Reviews

Read the Exclusive Bombay Talkies Movie Review by Dhiraj Raj

 Who would have thought if you ask Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap to make four short films, Karan Johar would come out on top?

I wouldn’t like to give out the plot of Karan Johar’s film but I must appreciate how it is not just his most dramatically mature film but also incredibly daring. That’s right. A Karan Johar film that could probably be bolder and more path breaking than any other film that any of the directors listed above have made. Not in terms of style but content. The make up and the gloss comes off and what we get is a truly honest film. There is a scene in which Rani Mukerji cries. She doesn’t sob uncontrollably (You’d expect melodrama from his film), instead we see her eyes conveying it all. When she does breakdown, we don’t see her face. Take that for subtlety, you artsy types! It may be equally sentimental as the rest of the films but at least it is coherent. Suffice to say, it is the best one out of the lot. This is a blessing, also a curse in disguise as none of the successive films match up to or top it.

Dibakar Banerjee’s film is the weakest one. I’ve never been a fan of his work. His films have always bored me to death or annoyed me out of sheer pretentiousness. There is a hallucination scene here, which is so bad I wish I could fast forward to the next segment. Worse, there is an emu. Yes, the bird. While I was bored and displeased for 25 minutes, I was surprised when the scene at the end touched me. Nawazuddin Siddiqui knocks it out of the park.

Zoya Akhtar’s short film made me smile with the modestly heartwarming moments it creates, thanks to a wonderful Naman Jain. But then it would do something that came off to me in incredibly bad taste. Not giving much away but I would like to sit Miss Akhtar down and have a long chat, which would begin with us watching Billy Elliott (2000) together.

Anurag Kashyap’s short is lighthearted and fluffy with a dash of sentimentality. Whoever thought he could do that? The potential this film had was enormous; Anurag Kashyap builds it up well and makes a pertinent comment about hero worship. The end result is sweet but not amazingly memorable or moving.

There is something these four films don’t realize. None of them actually exhibit or reflect the might of Indian cinema. They are average films (barring one which is damn good) trying to reach for something, which has nothing to do with what Indian cinema stands for. How people are enamored by it, yes. What it truly means to them? No. A rosy picture is built but nostalgia is entirely missing. The only nostalgic moments are due to two songs: Ajeeb Dastan Hai Yeh and Lag Ja Gale, and a montage stacked at the end. (No, not the horrible song but the footage from actual films)

If I have to sum it up, Karan Johar’s film is a four star film. Dibakar Banerjee’s is two and half (at best). Zoya Akhtar’s is a solid three and Anurag Kashyap’s is a three and a half. I’m going to round it off to three and a half. It’s actually a three star film but I’m adding another half for the tribute at the end. You see, I can be a bit sentimental too.

Overall Review Verdict: Bombay Talkies has two good films but it didn't blow me away
Ratings: 3.5/5


Read the Exclusive Shootout At Wadala Movie Review by Dhiraj Raj

 Shootout At Wadala is a gangster film that borrows from many gangster films and adds Bollywood masala to it. A perfunctory mix of the punches from Dabangg (2010) with the verve of Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai (2010). On paper, this is a formula that should succeed commercially. Inject high amounts of testosterone and add 3 item songs and you have a hit.

 Surprisingly, Shootout at Wadala is engaging in parts. There is brazen dialogue-baazi and when it is delivered by seasoned actors like Anil Kapoor and Manoj Bajpayee, it is genuinely funny. Mahesh Manjrekar also gets his moments. After a point the dialogue-baazi takes refuge in abusing for no reason. It proudly says, “Be Indian, abuse Indian”. Thank you very much.

John Abraham plays Manya Surve, the college student turned body-builder turned gangster. He wants to be a good boy but gets tangled up in dirty business because of his brother. After going to jail, he turns over a new leaf of being a full-on badass. There is a ludicrous montage of him getting his gym training inside the prison. After watching that I knew my brain isn’t in for any kind of treat.

While it has good supporting actors, but the main actors can’t hold a single scene together. John Abraham has always had limitations more than virtues but at least a few scenes where he makes an impact would have sufficed. Tusshar Kapoor is another actor who can’t play a character. He tries incredibly hard here but fails. That voice itself works against him.

Then there is the male chauvinism. Dabangg's and other potboilers have all had item songs, which objectify women and show men as lustful predators; here it’s overdone to the point where it just doesn’t bode well for anyone. There is one scene where a gangster openly says he would rape women as a part of gangster code. Only if the “item” is worth it. Good god. I am appalled in ways I don’t wish to address. Do filmmakers have no social responsibility towards their audience? Towards women?

I have also come to a realization that it is next to impossible trying to make a gangster film without having traces of The Godfather (1972) in it. It shows the everlasting impact of a masterpiece. It also exhibits the lack of originality present in films about crime.

The male population will flock to the single screens and whistle and applaud at the dialogues and item songs. They might even discover the new method of doing push-ups while making love. There is nothing for real men here though. By the time the actual shootout arrives, I had been put off by many aspects of the film and didn’t care what happens to the major players. Overall, this film is strictly average.

Overall Review Verdict: Shootout At Wadala is strictly average
Ratings: 2.5/5

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Movie Review: Aashiqui 2

Director: Mohit Suri

Cast: Aditya Roy Kapur, Shraddha Kapoor, Shaad Randhawa and Mahesh Thakur
 

Aashiqui 2 may be billed as a sequel but it’s more like a reprised version of the 1990 hit, of course with minor changes

 here and there. The main theme remains the same. A musician falls for a girl, together they go through a whole jingbang of career, heartbreak and existential crisis etc. It all seems fine on paper; there are a few scenes which escalate into powerful drama as well. But the movie rolls in so many clichés that it becomes hard to give it any serious credit. Mohit Suri’s film is an honest effort but it’s also a lacklustre affair.

The movie has a big ’90s hangover a la the melody and instrument driven music. The kind that made Nadeem-Sharavan famous. In age of techno beats and radio edits this sort of music feels a little out of place. But make no mistake, the music has quality and songs like Tum hi ho and Chahun main ya na are more than pleasant compositions. But they don’t gel with the dramatic themes of the narrative. On one hand you have your lead pair making out in public (with a jacket over the head) and a mother being concerned about her daughter’s live-in status. And on the other hand you have old school romantic music trying to amp up gen x emotions.

The actors do well to shadow the disparity between the music and story. Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor are near perfect casts for their roles. Shraddha excels in scenes behind the microphone and recording studios. She also gets the nervous disposition of her character perfect to a T. Aditya is a little inconsistent; he loses impact in a few scenes. But in scenes of drunken slur and madness he’s quite the show stealer. Together their chemistry is perfect. It’s a pity the director and writer didn’t do enough to capture what could’ve been untamed romantic passion.

Aashiqui 2 is written by Shagufta Rafique and she’s got the gist of the story bang on. What the writer doesn’t get right is key scenes that help the whole narrative gel together. The career insecurity versus love angle is quite good. There’s a great scene when Aditya leaves Shraddha behind in a cloud of media personnel only to step back and realise at the fame she’s amassed. But Shraddha looks distraught not having her emotional anchor by her side. Such moments are near poetic but then there are also clichés like Aditya stealing Shraddha’s wallet because he doesn’t have any money left.

Right through the film you feel like it’s trying to borrow the best parts of Abhimaan (1973) and Rockstar (2011). But Mohit Suri keeps committing cinematic sins and killing the spirit of his film. There’s a showdown scene between Aditya and Shaad Randhawa. They’re BFFs and business partners and they’re about to have a Deewaar-like clash of the brothers. But it happens at a party where there’s a midget Wolverine in the background and a dozen firangi extras that look more wooden than mannequins. 

But for each of these cringe worthy moments, Aashiqui 2 also has honest and effective scenes of passion and drama. The thought behind this film is perfect. But the execution tries too hard to put it in line with the original Aashiqui and its there that the proverbial plot is lost.

Ratings:  3.5/5

Movie Review: Commando - A One Man Army

Director: Dilip Ghosh

Cast: Vidyut Jamwal, Pooja Chopra and Jaideep Ahlawat

Okay, you understand Vipul Shah and Akshay Kumar are no longer friends when the chief villain in

The story, like Vidyut’s physique, is influenced by Rambo franchise. Vidyut plays a commando who strays into Chinese territory and is captured by them and labelled a spy. He undergoes Rambo-like torture for one year and later escapes back to India, where he runs into our heroine, who’s running away from home as she doesn’t want to marry a local goon. Our hero saves her and they escape to the jungle, where they are chased by the forest guards, the villain and his henchmen and the police. The hero sets very Rambo like traps and manages to kill most of the opposition, and reserves the best for a patriotic encounter with the villain in the town square at the end.

The film is good in places where Vidyut gets to play the commando. The action is fast and slick, notches ahead of what’s generally shown in Hindi films. However, character development is kept to the minimum, the story lies in tatters, as does the screenplay. The director should have done away with unnecessary songs as well.

