Ranking: 4/5
Cast: Rajeev Khandelwal
Director: Rajkumar Gupta
I have to say...what a difference...one day you watch a very average movie like Woodstock Villa and the next day you are taken aback by the wonderful direction, story, tight screenplay, and not to forget brilliant acting in Aamir. This movie surely made a mark...a point...and a very bold statement at that...
Aamir returns to India from UK...a doctor returning to his family of mom, bro, and sister. From the very minute he lands the trip is not going his way...and the minute he steps out of the airport his bag is stolen, a cell phone is handed to him and he has to follow orders as said in the cellphone if he wants to see his family alive. He goes through a lot of trouble and visits places he has never been to blindly following orders...What is the ultimate goal? If I tell that then there wont be a point in you watching the movie now will there? So definitely go and catch it!!!
Like I said in the beginning...a brilliant must watch movie. Rajeev Khandelwal is awesome in portraying Aamir and the director is so brilliant too...and kudos for casting a newcomer and not any usual Bollywood hero...whoever the scriptwriter is...ek dham brilliant!!!!
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Woodstock Villa (2008) - Hindi Movie Review
Ranking: 3/5
Cast: Sikhander Kher, Arbaaz Khan, Neha Uberoi
Director: Hansal Mehta
Music: Annu Mallik
First off, the music is so insignificant in this movie that I am not even going to make any mention of it other than this line...there! Done...
I should probably say the same about the direction too...and the acting...hummm...probably a few lines...what the hell!
Sikander Kher better be good in acting like his dad or his overacting mom else he is gonna see the way out soon with god having bestowed him with not-so-favorable-in-bollywood looks...On the other hand Ms. Uberois need to do something about her acne...oodles of make up did not help hide them...poor girl...but what about her acting skills? Haven't you noticed? I am trying to spare her the humiliation...
A rich man's wife (Uberoi) gets kidnapped...the players are the wife and a man the wife befriends (Kher) at a bar...the police think that the rich man (Khan) is the suspect and keep giving cheap dialogues to him...anyways Kher sees that Khan has a couple of cops with him and calls and lets him know that his wife is gone from this world forever...Kher goes back to inform Uberoi that her husband had the cops with him only to see that she is dead herself...
Now Kher is in trouble for murder and kidnap...fear grips him while he realizes that he has been conned. A phone call tells him to dispose the body in half hour or he will be in trouble...
What happens to Kher's future? What happens to Khan and his dead or not wife forms the rest of the movie. The story is actually half decent...reminds you of movies like Jhonny Gaddar...but the direction fails miserably...probably the cast might have done better at acting...after all the director is the puppet master...but well...too bad for these guys...
It is a definite one time watch...but nothing more than that...dont pine too much hopes...it is an average movie...in fact a wannabe cool movie!
Cast: Sikhander Kher, Arbaaz Khan, Neha Uberoi
Director: Hansal Mehta
Music: Annu Mallik
First off, the music is so insignificant in this movie that I am not even going to make any mention of it other than this line...there! Done...
I should probably say the same about the direction too...and the acting...hummm...probably a few lines...what the hell!
Sikander Kher better be good in acting like his dad or his overacting mom else he is gonna see the way out soon with god having bestowed him with not-so-favorable-in-bollywood looks...On the other hand Ms. Uberois need to do something about her acne...oodles of make up did not help hide them...poor girl...but what about her acting skills? Haven't you noticed? I am trying to spare her the humiliation...
A rich man's wife (Uberoi) gets kidnapped...the players are the wife and a man the wife befriends (Kher) at a bar...the police think that the rich man (Khan) is the suspect and keep giving cheap dialogues to him...anyways Kher sees that Khan has a couple of cops with him and calls and lets him know that his wife is gone from this world forever...Kher goes back to inform Uberoi that her husband had the cops with him only to see that she is dead herself...
Now Kher is in trouble for murder and kidnap...fear grips him while he realizes that he has been conned. A phone call tells him to dispose the body in half hour or he will be in trouble...
What happens to Kher's future? What happens to Khan and his dead or not wife forms the rest of the movie. The story is actually half decent...reminds you of movies like Jhonny Gaddar...but the direction fails miserably...probably the cast might have done better at acting...after all the director is the puppet master...but well...too bad for these guys...
It is a definite one time watch...but nothing more than that...dont pine too much hopes...it is an average movie...in fact a wannabe cool movie!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
U Me Aur Hum (2008) - Hindi Movie Review
Ranking: 1.5/5
Cast: Ajay Devgan, Kajol
Director: Ajay Devgan
Music: Vishal Baradwaj
So everyone claimed that this movie is an adaptation of Notebook...Just in traces it is...otherwise it is in a very specific genre of Indian movies called "CRAPPY MOVIE." Ya Ajay Devgan trying to carry off as a stud, Kajol with her funny English accent, the cruise liner, and the Alzheimer all drive you more than just crazy...Notebook albeit being a very average story was well directed and more importantly well acted in...but this one can claim neither. Ajay trying to give the movie an Indie touch lost the plot totally and the movie ends up being a drag filled with boring dialogues and no suspense whatsoever.
Ajay is old and so is Kajol. He goes up to her while in a cruise liner and starts in a flirtatious way a story about two lovers who had met in a cruise liner too...25 years ago. Neither look young as they are supposed to be in the movie...anyways...Ajay a doctor falls in love with Kajol and they both get off the ship with Kajol having Ajay's contact information. One fine day Kajol shows up at his door step...they get married and also have a son...but as fate would have it Kajol gets (?? or develops...don't know what to say exactly) Alzheimer's and Ajay puts her away at a special care home...feeling all guilty and all that he brings her back home and raises both her as well as their son...
This is the story...in Notebook...you don't know till the very end who the old couple are and how they are related to the story...but here it is obvious from the very first scene giving away the crucial plot of the film...if you are going to remake an English movie which was highly successful then why are you wasting time trying to give it your own touch? From now on don't do that...it should be fairly obvious to you now that creativity is certainly not your strong point...
The movie has more sob-side to it than fun-side and the fun-side is actually very gay (not that there is anything wrong with it...) I for one surely regret seeing this movie...if you think otherwise do hit back...
0
Cast: Ajay Devgan, Kajol
Director: Ajay Devgan
Music: Vishal Baradwaj
So everyone claimed that this movie is an adaptation of Notebook...Just in traces it is...otherwise it is in a very specific genre of Indian movies called "CRAPPY MOVIE." Ya Ajay Devgan trying to carry off as a stud, Kajol with her funny English accent, the cruise liner, and the Alzheimer all drive you more than just crazy...Notebook albeit being a very average story was well directed and more importantly well acted in...but this one can claim neither. Ajay trying to give the movie an Indie touch lost the plot totally and the movie ends up being a drag filled with boring dialogues and no suspense whatsoever.
Ajay is old and so is Kajol. He goes up to her while in a cruise liner and starts in a flirtatious way a story about two lovers who had met in a cruise liner too...25 years ago. Neither look young as they are supposed to be in the movie...anyways...Ajay a doctor falls in love with Kajol and they both get off the ship with Kajol having Ajay's contact information. One fine day Kajol shows up at his door step...they get married and also have a son...but as fate would have it Kajol gets (?? or develops...don't know what to say exactly) Alzheimer's and Ajay puts her away at a special care home...feeling all guilty and all that he brings her back home and raises both her as well as their son...
This is the story...in Notebook...you don't know till the very end who the old couple are and how they are related to the story...but here it is obvious from the very first scene giving away the crucial plot of the film...if you are going to remake an English movie which was highly successful then why are you wasting time trying to give it your own touch? From now on don't do that...it should be fairly obvious to you now that creativity is certainly not your strong point...
The movie has more sob-side to it than fun-side and the fun-side is actually very gay (not that there is anything wrong with it...) I for one surely regret seeing this movie...if you think otherwise do hit back...
0
Krazzy 4 (2008) - Hindi Movie Review
Ranking: 2.5/5
Cast: Arshad Warsi, Irfan Khan, Suresh Menon, Rajpal Yadav, Rajat Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Dia Mirza
Director: Jaideep Sen
Music: Rajesh Roshan
The story is about four socially challenged people who home in an institution under the hands of a nice doctor Juhi. Each of these patients have a past...Arshad has a raging temper and cannot hold back his anger, Irfan is a clean freak and keeps yelling at people about keep things in order and neat, while Suresh Menon has not spoken a word in years and Rajpal Lives in the past around the Indepence era.
Juhi speaks with the management and implores them to let her take the four of them out to watch a cricket match. On their way to the stadium she stops to pick up some papers from her office leaving the four alone in her car...but she does not return to the car. Four of them get out start exploring the city and set some things in their lives in the right direction...
