Seeds and Deeds

A Sonnet of Heresy

2024-09-05T07:13:00.000+05:30

False gods we worship, idols of our own,

Deified heretics, their teachings sown.

To question all, a sacred right we claim,

Yet saints we shun, avoiding guilt and shame.

The enemy we praise, the friend we scorn,

A twisted logic, where our hearts are torn.

A new world dawns, where old beliefs decay,

As prophecy unfolds, a fateful day.

The man who saw, the war of mankind's might,

Against itself, a tragic, endless fight.

A battle waged, where truth is lost to strife,

As heresy consumes the very core of life.

Remembering Dilip Kumar

2021-07-07T19:07:00.005+05:30

It takes a fair amount of growing up to realise the greatness of a performer like Dilip Kumar. I certainly did.

The first Dilip Saab movie that I watched was Saudagar. I was barely 10. Much less rather. My father had rented a VHS, like we often used to in the 1990s as going to the theater was not quite an option. Back then I was more impressed by the stylish Raaj Kumar. For years after that, I could not stop trying to copy Raaj Kumar and his style. Starting random sentences with a "Jaani..."

As I watched works of greats like Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Raj Kapoor and Guru Dutt and slowly began to understand storytelling and the arts of performance. With every film, my respect for Dilip Kumar only rose. Today, I know there isn't and has never been a parallel. There is a reason why the likes of Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan refer to him as an institution.

Interestingly, despite all these years since I watched Saudagar, Imli Ka Boota is still the first song that comes to my mind when I think of him.

One of the regrets of my journalistic life was that I never got to interview him. By the time I became a journalist he had stopped giving interviews. We were reduced to following up on his health, always praying random rumours that would crop up every now and then were untrue. I prayed this morning too, wishing the tweet from his official handle was untrue. Alas!

Thank you Dilip Saab for the memories you created. You shall live forever.

Dark Waters | Mark Ruffalo, Anna Hathway |

2020-09-28T16:43:00.000+05:30

Watched Dark Waters over the weekend. Available on SonyLiv. It's an adaptation of a rather grim real life story.

Towards the end, the protagonist, ably played by Mark Ruffalo, says "They want us to think they protect us, but that's a lie. We protect us. We do. Nobody else."

Of course he found light towards the end of the tunnel. That makes Dark Waters an rather inspiring retelling of the David Vs Goliath story. One person can bring a change, if he/she wishes to.

And sometimes maybe you don't even have to fight the battle, but show solidarity. A top rated actress such as Anna Hathway taking up a role so inconsequential in the film could have been her way to say, "This one, I do just to help the story reach out". Because the story did need to reach out. Not because it is one of its kind. But because there are so many similar cases being founded across the world.

Recommended Watch.

Movie Review: Kaamyaab

2020-05-11T09:55:00.000+05:30

“Sardar maine aapka namak khaya hai!”. That one probably is one of the best-remembered dialogues from Indian movies. And it was not delivered by one of the leads of the film. Rather, the actor who delivered these words possibly had only these words in the whole script before he is bumped off by Gabbar. The same film has another gem. Samba replying to Gabbar’s query about the bounty on his head. “Poore Pachaas Hajaar”.

And yet for an average viewer, it would not be unlikely to not remember the names of the actors who delivered these names. Sudheer, our protagonist in Kaamyaab, is pretty much in the same league. So much that he hangs out with Viju Khote (Kaalia from Sholay)! Maybe the table would have had Mac Mohan (Samba) too if he had not departed from this world a few years back. Sudheer has been a part of 499 movies, in which he played small parts and delivered lines that have gone on to become part of the pop culture. And yet when a teacher of his grandchild spots him, she identifies him but cannot quite recollect his name.

Of course, Sudheer has his fans too. The one-off movie geek, who not only knows his name but can also recollect details of his films and has his pictures from movies. The ones who acknowledge the work that actors like him put in. But let’s face it, even in movie reviews we are likely to talk only about the leads. In this case that would be Sanjay Mishra and not Avtar Gill! There is no reason why the larger audience should behave any differently. The whistles and claps are often reserved for the stars. And that’s the bitter truth that Kamyaab helps us swallow, albeit coated it in a sweetened dramedy. Such is life. “Aur option kya hai?”

In essence, Kaamyaab is a lovely tribute to the people who make the movies so much more memorable. Sudheer is the archetypical sidekick who has made so many movies so much more fun. And Sanjay Mishra plays the part as if he has known Sudheer all his life. Mishra, one of the finest talents we have in the movie industry today, for long has been exactly that. Sudheer. Remember, “Arre Dhondu Just Chill Be”? The actor has been working in movies for close to 30 years now and till quite recently probably did not get his names in the opening credits of a film. Sanjay breathes in life into Sudheer and you feel his excitement and then his pain.

Kaamyaab is written well. It delves into the life of a has-been. An actor who has hung his boots and is now fading into oblivion unknown to the fact that he is just a day’s shoot at a film set from creating history – being a part of 500 movies! And when he is told the same, his life takes a complete u-turn. He fancies his chance to become a part of history – probably his last-ditch effort to make his name. Something that could tell people his name. Name – something that every artist lives for. But this is not going to be easy. Filmmaking has changed. And more importantly, the people in the business have changed.

Kaamyaab has enough to keep you hooked. And if at all there is a dull moment, Sanjay Mishra lifts it up with his zeal. Not to mention, the sidekicks. All of them, delivering parts that they have lived through their lives. Spot on. This is a special one for all of them. Liliput, Birbal, Ramesh Goyal, Guddi Maruti, Anil Nagrath. And of course, Viju Khote, whose memory the film is dedicated to.

The film offers a chance to reflect on something we don’t usually put much thought into. And it does beautifully with the name itself. ‘Har Kisse Ke Hisse’ literally meaning ‘a part of all stories’. Maybe this is the time we offer gratitude to all of them for making the stories so much more effective. After all, it is these stories that have entertained us, changed us… made us who we are in so many ways.

For me, the most defining moment of the film is the very last scene. Watch it.

Kaamyaab is available on Netflix.

Wishing, Again!

2018-01-01T16:48:00.001+05:30

As we wish each other a happy new year, I cannot but reflect on our eternal hope for a fresh start. A start that could set things on track for a better tomorrow, a start that could make dreams a reality… a start that could undo the damage that we tend to inflict on our own selves.

Interestingly for Indians, our ‘desire’ for a fresh start is probably far stronger than anyone else in the world… probably explaining why we wish each other a ‘happy new year’ at least thrice a year – the start of the Victorian calendar, Diwali and the regional festivals like Bohag Bihu and Baisakhi.

What makes us so full of hope?

Or maybe it is just compulsion. Destitution? In a state of affairs that is mere ‘Ram bharose’ we Indians hope, wish, and do everything else in between. Except, maybe, find solutions. Or… implement it.

Irrespective of whatever the reasons, the question remains – do these wishes actually come true. Thus happiness, success and whatever has been wished for indeed find its way to our lives. At least on such occasions.

Some may argue that happens. 'Human will' can still find strength enough to triumph. Some others would debate - if the will was so strong, ‘new year resolutions’ would have been redundant, maybe even achieved without really being listed.

And yet we all hope. Collectively. Wishing that success, in THIS NEW YEAR, actually transforms into reality. And maybe that’s beautiful… beautiful enough to even beat the cynical mind into believing that wishes could come true in. Just might.

