A Bandwidth Review

Raaz Reboot Review

2016-09-17T20:59:00.003+05:30

Has any good ever come out of a family moving to a new place in hopes of a new, rejuvenating lifestyle? And have 'they' really done everything 'they' can to make a movie out of it and present the same to us on the celluloid? No. A resounding NO. 'Raaz reboot', a movie which is as clumsy as its title, confirms to these questions and presents the viewer yet another half-baked, brainless and altogether gawky picture for our beloved Fridays.

The most peculiar thing I have observed about this trend of Bollywood movies to base almost the entirety of their production in foreign locales is that you can see one frame of it and tell that it's a Bollywood movie. I mean, what is this uncanny knack that Indian film-makers have at making their films look Indian? There is an introductory shot taken from a postbox height level of a chilly Transylvanian setting and there is no Indian artist to be seen. And yet you feel like it's an Indian setting, with the shots probably taken out of Ooty in winters!! Okay that was a bad joke but really, when you cannot even make the railway station look different from a Himachal toy train point, there is no point in wasting insane amounts of money to shoot in exotic locations. The big budget film-makers should rather take a break from this fad and for once invest in an authentic, full fledged script for a change.

So two newly wed utterly successful good-looking individuals move over from Mumbai to Transylvania. I say two individuals although they are a couple because then I would have to drop those adjectives to go on with. To lay it as simply as I can, Gaurav Arora (as Rehan) and Kriti Kharbanda (Shaina) look like two logs from different trees that have been put on the screen because Hey, they are good-looking logs. As far as their chemistry is concerned, something which had to be an integral part of the film for the climax to work, is completely lacking and this is apparent from the very first frames of the movie. Yes they have a secret between them and 'it will pull them apart', something which is repeated so many times in the first twenty minutes itself that it felt like the producers went on a frenzy and said, "Look, I don't care what the movie does but you have to sell the name again and again so it reminds people of the infinitely better Bipasha film of the same name". Again, this little secret will go on to take a dump over the whole timeline of the story with a non-linear plot device thrown in to include an obvious twist.

If I were to tell anymore about the movie, I would be giving out spoilers which if you have read other reviews have totally blurted out. And I don't blame them. The plot is so paper thin that reviewers can't help themselves. Instead let's talk about the performances. Hmm, that's an interesting part for me to write about than for you to read. Kriti Kharbanda, in her introductory role, at least looks good on the screen. She does have the charm of an actress and the weight she is pulling on herself with a big first film will likely wear off if she gets further projects. On the other hand for Gaurav Arora, it's a whole different game. But for his voice, which is also used in voice-overs throughout the film, he would have been another in line of those hunky models who are thrown into the film for the looks factor. When will these guys learn to act? Even an actor of the caliber of Emraan Hashmi gets sacrificed when thrown in the midst of such rocks. Bollywood should move to good actors in cinematic films soon enough or the pretentious cinema will take the cake and eat it too. I understand that horror movies is the only genre where you do not need big starts for a hit but then you need a script to back up your film. And again, who am I kidding, this film could have been made twice as good with some powerful performances in spite of all its flaws. The last nail in the coffin proves to be the music of the film which is forgetful and ineffective to say the least. The first two films in the original trilogy worked largely because of the sound effects and musical breaks for the audiences while apart from the titular song here, everything else is pathetic.

The major elements that the film deals with include those of Christian Exorcism techniques and that of the Church, something that we have seen way too much in Hollywood. And the makers have literally copied some instances frame-by-frame from some of the Hollywood greats the names of which I wouldn't even mention in the same review as that of this film. Why can't the makers understand that they need to move on to original content and innovative ideas as opposed to this basic B.S. Look at a film like Raaz(2002) with Bipasha and Morea and although it's 'inspired' from a fully fledged film, it had the elements and the knowledge to make it work. The makers knew that the vast majority of Indian audiences would not have even heard of 'What Lies Beneath' and still they spent considerable money and time to get things right in that movie. Fast Forward 14 year later and they can't even realize that this is a completely different India that loves throwing Hollywood in their faces every chance it gets. That said, the film-makers needed to work equally good, if not better, to sell a horror movie.

All in all, the rebooted Raaz franchise is likely to be put on hold after this catastrophe and if they do make one anytime soon, they better get a good script for the same and better yet, cast Kangna Ranaut as the lead star. Anything different and I don't see a future for the camp.

Bandwidth Verdict- There is one and only thing which you can like about this film. And what is it? I wouldn't tell. Let it be a 'Raaz' for your own good :p

Jai Gangaajal movie review

2016-03-05T04:39:00.000+05:30

"The wine is old but it doesn't taste better."

It is unfortunate, rather sad, that this film contains the name of and is considered a sequal to an immensely greater film 'Gangaajal'. There are stark similarities between the two and yet, this one is nothing but a failed rip-off of the original. When you watch 'Jai Gangaajal', you cannot help but remember similar scenes from the first movie and you wonder how enthralling they were. Inadvertently, you compare them and you find that the one folding before you right then is a tomfoolery.

Jai Gangaajal could never have worked with a female lead. There, I said it. It's one thing to root for women power and a completely different to put an A-List actress in a role that Ajay Devgan himself had to go to great extremes to do justice with. Maybe Prakash Jha always knew this; maybe we all did. And so, he saw fit to set the stage for his leading lady, preparing a launchpad to make her seem more believable. But we can't help forget the expectations we entered the cinema hall with and this makes it hard to digest anything that the film pulls in front of us.

The wine is old but it doesn't taste better. A good cop -Abha Mathur(Priyanka Chopra) gets transferred to a bad place, rutted with political hooligans and corrupt police. There is a strife between the public and the politicians- Bablu Pandey (Manav Kaul) and Dabloo Pandey (Ninad Kamat). There is cruelty inflicted on the masses and then strikes the tale of revenge. But all of that comes later. That is the plot. What director Prakash Jha has worked more on here is the build-up to this crisis. And to do that, he chooses himself as Bhola Nath Singh, a cop who keeps things even amidst the conflict. He is pretty much the most interesting character in the movie. He is not a hero, he is a survivor. He knows how to work things out of what you have got. And he almost manages to maintain that balance until the good and the bad are allowed to take the center-stage. His actions are not justified but his character is. Prakash Jha throws in this character because he understands that the female lead wouldn't cut the deal for a two and a half hour show. So he spends time on Bhola Nath, showing us a negotiator, an agent, a hinge.

There are two contrasting thoughts that come into your mind when you witness Bhola Nath- you either love him for introducing those little sparks of charisma into the movie or you complain for taking the spotlight away from Priyanka. And both of these thoughts are essentially the exact emotions that Jha wants us to possess. He prepares us to take a leap from Bhola Nath's greyness to Abha's white and Bablu Pandey's black. And then, when we finally make that jump, we feel why the whole film wasn't more about this latter theme. The great answer is that it would have sucked had it been just that.

The first part of the film is not all that good. The scenes do not have the buildup they deserved and there are just too many of scenes. Also, the background tracks do not match the mood of the sequences and things sometimes almost look comic. The film starts to get serious towards the business end of things when the good cop finally jolts the police department to life. The performances start getting better after this and the bar keeps rising till the finale. There are some interesting motifs thrown in about law and lawlessness which were pretty interesting given the recent public outrages in the country. But those too are unoriginal and are sometimes confusing to the viewer. In one frame, the public has risen violently while in the other it is curbed down, only to again return to the former mood. Maybe Jha wanted to portray how fickle the mind of a mob is but it would have been better if he had shown that a mob has no mind.

The makers have tried to keep things just right in this movie rather than putting things that would get extreme reactions from different viewers. For example, they do not really make a fuss about Abha Mathur being a lady cop. She is just part of the system here and is expected to behave just like a regular cop would. A more feminist audience may demand stressing this fact, asking for sequences that portray women power. And so, they compensate for it by throwing in those quintessential issues and conflicts that Abha Mathur helps other females to overcome. But where the movie fails is that we never feel convinced between either of them. We are not convinced when Priyanka throws those punches and fights those goons; Nor are we satisfied when she doesn't. There lies the flaw of a female lead choice here and there lies the reason why the movie wouldn't fare well.

Bandwidth Verdict- There is nothing better this week or else the verdict would have been to simply rewatch Gangaajal. But if you are a Prakash Jha fan, you should see it.

Aligarh movie review

2016-02-27T12:52:00.004+05:30

"The movie suffers because the makers lack belief in the theme"

Source

I am perplexed at the superficiality with which few films are revered just because they have an underlying liberal or modern view of the society at large. Such themes, although important on a social basis, are those that mar the objective discourse of a movie and throw you into vicarious yet peripheral emotions. Aligarh is a victim of this very flaw- both in filmmaking and the subsequent reception.

Remember 'Courage the Cowardly Dog'? An anthropomorphic beagle who gets frightened at the pettiest of things in spite of its name? Well, it's a crude comparison for me to make so I am not going to. Just remember that I mentioned it for some reason.

Real life stories are blooming in Bollywood these days and the makers seem to have picked the formula straight from Hollywood. They do not even try to throw in the sensitivities associated with an Indian audience. But we will get to this some other time. Because this review is about this movie and not about the general flaws of others at large. 'Aligarh' is based on the life of an AMU professor and his suspension from his job on account of his homosexuality. The events in the film took place during the time when consensual homosexual activities between adults were legalised in India.

The movie tells you about the professor, Dr. Siras (Manoj Bajpayee), showing him as that quintessential thinking man who takes pleasure in basic things of life- music, poetry, alcohol. He lives alone but what's more of it, he is lonely. Maybe the movie shows us all this because it wants to justify his choices, his "feeling that can't be understood within a narrow gallery of three letters". The movie tries to establish a connection with the viewer here, wanting us to feel for this man, feel for THE MAN, but we can't. The makers, it seems, are themselves uneasy with coming up forthwith with the central theme of the movie. They seem to be curtaining the real issue under the banal portrayal of goodness in a man. And the minute we realize that the makers are sheepish about the movie, we stop caring for it.

As a director and a writer, you have to believe in your film. Hansal Mehta and Apurva Asrani have made this film what it is on the screen today but it is uncertain if they are comfortable with making it. When you make a movie like this, you can't shy away from talking about homosexuality. But in the movie, they do so ever so immensely. Just when it looks like they are trying to get into the character, they break the shot and move to other non-important motifs. There is the story of Deepu (Rajkummar Rao) who gets to have the prime share of those frames. Although his story, as a journalist weaves into Dr. Siras's through their conversations and interviews, we are left wanting for more about the troubles of Siras.

It's not that the movie tries to be subtle with its theme, playing it in the background putting courtrooms and media induced drama on the center stage. The movie does that because it feels incapable of telling us more about the character we want to know about. What is his world-view of things happening around him? How does he fight with those in his mind? What is he thinking? There are questions and questions we want answers to but the movie skips through everything at that. It wastes some good talent by doing all this and what's more, it belittles a great story.

Manoj Bajpayee comes up with a balanced, low key performance though. His scenes tell us how you do not really need over the top sequences for good acting. But all of that is exterior to a real character study of Dr. Siras. All in all, we do not really get to know the man the movie is centered on, let alone start to care for his predicament. Rajkummar Rao is good as Deepu but the fact that he has a rawness in his accent which he can't lose here is a letdown. The sequences are extremely modest, which may be an outcome of the desire to keep the film more documentary-like than dramatic. But in spite of that, there is little biographical appeal to the movie.

Bandwidth Verdict- This might be the bet of the week for you but Dr. Siras's story deserved a better film.

Everything else about the Oscars 2016: Complete Predictions

2016-02-26T16:18:00.001+05:30

This post is a followup to Oscar 2016 Predictions: Best Picture. I had been meaning to do a detailed analysis of some of the major categories, but I feel like falling short of time here. And so, this post is a look at the different nominations for various categories and my predictions for the Academy Award. For some of them, I am going to talk about my prediction while for others, just the name would suffice. Others, which I do not have the requisite knowledge/exposure about, I leave to other Cinephiles out there to decide. Here it goes-

DIRECTING

Adam McKay, The Big Short

George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

Alejandro G. Iñárritu, The Revenant

Lenny Abrahamson, Room

Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

This prediction has reasons not based on facts but on the feeling. I understand that Alejandro G. Iñárritu's genius in the strictest sense of film-making is unparalleled, both last year and this year. But my heart goes out for George Miller and what he was able to produce at the age of 70. If you really think about it, Miller's practical action sequences and the effort that he really put into each shot is something more deserving than Iñárritu's alluring and baitful frames in 'The Revenant'. I loved Iñárritu's work in Birdman but Miller this time, is the better bet for me. Then there is Lenny Abrahamson, who made a world out of a room and whom we would love to see more of in the future; there is Adam Mckay who has although handled an intelligent movie with cautious care but stands a bit behind when the other Titans come into play. Spotlight for me wins the best film but when it comes to populist opinion and a straight popular vote, Tom McCarthy doesn't look like winning it.

Predicted Winner: George Miller

Source

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Bryan Cranston, Trumbo

Matt Damon, The Martian

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

The minute I saw the trailer for 'The Revenant', it hit me that Leo would get his Oscar this time. I'm sure others felt the same, even those who actually voted for the Oscars. The last time Leo made it here, he couldn't touch the story of Matthew Mcconaughey who came in as the 'comeback-kid' of Hollywood (and lets face it, was the better actor that year). It's the same story that is going to win Leo the Oscar this time. The only difference is that Mcconaughey won it for the better role and Leo will win it for playing Leo. DiCaprio has the story of 'give this man an Oscar' behind him but actually, if you really look at The Revenant, he has fewer frames and a smaller role. The movie is ABOUT his character but not AROUND it. I liked Fassbender more but then again he was playing a douchebag so why not? But something tells me, that if some of those voters, after watching the movies felt the way I did here and were okay with making Leo wait yet again, Matt Damon will grab the Oscar and run away as fast as he can.