Juhi is kidnapped and the four of them are out to get her back and they also try contacting her husband who tries to keep them away...how do four people branded as mentally challenged help Juhi out forms the rest of the movie.
The movie is half decent. There are boring parts, a few laughable parts, a few WTH parts, and a few whatever parts...so not bad...surely can be viewed with family and the song "o re lakad" is certainly a catchy tune that even kids will like...save it for a rainy day when you have nothing better to do and would rather watch a half baked desi flick.
Cast: Arshad Warsi, Irfan Khan, Suresh Menon, Rajpal Yadav, Rajat Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Dia Mirza
Director: Jaideep Sen
Music: Rajesh Roshan
The story is about four socially challenged people who home in an institution under the hands of a nice doctor Juhi. Each of these patients have a past...Arshad has a raging temper and cannot hold back his anger, Irfan is a clean freak and keeps yelling at people about keep things in order and neat, while Suresh Menon has not spoken a word in years and Rajpal Lives in the past around the Indepence era.
Juhi speaks with the management and implores them to let her take the four of them out to watch a cricket match. On their way to the stadium she stops to pick up some papers from her office leaving the four alone in her car...but she does not return to the car. Four of them get out start exploring the city and set some things in their lives in the right direction...
Juhi is kidnapped and the four of them are out to get her back and they also try contacting her husband who tries to keep them away...how do four people branded as mentally challenged help Juhi out forms the rest of the movie.
The movie is half decent. There are boring parts, a few laughable parts, a few WTH parts, and a few whatever parts...so not bad...surely can be viewed with family and the song "o re lakad" is certainly a catchy tune that even kids will like...save it for a rainy day when you have nothing better to do and would rather watch a half baked desi flick.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Manorama 6 Feet Under (2007) - Hindi Movie Review
Ranking: 4/5
Cast: Abhay Deol, Gul Panag, Sarika Hassan
Director: Navdeep Singh
Music: Jayesh Gandhi, Raiomond Mirza
Satyaveer is an engineer by day and a writer by evening. His only published book falls dud and he also gets suspended from his work because he accepted bribe. His wife (Gul) nags him about their lifestyle and his son keeps him on his toes. Sitting home making no money Satyaveer's life is not going great until, a lady calling herself Manorama knocks on his door and offers to pay a huge sum of money if he can spy on her husband who is a rich local politician.
Satyaveer accepts the offer and starts spying only to get entangled in the murder of Manorama under mysterious circumstances. Satyaveer meets Manorama's roomate Sheetal to talk to her about Manorama's disappearance and they get to spend a night together in his house alone as his wife had gone back to her parents house with their son...
After a lot of investigation and stress and interesting twists what does Satyaveer discover? What happened to Manorama? Who is Sheetal? Do catch this movie. It is definitely an awesome crime story and it has a funny side to it too.
Once again, I like Abhay Deol and definitely love his acting and is probably the only Deol who can act, at least in my humble opinion.
Cast: Abhay Deol, Gul Panag, Sarika Hassan
Director: Navdeep Singh
Music: Jayesh Gandhi, Raiomond Mirza
Satyaveer is an engineer by day and a writer by evening. His only published book falls dud and he also gets suspended from his work because he accepted bribe. His wife (Gul) nags him about their lifestyle and his son keeps him on his toes. Sitting home making no money Satyaveer's life is not going great until, a lady calling herself Manorama knocks on his door and offers to pay a huge sum of money if he can spy on her husband who is a rich local politician.
Satyaveer accepts the offer and starts spying only to get entangled in the murder of Manorama under mysterious circumstances. Satyaveer meets Manorama's roomate Sheetal to talk to her about Manorama's disappearance and they get to spend a night together in his house alone as his wife had gone back to her parents house with their son...
After a lot of investigation and stress and interesting twists what does Satyaveer discover? What happened to Manorama? Who is Sheetal? Do catch this movie. It is definitely an awesome crime story and it has a funny side to it too.
Once again, I like Abhay Deol and definitely love his acting and is probably the only Deol who can act, at least in my humble opinion.
Ek Chalis ki Last Local (2007) - Hindi Movie Review
Ranking: 3.5/5
Cast: Abhay Deol, Neha Dupia
Director:
Music:
Such movie rarely get any recognition. This one is a dark story (it all happens during the night) but with a sense of humor. Once again Abhay Deol has done it. I liked him Socha Na Tha, Manorama 6ft Under and in this one...He is brilliant. Wonder why he is not getting into the main stream...maybe because he is a good actor. Definitely a fast paced film and especially if you see it following Jodha Akbar then you will know what I am talking about :)
Nilesh (Abhay) who works for an IT company, after a late night at work misses the last train home for the night. His next train is not until 4.40 in the morning. He has to spend the night in the station or take a rick home. When he finally manages to find one, a lady accosts the same rick and they both come to know that there is an auto strike and their only way home will be to walk...the lady also claims that she is headed in Nilesh's direction so they start walking together.
Along the way they see a dance bar and the two of them decide to spend whiling away time in the bar. While at the bar Nilesh meets a friend of his who asks him to gamble with him with some underworld bigwigs. Nilesh's luck favors him but eventually he does start going down the drain...but with some fake confidence he does rustle some feathers with the goons. On his way to use the restroom he sees that someone is trying to molest his lady friend. In an effort to save her the molester dies by crashing his head on the wall. The molester is none other than one of the goon's brother.
Only then does he also notice that his lady friend Mala (Neha) is a prostitute having a rendezvous with her favorite customer in the bathroom...from here on it is a quick spiral for Nilesh. Does he make it out alive from there? Find out by watching this awesome fantastic movie!
Definitely a must watch for some real cool acting, humor, and time pass.
Cast: Abhay Deol, Neha Dupia
Director:
Music:
Such movie rarely get any recognition. This one is a dark story (it all happens during the night) but with a sense of humor. Once again Abhay Deol has done it. I liked him Socha Na Tha, Manorama 6ft Under and in this one...He is brilliant. Wonder why he is not getting into the main stream...maybe because he is a good actor. Definitely a fast paced film and especially if you see it following Jodha Akbar then you will know what I am talking about :)
Nilesh (Abhay) who works for an IT company, after a late night at work misses the last train home for the night. His next train is not until 4.40 in the morning. He has to spend the night in the station or take a rick home. When he finally manages to find one, a lady accosts the same rick and they both come to know that there is an auto strike and their only way home will be to walk...the lady also claims that she is headed in Nilesh's direction so they start walking together.
Along the way they see a dance bar and the two of them decide to spend whiling away time in the bar. While at the bar Nilesh meets a friend of his who asks him to gamble with him with some underworld bigwigs. Nilesh's luck favors him but eventually he does start going down the drain...but with some fake confidence he does rustle some feathers with the goons. On his way to use the restroom he sees that someone is trying to molest his lady friend. In an effort to save her the molester dies by crashing his head on the wall. The molester is none other than one of the goon's brother.
Only then does he also notice that his lady friend Mala (Neha) is a prostitute having a rendezvous with her favorite customer in the bathroom...from here on it is a quick spiral for Nilesh. Does he make it out alive from there? Find out by watching this awesome fantastic movie!
Definitely a must watch for some real cool acting, humor, and time pass.
Jodha Akbar (2008) - Hindi Movie Review
Ranking: 2.5/5
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai, and 10,000 others
Director: Ashutosh Gowariker
Music: A.R. Rahman
I have been dying to write the review of this movie. How can a movie critic not love a movie that has made such an impact on the film industry and in the box office? What do I think of it? B.O.R.I.N.G. If you go with loads of expectations then this movie is a bore but if you go knowing it is a bore then it might not be that bad...and better still if you have a remote control then it will be fast too...hehehehe
Music:
I think is just above average...either ARR has run out of steam or he has forgotten how to copy...er...get inspired...anyways the Jashn bahara song's starting is lifted straight from 'ek ladki ko dekha' from 1942 a Luv Story...and the other songs put you to a soft sleep and this happens pretty easily considering the slow pace and the length of the movie. I know the AR cannot do a ma ma mind blowing mahiya for this movie but still could have given life to it...don't we have period movies that have brilliant songs that captivate our minds? Say what about 'jab pyar kiya tho darna kya' from Mughal-E-Azam?
Movie:
Why I did not like this movie much:
1. Akbar looked like this...
and this is Hrithik Roshan and not Akbar...FYI Akbar was a Mughal which means he had Mongol features...and was related to Ghengis Khan...
2. Akbar had like four known wives and many concubines now how can you prove that this marriage was the one in which he truly loved his wife?