So go watch the film if you like Ong Bak kind of fight scenes. This film is strictly for action junkies. And one hopes Arnie fans can forgive Dilip Ghosh for maligning the title of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s cult classic Commando (1985), where the beefy hero showed he really was a one-man army.
this Vipul Shah produced film is called AK. Jaideep Ahlawat, who brings the character to life, has a good screen presence. Unfortunately, he’s been reduced to playing a baddie with a yen for Santa-Banta jokes. Director Dilip Ghosh was perhaps too influenced by yesteryear villain Ajit, who wisecracked his way to glory. Well, all we can say is that Jaideep is no Ajit and he should have just worked on being menacing. The same is the fate of the film’s hero Vidyut Jamwal, who’s good at action and stunts (allegedly done by him) but loses the plot when it comes to emoting. He is hampered by some cheesy dialogue as well. Heroine Pooja Chopra tries to do a motor-mouth act, a la Basanti from Sholay. Well, Hema Malini is a hard act to follow and maybe Pooja shouldn’t have tried so hard to be bubbly. The problem is that Vidyut, being the silent hero type, doesn’t get to speak in half of the film (good thing for him, given the cheesy lines). So someone had to fill in with the lines and save the film from being a silent action movie.


Read the Exclusive Ek Thi Daayan Movie Review

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Star-Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kalki Koechlin, Huma Qureshi

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Director: Kannan Iyer

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Producer: Ekta Kapoor, Vishal Bhardwaj

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Duration: 2 hrs 15 mins

Promos are good, starcast is good, promotion is good...so how is the film?
The curse of the 2nd half strikes again, as it starts off as a riveting thriller & ends up as a shoddy Bollywood spookfest.

In an age where Bollywood is churning crap after crap in the name of horror, here comes a film that starts of doing something different. Taking on the topic of witchcraft, Ek thi Daayan delves into the disturbed life Master Magician Bobo, who is always distrubed with flashes from his past.
The first half takes us through his childhood & he tryst with witchcraft by way of a book. Bobo & his little sister try cracking the mystery of their stepmom being a witch & boy does it make for a thriling watch.
The latter half deals with present day Bobo trying to unravel the thoughts haunting him, finding chilling similarities between a new member he encounters & a dangerous past, culminating to the suspensful outcome.

The first 1 hour literally goes past in a whiz, keeping you hooked with edge of the seat thrills & moments. The 2nd is marred by unnecessary songs, cheap shenanigans & a climax that is hugely disappointing.

All performers of this journey are in top form. Emraan Hashmi underplays it beautifully, Huma Qureshi pitches in yet another winner, Kalki looks sweet but the show stealer is Konkona Sen Sharma who's mere stare will have a chill running down your spine.

First time director Kannan Iyer has a superb take which goes awry somewhere. Its still a commendable film and deserves a watch for the unconventional format of horror.

To sum it up, this ones surely deserves a watch. It might not be the best watch out there but its surely worth the ticket price. Dekh lo!

Overall Review Verdict: Equal parts Eerie & Random!
Ratings: 3/5




Read the Exclusive Nautanki Saala Movie Review

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Star-Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kunaal Roy Kapur, Evelyn Sharma, Pooja Salvi

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Director: Rohan Sippy

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Producer: Ramesh Sippy, Bhushan Kumar

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Duration: 2 hrs 11 mins

I was looking forward to Nautanki Saala. One, the trailers looked good and two, it is Aysuhman Khurana’s second movie after the superb Vicky Donor. Unfortunately, the movie does not live up to the promise shown in the promos though Aushmann doesn’t diappooint

Ram is a successful actor (going by the money he spends in the movie) in a Ramayan production where he plays Ravan. He saves a stranger, Mandar Lele from committing suicinde and then proceeds to rehabilitate him by mollycoddling him and building his confidence and even getting him the lead role of Ram in the play. It turns out, Mandar was depressed because his girlfriend Nandini had ditched him. So Ram, the do gooder, tries to get them back together and falls in love with her in the process. The rest of the movie is about de-tangling the knots.

The story is promising and set against the colourful backdrop of the Ramayan play held a lot of potential. However, poor editing is the culprit in its downfall. There are too many unnecessary scenes and long dialogues and they drag the pace down. Also, because of this, the movie starts meandering and losing pace and you start wondering what the whole point is.

The other problem is the zero chemistry between Ram and Nandini. Ram has a very spunky attractive girlfriend when the movie begins and why he would fall for the passive Nandini over that girlfriend is incomprehensible. In a romantic comedy if the romance does not work, it is not a good thing for the well being of the film.

In its favour, the movie has a couple of totally hilarious scenes and sudden laughs that catch you by surprise and have you in splits. There are also a few characters like the Malyali receptionist in the hospital who crack you up. The sets and costumes of the Ramayan are awesome and make the film visually very interesting. The music is pretty good and lifts your spirits considerably. The best part of the movie is the last scene, which is absolutely a killer.

Ayushmann does a good job of holding the movie together though he tends to be a bit too clever at times and that mars his easy going, natural self. For me, the scene-stealer is Kunaal Roy Kapur as the suicidal Mandar. He is cute, vulnerable and very funny. Pooja Salvi as Nandini is the one person who pulls the acting averages down totally. She is vapid, and expressionless and acts so dumb its unbelievable. She has beautiful big eyes and she uses them to no effect absolutely. She is the reason the romance falls flat. A case of bad casting or bad direction.

The movie is only 2 hours long, but can seem longer in the draggy parts. However it’s not bad for an aimless Saturday evening. The laughs when they come are genuinely funny, but you will need some patience. The nautanki is not nautanki enough to make it a full house. Buy the cheaper tickets and you will be happy.

Verdict: Poor editing makes an interesting story meander and lose the point. It has a few god laughs though.
Ratings: 2/5



Read the Exclusive Chashme Baddoor Movie Review

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Star-Cast: Ali Zafar, Siddharth, Divyendu Sharma, Tapsee Pannu, Rishi Kapoor

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Director: David Dhawan

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Producer: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures

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Duration: 2 hrs 11 mins

I loved the original film. It would only make sense for me to completely hate this supposed remake. Right? But then again, I wouldn’t exactly call this a remake of the 80s comedy classic. It is more of a 90s David Dhawan film. Any pragmatic filmgoer wouldn’t take this director seriously but I have grown up on the Heroes and Coolies and Biwis that were No. 1 during a certain time. Haseena Maan Jayegi (1999) remains a bona fide guilty pleasure to this day. Govinda is one of my heroes of comedy.

Now since, I have given you a clear idea that there isn’t a pole stuck up my ass (and there never will be), I’m sorry to disappoint you but I enjoyed the shit out of this film. It had the over the top humor, unintelligent plot and idiotic ridiculousness that even Mr. Dhawan had forgotten how to make, evident in his recent failures. Most importantly, he had forgotten how to induce fun into his movies and this film knows how to have some of that.

All this would lead you to believe I prefer this film to the original. No way. Before you go into that direction, let me point out that it is in another league altogether. For me it all boils down to two names – Farooq Shaikh and Deepti Naval. No matter how hard you try, you can’t match the chemistry of these two gifted actors. Neither can you top the writing and humor of the first film. (It has one-liners like: if you can’t change the girl, ‘change’ the girl). This doesn’t mean I couldn’t take this film for what it is and enjoy it. For starters, apart from having the same plot, there are hardly any gags that are taken from the original. There is hardly any cigarette smoking. I guess if you can’t change the story, change the jokes.

Ali Zafar and Taapsee are adequate in their roles, even if their chemistry doesn’t “chamko”. Divyendu Sharma and Siddharth seem annoying at the start but soon become perfectly funny. Most of the laughs come from them but my favorite silly moment in this film is the one where Lillette Dubey (for some inconceivable godforsaken reason) seeks inspiration for her diet problems from the unlikeliest person. I had to remind myself that I’m sitting with a bunch of respected film critics to stop an impending fit of laughter.

Chashme Baddoor means keeping envious eyes at bay, warding off negative energies. We all expected that the original had the misfortune of having had David Dhawan’s eyes land up on it. To our dismay, the end result seems like the evil eyes are going to be that of the naysayers. Sometimes, I become a grumpy old fart myself but I usually like to be seated in that section of the audience, which is having more fun. To paraphrase, a dialogue from the film – “You don’t need classes when it’s a hit with the masses”. Chashme Baddoor is good clean entertainment that doesn’t take itself too seriously. (Hey, this could have been a whole lot worse, like Kya Kool Hain Hum.) If your eyes aren’t clouded with prejudice and wish to see some fun, you won’t be disappointed.

Verdict: This remake can be enjoyed regardless of the brilliance of the original 
Ratings:  3.5/5

Read the Exclusive Himmatwala Movie Review

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Star-Cast: Ajay Devgn, Tamannaah Bhatia, Paresh Rawal, Mahesh Manjrekar

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Director: Sajid Khan

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Producer: Vashu Bhagnani, Siddharth Roy Kapur

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Duration: 2 hrs 31 mins

First things first. I am a teenager from the dreadful 80s and though I did not see all the Jeetendra-Sridevi Jayaprada starrers which were a rage then, I was a big fan of the songs and danced endlessly to ‘taki re taki’ and ‘maana maana main hoon mawaali’ (phew, that is a HUGE confession to make).