Predicted Winner: Leonardo DiCaprio (But Matt Damon should win)

Source

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Cate Blanchett, Carol

Brie Larson, Room

Jennifer Lawrence, Joy

Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years

Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

This was an year of better movies from the Leading Lady department and confessing something here, I should have put this category above the Actor one. Two performances stand out here. I am not saying the rest are not deserving but that they don't stand a chance. Cate Blanchett's Carol and Brie Larson's 'Maa' show how female lead roles can be as meaningful as male and here, even more so. It's a tough one to choose between the two here. While the voters may have in mind the status of Blanchett as a terrific actress, they can go for Brie Larson's story of having risen from almost nowhere to glory. But if you ask whom I would give an Oscar, my choice would be Blanchett.

Predicted Winner: Cate Blanchett

Source

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Christian Bale, The Big Short

Tom Hardy, The Revenant

Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight

Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies

Sylvester Stallone, Creed

There is some stiff competition here except for Ruffalo maybe. All others performances are unique in their own ways and I even believe Tom Hardy's role to be equal to, if not more than, Leonardo's in 'The Revenant'. But Mark Rylance's character stands out here as someone who actually got us to care for him and who, in a way , carries the movie like a true soldier. He is pretty much the best thing about 'Bridge of Spies' and it would be a shame for him to not win an Oscar for it.

Predicted Winner: Mark Rylance

Source

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight

Rooney Mara, Carol

Rachel McAdams, Spotlight

Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

If it were to me, I would give it to Rooney Mara. But that's not going to happen here. Maybe it shouldn't. The real competition lies here between Kate Winslet and Alicia Vikander. Although, I feel Kate's performance was better in spite of an ordinary character and a shoddy movie, Alicia Vikander looks like the one who would win it here.

Predicted Winner: Alicia Vikander

Source

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Anomalisa

Boy and the World

Inside Out

Shaun the Sheep Movie

When Marnie Was There

Predicted Winner: Inside Out (Sure-shot)

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Carol, Edward Lachman

The Hateful Eight, Robert Richardson

Mad Max: Fury Road, John Seale

The Revenant, Emmanuel Lubezki

Sicario, Roger Deakins

Predicted Winner: Emmanuel Lubezki

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Big Short, Charles Randolph and Adam McKay

Brooklyn, Nick Hornby

Carol, Phyllis Nagy

The Martian, Drew Goddard

Room, Emma Donaghue

Predicted Winner: The Big Short, Charles Randolph and Adam McKay

Original Screenplay

Bridge of Spies, Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen

Ex Machina, Alex Garland

Inside Out, Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley; story by Docter, Ronnie del Carmen

Spotlight, Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy

Straight Outta Compton, Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff; story by S. Leigh Savidge & Alan Wenkus and Berloff

Predicted Winner: Spotlight, Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy

FILM EDITING

The Big Short, Hank Corwin

Mad Max: Fury Road, Margaret Sixel

The Revenant, Stephen Mirrione

Spotlight, Tom McArdle

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey

Predicted Winner: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Bridge of Spies, Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Rena DeAngelo and Bernhard Heinrich

The Danish Girl, Production Design: Eve Stewart; Set Decoration: Michael Standish

Mad Max: Fury Road, Production Design: Colin Gibson; Set Decoration: Lisa Thompson

The Martian, Production Design: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Celia Bobak

The Revenant, Production Design: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration, Hamish Purdy

Predicted Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road, Production Design: Colin Gibson; Set Decoration: Lisa Thompson

COSTUME DESIGN

Carol, Sandy Powell

Cinderella, Sandy Powell

The Danish Girl, Paco Delgado

Mad Max: Fury Road, Jenny Beaven

The Revenant, Jacqueline West

Predicted Winner: Carol, Sandy Powell

ORIGINAL SCORE:

Bridge of Spies, Thomas Newman

Carol, Carter Burwell

The Hateful Eight, Ennio Morricone

Sicario, Jóhann Jóhannsson

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, John Williams

Predicted Winner: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, John Williams

SOUND EDITING:

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Sicario

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Predicted Winner: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

SOUND MIXING

Bridge of Spies

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Predicted Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road

VISUAL EFFECTS

Ex Machina

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Predicted Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Mad Max: Fury Road, Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out a Window and Disappeared, Love Larson and Eva von Bahr

The Revenant, Siân Grigg, Duncan Jarman and Robert Pandini

Predicted Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road, Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin

UNPREDICTED:

Foreign Language Film

Embrace of the Serpent (Colombia)

Mustang (France)

Son of Saul (Hungary)

Theeb (Jordan)

A War (Denmark)

Documentary Feature

Amy

Cartel Land

The Look of Silence

What Happened, Miss Simone?

Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom

Original Song

"Earned It," Fifty Shades of Grey

"Manta Ray," Racing Extinction

"Simple Song #3," Youth

"Til It Happens to You," The Hunting Ground

"Writing's On the Wall," Spectre

Documentary Short Subject

Body Team 12

Chau, Beyond the Lines

Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah

A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness

Last Day of Freedom

Live Action Short Subject

Ave Maria

Day One

Everything Will Be Okay

Shok

Stutter

Animated Short Film

Bear Story

Prologue

Sanjay's Super Team

We Can't Live Without Cosmos

World of Tomorrow

The All New Tata ZICA Hatchback: It's #Fantastico

2016-02-21T16:40:00.002+05:30

Fifteen years ago, Tata Motors (then TELCO) came up with a supermini Indica for the Indian roads and revolutionized the Indian Automotive Industry for ever. It was able to achieve what no-one had done prior to it in India- It materialized its vision, realized its dream, the dream of developing the most modern Indian Car indigenously. And this time, it has come up with something even more fantastico- The Hatchback Zica. The car launch is expected in Feb-March as Tata takes its best foot forward. Here, we look at some peppy features of the car, the momentum surrounding it and why it is the best bet for its intended price segment-

Background

The greatest things come out of the greatest thoughts. So when Tata decided to show the world their capability as a world-class automobile manufacturer and designer, we had this talisman of a car. It was initially codenamed 'Kite' and it took about 36 months to surface from zero. Keeping in mind the customer appeal on an international basis, Tata 'spared no expense' in getting the expertise from over the world to build upon this dream car. And they seem to have come up with flying colours here. Zica seems to draw upon the legacy of Indica, a Zippy Car after the Indian Car and is sure to win over hearts once it is out there for the people to grab on.

Why it is so awesome?

There are literally hundreds of things to tell you about and answer the question. I should probably start about its features, its design, the interior, the performance. Now all of this is of supreme importance but here, it comes later. What I want to tell you is why this car works on your mind better than all others who would be offering those features at a higher price change perhaps. To broaden those reasons, I go with the following five divisions-

#1- It's Fantastico-

The #Fantastico Song: Tata Zica

“for he had acquired, as time went on, the firm conviction that any thought, even the most audacious, that any fiction, even the most insane, can one day materialize and see its fulfillment in space and time.”

― Stefan Grabiński

When you think about it, a car is not just a car. It's a fulfillment, a realization of those fantasies we all imbibe and cherish. We all have those fantastic moments, those desires of that long ride we want to take with someone, that worry-less triumph of being able to go out just for the fun of it and that satisfaction which comes out of driving that car which makes heads turn. The Tata Zica offers you all of this, and more.

The reason why it is branded #Fantastico is probably because it caters to and fulfills all those little fantasies of Indian masses. Tata knows what it means for us to own a car, evident by its introduction of the Lakhtakia Nano, but with Zica, it has gone way ahead in serving the people. The fact that it is more customer centric than any of its previous ventures shows its desire to give them everything they cannot even ask for.

#2- It's a peppy experience-

On and on it sings without a pause, so peppy, even frantic, as if its voice alone is keeping the world awake.”

― Jerry Spinelli, Love, Stargirl

If you haven't seen Rome, you haven't seen it. But you can always ask those who have. Driving the Zica is quite unlike anything you experience in a usual run of the mill routine. It gets you pumped up, energised, rejuvenated, wanting for more and more. Your heart begins to beat faster and after a while, you stop thinking about the experience and just bask in the glory of the moment. When you get off the Zica experience, you leave in high spirits with the idea in your mind- "I have got to get me one of these".

#3- It makes an impact-

“Shoot for the biggest and boldest impact possible.

If you need a full corporate makeover—do it. Moderation is just not going to cut it.”

― Lorii Myers

Making an impact, the Zica way (source)

When you see it, you love it and once it is taken away from your eyes, you long for it .That's how most desires make an impact on you and Zica does it better than all of them. It has this factor quite evident which differentiates it from other cars where the impact quotient is mostly passive and inherent. What this means is that when you look at this car, you wish you had it and the desire to own it lasts.

Maybe it's the exquisite design, maybe it's the overall appeal that drives you but once you have seen it, you are sure you want to put your money on it.

#4- Music-

“You know, one of the tragedies of real life is that there is no background music.”

― Annie Proulx

Eight speaker audio system for surround sound performance

If you love that idea of navigating through a beautiful rainy day in your car, listening to 'Suhana Safar aur yeh mausam hasin', this is the car for you. It comes with an exquisite surround sound experience packed with an eight speaker Harman audio system, ensuring that solid dose of entertainment on the way. Listen to a peppy number while you drive, play high metal when you are partying or put on some Beethoven when you are returning from work- in every way, you are hooked.

#5- Navigation-

“When you follow a star you know you will never reach that star; rather it will guide you to where you want to go. ... So it is with the world. It will only ever lead you back to yourself.”

― Jeanette Winterson

Turn-by-turn navigation app in the Tata Zica

It is at the end that you return home while all other times, life takes you to unexpected places. And in those places, you need someone or something to guide you, to play a marker to your journey, to play a pole-star to your sails. Well, here is your Pole Star in the Turn-by-turn navigation app of the Tata Zica. And it's for the first time that you are getting this oh-so-awesome feature in this hatchback segment. This one thus, is a real cherry-on-the-cake feature.

Features at a glance-

The exterior of the car makes an immediate impact on the mind and it lasts. Those sharp curves on its body, the exquisite frame and those bends at the extreme corners make for a one of a kind look. It gives a feeling of those marbled masterpieces that great artists did not just beat with a hammer but sculpted. Every part of it looks chiseled, like Charlon Heston's jaw probably, and is a candy to the eyes.

The head and tail lamps protrude in marvellous curves, creating a sporty, palpable feel.

The interior is as accentuated as the exterior, maybe even more so. The Zica houses an elegant dashboard laden with cutting edge features embedded on its console.

You have the next generation ConnectNext Infotainment system by Harman, in black with a complementing chrome design which gives it a premium feel in conjunction to being high on utility.

ConnectNext Infotainment system by Harman

The car also sports ample slots, twenty two to be precise, for utility items like coffee mugs, smartphones and water bottles. It is evident that the design has come up carefully putting every item that the customer may need within the hand's reach.

Tata Zica Sports 22 utility slots

In conjunction with the Infotainment system and the navigation app, the car also provides a Juke-Car app that can connect upto 10 smartphones at a go. So now, everyone can finally choose to play his/her own songs and nobody is left out of the fun.

The Juke-Car app for your own playlists

The Air-conditioner is powerful enough for its size and the vents are intelligently designed to reach every desolate corner. Comfort is a priority for the customer and that has not been sacrificed to cash more on other factors.

For a less than four meter hatch, Zica surprisingly houses enough space for everything and the adjustable scoop up seats make for more flexibility when it comes to movement within the car.

The instrument panel gives a proper sports car inkling, mounted with a tachometer all the way to an upshift prompter, in addition to the usual info specs.

The Zica is strong in its built and takes care of the in-car safety as a priority. Dual front airbags and parking sensors are few of the lot.

The drive-time cautiousness is probably the take-away feature here. It ensures a smooth, shockproof ride thanks to its ability to absorb sudden thrusts in weight. The advanced ABS with EBD and Corner Stability Control makes sure that the wheel speed is controlled and taken care of during sudden brakes. The steering becomes more and more suitable to the wrists with speed which is win-win achievement all the way.

There are two engine options here you can choose from-

The first is a Revotron 1.2L petrol engine that delivers a power of 85 PS. Two driving modes, City and Eco(for economy) are possible with this engine, ensuring better adaptability as per conditions.

This engine seems to fare pretty good in the segment Zica is slated to receive its competition. With a suitable price range, it can disrupt their markets quite easily as evident from the given comparison chart-

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The second is a Revotorq 1.05L diesel engine that delivers optimum power of 70 PS. It is unknown to me however, if the previous two drive modes were available on the diesel engine.

The diesel engine seems to be fare even better than the petrol engine and there seems to be excellent scope for it to work wonders in its own segment-

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In addition to some other usual panel features, Zica also comes with an EPAS system for easy steering as well as a gear shift recommendation feature.

With all of these Talismani features and possible mid three to four lacs or above price range expected, the Tata Zica seems to be the next big in the market in the coming month. That it is going to score high, both in numbers as well as appreciation after the launch is certain, what needs to be seen is just how big it delivers.

A tale of adaptation:

That the new hatchback has adapted to every thick and thin of the industry challenges is evident from the fact that TATA chose to re-brand its most precious product in years, just so it did not project any negativity because of its resemblance to the Zika virus. While this is something that could have been a setback, Tata was forthwith in its approach displaying character in the time of crisis. As such, it gives a new dimension to its prized new car. Be the new name Tiago, Adore or Civet, it is slated to take the automobile market by a storm.

Note: All pictures used, unless stated otherwise, have been taken from madeofgreat.tatamotors.com. The spec-stat sources include Tata Zica and rediff.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Oscar 2016 Predictions: Best Picture

2016-02-21T04:49:00.001+05:30

BEST PICTURE PREDICTIONS

On February 28, 2016, the academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present the 88th Academy Awards for the best films of the year around the globe. 2015 was an year of tremendous highs in film-making, especially for Hollywood and in close conjunction to that, we saw some low-key artistic masterpieces making it big on the international front. While all of the latter may not have received the deserved recognition in the Oscar nominations, you just can't take anything away from them as far as brilliant film-making is concerned.