And all our might, we wish. I wish… that things finally come around. For you. For me. For us. Happy New Year!

Blink

2017-12-06T09:50:00.000+05:30

There was something about you, I kid you not
Was it the pink, or a mere blink...

Centuries since then have passed now
and that remains still fresh as snow

Riding high, the moments then
Unfazed, the emotions; Unscathed still

Entrenched then, all that be
Encroached thence, as life could see

Forbidden, forlorn... full of glee
The sun shines, the testimony.

Movie Review: Tubelight | Salman Khan |

2017-06-23T10:50:00.001+05:30

First published: Follo.in

Though there is nothing similar in the stories, in an odd manner Tubelight reminded me of Lage Raho Munna Bhai. Like Hirani’s film, this Kabir Khan film is an elaborate exercise in exploring Gandhian principles. The film derives its central ideas of faith, truth and love from Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings. Unlike the Munna Bhai film though, Tubelight is barely convincing.

An adaptation of American war film Little Boy, Tubelight is set in 1962 against the Indo-China war as a backdrop. Salman’s Laxman Kumar Bisht plays a manchild, who is taken care of by his younger brother Bharat Kumar Bisht, played by Sohail Khan. When the war starts Bharat joins the army to serve the country at the border leaving his brother alone. A miserable Laxman is guided by Banda Chacha (Om Puri) to stick to ideals set by Gandhi and not fall for hatred towards the Chinese. When a Chinese family comes to town, Laxman manages to strike a bond.

However, aimed at being an overwhelmingly emotional film, Tubelight fails to generate much of a response. The primary problem here is a screenplay that provides no graph to its characters. The entire pre-interval portion is used to set up Laxman’s character and gathering a few chuckles here and there. This is a departure from Kabir’s usual screenplays. Tubelight takes forever to get to the point, almost like an actual tube light which flickers multiple times before lighting up. But unlike the tube light, which stays bright once it’s lit, the film is never bright enough. Barring a couple of moments in the beginning of the film there is hardly a point where you will feel for Laxman. One of these moments is when Bharat is leaving for the war and Laxman hugs him from behind, relenting, before letting him go.

On the brighter side, this is one of those rare instances when you see Salman Khan actually crying on screen. And not the funny kind of crying that we saw in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Here Salman seems to have internalised the character well enough to actually show grief on his face. This is one of Salman’s better performances that way. Having said that, he does seem a little too old to play a character which was played by a young child in the English original! Maybe an actor from the younger generation could have done it better. The same goes with Sohail. These two do not look like boys anymore. There are men who have seemingly non-existent necks, thanks to bulked-up shoulders.

The rest of the casting, however, is spot on. Chinese actress Zhu Zhu as the mother of a young child plays a pivotal role and does well. The 6-year old Matin Rey Tangu is delightful. Mohammad Zeeshan Ayub as usual packs a punch. This is also the last film Om Puri shot for before his demise and they have warmly marked a dedication in the opening credits.

Tubelight is mounted on large canvas. The way it is shot takes you back to Bajrangi Bhaijaan, and Kabir’s love for exploring the landscape through the camera is seen once again. He and cinematographer Aseem Mishra never miss a chance to showcase the beautiful locations, be it the war front in Ladakh or tall trees and valley in Himachal Pradesh.

Tubelight is this year’s Eid extravaganza but it is a departure from what Salman Khan is known for. The actor has stood for wholesome entertainment making it almost his identity. Tubelight is far from entertaining. It is possibly his most boring film in the last decade. Over the last few years one dialogue has come to symbolise Salman Khan pretty well – Main dil mein aata hu, samajh mein nahi. With this one, I am sorry to report, na samajh mein mein aayi, na dil mein. For the ones who do not understand Hindi, let’s just say, there is a power failure in the world of Tubelight.

Movie Review: Bank Chor

2017-06-17T13:21:00.000+05:30

First Published: Follo.in

Bank Chor arrives after some of the most innovative promotions seen for a Bollywood flick. From being roasted to singing bad cover versions of even more atrocious songs, lead actor Riteish Deshmukh turned up the entertainment quotient. And the film promised to be as funny. What they did not tell us is that the film also has a good deal of thrill and suspense. In a funny way hence, Bank Chor actually delivers more than what it promised.

Bank Chor is a story about three buffoons entering a bank to rob it and how things go downhill for them. These are amateurs who have evidently never really held a gun and yet here they are threatening people with guns held in shaky hands. Things get worse for them when a dreaded officer from CBI, Amjad Khan, reaches the spot to nab the thieves.

Director Bumpy, who had earlier directed a rather forgettable Luv Ka The End, sets the tone from the very first minute. By the first fifteen minutes, it already delivers a few giggles and things move evenly from there on. At interval point, the screenplay readies for a soberer second half. Post interval is when things get slightly emotional before heading towards a breezy finish, reminding one of some earlier heist and con films … naming any of those films in this review will kill the suspense of Bank Chor.

Of course, Bank Chor comes with its shares of issues. The humour does get repetitive at times as they writer plays on the Mumbai-Delhi rivalry and more such ‘internet humour’. However, the simplicity of the characters – Champak, Genda and Gulab – played by Riteish Deshmukh, Vikram Thapa and Bhuvan Arora manage to pull these jokes off.

The movie’s biggest strength is Riteish Deshmukh. The actor has the ability to sleepwalk through such roles. This man speaks no lies on Saturdays, is a staunch believer in Vaastu and has a name that generates laughter every time he says it. Vikram Thapa and Bhuvan Arora play thugs who return all identity cards and bank cards after they pick someone’s pocket in the NCR region. The three have endless tussles over who is superior – Delhiites or Mumbaikars.

The sore thumb probably is characters of Vivek Oberoi and Sahil Vaid. These characters are out of place with the tone of the film. They are what takes away from the entertainment factor of the film, and pulls it down.

Director Bumpy has stepped up his game since his last film, though he still has a long way to go before being taken seriously. Bank Chor is not the film you watch if you wish for things to make sense. This one does not and you need to accept it that way. This one is not about the story but the gags and the characters.

Movie Review: Behen Hogi Teri

2017-06-09T19:56:00.000+05:30

First Published: Follo.in

‘All Indians are my brothers and sisters’, reads the preamble of the Indian constitution. And this has lead to a zillion hotel jokes. Behen Hogi Teri takes the same joke up, coupled with the terror of the popular festival Raksha Bandhan among young guys. This is a film dipped in humour that is indigenous to India, making it rather relatable.

Behen Hogi Teri takes us into a middle-class colony in Lucknow, where houses are separated by a small lane and neighbours are like family. So much like family that kids in the colony are considering siblings! And Gattu (Rajkummar Rao) has dreaded being called his neighbor Binny’s (Shruti Haasan) brother all his life because he has loved her since he was barely 10. Hence on every Raksha Bandhan day Gattu like most of his friends, would quietly slip out of his house and pass his day in hiding.

There is a good amount of humour as the writer-director sets up the plot. The characters have their own quirks making them funny. For example, the father of Gattu has his own ambitions in life. He wants to become the president of the colony society and he rises to grab an opportunity when it arises. Then there is Binny’s elder brother who does not quite know when to hold back. It is evident that the writers Vinit Vyas and Rajat Nonia know the characters inside out.