So having stated my position on this, I can appreciate why Sajid would have wanted to remake Himmatwala his way. It molded him (I guess) to some degree. Which is all very good and indulgent but if I wanted to see the rubbish that passed off as cinema in the 80s I would rather see the original trash then a (not so ) new take off on it. The original movies thought they were way cool then and took their melodrama and kitschy dancing and costumes earnestly and sincerely. This remake with its jokey references to it being an 80s movie and an overall sense of not taking its content seriously, mars the earnestness with which it should have been made by a true fan. 

Ravi returns to the village where his dad committed suicide after being falsely accused of theft by the Sarpanch Sher Singh, (the Big Mean Guy there). He is the Himmatwala who will restore his dad’s honour, get his mother and sister the ‘izzat’ they have lost, tame the Sarpnach’s wild daughter who "hates garibs" and rescue the village from mayhem. He will fight men and tigers and throw around bullock carts. And when not busy fighting he will dance amongst the colourful pots on a beach with the wild daughter.

Sher Singh (played by Mahesh Manjrekar) is not menacing enough. Most of the time he look like a benevolent uncle. Paresh Rawal plays the sidekick in a strange judge’s wig hairstyle and provides the laughs. The heroine Tamannah is not a patch on Sridevi and looks a bit awkward in the dance sequences. Zarina Wahab is effective as the boo hoo mother who calls on sherawali to save her son. Ajay Devgn rocks. As usual his comic timing provides some of the best laughs in the movie. He is also all burning eyes intensity in the angry scenes. He is the star of this movie and he is the only reason one could sit through it.

There are quite a few funny scenes and those are the saving grace. However, you cannot escape a sense of weariness while watching the movie. There is an outdated feel to the story that is hard to not get impatient with. Modern audiences cannot really stomach lines like “beti ek baar sasural gayi to uski arthi hi wahan se nikalti hai.” A true modern Himmatwala would have done something about the ill treatment his sister faces and not resort to his girlfriend’s fake pregnancy to get the bad man to toe the line.

The music is pretty decent. Of course, naino mein sapna and taki re taki are well known, but even the new disco song is pretty good.

So, the question arises. Is a remake supposed to be a copy of the original with fresh faces, or does a remake have the liberty to take the essence of the original (which after all made the original a hit) and make it work in the present context? I would wait for Chashme Buddoor next week to take this thought ahead. In the meantime, I would not particularly recommend this one. If you are feeling nostalgic, hire a DVD and watch Jeetendra in white with a buxom Sridevi while waving feather dusters on the beach and get your kicks. This one is purely for Ajay Devgan fans only.

Verdict: The 80s were not that entertaining, face it. And the remake is is not much either. 
Ratings:  1.5/5

Movie Review: Rangrezz

Director: Priyadarshan

Cast: Jackky Bhagnani, Amitosh Nagpal, Vijay Varma, Priya Anand and Sunil Sinha



You better not take love for granted. Priyadarshan’s Rangrezz puts a twist on the classic tale of young romance and

Jackie Bhagnani plays Rishi, an average Mumbai lad, who’s about to be posted in the police. He has a gang of unruly friends Winu (Amitosh Nagpal) and Pakkya (Vijay Varma). Together they can be quite a force to reckon with. They’d beat up the police if they had to. When Rishi’s old friend Joy comes asking for help in love, Rishi and the gang decide to take matters into their rowdy hands. Their plan is to help the couple runaway. While the premise may seem as ordinary as a first date, this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. A harmless buddy film with good comedy just turns into a ten headed monster. The images move from naïve boys’ levity to graphic visuals like crushed limbs, burnt faces, gashed eyes and a whole lot of gore. Of course the film retains its humour thanks to the bumbling histrionics of Rajpal Yadav, but the dramatic twist packs a punch and how.

But that’s painting an incomplete picture. What should’ve been a first class film with a gut wrenching blow, turns into a hackneyed disaster. First of all. What on earth is that Indian abomination of Gangnam style doing at the back end of this film? Seriously! It robs Rangrezz of the small amount of credibility it earns through its runtime. Priyadarshan and Santosh Sivan working together after a decade is a coup alright. And the film’s cinematography and visual works are fantastic. Moments of high drama remind you why Priyadarshan can make soul-stirring movies like Kanjeevaram. But what in holy hell are those over-the-top song and dance sequences doing in this gritty film? Rangrezz has more personality issues than the entire cast of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.

Coming to its actors, with all due respect, Jackky Bhagnani gives it his best shot but a subject and story like Rangrezz needed more gravitas. The only person who matches up to the character’s requirement is Vijay Varma. Rest of the cast in Rangrezz has serious performance issues.

epic love. It replaces chocolates, flowers and hearts with the choicest expletives, swords and explosions. Replete with dry humour and dark drama, Rangrezz is like Romeo & Juliet gone rogue. All those quintessential couples cuddling on marine drive, exchanging pecks and harbouring dreams of defying their families to elope be warned. You have no idea of the beast called love.

Ratings: 3/5

Movie Review: 3G

Directors: Sheershak and Shantanu

Cast: Neil Nitin Mukesh, Sonal Chauhan and Mrinalini Sharma


Some films feel like real winners on paper. But to have the magic translate from words to visuals can be quite the task. Unfortunately for 3G its team headed by directors Sheershak and Shantanu, fail in executing what could’ve been one the best erotic thrillers made in Indian cinema.

The film opens with Sonal Chauhan stepping out of Fijian seas in a red hot swim suit. Neil Nitin Mukesh enters on top of a speed boat hood as dramatic as Ajay Devgn in Phool Aur Kaante. They meet, they kiss and he loses his cell phone. Cut to, they go shopping for a new phone and Neil picks up a fancy looking phone that’s supposed to have weird flame/tribal designs on it. Only you can see they’re stickers. You can see 3G was such a creative concept. But it’s been let down so badly in its execution. The phone turns out to be haunted and it keeps calling Neil and showing him a video of a girl being murdered. That’s not all. The phone starts turning Neil into an edgy Psycho-type killer.

When the movie reveals these developments you feel a rush of creepiness. Expecting something great, but what the film serves up is clichés. One scene after the other, horrible dialogue and tired writing rob 3G of its proverbial thrills. The only thing that works in the technical departments of the film is the quality of its visuals. One reckons that’s thanks to Japanese cinematographer Keiko Nakahara. There’s a wonderful scene with a slow motion car crash right before the interval. But that’s one scene in a two-hour film. The inconsistency in 3G’s narrative quality is baffling.

Its lead actors Neil Nitin Mukesh and Sonal Chauhan have no chance. The movie maintains an amateurish flow at all times. And despite their best efforts there are times when the actors end up looking amateurish too. Why would you have a hero dancing and frolicking around Fijian markets right after a scene where he’s been scared shitless? No wonder Hindi film songs and dance sequences have such a bad name. Neil does a fine job making transitions from being scared to being a menacing madman. But the movie never captures his dramatic effort.

The opening credits of the film are superb. You have an android phone being scrolled around as each app on the phone when tapped reveals a corresponding movie credit. For example the touch on the music app shows music credits by Mithoon. The touch on the camera app shows the credit for cinematography. Did the filmmakers sleep after making this wonderful and creative decision? The rest of their film felt like a two-hour apology.

Ratings: 3/5

Read the Exclusive Mere Dad Ki Maruti Movie Review

Mere dad ki Maruti is a fun, fast paced movie starring an actor I really, really liked in his first film, Mujhse Fraandship Karoge-Saquib Salim. He looks older of course but is just as cute and vivacious and a joy to watch. I can see an internal bias developing towards this actor and his future films.

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Star-Cast: Saqib Saleem, Rhea Chakraborty, Ram Kapoor

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Director: Ashima Chibber

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Producer: Ashish Patil

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Duration: 1 hr 42 mins

The movie is set in Chandigarh. Sameer and Gattu are happy go lucky college friends. Sameer’s dad thinks he is a good for nothing In order to try and impress Jasleen aka Jazleen (the Shakira of Chandigarh as she calls herself), he decides to borrow the new Maruti Etios that his dad has bought as a gift for his daughter and son-in-law to give away at her ‘bidai’. He loses the car and a series of crazy twists and turns ensue before the story ends.

The movie is zippy and funny and doesn’t have a dull moment.. Though its essentially about teenagers and peppered with slang the story appeals to everyone. I guess the Punjabi language lends itself to a lot of funny dialogues and they add to the general merriment. The setting is of a wedding and there is a lot of colour to add to the feel good factor of the movie. The sangeet dance by Sameer’s sister was the highlight of the movie for me.

The performances are cool. Saquib I have already spoken about. Prabal Panjabi as Gattu is outstanding and Ram Kapoor as the dad is excellent. He has really let himself go in this role. Rhea Charaborty playing Jazzleen is cute but does not make an impact.

I would recommend this movie for its engaging story line and general light- hearted feel. You will come out smiling and that is enough reason for me to recommend a movie.

Verdict: An engaging story, funny dialogues and good acting make this a fun watch 
Ratings:  3.5/5





Read the Exclusive Aatma Movie Review

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Star-Cast: Bipasha Basu, Nawazuddin Siddiqui

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Director: Suparn Verma

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Producer: Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak

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Duration: 2 hrs 10 mins

Director Suparn Verma has always been an ambitious filmmaker. From his debut in Chal to the delightfully outrageous Acid Factory, his films burst with strong themes but it is the execution that has left us majorly underwhelmed. A more accomplished filmmaker would have rendered the aforementioned films a much nuanced treatment.