Frankly, if I were to make a list of MY OWN favourite movies of the year, it would have been a tad different from this one. But then again, it's just me. And when you want to look at the bigger picture, you need to choose the best picture for everyone. While the idea may sound crude at a very individualistic plane, it turns out to be more congenial the more you think about it. Because to be honest, there is no such thing as 'best picture of the year' unless of course there is a 'Godfather' releasing in it. So what do you do? How do you decide as to which film gets the crown? You develop a criteria, like here- a preferential voting criteria that the academy follows to do the impossible Maths of quantifying art and artists. If you do not know about it, here is a video to let you catch up on the same-

Now as much as one may try to do that, you simply can't get into the minds of thousand of voters who carry out the arduous task of deciding on the Oscars. But then, you can always try. And for that, you need your own criteria. Here are five parameters or reasons I am basing my prediction on-

The Parameters:

#1- The Fantastico factor-

“The fantastic breaks the crust of appearance … something grabs us by the shoulders to throw us outside ourselves. I have always known that the big surprises await us where we have learned to be surprised by nothing, that is, where we are not shocked by ruptures in the order.”

― Julio Cortázar

Movies are not just about facts. There is always an emotional appeal, a thwarting catharsis, a beguiling deception, a vivid fantasm that drives the viewer into them. They show you a world and you tread behind them, hoping to find the extraordinary somewhere in the midst. There is a reason why films about great lives are themselves so great- they take you away from the qualms of everyday life, telling you about a world out there quite unlike anything you find in your homes and offices. There is an unsung hero in all such movies and he is not the one the camera lingers about for an entirety. This hero is the fantastico factor in the movie.

The fantastico factor is what makes you a writer when you are watching it, all the time creating the next scene in your head. This is what makes you cry in joy when your writing matches the movie and this is what leaves you a storyteller when it ends.

#2- The Impact-

“It's not the fall but the impact...”

― Hiba Fatima Ahmad

When I review movies, I always talk about something I haven't really been able to coin a term for. I try to tell people about it, in a number of sentences- "You watch this movie and when you are done, you have undergone an experience", "You are not the same person after a great movie", "It changes you at a microcosmic level and it gets you to care for it". But most of what I mean when I say that is the impact the movie leaves on you. Does it leave you thinking about what transpired on the screen days and hours after you have seen it? Did it move you to pure sentimentality at a moment? Did it, in anyway influence the way you look at things?

A great film does all this and leave a deep impact on you as a man or woman of Cinema. And so when I talk about movies I love, I tell you about the movies that will do the same to you.

#3- The peppy reasons-

“When did you get so peppy?” she shouted.

“Ever since I assumed I was dead, then I suddenly wasn't.”

- Brandon Sanderson

There are probably a thousand ways a film can leave in you in high spirits. It may do so by killing that optimist in you and then resurrecting him with a renewed faith, it may do so by telling a story you feel like your own, emerging triumphant at the end. Or it may do so by simply letting you know that the world out there isn't all that bad and that you can always make it better. Whatever it does, it should give you hope.

Do you know why 'The Shawshank Redemption' is the top film at IMDB, in spite of not being perfect in anyway? Because it taught this very lesson in life, through the life of Andy and when you realized it, you felt livelier than ever.

#4- The Art, the music

“I like beautiful melodies telling me terrible things.”

― Tom Waits

I am not necessarily concerned with the score here. But I want the movie to have a rhythm in its art. Sometimes in a movie, you love what the mind likes and at other times, you like what the heart loves. While I may admire those shapes the auteurs put up on the screen, those distinct colour palettes, those slow movements of the camera, I want them to be synchronous like a symphony and not just a whim of the maker. Those minute technicalities are added so that you may tell a particular aspect of the story in a better way and not to show off even if it means compromising the integrity of the movie.

Look at Godfather and look how a film takes up its art as its character. It never leaves it, not in those lights, not in those shadows, not in the merriment, nor on that bed where a bloodied head lies, soaking the sheets in red.

#5- Navigation-

“Watching a coast as it slips by the ship is like thinking about an enigma. There it is before you, smiling, frowning, inviting, grand, mean, insipid, or savage, and always mute with an air of whispering, "Come and find out".”

― Joseph Conrad

When you undergo the navigation of a film, you steer your ship through its waters seeing everything it shows you on the way. At the end of the film, you realize it was never about the destination but about the journey. A film should be a ride, it should begin at a place and end up taking you to a completely different one. It need not be a transition in time or space but in essence. And it should make that ride worthwhile for you.

Think about Schindler's list, Lawrence of Arabia, think about E.T. and while you are doing that, think where those films start and where they take you.

Dissecting the nominations:

Here I am going to provide a brief account of the movie based on my above parameters and on how the Academy works. More detailed analysis would follow soon and I would link them here. Since we are not making any predictions as of yet, hence alphabetically-

#1- The Big Short

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I had seen 'Inside Job' a couple of years earlier and I had thought it couldn't get any better. I was so wrong. While it may be crude for me to make this comparison, 'The Big Short' reaches the standards 'Inside Job' had set in explaining the crisis and surpasses 'The Wall Street' in showing the inner twistedness of human nature. The Big Short works not through its characters, but through the people you do not get to see in any frame. They are the inside people, the people who never get caught and the people the camera can never reach to. They are ghosts and they are the inside promulgators.

It scores low on the fantastico and peppy parameters but it's high as any on the rest. But let's face it, there is little chance that the Academy would hand over its most prestigious award to a movie the basis of which lies in sheer numbers and intricate Maths. Yes, the characters work and it succeeds in getting the viewer to see the crisis through their eyes but I need to be too optimistic if I call it a true oscar competitor.

#2- Bridge of Spies

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Films like these come out of a formula:
Great Director + Great Actors + War + Period Piece = Oscar favourite.
What's more is how it turns tight the drama with equally enticing thrill holding you at the edge of your seats all the time. But all that has been done many times in Cinema. What makes it different is how it convinces the audiences to believe that an enemy, intentionally evil as he might be, is after all a human being and as such deserves the same rights that apply to you, to me. It sets a lasting impact in how a country and its countrymen can set an example in humanity by a little act of strict business.

A seasoned director understands how the people want a story told and he probably knows the parameters I will judge them on. As such, the film ranks good on all of them but never too high on any. It is could have been a contender for the glory but as it would turn out later, isn't.

#3- Brooklyn

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I have a bittersweet feeling for Brooklyn to be nominated here. While I enjoyed the film and its protagonist's journey towards making a life for herself, it getting nominated just because it's a period drama is something I have qualms with. In fact, I would have loved the movie a little more if instead of it, Carol would have been nominated. Then maybe, I wouldn't have seen it against the titans in this list and would have let it go as a sweet, endearing film.

Brooklyn has lows on all the given parameters except navigation maybe. It does not leave a lasting impact on the mind and fades away easily.

#4- Mad Max: Fury Road

Once a while, there is a high octane blockbuster in the bunch of nominations which is pretty much a crowd favourite. And if you try to strike a balance between good film-making and popular opinion, Mad Max may probably end on the top. But that isn't really what would matter here.

The film has some breath-taking visuals and the practical action sequences are not your run-of-the mill drama. But the story is lacking. As a standalone film, it just throws you in the midst of chaos. While it is pumped up and you love it but you end up asking yourself what just happened. But when the scenery is this good-

Source: YouTube

It's low on peppy and the art-music parameters and is one of those films for which we may cheer all we want, but it wouldn't win.

#5- The Martian

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The Martian is one of those films that you watch and wish that it doesn't end. Maybe because while you should feel for the predicament of the protagonist, the fact that he is all too peppy keeps breaking the tension and you do not throw the "Oh God , Please save him" part. Thankfully, they included a limited supplies scenario or we would have wished that Matt Damon never comes back from Mars. Because he is just too much fun.

It scores high on fantastico, navigation, art-music and just okay on peppy but what about impact? Naah, we couldn't care less until Matt Damon started crying and we were like -okay just rope him in. Gravity was able to achieve all of it, with far better visuals and that didn't win. So much for The Martian.

#6- The Revenant

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If you show me just the trailers, I would pick The Revenant any day of the week and twice on Sundays as my top bet for the top spot. It got me to remember Dersu Uzala for some reason which is itself a great feat. And the movie has all ingredients of a gritty, shady masterpiece that wants to grab an oscar. Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a performance that will send shivers down your spines and the masses are almost as desperate as he is for a Best Actor Oscar.

It scores high on each and every parameter, almost too high on a few of them like navigation and is a top contender for the spot.

#7- Room

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I was so fortunate not to have seen the trailer for this one. When you think about it, you shouldn't do that for any film if you plan on watching it anyway. But for Room, the idea is the cake and the execution is the cherry. You give away the idea in a trailer and all you have left is a cherry. But as a whole, Room is an experience and when you see the world through Jack's eyes, you discover an entirely new way to look into things.

Let's not discuss the parameters here and it should just suffice to say that it making into the nominations, in spite of its popularity, is a great sign for Hollywood movies. There is a delicate yet powerful way how emotions are handled in a movie and this is what makes it this good to watch.

#8- Spotlight

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Now here is a movie after all those years of 'All the President's Men' and 'JFK' that aims at making a glorious and a widespread impact on things. The best things about these movies wasn't the fact that they try to resolve a crisis, whether or not they succeed in doing so, NO. What makes them great is the discovery the characters make while doing so. That the film makes its characters look inside themselves, make them feel that it can happen with anyone is what draws the audience. It gets them to connect with the characters, gets them to pat their backs when the character is triumphant and slap their cheeks when the character realizes how wrong he/she always was.

It rates as high on my parameters as The Revenant but seeing how the Academy works, I would have to stay that Spotlight is the picture that would win the big one on the big day. Again, were it a personal choice, I would have picked Spotlight myself.

Hence, At a glance-

My Own Ranking (Starting from the least good down to the best)

8-Brooklyn

7-Room

6-Bridge of Spies

5-The Martian

4-Mad Max: Fury Road

3-The Revenant

2-The Big Short

1-Spotlight

Likelihood towards winning a Best Picture Oscar

8- Brooklyn

7-Room-

6- Mad Max: Fury Road

5- Bridge of Spies

4- The Big Short

3- The Martian

2- The Revenant

1- Spotlight

"Predicted Winner: Spotlight"

Lets see how it turns out on the big day. I would be reviewing some other major categories soon. So keep on the look for that.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Neerja movie review: It moves you and it gets you to care.

2016-02-20T14:02:00.001+05:30

It gets you to feel the impact

It's a difficult task to review a movie that tells you about great lives. This is because while you may be reviewing the movie, people tend to feel that you are judging the person. When I say that Manjhi was an utter disappointment and that Airlift didn't have an impact, they feel that I am flunking them just so I could project superiority while all the time, I am stating facts. Fortunately, this problem wouldn't crop up here because 'Neerja', much like the Neerja Bhanot herself, would endure the memories of people who have witnessed it.

Based on the real-life story of Neerja Bhanot, the purser at the ill-fated Pan Am Flight 73 that got hijacked in the year 1986, Neerja gets you to care for the characters, almost moving you to pure sentimentality at one point. Sonam Kapoor delivers a flawed yet convincing portrayal of Neerja and you feel like she has finally come of age in Bollywood. Interestingly, it took her the role of a girl who never reached 23 to do that. But good things as you may have heard about her, all of it isn't true.

The movie begins with introducing Neerja as a young, peppy cinephile who loves Rajesh Khanna movies. "Zindagi badi honi chahiye, lambi nahi", she tells a taxi driver who blesses her to have a long life. It's forthright foreshadowing, because obviously we know the story, but it gets you hooked to the film. In the short time following that, Director Ram Madhvani gets us introduced to her, giving us little hints to her life's qualms and the person she really is. It's one important aspect of film-making that others forget- justifying a motivation for one's actions. Neerja has had a tough life, a marriage gone sour, work-life imbalances, emotional trouble and a feeling that she ran away from them as a coward. And this is what makes her do what she does. This is how you tell a story people- Not by putting up bizarrely comic sequences to show how cool the protagonist is, Not by going by the manual and writing scenes around news items but by establishing a connection between the protagonist and the story. What motivates our central figure? What drives her? How do you justify 'finding courage amidst fear'? This is what makes up a convincing movie drama.

All of that said, I must remind you that it isn't a great movie. Just that it is successful in achieving what it wanted to achieve. Each singular shot finds its way into the final edit because it is essential to the movie and not because it projects a wow factor for the audience. It's a small but a fantastico example that I cite here but when Neerja's mother (Shabana Azmi) hears the news of her plane getting hijacked, you expect that she should obviously lose sense of things. It's a great scene where her two parents talk over the phone and when the mother hangs up, she scratches her head, not knowing what to do. I felt like there should have been a cut right there but instead she proceeds to beat something she is preparing with a spoon and eventually the gravity of the moment dawns upon her as she lets it go. You don't see something this good everyday and for moments like these, you love Neerja.

Again, the music is effective- powerful when required and uplifting when desired. It contributes just right to the navigation of the movie by hanging around in the background where it should be for a movie like this. For if you throw in a number amidst chaos, you break the tension. And the first rule of a thriller is- Never break the tension.

I should probably go about telling you why I say it is not great. But I choose not to do that. Instead, I want to focus on why it works. There are 379 lives on that airplane, each one as precious as the other. And you want the viewers to feel the impact if even one of them is lost. So what do you do? Go about hanging the camera over your lead star just because she is the titular character? NO. And the makers understand this. And that is why, they take her everywhere, to each person part of the all and to everyone part of the one. If you are an emotional person, you get to see them as Neerja sees them and then, it's no longer a movie. It's 379 lives.