The first half is hence breezy and completely fun, although the love story is not quite developed well. The way Gattu uses a funeral to get close to his lady love is hilarious. Things go wrong in the second half when the writing moves towards the resolution of the conflict that has been set up. The screenplay inadvertently moves to the Priyadarshan space, towards a chaos. Also, a couple of scenes go on and on till you almost yawn. These possibly looked great on paper, but just did not translate well enough on screen.

Yet, Behen Hogi Teri entertains. And that primarily because of the characters and the performances. This film may not allow Rajkummar Rao the scope that his last film Trapped did as an actor, but he takes every possible moment makes it worth watching. Here’s one actor who never seems to fail, and are we glad! Darshan Jariwala, as the father of Gattu, is as good. Gulshan Grover as Dhappi Dada is a laugh riot. And so is Herry Tangri, last seen as Yuvraj Singh in MS Dhoni. Here he plays Gattu’s closest friend.

Shruti Haasan is probably the only misfit, at times looking much older than Rajkummar Rao. Sadly for her, her part is also sketchy in comparison to what Rajkummar gets.

Also working for the film are the dialogues, which really helps it get the milieu right. This is Ajay Pannalal’s first Hindi feature film. It is nice to see filmmakers delving into the small Indian towns to find stories and the inherent humour they holds.

Behen Hogi Teri could have been a far better film if it was only better written. What it ends up being in one more victim of the second half jinx. Nonetheless, the film could still be watched for Rajkummar Rao’s abilities and the super funny dialogues.

Movie Review: Raabta

2017-06-09T16:16:00.000+05:30

First Published: Follo.in

Love needs to no reason they say. The makers of Raabta, a story about undying love, seem to have taken that quite seriously.

It is no secret that Raabta is about reincarnation and love. The first lifetime is set around 800 years ago in an island called Pather Ghat. The second is in present day Budapest where Sushant Singh Rajput’s Shiv has got a job in a bank. He is a lady-killer and on one of his 'expeditions' he meets a beautiful chocolate maker Saira, played by Kriti Sanon. Soon enough they find themselves in bed, attracted towards each other by an inexplicable chemistry. And even sooner they have their past revisiting them in form of Zakir (Jim Sarbh).

The good thing about Raabta is that it rides of humour for the entire first half till we find something sinister is coming up. So you will see Sushant Singh Rajput try his best to pull of a Shah Rukh Khan act, which is fine because you will actually be laughing through it… the humour is important because it keeps you from asking those uncomfortable questions for quite some time.

As the story moves to the past life and the humour dries up, you might start asking those questions. And then it is a Pandora’s Box, springing out a mystery every few minutes.

Much of Raabta is built on the characters of Saira and Sahiba, both played by Kriti Sanon. It is her life’s choices that bring about the turn of events in both the lifetimes. It is her weird ability, often comical, to fall in love with a man for no plausible reason that holds Raabta together, however loosely that may be. In the present day she kisses a stalker with who she feels some ‘connection’ and in the past life, she falls for an enemy for even more absurd a reason.

Kriti of course puts in her best, trying to overcome the faults in her characters. She look adorable for most parts. And so does Sushant, despite his SRK act. He puts forward something new for the past life character, which is called Jilaan. It is however Jim Sarbh who takes away the cake. The actor who had debuted as a terrorist in Neerja shows his ability to transform into different characters. He uses body language pretty well. Varun Sharma is sticks to the ‘friend zone’, does nothing new.

Among the highlight of the film is the way it has been shot. This is Dinesh Vijan’s first film as a director and he seems to have pooled in a good team. Czech cinematographer Martin Preiss provides grandeur to his shots. Good among of work has also gone into makeup and prosthetics for the past life. The best being Rajkummar Rao’s cameo as a very old man. It’s a different matter that there was no reason why an actor like Rajkummar is used for the role, which could have been done by just about anyone.

In any case, reason and Raabta does not quite get along. If you are one of those viewers who cannot beat the compulsive to ask for rationale, you might as well skip this film. Raabta is all hearts. It works for the people who put the heart before the brain, emotions before logic. Raabta will also work for the hardcore fans of Sushant and Kriti, for they have indeed put in their best.

Movie Review: Baywatch

2017-06-09T16:14:00.001+05:30

First Published: Follo.in

Priyanka Chopra’s debut Hollywood movie finally arrives. Of course, we Indians have a reason to be excited. Except, Baywatch happens to be the kind of damper that could ruin the best of party plans!

Way back in the 90s, Baywatch and Pamela Anderson pummeled each other into legendary heights of fame. Back then entertainment was different, and Youtube and other OTT platforms were non-existent. Baywatch the movie seeks to bring back the same magic on the big screen. Except, there is no magic at all.

What we have instead is a half-baked script and humour so juvenile that it could make Sajid Khan’s Housefull 3 look like a masterpiece.

Mitch Buchannon (Dwayne Johnson) is the hero of Emerald Bay. He has more than 500 life saves as a lifeguard. His team believes not only in ensuring the safety of people who arrive at the beach for a tan but also the law and order on the beach. Matt Brody (Zac Efron), a former Olympic champion, arrives in the city to be a part of the team so that he can resurrect his public persona. And there is Victoria Leeds (Priyanka Chopra), who has business interest in ruining the fun at the beach. There is something shady about her operations and Mitch wants to uncover it, even though it would make better sense to leave the job for the police. Because heroes go beyond their duty!

With a wafer-thin plot, the film relies heavily on the bikinis and the slow-mo shots. Now you may argue that it’s after all Baywatch! But then bikinis and hot bodies alone do get boring after a few minutes. How does one keep going for two hours? Even the usually lovely Priyanka Chopra is lost as she seems to be playing a different shade to her character in Dil Dhadakne Do – the family business being given to the less talented brother. Only this character seems to have gone horribly wrong and is given some rather trashy lines… ones that could remind you of Bollywood in the 90s.

The rest, including the enormous Dwayne, the seductively pretty Alexandra Daddario and the picture perfect Zac Efron fail to add much to this forgettable piece of cinema. Not even Pamela Anderson and David Hasselhoff’s special appearance makes it worth it.

Making things worse is some tacky CGI. And if that was not enough, Indian viewers in India have also got to deal with the merciless film certification board, which has chopped a large deal of the fun.

Overall, this one is one bay you won’t mind not visiting. Baywatch is like the boat never manages to leave the shore.

Movie Review: A Death In The Gunj

2017-06-09T16:12:00.000+05:30

First Published: Follo.in

There is a particular scene in A Death In The Gunj when the entire cast is shown dining out; a picnic of sorts. There is a stream nearby and some of the characters are seen enjoying the cool water touching their feet. Moments later as they gather around the dining table for their lunch and you will notice a couple of them have got their trousers wet till little below their knees. You would have not really noticed even if the trousers were dry as well considering they were fleeting shots. But that’s the kind of detailing that makes this film such a lovely watch, among plenty other reasons of course.

A Death In The Gunj is Konkona Sen Sharma’s first directorial venture. And she seems to have inherited her mother’s abilities as a filmmaker. Evidently, this is a story she has lived with for some time, one that has moved her. The screenplay is based on a short story written by her father Mukul Sharma, which in turn is inspired by a true event.

Set in the winter if 1978-79, in a quaint town called McCluskieGanj (then in Bihar), this is about members of a family on an annual retreat to their house in the small town. A few of the closest friends also gather around to celebrate the time together. The mix is interesting. There is the bully elder brother, a silent cousin, a mean friend, an attention seeker… Konkona Sen Sharma has managed to breathe life into each of them with very distinct traits.