Aatma, clearly one of his better works, suffers from an approach that looks as if the director is trying too hard to shock and is in a tearing hurry to close the film. His ideas are in the right place and much of it is quite novel as far as the horror genre in Indian cinema is concerned, yet the film falls short of the breakthrough that it could have been.

The biggest problem with Aatma is that it sends across chills in independent scenes which are well crafted indeed and executed with remarkable subtlety; but none of it comes holistically together. It seems that the scenes were drafted without much contextualization, and this hampers a generic sense of continuity. Thus, one horror set piece after another feels more like a deliberate extension, rather than it all flowing seamlessly. This is funny because the film has some very sharp transitions, and is also photographed with the tension that an atmosphere of such a film would demand. Even the background score is always minimal, and many scenes nearly silent, never exaggerated for effect.

Thus it all boils down to how much emotional investment you make in the film's story which is essentially about a delicately unstable mother-daughter relationship. This aspect of the film is well-rounded and themes of domestic violence leading to psychological nightmares and a mother's fractured relationship with her daughter come across sensitively as well as our believable. Bipasha Basu is earnest in her performance and her trauma is something that we come close to understanding, and even sympathizing. And so is Nawazuddin Sidiqque as the jilted husband with sociopathic tendencies.

The best bit that can be said is that at no point does the film look comical or induces unintentional laughter. If you are willing to forgive these shortcomings, you may shock yourself with Aatma. 

Verdict: Bipasha Basu shines in the role of a single mother haunted by her dead husband. 
Ratings:  3.5/5

Movie Review: Jolly LLB

Director: Subhash Kapoor

Cast: Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani, Saurabh Shukla, Amrita Rao, Ramesh Deo and
About a decade ago Cyrus Oshidar showed us the joy of slapping an idiot in MTV’s One Tight Slap. Of course Dr Dang’s slap from Karma remains iconic to date, but Subhash Kapoor’s Jolly LLB has a slap of epic proportions too. Adding a subtle touch to the great Indian phrase of laaton ke bhoot baaton se nahi maante, Ramesh Deo slaps Arshad Warsi. And boy it feels so good. The whole situation around this scene in Jolly LLB has been created with creative flair. The film on a whole could’ve been better, but it handles its story and concept with freshness and the right amount of sentiment. 

This court room drama / satire is both funny and relevant. Arshad Warsi plays Jolly a small time lawyer in Meerut and his ambitions are clearly bigger than the modest court in his town. He heads to Delhi to be a celebrated vakeel. Jolly has been recently enlightened by the power of PIL (public interest litigation). He uses the PIL to sneak into a high profile case being handled by Delhi’s star lawyer Rajpal (Boman Irani). What starts off as a game of wits and con turns into a conscientious story about wrong versus right. But even in its most preachy moment, Jolly LLB retains dramatic power. It does so because it’s critiquing society, the privilege of the powerful and the helplessness of the poor. The film’s scenes are designed to evoke reactions from you and that is the strength of this satire.

To compare it to Kapoor’s earlier film Phas Gaye Re Obama will be unfair. Though from the same genre, the subjects are very different. That Subhash Kapoor will direct the next Munnabhai should also be removed from contention. Jolly LLB, on its own, is a quirky and insightful take on what goes on in our courtrooms. The breakthrough character here is Saurabh Shukla’s Justice Tripathi. He’s a Sessions Court judge and his mini monologue right before the final verdict of the case pretty much sums up the state of Indian judiciary.

Jolly LLB’s screenplay maybe predictable, end of the day it’s inspired by the real-life case of Sanjeev Nanda. But what the story lacks in terms of surprise, the cast makes up with its performances. Arshad Warsi as the lead man looks his part and acts well too. But the reason Jolly LLB hits home its message is thanks to Saurabh Shukla and Boman Irani. Shukla oddball eccentricity is just superb. And Boman makes another addition to an illustrious list of bad guy performances like Khurana (Khosla Ka Ghosla), Lucky Singh (Lage Raho Munnabhai) and Virus (3 Idiots).

Jolly LLB gives preference to its emotions over its logic. You might say that’s a fatal flaw in the court room. But then that’s who Jolly (Warsi) is and that’s how he fights for the truth. Wearing emotions on his black sleeves.

Ratings: 3/5

Movie Review: Saare Jahaan Se Mehenga

Director: Anshul Sharma


Cast: Sanjay Mishra, Zakir Hussain and Ranjan Chhabra


There’s an old saying in Hindi that goes ‘aate daal ka bhav yaad karna’. It’s a phrase that means ‘to have a reality

check’. Saare Jahaan Se Mehenga (SJSM) is a satire on the reality of rising prices, in the case of its story, regular ration items like grains, soaps and other miscellaneous edible stuff. It’s a simple tale that reminds you that ‘aate aur daal ke bhav’ are skyrocketing beyond the comfort zone of the common man. It’s not presenting earth shattering facts, nor is its drama sweeping in any measure. But the film’s message is crystal clear and that is its strength.


The story deals with a quintessential North Indian family based in Harayana. The patriarch is a retired senior citizen. The elder brother Puttanpal (Sanjay Mishra) is the main bread winner and he has a hilarious job of facilitating copulation between cattle. His wife runs a beauty parlour at home and his younger brother Gopal (Ranjan Chhabra) has been failing graduation for three years. This family’s major problem is inflation. Rising food prices have forced them to ration on their eating habits, to the extent that they haven’t eaten stuff like mutton or kheer in ages. Writer Rupesh Thapliyal and Vijay Manral do a spectacular job of weaving in the common man’s problems in the subplots of SJSM.


That most of SJSM’s dialogue is conversational and still quite amusing is worth a mention. You’ll find yourself chuckling at this family’s predicament and the character’s dry humour almost every minute of the film. But there is also a genuine flaw in this satire. It comes down to the crucial plot development where Puttanpal and Gopal borrow money under a government scheme so that they can stock three years’ worth of ration and in the process beat inflation. As you’d guess a loan inspector called Singh (Zakir Hussain) spoils the party. It’s fine that they borrow money under misleading terms and are then cornered for it. But what doesn’t make too much sense is the ultimate solution to their predicament. Because that boils down to a predictable monologue of a common man’s angst and suddenly everything seems to fall in place.


Nonetheless if you can spare director Anshul Sharma’s modest film some slack, there is a genuine movie here talking of real and relevant issues. In the process it’s also entertaining you a fair bit (spare for a sappy romantic number that was just not needed). SJSM isn’t the best film you’ll watch this year. But it’s a fine little film that should be appreciated for all the right reasons.

Ratings: 3/5

Movie Review: 

The Attacks of 26/11

Director: Ram Gopal Varma

Cast: Nana Patekar, Atul Kulkarni and Sanjeev Jaiswal
Ram Gopal Varma is known to have a penchant for raw, unpolished cinematic style. Blood and guts are like butter and toast for this visceral filmmaker. And yet in past works he’s managed to capture a sense of human emotion through gory and violent presentation. Not in recent works, which have been appalling to say the least. The Attacks Of 26/11 is classic RGV material. It’s raw to the extent that its untamed violence makes it a tad repulsive. But it also reminds you of the ugly truth. That terrorist attack on Mumbai was far more brutal than we wish to remember. This film is like an inconvenient truth. You don’t want to accept it. You don’t have the courage to deny it.

The build up shows how the terrorists made their way to Mumbai via the sea route. The band of terrorists which includes Ajmal Kasab (Sanjeev Jaiswal), are depicted as evil-looking young men with perpetual morbidity on their faces. Of course it’s a cinematic liberty to make them look evil, of which you’re warned before the film in a disclaimer. No sooner, the terror attacks are launched on Café Leopold, The Taj Hotel, CST Station and Cama Hospital. Believe you me, the film makes no effort in sensitizing its subject or the proceedings. RGV splatters blood with gusto and has the menacing terrorists rain bullets on innocents, children, toddlers and dogs. Yes these visuals are true, but they’re also disturbing. Whether RGV should’ve been more sensitive in portraying reality is a matter of opinion. But watching the terrorists kill innocent people with clinical indifference evokes deep emotions in the viewer.

Having said that, this reign of terror on your senses would’ve been down right condemnable without Nana Patekar’s presence. Playing the Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police Rakesh Maria’s character, Nana infuses acceptance to the situation. His fantastic performance and dialogue capture the sentiments of both the authorities and the common man. When he confesses to wanting to hurt Kasab his words resonate your thoughts. And when he defuncts Kasab’s myths of Jihad, you feel the irony.

The Attacks of 26/11 is not a film for sensitive audiences and / or the meek-hearted. It’s unapologetic about its violent stance. The loud intimidating background score proves it. But more importantly the film is passionate in its recreation of a horror most people would not want to recollect. That RGV refrains from ludicrous camera work and concentrates on bare emotions is testament to his honest attempt at retelling this tale. This is a must watch.

