Akira (Hindi) Movie Review

***This is a repost review from Bollyspice.com***

How do you begin a review of a film like Akira? It’s a remake of a Tamil film in the hands of A.R.Murugadoss. Yes. It has Sonakshi Sinha in her first ever full blown action role. Yes. Vishal and Shekhar set the tunes for the first time with ARM. Yes. So what makes Akira different? Well, it’s yet another sample the Bollywood audience is opening up to new films and directors are sitting up and taking note. Santha Kumar’s original script was written with a male lead, a romance angle and a complex screenplay that blew you away. Akira stands out despite being a remake because of the masterstroke in ARM’s additional screenplay and judgement call on changing the gender of its lead actor. It is still very much a commercial film but where it takes away the extra masala you would see in most films, you are given a new facet to reflect today’s women and society itself.

Akira is the story of a simple girl, trying to adjust to her new life in Mumbai until she goes through some pretty extraordinary circumstances. Starting in Jodhpur, Akira is the witness of very cruel, very real crime. However, when she faces the backlash of testifying, her father takes her to self-defense classes and teaches her to be strong. The strength she builds is not only physical but emotional as well. But you don’t get to thrash an influential individual scumbag son without repercussions. It is only after being released from the remand home that her true litmus test comes. And that too in Mumbai city.

Enter ACP Govind Rane (Anurag Kashyap) and gang of corrupt cops. What started out as a simple act of greed in an opportunistic situation, turns into a whirlwind of lies, cover ups and murder, with Akira falling smack-bang in the middle. But Akira is not giving up. How she fights for the truth and to get her life back forms the story.

The film proves that as a story, you can remodel a film to suit a different audience and yet stand ground on its own film. The story of the wrongfully accused isn’t new but the temperament is a great mix of fantasy and reality. It is sad to say that the judgement people make regarding individuals with mental health issues is far from compassionate. Add in the police brutality that overshadows so many hard working men and women, and you see a slice of life. Then comes the conveniently placed fantasy. A highly sedated Akira thrashing the bejeezus out of security guards? A well-known in the media case closed for the purpose of avoiding a goonda’s wrath? A little curve ball-ish but when the audience is clapping for Sonakshi to stand up again, you know the cinematic liberties are doing a decent job at entertaining at least.

ARM’s choice to change the lead is one that has to be applauded since today’s women are strong, both physically and emotionally. The scene where Sonakshi hides for fear of thrashing her college bully’s gang is a stroke of genius. After all, why would a “girl” fight back? Even if it’s a girl that’s bullying her. R.D. Rajasekhar’s cinematography is real in Mumbai and brings out the mood naturally. A. Sreekar Prasad has done a decent job with editing, especially since there is no song and dance routine and most songs playing over story time. Vishal-Shekhar have taken steps away from their ‘Baby Ko Bass Pasand Hai’ tunes and it works well for what it’s worth.

Now comes my favourite part. The lady of the minute, Sonakshi Sinha. Wow. There has been many mentions the actress was being whimsical with her choices and playing the damsel too often. But her performance in Akira is just marvelous. There seem to be a little struggle as a fighter (Action by Anl Arasu) initially, but she picks up the pace quickly. From playing on the femininity and being sensible to engulfing her foes in rage, she is AKIRA!

Even her younger version Mishilekka Arora is strong in short screen time. I have pretty much only one word for Anurag Kashyap. Sensational! Why have we not seen him on screen before, we will never know. But for the love of all things cinema, I hope we see him more often. The actors playing the corrupt cops are adequate support but Anurag just takes over with his oh-so-enjoyable creepy cop.

Konkona Sen Sharma plays Rabiya CP Crime Branch to the tee. She is silently confident but is shrewd. The concept that the police are always way behind the criminals is broken with her investigation. The cat-and-mouse game to finding the truth is depicted in true ARM style as he keeps close to the original but makes enough changes to keep the audience engaged. Amit Sadh doesn’t really have much of a role as the friend/love interest. It’s only at the end credits you see they are together. Ankita Karan Patel underplays but also has little to do, even though she plays a catalyst. Raai Laxmi is apt as Maya. The rest fall into place.

So without doing too much chest pounding and with a perfect choice in lead, Akira is not without flaws but still leaves you engaged, enraged and entertained. 

Rating:3.5/5

Jazbaa Review

It would be interesting to find out why a particular title is given to a film. Jazbaa can be translated to mean ‘emotions’ and on paper the story behind Jazbaa is to do with emotions. The protagonist’s relationship with her friend, her daughter and the kidnapper bring out emotions that drive the story. However, it also drives our emotions from bored to depressing to fed-up.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan plays successful female criminal lawyer Anuradha Verma. Life is perfect as she has just won her latest case by using her intelligence and a little bit of bribery. Even though she is a single mother, she is without guilt of repercussions due to her ambitions. That is until her daughter gets kidnapped right before her eyes. The kidnapper wants to utilise her ambition and fame to release a known rapist and murderer, Miyaaz Sheikh.

On the other side of town, Irrfan Khan plays corrupt and ‘under investigation’ police officer Yohan. While we are told he is highly decorated, this does not rely on the number of medals he has received. The bribery allegations against him give him a dark façade but his friendship with Anuradha (which is a strong relationship of many years) depict him the good guy, stepping up when he is needed.