The film starts with what’s clearly the end of the story and the rest of it is a flashback. So we know there is a death that is coming up at the end of the seven days. Soon enough you will know which character is likely to be dead, and why. Yet, there is not a moment in this film that will allow you to take your eyes off the screen. It holds you by your guts, to a point that you would probably have a pounding heart during the climax.

Yes, there are a few glitches here and there. An Assamese girl passed off as Khasi being one of them. But none of it works as a blot on the flow of the screenplay.

A Death In The Gunj is exquisitely shot. Cinematographer Sirsha Roy uses the location beautifully, up to the end credits. And it is cleverly edited. The characters speak mostly in English, using a bit of Hindi and Bangla here and there and it is mostly conversational. The actors are perfectly cast, and bring out performances worth watching. Of these, an impeccable Vikrant Massey stands out as Shutu, a 23-year-old who is trying to come to terms with his father’s demise and his own life. There is a certain earnestness about Vikrant, who was also the best thing about Half Girlfriend that was released a couple of weeks back. He has an ability to be endearing. Ranvir Shorey, probably one of Hindi cinemas most underrated actors, matches Vikrant’s quiet with his pride. Kalki’s defiantly bold self and the absent-minded Om Puri… they all create moments that should linger on in your minds. Tillotama Shome, Jim Sarbh and Tanuja bring in a balance to the turbulent mixture.

A Death In The Gunj is not your typical entertainer. It does not have song and dance routines, in case you are seeking that. This one dips into your soul and makes you look back at your own life. The film effortlessly transforms us into a world long gone by, in midst of a family that believes in the power of alcohol and music, and right in front of an angry gun-wielding man… and yet, the best thing about the film is that it introduces a director to look forward to.

Movie Review: Dobaara

2017-06-09T16:09:00.001+05:30

First Published: Follo.in

Dobaara is the official remake of the 2013 horror film Oculus, which was received rather well across the world. The Hindi adaptation is handled by Prawaal Raman, a filmmaker who is known for his technical finesse. Prawal has earlier dealt with the genre with Darna Mana Hai (2003).

Dobaara is not a regular horror film that we see in Bollywood. This one treads the psychological thriller space even as it deals with the supernatural. The story is about a brother and a sister. The brother has just returned to normal life after serving ten years at a correction centre after having shot his father. The sister believes that whatever happened on that fateful night was under the influence of a possessed mirror, which was bought by the father. Now after all these years, the sister is insistent that they two of them prove that the mirror is to be blamed.

Like Oculus, Dobaara too intercuts between the past and the present. The story is set across a decade - the present day and what had happened ten years back. Much of the second half is intercut to show how things get repeated… underlining theme of how ‘whatever is happening at the moment has happened before. There is nothing new in this world’. Like Oculus, Dobaara too shies away from seeking a convenient closure.

Unlike Oculus, however, Dobaara falters during the period when the stage is being set for the mission. The first half is an endless flow of conversations between the siblings, much of which feels rather unreal and forced. The entire duration of the pre-interval period is used to set up the horror. There is a fair amount of family drama added.

The pace picks up tremendously toward the later part and so does the scare factor. With some precise edits and music, Prawaal manages to set the perfect mood for the psychological play that impacts the characters.

Prawaal’s two lead actors – Huma Qureshi and Saqib Saleem – put in their best. Yet they are not quite convincing for most parts, thanks to the mundane dialogues. They rarely seem to be talking like siblings do. Siblings do not repeatedly use the complete names for each other while talking with each other. Adil Hussain, usually brilliant, looks unsure of his character. Romanian actress Madalina fits in perfectly as the sinful beauty.

Dobaara falls short of expectations from a film of the genre. Of its entire duration, the film is mostly conversational and that’s a major downer when it comes to horror. Yet, it could be a one-time watch considering it stalls apart from the regular bunch of trash that we are fed in the name of horror in Bollywood.

Director Prawaal Raman has done better and is capable of doing better. This one is just not going to be remembered when people list his notable works.

Movie Review: Hindi Medium

2017-06-09T16:08:00.000+05:30

First Published: Follo.in

Saket Chaudhary chooses his subject well. The country’s obsession with English is not unknown. Rather it is possibly one of the loudest facets of our social lives. Your ability to communicate in the language of colonial past has often dictated our social status. With an emphasis on job creation in a developing country, the importance of English is deemed stronger than ever. Often eclipsing the mother tongue!

Given the complexity of the subject, it’s refreshing that Saket chooses a satirical approach to tell his story. He sets the story in the capital city, which has always been a potent ground for the most interesting screen characters. Raj Batra, his protagonist is from Chandni Chowk. He is the owner of the garment shop and runs his business basis his street-smart acumen. His heart takes over his brain when he deals with his wife, his childhood sweetheart. The wife really wishes their daughter does not face similar social stigma as them for not being able to project themselves as one of the elite, albeit driving expensive cars and wearing branded clothes. And she believes getting admission into a posh English school is the only way for the daughter to indeed make into the social bracket, and not spend their lives being a forced outcast.

The writers, Saket Chaudhary and Zeenat Lakhani, toss in an extremely relevant legislation brought in by the Government of India. Back in 2009, Right To Education was introduced which ensured public and private schools have 25% seats reserved for poor kids, for which they need not pay any fee. While there is no study on how well this law was put to act at schools across the country, around July 2016 there were reports of how parents procure fake BPL documents to get their kids admitted to a school in the ‘poor kids quota’.

Known for the funny dialogues from his earlier films - Pyaar Ke Side Effects and Shaadi Ke Side Effects - Saket gets some great dialogues for this film as well, and they keep you smiling if not laughing. Amitosh Nagpal has written the dialogues. Aiding the director’s cause is Irrfan Khan as the hassled parent. He adds an effortless charm to his ‘Chandni Chowk ka tycoon’ character, something he does to most of his roles. Equally impressive, almost to a degree of stunning, is Saba Qamar who plays Irrfan’s wife. It’s a tragedy that this wonderful discovery is from across the border, considering she might not be seen in any more Bollywood fare. At least things settle down a bit between the two countries. And then there is the ever-so-dependable Deepak Dobriyal, as the poor guy who really wishes his son could receive better education.

Not all is fine though. There are moments towards the end when the screenplay takes a dip. Like Irrfan’s monologue in the climax. Also, a rather black and white world is presented. ‘Rich people are heartless, poor people are always helpful and full of love’ kind of skewed world. Also, the film is not an example of technical finesse.

Thankfully none of that dampens the fun. Hindi Medium is a very entertaining watch, which drives home a rather important fact of life. This little film deserves an audience.

Movie Review: Half Girlfriend

2017-06-09T16:06:00.001+05:30

First Published: Follo.in

Madhav Jha is probably one of the more interesting characters we have seen in Hindi cinema in a while. He is from a small town who gets admitted in a premiere Delhi college so that he can learn better, go back and serve his own village, help it progress. He is almost a new-age Mohan Bhargav (remember Swades?), except his motivation is not quite the same as Mohan. In his quest, Madhav goes through his own set of struggle, the biggest of it being his incapability to communicate in English.