Ratings: 3/5

Movie Review: I, Me aur Main

Director: Kapil Sharma
Cast: John Abraham, Chitrangada Singh, Prachi Desai, Mini Mathur and Zarina Wahab       

Cliche, cliche, cliche. I Me Aur Main is a classic example of stereotypes and done-to-death scenes ruining a good story. A fresh concept of a self-obsessed man in a love triangle gets ruined by an inadequate script and inconsistent direction.

The story is the strongest part of I Me Aur Main. Its not everyday that you get a premise where urban themes of commitment phobia, over-driving ambitions and single motherhood add depth to a love triangle. The characters in the film are really well defined too. The strongest character of course being the protagonist John Abraham's. He's a self centered prick and a chauvinist. He stares into the mirror to pep talk himself. But that's all that he ever does. Surely a man vainly in love with himself with a goal of earning fame and money by any means would have more grey shades than John's Ishaan in I Me Aur Main.

The script or screenplay never make enough room for the right kind of drama. Sure you have Ishaan's life going from very comfy to extremely awkward. But at no point do you love him or hate him. Instead the feeling towards his character is "why does this guy have such privileges?" The film film never answers that question. But it does get things right when Ishaan's sister and mother confront him over his irresponsible ways. That's one scene in a 1 hour 48 minute film where romance happens as two people play the piano together. A woeful ratio of good versus bad.

John Abraham is left grappling at the short rope that is his role. Full marks for effort but when the central character can't evoke enough sentiment, it's half the battle lost. Chitrangada Singh and Mini Mathur are good in their respective but short performances. Prachi Desai looks attractive and fresh but her performance doesn't peak at all.

I Me Aur Main could've been a better film. But it's director takes no risks. The team charts a safe path where people's homes look like hotel suites. It's not bad, but how exciting can Vanilla be?

Ratings: 3/5





Read the Exclusive Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns Movie Review

The sequel always messes it up.

In the first, Tigmanshu Dhulia got the character-dynamics perfectly right. It was a brilliant and a revelatory story about crumbling feudalism and its awkward interception with the political class. The new film – let’s not fool ourselves or get swayed by the overbearing hustle-bustle - is plainly an exercise in excess, and although Dhulia nails it with his razor-sharp one-liners that brim with the wit of a desi Aaron Sorkin; it cannot sustain the interest in a plot that is not only over-wrought but also lacks a sense of depth and meaning.

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Star-Cast: Jimmy Sheirgill, Mahie Gill, Irrfan Khan, Soha Ali Khan

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Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia

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Producer: Rahul Mittra, Tigmanshu Dhulia

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Duration: 2 hrs 26 mins

The themes of ambition and power, jealousy and greed, alcoholism and sex remain as it is, but it’s the attempt that seems to obvious and convoluted which makes this one a lesser film than the previous. Even if we leave aside the direct comparison, Saheb, Biwi aur Gangster Returns isn’t half as atmospheric and neither does it posses the palpable tension which made the first an exciting drama to watch.

Jimmy Shergil’s crippled prince recovers even as his wife, Mahie Gill’s Madhavi uses his physical incapacity to buy time and extend her own political leverage. In the meanwhile, the political class of Uttar Pradesh is ripe with rumors of a division of state, and for this the four prince-cum-MLAs must reach a mutual consent. The snob and the most manipulative of them – Jimmy Shergil, demands to be married to Raj Babbar’s daughter, played with effective understatement by Soha Ali Khan, who in turn is passionately in love with an apparent lobbyist (and once Royal) Irfan Khan.

It requires tremendous amount of concentration to see a crowd of characters scheming their way to the top, but to no clear results, and quite often their elaborate schemes to manipulate are over-written, or no fun to watch. When the film becomes a power game, and the relationship dynamics change – Irfan and Mahie get intimately involved triggering an uncertain Soha to invariably develop feelings for the sole Prince Charming, the film leaves us nobody to really root for.

In the urge to please with classic one-liners, the story gets compromised on. The long running time of nearly 3 hours doesn’t help either. It is only the performances that manage to keep the viewers attention intact. Irfan, unsurprisingly leads the pack with Jimmy Shergil giving his career’s best (of little that he had), and Soha Ali Khan being as charming as she’s effusive. Mahie Gill appears confused, not because her character is prone to mood-swings, but she plays the part with an inconsistent body-language and dialogue-delivery. Seductress, as she convincingly looks, her act isn’t all that tempting.

Overall, the film has a few high points and some very funny moments, but has to subscribe to gimmicks rather than solely on its story (like was the case in the previous one). An RGV-inspired background score leads to further disappointment. The sequel always messes it up.

Verdict: An over-wrought plot becomes rather depressing to watch because of too many elements forcefully juxtaposed.
Ratings:  2.5/5

Read the Exclusive Kai Po Che Movie Review

Kai Po Che is one of the few instances where the movie is better than the book. I am not a huge fan of Chetan Bhagat anyway and from The 3 mistakes of my Life (on which this movie is based) I remember only 2 seminal scenes. Funnily, the movie downplays these two story-changing happenings and moves away from being just a situational movie to one that is about friendship and growing up.

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Star-Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Amit Sadh, Raj Kumar Yadav, Amrita Puri

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Director: Abhishek Kapoor

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Producer: Ronnie Screwvala, Siddharth Roy Kapur

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Duration: 2 hrs 6 mins

Omi, Govind and Ishaan are thick friends who decide to open a sports store. Ishan is the cricketer, Govind the buisnessminded person and Omi, the priest’s son who gets the money from his politician mama who gradually inducts him into this right wing Hindu party. Ishan find a protege in a young Muslim boy and when the Godhra riots strike, it puts the friendship to test. Alongside, is the romance, which brews between Govind and Ishan’s sister, which is also part of their growing up.

The storytelling is brisk and yet takes time to build each character well. It gives you time to understand Govind’s sensible outlook, Omi’s drifty nature and Ishan’s belief in sports, so that when it comes to the crunch each character’s actions are natural.

The first half effectively sets the stage for the post interval part of the movie, which is totally action-packed. Save for one scene which was too reminiscent of Dil Chahta Hai, the movie is an original throughout and has a fresh feel about it.

The 3 guys are uniformly good. Sushant Singh Rajput debuts as Ishan and I loved him. He reminds me of Ranveer Singh but without the steroid feel. He is a good actor besides being very good eye candy (which is always needed). Amit Sadh as Omi has the easygoing look of a drifter and manages the transformation into a tortured soul well. Raj Kumar Yadav as Govind is the best performance of the three. He has worked in a great Gujrati accent and his acting is so nuanced that it’s a joy to watch. All 3 have great chemistry together and helpeach others performance.Manav Kaul as the politician Bittu mama is oily. Amrita Puri as Vidya could have been a bit spunkier considering that she takes the lead in the romance with Govind.

This is a great movie to watch. It has a good story, great pace and super performances. You will empathize, sympathize and become one with the characters. Don’t miss this one.

Verdict: A good story, well paced out with great performances. Go for it!
Ratings:  4/5

Movie Review: Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story

Cast: Vivek Oberoi and Neha Sharma                              
Director: Vinnil Markan

Vivek Oberoi’s latest release Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story proves to be a damper. An illogical plot which consist of a disconnected narrative and amateurish story-telling makes you wonder how someone would even think of making this film. The film is just an over-stretched version of it's two-minute teaser.

Director Vinnil Markan draws inspiration from action-comedy potboilers such as Singham and Rowdy Rathore. The director has tried his best to follow the same formulae but has failed miserably. There would have been more scope of an impact of such scenes, only if there was some quirky element attached to them. Those films were carried on the able shoulders of Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar. These actors have a massive fan following but in JKLS, the mass wouldn't be kicked to see Vivek Oberoi follow the same format. He seems to have typecast himself in a Company-type role. He actually plays a similar rowdy character in this film too but it looks more like a caricature, making it less believable and effective.

Viveik Oberoi needs to add fuel to his performances. For an actor who has portrayed powerful roles in the past (Company, Saathiya, Shootout At Lokhandwala) can't be wasting his talent in films like these. Playing the main role of Jayantabhai in the film, he falters time and again, trying hard to portray a cheeky hooligan-cum-wannabe bhai who falls for his cute-cum-sexy neighbour (played by Neha Sharma). Neha too, doesn't quite succeed in saving this disaster of a film. The love story fails to connect at all levels. The problems both the characters face and the development of the plot thereon is a mess. There comes a point where you're clueless about what's happening on screen. Even the chemistry between the lead characters, is dry. They're far from being cute or romantic. Then there are dialogues like ‘Agar tum Mumbai main fail ho gaye, toh khot tum main hain, Mumbai main nahin!’, which just keep re-iterating how bad a film could be.

From a slightly fashion point of view, it was quite bizarre how casually Neha Sharma would strut around in hot shorts, tight noodle straps or even backless dresses all through the film. She mentions, time and again, how she's scared of living in this city. So, for a girl who’s scared of living in an inappropriate colony with a neighbour who's a gangster seems a bit odd. But well, suspension of disbelief, maybe?

So, if you’re up for watching this film, do leave your brains behind. And if you’ve got a better Valentine’s weekend planned ahead, grab it with both your hands and legs.