Bandwidth verdict- Go for the show and witness a life. Biographical movies out there- This is how it's done.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

This Ki and Ka trailer is fantastico

2016-02-18T00:14:00.004+05:30

It has been trending over the social media and over YouTube for quite sometime now and unless you have been living under a rock, you would have heard of it. And it is plain awesome.

This trailer is plain fantastico

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A couple of days earlier, Kareena and Arjun Kapoor launched the trailer of their upcoming film 'Ki and Ka' in Mumbai. With the movie releasing on April the first, 2006 and with a director as good as R.Balki, it looks like the best bet among all movies coming in the first half of the year. The only thing that can turn it bad is if they really make a fool out of themselves on April 1 by having put all the best bits of the movie in the trailer itself. But if is not so and the film is even half as peppy as the trailer, we are in for a show.

The trailer however throws a lot our way in terms of basic premise leaving little to our imagination. Kareena is a superhot corporate woman, maybe someone who has finally settled to the idea of getting married after achieving the needful in her professional life. Arjun plays an easy-go-lucky guy who would man up in all other dimensions of the prototypical Bollywood hero except one- he would not go to an office and earn money. No he wouldn't. He wants to party like men, he likes girls, likes all stuff but when it comes to the 'office-career-ambition' routine, he just can't work them. He prefers to be a homemaker- and I use the term homemaker instead of house-husband not because it clashes with the housewife prototype in our mind but because the term house-husband implies that Kareena may have another husband somewhere else too. (Yeah, the joke's stolen, but it's still cool. What? It's not? Come on).

Again, the duo seem perfect for their roles here. The build is just accurate for Kareena's character and especially for Arjun. He has to play a stay-at-home guy who gets up late and takes on juices and wine and bear and does little to no exercise because what would it get him? He instead is devoted to serving his wife in every way she demands, respecting his mother-in-law and make preparations for his wife's parties when she has friends over. As much as this would be bizarre to see were the sexes reversed, it makes my heart go racing just by thinking how over the top hilarious the scenarios can turn out to be.

The music seems lively still and the duo look to have a genuine chemistry. Something may get compromised given Kareena looks quite elder to Arjun here but I am supposing that the movie would tell this to us and would justify the same by thowing the "I wanted to secure my career first" routine. The trailer also depicts some not so subtle sexual innuendos in the couple's lives and while they may be hilarious to watch, it would be better if they keep that to a minimum.

Kareena, after a long time, seems to be in her A-lister mode here. The limited frames we get to see of her in her office attire promise some crisis in that life which may later mingle somehow into her private life too. But navigation through the whole movie would still be a fun ride and Balki would come up with a justified conclusion to the film.

Bandwidth verdict-When the trailer is that good, it would be a shame if the movie isn't able to make the same impact.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Sanam Re Review: A Music album shamelessly disguised as a movie.

2016-02-13T19:50:00.000+05:30

In 1990, The Bhatt camp and Gulshan Kumar made a movie out of a music album they believed would bring the nation to a still. And it did. Bhushan Kumar has tried to do something similar here but there are two big problems. The songs aren't that good and they forgot to put in a story here.

A Music album shamelessly disguised as a movie.

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Sanam Re is so bad that it does not even deserve to have a full-fledged review written about it. But then again, that's the beauty of reviews whereby we undergo the navigation of a film so that you don't have to. I am even more disappointed by the fact that Bollywood does not have a good movie to offer in Valentine's week and the best bet for a couple would be to go and watch Sanam Teri Kasam again. Talk about going to a Cinema hall, Sanam Re does not even deserve to be seen on national television if it were to come out right now.

The Plot? It's not even paper thin, it just does not exist. Boy (Pulkit Samrat) and girl (Yami Gautam) love each other, live in a small hill station and..wait for this one..study in a school. How clumsy those frames are where they wear those uniforms and sit near those ever so beautiful waters, is something you better not witness. But thanks to some bunch of downright goofy cliches, they separate, then meet again, then separate, then meet again then separate...Hell, I can't give a damn taking care of the number. There is also another angle whereby to save his job, Pulkit's character Akash has to woo a business woman Akansha (Urvashi Rautela) within a week. And that week would be spent in Canada which means they have another lame reason to shoot in exotic locales and get that model they have hired to wear a two piece in ice-cold temperatures just so they could shoot a bunch of songs.

As for the songs, they are peppy- Yes- and some of them are even fantastico enough for people to play on YouTube on repeat. But that does not license the makers to reap money out of people's pockets by pushing anything down their throats. Yes, a movie can't be called bad if you can make good money out of it but that doesn't mean you will go on and create a disaster like this. Also, the next time you try to do something similar, that viewer who almost left the film in the middle would show you your true colours and you would have lost that one basis to be proud of too.

Creativity died a slow, cruel death when this film was being made and lascivity shamelessly stepped in to fill its shoes. And on top of all this, Director Divya Khosla actually wanted us to hold the film as a symbol of true love and sacrifice. My dear makers, those shitty facebook posts circulated in the name of 'one like one awww' are more inspiring than this film.

Bandwidth verdict-Do not watch this movie, never watch this movie. If you have time to kill, go to YouTube and watch some songs of it. Atleast that experience wouldn't be runied.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Fitoor Review: Great expectations, Small Impact

2016-02-13T13:40:00.001+05:30

What the Dickens just happened? As a rare feat in the romantic movie genre of Bollywood, there seemed to be a coherent, enthralling story and suddenly there was a jump in time and we were left with nothing short of stones talking to each other. First they were bent on ruining Shakespeare and now Dickens! Well Done.

Great expectations, Small Impact

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Fitoor starts with an impact, throws you in the midst of something important happening with an almost good narrator telling you of a night. That night, beautifully shot in the beauty of Kashmir, our teen hero Noor would save a militant (Ajay Devgan!) and call it 'qayamat' .Why he calls it so we would know later on. And then, the film will move towards better things. We will see a teen heroine in Firdaus, her shoddy mother in Begum (Tabu) and our boy would be caught in the beauty of them. But there is something else going on. Firdaus and her mother are super-rich and Noor works for them. As such, even though Noor is inclined to fall for her, she and her mother should give him a cold shoulder. But they don't! They are bent on encouraging him, almost teasing him, wooing him towards Firdaus and her beauty. You actually seem interested even though it gets disturbing at times and are hooked into the film. And then, something snaps.

It snaps, they separate and time jumps, much to our dismay and we have out protagonists all grown up. A little too grown up I would say for the age of 23. There is Noor (Aditya Roy Kapoor) who has become a small time artist in Srinagar, and hasn't yet been able to forget her tiny teeny fling. Well for once, fair enough. But then, we see him getting big and bigger, with help from some anonymous benefactor, and the whole meeting again with Firdaus (Katrina) sequences ensue, love rekindling and then a crisis. There would be a resolution to this crisis- Yes and the film will try to offer an explanation to everything. Picking it up from the book, it would be a justified explanation but the film would show it ever so crudely and you would be left wanting for more.

For all it was, Fitoor could actually have been an amazing film if it had stayed with the character sketches of the book a little longer. Frankly, seeing Aditya Roy Kapoor, shirtless, with his hair done a little better, desperately trying to look like an artist at work doesn't get things going for me. Same goes for Katrina, who is fine as long as she is that London educated peppy girl who is cool to hang about with her childhood friend?-cum- servant. But the minute you tell her to get that passion in their love story, she just gives up. We just cannot give two damns about whether these two clumsy love birds will become one and this is where the film totally falls apart. You almost wish they had stayed with the teen-couple and let the story grow after they actually turned 23 :P

However, there is a strong performance from Tabu in the movie and I liked her much more than in Haider this time. If you ask me, her character is in every way more central to the film and one which brings about the depth in the story which keeps us going at times. Another remarkable achievement in the movie, and this one is something that I say can justify your spending money for the movie is Begum's backstory where Tabu's character is played by Aditi Rao Hydari. She has been made to look like Tabu and is so easy on the eyes that we want to never come back into the present. In one particular scene, Aditi is shown smoking a hukkah and I actually thought it was Tabu. This scene was plain fantastico and full points for that scene team.

One of the few reasons you can watch the movie is to look at how they make Aditi resemble Tabu. This one was awesome Picture Source

At the end, if I were to leave the 'based on the book' part away, I would say that a navigation through the movie wouldn't be so bad. The impact it leaves is although small on the audiences but it has its moments away from the book which form some good Bollywood drama. All things remaining same, just fix Noor's integration into the high profile societies of his new found world and I will give this socio-political love flinge a one-time watch verdict. But till then-

Bandwidth verdict-If you have no problem with watching Katrina and Aditya as two stones in love, you can go watch it. For others, there would always be another Friday

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Sanam Teri Kasam review: Mawra makes an impact

2016-02-07T09:25:00.001+05:30

People stay together not because they forget, but because they forgive.

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So..if I take a girl with supermodel good looks and give her braids and a kurta to wear, much less put some spects on her, then would she become an old nerdy maid whom no guy in his right mind would want to marry? Well, the movie tells us the same and this is the only thing in the movie we cannot digest. Mawra Hocane, an actress as impactful as her name plays Saraswati a.k.a Saru, a brahmin girl who lives a nerdy lifes under her orthodox parents and can't seem to get an 'IIT/IIM' guy to marry her despite her Mawra Hocanian good looks. You get to know this and you are like "I am not going to sit through this anymore unless they resolve this crap" and so they do.

Directors Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru have tried to bring about an 'old wine in new bottle' sort of love story on the celluloid by making Sanam Teri Kasam. And so, they keep it in the old Bollywood world, throw in cliches and then some more cliches until they are sure that the protagonist is laden with all the life's problems she can have at a tender age of 21 (Also, Mawra is 23 actually but being 21 has a certain charm to it doesn't it?). They do all this until they come up with one outcome- They succeed. YES, they do.

This is one of those films, critics get to showcase how talented they are. It would probably get 1 or 2 stars and a small opening but none of that changes the fact that the film actually succeeds in achieving whatever it wanted to achieve. The makers here aren't very aspirational with the movie. They know they are not making a Casablanca or even Veer Zaara for that matter. They are just telling a love story keeping the balance of old and new intact. If you went in expecting something bigger, it's your fault.

Coming back to the movie, Saru struggles in her romantic life until our hero Inder (Harshvardhan Rane), a supermodel hunk with huge tattoos who loves to roam around topless, comes in. They do not fall in love just like that and there is the build-up which you expect. Also, there are some other motifs going on which frequently spring up to give the movie new dimensions. There is Sudesh Berry playing Inder's father and they seem to have a crisis laden back-story. There is Murli Sharma playing a police inspector who himself adds a nice although implausible character role to the movie. The film pieces together a hot mix but it does not take away its heroine from the center stage. And that is how you use a talented, peppy actress to her best.

The film does not really idealize Saru as the epitome of the new age Indian woman who is rising up breaking all shackles of society. She is a real person and if you exclude that Mawra Hocanian charm from her, she might just be a girl you know. This is a story of how such a girl can learn to care about her and not about how a girl should go -"Oh screw the world, I'm awesome". Many may not agree to this philosophy and those are the ones who would hate this film. But as for me, I like it; not love, but like.

The young audiences seem to have plenty of reasons to watch this flick. The first of course, as evident from my unending glorification of her, is Mawra. She has plenty of fun lines in the movie and audiences would love to chuckle to them now and then. For the girls, there is Harsh. Now this movie has actually made an attempt to contribute its part towards Woman Power by objectifying not the heroine but the hero. Inder in the movie is shirtless almost 40% of the time and all they want to focus on is his abs and his tattoo. Talking of their acting skills, Mawra carries the film and that Kheech Meri Photo song is plain awesome with her. Harsh is too rigid but he isn't bad. Although, seeing his character and the backstory he has, I would have chosen a less muscular and more agile guy but he does his best. Also, thanks to the directors, the movie actually gets the audiences to care for the characters which IS A BIG DEAL these days in Bollywood.

Finally, it's what cuts the cake for you this weekend. You want some good music and a cool flick to go through, then go for it.

Bandwidth verdict-It's not the Pizza eating love story,it's long and has everything you have been tired of loving in Bollywood. BUT, you will still love this show.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

The Prestige revisited: Impact of a reddit thread

2016-02-05T12:40:00.000+05:30

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I have just seen it again, analyzing it frame by frame, trying to come up with some semblance of objectivity as to what really happened in it. The notorious director that Christopher Nolan is, has less to do with his clever plot lines that sometimes leave the audiences amazed and more with the subjectivity of what he shows on the screen and what really seems to have happened behind those frames.

The Prestige, starring Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman, is about two nineteenth century magicians who try to out do each other, one with his talent and the other with his showmanship. Soon they become so obsessed with each other that they let themselves as well as their loved ones get consumed in this battle to glory. But to tell you the plot is just scratching the surface of the numerous things that this film has to offer to you.

In your first watch, although appealing to you as a true cinematic masterpiece, The Prestige will leave you satisfied. And being satisfied is not a good term to use when it comes to Nolan movies. But when you start to dig within the structure, within those clumsy plot points and thick altered memories of the protagonists is when you realize or either doubt that something entirely different from what you have just seen is going around in the movie. The very same happened with me too.

Prior to my current viewing, I had seen The Prestige a good 5 times. It gives you immense satisfaction by creating an aura of mystery and drama and suspense around you. You long to know about the great trick of 'The Professor' (Bale) "the one that is going to make him famous" and which eventually does. You think that you would know about it by the end of the movie. But the film tells you that you wouldn't like the secret, "The secret impresses no one". What can you do now? Well, for once you move to 'The Great Danton' (Jackman) and you feel that he has no secret. If you are a person of moral inclinations, you will probably begin to hate him. I know I did.