It is a tragedy hence that Madhav Jha is reduced to a hapless lover even as his primary aim takes a backseat. Played by Arjun Kapoor, Madhav Jha keeps repeating how his mum always taught him never to give up and which is why he refuses to give up on his love… his ‘half girlfriend’. Indeed as a love story, this comes across as a sugar-dipped tale. Undying love and all that… but when a story promises to talk about the Hindi-English divide, education for all and progress, heightened focus on a mushy love story never has an explanation.

Of course, the film is just an adaptation of the book by the same name and has the writer as the producer. And it sticks as close to the book as possible, except with a few structural changes in the screenplay to make it more dramatic. And irrespective of how the story plays out, Madhav Jha, convincingly played by Arjun Kapoor, is its best part. It is not easy to play a character that shifts tonality of a language depending on the person he/she is talking to. And Arjun nails it as he talks with a restrained Bihar accent.

The rest of the film is not quite on par. Shraddha Kapoor as Riya Somani has flashes of good and moments of bad. She gets the older version of her character much better as she sobers down.

As mentioned earlier Half Girlfriend is primarily a love story. And like any film directed by Mohit Suri, it is told through a number of songs. He chooses to play out songs in English as well and Hindi, keeping them real to his lead characters. But at times the songs make the screenplay drab than emotional.

The film never manages to brew enough interest; especially it never manages to make the audience rally for Madhav Jha. Things should get a little worse for people who have read the book. The director might have done better had he added to the film stuff that's not available in the book, like in the case of 3 Idiots.

Apart from Arjun, the film has stellar performances from Vikrant Massey and Seema Biswas. The later has a pretty short role, but adds tremendous impact to scenes she is present in. Vikrant plays the roommate of the protagonist and he is spot on. He adds much of the fun to the first half, which is far more cohesive than the post interval part.

Also, the film does pack in a fairly large message for women empowerment, including PM Modi’s ‘Beti Padhao Beti Bachao’ slogan, which brings in some seriousness to it. But moments like the one where they show badly morphed Bill Gates undo the good ones. In fact, let us assure you, the scene with Bill Gates is easily one of the funniest scenes you may have seen in ages. Unintended comedy of course!

Half Girlfriend is your weekend watch if you cannot get over mushy love stories. Loverboy Arjun Kapoor trying to convert his half girlfriend into his life partner could engage you just about enough. If you seek more, you can let this Mohit Suri film pass.

Movie Review: Meri Pyaari Bindu

2017-06-09T16:03:00.001+05:30

First Published: Follo.in

Childhood romances have their charm. They make nice stories, which can create an air of sweet nostalgia for the audience. Meri Pyaari Bindu is one of those. Abhimanyu ‘Bubla’ Roy meets Bindu Shankar Narayanan as a child and falls in love with her. They grow up to become best of friends, even as Bubla continue to love her. It is entirely likely that the story might find connect with many from the audience because situations that Bindu and Bubla go through are pretty real.

Of course to find a character exactly like Bindu in real life would be a difficult task. She has an impossible charm, enough to make her instantly likeable. On the outside, she looks like one who has absolute control of her life but she barely manages to fight her commitment issues, possibly stemming from the relationship between her parents. Bubla is the perfect support system and yet hardly manages to support his own dream. A relationship between such characters would be destined to be doomed. Growing up, they drift like most childhood friends do… albeit in his heart he carries the hope that some day they might cross paths.

Meri Pyaari Bindu is primarily a journey through a passage of time, more than a well-rounded story. It is about moments from the lives of Bubla and Bindu, moments that are made memorable by Bindu’s effervescence – something that Bubla fails to get over. Writer Suprotim Sengupta weaves a narrative that takes the viewer back and forth, between present day and the past… each memory being relived by Bubla as he tries to write his book. He uses some of the most memorable songs from Indian movies to bring up specific moments. So you shall be treated to some absolutely marvelous music for the yesteryears.

For the most part of the first half, the situations are humorous and making the film entertaining. The second half is when the screenplay takes slight dramatic turns, as Bubla’s the desperation is built. The writer even brings in a subtle reference to the classic Devdas – a story of doomed love – through a dog named Devdas. Devdas is a part of Bindu-Bubla’s perfect world.

The drama is where the film loses some of its punch, losing track and pace. Towards the end, there seem to be a couple of endless scenes which culminate to the perfect end.

MPB rides on some great dialogues. And Ayushmann Khurana and Parineeti Chopra mouthing those lines. The actors are perfectly cast and do not let the director, debutant Akshay Roy, down as they get their respective characters bang on. And then there is the entire gang of supporting actors, each provided with a distinct character. They help keep the film entertaining. The internet generation will love Abish Mathew as Bubla’s friend.

Where MPB loses mark is Bubla as the horror fiction writer. Who writes Hindi fiction in the roman alphabet?

Meri Pyaari Bindu sparks as a love story, one which does not quite have a certain fate. Watch for some fun moments and a near perfect end.

Movie Review: Sarkar 3

2017-06-09T16:01:00.002+05:30

First published: Follo.in

In a particular scene in Sarkar 3, Jackie Shroff who plays the baddie, tells his seductive female companion that she asks too many questions. Later in the film, he has enough of her questions and figures a way to fix her… forever. I don’t intend to give spoilers, but the scene may make you wonder if that’s what Ram Gopal Varma might want to do to viewers who raise questions regarding this film. Just a thought!

There was a time when the words Ram Gopal Varma and unparalleled genius would easily fit into a sentence. The man gave us jewels like Rangeela, Satya and Company before Sarkar (2005), the crowning glory of his filmmaking career. His tribute to the Francis Ford Cappola’s The Godfather was just the perfect mix of politics, business, and crime. Irony hence, although he has given us some good pieces of cinema since then, his work has been more or less disappointing in the last 12 years. To a point where he even stopped letting down!

Sarkar 3 may be seen as an attempt to reclaim what he lost. He sets the story a few years from the death of Sarkar’s two sons. The son of the elder son is now a grown up and joins Sarkar as his support. Setting the story in an alternate timeline, RGV removes characters like Anita Rajan (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) who were a part of Sarkar Raj (2008). The question: Does he manage it? Frankly, the answer is more complex than what could be provided in a single word.

RGV has maintained the essence of Sarkar – the character who draws unlimited power, all emanating from the love and respect for him from his city people. Sarkar remains away from politics but not from the throne. His age has not diminished his influence or strength. But his enemies have only grown, in number and strength. And this time he faces his most difficult challenge yet.

But while the character of Sarkar is kept intact, for which Amitabh Bachchan’s impeccable performance is as responsible, Sarkar 3 stumbles in the department that has been RGV’s weakest link in last few years– writing. More specifically the dialogues, which have no coherence! The patchy and slow-paced screenplay should leave questions in your mind. Although he actually manages to build a considerable suspense and twist towards the end, the pace at which things unfold is a downer.

Sarkar 3 scores in cinematography. RGV has his unique way of showing his characters, adding symbolism and revealing plot points through his framing. He has resisted from going overboard with the camera angles unlike certain other films like Rakta Charitra. Multiple moments in the film will leave you spellbound by the way the director decides to shoot them. Amol Rathod, who has earlier shot Rakta Charitra, understands the need of the film and delivers accordingly. They cinematography adds a lot more to the characters – to their personality as well as their looks. Yami Gautam, for one, has never looked as stunning in any other film and neither has she been as effectively in a role that barely has dialogues. The director also keeps away from changing the signature background score, sticking to ‘Govinda Govinda’ during key moments.