What is supposed to ensue is a cat-and-mouse game where the successful lawyer becomes a pawn as she thwarts all attempts to hang Miyaaz Sheikh in exchange for the release of her daughter. Yohan provides the veneer of hired muscle to supplement Anuradha’s crafty investigative technique even though he was the investigating officer in the original case. Do they find the evidence that they need? Does he really get set free? These questions are supposed to be answered over the 2 hrs of the film but for any crime-loving, suspense-thriller fanatic the story and its twists are obvious from the 35th minute of the film where Sanaya (played by Sara Arjun) gets kidnapped. The only peak of interest you will gain after this point is when the case details against Miyaaz Sheikh unfold. After this once again we are subjected to melodramatic performances and uninspired writing.
The disappointments don’t stop there. Background score by Aman Mohile may have been on point but music by Sachin-Jigar, Abhishek-Ramya and Arko leave a lot to be desired. Aaj Raat ka Scene is most likely to be used in the club scene a little longer. The song was perhaps intended to be a relief in the nail biting screenplay. It truly is a relief to the boredom of that screenplay. On top of this the logic has taken not even a back seat but has been left behind altogether. One would assume that since the investigating officer is under corruption charges, a top notch lawyer would be able to use this to get her client off quite easily. Yet we go through episodes of investigation to give the premise that the killer is actually innocent.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan hams her way through the court scenes where she is half decent. Irrfan Khan needs no introduction but sometimes the weak writing even makes him look bland. Shabana Azmi who plays the mother of rape victim Sia is competent in the role but proves to be lacking in the final summation. Atul Kulkarni as public prosecutor is dignified but lacks screen space. Watch out for Jackie Shroff in what could be considered a cameo due to the length of time he is allotted. The remaining cast including Abhimanyu Singh, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Priya Banerjee and Sidhanth Kapoor give their two bits reluctantly.

Remakes are not something new in our industry and this too is a remake of a Korean film. Yet Sanjay Gupta’s everlasting love to extenuate and exacerbate the melodrama is once again at the forefront of this movie. The end result is watching for the sake of watching but not actually connecting with anyone. Jazbaa proves to be emotionless.

Rating:0.5/5

Bahubali Review

** This is a repost of my review for Bollyspice.com**

Lets get two things straight. Bahubali was never going to be a shrinking violet and S.S. Rajamouli is not the type to make a quickie film with a so-so storyline. So when you step into the theatre halls for Baahubali make sure you leave the hype at the door and open your mind to a new world on celluloid. A world where courage is your armour, vengeance is your sword, honour is the life you lay down and victory is a throne in the hearts of the people. Make no mistake this is a fantasy kingdom called Mahishmati. But look hard enough and you may just find the truth behind the fantasy.

In a forest far, far away and beneath the landscape, Empress Sivagami (Ramya Krishnan) stumbles her way to the base of a waterfall with a child in hand. A child she sacrifices her life for to keep alive. Raised by Sanga (Rohini), a doting childless woman and one of the villagers, Shiva (Prabhas) is no ordinary man. He climbs a mountain no mere mortal can conquer. Only the likes of Lord Shiva himself could take the reigns over this task. He is persistent, but falls short every time. Yet it is only when a wooden face mask literally falls to his feet, he finds the strength to overcome this obstacle. His task, solely to find out whom the girl behind the wooden mask is. Mission accomplished but this girl is no damsel. She is Avanthika (Tammannah Bhatia), a warrior in the rebel revolution set on the rescue of their queen – Devasena (Anushka Shetty). So while it’s not the normal successful attempt of courting, Shiva makes his mark on Avanthika (literally) only to embark on a new path with more challenging obstacles.

Unbeknownst to him, Devasena is not just a queen that is captive. She was the queen but now khaas mujrim of unknown crime in the kingdom of Mahishmati ruled by Bhallaladeva (Rana Daggubati). Tormented every day and every night, Bhalladeva rules his kingdom with the same never-yielding nature to torment. It runs on the loyalty of warrior-servants like Kattappa (Sathyaraj) and the fear of his complacent people. His strength lies in his brute force, his treachery and his disabled father Bijjaladeva (Nasser). When there is no hope, there is no reason to fight the inevitable. The people of Mahishmati have resolved to their grim fate ever since the death of their saviour, their king Bahubali (Prabhas again). However, not every day will be the same. Not every day does a queen breathe a sigh of relief after waiting 25 years for a son to come to her rescue. Not every day does a ferocious ruler erect a statue for himself, only to be overshadowed by the force of his people’s chant for their saviour.

You will have people compare the likes of Hercules, Prince of Persia, 300, Gladiator, Lord of The Rings and even Karan Arjun with the unwavering belief Devasena holds for the return of her son. But trust me when I say, there is very little originality in most films nowadays that circle Bollywood. As mentioned, look hard enough and you will find it. But the question in front of you isn’t just about how original the script is. It is how was the story told? How far did the makers go to ensure we the audience are entertained with a fresh viewpoint and convince us to play along? Did the cast depict the life of a character without the audience thinking it was so-and-so actor in the role of such-and-such character? On these counts there’s no doubt, minds will be blown.
 

So let’s start with the cast. You will be farfetched to find a cast so appealing. Ramya Krishnan is regal in her commanding leadership. She plays authority with finesse and fierceness that you’re almost inclined to follow her orders. Sathyaraj is the epitome of honour as Kattappa and is perfection on screen. Regardless of if it is on the battlefield or his devotion to a sword in memory of his leader. Anushka Shetty scares you with her intro but could possibly the 2nd best and most anticipated character for Part 2. She barely has enough screen time yet she wastes none of it to display the fighter bidding her time. Even as these characters display with maturity and stature their varying dynamics, it is Rana Daggubati and Prabhas that stand tall even if it is barely over their 6’ plus frames. The two actors are in full form playing against and with each other that is akin to brothers in arms. Rana is such a pleasure to see as he flares up with ferocity and with a sinister charm bound to kill a few hearts in the audience. As Shiva, Prabhas is playful and full of wonder yet as Baahubali, he shines with dignity and level-headedness that of a leader.

  

A mention must be made for Nasser and Tamannah. Both actors have proven their acting chops before, Nasser more so. However, the actors both don’t match up to their former performances. Nasser has played the conniving manthri in few films already so it was almost cake-walk. Tamannaah may have struck out in landing a power-packed role in Hindi films but the lovely lady has been in the South for about 10 years and has proven her mettle there. Bahubali does push her limits and she struggles to play the warrior in some places which is a shame. Having said this, neither of these characters would be considered bad. More they are the weaker links in an epic collaboration.