Ratings: 3/5





Read the Exclusive Murder 3 Movie Review

Murder 3 is a film about tests. We see the characters going through or putting others through a test of love. To the ignorance of the makers, the film gradually becomes a test of your patience and intellect. Ultimately it ends up cheating you. For starters, there is no murder in the film. None. Zero. What we see murdered is the filmmaker’s ability to think as what ends up on screen lacks any sort of conviction. This is the directorial debut of Vishesh Bhatt (Mukesh Bhatt’s son) who shows no promise whatsoever. The first hour is Sara Loren trying very hard to act. The second hour is Aditi Rao Hydari trying to rescue the film. For two and a half hours, Randeep Hooda is trying to be taken seriously. I don’t even want to bother calling it a bad film, it’s just a waste of celluloid.
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Star-Cast: Randeep Hooda, Aditi Rao Hydari, Mona Laizza
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Director: Vishesh Bhatt                                      
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Producer: Mukesh Bhatt
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Duration: 2 hrs


The first hour of the film is lackluster and thoroughly uninteresting. It only picks up post-intermission but by then it is too late. Why? Not so much because of the plot. There is an intriguing plot twist during the second half of the film, which is set in motion by a Hindi-speaking British lady. Yes, any chances of you taking *that* seriously are diminished at the outset by this inane character inclusion. Surprisingly, I did start getting engaged (Hey, I’m human). I don’t want to reveal details of the plot because if you are actually planning to watch the film (I suggest you don’t), you will at least come out having seen one-third of what we call, a story. The silly characterization and terrible writing brings the house down. Although there is a bigger catch, the plot is obviously not original and taken from another film. Vishesh Bhatt carries on the legacy of his father all right.

I am a fan of the DVD collection of the Bhatts but not what they do with it. The first Murder had elements of Unfaithful (2002), the second one was a mix of the South-Korean stunner The Chaser (2008) to the masterpiece that is The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Murder 3 is copied from the Colombian thriller The Hidden Face (2011). You should be aware that if you want to watch this story, watch the original and don’t bother with the “murdered” version. I haven’t seen the original but I saw the trailer and it looks infinitely better. The British lady is supposed to be German in it. All right then. I guess I must have missed the part where history books mentioned the similarities between the Partition and the Holocaust. A bang up job of “adaptation”. (Heaviest form of sarcasm intended)

I’m still wondering what Aditi Rao Hydari was doing in this film. I wouldn’t be surprised if she is doing the same. She is clearly a good actress and could have chosen a better project to pursue a stronger career trajectory. Come to think of it, Randeep Hooda isn’t a bad actor either but he seems to be getting worse with each film. He should kiss the Bhatt camp goodbye and look for work elsewhere. The truly atrocious actor in the film is Sara Loren. Neither does she look good nor does she perform well.

The Murder franchise (if it can be called a franchise) worked with the audience because of three things. An interesting plot, eroticism but mainly Emraan Hashmi. Murder 3 offers none of these. No murder, no skin-show and no Emraan. I didn’t go looking for the skin-show for sure, nor am I a die-hard Emraan fan but I am the most ardent fan of a good story. There is a spark of a story in this film. It tries to take off but the complete lack of the filmmaker's storytelling skills ruin any chance the movie has to be called entertaining. Murder 3 is promoted with a tagline which goes “This valentine love will be murdered”. They are absolutely right.

Verdict: Love is murdered indeed. The love for my brain and choice in movies.
Ratings: 2/5







Read the Exclusive Special 26 Movie Review

5 years after his sleeper and surprise hit A Wednesday Neeraj Pandey is back with his second film. A Wednesday had an interesting story and even though it lacked finesse in its execution the film still worked well because it connected to the emotion of helplessness amongst the people of not being able to do anything against the system and the state of our country.
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Star-Cast: Akshay Kumar, Kajal Aggarwal, Manoj Bajpayee, Anupam Kher, Jimmy Sheirgill
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Director: Neeraj Pandey                                                                    
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Producer: Shital Bhatia, Kumar Mangat Pathak
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Duration: 2 hrs 24 mins


If you have seen the trailer or know anything about this film the first 20 minutes is a wasteful exercise in setting up. on 26th January 1987 4 guys (Akshay Kumar, Anupam Kher, Rajesh Sharma and Kishore Kadam) pose as CBI officers and raid the house of a minister. a senior inspector ( Jimmy Shergill) who gets used by them in this raid approaches the real CBI and officer Waseem Khan (Manoj Bajpayee) is put on this case.

The big heist begins some 1 and half hour into the film. till then a lot of time is wasted in establishing characters, small time con jobs and a forced and not needed love track between Akshay Kumar and Kajal Agarwal.

It is technically tacky and tries hard to recreate the era of late 80's. what works is that except the love track it stays focused on the plot and manages to keep you engaged but doesn't give you the edge of the seat thrill which was so needed for a film this.

If looked from a purely Akshay Kumar films point of view this one stands out amongst the bunch. After OMG here too he is controlled and measured in his performance.

Verdict: The 3rd act saves the film from becoming just another con/heist film
Ratings: 3/5






Movie Review: Mai

Director: Mahesh Kodiyal                                                                            
Cast: Asha Bhosle, Padmini Kolhapure, Ram Kapoor and Ashwini Joshi



Rain Man, A Beautiful Mind, Black, My Name Is Khan - films about people with physical / mental challenges make the audience sentimental with ease. Underdog stories do the same. That's the reason we cheer for those uncanny heroes. Normally you'd expect them not to succeed. Yet when they do you feel as if Rancho from 3 Idiots was right and "All is well". Asha Bhosle's Mai is the story of a mother suffering from Alzheimer's. Quite naturally you feel for the character. But even great stories in the above said films needed a good story tellers. Which is not the case with Mai.

The reason anyone would want to watch Mai is for Asha Bhosle. That's the usp of this film. And it's strength too. Her character evokes sympathy and emotion because it has a genuine handicap, but your sentiment towards Ashaji makes you care for the character of Mai even more. In a plot borrowed from Baghban, 65-year-old Mai has no willing caretaker inspite of having three daughters and a son. But the eldest daughter Madhu (Padmini Kolhapure) takes her in only to find out Mai has Alzheimer's. And Mai's presence bothers Madhu's husband Subhash (Ram Kapoor) and her daughter.

Mai the film has Ashaji's charisma, it has a great supporting cast in Padmini Kolhapure and Ram Kapoor. But it severely needed better writing and direction. The screenplay and dialogue are as good as Indian soap operas and you know that's not a compliment. Dialogue like "Mai ne hamein paala posa hai" is forty years too old. Director Mahesh Kodiyal has the right ideas but his execution is inconsistent. At times he makes silhouettes work and scenes stand out, and at times he cuts into unnecessary songs and montages robbing the film of its emotional grip. Even as Ashaji acts well and garners your attention she's made to dance which obviously doesn't turn out too well.

But hats off to 80-year-old Asha Bhosle for attempting Mai. And she pulls off the dramatic parts too. Same goes for Kolhapure who makes a comeback after eons. And Ram Kapoor proves why Indian television isn't big enough for him. Pun unintended.

This emotional story of a mother really misses mother's care. Kodiyal should've nurtured the film a bit more. His scenes could've been more conversational and less dramatic. Having said that, despite its obvious flaws Mai is worth a recommendation for all Asha Bhosle fans. You get to listen to her sing and the bonus is she can act too. Hats off to one of the most spirited ladies of all times. If only her film had shown the same gusto.

Ratings: 1.5/5



Movie Review: David

Cast: Neil Nitin Mukesh, Vikram, Vinay Virmani, Tabu, Isha Shirvani and Monica Dogra
Director: Bejoy Nambiar


Have you ever met or spoken with a good-looking person who has no personality? Or been to an exotic place which gives you the best pictures but no memorable experiences? David is that person and that very place. It’s a film that soars in the technical department but trudges when it comes to plot development and narrative. It’s a film you’d want to ogle at for hours at end but by the end of it you’d wish it'd have more meat than just plain muscle.

Running in three timelines, first is a tale of vengeance (with Neil Nitin Mukesh and Monica Dogra). Set in late 70s London, this segment is entirely shot in monochrome and is mostly driven by a fitting background score combined with some slick, slow-mo action shots. Next in line is the story of a struggling musician (Vinay Virmani) who, along with his family becomes a soft target of religious politics. The third story is set in 2010. This story unravels between an alcoholic (Vikram) who falls in love with a hearing and speech impaired girl (Isha Shirvani), the only problem being that she’s about to get hitched with his best friend.

Three people, three eras, one name, one destiny; this axiom may sound like a winner on page but on-screen it’s reduced to just another good-looking film. Director Bejoy Nambiar is undoubtedly promising talent. He has an immensely strong sense of audio/visual aesthetics. May it be the colour tone, mood, and the kind of music he infuses into a scene or even the way he handles the camera; there is certain madness in his unique method of filmmaking, which is great. But the interest that he gains through visuals, he loses it immensely with his story-telling. David suffers due to a hackneyed screenplay which lacks sub-text which is most important in stories like these. Mexican film director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu popularized this format of story-telling, wherein you have more than one story moving ahead in separate timelines which may/may not coincide. Nambiar’s attempt is brave but one needs an exceptionally layered story to be able to pull this off.