Where RGV fails is however in casting his second lead. Amit Sadh is a major letdown as Sarkar’s grandchild. He fails to create the aura needs for his character. His dialogue delivery stands like a sore thumb amongst some really good performances. These include Manoj Bajpayee, who in one scene stands up to Amitabh Bachchan with ease. Ronit Roy is another powerful performer. Jackie Shroff has the suavity required for his character but he is given some ridiculous dialogues, making his scenes funny in the wrong way.

Sarkar 3 has enough reasons to pull it down. For the fans of the Sarkar franchise, it is a complete disappointment. But if you are a fan of RGV’s trademark style of filmmaking in recent years, this film has enough of his quirks to entertain you. And then, of course, there is Amitabh Bachchan as Subhash Nagre.

Movie Review: Baahubali 2: The Conclusion

2017-04-28T16:26:00.006+05:30

First published: Follo.in

It would probably be a foregone conclusion that Baahubali 2: The Conclusion would be a visual spectacle. Of the order that has not been witnessed in Indian films this far. That it would only up the game since the first part has been understood as well from what we have already seen in the trailer. The real test for Rajamouli hence was to get the basic screenplay right.

For a film which has been promoted with #WKKB – which stands for ‘Why Kattappa Killed Baahubali’, the primary factor that this movie rides on is curiosity. And the curiosity so high that it is almost scary. And that’s the fall of this phenomenally mounted film. The reason given is not half as interesting as the question posed!

After a superlative built up of characters, heroic and smart, for some reason we see a few characters wavering beyond recognition. Primary among these being the character of Queen mother Shivagami. For reasons, which cannot be disclosed in this note, her decisions fail half as much sense as they did in the first half. All of it because the writers resort to the oldest reason in the book, that can be ascribed to ‘Why Kattappa Killed Baahubali’. The ‘reason’ behind Kattappa’s much-discussed action comes up late in the second half, but you would have figured the ‘twist’ out well before that. Almost a let down there!

Ironic hence, that despite a half-baked storyline, Baahubali 2 shall manage to keep you enthralled. And the reason for that is the scale and the grandeur and the drama that Rajamouli manages to create out of simplistic situations.

Armed with an unrivalled vision, Rajamouli creates visual after visual that leave you spellbound. He is aided by the cinematography of KK Senthil Kumar, some heavy duty special effects and sound, and music by MM Kreem. Also, keeping his intention of making a war film, he has two brilliantly choreographed plus numerous smaller fights that keep the adrenalin high.

Rajamouli even gets the first half right, unlike the dull first half in Baahubali: The Beginning. In this film, there is not a moment of dullness, as he fills it up with action and humour. The second half gets wobbly.

Baahubali 2 rides of Prabhas and Anushka Shetty and they do not let down. They do exactly what the camera needs them to do. Rana Daggubati and Sathyaraj come up with equally impressive performances.

All the good things come together and help Baahubali 2 stand tall. This one is a spectacle that makes sense only in the theaters. If you are one of those who like to wait out till the movies are available on smaller screens, trust us, you will not find the movie half as compelling on your computer or mobile screen.

Movie Review: Begum Jaan

2017-04-14T21:36:00.001+05:30

First Published: Follo.in

Just before the intermission, Begum Jaan is given a one-month ultimatum to vacate her brothel so that the officials can complete the Indo-Pak fencing job. As the officials leave, the camera zooms out showing the girls of the brothel standing in perfect synchrony, heaving with anger and looking towards the door, each holding a weapon of choice. You might almost feel like you are watching a play. Now, watching a stage play is an awesome experience… except when you actually intended to watch a movie!

The Bengali film industry, although churning popular cinema, has also been a torch-bearer for sensible filmmaking in the country and directors like Srijit Mukherji have been the recent poster boys. The director has made some marvelous Bangla films in the last ten years, which is why his arrival in the Hindi scene should have ideally been a really happy one. Alas!

A retelling of a rather compelling Rajkahini, Begum Jaan fails to impress. Moving his plot from the India-East Pakistan border to India-West Pakistan border, setting it in Punjab, Srijit seems to have lost out on the soul of his film. But it is not because of the change in setting, but because he does away with key elements in the film.

Set in 1947, Begum Jaan becomes more about a foolhardy woman rather than feisty one, as shown in the Bangla film. Her constant bragging that ‘Raja saheb’ is going to take care of them shows she is more an arrogant fool than one who will go to any length to save her house, her ‘watan’ as she calls it. And she stays unchanged. To make her more heroic the director resorts to comparisons with historical figures such as Meera, Rani Lakshmibai, and Rani Padmini - all of which would have been fine if the character was actually brave and not daft.

What also is missing is the urgency of the partition and the politics behind it – something that Rajkahini beautifully depicts. The year of Independence was a difficult period. People were not exactly celebrating Independence as much as agonizing over the partition, with millions rendered homeless and lakhs losing family on both sides of the border. In between all this, leaders of both countries were trying to bat for their own good while the British played the devil. Of course, Begum Jaan and her house are barely affected by Independence or lack of it, but would the same imply to the screenplay? Not quite! The director resorts to a conversation between three men – a Hindu, a Sikh and a Muslim – to imply the horrors of the partition, in an apparent move to dumb down the screenplay for the mass audience.

Also irritating is the overdone symbolism in the cinematography. So we have half faces of Ashish Vidyarthi and Rajit Kapoor, who play Indian and Pakistani official in charge of the fencing job, as they talk to each other – implying how the partition left the countries. Further, in a couple of shots where both actors are fit in, there is a bamboo pole dividing the screen and also Begum Jaan’s brothel which is seen from a distance.

Notwithstanding the stuff that is missing, Srijit almost replicated scenes that he chooses to retain from Rajkahini, with dialogues that are merely translated. Even the shots are same. In some cases, the shots are so similar that it won’t be surprising if Srijit used the same shots that he captured during the making of Rajkahini. And then you have a particularly loud background music finishing off the job.

What works are the performances. Most of the characters are volatile and the actress have not managed an impressive job, given they are required to speak some languages which are not Hindi. Among the best are Gauahar Khan and Pallavi Sharda. Vidya Balan, as Begum Jaan, seems to have just reenacted what Rituporna Sengupta did in Rajkahini, which is effective as long as you have not seen the Bangla film. She does not quite add anything of her own, which is very unlike the fantastic actress that Vidya Balan usually is. But probably she is clipped by the precise translation of her lines. Ila Arun as the old lady of the house is good too. Chunky Pandey is menacing as he plays the bad man the first time in his career.

At the conceptual level, Begum Jaan is a fantastic story. It finds inspiration in Sadat Hasan Manto’s Toba Tek Singh and is beautifully laid out. But what fails the film, ironically, is a National Award-winning director! Melodrama sucks the Jaan out what could possibly have been a jewel in the libraries of Vishesh Films.

Movie Review: Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana

2017-04-14T21:33:00.001+05:30

First published: Follo.in

There is a good reason why supporting actors are called so. At times they support a film much better than the script itself. Like in the case of Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana (LKSMLD)! It makes me shudder to think how bereft of entertainment the film might have been without actors like Saurabh Shukla, Sanjay Mishra, and Darshan Jariwala.