There is no distinct difference for the Hindi version of Bahubali. Simply put, Dharma Productions and AA Media present the film, Manoj Muntashir is on board for the lyrics/dialogue and M.M.Kreem’s changes his choice of singers for a soundtrack to suit. A soundtrack that resonates in the halls as epically as the films does. So what makes this dubbed version of a film different from the rest? Well the answer lies in another question. What makes us push boundaries? Success? Maybe. Prestige? Possibly… For a director like S.S. Rajamouli so dedicated to his craft, the answer lies in his passion for cinema. One that he shares with the massive crew that worked in the film. This is collaborative effort and they all shared the dream of this 2 part epic. As much as that sounds like something a clichéd thank you speech, Bahubali is testimony to that effort and it’s evident on screen. The VFX team itself was 2000 as declared by the director at the audio launch in Thirupathi. How can one yield a team so vast without missing out? Rajamouli is known for his take painstaking efforts to make sure he and his team get it right. Bahubali is no different. V.Vijayendra Prasad set the storyline, K.K. Senthilkumar behind the camera, Sabu Cyril for set design but it is Rajamouli at his creative best that grabs the audience of multiple languages to identify and sync with the final product. The suspense of each character poster, the teaser which shows 1000 men working on the construction of a set, the making videos of the cast as they were grilled physically for each character. This dedication is rare and the output is outstanding.

I read a tweet from a random viewer which said people are running out of superlatives to describe the grandeur that is Bahubali. I too am lost for words as the fan of fantasy screams and shouts for joy but has to wait patiently to see Bahubali: The Conclusion.

Rating: 4.5/5

Detective Byomkesh Bakshy Review

** This is a repost of my review from Bollyspice.com**

The highlight of any Sherlock Holmes story is never the story itself. When you look deep enough, there is always a dot point path that will lead to the solution for any puzzle. The allure of the clues and the unconventional mix of various fields from science to mythology. These form the highlight. 

All that forms the brilliance that is Sherlock Holmes and the madness as well, is but the stepping stones for Detective Byomkesh Bakshi as written by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. Even as Holmes overwhelmed the world, this Bengali Babu still had his own quirks and traits which made the stories and subsequent TV show so successful.

So with reliance so heavily on its main character for both stories, the casting director has a major pair of shoes to fill for this feature film adaption. Sushant Singh Rajput tries very hard to step into Byomkesh Bakshy. It may be a deliberate change by the writers Urmi Juvekar and Dibaker Bannerjee to bring out a boyish Byomkesh Bakshy. Unfortunately, given that the original series is about an experienced mid-to-late 20s sleuth, mincing words and playing aloof isn’t a part of the character which Rajput’s version brings out. This acts as a black spot in Rajput’s otherwise outstanding performance.

As newbie to the character Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay brought to life, it is a pleasant surprise to see Dibaker make a film quite different to the usual suspects at the box office. A tale of a missing person takes our simple genius on a goose chase at every turn. No one can be trusted and nothing is as it seems. Sure, there is a Watson and Moriarty to the Bengali Sherlock, but the magic comes full circle at the climax as all the pieces, and people, fall into place. While Sherlock may have more elaborate ways to tie everything in, Bakshy follows something of a different rule. The simplest idea will be the solution once all others are ruled out. What this means, is something you have to see to understand.

Superlative is really all you can say when it comes to the remaining cast. Be it Anand Tiwari as Ajit, who gets the ball rolling, or Pradipto Kumar Chakraborthy who plays the ever chai-making Puntiram. Each and every one makes a mark. There are literally not enough words to express the delight of watching a cast so effortlessly flow in a story and create magic with characters that are filled out just enough for a suspense thriller.

It would be naive to think there is any singing or dancing in this film. Right from the first teaser, it was evident the naachgaana variety of songs were not a part of the film. Sneha Khanwalkar, Madboy/Mink, PCRC, IJA, BLEK, Mode AKA and Joint Family, whose Life’s a B@£%h was used in the trailer, form the independent music composers which in its self, is a change. ‘Calcutta Kiss’ may stick with you thanks to Lauren Gottlieb, but the soundtrack is definitely an acquired taste. Yet when you look at the film, with its spot on cinematography and almost OCD level set design, the usual background score would not fit in. Dibaker has infused the raw and violent reality of crime and war on screen, so an equally unearthing background is to be expected.

The issue with such a film is now with keeping the connection with the audience. While the director and his crew have definitely worked hard to keep the film in tact and as close to the era as possible, tying up loose ends and keeping the momentum would have given an extra edge over the audience. And yes, you can overlook the reality sometimes stepping into Bollywood logic since for the most part, it doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb.

So the final verdict, Detective Byomkesh Bakshy is not your average suave, sophisticated sleuth. He makes mistakes, takes heroin to prove a point and dabbles in politics. But you have to admit, the detective has a method to his madness.

Rating: 3/5

Shamitabh Review

** This is a repost of my review on Bollyspice.com **

 

Dhanush + Amitabh = SHAMITABH. Now its fine to think the obsession with Amitabh Bachchan’s voice has hit a new level with R. Balki making a movie revolving around it. The trailer tantalizes you with this obvious fact. But just like Dhanush’s ( i.e. Balki’s) reason behind the choice of name, there is something deeper behind the simplicity. Foundation set, now add the curiosity that is the debut of Akshara Haasan and the return of Dhanush Karthikraja after the success of Raanjhanaa. And may be some cameos of so many celebrities for good measure. Expectations high you say? Well, unfazed by all the hype, R.Balki takes us on a stroll, keeping his eyes set on his target. A film you can kick back and enjoy.