I did until something tremendous happened. For those people who have been living under the rock all these years, having not seen it yet,

SERIOUS SPOILERS ahead- ( DO NOT READ THE TEXT IN RED)

I was simply browsing through some fan threads so as to answer one or two 'minor plot doubts' I had in regard to the movie. And that's when I came across this reddit thread. This thread seemed to be working upon those doubts I had furnished and by the time I was done reading the entire thread, my whole idea of the movie had got challenged. Immediately, I thought of revisiting it and voila, I feel like I have seen another movie. The alternate theory, or possibly the entire actual theory, notwithstanding what the book says comprises of this-

Tesla's machine never worked. He had been fooling Angier into pumping money in his experiments by first giving him false promises that he could make the machine and then tricking him into believing that it did work.
Angier, having retuned after two years with an actual machine made by Tesla (which did not work), came up with an elaborate plan regarding the machine, surrounded it with an aura of intense mystery, showing that it was 'real magic'.
He re-hired his double, got him to perform the acts that he did and appear in the prestige. Only this time, he supposedly had better access to his family fortunes so he could convince him to do a better job at that.
On the final performance, or maybe towards those few days, he got his double to play the pledge and told him that he would be the prestige. This he does because he knew Alfred was trying to uncover his secret.
That day, knowing that Alfred would go backstage, he got the tank put there, with replaced locks, and let his double drown.
Alfred was in for his murder and Angier was out as Lord Caldlow. He would keep his magic trick that was 'far better than Angier's original' safe with him till his death.
When the final reveal comes, he does not leave his character nor does he reveal his secret. Thus, he stays the bigger, better magician in Alfred's eyes.

As good as this one is, it is just a theory and if you ask Nolan for clarification, he would probably say 'Why Not' chucking at the idea of how good a director he really is.

As for others, who didn't/did read the spoiler reds having not seen the movie, go watch it and come back here. This post would be waiting for you.

Bandwidth verdict- We are looking for the secret, but we wouldn't find it. Because we want to be fooled.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Saala Khadoos review: Too peppy for a boxing movie

2016-01-30T11:02:00.005+05:30

Saala Khadoos review: Too peppy for a boxing movie

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The banner of being a 'Raj Kumar Hirani film' does little to save 'Saala Khadoos'. It is one of those films that try to do too many things and end up doing none right. The fact that it is a boxing movie and is so pepped up with an all too bubbly protagonist and quirky subplots doesn't help either.

The very first frames are a spoiler, so I would not be talking about them here. The film opens in a good way though. R.Madhavan is Adi, a former boxer who has been a victim of corruption in the boxing federation. He is a coach now, for the National Women's Boxing. There is a sinister villain in Dev Khatri (Zakir Hussain) and we are hooked. But things start falling apart. Instead of some cool boxing action, we are fed with clumsy committee meetings with tiresome sequences and pitiable acting. Sudha Kongara, the director tries to show the problems with boxing associations but cannot get us to care for them.

Cut to a new locale and we have our heroine- Madhi, played ever so poorly by Ritika Singh. She seems so high on adrenaline you guess she wouldn't need any steroids. Then there would be the same coach-boxer routine and nothing new happens. Although the story had the potential, there just was nowhere getting to because of the reveal in the first frames. Still, you watch the movie for the one thing you can always watch a movie- the romance.

As a serious filmmaker, you are not supposed to introduce motifs of a romantic relationship between a teacher and a student. But this film can't help advance its plot without it because there are issues with the protagonist's motives in regard to what he is doing. He is supposed to be ruthless and arrogant and rash but to show his soft side, the makers saw fit to resort to this cliched element only. They could have well given some character development through a detailed back-story of Adi and we would have digested it. But what they did seemed hard to even swallow.

For what it's worth, a few mentions. R. Madhvan has worked to his potential in carrying the film and keeping it serious. His build and personality suits the image an audience would create for a boxer turned coach and that helps. Also, the newcomer Ritika Singh is someone who looks good for the role of a protagonist, just not this one. When she is throwing punches and not being the over-passionate small town girl, you can see a heroine posing for the crowd and you like her. Also, she can do a mean one hand push-up which is one of the best scenes of the film. She has worked hard physically for the movie but the director wasn't able to really give her time for the more important aspects.

Bandwidth verdict- It's not worth the cinema hall visit. But you can always watch it once it's on national television a month or two later.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

The 5 girls you do not meet in your classroom

2016-01-30T07:40:00.001+05:30

Note: The following blogpost belongs to a genre that we have dedicated our blog 'Takhallus-e-Haqeeqat' to. On the said blog, you can expect posts ranging from short stories to light-hearted suggestions to hobbies and self-improvement. Hosting all such vibrant content under one roof, the said blog aims to do better and better with times to come. Here is a glimpse of the type of content you can find there. Feel free to browse your own way by clicking here-

Do I love you because you're beautiful?

Or are you beautiful because I love you?

She is the type you dream about but never really get to meet. You look around but you don't find her and give up, thinking she can only exist within stories. That particular girl may just be the one but wait, she is too haughty to fit your dream. Then there is that girl, cool, composed and nice. But she doesn’t have that magical charm about her. When you really look out for that girl, it does not matter if you are the right guy for her. That comes later. What matters is how closely she fits that idea you have for the perfect girl. And that idea too may vary from me to you and from you to the next guy who reads this blog. But what remains same is the essence of that idea, how we idealize a girl, hold her as the deity and try to find the best match possible. It isn’t objectification really and you just want to search your best. If it were to really come down to the topic of ‘what really makes you fall for a girl’, the answer would fit a bizarre combination of time spent and social niceties. But this post is above all that. We do not talk about those grey shades here and rather, we see them as they seem to us. Here is a list of the 5 girls you do not meet in your classroom, those five dream girls you can never reach but can die trying for-

#1- The Fantastico type

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She is rare and she is a find. The Fantastico girl is the complex type; you just can’t see through her and the minute you feel like you have understood her, she would surprise you with another trick she always had up her sleeves. You are left boggled but Hey, you can’t complain.

She is the intellectual beast you can never really tame but she is passionate enough to help you try. She is not just a reader, but also a writer and she is not just a listener but a thinker. You sit with her and you are in for a ride. She would understand those cultural references you make and would give you that smile which would light up your day. At other times, you do not even need to speak and a mere gesture is enough. She laughs at only the best of jokes and when she is not busy motivating other people, she is always real. She has a theory in life and she goes by it. But she never preaches and she understands she has more dimensions to her personality than the others around her.

She is high profile but she is low on drama. She is mature enough not to be that. She is the girl who understands all the ‘Whats’ and is interested in knowing the ‘Whys’. I have never seen her in real life but I seem to have gotten close. Here is a true story if you have the time.

Among novel characters, she is Jane Eyre; among series favourites, she is Rachel Green;among movie greats, she is Clarice Starling; and in real life, she is a plain dream.

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#2- The Impact girl-

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She is the girl that can make you fall in love with her just by saying the word ‘Malaria’. She is the lady with the looks and she knows it. This girl is nowhere to be confused with that girl next door who can be the talk-of-the-town if she realizes it and sets herself up accordingly. This girl really is the one the whole town is mad for and someone who prides herself at that. Whether she has the personality or the wit to match up with her appearance is a different debate but when the scenery is that good, who cares if it has a food stop near it?( spare the pun, it came out of nowhere J ).

But she has a downside too. She knows she is the Aphrodite of the place and so she knows she doesn’t have to ‘be nice’. But you can still always try.

This girl isn’t as rare as the fantastico type but she wouldn’t be sitting next to you in your classroom. At best, she is someone you spot when you go spot-seeing and now can’t get your eyes off. Yes there is a story, a true story to this. I will link it here once I write it.
Update: I wrote it.

In written history, she is the Helen of Troy; in movies, she is Ilsa Lund of that Paris we will always have.

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#3- The peppy girl-

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She is Anushka Sharma with an adrenaline rush. She is the girl who is always lit-up, ready to shine and spread the light. At most times, you would find her with a smile on her face and with a job on her shoulders. She is a busy bee and as such the most popular girl in the place. She is someone who is or either tries to play ‘nice’.

Come what may, you can never beat that zeal out of her. She is smart, something that she has worked out for her instead of being born with. Life’s difficulties may be predicaments to others but to her, they are challenges and challenges are meant to be overcome. She is a partner you want if you have a pessimist-realist view of life. Because buddy, this girl will change your world.

The peppy girl isn’t something that she is but something she tries to be. And with constant practice has mastered it. That is not to say she is fake or pretentious but that she has seen fit to take up this role in her life and would act it out forever. As such, their number is on the rise and one of these days, you may really meet one. Till then, here is another story about the peppy girl.

She is Shakespeare’s Beatrice, She is Scarlett O’Hara and she is Holly Golightly.

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#4- The art and music lover-

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She is someone who seeks refuge in artistic talents and someone who knows her way around them. She isn’t just someone who keeps an earphone plucked into her ears. Surprisingly, she never does. She takes those things seriously enough not to waste while making conversation or doing some other stuff.

She is the girl who understands those little nitty-gritty things that escape common minds. She can find the hidden meaning in that line of the author, identify that brush-stroke the artist made out of grim frustration and hear a lesson of philosophy in that movie scene where no words are spoken.

When she is down, sing her favorite song and on a date, gift her the 5th symphony. And you will see the best of her.

She is Annie Hall, she is Rose Dawson and she is that girl who popped in your head while reading this.

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#5- The Navigator

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This girl seeks adventure and lives by it. And by adventure, she doesn’t mean sneaking out at night to have ‘panipuri’ (although she loves every minute of it). She has high standards of having fun. She wants to see things in her life and she wants to do them fast. You can’t hold her at one place because she is a butterfly with wings of aspiration. She loves going places, not for the people but for the view.

She doesn’t like staying home for the vacation and adventure sports is her thing. She enjoys bungee jumping, trekking, paragliding, rock-climbing and nothing sounds cooler to her than ‘scuba-diving’. She is not easily impressed and the only Bollywood movie she likes is ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’. Surprisingly not, the title makes up pretty much her whole world view. Navigation is just her thing.

Be with her and she will show you the world. Date her and you will get an idea.

She is Ellie Arroway; she idolizes Alice, and is in search of her own wonderland.

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This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Airlift: Argo without the impact

2016-01-28T04:17:00.000+05:30

"Airlift: Schindler without the evolution, Argo without the impact."

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The line- "largest evacuation in the history of the world" has a certain aura to it which grips the audiences. But you don't feel the thrill. Things move before you can care for them and the frames are rushed. Airlift is one of those films for which you care more about what they could have been instead of what they actually are.

The year is 1990 and the setting is Kuwaiti. We begin with Ranjit Katyal (Akshay Kumar), ~~an Indian~~ a Kuwaitian businessman who despises India. He has a wife in Amrita (Nimrat Kaur) and a daughter. They enjoy their lavish lifestyle in Kuwait, absolutely adore the Kuwaitian Dinar and make merry. Then strikes calamity. Iraq attacks Kuwait and takes siege. All hell breaks loose and the 1.75 lakh Indians (not to mention the even more Kuwaitians) are left at the mercy of Saddam Husseins troops.

And then something tremendous happens. Ranjit Katyal, the gritty, rugged businessman he is, within a matter of frames becomes a Schindler, a messiah to his 'Indian' people. "When did you become an Indian Ranjit?", asks his friend. But he doesn't have an answer and nor does the film. His wife calls it a 'manufacturing defect' of breaking down in the face of adversity. As such, Akshay's character needed a lot more development. But we move on from that towards the better parts of the film because far as Akshay is concerned, we do not give a damn. And that is actually the best part of the film. In a movie like that, you tend to make your messiah extremely charismatic and larger than life but barring one or two places, he is a normal man, part of the crowd. How those 'Indians' find their way home is then the second-best part.

There are places where Director Raja Menon has worked to his optimum best. The way he handles bureaucratic and political situations is smooth and in spite of a few ups and downs, succeeds in making the audiences proud of what the county could achieve. Also, applause goes to the production design for making the film look convincing visually at a budget of 30 crore rupees.

There are few scenes that you love in the movie and those that you actually talk about when you come out. A peculiar one is where an embassy guy remarks how some particular kid in Indian cricket team isn't worth his spot and goes on to blame the selectors. Little did he know this boy would become the Sachin Tendulkar as we know him. Another good scene is towards the end when the Indian flag hoists in the air and you actually feel proud because it has a plot significance to it and not just a forced sense of patriotism.

But as I said, I look at what the movie could have been. It shares a base with Argo, even a greater motive than that, but still cannot produce that impact with the actual 'Airlift' that it is titled for. When you go through the movie, you are just fine with it but do not actually develop any empathy towards the characters or people at large. This is where most of the Bollywood films fail and this is where Airlift fails too.

Bandwidth verdict- If you go in too high on expectations, you will feel betrayed. Go in with some time to kill and you are in for a show.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

My 5 fantastico yet to read novels

2016-01-28T00:35:00.000+05:30

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Note: The following blogpost belongs to a genre that we have dedicated our blog 'Takhallus-e-Haqeeqat' to. On the said blog, you can expect posts ranging from short stories to light-hearted suggestions to hobbies and self-improvement. Hosting all such vibrant content under one roof, the said blog aims to do better and better with times to come. Here is a glimpse of the type of content you can find there. This post is a followup to "NAVIGATING THROUGH MY TOP 5 FANTASTICO NOVELS". Feel free to browse your own way by clicking here-

There are probably very few people out there who would be satiated by all that they have read. For others, there remains a propensity to read more and better books and as soon as possible. But either time does not allow us or there are some other constraints (in our minds i.e.). This is a list of my 5 fantastico novels that I have either began but not finished yet or those that I haven't touched. Yet, through their revered stature and themes that I can identify with, I am in love with these titles and want to finish them up soon as I can. Here it goes-

#5-Women-

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I don’t know why I want to read this novel so badly. I gather that it’s about the frustrations of Bukowski with his life’s relationships through a different character but being that personal too, it intrigues me to find out more about the man. Maybe with all this social media going on, we have gotten accustomed to peeping into people’s homes and private lives.