LKSMLD is aimed as love story wrapped with dollops of comedy. Laaddoo (Vivaan Shah) is a young guy who wants to make it big, fast. He befriends Laali believing she is rich before realizing she belongs to a middle-class family too. They fall in love, get intimate and Laali ends up getting pregnant. Laaddoo, however, has aspirations, which he believes would be compromised if he gets married. Hence, he dumps Laali. In a turn of things, Laaddoo is disowned by his parents, who adopt Laali as their own and then look for a groom for her.

In essence, LKSMLD has a great story with scope for some kickass comic scenes. The emotional quotient could have ensured a broader audience base. Writer-director Manish Harishankar even tries to get experimental with the screenplay that goes back and forth. However, he fails in getting to very important aspects right - the flow and coherence. In between the flashbacks and forwards, he loses reasoning a little too many times to keep the audience interested.

To makes things worse, his lead pair – Akshara and Vivaan – fails to create any chemistry on screen. Akshara looks awfully young for her character and fails to be convincing in her portrayal of Laali. Vivaan in the meantime seems to rally between confidence and confusion in his attempt to play the ridiculous Laaddoo, a chap so engrossed in his desire to become richer, he does not mind his boss touching his girlfriend the wrong way if that keeps the boss happy! Gurmeet Choudhary is the lead actor who seems to know what he is up to, comfortably filling the shoes of Veer. He has done the adorable, good guy too many times to get it wrong.

The best scenes in the film are incidentally left for the Saurabh Shukla and Darshan Jariwala. And they do not let down.

Director Manish, who earlier directed Chaarfutiya Chhokare, has trained under Rajkumar Santoshi, assisting in films like Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani. And the way he has shot the film reveals it too. He likes to make things grand. He manages to show the grandeur of the locations he has shot in, which include a breathtaking palace in Rajasthan. His production values are in place.

It is a shame hence that he does not make a compelling film. LKSMLD is just over two hours but feels much longer. Plus it’s far too chauvinistic a film to actually be taken seriously. This laddoo isn’t edible, let alone be tasty.

Movie Review: Mukti Bhawan

2017-04-14T21:27:00.002+05:30

First published: Follo.in

A 77-year old believes his time has come and tells his son to take him to Varanasi, where he would die peacefully. And yet as taxi driver taking them to the Varanasi speeds, the old man asks him to slow down lest they die in an accident. The humour is subtle and effective. And there are multiple such scenes when a ready to die person is scared of death that might surprise him. You see, being prepared to accept death does not come easy.

Mukti Bhawan delves deep into Hindu beliefs of salvation in death. And in doing so, it not just celebrates death but brings out some nuanced comedic situations. But more importantly, it surprises in detailing of ethos and ability to touch emotional depth.

Mukti Bhawan, or Hotel Salvation, peeks into a father-son relationship. Lalit Bahl plays the septuagenarian who one fine morning insists that it is time for him to head to Kashi even as his son (Adil Hussain) finds it difficult to accept his decision for multiple reasons, none of it being his emotion attachment with his father. He is a middle-class middle-aged man trying hard make a living, glued to the phone even between meals to try and meet targets set by the boss. And his father’s insistence irritates him to no end. Yet, like the good son he agrees to be with his father as he awaits death; because ‘moksh’ is achieved only in Varanasi!

In the process, they rediscover the joy in their relationship. Somewhere there, Mukti Bhawan might remind you of Nebraska. Quite possibly the director may have drawn inspiration from the 2013 American film which dealt with a father-son relationship too. However, Multi Bhawan is completely fresh in milieu and approach.

Director Shubhashish Bhutiani, merely 25 years of age, shows tremendous maturity in understanding complex equations and portraying them through his screenplay. This is his first feature although he had earlier made a short film Kush, which had made to Venice Film Festival and he shows immense promise. Backed by a shoestring budget, he never compromises on his aesthetics. There he is helped by cinematographers David Huwiler & Michael McSweeney.

And to his luck, he has a cast which is effortlessly brilliant. Lalit Bahl, who was earlier seen in Titli, is remarkably consistent throughout as the old father who does not listen to anyone. Adil Hussain as the hassled son adds a degree of believability to his character and the screenplay. Geetanjali Kulkarni as the inquisitive wife is delightful. Palomi Ghosh plays Adil Hussain’s daughter who wants to live life on her own terms but is afraid of expressing that to her father.

Also to his aid is a beautiful background score by Tajdar Junaid. The music just lingers on, reminding one of Gustavo Santaolalla’s work in Dhobi Ghaat.

There are evidently lodges in Varanasi where people await ‘moksh’. That’s a crazy enough idea for a film. Shubhashish brings in a level of warmth. This independent piece of cinema is a winner throughout. In between smiles, it might actually leave you with a tear or two, while making you ponder over death and how you might react to it. Beautiful.

Movie Review: Mirza Juuliet

2017-04-14T21:23:00.002+05:30

First published: Follo.in

A few years back, in 2013, there were around three releases that were based on Shakespeare’s Romeo And Juliet. Of these, Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela went on to become an impressive hit, showing that the audience can still take in tragic romances, if well made. No wonder filmmakers have continued to try their luck with these classics, hoping to make an easy buck. Mirza Juuliet tries playing around the same, except, in this case, the director merges two classics - Romeo and Juliet and Mirza Sahiba.

Mirza Juuliet tries getting into the same milieu as Issaq (2013), which juxtaposed romance and politics in Uttar Pradesh. Unfortunately, Issaq did not get it right back then, and Mizra Juuliet does not get it right either.

The film is set in Mirzapur, UP where the Juliet, the sister of a strongman, is set to marry the son of a local politician. That’s when Mirza, a guy who has been away from the town for 15 years, enters the scene. Juliet and Mirza are attracted to each other and soon fall in love. Equations change with the political scene. The rest of the screenplay is sheepishly worked towards the obvious tragic end.

It is difficult to point one single drawback in Mirza Juuliet. Nothing quite works. The screenplay is clumsy, the dialogues are loud, the performances are erratic… the list just does not end. And the film is shot like a TV show.

One of the key scenes in the film is when Juliet drags Mirza towards the river bank, gets into a boat and talks about her desire to get physical with him. The way the scene plays out is laughable rather than sensual, which it should have been considering the storyline rides on the sexual tension between the two.

Chandan Roy Sanyal and Swanand Kirkire are probably the best things about Mirza Juuliet. Chandan plays the sexually charged up hubby-to-be who desperately wants to get into bed with his fiancée and he is entertaining. Even better is Swanand Kirkire, the only actor who manages to keep it subtle. Darshan Kumar, as Mirza, is lackluster, almost as if he is sleepwalking through the role. Pia Bajpai is loud for most parts. Priyanshu Chatterjee tries hard but is let down by the writing.

Mirza Juuliet is ironic. It is a tragedy, pun intended. The film falls in the first few minutes and never quite recovers. Towards the end, as the protagonists get into a gun fight with their family leading to their inevitable death, you might feel a sense of relief that the ordeal is soon to end. Extra U in the Juuliet could not save it. Avoidable!

Movie Review: Phillauri

2017-03-25T07:49:00.002+05:30

First published: FOLLO.in

It has a ghost as its central character and yet, Phillauri could easily be mistaken for a trademark Disney film. Because this ghost does not scare. Instead, it might make you laugh a bit. Phillauri is essentially a love story. Two love stories actually, one deriving from the other.