 

The story is this. Daanish (Dhanush) is small time boy that dreams of it big in Bollywood. He can blow your mind if you give him a chance. His ultimate problem? Not his height, his weight or his unconventional looks. It’s simply that… well you will find out when you see the movie. Enter Akshara (Haasan) who finds him on one of the sets she ADs for. Realising his talent, she aides Daanish with his dream and finding a voice. With the help of some Finnish technology, and a few trials later, they stumble upon Amitabh Sinha, a washed up grumpy drunkard who tried his hand at the big screen and failed. Now he lives in the graveyard. Together, they form Shamitabh and the stardom is instant but so is the rivalry. What continues is a contest to outwit, outsmart and outperform the other. Until…

 

Balki has always been about simple things but in a different way. We’ve all seen Big B perform and have possibly thought how majestic his voice is for just over 40 years. But this film is possibly one of the few if not the only, that utilises that fascination for the baritone voice on a story level. While the beginning is a bit choppy and does take time to drive its point, you don’t leave empty handed. Once you reach the point of story twisting, the sheer delight of watching two amazing actors battle it out, is bliss. Keeping it basic in emotion, Balki shows the good, the bad and the ugly of the pair. Now yes, he literally goes back to ABCDs of life to bring them together yet does not get preachy about it. He even has a satirical stab at mediocrity lasting longer than meaningful cinema. But that’s not the point being established. You see the ideology of water needing whisky but whisky doesn’t need water is naive. Especially when you realise whisky is only 47% alcohol. The full circle concept is essentially the base for the film.

  

Supporting the director in every way is the crew. Ilaiyaraja has fun reviving old Tamil classics, as the background score rose and fell at varying stages. P.C. Sriram does wonders and brings beauty to every frame. However, Hemanti Sarkar could have snipped a little more but indulgence is inevitable with Amitabh Bachchan on screen and Balki behind the megaphone. The love is very much obvious and has its perks.

 

Which now brings us to the cast. Amitabh Bachchan has played a drunk many times, a grumpy old man many times but as he stands opposite Dhanush, the sparks do fly. He is who he is, and the screen just loves him. Dhanush lives the role of a small town boy dreaming it big and the arrogance that takes over. Having to literally redefine the face of a voice known to many is hard enough but as he oozes the suave coolness of a superstar, not once do you see Amitabh’s famous ishtyle. Then there is Akshara, the one that keeps the egos at bay but is no ditsy sacrificial lamb. She is as funky and fiesty as her haircut. Totally natural to the point of somewhat raw but fits the role and stands her ground against the male leads.

 

This may not be Balki’s ultimate work but the man has to be commended for his approach and the depth behind it all. So the final word on Shamitabh is simply this. Watch it for the performers.

 

Rating: 3.5/5

Baby Review

** This is a repost of my review on Bollyspice.com **

 

Picture this. An elite team who target, intercept then either eliminate or bring to justice terrorists and criminals. Whilst on an operation to save one of their own, information is obtained (read smacked black and blue out of) from a criminal of a major attack. Travelling from country to country, now begins the chase to take out the masterminds behind it. Sound familiar. Well it should. You’ve seen it more than a million times, with one of the latest being Akshay Kumar’s Holiday. However, coming from the National Award winning Neeraj Pandey, you would think Baby would blow your mind. Yet the mind is not blown enough.

 

Right from the actors to the action, Baby was never meant to have the usual tone for a CIA-in-combat-fighting-against-terrorism storyline. It was more gritty, more swift, more dark. This isn’t about the patriot that screams his passion filled anthem at the top of his lungs. The unit of Baby are crazy, persistent and willing to go ahead with anything for their nation. All this even with the knowledge their government has plausible deniability up their sleeve for the rare occasion they get caught.

 

At the helm of the team, we have our martial arts master of screen Akshay Kumar. As Ajay, a paramilitary recruited under Feroze Khan played by Danny Denzongpa and his man at the forefront for the important covert ops, Akshay delivers and gets the most exposure. His collaborations with Anupam Kher the few comical scenes in the film but he sticks to his characterisation throughout. He himself strolls his way into our giggle bone and does his magic, wig and all. Rana Daggubati gets about 3 lines to say, is built like a tank and is aptly referred to as Hulk. At the same, you don’t really get a chance to see the actor enough to think he’s dopey also. Another character with not enough footage is Taapsee Pannu. In a short role, the lovely lass packed quite a punch, literally. Hopefully we will see more of her. Off the field, we have Danny Denzongpa who is forever reliable to be suave and oh so cool. Murali Sharma gives you the giggles everytime you see him on screen and Karan Wahi doing the backend hacking/paper trail/call interception is just okay. K.K. Menon is reliable for instilling fear without the extra bad guy buffoonery and does his bit while Rasheed Naz exhibits a cunning sinister character aplomb.

So what brings down this almost brilliant story? Well, a few things. For one, the blatant obviousness of the screenplay. Yes, having a cryptic script isn’t good but for a suspense action film, its kinda vital and the action can only do so much. What you end up with is somewhat a bedtime story. The climax is about the only time you are on the edge of your seat and it wasn’t the most exhilarating setup either. Then there is the lack of connection to the characters. Whether is Rana, Tapsee or Madhurima Tuli who plays Akshay’s wife Anjali, the loose ends and lack of depth couldn’t be covered.

 

Now we all know its the movie business, and while you can swallow the political smothered all over the place, you don’t really know what writer Neeraj was intending.

 

Baby is not path breaking, nor is it a commercially spellbinding film. The heroism is evident and yet, the music is lacking in feel. So is it’s lackluster affair, in Bold and Capital.

 

Rating: 1/5 

Action Jackson Review

**This is repost of my review on Bollyspice.com**

 

Whichever way you look at Action Jackson, the puns, the slapstick and the lack of plates for everyone to eat on in beginning is all synonymous with a particular kind comedy action masala. The little touches of style maybe what Prabhudheva is famous for and the leading ladies Sonakshi Sinha and Yami Gautham might add eye candy, but there is nothing new nor entertaining for this Ajay Devgn starrer. Besides Ajay of course.

 

In most cases, you would start with a story. Two guys, AJ and Vishy (Ajay Devgn) both look alike, no relation. One is a small time yet high powered thug. The other doing a runner from his Mafia Boss. Its all comedy and action with a dash of semi-nudity and lots of mini skirt/ghagra thumkaas till the duo join hands for… wait for it… more comedy and action. But would you call it comedy if it was unintentionally humourous like Kunaal Roy Kapoor foodie performance? I guess it’s not meant to be taken seriously. Why else would the Mafia Boss (Anantharaj) have orange suit wearing goonies to do his yes sir and still expected to be ruthless and menacing.

