inside Mehboob studio never allowed me to feel that way.

Season of Suicide in Bollywood

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Quick Gun Murugun What would happen if a sparsely populated village that requires around 100 kilos of wheat each month is supplied a thousand kilos? Around 90% of the product will go waste. Well, the situation in our very own Bollywood is similar these days because of the abnormal number of films releasing. It’s unbelievably true that 12 Hindi films have released in last two weeks (28^th August and 4^th September).

But that’s not all as next Friday (11^th September), 5 more flicks are coming out. And apart from these 17, there are 6 Hollywood films and 1 Bengali film (Sob Choritra Kalponik starring Bipasha Basu) too. Just imagine – a total of 24 new films in three weeks! It can’t get more insane than this.

The following table is the list of new releases in these three weeks: –

August 28	September 4	September 11
Kisaan	Chintu Ji	Baabarr
Quick Gun Murugun	Mohandas	Vaada Raha… I Promise
Toss	Aagey Se Right	Aamras
Daddy Cool	Fox	Ruslaan
Yeh Mera India	Three	I Can’t Think Straight
Sob Choritra Kalponik	Bachelor Party	The Unforgettable
Love Khichdi	The Final Destination	9
The Taking Of Pelham 123		District 9
Race To Witch Mountain

Because of the high number of releases and the lack of promotion of most of the movies, the theatres are almost running empty. In fact, many of the shows of these films got cancelled due to ‘no audience’.

Yeh Mera India

The reason is simple. The cost of tickets and the lack of time do not allow a common man to enjoy more than two films per week. Even if a person has all the time and money, has he or she heard most of the names from this list? Because of this overdose, even few well made flicks go unnoticed.

A year that has seen less than a handful of successful films in the first half is now laden with such high numbers of unsuccessful films. What’s worse is that such mass suicide will continue in the coming months. So don’t be surprised if 2009 becomes the year with most number of flops in Bollywood ever.

3 Day Affair

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Gone are the days when box-office hits were movies that easily lasted at least 10-15 weeks and most of them completing silver jubilee. In today’s times, it’s impossible to see such a thing happening.

We are living in a see-and-forget-world. The world has become so fast that the first weekend collections itself determine whether a film is a hit or flop! And most of the times, a person who hasn’t seen a particular movie labels it as good or poor by just looking its business over the first three days.

singh-is-king2

Let’s take two examples –Singh Is King and Kambakkht Ishq. Singh Is King was considered as the most successful Bollywood film when it released in 2008. The stamp of a blockbuster was granted to it just because its producers and distributors booked almost all theatres in the country with around 10 shows per day.

As expected, people stormed into the theatres in the first weekend as it was a hugely awaited movie. Therefore, it gets the status of one of the biggest hits ever in Bollywood. However, you will hardly hear any praises from those who have seen this. Singh Is King’s audience rating in Imdb.com is just about 5 out of 10. Any regular reader at Imdb will know that to have a rating of 5 over there isn’t good by any means.

KambakkhtIshq

Kambakkht Ishq is even a bigger example. Some critics are of the view that it’s a super hit judging by its business on the first three days. But do we have any appreciators for this so called super hit? On Imdb, the audience’s response is merely 3.6 out of 10 for this flick.

This proves that in today’s times, it’s not difficult to ‘cook’ a box-office hit. All you need is a top actor, an exciting promo and a good marketing strategy. In fact, it seems some filmmakers are putting in more efforts in creating their film’s promo than the actual movie.

There is a dialogue in the movie Halla Bol (sadly, another sincere effort going unnoticed) by some side actor. It says “Aaj kal sab kuchh marketing pe chalta hai. Jab tak public ko achchhe-bure ki samaj aaye, teen din mein maal andar”. The ‘3 Day Affair’ cannot be described more accurately than this!

The Common Man Speaks