#4-Moby Dick-

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“Call me Ishmael”. No matter if you know or not about the immense popularity and stature of this one, you get compelled to read this just by reading this very first line of the book. Huh, if there was any other opening line as good as this barring Lolita and A tale of two cities. Regarded as the "the greatest book of the sea ever written” it instantly becomes a must read. Although Herman Melville’s novel evokes themes of adventure for me, what I have read from reviews suggests realism and a lot more. I often dread that if I don't read it soon enough, I may end up watching the movie :P

#3-Don Quixote-

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Almost unanimously regarded as the greatest fictional work of all times by critics and readers alike, Miquel de Cervantes’s Spanish saga of chivalry has eluded me thus far. Although the translated work that I possess seems to be an authentic and decent one, it hasn’t yet been able to get me in beyond fifty or so pages. The story looks compelling though and with a theme like this, I guess I would take it up again during some small vacation.

#2-Mein Kampf-

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Why would I want to witness Hitler’s autobiography and what good can come of it? The answer to this is a bit personal one. I have always believed in getting behind the motivation of a person that gets him do what he does. On similar lines, it becomes imperative that I try to get behind the motivation of the single greatest point in modern human history. I have read excerpts of it although it is not the right thing to do. Hitler talks about his beliefs of a man and sometimes presents situations that you can identify with. Yet, what you do in those circumstances depends entirely on you.

#1-War and Peace-

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Tolstoy’s greatest epic and quite possibly one of the greatest classics ever written on the subject of war is one of the most revered books that remain to be read by me. The reason is obviously and shamefully the size of it. One of the longest novels ever written, War and Peace seems to corporate everything in scope and extent that encompasses life. Although most of why I would love to read this book early as possible consists of its stature and the myriads of applauding reviews that have been passed on the novel, I have a bigger reason to include this on my list. Apparently, the novel is about whatever lies between the good and bad times in life and whatever transpires in those times too. It thus is a novel that not only recounts the account of an invasion for me but it is a way for me to understand the nature of man towards war. Inspired by its title, I even wrote a short story on the subject – ‘Impact of War’ that dealt with what a war does to a man. I guess once I have really read it, I would surely write an even better story, maybe something longer in scope.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

To be traveled..

2016-01-27T14:13:00.000+05:30

Note: The following blogpost belongs to a genre that we have dedicated our blog 'Takhallus-e-Haqeeqat' to. On the said blog, you can expect posts ranging from short stories to light-hearted suggestions to hobbies and self-improvement. Hosting all such vibrant content under one roof, the said blog aims to do better and better with times to come. Here is a glimpse of the type of content you can find there. This post is a followup to "TRAVEL FANTASTICO". Feel free to browse your own way by clicking here-

Taken from peacockpressprint.com

So here, I am going to list down the 5 fantastico places in my list that I eagerly look forward to visiting. Since I have not yet undergone the navigation through them or traveled them thoroughly, I can’t tell much about the highs and lows of it. So I am going to go by what I have heard about these places, read in reviews and why I find these places perfect for a dream outing/vacation. All are welcome to suggest their favourite travel destinations and high fives if mine match yours. Here goes the list-

#5- Kerala Backwaters-

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The lagoons, the lakes, the waters and the boats. Kerala backwaters has been a dream spot for me to visit ever since I came to know of this peppy and thrilling experience filled with the best of the things that calm your senses and prepare you for an easier life after a break. Thus, Kerala has to be the best place to visit if I want some quiet time away from the frets and fumes of a hectic life schedule. Just imagining the days I could spend gliding in a houseboat or on a ferry gives me goosebumps. What’s more, for once I feel like giving up my 'cheap stay' thoughts for a while and stay in a luxurious resort there.

#4- Kedarnath-

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Some deep and holy connection coupled with an experience that offers trekking puts Kedarnath at one of my priorities in the list of places I desperately want to visit and that too as soon as possible. While the story of the Kedarnath temple and Lord Shiva has always got me going, I also feel like witnessing one of the most talked about and featured Dhams after the terrible mishap it witnessed a couple of years back. Something draws me there and I wonder why I haven’t yet been to this holy shrine of a place. Anyways, I intend to do so soon…very soon.

#3-Leh Ladakh-

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Seeing the pictures of people on social media visiting this oh so awesome place boils my blood because I envy them so much at having gotten the opportunity of visiting this white white mass of paradisical landscape. Social media does impact your travel list I guess. The cold desert of India with its mammoth tourist culture has eluded me until now but no matter what, the next vacation I get, I am going to visit this place.

#2- Kashmir-

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“Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast, Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast”.

Just this line by Khusro can make any person, who loves to live his life in harmony with nature, eager to visit Kashmir. What’s more is that this place really is a paradise on earth. Given the stature it holds and the sanctuary it has formed in the hearts of people who have actually been here, I feel like a criminal at never having gathered the courage to be there, even when I did get a chance. Huh… the heart wants that story to be written but feels like there would be a time, a right time for it to take place. And so, I am waiting for it.

#1- Udaipur-

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Nothing makes my heart beat faster than this photograph of Udaipur. Although, since I am living in Jaipur for a couple of years now, I have deliberately never made plans of going there. Several of my friends have been there and back; they offered me to go with them and I denied every single time. This is because Udaipur, for reasons I can’t even express in words, holds the softest corner in my heart among all places and so I want to navigate through it not to get peace but when I am at peace with everything else in my life. I feel that would be the best time to visit this place for the very first time.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Cinema: Life, Love, Magic

2016-01-22T06:56:00.002+05:30

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“My duty is to reach beauty. Cinema is emotion. When you laugh, you cry”

-Roberto Benigni

Why do I blog about Cinema? Because it is the home to the greatest of my fantasies and as such, an inseparable part of my existence. What is Cinema? Cinema is wonder. Cinema is bliss. Cinema is chaos. It is the expression of everything that the society has ever dreamt and of that too which the society never wants to dream of. Movies are not just made to let the people know about what we think but it grows out of a necessity that is basic to the human urge of being a thinking being. You start with an idea and then you let it grow. You throw in your wildest and most personal of fantasies and come up with a masterpiece having excellent written all over it. This is the kind of cinema that people can appreciate and which people can get inspired from and learn out of. This is the cinema that drives the society towards the epoch of consciousness we are witnessing today. The goal of cinema, if someone asks, at the time of its inception was probably not to bring about revolutionary changes in the mindset of people or to drive them to the point of absolute fantasy but it surely was to get them curious. Cinema did not start just because you could put pictures in different frames and get them to play continuously and amaze people. No. It started because those pioneers knew that it would get people to ask questions, it would make people chew their fingers off in the bewilderment of how their lives are just like the lives of millions of other people; how everyone is fighting his/her own battles in the world and to establish the fact that you as an individual are not alone in this world.

There are different impressions that different types of movies aim to bring out of us. While some are meant to get us to ridicule something, others are made to get us to put our faiths and beliefs in something that is although human but far more powerful than what the realms of the human spirit allow us to perceive. Some are meant to make us question the validity of the very foundations we have based our society on while some are made to simply provide us light-hearted entertainment for a few hours. What type of cinema should thus be preferred in order to bring about the best of the changes in society and to set it on a better platform of life and lifestyle seems to be a pretty subjective question in itself with complexities ranging from social to philosophical to psycho-pathological. Thus one cannot fully ascertain the effect that a particular form of cinema will have on the society as a whole but what one can do is interpret the dilemma at an individual level and then try solving it.

Cinema, in actuality, is not very different from Economics. In Economics as we see, to understand the effects of a particular change on a mass basis i.e. to formulate theories of Macroeconomics, we need to inspect the Microeconomic level of it. Similarly, the impression of Cinema on the society can be understood by carefully analysing how it shapes and moulds the personality of an individual right from his/her birth to the end. We used to have fairy tales earlier. Now we have superheroes who teach us the most basic lesson of our lives- “Truth always triumphs”. Before the school blackboard, before the Mundaka Upanishad and before the National emblem, it is cinema that teaches us this life lesson and sets us on the path of righteousness and probity. As we grow up, we learn to take pride in our nation and honour its values, its heritage thanks to cinema. I still remember how I used to literally get tears in my eyes as a child when I used to listen to “ Ae mere watan ke logon”. It’s not a social convention to get emotional when a child does that. It is a lesson well learnt. And the lesson is to imbibe the tenderness of sentiments within us, something that really makes us honour other’s lives in a Darwinian world. A teenager gets inspired to fly, to invent, to create, to innovate when he/she watches the Hero in front of him producing miracles one after the other. As we mature into a family man, cinema teaches us that it is OK to be weak at times, that the pain and the pangs that life is made of are not exclusive to him/her but the society as a whole suffers from it. When a Cab guy, a coolie, a docks worker or a soldier sees Amitabh Bachchan playing out their lives on the screen and ultimately surviving out of all odds and stones life throws at him, in some part of their hearts, they come to believe that no matter what happens tomorrow, the day after will be beautiful. When one grows old, cinema makes you believe that you have not become useless, that you have the same life-force, if not the same vitality, that once made you take on all challenges with an iron-will. In every step of our lives, cinema teaches us another precept and keeps on furnishing our faiths in it – That we may become great as we may, but there is a force greater than all of us and that we are all a part of it.

As far as Cinema, in essence, is considered, it is harmless in every way and is meant for everyone’s good. While there may be films that give the wrong message to people, shunning them would not do. It is a bitter truth of the society that goodness takes time to get under our skins while evil gets directly injected into our veins. But when cinema has taught us so many lessons, it will take an exam too. This aspect of cinema is an exam whereby it is upon us to see the evil and decide judiciously to differentiate the good from bad. If you still feel weak doing it then-

“May the force be with you”

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today. The post caters to the fantastico effect Cinema has had on me.

The peppiest thing in Bollywood today- Anushka Sharma

2016-01-21T21:46:00.001+05:30

A few days back, I and some other hostel mates were having a debate, trying to come up with the best leading lady in Bollywood. I use the word “leading lady” because it was a personal input of mine to judge those ladies on a combined scale of acting capabilities, looks, projected image in the general eye and the effect they have on people’s mind. Somehow, I was surprised to find most of them identifying with Deepika Padukone on grounds unknown. Maybe they had an inherent predisposition towards her and didn’t really pay heed to the grounds I mentioned; Maybe it wasn’t such an intellectual discussion anyway. My point is that although they, which can very well be called the mirror of the present generation that is and is likely to in the future, fill cinema halls with their “extra money to dispose” and “extra time to kill”, that choice of their seemed at poles with mine- Anushka Sharma.

Anushka Sharma is the Nicole Kidman of Bollywood. In addition and maybe a strong contradiction to this, she is the peppy, most lively, high octane performer in Bollywood. I remember her confiding to the public about some girl who remarked about her – “It’s like all the bubbliness of North India is filled in this girl only”. While the girl as well as Anushka might have seen this in a negative light, it might be possible that deep down, the actress as well as her roles have always had an uplifting influence on everyone.

Anushka is a professional actress; and that is not a generic word in Bollywood because too few actresses are actually professional enough. Anushka knows how to be the talk of the town and that too for respectable reasons. She knows how to make powerful statements at the right time and how to shed away any weights that might hinder her ascent to the top. And it is safe to say that if she does not fall into any dreams of marrying a businessman and living a life far from B-Wood with charity institutions, she could very well become the Greatest Indian Actress of all time.

If you have a look at her filmography, you will find few roles that actually had to do big with audiences and to the film at large. But what lies even deeper in this observation is not what she does with these big roles but what she does with the smaller ones. Whether she is being the Shruti Kakkar of ‘Band Baaja Baaraat’, the Meera of ‘NH-10’ or the Bijlee of ‘Matru Ki Bijlee ka mandola’, she attaches as much importance to each of her roles as one would if one were doing the last film of his/her life. That is the kind of dedication that Bollywood not only deserves but needs direly.

She might not be something who was projected as ‘the next big thing’ of Bollywood by media outlets or ‘big outlets’ but she is someone who will carve her own niche in Bollywood. This article would be a more interesting read then but I am writing it now because then, it would be all too obvious.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

A Journey Through Music and Times of Bollywood.

2016-01-20T14:59:00.000+05:30

I originally intended to make a list of the top 10 or 15 Soundtracks of Bollywood. But not only did it pose serious conflicts of ranking, it also made me leave out some of the greatest soundtracks behind. So, in good faith of bringing out the most enjoyable and evocative list for anyone who visits this page, here is a journey of Bollywood through different times and artists marked by soundtracks that the country instantly took to and those that still linger in our fondest memories.

Note: This list is not rated or ranked in anyway. The numbers accompanying the titles are just for the purpose of clarity. Also, I haven't really made it a point to include a certain number of films in any particular period say, a decade, and hence the list maybe dominated by multiple films within few years and few films among many years.

25- ShahJehan (1946)-

There was a time when Kundal Lal Saigal's voice fell on the ears, coated with the music of Naushad and spiced up with the brilliance of Majrooh Sultanpuri's Urdu poetry. The audiences got gems like Jab Dil Hi Tut Gayaa, Mere Sapno Ki Rani Ruhi Ruhi Ruhi and this-

"phoonk raha hai jigar, pad rahaa hai magar muskuraana haay haay ye zaalim zamaanaa"

24- Anmol Ghadi (1946)-

With 12 jewels one after the other, the soundtrack was an instant sensation. Naushad provided the soulful music while Tanvir Naqvi penned the songs. It also featured Mohd. Rafi's first notable song, Tera Khilauna Toota among other greats like Aawaaz De Kahaan Hai, Kya Mil Gaya Bhagwan and Jawan Hai Mohabbat.

23- Barsaat-(1949)-

Regarded by many as the greatest soundtrack of Bollywood history, Barsaat gave Bollywood 'THE LATA MANGESHKAR' as we know her today. In return, she along with Shankar Jaikishan and a crew of lyricists (ideally Hasrat Jaipuri) gave us an unforgettable musical experience.