 

Chalo, maaf kiya. The back up isn’t that great either. Vijay Kumar Arora’s cinematography could only make up for so much of the shortcomings of A.C.Mughil’s story. The screenplays gapping holes seemed to have missed the eyes of Prabhudheva, Shiraz Ahmed and Mughil. With misfortune at hand, you can’t really blame Bunty Nagi for his editing but you do wish he had used his scissors more on the 145minute feature. Not really worth mentioning the music since Himesh Reshammiya  is hell bent on slapping his music to your ears or making you pick your own as to where you heard the original from.

 

So Ajay isn’t backed by the legendary story telling he has won awards for. Even Bajirao Singham had more snap the second time than Aj and Vishy put together. Sonakshi my darling, too much masala isn’t good for anyone. But keep up the workout. Yami needs a new manager if this was supposed to be a stepping stone for her into the big leagues. Manavsi Mamgai looks like a million bucks but you don’t need me to tell you that. Anantharaj hasn’t been seen in Hindi cinema for a while but somehow the actor who has had his fair share of stardom in the South doesn’t bring the pizzazz with him this time.

 

Normally turning off your thinking cap and going with the flow would work when you have films like Action Jackson. In fact it has most aspects from Prabhudheva’s previous films including a leading lady, Sonakshi. Yet, the ace choreographer and director has fallen short this time. No Action, No Jackson. Only an urge for extraction. From the theatre halls. ASAP.

 

Rating: 0.5/5

Mardaani Review

Bollywood goes through it trends and the current is having the leading lady as the main protagonist. Love her, hate her, it’s the classic they cannot be ignored. Some cases are of the next door neighbour like English Vinglish, and some have the woman that lost everything seeking revenge like Kahaani. Mardaani follows this protagonist trend but is the story we would skip over after reading the title from the newspaper. The one that makes our blood boil but we redirect our frustrations to social media venting or domesticity.

Shivani Shivaji Roy (Rani Mukherji) is a senior inspector in the crime branch unit in Mumbai. She is a street smart cop that follows her duty and is no shrinking flower. She knows her law and she knows what’s right. But everyone has a nightmare they hope and pray don’t come true. For Shivani, when a child name Pyaari (Priyanka Sharma) from her local shelter goes missing, she makes it her responsibility to find her.  Yet even she will not be able to foresee how far she will have to go to get her back.

Now let’s begin the dissection. Regardless of what you have seen Rani do in the past, I suggest you forget all of that before you walk in. She is unlike other policewoman depicted on screen in Bollywood. However, Rani needs to work on her action and surprisingly how she delivers the hard hitting dialogues. On the opposite end, Tahir Bhasin who plays Walt sinks his teeth right in and makes you despise his cockiness. The age factor is brought out in dialogue but also adds the edge as Rani is taunted by her “Under 19 team ka 12th batsman”. The flipside of course, is how she drags out the ego in him during their interactions.

Even though there is nothing wrong with Jisshu Sengupta or Priyanka Sharma’s performance, literally everyone in the supporting cast is forgotten in the battle between Rani and Tahir. This may enhance the cat-and-mouse play between them but when the film starts to falter, even they can’t save it.  It’s disappointing when the film starts off slow, peeks your interest, only to let it slide again. Screenplay could have been tauter to maintain the consistency while Sanjib Datta’s editing needed to keep verbosity in check. Cinematography by Artur Zurawski slips between cinematic sheen and real life grit.

However, credit will be given where due. Gopi Puthran’s writing definitely needs a mention since the story and facts behind it are nerve rackingly honest. Pradeep Sarkar may have been battered blue with his first film for predictability and wafer thin story line but with Mardaani he engages emotion to a level. Despite having patchy work in the second half and almost all momentum lost in the climax, the fact that the audience literally clapped as the closing credit rolled up means they were invested in the film enough to be shocked by its truths and coaxed by the slight liberties taken by its makers.

Mardaani is not an untold story but perhaps one of the few that dragged to light statistics no one wants to know. If anything can be taken away from this film, it would be the awareness of a startling and horrific truth.

Rating: 2/5

Khoobsurat Review

 Sonam Kapoor playing the lead role in the Khoobsurat remake made enough of a splash in the water well of b-town for people to notice. And now that the film is out, I guess it’s now up to the audience to make or break the film at the box office. The slight changes in Khoobsurat are there to give this classic tale new life and its setting is in a different era to boot. When it comes to remakes, the industry has seen its fair share. The question that follows is to whether it was worth buying a movie ticket to watch it or not.

For the likes of the modern generation, Sonam Kapoor looks the part and attempts to throw in the YOLO (that’s you live only once for the uninformed) attitude they can relate to. Fawad Khan fits in the character of Vikram Singh Rathore to the T and is quite dashing at that. But the one thing that most people will see as the sour grape in the fruit salad is there is no chemistry between these two nor is there any empathy for Sonam Kapoor from the audience. The audience is left completely stuck between a rock and a hard place because of this awkwardness. We have seen our fair share of wacky ideas being implemented in a field on screen but this particular one doesn’t work on the basis you don’t feel for Sonam in her endeavours to bring happiness to the royal family.

Ratna Pathak Shah as the queen and Aamir Hussain as the king play their roles sufficiently. Aditi Rao Hydari isn’t required to do much. Kiron Kher plays the Punjabi mother once again with her quintessential charm. But none of these established actors could save the gaping holes in the story. Yes the Disney backed film announces this to be a candy floss cinema that doesn’t require you to think but even the fun-factor of this genre is lacking severely. Adding in the music doesn’t strike a chord, barring the peppy Engine Ki Seeti. There is only so much costume design and cinematography can do to lighten the on screen mood.

All of the above mentioned factors come into play when you look at the film as it is. This is without considering the cult classic original directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and lead by the golden Rekha. So while the Disney banner can be all grand, the couple can be younger generation and we replace a middle class family with royalty, you cannot avoid the main problem with watching a film like Khoobsurat staring Sonam Kapoor and Fawad Khan. You don’t fall for the misfit as much as do for the cute looking prince in a sherwani or suit.