Kanan Gill (Suraj Sharma) is married to a tree to ward off evils that are bound to haunt a ‘manglik’ person’s married life. Instead, a ghost, who has been living on the tree enters his life as his invisible wife. They are stuck together, both bewildered and clueless. Obviously, the plot ensures a lot of comic scenes, which are enhanced because of the characters.

The two stories are set 98 years apart, one in 1919 and other 2017. The earlier in Phillaur and the contemporary in Amritsar. It is not an easy screenplay to write as characters in both eras are completely different, the only link between the two being Shashi, the ghost (Anushka Sharma). The lingo spoken is different, the outlook is different... a fairly progressive person from 1919 finds herself completely out of place in 2017 as she sees a bride wearing a backless gown. Writer Anvita Dutt, who had last written the screenplay of the miserable Shaandaar, does a better job this time around at getting her characters right.

Where the film falters, however, is the pace at which it unfolds. The film could have easily been cut shorter on the edit tables. Especially in the last 10 minutes, when the film needlessly turns into a promo for Red Chillies VFX, where the VFX of the film has been done. The film is heavy on visual effects because of the presence of the ghost in most part of the contemporary story. And they have done a good job at it. But the final few minutes could have done better with more emotions than the focus on VFX. In fact, the lack of emotional connect is the biggest drawback considering it banks highly on melting the audience’s hearts as the film moves towards the climax.

This is Anushka Sharma’s film. As a ghost as well as a living person she brings in the best moments in the film. Suraj Sharma, who had debuted as Pi in Ang Lee’s Life of Pie shows he is versatile enough. This time around he plays a Canada return Amritsar high society chap, who is confused if should indeed get married to his childhood sweetheart. Mehreen Pirzada, who debuts in Hindi films with Phillauri, has tremendous cuteness and that works for her character. The charmer Diljit Dosanjh woos the women, on and off screen.

With so much going for it, Phillauri could have easily been a better film. It is miserably devoid of the ‘aww’ factor, though, something it needs the audience to feel as they walk out of the theater. The film should work for you if you are a sucker for romance. Debutant director Anshai Lal would need another attempt to showcase he has it in him to convert good ideas into fantastic films. This idea, by the way, does look ‘inspired’ from Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride.

Movie Review: Trapped (2017)

2017-03-18T01:10:00.002+05:30

First Published on Follo.in

If you have already seen the trailer of Trapped you would know what the film is all about. Many of you might even have questions as to how is it possible that a man gets trapped in an apartment in a city like Mumbai, which rarely lets you be alone for a minute. Rest assured, you will find some valid answers to your queries when you watch the film. Promoted as India’s first survival drama, Trapped stays true to the genre, till the last minute. This film takes you through extreme despair and absolute joy in those 105 minutes in a near effortless manner.

Trapped starts on a light note. Almost like the lull before the storm. Shaurya, a bespectacled young guy, falls for Noorie, his pretty colleague. After a few attempts at striking a conversation, he manages to take her out for dinner. The attraction is visible and soon love comes into the picture. And along with it an urgent need to find a place to stay at a joke of a budget. Motwane makes sure he moves to the ‘trapped’ part quick.

There on, Rajkummar Rao takes over. There are not many dialogues, for obvious reasons. There are more of screams for help. But Rajkummar seldom needs dialogues. He is capable of using body language like few others. He takes this film as an opportunity to remind us why he is one of the best talents we have today.

Trapped is beautifully organic. The screenplay never for once gets unreal. The first victory is the ability to set up the character of the protagonist. This is a shy, vegetarian guy who loves pao bhaji and is content living with few other roommates in a cramped one-bedroom apartment. He does not earn much and he lies to his roommates as he moves out with a silly excuse. He is a guy who could be entertaining but could also be annoying. A more sensible guy would have probably been more careful while walking into a trap. So when he is actually stuck without a phone and electricity you know it is his fault. There is a moment when he could have some respite on the second day, but his fear of a mouse holds him back.

These moments help the screenplay fall into place. And very effectively, as you will probably feel terribly helpless as you see Shaurya deal with his situation. During the screening, the lady on my right side kept shielding her eyes with her dupatta as she fidgeted helplessly. That’s what Trapped does. It involves the audience. Do not be surprised if you find people gasping with relief every time Shaurya finds new hope. Shaurya on his part goes through the usual options, trying to find his way out.

The film will obviously remind you of other survival dramas films like 127 Hours, which have received much acclaim. To compare would be unfair. Trapped is unique because it is set in a city and not in middle of nowhere. And it is convincingly done. Vikramaditya Motwane even finds his own Richard Parker in an obvious hat-tip towards Ang Lee’s Life of Pi. He also seamlessly weaves in a fair bit of humour in the stark situations to make things bearable.

What helps Trapped is that it is releasing without an interval. The film joins the likes of Dhobi Ghaat to manage a release without the dreaded intermission, which has often been the single biggest threat to the screenplay in Indian films. Nothing really holds this one back. Trapped is an ace.

Rating: ****

Movie Review: Mantra

2017-03-18T00:54:00.002+05:30

First published: Follo.in

There is something about Rajat Kapoor. He looks like a man who could fit into a corporate world as a business leader, who travels in BMWs and wears expensive suits. Not surprising hence that he has so often been cast as a wealthy man in films. Yet, he has never really quite done what he does in Mantra. Here he excels as a man with a company that’s on verge of bankruptcy.

The India story shifted gear with the liberalization. Much of the country celebrates this move made by the central government in 1991. However, not everyone was happy. Especially the indigenous businesses that faced stiff competition from the global brands which came into the country when the markets opened up. There were plenty such businesses that were either wiped out or acquired by these multinationals with infinitely deep pockets.

Kapil Kapoor, played by Rajat, showcases what could have such Indian businessmen possibly gone through in those years.

But the film is not just about how the businesses went kaput. It talks about the changes the people in the country went through at large. So while Kapil deals with his sinking ship, his son, who embodies the new generation, warms up to the idea of venture capitalists. Not everything changed though! Like the importance of pleasing the political parties when you need to do business!

In the meantime, the film also talks about the rapid growth in the cities while the rural areas remain unattended, resulting in rapid immigration into cities. There is a scene where Adil Hussain, who plays a lower-middle-class immigrant from the newly formed Jharkhand talks about the rural-urban disparity even as the frame captures an ‘India Shining’ hoarding above him. There is also the daughter who is trying to find her own self and the teenage son who is caught up in the enticing new virtual world of cyber chats and romance. Set in the early 2000s, Mantra deals with an entire landscape rather than a particular company.

Made on a shoe-string budget and released with money got through crowd funding, Mantra shows enough heart. Director Nicholas Khorkongor, who has earlier assisted Rajat Kapoor, shows conviction in a story that is difficult to tell. He refuses to fall into the trap of providing a mainstream end to his narrative but prefers treating it like a phase in someone’s life. He adds powerful subplots too.

Nicholas is provided unflinching support by his cast. While Rajat obviously leads the pack, Kalki beautifully executes her part of the daughter who is trying to break away and be her own person. Shiv Pandit has lesser to do but stays consistent. Lushin Dubey is remarkable in a couple of scenes.

Mantra is not the regular mainstream feature in treatment. It is designed to appeal to a niche audience. An audience who could probably get nostalgic remembering about a much-loved potato chips brand that was taken over by a major multinational at the turn of the new century. But more importantly, an audience who would possibly understand that a changing India story!