22- Awara- (1951):

I have always believed that Awaara was the beginning of true cinematic excellence in India. With Barsaat, Raj Kapoor had found the formula of music that people loved and he perfected it with Awara- Dum Bhar jo udhar muh phere, Ghar aaya mera pardesi, Awara Hun remain its greatest hits. Also, the two duos of Shankar Jaikishan in music and Shailendra- Hasrat Jaipuri in Lyrics became a hallmark for a worthwhile ride for the audiences.

21- Baiju Bawra (1952) -

Naushad brought 13 songs in 11 raagas embellished in the lyrics of one of the greatest lyricists of the golden age of Cinema, Shakeel Badayuni. With songs like O Duniya Ke Rakhwale, Door Koi Gaye and Tu Ganga ki mauj, Baiju Bawra proved to be a revolution in Hindi Music Industry.

20- Pyaasa (1957) -

Arguably, the best film in Bollywood had highs even in the sound department comprising of greats like S.D. Burman, Sahir Ludhianvi, Geeta Dutt and Mohammed Rafi and songs like Hum aapki aankhon mein, Ye duniya agar mil bhi jaye, Jaane wo kaise and Jinhe naaz hai Hind par wo kahan hain.

21- Kaagaz ke phool (1959)-

Who can forget the camera panning out from Waheeda Rehman as the song Waqt ne kiya, kya haseen sitam plays on. Whether it's Dekhi Zamane Ki Yaari or Ulte Seedhe Dao lagaye, the music of S.D.Burman suits the aura of the moment and the new wave lyrics of Kaifi Azmi complement by providing the necessary depth through their meaning.

20- Barsaat Ki Raat (1960)-

The benchmark of Qawalli soundtrack in Bollywood music, whereby Roshan and Sahir added such charming intensity to the songs that I can't help add two songs here-

19- Mughal-e-Azam (1960)-

I don't think any Bollywood list that talks about any worthy aspect of movie-making can ever be complete without mentioning Mughal-e-Azam in it. The makers had all the freedom they wanted to churn out an album that will go down in the books of history as the greatest ever. For once, your mind actually comes out of the spell of Madhubala's beauty and wonders- "Who wrote these songs? Whose music am I hearing". Well Shakeel Badayuni and Naushad - the ultimate duo it is.

18- Sangam (1964)-

Shankar- Jaikishan, Shailendra-Hasrat Jaipuri, Dost Dost Na Raha, Ye mera prem patra padhkar. Need I say more?

17- Waqt (1965)-

There was something utterly tremendous about the story and execution of Waqt. With music as the mainstay of all popular Bollywood films, Yash Chopra discovered an uncanny knack of delivering to the audiences just what they wanted. The film's soundtrack by Ravi and Sahir included songs like Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen, Kaun Aaya and Aage Bhi Jaane Na Tu.

16- Guide (1965)-

When art gets to celebrate art, you are sure to get a masterpiece. S.D. Burman and Shailendra's duo brought us gems like- Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna, Gaata Rahe Mera Dil, and Piya Tose Naina Laage Re.

15- Pakeeza (1968)-

With a crew firing on all barrels, the music of Ghulam Mohammed and Naushad Ali with lyrics by Kaifi Azmi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Kamal Amrohi and Kaif Bhopali brought class and awe to seduction and show.

Notable songs- Chalo Dildar Chalo, Chalte Chalte, Inhi Logon Ne and Thare Rahiyo.

14- Aradhana (1969)-

For a large part of it, Aradhana was all about music. R.D. Burman took reigns from his ill father and gave Bollywood the gift of the eternal duo of Kishore- Rajesh. Roop Tera Mastana, Chanda Hai Tu Mera Suraj Hai Tu, Kora Kagaz Tha and Mere Sapno Ki Rani were some of the most notable hits.

13- Aap ki kasam (1974)-

R.D. Burman and Anand Bakshi gave hits like Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, Jai Jai Shiv Shankar and Zindagi Ke Safar Mein.

12- Kabhie Kabhie (1976)-

If someone wants to make a film about music, make Kabhie Kabhie or do not make it at all. The melody of Khayyam wrapped in the words of Sahir was a milestone film at a point in cinema when the industry was leaning towards action and angry films. Tere Chehre Se, Kabhi Kabhie Mere Dil Mein, Mere Ghar Aaye Ek Nanhi Pari, Main Pal Do Pal Ka Shayar Hoon- racked Filmfares after Filmfares for the crew.

11- Umraao Jaan (1981)-

Those frames of Rekha slowly moving and getting on her heels as the music similarly follows her note can never be forgotten. Khayyam once again brought melody that seduces and Shahryar wrote pearls that embellished the seducer. Dil Cheez Kya Hai and In Aankhon Ki Masti were the biggest hits.

10- Arth (1982)-

The formula was simple- Kaifi Azmi + Jagjit Singh. The product was as heartwarming as this-

09- Sadma (1983)-

There was a degree of softness that a story so delicate required with its music. Who better than Gulzar to do that? Ilayaraaja's songs- Surmayee Ankhiyon Mein, O Babuaa Yeh Mahua and Aye Zindagi Gale Lagaa Le spell innocence and tranquility to this day.

08- Aashiqui (1990)-

Everyone remembers how the Bhatt camp made a film out of a music album. Is that even possible? Well, depends on the music album. In spite of a crew as varied as this, the production of a soundtrack that included Ek Sanam Chahiye, Nazar Ke Saamne Jigar Ke Paas,

Jaane Jigar Jaaneman and Dil Ka Aalam was a marvel if not a miracle.

07- Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (1994)-

No film in history probably left the impact on the country that Hum Aapke Hain Kaun did. With it's cheerful numbers centred aroung marriage and rituals mostly, the film's album has been immortalized by Indian wedding celebrations.

06- Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995)-

This one's for the girls out there (if any of you read my blog :P). Although I haven't been a huge fan of the soundtrack at a personal level, it seems to have begun a new culture in Bollywood. Jatin-Lalit were successful enough in grabbing the project from the Big Boss Yash Chopra and in delivering the goods. Call it good music, call it SRK's craze, the soundtrack still makes Indian girls' hearts go boom.

05- Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999)-

Ismail Darbar produced magic when he composed this track- and there is simply no exaggeration in this. The finesse with which he handled the diverse and technically intricate situations and replaced them with songs like Albela Sajan Aayo Re, Chand Chhupa, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Tadap Tadap Ke was exemplary.

04- Veer Zaara (2004)-

Veer Zaara is probably the soundtrack of the millennium in Bollywood. Who knew Madan Mohan's old and untouched compositions would be so full of brilliance years later? A track that contains songs like Tere Liye, Main Yahan Hoon, Do Pal and Aisa Des Hai Mera- altogether is terrific to say the least and legendary to say it just right.

03- Kisna (2005)-

A.R. Rahman and Ismail Darbar brought about some of the finest music that modern day Bollywood had ever witnessed. Javed Akhtar penned those songs of love and devotion and made for a track we wouldn't forget in ages. Don't believe me? Try this-

02- Anjaana Anjaani (2010)-

Although the movie was a letdown, the soundtrack comprising of sings like Aas Paas Khuda, Hairat and Tujhe Bhula Diya was plain awesome.

01- Rockstar (2011)-

A.R. Rahman's music and Irshad Kamil's thought provoking lyrics brought depth and meaning to an otherwise plain and pointless movie. Mohit Chauhan was at his singing best with songs like Jo bhi main, Hawaa Hawaa and the infinitely great Nadaan Parinde. Sadda Haq, also from Chauhan, became a youth anthem soon after the film's release.

Bandwidth verdict- Yes, you cannot/will not go through this entire list but do keep it bookmarked for one of those lazy times when you want to lift yourself up.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Bajirao Mastani review

2015-12-28T22:44:00.003+05:30

Source

"Ishq ne 'Ghalib' nikamma kar diya, warna ham bhee aadmee the kaam ke "

I succumbed to some reviews myself before experiencing this dream project of Sanjay Leela Bhansali. They told me he has tried to copy 'Devdas' and somehow recreate that magic. They also told me that it was the best film of the year and that history is again blooming in Bollywood. But once I saw it, the first thing that came to my mind was the above couplet of Ghalib.

Distorting history is one thing and not getting things perfect, although perfectly open for opposition, is fine by me. But when a historical figure, revered and honored as much as the great Maratha Peshwa Bajirao is reduced to a new day Ranbir Kapoor in love then I don't get up from that seat and feel like I have got my money's worth. Look at Deepika Padukone as Mastani Bai. Let alone that awesome song by Shreya Ghoshal that is pretty much supposed to be the BSP of the film and you would not find a frame where she does not look out of her place. Look at Ranvir Singh portraying the legendary Peshwa who is so valiant he can take on an entire army on his own, an actor who has surprised one and all by flaunting that Maratha accent and for once tried his best to take up the challenge of Method acting but snaps out of his character to show us that shameless man we not long ago saw on some YouTube roast.

As for a saving grace, look at Priyanka Chopra. I once jokingly said while watching Agneepath that if you pay Priyanka Chopra ten rupees for a role, she will give you back a worth of fifteen rupees. That statement of mine, although apologetic if I meant it literally rather than figuratively, stands no truer than in Bajirao Mastani. She is pretty much the only major character in the movie who does not leave her character for a minute in the movie ( the other being Tanvi Azmi as Bajirao's mother). Whatever happened with Pinga was the Director's and the Choreographer's headache and although that song too is easy on the eyes, that it is objectionable from a historical point of view makes it a failure.

The best frames of Bajirao Mastani are when there are tensions building between relations but sometimes they too get marred with forcefully incorporated 'tukbandi'. One peculiar scene which I loved though apart from them was one between Bajirao and Nizam played by Raza Murad. Let's face it, someone like Raza Murad and a voice like that is indispensable in a historical movie and this film could have used a little more of him. At other times, we are simply fed over the top sequences where Ranvir splits an invisible root with an arrow, jumps to take on elephant riders and where Deepika takes on multiple army men with a sword. What was the use of establishing them as such superbeings if all they had to do was make a sappy, withered, no-salt love story of dying together?

A lesson that film-makers need to take from the movie is that there is no substitute to hard, proven, solid work. Look at a film like Jodha-Akbar and you would know the difference. Practical sets cannot be replaced by cheap CGI where you superimpose a fake water 'thing' below some Amer Fort structure. Another thing that Bhansali could have learnt from Mr. Ashutosh Gowariker is making the viewers believe in the characters they are watching. In Gowariker's film, we knew that the people we were watching really are those sketched in time and whose legacy would be timeless. He was able to achieve this in spite of an un-matchable rival in Mughal-e-Azam. In Bhansali's film, it felt like they are here to do some quick-to-cook-and-serve roles and have to leave for that toothpaste commercial. Guess there were issues with the casting too.

Bandwidth verdict- There is grandeur and there are those lavish sets. But that is something I expect or rather know. Give me something that I don't expect.

Bombay Velvet review

2015-12-18T18:48:00.001+05:30

"Fiat chalaane wale ko Mercedes chalaane doge, toh thok hi dega"

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"Is it really as bad as you have heard?" Yes. "But you have heard of some Locarno film festival where it was much appreciated"- Right. Then what's the truth? The truth is an irony. And it is an irony that has sunk quite a few films in the past, the most recent being Detective Byomkesh Bakshy. What is this irony? It's the fascination of the director in getting the setting right and in doing so losing the plot line altogether.

The very first frames of the movie tell you about the skill that Anurag Kashyap possesses as a director. If you pay attention, you will soon realize that this film is not about Ranbir Kapoor, nor about Anushka and not at all about Mumbai. It's about Kashyap- the Director. He pays tribute to Scorsese and wishes he could make a film like him some day. He aspires to touch the flamboyance of 'Scarface', the viciousness of 'The Roaring Twenties' and the gritty, realistic shades of 'White Heat'. But he sees that the time is lost. And so, he recreates it, puts all his energies into getting all those little tiny details and decorates each frame like his most wonderful of dreams. And then strikes calamity. He can't see it at first but we do and by the time he realizes it, it's all too late. We see that Bombay Velvet isn't really a film but an idiosyncrasy in his head and as such, the plot is either too convoluted for him to try to explain or it is downright flimsy.

'Johnny' Balraj (Ranbir) is a gangster thug who wants to become a 'BigShot'. He has a love interest in Rosie (Anushka) and the film is about his journey towards realizing his dream. There is another motif too whereby Bombay itself is becoming a bigshot and we see parallels between how the gangster world influences both of these transitions. But something is wrong. Things are foggy or rather muddy as they play on. There is just no coherence between the plot line and the way characters play out their parts. You are, at multiple times, left baffled as to what is happening and you want the person sitting next to you to explain what the rush is all about. But even he/she has no idea. You feel that you will have to google about the Bombay history but you don't and quit. It's not your fault really and accidents happen by mistake.

If there is a lesson you can take from Bombay Velvet, it's how not to make a film. It's a lesson for Kashyap and the new 'artistic' directors about what actually makes up a cinematic film and why the big studios spend their money on what they spend their money. It's a lesson for those who try to belittle larger than life movies as cheap fantasies. Because when the shit really hits the fan, you have to run for cover; because when you make a film and put more than 50 crores into it, you want returns and to do that, you have to put in things that the viewers want to see and not what you want to show them. Select audiences are not a measure of a real director's worth. You have to prove yourself on the big day too.

Bandwidth verdict- If you love a retro setting and are looking for some candy for your eyes, watch it. For others, life is too short, skip it.