Sonam may be a Disney princess with Khoobsurat but you definitely don’t feel like you watched a classic with this film.

Rating 1/5

Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani Review - Meri Ankhon Mein

How people determine what is right, what is wrong, what morals are, how far one can go to reach their goals is completely subjective. It would be silly to think you can pinpoint every variable. For years, the concept of what is right and wrong with relationships has been depicted on film in what this writer calls an obviously biased approach. Relationships can be made or broken and reformed no matter your background, your upbringing, your educational capacity or even your emotional tolerance is. Or simply, to each their own. But, they are what they are and that is entertainment. Some appeal by making you think or feel, others make you dance and be alive. How does this all come back to Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani. Well, that's where the story comes in.

You see, there is a love story here. Its obvious from the promos. But thats not what this is about. Bunny (Ranbir Kapoor) wants to live. Every day. Every moment. And the world his destination. He's not the only one in his world of excitement, travel and wonder. But that is what he calls home. Some people are like Naina (Deepika Padukone), who scurry to finish their education to get a job but secretly wish for excitement to happen. What happens when they change paths. The first time? Naina finds fun, excitement, friendship, love and herself. The second time? Bunny regains lost loves, learns new lessons of life and finally let's go of his guilt. Neither is wrong. Neither is better off. Neither is the same after the interaction. Because that is what life is about. A decision you make from your own conviction at one stage of your life, may not be the right one for you later on in life. This doesn't mean that it was wrong to begin with. Just that the time and the people have changed.

Incredibly simple, but thought provoking. That seems to be the key to understand Ayan Mukherjee's Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani. Naina falls for the full of life Bunny but just as she was about to reveal whats in her heart, Bunny follows his to make his dream come true. Is she wrong in not saying how she feels? No. In fact, I personally have seen people walk away from relationships, be it friends or lovers or just family, because they didn't want to hold them back. Just like the dialogue, they are just different. It isn't the norm but this is what you can see happen in the house next door. Granted, they wont be wearing designer outfits nor have professional make up artist to look beautiful in every frame. But there are adults out there, who wish the loves long gone all the best and take away just the memories of good times.

Now not everyone will see a message first when you package this in a film with a vibrant Pritam's incredible OST, 4 incredibly beautiful people, who are supposed to be like you and me, then turn around and show epically spectacular scenery as if we all wake up next to the Swiss Alps. For that, Ayan would have to be excused of cinematic liberties. But can you deny that the little nuances in Ranbir's recap of his father's passing, or Deepika's exasperated "Ma" at the dinner table or even Aditya's outburst at Ranbir . Even Kalki jumping into the bromance hug between Ranbir and Aditya is something I have done innumerous times. No matter the trimmings and the actors capacity, the cast of YJHD is perfect for their respective character. Ayan makes you feel for them and believe them.

At the end of the show, even if you walk thinking its a time pass film with an awesome soundtrack, so be it. But after the glitz and glamour bore you, you might find yourself reminiscing. Who know, you might even end up opening your own mithai ke dabbe. 

Rangrezz Review

*** This is a repost of the Bollyspice.com review ***

As the director of the 2008 National Award winning Tamil film,Kanchivaram and many other classics, Priyadarshan needs no introduction nor to be questioned if he can sparkle up the screen. But not everyone remembers this and time is what it is. Although not nearly as breathtaking, Rangrezz would probably fall into the same category of films he directed as Aakrosh andTezz, showing the serious/realistic cinema side of him. A remake from Tamil, it stars Jackky Bhagnani, Priya Anand, Vijay Verma and Amitosh Nagpal in lead roles. The original film, Naadodigal, has been remade into 4 other languages since its release in 2009. But the key here is whether Rangrezz will see the same success.

Now, we have seen our fair share of movies in Hindi cinema that depict love birds and the selfless friends that help them succeed in their love story. Yet, have we ever seen what happens to these friends AFTER the escapade they venture on, all in the name of friendship and their belief in that four letter word- LOVE. Rangrezz is about 3 men that step forward for a friend and take on the battle against the odds to get him his girl. And, after risking it all, shattering their own dreams and even losing part of themselves, what happens when they find out it’s all in vain.

This isn’t sob story. Nor is it an artsy film. It’s a commercial film. Street slang, comedy sequences and even a desi version of PSY’s Gangnam style is there but the major difference is, this is the kind of story that not only sheds light to how devoted a friend can be but also, how badly that four letter word is abused and how not every friend is worthy of a sacrifice nor every friend willing to let that fact slide.

The refreshing aspect of the film is that life is bound to introduce you to one or more of the characters in Rangrezz. A young man who dreams to go abroad. A father who is more like a best friend to his son. A girl who gives ideas to her sweetheart so she can marry him with her father’s approval. All of them. Seen them, met them or even are them. But the world isn’t perfect and there is a flip side of human nature, even if we don’t own up to it. There are those that will use and abuse that four letter word like newspaper. Purists will say love is divine and the same for all but life will show the emotion is tailored to each of us. Priyadarshan sheds light to this fact and the best bit is that it’s not an attack on love but the lovers themselves. Add in the blind faith friends go by and the outcome of inadequate understanding of relationships in a fast-food, faster-life generation run society that can and has changed lives and BOOM, Rangrezz.

With a topic that is relatable yet rips the mask off to show reality, it is imperative to have a cast that breathes life to the characters. Jackky Bhagnani plays Rishi Despande and shows much more promise (even if he still needs to work on his emotions) than his last film Ajab Ghazabb Love. Priya Anand was last seen in English Vinglish and if anyone missed her then, you will surely not miss in the role of Megha Joshi. She is cheeky cute and full of beans in a 3rd person talking role that you will learn to love. But along with Jackky, it’s his two friends that stand out the most. Amitosh Nagpal and Vijay Verma as Winu and Pakkya respectively, couldn’t be more worlds apart in their characterisation. Yet, they work amazingly well together, with Vijay stealing a little bit more limelight for sheer brilliance. Rajpal Yadav is almost a regular on Priyadarshan’s films and gets a few good lines but disappears after a while.