Adding to that, the shift of gear between the three timelines is a mess. The kind of treatment implied to the narrative makes the three stories look disjointed to say the least. The tone, sound and look of each story might vary but all said and done, the final product must look like the sum of all parts and not individual entities.

After Shaitan, director Bejoy Nambiar teases you by crossing a certain level of brilliance in one aspect of his job while disappointing you in the other. He gave us the magical Khoya Khoya Chand sequence in his directorial debut and in David you have the rugged Vikram bashing the bad guys to pulp; an entire sequence dipped in the flavor of Goa with Remo performing on Maria Pita Che. Wish the story had the same charm too.
Ratings: 1/5





Read the Exclusive Race 2 Movie Review

If you laughed your heart out in Race (2008) with the constant twist and turns being thrown at you then you would be waiting with an evil wicked grin to welcome Race 2. sorry to burst your bubble but your evil grin will turn into frustrating maniac laughter if you boldly venture into this film.
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Star-Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Anil Kapoor, John Abraham, Deepika, Jacqueline, Ameesha
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Director: Abbas-Mustan
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Producer: Kumar S Taurani, Ramesh S Taurani
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Duration: 2 hrs 20 mins


Saif Ali Khan and Anil Kapoor are the only characters that continue from the earlier film. This time Saif is in the' race' to destroy John Abraham. Deepika Padukone is John's half sister, Jacqueline Fernandes is John's love interest and Ameesha Patel replaces Sameera Reddy as the dumb and forever horny Anil Kapoor's assistant.

I don't think you ought to know what the plot is because it doesn't matter. what matters is, are the twists being thrown at you at a frantic speed? and are they good enough?. the answer is NO!

It appears that Abbas Mustan first write a list of twists and turns and then weave a story around it. Saif Ali Khan does his "look i'm so cool" act yet again. something which he has now mastered it. He is the only one who gets all the whistles. all the girls are decked up with the flashiest costumes but only Deepika and the locations manage to provide the much needed eye candy .

Abbas Mustan's last years gift Players was appallingly bad. This one takes the cake.

Verdict: Race 2 will twist your brain cells and leave you all wound up
Ratings: 1.5/5



Read the Exclusive Inkaar Movie Review

When things go wrong between two people they take some radical decisions. Maya (Chitrangadha Singh)takes one such decision. Her decision is that she accuses Rahul (Arjun Rampal) of sexual harassment.
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Star-Cast: Arjun Rampal, Chitrangda Singh                                  
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Director: Sudhir Mishra
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Producer: Viacom 18, Sudhir Mishra
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Duration: 2 hrs 13 mins


A social worker (Dipti Naval) is brought in to listen to both sides of the story along with different point of views of people working in the office. But the truth always lies hidden between those two people and when over 3 days they scratch beyond the surface the real truth emerges.

Sudhir Mishra handles the sensitive subject of sexual harassment without taking sides and succeeds in exploring the emotion of love hidden behind the iron curtains of anger, power and words that fail to reach out and say what is intended.

The screenplay follows a repetitive structure of going back and forth into the past and the present which at times bogs down your mind. The constant repetition of party scenes, drinking session, office meetings bores you after a point.

I never thought Arjun Rampal could hold a solo film so intense but he surprised me with his performance. Chitragandha Singh walks shoulder to shoulder with him but her performance doesn’t convey the different emotions the character is going through. Beyond the anger, rage and hurt lies love.

Verdict: Inkaar is about human being’s refusal to see it.
Ratings: 2.5/5




Read the Exclusive Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola Movie Review

Having seen Vishal Bhardwaj’s flashes of directing comedy in all his films I was very interested to see what he does with a full fledged comedy film but Matru ki Bijlee ka Mandola is not that film.
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Star-Cast: Imran Khan, Anushka Sharma, Pankaj Kapoor      
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Director: Vishal Bhardwaj
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Producer: Vishal Bhardwaj, Kumar Mangat Pathak
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Duration: 2 hrs 31 mins


A fictitious village in Haryana is called Mandola named after the rich industrialist Harry Mandola ( Pankaj Kapur). He wants to take away the land of the farmers and have a big dream about what he wants to do with it. The only problem is that he drinks and becomes a different person after he is drunk. He does things like taking a village morcha to his own house against him. He has a driver cum drinking partner in Matru (Imran Khan) who has studied law abroad and has come back to the village and is working for Mandola. Everyone knows he has a plan up his rolled khaki sleeves. What happens when Shabana Azmi arrives with his son Baadal (Arya Babbar) to the village to marry him off to Mandola’s daughter Bijlee ( Anushka Sharma) is what the film is about.

The film is schizophrenic when it comes to what it is arriving at or what it wants to do. Entertain, educate or inspire? Nobody’s knows. It is neither a quirky comedy nor a satire on the state of our nation. I could sit through it only because of the cinematography and because I love watching Pankaj Kapur act. Remember that hilarious drunk scene in Jalwa?. When he is drunk, Pankaj Kapur is an extended version of that character. There are flashes of brilliances but few and far between.

Arya Babbar makes the most of the opportunity given to him. This is his most meaty role yet in a mainstream big budget film and he gives it his all.

Word of mouth - There is an abuse which is often used in the film. That was my emotion when I walked out of Matru ki Bijlee ka Mandola.

Verdict: It is the ‘Joker meets Aiyaa ‘film of this year
Ratings: 1.5/5










Movie Review: Table No. 21
                                                                                                             
Director: Aditya Datt

Cast: Rajeev Khandelwal, Tena Desae and Paresh Rawal

Purists love to criticise Hindi films for having too many Hollywood film references. While I’m no purist I can sincerely say that there is one too many scenes in Table No. 21 that remind you of past Hollywood thrillers. Of course, a film desperately trying to emulate a western production can’t be too novel. Even though its story has all the right twists, Table No. 21’s presentation looks like it was borrowed from far too many dvds.

For starters there’s a scene right at the start where a man leaps to his death from a building. A camera captures his suicide and that is put online for the world to see. Untraceable (2008) had similar scenes where a serial killer posts videos of his victims online. There are many panoramic shots of lovely Fijian locales in Table No. 21. All of which you can extensively spot in past films like The Blue Lagoon (1980), Reel Paradise (1992), Couples Retreat (2009) and many more. Paresh Rawal is the host of the truth or dare game played with Rajeev Khandelwal and Tena Desae. And his prop in this game is a fancy wooden table that slides open in a way that reminds one of the magical board game in Jumanji (1995). Paresh Rawal’s character keeps asserting the fact that in his game if you lie you die and that eventually the game would end with death is eerily similar to the premise of the popular Saw series (2004-2010).

On paper the story seems smashing. An unassuming couple gets entangled in a game of death lured by the Rs 21 crore prize. Right at the end it gives you a good twist too. But Table No. 21 never does enough to recover from its Hollywood hangover. Aditya Datt’s direction isn’t all that bad. Times when Rajeev Khandelwal’s character jumps into flashbacks lends a nice non-linear narrative touch to the proceedings. But even such glimpses of promise are marred by tired dialogue like “If you lie you die” and “Secrets are sexy”.

On the subject of clichés, like every grey cloud’s silver lining, Table No. 21’s saving grace is its actors. Paresh Rawal, Rajeev Khandelwal and Tena Desae perform with convictions but how far can a captain steer a ship with a cracked hull? The reason Table No 21 draws such archaic and dull reactions is because quite simply said, it’s done to death.


Ratings: 2/5

Read the Exclusive Dabangg 2 Movie Review

For those who don't know Dilip Shukla. He has written dialogues for films like Ghayal, Andaz Apna Apna and Mohra and has written Damini. If there is one person besides Salman who deserves credit for Dabangg it is him.

Arbaaz Khan takes over from Abhinav Kashyap and thankfully doesn't make a mess of the original. He plays safe and sticks to what has already worked before and very smartly keeps the run time to 2 hrs.

This time Chulbul Pandey get transferred to Kanpur where he is supposed to meet a bigger villain but the villain turned out to be a wet fire cracker.

Prakash Raj just barks and barks but doesn't bite. Having seen him in all his recent Hindi films it was boring to sit through his repetitive performance.

There is no thrill in watching this film that was felt while watching Dabangg but since the character is the ace for this franchise it is easy to sail through it.

The film is still stuck with ideas like children getting kidnapped, villain ka bhai wanting to pick up a girl from mandap and villain torturing the hero's family just because he can't get back at him.

Chulbul Pandey deserves an insane, crazy, maniac of a villain if the makers wants to keep this franchise going.

Word of mouth - Dabangg 2 is a rinse repeat exercise with a weaker villain. To see around 20 people dancing to fevicol se was a better high than the film itself.