Tamasha review

2015-12-18T16:09:00.001+05:30

Tamasha or 'How NOT to make a 3 Idiots'

Source: dailymotion

"Why always the same story?" asks the movie poster. Along similar lines, a storyteller in the film connects Ramayan with the Trojan War and tries to draw parallels between stories of the east and that of the west. He believes, and makes our protagonist Ved (later Ranbir Kapoor) believe, that the same story works everywhere. However irresponsible this might be, the director wants to tell us something at this point. But he is unable to do so. He seems too busy in brewing up something cinematic yet artful and woo the audiences that he takes up and drops many interesting motifs throughout the film and relies on cliched story elements to move his film.

The film opens on a stage where a 'Tamasha' is unfolding, the dialogues of which are some of the clumsiest piece of word jugglery I have heard in a Tamasha( and I have been to my share of Tamashas'). Then it gets interesting. We get to know a boy, who surprisingly looks pretty much a kid version of Kapoor and this kid is fascinated with stories of the old. He saves and steals his way to hear these stories, to watch them, and soon they become part of his life. He sees a 'Soni', a 'Juliet' a 'Sanyukta' in affairs steaming up around him and they make up his world. The frames get quite rich actually and you seem drawn to the film and then a cut and you are in Corsica. Corsica, a French island where this recent dynamic duo of Ranbir-Deepika has to fall in love. You never know whatever the reasons are for them visiting the place because they aren't really on a holiday and they sure aren't estranged there. 'Silly' might be the right word to justify the generation's penchant for exotic locales even when they have no money. And so it happens that our beloved Hero and Heroine end up loving each other through some cliched plot element, make some bizarre pact and 'enjoy' their hearts out. Then they separate and meet after four years but strangely our Hero isn't as mad as he once was and our Heroine doesn't find him the kind of turn-on he once was. They again separate, the hero gets a little mad and then some B.S, about a higher meaning in life and the movie is over.

Whoever thought this joke of a film was a masterpiece.

Ranbir Kapoor and especially Deepika come up with fine performances though. Maybe because they don't really have to act much as they play the quintessential Metro pair who somehow manage to create a love crisis and spend years trying to get over it. Ranbir's character, however, gets some other motifs to deal with but since his character is very loosely twisted between things, it proves too much for his acting abilities. Deepika, on the other hand, is better in those situations. At many points in the film, she builds up quite a connection with the viewer but quickly snaps out of it and you feel betrayed, wanting for more.

One peculiar thing that Imtiaz Ali has tried to pull in the movie is the notion that the conversations between the duo are not your usual filmy lines. Rather, he seems to think that real life young couples talk like this duo talks but this is where he gets pretty wrong. In a film where he is trying to convey how stories and Cinema has made up so much of our world, you cannot afford to miss the point that real life young couples, especially the pseudo modern Metro couples talk in stereotypical filmy tones rather than coming up with playful lines of their own. That said, the director loses pretty much the point of the film and all he manages to really put up is a half baked and meaningless rehash of a 3 Idiots scene.

The Music is rich at times but that too has its downs. Same goes with the production design which is exemplary in the Corsica sequences but dismal in the rest of the movie. One Filmfare that it must win is that in editing which you expect from someone like Aarti Bajaj. Sadly, we no longer get everything right in movies these days.

Bandwidth verdict- This is for the youth that is still young and for those who enjoy the Ranbir-Deepika Chemistry.

Feminism Is Pretty Much Sexism

2015-09-04T20:24:00.000+05:30

Note: I’m blogging for the India Today Woman Summit 2015 #WomenPower activity at BlogAdda. That said, I am not going to focus my attention on women that have been really subjugated by patriarchy in the various corners of the country. I am talking about the hardcore feminists here because frankly, these are not women who have themselves undergone the cruelties of child marriage or female illiteracy or female infanticide or the likes for that matter. These are the cause and effect generation of women who are going to shape the future of India. But there are problems with what they believe and what they want. What are these? As a man, or as the rigid feminists like to call us- a sexist hog and a tool of patriarchy, I happen to know them and the differences that give rise to these problems. I am going to tell you about them here. But would you like them?

As a generation today,women have succumbed themselves to the altar of something, the name of which, you don't usually find in dictionaries and that is misandry. Strangely enough, misandry is everywhere-from fiction to films, from news to views, and even in the day to day civic life. It is more of a Cyclops syndrome where only one aspect of the problem is taken into picture and ideologies are woven with rigid obstinacy.

Cyclops people stereotype the male by the actions of a minority and define the exceptions as the rule. In CBS news's nationwide survey conducted in USA, when women were asked "Do you consider yourself to be a feminist or not?" -only 24 percent identified themselves as so while 17 percent thought the term was an insult! But when they were given a definition viz "A feminist is someone who believes in social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. Do you think of yourself as a feminist now?" -the number shot to 64 percent considering themselves feminists!!! Now what's this paradox? It is because women who do as well as who do not identify themselves as feminists seem to attach a certain 'militant drive' and 'chip on the shoulder' attitude with the word. These are the implications and the repercussions of an ideologically driven, theoretically unsound, and empirically unsupported perspective of Feminism.

Women whine about how terrible their lives are and relate anything and everything bad they face to gender inequality considering "it is just because I am a girl" which is far from truth. Each one of us all, regardless of gender have to face things in life. Albeit, there is no denying that cruelty and pain has been afflicted in certain cases by men upon the fairer sex but yet again it is not to be forgotten that most murderers are male but most males are not murderers. But hey..MISANDRY SELLS..like completely.. I see girls wearing slogans like -"so many boys, so little ammunition", "dead men don't rape"(well..nor do most of men),"boys are smelly, throw stones at them"..and my personal favourite "what do you call a boy with half a brain?-gifted" --Now these are statements that may create havoc were the sexes reversed.

There seems to be too much DEMONIZATION OF THE MALE SEX. There is even hate literature- 'The Color purple' by Alice Walker is totally misandric and the 'action' taken in this regard was her being awarded with a Pulitzer! Betty Friedan, referred to suburban domestic life as a "comfortable concentration camp" for women, and their husbands as SS prison guards. Rosalind Miles described men as "the death sex." Valerie Solanas wrote "The SCUM Manifesto", the Society for Cutting Up Men!! To add to this hate culture there have been comments by Feminists, for example by Germaine Greer like when she said that British troops would rape women while at war..!! and the ever so bizarre one whereby On the BBC show Question Time, she said that young girls could be sexualised by "kissing their fathers goodnight" which generated much criticism and rightly so. To paraphrase New Jersey philosopher J. B. Jovi, they give feminism a bad name.

Women talk about Marissa Mayer, the CEO of Yahoo .A woman (from Silicon Valley, no less) enters the ranks of Fortune 500 CEOs -- that elite, all-powerful, nearly 4% female club... BUT SHE SAYS SHE DOESN'T THINK SHE WOULD CONSIDER HERSELF A FEMINIST!!! WHAT DOES THIS CONVEY EXCEPT THE NAKED TRUTH THAT FEMINISM HAS BECOME SEXISM TODAY?

It's as if women themselves seem to think "If I am a woman,I'm a lowly creature, but if I say I'm a feminist, I get to kick some a**"

A few days ago as I was watching a Shinchan movie (Yup..I still do), there came a twist where they had to show that everything in the world had become its exact opposite. And so, among many other things, there was a scene where there is a 'reserved for men' train compartment and one man says to another- "Hell Yeah, Now that's for equality". Let me tell you what exactly feminists want, something for which they haven't yet been able to draw a sentence for and that is (quote) Equality- Political, Economical, BUT NOT Social... period... (unquote).

YESSS..that's precisely what women want; They want to be treated as equals in the economic sphere, have equal opportunities for growth, equal pays and equal access to tools that make them achieve it. Plus, they want to yield same amount of power as men do (even if it is detrimental to the very essence of equality i.e. via reservations and all). Well for once, fair enough, albeit there are instances where women (and i am talking about actual personalities who actually yield power in the country) have agreed that they would deem it a better situation if they were to work with a more capable male than a less able person of the fairer sex. Now coming to the real issue- Why not social equality?

You see, women always have had this penchant "to be heard". Though it's in everyone's nature, but in women it is much more prominent or pronounced. So it's like they think (*read in the prototypical six year old girl tone*)

"Yes I want equality but in the social sphere, I 'aspire' to be treated like a doll, to be pampered and I also want the upper hand whenever I desire".

It's like they want society to respect their 'feminine side' and to attend to it while they detest the same elsewhere. I say- Why these double standards? Why this call for special benefits? And mind you, this demand wouldn't subside even if women gain all power and pace, money and fame, pomp and show they want. No it wouldn't. They will always have this- "I am a woman and so you gotta respect me(period) No matter what" attitude.

Well, the thought defies reasoning but is true to the core. Quoting Mr.Viru Sahastrabuddhe from 'Three idiots'-"Let me give you a very interesting example"-

When I was in class 11, I used to attend coaching classes right after school and it was like 20 kms. (in my city, it 'is' a distance) from my home and had to wait for a city bus too. Allow me to tell you how badly I love buses.. I mean it's the most perfect place to learn many of life lessons. So after leaving home at 7am, when I finally took a bus home at 8.30pm, a familiar spectacle was after me (It's so crowded you pray to God that you get space to stand). By some luck, I could manage to 'jump' on a seat as someone just left. A minute later, a girl of 22-23 (Yes, I'm real good at guessing age) asked me to vacate the seat for her!!

NOW HERE WAS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE PROTOTYPE OF A SOCIETY WHERE YOU ARE NEITHER A KING NOR A BEGGAR, BUT A PASSENGER AND YOU BUY THE SAME TICKET. SO ECONOMIC EQUALITY DONE WITH. NOW THERE ARE RESERVED SEATS FOR MP'S & MLA'S BUT OBVIOUSLY THEY DON'T TRAVEL BY BUS (THAT'S FOR POLITICAL). NOW COMES THE SOCIAL STRATA OF IT. WAS IT A SEAT 'RESERVED FOR WOMEN'? (I don't know why there is such a seat in the first place) BUT NO; IT WASN'T AS I CHECKED IT BY MY FIRST INSTINCTS. NOW I AM NOT A RIGID BULLY OF A BOY AND MYSELF LEAVE THE SEAT FOR ELDERS, BUT GIVEN THE EXERTION OF THE DAY AND THE OBVIOUS 'NOT OLD' AGE OF THE GIRL, I HUMBLY REFUSED. SHE REPEATED THE SAME, THIS TIME QUITE HAUGHTILY, AND I AGAIN 'HUMBLY REFUSED'. SUDDENLY THERE WAS A SCENE AND THE 'AUNTIES' AROUND STARTED ON WITH THEIR "ANTI-MEN" COMMENTS AND SEEMED TO UNLEASH ANOTHER FEMINIST MOVEMENT IF I DIDN'T OBLIGE. NO POINTS FOR GUESSING, I HAD TO LEAVE THE SEAT, STAND FOR ANOTHER 17 KMS. WITH MY BAGPACK, and WALK 2.5 KMS TO MY HOME AFTER THE LAST STOP (yes..WALK).

Now, I don't bear an innate grudge for this nor has this incident shaped my ideas in any way. I just wonder about the motivation (for lack of a better word) of women behind this and I could come up with the sole fact that A QUEST FOR EQUALITY IS CERTAINLY NOT THE ANSWER. At least not in the social world where there are so many instinctive misjudgements, blindfold hatred and rageful misconceptions about men among women.

To conclude it all, I quote Kari Simpson where he remarks for women-

"She doesn't know how much power she has and has to call herself something else; Does it help to be a woman? You bet."

SO ALL WOMEN OUT THERE, SHINE AS YOU MAY; BUT DON'T TRY TO DO THAT BY DESPERATELY TRYING TO STEAL THE LIGHT FROM THE "OPPOSITE SEX"

SINCERELY,

THE OPPOSITE SEX

Manjhi movie review

2015-08-21T15:29:00.003+05:30

Source: indiaopines.com

All good things come to an end and so it has once again with Manjhi. The ongoing saga of how great an actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui is, has been left exposed to the harsh truth from the very first scene where he falters in delivering a heartfelt cry on the death of his character Manjhi's wife.

Based on the real life incidents surrounding Dashrath Manjhi's life, Ketan Mehta's Manjhi fails to live up to the hue and cry that surrounded its release. Afterall, just taking two lead actors that are currently on a high with their film careers doesn't make a good film. Real work needs to be done. That said, Manjhi, which was poised to be a realistic document of an ever inspirational life has been torn by overly dramatic and pitifully cinematic scenes so as to get the hearts of mainstream audiences pumping a bit. But by doing so, the movie loses its credibility both as an artistic film and also as a cinematic spectacle.

Dashrath Manjhi (Nawazuddin) has a romantic life with his wife Phaguniya ( Radhika Apte) and the couple has two kids. They live in a village the development of which is hindered by the presence of a mountain around it. One day, the mountain takes away Manjhi's sole gift in life- his wife and he pledges revenge against it. He sets on clearing the mountain on his own. He faces many setbacks but his will ultimately proves to be stronger than the mountain. It's a great great story because it's a real one but the movie never succeeds in getting the viewer to feel that way. That said, it's a failure on multiple grounds.

There are few sequences in the movie Nawazuddin should be credited with for accepting. The way he survives the drought and how he lives through a famine is the kind of Cinema Manjhi should have been all the way. But the film rather focuses on showing raunchy sequences between Nawaz and Radhika Apte which are not at all easy on the eye. Also, Nawaz's inability to carry a film on his shoulders whereby he actually has to operate in different moods and emotions is exposed. He just doesn't seem to be able to do it. Radhika Apte, on similar grounds, fails to live up to the character of a village girl. She talks as if she is a metro girl who is trying to mimic a desi woman in a village she has visited. I remember calling her the next big thing in my review of Hunterrr but I guess she has yet to grow to take on varied roles.

What really kills Manjhi is the attempt of the makers to depict a sensuous drama on the screen rather than an inspiring story. Also, Bollywood actors must realize the importance of Method acting while taking up challenging roles. Just because you looked good in Wasseypur, doesn't mean you would rock in Gehlaur.

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