National award winning director-cinematographer Santhosh Sivan joins hands with Priyadarshan after almost 15 years and for those that remember their last venture, Kala Pani (dubbed as Saza-E-Kala Pani), you will remember how delightful their work together was. Rangrezz doesn’t skip a beat to their tune and its gritty dynamics make the film. With the base of the original story by director Samuthirakani intact, Mushtaq Sheikh tweaks the screenplay just enough to keep the authenticity and adaptation on par but while the adjustment is admirable, the film does flake in parts due to predictability and length. The realism in the first part of the film doesn’t continue consistently in the second, adding the woes. The editing by T.S.Suresh could have saved the film in those moments, but sadly does not, making it hard to keep the interest that the film secured in the first part.

Unfortunately, there are more woe points with the OST consisting of 2 composers. First we have Sajid-Wajid, who have clearly missed the bus on this occasion and Second, Sundar C. Babu, the original movie’s composer, making his debut in Hindi. The only song that stays with you is Shambo Shiva Shambo by Sundar which is also from the original film. Lyrically, it’s changed but the song has travelled with the story and has been used in every remake. So while OST has a 2nd version by Sajid-Wajid with Sukhwinder Singh on the mike, the impact Shankar Mahadevan has on the song is obvious and consistent as he sang for every other version of this song as well.

Dont get me wrong, Rangrezz is definitely a film to watch. Even if the diluted message may not hit as hard home as the makers wanted it too. But take along your friends for good measure, and to make up for the rest.

Our Rating:  2/5

Jai Ho Review

*** This is repost from Bollyspice.com review *** 

Take any day in your life that you wish you had a helping hand. A day you may have forgotten your wallet, when you needed to pay for your bus ticket. A day your car broke down, when you had to go to an interview. What if a stranger gave you that helping hand? No questions asked and in return, didn’t ask for money or a favour. Just that you help another when the chance came to you. Would you? Jai Ho shows us how a common man that left his army life, takes on the fight to help humanity, and for a bit of masala, bashes a few bad guys along the way.

Based on the concept from Pay It Forward (2000), A. R. Murugadoss’ designed the power packed story for his film Stalin (2006). Being the remake season that it was (or is) the film’s bumper success made it to the ever watchful eyes of Sohail Khan but for one reason or another the film got delayed until now.

Now in the past, we have had some questions about Salman Khan’s movie choices and stories, but reassurance comes in the form of Sohail Khan helming the megaphone and Dilip Shukla adapting the story for Hindi cinema. Yes, the film has some funny caricatures in the form of the nephew Kabir (Naman Jain), Rinky’s mother (Resham Tipnis) or Rinky herself (Daisy Shah) with her random Gujarati dialogue. But the story is simple and with a message worth thinking about. One man, whether he is a common man or an ex- army officer, can make a change. Of course when that man is Jai Agnihotri (Salman Khan), who stands up and fights with the ferocity of a lion if he needs to, you can expect a few bloody faces. Even if that bloody face belonged to the minister’s (Danny Denzongpa) son-in-law to be.

Salman Khan has always done action filled roles but of late, he has been accused of not having a character as such and taking over the camera. Yet Jai Ho will show a restrained Salman without the slapstick comedy emotion. The fire that would be apparent in a fighter is believable, but that’s not to say the actor doesn’t smile or have fun. Even though Daisy has no role to speak of besides the leading lady, she shows promise that at least she is a good dancer. Tabu plays Salman’s sister and as an actress that we have seen don various roles, she fits the part and plays it well making sure she is mature in performance even though it is not clear that she is mature in age to Salman.

Nadira Babbar as Salman Khan’s mother makes a funny entrance and continues to add comical value with a practicality that we as individuals will hear ourselves say sometimes. However, as much as the protagonist characters show some sort of ‘character’ and have a few meaningful lines, the same cannot be said for the antagonists. Danny Denzongpa is serious in face yet lacks in word. Whether his character is supposed to be a verbose villain or not, he doesn’t leave the required impact a political villain would give. In fact his daughter played by Sana Khan, showed more promised of cunningness that a female antagonist would have but also falls apart due to lack of screen time.

The individuals that make cameos like Tulip Joshi, Mahesh Manjrekar and Nauheed Cyrusi play their part in the miniscule amount of time they get given but Genelia Deshmukh’s cameo as the handicapped student Suman leaves the biggest impact and not just on Salman.

Yet while the performances collaborately work together toward pulling the film toward box office success, there are certain technical aspects that pull it back. The editing, done by Harsh Tiwari, worked when looking at the crispness of the action scenes and the slow motion ‘ultra-violence’ that any action film goer would enjoy, but it is too long for the story line that is in front of the audience. The music by Sajid-Wajid and Amal Malik leave as big an impact as a needle in a haystack: You might find them by chance likeable but literally forget them once the song is done. As big as “Dhinka Chika” from Ready was, it’s composer Devi Sri Prasad returns with simply an introduction song for the leading lady. However he too falls down the same forgettable path. However kudos is to be mentioned for the stunts and cinematography as both of them excel in their respective fields whether it be smashing buildings apart or designing a complex for us.

The biggest factor that this writer walked away with when watching Jai Ho was the fact that it does something that hasn’t been seen in Hindi cinema in quite some time… providing a message. There is no doubt that the action would have been enjoyed by some people, the comedy by others and investors are out there to make money. But the idea that a favour is repaid by instructing others to help as it was shown in Pay it Forward and now in Jai Ho is something that will utilize the world’s biggest asset: the People.

So to the Bollywood film lover who wants to see a Salman Khan film, you will enjoy this as you will see him in a ‘slightly’ different role but just as much action to keep your eyes popping. But don’t be surprised if that message lingers in your mind.

