2012-09-01T00:00:00.000+05:30

Reviews of Lakeer Ka Fakeer & Ankur Arora Murder Case

Lakeer Ka Fakeer

Movie: Lakeer Ka Fakeer
Critic's Rating: 3 Star

Cast: Ajaz Khan, Vicky Ahuja, Javed Hyder, Maarisha, Aksshey Varma

Direction: Zubair Khan
Genre: Crime
Duration: 1 hours 56 minutes

Story: The film revolves around the lives of three friends-cum-petty crooks whose biggest crime is the fact that they reside in Mumbai's notorious area, where nefarious activities of the organized-crime syndicates take shape.

Movie Review: Along with fooling people, getting into altercations, fist-fights and wandering around aimlessly on the streets of Mumbai's 'high-risk' areas, Fakeer (Ajaz Khan) dreams of becoming a taxi driver in Dubai, Chotu Mobile (Javed Hyder) wants to set up his own mobile shop and Sulaiman (Vicky Ahuja) aspires to become a politician. However, their destiny is determined by their controversial residential address instead of their desires.

The film is apparently based on real life incidents. Fakeer's character is loosely based on Irfan Chindi, a resident of Nagpada, who reportedly became a police informer. He was stabbed to death on April 3, 2009.

Though the Mumbai underworld is used as a crucial backdrop for the film, it is essentially a tale of three friends, driven by unprovoked aggression. The Mumbai mafia becomes inconsequential as the film progresses.

While the underworld has always inspired filmmakers, films on police informers have been rare. Made with a humble budget, the film manages to showcase the dilemma of those who get caught between the cops and the gangsters. While most films in the same genre often sensationalize characters, Zubair Khan keeps it authentic. He justifies their anger, helplessness and vulnerability subtly. No time is wasted over building the characters. While it looks half-baked in the beginning, things fall into place perfectly towards the end.

Performances are effective. Ajaz Khan portrays every aspect of his character well. Sidekicks Javed Hyder and Vicky Ahuja deserve a special mention. They are brilliant. Aksshey Varma is impressive as the shrewd cop. Maarisha gets a small but significant role and she does it well.

Don't go expecting deep insights into Mumbai's dark underbelly as the film is essentially on friendship, survival and self discovery. The story is not about the rise or fall of a criminal, it's about people who dream of a better future.

Sources: Times of India

Ankur Arora Murder Case

Movie: Ankur Arora Murder Case
Critic's Rating: 3.5 Star
Cast: Kay Kay Menon, Tisca Chopra, Arjun Mathur, Vishaka Singh and Paoli Dam
Direction: Suhail Tatari
Genre: Drama
Duration: 2 hours 20 minutes

Story: A surgeon slips up in an operation theatre. The truth is squashed. Will the victim's family get justice? Or will the doctor get away with murder?

Movie Review: Suhail Tatari's Ankur Arora Murder Case is a medical drama which should be given its due because it is in the real space as compared to the usual fluff that Bollywood churns out week on week. The film revolves around Dr Asthana ( Kay Kay Menon) a surgeon put on a pedestal because of the number of high-profile lives he has saved. Cocky Asthana rules Shekawat General Hospital with an iron hand. Things are going real smooth for the star surgeon till little Ankur Arora (Vishesh Tiwari) is wheeled into his operation theatre for an appendictis surgery. A medical procedure that should be a child's play for Asthana then becomes a nightmare because of his own negligence. Ankur's death is hushed up. And life continues like normal. Till one young conscientious intern Dr Romesh ( Arjun Mathur) stumbles upon some clues. The cause of Ankur's death is then played out and Romesh makes it his business to expose the senior doctor who he had idolised but who actually turned out to be a surgeon with hands of clay.

Tatari is a winner in his choice of a subject. The story that has been researched from a true life incident does provide meaningful insights about the medical fraternity and facilities. However while the film is an eye-opener on medical skullduggery, it fails to become cutting edge cinema because the screenplay offers few surprises. And, a title that is a dead give away. Also for a dramatic film of this nature, the performances are so placid, they leave you cold. The drama that unfolds between the hospital and the court room should have definitely had more spunk and twists.

Note: You may not like this film if medical negligence is not a subject you wish to bog yourself down with in a movie hall.

Sources: Times of India

Last Updated on 17 June 2013

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