Verdict: Dabangg 2 is a rinse repeat exercise with a weaker villain
Ratings: 2/5

Read the Exclusive Khiladi 786 Movie Review

Khiladi 786 opens with Akshay Khiladi kumar bashing the day lights out of a set of goons who seem to have been picked up from a political rally in the middle of their siesta. They fly over him, looking straight into the camera sleepy eyed. Akshay mouths something about being the khiladi /singh/man/human/joker/whatever and the movie sets on its inexplicably ridiculous running length. Forget Joker, Khiladi 786 is the worst film ever in Akki’s “glorious” career.
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Star-Cast: Akshay Kumar, Himesh Reshammiya, Asin
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Director: Ashish R Mohan
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Producer: Akshay Kumar
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Duration: 2 hrs 22 mins


While there are no pelvic thrusting aliens to give the Khiladi company in this one, there is the Alien like Himesh Reshammiya, head weave threatening to belie his age, who makes up for whatever little was left out in terms of mediocrity in the script. Oh yeah there apparently is a script they used to make this drivel.

Akshay is a goon, so he can’t get married. Asin’s beau is behind bars, so she can’t get married. Himesh is a match maker’s son who can’t get anyone married. All three are want to get married into the police force, since that is “respectable”. Really now? While all this happens, Akshay goes around beating people black and blue, breaking things that look like made of pulp paper, and sing horrendously irritating music in severely fashion challenged set pieces. There by hangs a tale of distasteful mockery of anything and everything to do with cinema.

Then there are the side actors, a bunch of delightful camera obsessed actors who deliver dialogues (if one can call them that) straight into the camera, to hell with acting being all about reacting. A delirious psychopath on the background score can only explain what was playing behind while these set of actors did what they were being paid for. Akshay, Asin, Himesh on the other hand seem to be on a paid vacation where getting dressed for a kindergarten fancy dress competition was the only preparation demanded of them.

It is a wonder that we still are making films like this, it is a shocker that films like this will go ahead and make money, it is a scary nightmare that Akshay will come back with more films that might just pale this one out with its mediocrity. Catch a dark corner in your house, hide there under the blanket and pray to the gods this goes out of the screens asap.

Verdict: Unfunny, insensitive, terrorism on celluloid
Ratings: 0.5/5




Read the Exclusive Talaash Movie Review

Films like 3 Idiots and Lagaan were excellent films due to the talents of Rajkumar Hirani and Ashutosh Gowariker. Talaash works more so because of the meticulous execution of Reema Kagti. The atmosphere and the tone of the film are always precise, never losing focus. The agenda throughout is telling the story and telling it right. The music by Ram Sampath is old fashioned and superbly delicious. Hona Hai Kya (my favorite song from the film) is attached to a breathless chase sequence. I could notice the presence of the background score in almost every scene, which creates a mood of dread and gloom. Mohanan's camera flirts with luscious colours and classy lighting.
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Star-Cast: Aamir Khan, Rani Mukherji, Kareena Kapoor
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Director: Reema Kagti
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Producer: Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, Aamir Khan
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Duration: 2 hrs 22 mins


The screenplay by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti is well constructed. It conceals every bit of information, which would elevate the mystery. Yet, it gives us information, while the characters in the film are robbed of it and makes us engaged participants. Remember those yesteryear murder mysteries like Bees Saal Baad (1962)? It gives you taste of such sumptuous dishes that nobody likes to offer anymore. Recently we saw Kahaani, which was also a good thriller, but this one did what Kahaani couldn’t do for me: I cared for the characters. (Obviously an impeccable actor like Aamir Khan contributes to this, which is not saying Vidya Balan isn’t one). I remember a time in the late 90s when films like Gupt (1997) and Kaun (1999) were being talked about everywhere because of the big reveal at the end. I felt I was catapulted to those days where I don’t want to tell people what the twist was and see their reactions later. (Please don’t be a sourpuss and spoil it for people, it’s way more fun that way)

Yes, there is a twist. Your judgment of the film will depend on whether you like this twist or not. I even guessed the twist including its details and you may guess it too but instead of being proud of the fact that our minds do work, I strongly recommend you to indulge in the rewards of the film, which extend further than a fanciful surprise. (And how I love the surprise!). Thanks to the last 10 minutes of the movie, which I believe, is what makes this film more than just a thriller, is tastefully handled. It may remind you of a movie which I will not name because that would be again be a massive spoiler. Talaash is a first-rate murder mystery with solid performances. The winners here are Aamir Khan and Reema Kagti who churn out a film that is consciously quixotic and endlessly fascinating. Now can someone get this trend going? I’d like some more of those good old mysteries, please.

Verdict: Talaash is top-notch murder mystery with a great sense of atmosphere
Ratings: 3.5/5



Read the Exclusive Son Of Sardaar Movie Review

Ajay Devgn makes an entry standing on two horses. He does a song and dance routine and one fight sequence but no taaliyan yet. Salman Khan makes an entry for one scene. Taaliyon ki bauchaar. Ajay Devgn doesn’t work for me when he carries a film on his shoulder. Add a lethargic looking Sanjay Dutt and it’s a recipe for disaster.
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Star-Cast: Ajay Devgn, Sonakshi Sinha, Sanjay Dutt, Juhi Chawla
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Director: Ashwani Dhir
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Producer: Ajay Devgn, N R Pachisia, Pravin Talreja
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Duration: 2 hrs 21 mins


Son of Sardar takes the concept of Atithi Devo Bhava and stretches it for 2 ½ hrs. Sanjay Dutt and Ajay Devgn have a family feud going on for generations. Ajay Devgn returns to Punjab and unknowingly lands up at Sanjay Dutt’s house but Dutt can’t kill him. If Manoj Bajpayee in Gow said kehke loonga Dutt’s line should have been ghar ke bahar loonga. From here on the film is like a bad version of Tom and Jerry in which Tom Dutt and his gang try to get Jerry Devgn out of the house and Jerry devgn trying his best to stay in this hole.

Sanjay Dutt has been given lines which you would normally find behind trucks. In fact in one scene Devgn asks him if he was a truck driver before. Let me confess here that director Ashwani Dhir’s One two three is one of my guilty pleasures so I have nothing against such mad cap films but this one was idiotic and boring all the way. He takes the story of his own film Atithi tum kab jaoge and rehashes it by adding the revenge angle. This film should have been titled “atithi tum kab bahar aaoge”? Sonakshi Sinha is in repeat mode. Ajay Devgn has mastered the art of making a fool himself on screen and here also he excels in it. The action sequences might thrill the children to a certain extent.

Word of mouth – Son of Sardar = Son of Sardard. The Sion A1 samosa I had during the interval was the best thing that happened through the film.

Verdict: Son of Sardar = Son of Sardard
Ratings: 1/5


























Jab Tak Hai Jaan Movie Review


Read the Exclusive Jab Tak Hai Jaan Movie Review

Tiding over the logical incongruity of an ageing superstar playing a twenty-something lover boy who matches steps with a vivacious actress half his age might take some doing. But once you manage to get that mental holdup out the way, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Yash Chopra’s last film, is a perfectly fitting finale to an eventful life and career.
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Star-Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma        
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Director: Yash Chopra
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Producer: Aditya Chopra
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Duration: 3 hours


The screenplay by Aditya Chopra and Devika Bhagat is by no means flawless but, for the most part, Jab Tak Hai Jaan is watchable, if somewhat emotionally manipulative.

Beautifully shot in easy-on-the-eye parts of London and Ladakh, the film, in the best traditions of a Yash Chopra romance, sees the world primarily through a tried-and-tested “love is life” aperture. The view that it provides is generally likable, if not always completely persuasive.

The mushy moments at the heart of the love story might feel a tad pulpy at times. ButJab Tak Hai Jaan leaves a soothing afterglow.

That apart, Jab Tak Hai Jaan resorts to old-school tropes like road accidents, a head injury, a protracted case of retrograde amnesia and a neurologist who recommends some playacting to help the victim regain normalcy.

But when it comes to emotional layering, which was always Yash Chopra’s forte as a storyteller, the director is in complete control. The film has enough simple moments of tenderness to offset the several not-so convincing heavy-handed twists.

Though the focus of Jab Tak Hai Jaan is on the male protagonist, the two women in his life aren’t mere mannequins. They are full-on Yash Chopra heroines, blessed with both grace and intelligence, besides the ability to speak their minds and hold on to their beliefs.

Therefore, despite the lovey-dovey nothingness that drives the plot, Jab Tak Hai Jaan has more substance than most romantic films that come out of Bollywood.

Shahrukh oozes charm and chutzpah and ensures the character remains in the realms of believability.

Katrina plays the grounded Meera with assurance. In the moments when she is egged on by Samar to let her hair down – especially in the sequence with the underground dancers – the actress lets herself go and makes an impression.

But it is to Anushka Sharma that Jab Tak Hai Jaan really belongs. Turning in an infectiously energetic performance, she breathes life into the somewhat flaccid second half.

Surprisingly, one aspect of Jab Tak Hai Jaan that isn’t quite up to scratch is the musical score. The AR Rahman-Gulzar combo that never fails to yield a cracker isn’t quite in its elements here.

The love ditties sound nice while they play on the screen, but they do not stay with you after the hurly-burly is done.

Verdict: Watch Jab Tak Hai Jaan not just for the obvious sentimental reason but for the fact that it shows, for one last time, what Bollywood will miss now that the undisputed master of romantic sagas is no more.
Ratings: 3.5/5

seen anything like this...!

Must watch...!
Anonymous says:
November 26, 2012 11:59 PM