3. Why is it shown as if Akbar only had time for Jodha and not his other wives or women in his life?
4. What is the deal with Akbar dancing like a dumbass at the end of the Kwajaji song?
5. Wasn't Jodha very young when she got married to Akbar...why does she look 40?
6.Why are the fight scenes so blah?
7. Why are the songs so slow and melodramatic?
8. Why is Akbar shown as a wimp in certain scenes? Did he really spend most of his day daydreaming and walking soooo slowly thinking of Jodha?
9. You claim to be a historic film but then also disclaim anything and everything about it...then why not simply make a movie and call it Ojdha-Kabar in stead of calling it Jodha Akbar?
10. Other than a few scenes in the movie most of it is fiction, there are no documentation of any of it even in Akbarnama...why are you serving the viewers with a fake story served on a wooden (boring) platter?
11. The other noted Akbar's Hindu wife converted to Islam before marrying Akbar...So what proof do we have that Akbar let Jodha remain Hindu and not have her converted?
12. History tells that Maham Anga wanted to rule Hindustan by keeping Akbar as a puppet but other than that there is no written documentation of her trying to poison Akbar's mind against Jodha.
I could go on and on and on...the only ones who liked this movies are fans of Hrithik or people who are excited at the prospect of watching anything that is historical...
Plot:
Akbar the all powerful Mughal king is requested by a Rajput King to marry his daughter in return for peace. Akbar obliges and Jodha marries Akbar. Jodha wants to stay Hindu and practice her religion inside the palace and Akbar smitten by her obliges...but in a twist of villainous fate Akbar sends Jodha back home. And then he realizes his mistake and fights (literally according to Ashutosh and his writer Hyder Ali) to bring her back...
The plot also involves Sujamal who is like a brother to Jodha which forms the subplot of the story to show that Akbar is not only a lost loveboy but can also wage wars and make official decisions on the side...
Review:
Ashutosh thinks it is his birthright to make movies longer than 2.5 hours. He is very confident that he can make long movies and get away with them because people did not complain in Lagaan and Swades (although a few raised their voices)...but sorry both those movies were at least a little interesting and fast paced...this one here is a dud...so slow that even a tortoise will win the race hands down.
The movie has no freshness appeal to it. It just seems to drag on and on and feels like forever before you get to the intermission. There is no doubt that this movie can be watched with entire family but what a boring affair that would be. But I would say definitely watch it once just so I can know if you agree/disagree with my review...That was a long review...now I am tired...
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai, and 10,000 others
Director: Ashutosh Gowariker
Music: A.R. Rahman
I have been dying to write the review of this movie. How can a movie critic not love a movie that has made such an impact on the film industry and in the box office? What do I think of it? B.O.R.I.N.G. If you go with loads of expectations then this movie is a bore but if you go knowing it is a bore then it might not be that bad...and better still if you have a remote control then it will be fast too...hehehehe
Music:
I think is just above average...either ARR has run out of steam or he has forgotten how to copy...er...get inspired...anyways the Jashn bahara song's starting is lifted straight from 'ek ladki ko dekha' from 1942 a Luv Story...and the other songs put you to a soft sleep and this happens pretty easily considering the slow pace and the length of the movie. I know the AR cannot do a ma ma mind blowing mahiya for this movie but still could have given life to it...don't we have period movies that have brilliant songs that captivate our minds? Say what about 'jab pyar kiya tho darna kya' from Mughal-E-Azam?
Movie:
Why I did not like this movie much:
1. Akbar looked like this...
and this is Hrithik Roshan and not Akbar...FYI Akbar was a Mughal which means he had Mongol features...and was related to Ghengis Khan...
2. Akbar had like four known wives and many concubines now how can you prove that this marriage was the one in which he truly loved his wife?
3. Why is it shown as if Akbar only had time for Jodha and not his other wives or women in his life?
4. What is the deal with Akbar dancing like a dumbass at the end of the Kwajaji song?
5. Wasn't Jodha very young when she got married to Akbar...why does she look 40?
6.Why are the fight scenes so blah?
7. Why are the songs so slow and melodramatic?
8. Why is Akbar shown as a wimp in certain scenes? Did he really spend most of his day daydreaming and walking soooo slowly thinking of Jodha?
9. You claim to be a historic film but then also disclaim anything and everything about it...then why not simply make a movie and call it Ojdha-Kabar in stead of calling it Jodha Akbar?
10. Other than a few scenes in the movie most of it is fiction, there are no documentation of any of it even in Akbarnama...why are you serving the viewers with a fake story served on a wooden (boring) platter?
11. The other noted Akbar's Hindu wife converted to Islam before marrying Akbar...So what proof do we have that Akbar let Jodha remain Hindu and not have her converted?
12. History tells that Maham Anga wanted to rule Hindustan by keeping Akbar as a puppet but other than that there is no written documentation of her trying to poison Akbar's mind against Jodha.
I could go on and on and on...the only ones who liked this movies are fans of Hrithik or people who are excited at the prospect of watching anything that is historical...
Plot:
Akbar the all powerful Mughal king is requested by a Rajput King to marry his daughter in return for peace. Akbar obliges and Jodha marries Akbar. Jodha wants to stay Hindu and practice her religion inside the palace and Akbar smitten by her obliges...but in a twist of villainous fate Akbar sends Jodha back home. And then he realizes his mistake and fights (literally according to Ashutosh and his writer Hyder Ali) to bring her back...
The plot also involves Sujamal who is like a brother to Jodha which forms the subplot of the story to show that Akbar is not only a lost loveboy but can also wage wars and make official decisions on the side...
Review:
Ashutosh thinks it is his birthright to make movies longer than 2.5 hours. He is very confident that he can make long movies and get away with them because people did not complain in Lagaan and Swades (although a few raised their voices)...but sorry both those movies were at least a little interesting and fast paced...this one here is a dud...so slow that even a tortoise will win the race hands down.
The movie has no freshness appeal to it. It just seems to drag on and on and feels like forever before you get to the intermission. There is no doubt that this movie can be watched with entire family but what a boring affair that would be. But I would say definitely watch it once just so I can know if you agree/disagree with my review...That was a long review...now I am tired...
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Taare Zameen Par (2007) - Hindi Movie Review
Ranking: 4/5
Cast: Aamir Khan, Darsheel Safary
Director: Aamir
Music: Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy
The minute you see this movie you will remember all those years that we went through school in India with the teachers wielding a stick and making our lives miserable...Most people walk out of school with fond memories of hanging out and spending time with friends but many walk out hating teachers in general...
Ya because in our country and our society artistic aspirations are considered useless as they will not help us in our future to make the moolah...I am not arguing with this at all...such practices arise out of necessity and I am not the one to tell that this is wrong...but what is wrong and should change in our country is the mentality of our teachers...they are easily prejudiced and also make judgments as if they are paid to do just that. Half our teachers are not even qualified or reasonably strong in the subject they are trying to teach...they learn by heart what is in the book and come and vomit it in front of student...ok enough of me getting my frustration on teachers in India...
At the crux of the story is a little kid who has dyslexia and as usual our teachers ignore the fact that he is unable to study and get good grades not because he not trying but simply because his brain is not programmed to do that...he is an artist...and he cannot read words...if he was taught verbally he will understand but ask him to take up a book and it will make no sense...The kid goes through a lot of heartache and confusions and gets sent away to a boarding school. Thanks to his lucky stars he meets a teacher who understands his problems and helps him overcome educational issues...
The movie is good and tightly scripted. It is paced smoothly and actually makes the viewer empathize with the life of Ishaan because everyone of us has seen a classmate who has suffered similar to this...
All i can say is this movie is a must watch...holla back if you don't like it.
Cast: Aamir Khan, Darsheel Safary
Director: Aamir
Music: Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy
The minute you see this movie you will remember all those years that we went through school in India with the teachers wielding a stick and making our lives miserable...Most people walk out of school with fond memories of hanging out and spending time with friends but many walk out hating teachers in general...
Ya because in our country and our society artistic aspirations are considered useless as they will not help us in our future to make the moolah...I am not arguing with this at all...such practices arise out of necessity and I am not the one to tell that this is wrong...but what is wrong and should change in our country is the mentality of our teachers...they are easily prejudiced and also make judgments as if they are paid to do just that. Half our teachers are not even qualified or reasonably strong in the subject they are trying to teach...they learn by heart what is in the book and come and vomit it in front of student...ok enough of me getting my frustration on teachers in India...
At the crux of the story is a little kid who has dyslexia and as usual our teachers ignore the fact that he is unable to study and get good grades not because he not trying but simply because his brain is not programmed to do that...he is an artist...and he cannot read words...if he was taught verbally he will understand but ask him to take up a book and it will make no sense...The kid goes through a lot of heartache and confusions and gets sent away to a boarding school. Thanks to his lucky stars he meets a teacher who understands his problems and helps him overcome educational issues...
The movie is good and tightly scripted. It is paced smoothly and actually makes the viewer empathize with the life of Ishaan because everyone of us has seen a classmate who has suffered similar to this...
All i can say is this movie is a must watch...holla back if you don't like it.
Kanamootchi Enada (2007) - Tamil Movie Review
Ranking: 2.5/5
Cast: Sandhya, Prithviraj, Sathyaraj, Radhika
Director: Priya
I have seen the earlier movie of this director called Kanda Naal Mudhal...a very sweet romantic story starring Prasanna and Laila and it was a real nice feel good movie. The director I am assuming wanted to recreate a similar magic but failing terribly in the process. This movie is very similar to Meet The Parents-Desi version...
Sandhya is a college student in Singapore where she bumps (literally) into Prithviraj and it is love at first sight for him. He lands up convincing her to give him a chance before rejecting him and they start hanging out together till the day she plans to head back to India to celebrate her parents wedding anniversary or something. They both decide that they like each other and want to get married.
Prithviraj, an orphan raised by his uncle Radha Ravi seeks their blessings but is rejected and asked to marry someone else. Prithviraj tries to polietly convince them but things dont go his way. So he leaves to India anyway with Sandhya to meet her parents and convince them and with the confidence of finding a new job in India only.
Sandhya's parents are played by Sathyaraj and Radhika, a loving Police commissioner-housewife couple who keep doing cute things. Sathyaraj is not able to accept his daughter marrying Prithviraj a Brahmin. He waits for him angrily...
The director now tries to make the plot funny while it is obviously cliched and gets a little boring towards the end and draggy too...how Prithviraj wins the heart of his father-in-law forms the rest of the movie.
The movie lacks in pace and interest and also chemistry. The age difference between Prithviraj and Sandhya is obvious and I wish the director could have chosen an older heroine but I dont think that would have solved this movie's inherent problem-bad direction and screenplay...
No doubt this movie is aimed at being a family entertainer and hence can be seen by people from all age groups but ultimately a bore...so your choice to spend your time watching a bore or see Sivaji-the Boss again ;)
Cast: Sandhya, Prithviraj, Sathyaraj, Radhika
Director: Priya
I have seen the earlier movie of this director called Kanda Naal Mudhal...a very sweet romantic story starring Prasanna and Laila and it was a real nice feel good movie. The director I am assuming wanted to recreate a similar magic but failing terribly in the process. This movie is very similar to Meet The Parents-Desi version...
Sandhya is a college student in Singapore where she bumps (literally) into Prithviraj and it is love at first sight for him. He lands up convincing her to give him a chance before rejecting him and they start hanging out together till the day she plans to head back to India to celebrate her parents wedding anniversary or something. They both decide that they like each other and want to get married.
Prithviraj, an orphan raised by his uncle Radha Ravi seeks their blessings but is rejected and asked to marry someone else. Prithviraj tries to polietly convince them but things dont go his way. So he leaves to India anyway with Sandhya to meet her parents and convince them and with the confidence of finding a new job in India only.
Sandhya's parents are played by Sathyaraj and Radhika, a loving Police commissioner-housewife couple who keep doing cute things. Sathyaraj is not able to accept his daughter marrying Prithviraj a Brahmin. He waits for him angrily...
The director now tries to make the plot funny while it is obviously cliched and gets a little boring towards the end and draggy too...how Prithviraj wins the heart of his father-in-law forms the rest of the movie.
The movie lacks in pace and interest and also chemistry. The age difference between Prithviraj and Sandhya is obvious and I wish the director could have chosen an older heroine but I dont think that would have solved this movie's inherent problem-bad direction and screenplay...
No doubt this movie is aimed at being a family entertainer and hence can be seen by people from all age groups but ultimately a bore...so your choice to spend your time watching a bore or see Sivaji-the Boss again ;)
Evano Oruvan (2008) - Tamil Movie Review
Ranking: 3/5
Cast: Madhavan, Sangeetha
Director: Nishikanth Kamat
Music: G.V. Prakash Kumar
I wonder why Madhavan decided to do this movie in Tamil, especially since such movies already exist in thousands thanks to Shankar alone...but anyway it is a very similar plot to many of Shankar's movies other than Boys that work towards a single man taking law into his hands and trying to set the society right.
Frustration leads Sridhar Vasudevan (Madhavan) is an honest and upright citizen who works in a bank. He refuses to take or give bribe. He stands for his principles and is the same even in his house. He refuses to send his son to a pricey school because they are demanding donation over talent. At work his clients nag him to take bribe and at home his wife nags him to give bribe and also a better lifestyle. Day in and day out Sridhar goes through the same frustration. He craves for stability and a better system but things do not go in his way.
One day over a small argument with a retail store owner Sridhar beats the owner with a cricket bat. After which he roams the city beating everyone with the cricket bat who in his eye are doing injustice. In a few hours he has already attacked cops and then starts making national news. He is wanted and the city police are hunting him down trying to make a point. He keeps evading them and stays away from home and with lack of sleep for almost three days.
During one such beating episode an old couple asks him to reflect on what he is doing which changes his perspective and he takes the same train he took everyday from home to work one last time...
The story is definitely not novel but Madhavan has proved himself as an actor other than just being a pretty face with a cute smile (yes...he was this in AP, Run, Minnale...). I only wish that the plot had something new to offer. It is surely a family story and a story that many family can relate to India...not the bribe giving part...but the wife nagging part atleast! The songs are not very memorable but definitely can be seen once...but do not set time apart from doing important things to watch this movie.
Cast: Madhavan, Sangeetha
Director: Nishikanth Kamat
Music: G.V. Prakash Kumar
I wonder why Madhavan decided to do this movie in Tamil, especially since such movies already exist in thousands thanks to Shankar alone...but anyway it is a very similar plot to many of Shankar's movies other than Boys that work towards a single man taking law into his hands and trying to set the society right.
Frustration leads Sridhar Vasudevan (Madhavan) is an honest and upright citizen who works in a bank. He refuses to take or give bribe. He stands for his principles and is the same even in his house. He refuses to send his son to a pricey school because they are demanding donation over talent. At work his clients nag him to take bribe and at home his wife nags him to give bribe and also a better lifestyle. Day in and day out Sridhar goes through the same frustration. He craves for stability and a better system but things do not go in his way.
One day over a small argument with a retail store owner Sridhar beats the owner with a cricket bat. After which he roams the city beating everyone with the cricket bat who in his eye are doing injustice. In a few hours he has already attacked cops and then starts making national news. He is wanted and the city police are hunting him down trying to make a point. He keeps evading them and stays away from home and with lack of sleep for almost three days.
During one such beating episode an old couple asks him to reflect on what he is doing which changes his perspective and he takes the same train he took everyday from home to work one last time...
The story is definitely not novel but Madhavan has proved himself as an actor other than just being a pretty face with a cute smile (yes...he was this in AP, Run, Minnale...). I only wish that the plot had something new to offer. It is surely a family story and a story that many family can relate to India...not the bribe giving part...but the wife nagging part atleast! The songs are not very memorable but definitely can be seen once...but do not set time apart from doing important things to watch this movie.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Jhonny Gaddar (2007) - Hindi Movie Review
Ranking: 4.5/5
Cast: Neil Mukesh, Dharmendra, Rimi Sen, Vinay Pathak, Zakir Hussain, Govind Namdeo
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
This movie is a must watch. I wonder why it did not get enough publicity in spite of being one of the better movies released in 2007. Classic crime novel with perfect twist and turns and an awesome ending to the brilliantly directed and executed movie.
Five people who are partners in running a shady dance bars and obviously involved in shady business get a deal where they invest a small sum of money to make a very big sum that will be split five ways. The head honcho of the gang is Dharmendra and the youngest in the group is Neil Mukesh who has an affair with the wife (Rimi) of one the group members.
Everybody makes a plan to move the money over to Bangalore for the deal while Neil makes his own plan to rob the money. In order to do so he kills one of the gang members and hide the identity of the traitor he commits one crime after an another...does he get caught in the end? There is no fun if I reveal the entire story here especially in a crime story...
Definitely a must watch as well the songs are a must hear. Total party mix and cool music. A couple of songs are available in Tamil and Telugu too. The screenplay is awesome and the story is brilliant...I cannot repeat it more...just watch it.
Cast: Neil Mukesh, Dharmendra, Rimi Sen, Vinay Pathak, Zakir Hussain, Govind Namdeo
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
This movie is a must watch. I wonder why it did not get enough publicity in spite of being one of the better movies released in 2007. Classic crime novel with perfect twist and turns and an awesome ending to the brilliantly directed and executed movie.
Five people who are partners in running a shady dance bars and obviously involved in shady business get a deal where they invest a small sum of money to make a very big sum that will be split five ways. The head honcho of the gang is Dharmendra and the youngest in the group is Neil Mukesh who has an affair with the wife (Rimi) of one the group members.
Everybody makes a plan to move the money over to Bangalore for the deal while Neil makes his own plan to rob the money. In order to do so he kills one of the gang members and hide the identity of the traitor he commits one crime after an another...does he get caught in the end? There is no fun if I reveal the entire story here especially in a crime story...
Definitely a must watch as well the songs are a must hear. Total party mix and cool music. A couple of songs are available in Tamil and Telugu too. The screenplay is awesome and the story is brilliant...I cannot repeat it more...just watch it.
Water (2005) - Hindi Movie Review
Ranking: 4/5
Cast: Lisa Ray, John Abraham, Seema Biswas, Sarala Karyawasam
Director: Meera Nair
This is definitely a brilliant movie showcasing India's religious and social practices around the time of Independence along the banks of Ganges. The story is about young and old widows alike who are banned from their regular life and sent to a hostel for widows where they have to spend the rest of their lives away from family, friends and fun.
Little girl Chuyia (Sarala) a widow gets sent to a widow hostel in Varanasi where she is expected to spend the rest of her life. Shakuntala (Seema) takes Sarala under her wing and keeps the young blood from making too many mistakes and offending people. Sarala who does not even understand clearly why she has been sent away from home finds it difficult to conform to the norms of the hostel and keeps getting in the way of the warden more than once.
Kalyani (Lisa) is a beautiful widow who also lives in the same hostel but does a few things differently as she is a breadwinner for the hostel while she sleeps with many powerful men across the ghat. Kalyani is taken by a eunuch pimp who is in liaison with the warden for taking Kalyani across the bank of Ganga. Kalyani is frustrated with the hypocrisy of the system and wants to escape from it.
Chuyia on one of her escapades with Kalyani meets Narayan, a young graduate who has come home for the vacation. Narayan falls in love with Kalyani and wants to marry her. Kalyani with the help of Shakuntala leaves the hostel to marry Narayan. Only half way through to Narayan's house does she realize that Narayan's dad was one of her night time client. Dejected and heart broken Kalyani commits suicide.
What happens to Shakuntala and Chuyia forms the rest of the story...
Very heartrending but I am sure most of it is still in practice in parts of our country. We cannot completely get rid of our social evils but we can always hope for reforms...
Brilliant performance by young Sarala and the rest of the cast too. Wonder why this movie did not make a cut for Oscar...
Cast: Lisa Ray, John Abraham, Seema Biswas, Sarala Karyawasam
Director: Meera Nair
This is definitely a brilliant movie showcasing India's religious and social practices around the time of Independence along the banks of Ganges. The story is about young and old widows alike who are banned from their regular life and sent to a hostel for widows where they have to spend the rest of their lives away from family, friends and fun.
Little girl Chuyia (Sarala) a widow gets sent to a widow hostel in Varanasi where she is expected to spend the rest of her life. Shakuntala (Seema) takes Sarala under her wing and keeps the young blood from making too many mistakes and offending people. Sarala who does not even understand clearly why she has been sent away from home finds it difficult to conform to the norms of the hostel and keeps getting in the way of the warden more than once.
Kalyani (Lisa) is a beautiful widow who also lives in the same hostel but does a few things differently as she is a breadwinner for the hostel while she sleeps with many powerful men across the ghat. Kalyani is taken by a eunuch pimp who is in liaison with the warden for taking Kalyani across the bank of Ganga. Kalyani is frustrated with the hypocrisy of the system and wants to escape from it.
Chuyia on one of her escapades with Kalyani meets Narayan, a young graduate who has come home for the vacation. Narayan falls in love with Kalyani and wants to marry her. Kalyani with the help of Shakuntala leaves the hostel to marry Narayan. Only half way through to Narayan's house does she realize that Narayan's dad was one of her night time client. Dejected and heart broken Kalyani commits suicide.
What happens to Shakuntala and Chuyia forms the rest of the story...
Very heartrending but I am sure most of it is still in practice in parts of our country. We cannot completely get rid of our social evils but we can always hope for reforms...
Brilliant performance by young Sarala and the rest of the cast too. Wonder why this movie did not make a cut for Oscar...
Gandhi My Father (2007) - Hindi Movie Review
Ranking: 2.5/5
Cast: Dharshan Jariwala, Akshaye Khanna, Bhumika Chawla, Shefali Shah
Director: Feroz Abbas Khan
The story is about the neglected son Harilal Gandhi (Akshaye) of M. K. Gandhi (Dharshan) better known as Bapu or the father of India. Harilal left with his family in India to fend for himself while his father and mother (Shefali) work in South Africa fighting inequality. Harilal gets married even before graduating from school or getting a job. Gandhi does not approve of it. Harilal later leaves his wife Gulab (Bhumika) to join his father in SA only to find that his father does not show any nepotism and at the same time does not encourage his son either. Harilal fights alongside his father but in the end tries to come back to India disowning his father.
His life goes through many downs and few ups...and the few ups also brought upon due to his getting influenced by wrong people. Every time he strays he comes back home to his
mothers comforting shoulder and a father who wants to help but is not sure how to. A father of the nation could not take care of his own son...such was the irony.
The reason I have given such low ranking for this critically acclaimed film is because of the fact that it is a little too slow and feels like forever. I was totally impressed with the acting aspect as well as the story but the movie could have had a better pace. There were a lot of things about Gandhi's life that was revealed here that I never knew before and it surely shows a different perspective on his life than what we have always been exposed to.
Movie can definitely be seen once though it does not boast of any entertainment value...a documentary of Harilal Gandhi's life at best.
Cast: Dharshan Jariwala, Akshaye Khanna, Bhumika Chawla, Shefali Shah
Director: Feroz Abbas Khan
The story is about the neglected son Harilal Gandhi (Akshaye) of M. K. Gandhi (Dharshan) better known as Bapu or the father of India. Harilal left with his family in India to fend for himself while his father and mother (Shefali) work in South Africa fighting inequality. Harilal gets married even before graduating from school or getting a job. Gandhi does not approve of it. Harilal later leaves his wife Gulab (Bhumika) to join his father in SA only to find that his father does not show any nepotism and at the same time does not encourage his son either. Harilal fights alongside his father but in the end tries to come back to India disowning his father.
His life goes through many downs and few ups...and the few ups also brought upon due to his getting influenced by wrong people. Every time he strays he comes back home to his
mothers comforting shoulder and a father who wants to help but is not sure how to. A father of the nation could not take care of his own son...such was the irony.
The reason I have given such low ranking for this critically acclaimed film is because of the fact that it is a little too slow and feels like forever. I was totally impressed with the acting aspect as well as the story but the movie could have had a better pace. There were a lot of things about Gandhi's life that was revealed here that I never knew before and it surely shows a different perspective on his life than what we have always been exposed to.
Movie can definitely be seen once though it does not boast of any entertainment value...a documentary of Harilal Gandhi's life at best.
Parzania (2007) - Hindi Movie Review
Ranking: 2/5
Cast: Parzan, Sarika, Naseerudin Shah, Corin Nemec
Director:Rahul Dholakia
Music: Zakir Hussain
Millions of movies are made on riots. And then they dedicate it to the people who have suffered in them. Do the people who suffer in these riots really care to see their life made into a money making machine? Is a movie on how they suffered really going to help them in any way? I hate to see such movies and the ranking I have given is my personal opinion. As much as I love watching movies I don't like to see or hear people suffer however much it is a part of our generation. Plundering and rioting have always been happening and chronicling it over the past thousands of years has not changed the basic inhumanity in our human nature at times of instability then why make a movie out of it and generate income out of it? Somehow this seems like blood money to me.
The story focuses on Godhra riots in Gujrat and how people inside a Muslim community are affected from it. It narrows into the life of a Parsi family of four. The son is lost during the riots and the parents agony of searching for him.
The actors have done a good job and the movie is good too...but I did not want to hear graphic details and get scared. Certainly not one to watch with children.
Cast: Parzan, Sarika, Naseerudin Shah, Corin Nemec
Director:Rahul Dholakia
Music: Zakir Hussain
Millions of movies are made on riots. And then they dedicate it to the people who have suffered in them. Do the people who suffer in these riots really care to see their life made into a money making machine? Is a movie on how they suffered really going to help them in any way? I hate to see such movies and the ranking I have given is my personal opinion. As much as I love watching movies I don't like to see or hear people suffer however much it is a part of our generation. Plundering and rioting have always been happening and chronicling it over the past thousands of years has not changed the basic inhumanity in our human nature at times of instability then why make a movie out of it and generate income out of it? Somehow this seems like blood money to me.
The story focuses on Godhra riots in Gujrat and how people inside a Muslim community are affected from it. It narrows into the life of a Parsi family of four. The son is lost during the riots and the parents agony of searching for him.
The actors have done a good job and the movie is good too...but I did not want to hear graphic details and get scared. Certainly not one to watch with children.
Vivah (2006) - Hindi Movie Review
Ranking: 2/5
Cast: Shahid Kapur, Amrita Rao, Aloknath, Seema Biswas, Anupam Kher
Director: Sooraj Barjathiya
Music: Ravindra Jain
So this movie is one of those safe movies that do not deter from the norm set by HAHK and DDLJ kind of movies. They are long, melodramatic, and no villain kind of movie...even if there are villains they become good soon...in all a sucky movie if you are not the Hindi soap opera kind of a person.
Amrita Rao is the neice of Aloknath (master of tears) who raises her alongside her daughter and feels more close to her which triggers jealousy in the mind of Seema Biswas who is concerned about the well being of their own daughter.
Aloknath's friend brings in an alliance from Anupam Kher for Amrita's hand in marriage to Shahid. It is love at first sight for both of them. The engagement is done and date for a wedding set.
The entire household of Aloknath and Anupam Kher decide to meet for a vacation at Somsarovar and they sing and dance together until they have to cut the vacation short and head back to town for a business deal. Shahid leaves abroad to score something magnificent in business and life is all great...
The night before wedding, Aloknath's house catches on fire and in an attempt to save her cousin Amrita is engulfed by fire. Thanks to something...god knows what, her face remains untouched. Shahid the gentleman that he is marries her in the hospital bed as promised on the day of the wedding...See I told you na...these people are suckers for sentimental stuff...
Anyway all's well that ends well in this movie that is a family entertainer, if your family is into boring movies...this can definitely take a miss if you have better things to do.
Cast: Shahid Kapur, Amrita Rao, Aloknath, Seema Biswas, Anupam Kher
Director: Sooraj Barjathiya
Music: Ravindra Jain
So this movie is one of those safe movies that do not deter from the norm set by HAHK and DDLJ kind of movies. They are long, melodramatic, and no villain kind of movie...even if there are villains they become good soon...in all a sucky movie if you are not the Hindi soap opera kind of a person.
Amrita Rao is the neice of Aloknath (master of tears) who raises her alongside her daughter and feels more close to her which triggers jealousy in the mind of Seema Biswas who is concerned about the well being of their own daughter.
Aloknath's friend brings in an alliance from Anupam Kher for Amrita's hand in marriage to Shahid. It is love at first sight for both of them. The engagement is done and date for a wedding set.
The entire household of Aloknath and Anupam Kher decide to meet for a vacation at Somsarovar and they sing and dance together until they have to cut the vacation short and head back to town for a business deal. Shahid leaves abroad to score something magnificent in business and life is all great...
The night before wedding, Aloknath's house catches on fire and in an attempt to save her cousin Amrita is engulfed by fire. Thanks to something...god knows what, her face remains untouched. Shahid the gentleman that he is marries her in the hospital bed as promised on the day of the wedding...See I told you na...these people are suckers for sentimental stuff...
Anyway all's well that ends well in this movie that is a family entertainer, if your family is into boring movies...this can definitely take a miss if you have better things to do.
Dus Kahaniyan (2007) - Hindi Movie Review
Ranking: 3/5
Now wondering why I have ranked the movie above average in spite of it bombing at the BO? Well there are some stories that are really interesting whereas a couple that are blah and a couple that are cliche. So reviewing all 10 stories in short form...
Matrimony
Cast: Arbaaz Khan, Mandira Bedi
Director: Sanjay Gupta
Verdict: Interesting
Arbaaz and Madira have been married for quite a while with neither happy in the relationship. Mandira is cheating with her boyfriend who is in the army and is leaving back to his post. So he gifts her a diamond necklace that she is not sure how she would wear in front of her husband. So she plots with a jeweler to make a coupon out of it so that her husband can pick it up and thus make black into white. Her husband sure enough picks it up but Mandira is in for a shock when she heads out to pick it up from him!
High on the Highway
Cast: Masumeh, Jimmy Shergill
Director: Hansal Mehta
Verdict: Blah!
Two college graduates who are in love with each other have a habit of getting high and taking a walk along the highway. One such night after their graduation when they are walking down the road a bunch of goons try to kidnap Masumeh and succeed in spite of Jimmy putting up a fight...Masumeh gets helped by the cops but what happens to Jimmy???
Pooranmasi
Cast: Amrita Singh, Parmeet Sethi, Minisha Lambha
Director: Meghna Gulzar
Verdict: Good
Amrita's daughter Minisha has just been engaged and her father is out on business once again leaving the ladies alone. Amrita has led life without love mostly and on this particular day her daughter dons her mother with a colorful dupatta and comments on how pretty she looks. Amrita realizes that it is the night of full moon and that as her lover had promised would be waiting outside the door. For once she decides to open it and let her desire take over her. After spending the night with him in the fields she returns home while many villagers notice the colorful dupatta on her head and mistake her for her daughter...
Strangers in the night
Cast: Mahesh Manjrekar, Neha Dupia
Director: Sanjay Gupta
Verdict: Good
Both Mahesh and Neha have the habit of discussing past distractions in their relationship on their anniversaries. Mahesh's forces Neha to tell about her experience and she does so with passion about the guy's whose hands she kissed and by whom she was so taken in a railway station's waiting room alone in the night and with whom she would have done anything...As we see Mahesh getting jealous Neha unravels the twist in the story!
Zahir
Cast: Manoj Bajpai, Diya Mirza
Director: Sanjay Gupta
Verdict: Cliche
Manoj moves into the same apartment as Diya Mirza and they become good friends. Zahir wants to take the relationship to another level but Diya shuns him away. He is ashamed. One night while spending a night with his friends visiting many bars in the town Manoj sees Diya who is a dancer in a dance bar. Angry Manoj rapes her without hearing her protests when she comes back home from work...
Lovedale
Cast: Neha Oberoi, Aftab, Anupam Kher
Director: Jasmeet Dhodi
Verdict: Bore
Neha meets a lady on the train on her way home where she was getting engaged. The lady gives her a earring and vanishes at the next station which happens to be Lovedale. Neha wanting to return the earring alights and follows the road to a house where Aftab is painting. They become acquainted. Aftab attends Neha's engagement and feels hurt. Neha is also unhappy and her father questions her doubt...Neha tells about Aftab and her father tells her his flashback about how he met a lady on the train to whom he had gifted one earring before the train left the station. Neha and her father compare the earrings and decide that her meeting Aftab was no coincidence and she breaks the engagement to join Aftab...
Sex on the Beach
Cast: Dino Morea, Tarina Patel
Director: Apoorva Lakhia
Verdict: Extreme Bore
Dino picks up a book on the beach with the title Death and writes his name and date of birth as instructed and starts to read the book. A seductress steps out of a jet ski and sits down next to him and she invites him over to her house for dinner. Dino goes over well prepared with wine and condoms only to see the girl also very eager...but when Dino falls into a short sleep he wakes up to see her dead when he goes close to examine her she is actually alive and chases him to the beach...
Rice Plate
Cast: Shabana Azmi, Naseerudin Shah
Director: Rohit Roy
Verdict: Cliche
Shabana plays a staunch brahmin widow on her way to visit her grandchildren by train. In a hurry she forgets her wallet in her house and heads to the station. She orders a plate of rice in the station with the change she has and leaves her table to wash her hand. When she comes back she sees Shah eating it...Angry that Shah was stealing her plate Shabana forgets that Shah is a Muslim starts eating out the plate...
Gubbare
Cast: Nana Patekar, Anita Hassanandani, Rohit Roy
Director: Sanjay Gupta
Verdict: Cliche
Anita and Rohit are newly wed on a bus who start a small quarrel and Anita moves away from Rohit to sit adjacent to Nana who is carrying 11 smiley baloons with him. On questioning he tells her how he has to present his wife with the balloons everytime he has angered her and how she bakes a cake if she angers him. He explains to her how life is too short to spent fighting...When getting down at the stop he forgets to take with him the sorry card that he had written for his wife. Anita follows him to give it to him...
Rise and Fall
Cast: Suniel Shetty, Sanjay Dutt
Director: Sanjay Gupta
Verdict: Okay
Sanjay has been called by Suniel at a lonely place to have a last meeting. Suniel advices Sanjay to leave town and settle down while he can take care of business here. Sanjay realizes that his friend has invited him to murder him and challenges him...realizing his fall Suniel tries to call off the mission...in the background we see young Sanjay and Suniel trying to make it in the big bad world....
Now wondering why I have ranked the movie above average in spite of it bombing at the BO? Well there are some stories that are really interesting whereas a couple that are blah and a couple that are cliche. So reviewing all 10 stories in short form...
Matrimony
Cast: Arbaaz Khan, Mandira Bedi
Director: Sanjay Gupta
Verdict: Interesting
Arbaaz and Madira have been married for quite a while with neither happy in the relationship. Mandira is cheating with her boyfriend who is in the army and is leaving back to his post. So he gifts her a diamond necklace that she is not sure how she would wear in front of her husband. So she plots with a jeweler to make a coupon out of it so that her husband can pick it up and thus make black into white. Her husband sure enough picks it up but Mandira is in for a shock when she heads out to pick it up from him!
High on the Highway
Cast: Masumeh, Jimmy Shergill
Director: Hansal Mehta
Verdict: Blah!
Two college graduates who are in love with each other have a habit of getting high and taking a walk along the highway. One such night after their graduation when they are walking down the road a bunch of goons try to kidnap Masumeh and succeed in spite of Jimmy putting up a fight...Masumeh gets helped by the cops but what happens to Jimmy???
Pooranmasi
Cast: Amrita Singh, Parmeet Sethi, Minisha Lambha
Director: Meghna Gulzar
Verdict: Good
Amrita's daughter Minisha has just been engaged and her father is out on business once again leaving the ladies alone. Amrita has led life without love mostly and on this particular day her daughter dons her mother with a colorful dupatta and comments on how pretty she looks. Amrita realizes that it is the night of full moon and that as her lover had promised would be waiting outside the door. For once she decides to open it and let her desire take over her. After spending the night with him in the fields she returns home while many villagers notice the colorful dupatta on her head and mistake her for her daughter...
Strangers in the night
Cast: Mahesh Manjrekar, Neha Dupia
Director: Sanjay Gupta
Verdict: Good
Both Mahesh and Neha have the habit of discussing past distractions in their relationship on their anniversaries. Mahesh's forces Neha to tell about her experience and she does so with passion about the guy's whose hands she kissed and by whom she was so taken in a railway station's waiting room alone in the night and with whom she would have done anything...As we see Mahesh getting jealous Neha unravels the twist in the story!
Zahir
Cast: Manoj Bajpai, Diya Mirza
Director: Sanjay Gupta
Verdict: Cliche
Manoj moves into the same apartment as Diya Mirza and they become good friends. Zahir wants to take the relationship to another level but Diya shuns him away. He is ashamed. One night while spending a night with his friends visiting many bars in the town Manoj sees Diya who is a dancer in a dance bar. Angry Manoj rapes her without hearing her protests when she comes back home from work...
Lovedale
Cast: Neha Oberoi, Aftab, Anupam Kher
Director: Jasmeet Dhodi
Verdict: Bore
Neha meets a lady on the train on her way home where she was getting engaged. The lady gives her a earring and vanishes at the next station which happens to be Lovedale. Neha wanting to return the earring alights and follows the road to a house where Aftab is painting. They become acquainted. Aftab attends Neha's engagement and feels hurt. Neha is also unhappy and her father questions her doubt...Neha tells about Aftab and her father tells her his flashback about how he met a lady on the train to whom he had gifted one earring before the train left the station. Neha and her father compare the earrings and decide that her meeting Aftab was no coincidence and she breaks the engagement to join Aftab...
Sex on the Beach
Cast: Dino Morea, Tarina Patel
Director: Apoorva Lakhia
Verdict: Extreme Bore
Dino picks up a book on the beach with the title Death and writes his name and date of birth as instructed and starts to read the book. A seductress steps out of a jet ski and sits down next to him and she invites him over to her house for dinner. Dino goes over well prepared with wine and condoms only to see the girl also very eager...but when Dino falls into a short sleep he wakes up to see her dead when he goes close to examine her she is actually alive and chases him to the beach...
Rice Plate
Cast: Shabana Azmi, Naseerudin Shah
Director: Rohit Roy
Verdict: Cliche
Shabana plays a staunch brahmin widow on her way to visit her grandchildren by train. In a hurry she forgets her wallet in her house and heads to the station. She orders a plate of rice in the station with the change she has and leaves her table to wash her hand. When she comes back she sees Shah eating it...Angry that Shah was stealing her plate Shabana forgets that Shah is a Muslim starts eating out the plate...
Gubbare
Cast: Nana Patekar, Anita Hassanandani, Rohit Roy
Director: Sanjay Gupta
Verdict: Cliche
Anita and Rohit are newly wed on a bus who start a small quarrel and Anita moves away from Rohit to sit adjacent to Nana who is carrying 11 smiley baloons with him. On questioning he tells her how he has to present his wife with the balloons everytime he has angered her and how she bakes a cake if she angers him. He explains to her how life is too short to spent fighting...When getting down at the stop he forgets to take with him the sorry card that he had written for his wife. Anita follows him to give it to him...
Rise and Fall
Cast: Suniel Shetty, Sanjay Dutt
Director: Sanjay Gupta
Verdict: Okay
Sanjay has been called by Suniel at a lonely place to have a last meeting. Suniel advices Sanjay to leave town and settle down while he can take care of business here. Sanjay realizes that his friend has invited him to murder him and challenges him...realizing his fall Suniel tries to call off the mission...in the background we see young Sanjay and Suniel trying to make it in the big bad world....
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Satham Podadhey (2007) - Tamil Movie Review
Ranking: 4/5
Cast: Prithviraj, Padmapriya, Nithin Sathya
Director: Vasanth
Music: Y.S. Raja
Vasanth has directed many brilliant movies and one of which I remember is Aasai and then Rhythm. His direction style is very different but captivating. Aasai was a sort of thriller and so is Satham Podadhey.
Bhanu (Padmapriya) is married to Rathnavel (Nithin) through arranged marriage. They lead a happily married life. Bhanu is eager to become a mother but to her dismay both she and her husband do not share any physical relationship. Rathnavel hides from his wife that he belongs to Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) and due to severe drinking problems has lost his potency as well as having been jailed for murdering a child. When Bhanu discovers the truth about his impotency she confronts him and agrees to continue living with him if he would choose to adopt a child.
Rathnavel high on ego fights with Bhanu and attempts a fake suicide and sends the child back to the orphanage. Bhanu later hears from Rathnavel's AA leader about his other problems and tries to escape from him but she gets physically abused. On escaping to her parents she files for divorce and moves in with her brother (Raghav) to experience a change of place.
There she meets Ravichandran a friend of Raghav who does many things to impress her and finally convinces her to marry him. They live very happily until Ravi meets Rathnavel in the train on their way to Cochin. Rathnavel now lives in Cochin working as a hockey coach in a school. On knowing Ravi's relationship to Bhanu, Rathnavel befriends Ravi and slowly tries to create trouble...
He then kidnaps Bhanu and locks her up in his house making her his prisoner. How Bhanu gets help and gets freed forms the rest of the movie.
The movie is well directed, gripping, with amazing performance from each of the character. A real pleasure to watch a movie with no gore and fights. Not a perfect watch on a romantic evening but any other time it will be a good entertainer.
Cast: Prithviraj, Padmapriya, Nithin Sathya
Director: Vasanth
Music: Y.S. Raja
Vasanth has directed many brilliant movies and one of which I remember is Aasai and then Rhythm. His direction style is very different but captivating. Aasai was a sort of thriller and so is Satham Podadhey.
Bhanu (Padmapriya) is married to Rathnavel (Nithin) through arranged marriage. They lead a happily married life. Bhanu is eager to become a mother but to her dismay both she and her husband do not share any physical relationship. Rathnavel hides from his wife that he belongs to Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) and due to severe drinking problems has lost his potency as well as having been jailed for murdering a child. When Bhanu discovers the truth about his impotency she confronts him and agrees to continue living with him if he would choose to adopt a child.
Rathnavel high on ego fights with Bhanu and attempts a fake suicide and sends the child back to the orphanage. Bhanu later hears from Rathnavel's AA leader about his other problems and tries to escape from him but she gets physically abused. On escaping to her parents she files for divorce and moves in with her brother (Raghav) to experience a change of place.
There she meets Ravichandran a friend of Raghav who does many things to impress her and finally convinces her to marry him. They live very happily until Ravi meets Rathnavel in the train on their way to Cochin. Rathnavel now lives in Cochin working as a hockey coach in a school. On knowing Ravi's relationship to Bhanu, Rathnavel befriends Ravi and slowly tries to create trouble...
He then kidnaps Bhanu and locks her up in his house making her his prisoner. How Bhanu gets help and gets freed forms the rest of the movie.
The movie is well directed, gripping, with amazing performance from each of the character. A real pleasure to watch a movie with no gore and fights. Not a perfect watch on a romantic evening but any other time it will be a good entertainer.
Sawariyaa (2007) - Hindi Movie Review
Ranking: 1/5
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Salman K, Rani M
Director: SL Bhansali
Music: Monty Sharma
What a bore? A blue set with fake trains, fake water, bridges and two dimensional buildings calling itself a combination of Victorian as well as Saracen Architecture is absolutely a farce in the name of art.
I did not know how depressing the color blue can actually be made to look...Can you imagine a city filled with prostitutes but no clients? It is a deserted city with just a few inhabitants who go to the club. If they are not the club-goers then they are prostitutes. Yes that is how desolate the city is...
Anyhoo, Raj (Ranbir) is a lead singer in the local club called RK. He befriends a prostitute Gulabji (Rani) and lives in a house rented to him by an old lady. One day he sees a lone girl standing on a bridge and chooses to follow her and later befriend her. She is Sakina (Sonam) who lives with her blind mother with eternal supposed sadness in her eye with a hint of a smile on her lips (so the director and the actress themselves claimed in their interviews).
Raj falls in love with Sakina but when he professes his love for him she tells him about Imaan (Sallu) for whom she has been waiting for a year. And for whom she was waiting on the bridge and will continue to do so till he returns. Raj being adamant convinces her to fall in love with him...just when she is about to accept it...fate plays a cruel game...
The cruel game was fate making me watch this movie! Dang! I will never again commit such stupidity! This movie is slow, boring, presumptuous, dull, etc. etc. etc. I would not suggest even my worst enemy (not that I have any) to watch this movie!
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Salman K, Rani M
Director: SL Bhansali
Music: Monty Sharma
What a bore? A blue set with fake trains, fake water, bridges and two dimensional buildings calling itself a combination of Victorian as well as Saracen Architecture is absolutely a farce in the name of art.
I did not know how depressing the color blue can actually be made to look...Can you imagine a city filled with prostitutes but no clients? It is a deserted city with just a few inhabitants who go to the club. If they are not the club-goers then they are prostitutes. Yes that is how desolate the city is...
Anyhoo, Raj (Ranbir) is a lead singer in the local club called RK. He befriends a prostitute Gulabji (Rani) and lives in a house rented to him by an old lady. One day he sees a lone girl standing on a bridge and chooses to follow her and later befriend her. She is Sakina (Sonam) who lives with her blind mother with eternal supposed sadness in her eye with a hint of a smile on her lips (so the director and the actress themselves claimed in their interviews).
Raj falls in love with Sakina but when he professes his love for him she tells him about Imaan (Sallu) for whom she has been waiting for a year. And for whom she was waiting on the bridge and will continue to do so till he returns. Raj being adamant convinces her to fall in love with him...just when she is about to accept it...fate plays a cruel game...
The cruel game was fate making me watch this movie! Dang! I will never again commit such stupidity! This movie is slow, boring, presumptuous, dull, etc. etc. etc. I would not suggest even my worst enemy (not that I have any) to watch this movie!
Om Shanti Om (2007) - Hindi Movie Review
Ranking: 3/5
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Arjun Rampal
Director: Farah KhanMusic: Vishal Shekar
Om (Shahrukh 1) is a small time extra trying to make it to the big league. His best friend Pappu Master (Shreyas) keeps encouraging Om and they both keep dreaming big all the time. Om's mother is an yester year extra who is also hoping for her son to make it big soon...But Om is in love with Shanti (Deepika) and hopes to one day marry her.
Om and Shanti work in the same movie and Om happens to save her from fire while the set catches on fire and no one dares to enter it to help her out. Shanti develops a soft corner for Om and they become friends. One day Om decides to talk to Shanti and follows her while she goes to get her make up done and finds out that Shanti is actually having an affair with Mukesh Mehra (Arjun Rampal), a big name producer. He also over hears that she is pregnant and that Mukesh is not willing to take responsibility for it yet. Om is devastated.
Mukesh has other plans for Shanti who is pestering for commitment or exposure. He lures her for a fun evening and at the end of which he murders her. Om who also happens to be around is half-dead trying to save her life. In the end though Om meets a tragic death in a car accident. One Om dies in the hospital while another cries his way into the earth...A new child also named Om Kapur is born into the household of a wealthy well established actor...and here begins the story of deja vu and revenge...
The movie starts of as being a spoof, and then it slowly tries to get serious. It is as if the director wanted to do a spoof and half way through she wanted to be taken seriously and then ends abruptly with a very cliched ending which I am not sure is a spoof or not. The spoof parts of the movie are definitely funny. While the serious parts are a definite nag! The songs are good and well choreographed but the one with 31 actors is a bit too long and after sometime lost its lusture...at least for me. It is certainly a family entertainer and everyone will have a good laugh but it can get boring, especially if you are not a die hard Shahrukh fan.
Jab We Met (2007) - Hindi Movie Review
Ranking: 4/5
Cast: Kareena Kapoor, Shahid Kapur
Director: Imtiaz Ali
Music: Pritam
Aditya Kashyap aka Adi (Shahid) is a rich kid from a broken family on whose shoulder the family business now rests on since his father passed away. Adi is frustrated with his life as his girlfriend dumps him and his mother is filing a law suit against the company that he decides to commit suicide and starts wandering aimlessly. No idea of where is going or what he wants to do he gets onto a train bound to Batinda. As luck would have it he bumps into the talkative and over friendly Geet (Kareena) who bails him out from the ticket collector and chats him up.
Adi alights the train in the middle of nowhere and Geet follows him to get him back on...in the event both of them miss the train and now Geet tells Adi that it is his responsibility to drop her off at her parents house and Adi takes up the journey. He is also captivated by her open kindheartedness, friendliness, talkative nature. Adi on taking Geet to her house agrees to spend a few days with her family and learns that Geet is getting engaged to her family friend's son. But Geet has other plans and wants to elope and marry her boyfriend who lives in Kulu. Adi agrees to take her to Kulu before heading back to Mumbai to take care of his family business.
On returning back to Mumbai and becoming successful at his business with Geet's inspiration Adi meets Geet's parents who are at his doorstep wondering where Geet is. It is then that Adi realizes that something is wrong with Geet and decides to go back to Kulu to check and see if everything is okay...and the story continues to end blissfully...
It is definitely a family entertainer and is funny in most parts. Both Shahid as well as Kareena have done an amazing job portraying their characters in the movie. It is really fun to watch Kareena jibber jabber throughout the movie...and Shahid's composed reponse to her. Good watch and certainly not boring though you know from the very beginning how this movie is going to end!
Cast: Kareena Kapoor, Shahid Kapur
Director: Imtiaz Ali
Music: Pritam
Aditya Kashyap aka Adi (Shahid) is a rich kid from a broken family on whose shoulder the family business now rests on since his father passed away. Adi is frustrated with his life as his girlfriend dumps him and his mother is filing a law suit against the company that he decides to commit suicide and starts wandering aimlessly. No idea of where is going or what he wants to do he gets onto a train bound to Batinda. As luck would have it he bumps into the talkative and over friendly Geet (Kareena) who bails him out from the ticket collector and chats him up.
Adi alights the train in the middle of nowhere and Geet follows him to get him back on...in the event both of them miss the train and now Geet tells Adi that it is his responsibility to drop her off at her parents house and Adi takes up the journey. He is also captivated by her open kindheartedness, friendliness, talkative nature. Adi on taking Geet to her house agrees to spend a few days with her family and learns that Geet is getting engaged to her family friend's son. But Geet has other plans and wants to elope and marry her boyfriend who lives in Kulu. Adi agrees to take her to Kulu before heading back to Mumbai to take care of his family business.
On returning back to Mumbai and becoming successful at his business with Geet's inspiration Adi meets Geet's parents who are at his doorstep wondering where Geet is. It is then that Adi realizes that something is wrong with Geet and decides to go back to Kulu to check and see if everything is okay...and the story continues to end blissfully...
It is definitely a family entertainer and is funny in most parts. Both Shahid as well as Kareena have done an amazing job portraying their characters in the movie. It is really fun to watch Kareena jibber jabber throughout the movie...and Shahid's composed reponse to her. Good watch and certainly not boring though you know from the very beginning how this movie is going to end!
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