Holiday Review

*** This is repost from the Bollyspice.com review***

Sometimes it’s a curse when you watch various language films. Especially when the remake season churns out yet another one. You rely so heavily on the writers and the actors to give you something to enjoy and walk away with. Walking into Holiday was like that for this writer, but alas, she didn’t walk away with much. In fact, after watching A.R. Murugadoss take Ghajini from Tamil to Hindi, I was more scared. Scared to expect anything like Ghajini’s history. Well, history did not repeat itself and the magic of re-creation has failed.

The story is pretty simple. Military man Virat played by Akshay comes home for holidays but stumbles into a terrorist game plan. On the side we have Saiba played by Sonakshi Sinha for the funnies and some glamour. But it doesn’t take a long time for people to see where the connecting dots are. So we step into the “how they did it”.

Making a frame by frame replica of film may seem like the easy way out. But it wouldn’t be fair on Cinematographer Nataraja Subramaniam. The similarity isn’t as bad when it came to the songs. Why didn’t they choose to change it? Possibly for the same reason there is little to no change in the script. After all, everyone wants their movie to be a grand success. So maybe the director, who is also the writer for both the original film and this remake, is looking at something flawless. The truth is however different. And the falling flat in your face-ness continues with Pritam. Barring ‘Aaj Dil Shayrana’ and ‘Ashq Na Ho’ for Arijit Singh and ‘Tu Hi To Hai’ for Benny, you have heard them all before. The format is the same.

Now we all know this is nowhere near one of the finer movies in Akshay Kumar’s career, but he made use of the skills he has and when the camera shifts from cinematic perfection to security camera footage, you know the person jumping from building to building is the real deal. Kudos to Greg Powell, the stunt director. Sonakshi Sinha starts off with a spunk that quickly fizzles out, making her part redundant and indication for a song. Sumeet Raghavan is pretty much a gags guy until Akshay needs support in making a logical link. But you can bypass these flaws if you look at it as a semi-masala flick. However, the biggest drawback in the cast would have to go to Freddy Daruwala. He has the most crucial role to play and should be oozing with a deadly menace in his silence but I got nada. Zilch. Not even the background score could make you change what you are supposed to feel – shivers down your spine intensity – to what you do feel – Pappu needs to sulk a bit more. Every cinegoer knows the hero’s impact will only look good if his villain has charisma to charmingly scare your socks off.

At the end of the day, the original film with Vijay Chandrasekhar and Kajal Aggarwal had a few advantages that were simple. There was no expectation of logic, the role of a military man was new for the lead actor and the antagonist played by Vidyut Jamwal commanded fear on screen. There is no doubt Akshay Kumar has the skill for the role but I’m sorry Akki, you need to remember your age when its showing. So while comparisons were never the intention, as a hindsight, you wonder if A.R.Murugadoss had done the same when remaking the film in Hindi, Holiday may have seen a different fate.

So where does this all leave the girl in the crowd reading her ticket stub outside the theatre? Holiday – A prepaid planned disaster.

Bullet Raja Review

** This is repost from Bollyspice.com review**

 

 

As a south filmgoer and Bollywood naach-gaana fanatic, masala fest movies are not new to me. Yet even when a film has all the trimmings of a throwback action film, there are guarantees it will work. Sajid Khan’s Himmatwala is testimony to that. Tigmanshu Dhulia is stepping into the commercial arena with Bullet Raja starring Saif Ali Khan, Jimmy Shergill and Sonakshi Sinha. The intention is to make a masala topped entertainer. The result is a film that throws at you every known cliche possible while bringing back some of the Dhulia style.

 

Raja (Saif Ali Khan) aka Bullet Raja and his best bud Rudra (Jimmy Shergill) lead this rise of a commoner to become a dreaded gangster with the love angle covered by Mitali played by Sonakshi Sinha. But for every rise, there is a fall and that’s where Sharp Shooter-come-local law enforcement Inspector (Vidyut Jamwal) comes in. How this happens and who becomes the unsuspecting friend in need and foe in sheeps clothing forms the rest of the story.

 

The one thing you can bank on in a Tigmashu directorial is a surprise package and fireball writing. The stuff that made the greats known for their commercial success. Saif Ali Khan may not be known for his masalafest films but everyone remember his killer performance of Langda Tiyagi when you mention Omkara. Probably his most ruffian role to date, it is matched and taken up a notch with Bullet Raja. But the surprise packet isn’t his transformation. It’s not even Sonakshi Sinha, who may be the exception from the norm in modern day heroine types but she still doesn’t get to do much with this film. It’s Jimmy Shergill once again. The actor has played sidekick, best friend, miniscule role that has no significance so many times but we have secretly wished for more from the actor. Yes, he is the best friend bud the actor plays his role of Rudra to the T. Vidyut Jamwal is a professional martial artist and you know he does his stunts with precision and care, yet the is nothing to stop you from gasping and going ‘woah’ from the moves he makes. Ravi Kishan and Chunkey Pandey do what they need to and that’s what you get. Although Ravi doubles up on the screen time with his ‘Radha’ performance. It’s nice to see Gulshan Grover back on the big screen but i was expecting more. The rest are apt.

Yet even as you think that’s nice about the performances, you know something is missing. It’s not completely the writing (Tigmanshu Dhulia and Amaresh Misra) since the firebrand writing is visible even in the dialogue and excuses the infinite versions of the story we have seen before. The music is by Sajid-Wajid is as dime a dozen as they can get so it does register as a component. When you think about it boils down to one simple fact. The name Tigmanshu Dhulia. Synonymous with some highly critically acclaimed films like Paan Singh Tomar and Saheb, Biwi and Gangster, you expect something from him. Something will knock you socks off. Nothing grand required but something. That is what’s missing. As mentioned, the film has all the trimmings that the aam-janta want. So in essence, the deal is done for the director saheb. But not for someone expecting his brand of films.

 

So take a deep breath, forget the past and you will walk away from the film thinking ‘time-pass’. Otherwise, you will be severely disappointed with there being nothing new at all. Just a bunch of performers, trying to make a kid’s toy gun look real.

Our rating: