Movie Review : Udta Punjab (2016)

Release date: 17th June 2016
Director: Abhishek Chaubey
Rating: 4.25/5

Hardly does a movie come with the burden of expectations that Udta Punjab carried on its shoulders. And though this might not be counted among the greats, it is definitely a movie that will be remembered for some time to come. A well knit plot, rock solid performances, hard-hitting sequences and a very vivid message - Udta Punjab is more a well-done project than a film-maker's creative whim.

The story revolves around the lives of four young individuals - eventually melting into each other, thanks to the drug menace in Punjab. A drug-crazed pop star, a Bihari immigrant girl who unwittingly falls in a drug trap, an ordinary policeman who resolves to fight the system from the inside and a doctor specializing in rehabilitation who becomes his aide.

Abhishek Chaubey, with the likes of Ishqiya & Dedh Ishqiya under his directorial belt (and a slew of others as a writer), does a fantastic job of bringing alive the Punjabi heartland. There are characters and episodes thrown here and there who are very believable, and even manage to evoke a few laughs in an otherwise dark subject - without being over the top (SRK in Rab ne bana di Jodi is what I call 'over the top'). 

The performances of the four leads are immensely commendable. Shahid amazes once again with a maniacal portrayal of Tommy Singh. His roles in Kaminey, Haider and now in this movie show how he can bring his mad-game on - a persona that is quite in contrast to his real life image. Alia delivers another gem and it is beyond brilliant how she pulls off this pitiable, de-glam role with as much elan as she jives with to 'Saturday Saturday' and 'Chull'. Diljit and Kareena's portrayal is as heart-warming as their story in the movie, and one can only hope we see the pair in an out and out romance sometime soon.

It's remarkable how some of the new age directors are able to sketch characters not as much through episodes/ incidents but through long sequences of them reflecting in their loneliness. This helps a lot in the way one connects with the turmoil going through the head of both Tommy and Alia.

All this is superbly complimented by a fabulous background score. Amit Trivedi's compositions are mesmerizing as always. From the trance beats of Udta Punjab, the playfulness of Da da dasse to the soulfulness of Ik Kudi, his music is as contextual as it can be without losing his trademark flavour.

Hats off to everyone in this movie for handling such a controversial issue and doing it successfully. 

Movie Review: Wazir

Release date: 8th January 2016
Director: Bejoy Nambiar
Rating: 3.75/5

There is a reason Mr. Bachchan is the phenomenon he is today. Despite the demi-god like reverence doled out by his fans, it is mind boggling to see him don a new hat in every movie, try that extra bit hard every time and, most importantly, deliver.

Bejoy Nambiar has given us Shaitan and David in the past - both movies bereft of big stars, both off the beaten Bollywood formula and packing a lot of substance and both nowhere close to being box-office successes. On this occasion, he changed the plan and went in with two stars. However, refreshingly, Wazir is not about Amitabh or Farhan, the 'stars' but about Panditji (AB) and Daanish (Farhan).

The movie opens with a dream-like sequence depicting the paradise of a family life of Daanish and Ruhana (Aditi). Everything is near perfect till an over-zealous attempt by Farhan to nab a terrorist, while out shopping with his family, ends up in his daughter losing her life. All credit to Farhan for making the audience live the subsequent emotions of grief and anger. While he is still guilt-ridden, despite having avenged his daughter's death by killing the terrorist, he meets disabled chess aficionado Pandit Omkarnath. 

It is revealed that Pandit had lost his daughter the previous year - an accident which he firmly believes was anything but. The two men bond over their shared loss while it becomes more and more evident that a widely popular minister has a hand in Pandit's daughter's death. As Pandit becomes more vocal of his suspicion, his life is threatened by the minister's henchman called Wazir (Neil Nitin). What follows is Daanish's headstrong mission to uncover the truth and bring the perpetrators to justice all for the sake of friendship. It is fascinating how the game of chess and its nuances are woven into the plot, and one doesn't need to be a pro to appreciate the beautiful analogy. 

Pandit and Danish, evidently separated by decades in their age, display a heart-warming friendship that is aptly celebrated in the credits track 'Atrangi yaari'. Aditi Rao looks like a breath of fresh air in each frame she occupies (her appearance can actually be counted in frames). Her chemistry with Farhan in a few silent sequences is rather beautiful. Meanwhile, Neil Nitin might have created a new record for the lowest screen time in a titular role.

The tight plot and gripping performances are topped with slick editing as the movie packs everything in a mere 102 minutes. The music is very pleasing with Atrangi Yaari and Tere Bin being personal favorites. Ankit Tiwari's soulful rendition of Tu mere paas brings the pain of the couple to life.

Wazir is precisely what we need more of. Unfortunately, we might not have too many directors/ producers taking these risks if their earnings remain a mere quarter of the likes of Dilwale. 

Movie Review: 2 States

Release date: 18th April 2014
Director: Abhishek Varman
Rating: 3.5/5

This one has all the elements of an entertainer: a story that, in some aspect, would connect to almost anyone's heart, acting that doesn't dazzle but doesn't invite brickbats either, a totally ogle-able female lead, a couple of witty dialogues and an extremely well composed music score.

If you are an IIMA grad, my sympathies,  and wish to relive your days on campus through this, you might be in for some disappointment. The college life, the falling in love, any reference to classes/placements is such a massive blur, it flashes past before you can say, "Oye! Ye campus mein unisex showers kabse lag gaye?". Arjun and Alia look rather out of place in the overall college setup (and I am really not patronizing them). It is, perhaps, not the most exciting of starts to any movie that has been as awaited as this one.

The story and the screenplay does pickup from thereon. Bhagat's storytelling is no shakespearean sonnet, and he indulges in a whole lot of caricaturing to make the state divide as stark as it could get, and create fodder for humour - which does make an appearance on quite a few occasions. As a punjabi, I cannot be completely delighted about the way the community has been presented, but there isn't much given away to the Tamilians, so Seri, Seri! Semma Tambi, etc, etc.

A few words on the young actors: Arjun Kapoor, you can shave your beard once in a while. The guy probably has it in his contract that he will look just the same in all scenes. There is a scene with a 7 year flashback - Kapoor looks just the same. Yes, the six pack and body hugging shirt too. He has fairly good comic timing which is only helped by his droopy resting face.

Alia. Perky performance. A convincing show with the emotional moments as well. Damn cute. Very cuddly. Strikingly sweet.. gobblewobblemush!

A thumbs up to a very believable (read not-bokwaas-dictionary level) Tamilian couple in Revathy and the guy playing her husband. And yes, Ronit Roy pulls off another fine performance as a ridiculously stern and uptight father after Udaan, this time with a change of heart to go along with.

The reason I extol the good points of the movie and still hand it a 3.5 is that I am from the camp which likes melodrama, masala and mush. Maybe, there was a way to do this story without all that and still pull it off well enough or better. So, a 0.5 cut for scope for improvement.

TL; DR: Have a long weekend? Do watch. You will have your share of hahas and awwws. It might not be one of the best we see this year, but a finely packed entertainer.

Movie Review: Dedh Ishqiya

Release date: 10th Jan 2014
Director: Abhishek Chaubey
Rating: 4/5

It's unfortunate that the Saifai controversy has taken some sheen off the release of this brilliant work of art. For apart from the moral faux pas allegedly committed by the stars, there is little else to find fault with.

A review for a sequel (or a quasi stage for a sequel with the 1.5) would merit one to compare it to its predecessor. I remember the first one was a lovely entertainer in totality. Yet, apart from a dialogue or few, I have little recollection of the finer nuances of the movie - which is saying something considering just last night I was able to guess a rather old song from its first few notes and sing along, and it goes thus, "Chudi mazaa na degi... kangan mazaa na dega".

I must assure you that Dedh Ishqiya aapko zaroor mazaa degi. Betahasha mazaa. The mellifluous Urdu delivered by none other than the finest actors of our age Naseeruddin Shah have to rub off on its audience. It would help to know that the movie is extremely heavy on its Hindi and Urdu. But people who don't have Hindi as their mother tongue need not worry. We, the native Hindi speakers don't get a lot of it either. Hence, the filmmakers have been gracious to provide english subtitles. Distracting at times, but useful at most others.

Ok, so where do we start. The performances are exquisite. Everybody from the loud-mouth ruffian Arshad Warsi, the rather grey Huma Qureshi to the lanky, wannabe 'Nawab' Vijay Raaz delivers a very convincing performance. And then we come to good ol' Madhuri. Literally. There is no doubt age has started to show on her - the botox isn't helping, neither is the loud makeup. Yet grace does not wear away with age.

And this role was handcrafted for her. There are small dance sequences where you realize no other leading lady in Bollyland could have pulled this off. There are moments of romance between the aged Naseer and ageing Madhuri when there is no physicality, no words, hardly any music, yet the passion and longing is so intense, it makes your heart cringe.

The visuals are astute - the kind which make even cramped streets, ransacked dungeons and trash piles look wonderfully aesthetic. The dialogues are almost entirely in verse. There is so much in there for the die-hard romantics. Pick-up lines that you could only dream of coming up with. Exhortations of love that ricochet off your mind, your heart, your guts and well out from the eyes. And a special mention to those fine moments when Madhuri endearingly calls out Naseer by his name, almost killing him with fulfilment. "Iftekhar!", she utters. And you, in the audience, are swooning and wishing you were called that.

Well, I hope there are further instalments to this. I hope the Dedh is an indication of the Do to come. I hope our two vagabonds are back with another muse.

Movie Review: The Hunger Games - Catching Fire

Release date: 6th Dec 2013 (India)
Director: Gary Ross
Rating: 3.75/5

Movies like these are tough to review. For starters, the team behind the movie cannot be blamed for content/storyline, as almost all of that was taken care of by the book this is based on. Secondly, this being the second movie in the franchise, one is constantly looking to benchmark this with the first part and hoping to be pleasantly surprised. And in this case, the makers had a tough act to follow.

They did a fine job of it. Stories of dystopian socieities, an unexpected hero creating a stir, and a subsequent mass uprising are not new to any of us. The fundamental storyline has never been the basis of the success of the Hunger Games franchise. Yet, the movie manages to hold your attention with edge-of-the-seat adventures, choreographed and shot exceedingly well. All this without the 3D label that has becoming a 'given' in action movies of late, and more often than not adds zero value and more eye torture. Undoubtedly, there are moments when the constant flux of life-threatening elements, the deviousness of the game's creators gets to you, but then again, as stated earlier, that cannot be blamed on the movie per se.

The performance of the central characters remains a highlight of the movie, yet again. Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen) and Josh Hutcherson (Peter) do a brilliant job of bringing to life a rather uncharacteristic love story. Lawrence, in particular, pulls off another fine act morphing effortlessly from an astute archer, a fearless woman to a poor girl worried for her family, from a heartless participant to a girl unable to understand her own feelings of love - both the direction and magnitude of it (Bah! who knew it was a vector!). Meanwhile, it's fascinating how the kid from the 2005 'Little Manhattan' has turned out to be a fine young man, finally coming out of his streak of unrequited love.

For people who liked the first part, it is time to get tickets to this one. The thrilling sequences, Katniss' fiery dresses, her ability to look ravishing in the most un-glamorous of roles, the brilliantly crafted sets - make for a fascinating two hours and more.

And with that I sign off.

Movie Review: Besharam (2013)

Release date: 2nd Oct 2013
Director: Abhinav Kashyap
Rating: 1.5/5

So, the Kapoor khandan (Rishi Clan) decided to cut the noose slack, let their wild and sleazy sides free and create dhamaal on screen together. But alas! Failure was never more painful.

Besharam is about being loud. About being a ruffian who even the traditional mummyjis adore. It is about speaking in uncomfortable haryanvi, and getting it wrong. Besharam is also about trying too hard, and falling flat.

The storyline is a mess. If the audience thought Barfi was a rip off, piecing sequences from tens of movies, this one borrows its content from hundreds. There is, of course, Ranbir doing his I-can-do-anything-coz-I-am-so-adorable, as he subjects the audience to his chest hair and near glimpses of his behind in a 'shower scene'. The female lead, Pallavi Sharda, looks a tad too old for her debut. However, after a little getting used to, you can see that she actually manages to do a fine job of a horribly scripted role.

She reminds you of how Yami Gautam, for no reason at all, falls for Ayyusshhmaann in Vicky Donor, who before that, leaves no stone unturned to piss her off and harass her. She fades into oblivion in the last bit in the movie, and her importance to the movie can be gauged by the fact that if you google Besharam's cast, google does not even pop up her name. And also, she packs in good dancing skills, her choreographer should have been kinder to her.

And then there is a flashback to Mr. India, with Babli bhaiya donning Arun bhaiya's hat (and chest hair, I suppose) and the kids getting kidnapped by superbad Javed Jaffry, whose talents have been ridiculously wasted in his role as a villain. His villainous pursuits, and his and his entourage's fight sequences with the hero clan try to recreate the blitz, the wham-bham from the Dabangg franchise, but completely lack the flair.

Now for Kapoorji Senior and his missus - Sir/Ma'am, we really hold you, your talents in deep regard. What you do here only makes us remember the good old days and sob. Crass comedy, of this kind, is completely unbecoming of your stature in the industry.

Okay. Ignore movie. Sad music (save bits and pieces of some songs). Hoping you don't become too complacent too soon, Mr. Kapoor Jr.

P.S. Well, special mention for Babli's friend played by Amitosh Nagpal - who saves the day with his comic timing. Alas, there is precious little of him in the movie.

Movie Review: Lunchbox (2013)

Release date: 20th Sept 2013
Director: Ritesh Batra
Rating: 4.5/5

Every once in a while, one comes across a movie or a book where it is hard to find a central message the creator wanted to send across. However, in remarkable fashion, it leaves you with a string of powerful sequences, words so profound they seep through your head, bounce off the pit of your stomach and well out from your eyes. Lunchbox is one such masterstroke.

In a mere 100 minutes, this movie packs more emotions, more stellar performances, more food for thought than there was in some decades of the Indian movie industry's existence. The believability of the movie is striking. The eccentric neighbour aunt (who in a sharp contrast to our PM has no face but acts through her voice), her partly amusing, partly heart-warming relationship with our leading lady Nimrat, the kids playing on the streets, Irrfan the scrooge, Nawaz playing the enthusiastic and emotional commoner, and a brilliantly captured sneak peek into the much-revered Dabbawallas - the creatives behind this one sure had a rich palette.

The stalwarts - Irrfan and Nawazuddin just do their usual thing, while Nimrat Kaur surprises by beautifully carrying off a poignant, de-glam role- her big screen entry being nothing short of stellar. It is adorable how Irrfan, a middle aged government employee, communicates with an unknown woman, spelling out his replies in very formal english. It is endearing how he, matter of factly, calls her his girlfriend and then blushes a bit. It is crushing when he writes about how he remembers his now-dead wife and rues every moment he spent away from her. It worries you when you hear Nimrat's morbid words, and pray she doesn't harm herself. It is a treat to watch the audience around you sitting silently, attentively watching the story unfold, and then spontaneously laugh as Nawaz or Irrfan dole out witticisms right in the midst of moving sequences.

The ending, as one would say, leaves you craving for more. There is a lot left unanswered. The director chooses not to give what the Indian audience looks for - closure. Here, though, lies the brilliance of it all. It makes you think, look back at all the questions the movie raised - about love, about growing old, about fresh starts, about relishing those little joys of life and about memories and our undying need for nostalgia.

Also, there is hardly any music. Wait... did I say no music? Sorry, I just meant there were no instruments being played.

Movie Review: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013)

Release date: 12th July 2013
Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Rating: 4.25/5

With this review, I am forced to make parametric changes to the rating scale, making the 0.25 increments possible atleast for scores above 3. This is because I am an eternal optimist and hope that I am yet to see the 4.5-5 quality of movies.

It is implicit in the above that I really liked Bhaag Milkha... It is always pleasurable to see a movie where, from the word go, you are certain that the makers have done their research well and have put a lot of heart and effort in the movie. BMB is one such movie.

Right from the impeccable move to cast Farhan Akhtar to making him recraft himself into a veritable Greek God, from the dark gloomy scenes of pre-partition Punjab to shooting at breathtaking locales in Ladakh, the director left no stone unturned to bring his vision to fruition.

Farhan Akhtar completes his transformation from a director-actor to an actor-director with this one. If this doesn't get him a bagful of awards, I have no idea what will. The depiction of the coach-athlete or rather guru-shishya is heart warming. The movie also manages to pepper the heavy emotion plot with light humorous moments, especially from Milkha's regiment days.

What impresses one is the deft cinematography. Visuals of Milkha's ghosts from the past are haunting. One sequence I would want to mention here is when Milkha wraps his messages to his love interest in a rubber ball and throws it atop her balcony - the montage of scenes with the ball landing in a colourful array of things like red chillies, turmeric, splashing a bucket of water is camerawork at its best.

What could have made things better? A shorter run-time. There were things which could have been done away with, well, like Sonam Kapoor. What could have also made the story more digestible was showing some folly on the part of Milkha. I am sure the real life Milkha is a hero, but portraying him as a sort of a demi-god was avoidable. Another thing here - it is my request to stop depicting Pakistan as if it is a land of evil, bitter people. Although it might have been done as a stepping stone to Milkha's heightened patriotism, showing the Pakistani coach, the athlete, the press (save General Ayub Khan) as ruthless, foul-mouthed bastards while the Indian contingent plays victimized souls is extremely pathetic.

The background score is, unsurprisingly, appropriate. SEL all the way, baby! All in all , a definite watch this summer. A big thanks to the team for bringing out a good story from a less-talked about sport, and doing complete justice to it.

Movie Review: Now you see me (2013)

Release date: 31st May 2013
Director: Louis Leterrier
Rating: 3.5/5

Movies about magic are nothing new- some a work of art, others so ridiculous that watching them is worse than being under the Cruciatus curse. ‘Now you see me’ is somewhere there in the middle, slightly bobbing its head towards the former.

The plot is intriguing and fresh. The movie boasts of a more than remarkable ensemble, and none of the actors disappoint. Morgan Freeman, in a less flamboyant than usual character, unsurprisingly, impresses. The four magicians deliver well in a roles that demand showmanship flair – Eisenberg redoing a Zuckerberg – genius, and a certified a*hole. Fischer balances her demure looks and strong character well – her never ending legs do the rest! However, it’s Woody Harrelson as a mean mind-reader, with a caustic sense of humor, who steals the show. Most of the movie’s sequences are well-shot and dazzle one just the right amount for a movie about ‘magic’. Mark Ruffalo too leaves a mark with his portrayal of a harried cop.

That brings us to what keeps this one from inching close to the likes of ‘The Prestige’. Firstly, the plot leaves little scope for any of the characters to jump out and connect with the audience. There are a lot of occasions when you an anxious to know more about a certain guy, and are left clamouring. More so, the plot, the premise of which is so engaging, kills most of the good work when it tries desperately to contort itself into a flurry of twists towards the end. Most things in the movie point to an exciting and surprising climax. However, the element of surprise is taken too far leaving the viewer wondering if all of it even made sense.

All said and done, the movie is an honest attempt at a novel story, with the constant undertone of the age-old debate between the ‘believers’ and the nay-sayers. Creates the magic, but perhaps falls short of the finishing flourish.

Movie Review: Yeh Jawani hai Deewani

Release date: 31st May 2013
Director: Ayan Mukherji
Rating: 3.75/5

A KJo banner movie, with two budding 'stars' (I still feel it is early to call one of them an actor really!), directed by a guy who gave us "Wake Up Sid" - expectations were riding high on this one. Yet, the trailers showed little apart from the song and dance sequences, and I was carefully balancing my hopes to avoid being disappointed.

I wasn't. The movie, I would say, delivered on all the things it might have promised- joyful music, rightly timed humorous bits, a barrage of cheesy lines, new-age friendships and a whole lotta love and emotion. The story is little to write about: an overtly stereotypical and extreme nerd, a life-changing vacation, multi-year time jump, rediscovering love and an ever-so-happy climax. This is not what your average critic brands as "good" cinema. No reason not to watch this one, though.

At a 165min, the movie is a tad long, but leaves you smiling and energized at the end of it. Ranbir Kapoor makes a mark with his youthful charm. Not a remarkably difficult (or different) character to play keeping in mind his record, yet it is always nice to see him trying hard and succeeding in a line of B-town wannabe heroes who have little to offer. Deepika contributes with her stunning looks and manages not to screw up much else. Kalki, as always, is a fresh whiff of air, and seems to be the perfect person to depict the in-with-the-times, carefree girl. Meanwhile, Aditya and Kunal Roy make a statement or two, signalling the arrival of the 'other' Kapoor Clan in Bollywood.

The camerawork is brilliant. The locales are magnificent. The handling of relationships ranging from boy-girl, friendship to father-son and even a bit of son-stepmom is deft. This one's for the cheesy romantics, the 'one-for-all-and-all-for-one' group of friends, and a movie you can safely take home and introduce your parents to!

Movie Review: Bombay Talkies (2013)

Release date: 03rd May 2013
Director: Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee, Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar
Rating: 3.75/5


For once, somebody made a movie with a set of different stories, and let it be that way without messing it up by connecting them in the end. The movie is a rather fitting tribute to the institution of Bollywood (yes, I prefer calling it that) by some of the more well-known faces of new-age Indian cinema.

Karan Johar starts off the medley with a plot highlighting homosexual issues, and the angst of individuals penting up their true selves for the fear of social repurcussions. Though the script was fine, 'Ajeeb daastan' & 'Lag ja gale' resung in a hauntingly beautiful child's voice were well woven, and the performances by Saqib Saleem and Randeep Hooda were commendable (boy! they pulled off an onscreen kiss, yes, between the two of them), I have a few things to say. Firstly, Rani Mukherjee, CUT THE FLAB. Like, seriously! Or stop putting your dreadful bare back on display from now on. Also, a pointer for Karan Johar. I wonder why he chose an offbeat topic for this one, when this was supposed to be an ode to Indian Cinema. My idea was that each of the four directors will get their own flavour (and that for Johar is his depiction of romance), and he might have done much better by sticking to what he does best. Perhaps, the pressure of being put up against the other 'unconventionals' got to him.


Then came in Dibakar Banerjee, and he got wonderboy Nawazuddin with him. Magic is inevitable with the latter on screen. The storyline, inspired by a Bengali short story, is heart-warming and so is Banerjee's execution. The most fascinating sequence for me was a minute or two long mute shot where Nawazudding animatedly relates a story to his sick daughter. There are a only a few men whose faces can talk like that.

Zoya Akhtar fishes out the done-to-death subject of 'chasing one's dreams' and moulds it brilliantly to create a lovable tale. The child actor is convincing as a reticent kid being pushed into sports by a dictatorial father, and wins hearts and a thundering applause with his cross-dressed 'Shiela' performance. It is your ever-so-beautiful 'breaking-free' moment, which strikes a chord with all of us.

The assortment finishes off with Anurag Kashyap's tribute to the icon Big B. Vineet Kumar (better known as Danish from GoW) portrays the allahabadi chora with aplomb. He is equally astute with his portrayal of a helpless-to-the-extent-of-turning-crazy son, unable to reach Bachchan and get him to taste 'murabba' sent by his father. As usual, it is a treat to watch Mr. Bachchan's towering presence, even though it lasts a mere minute.

This one's a beautifully crafted paean to Indian Cinema. To the city of dreams, Mumbai. To the countless millions who, in the midst of their mundane lives, sought, from Bollywood, the will to dream and enjoy. And yes, do not leave your seats in the theater without watching the star-studded song in the end.

Happy 100 years, Bollywood! Tum jiyo hazaaron saal...

Movie Review: Nautanki Saala (2013)

Release date: 12th Apr 2013
Director: Rohan Sippy
Rating: 1.5/5


A lot of people I talked to in the weeks running up to 'Nautanki Saala' said they were eagerly waiting for the 12th of April (I was one of them!). In such cases, the chances of disappointment enhance manifold. But at times, things come to a point where you wonder why, in the first place, were you hopeful of running into a blockbuster. Just because Ayusshmmaann Khurrraana delivered with 'Vicky Donor' with an ensemble of fresh faces, and the trailers of this one boasted of atleast these ingredients? Perhaps so!

Unfortunately, in this case, Professor Utonium forgot to add the Chemical X. What came out was a patchy disaster - ticklish in spurts, the rest a terrifying drag. No amount of special performances could have set right the pathetic excuse for a plot this movie is. Mr. Khuraana (I am really unsure of the double-triple letters and think it is excusable!) pulls up a fine show again, but refer to the previous point. He should totally take Daddyji's numerological advice when he chooses his next, before he lands up making another attempt at Career harakiri.

The first half of the movie is quite bearable, and there are quite some tid-bits there which are undoubtedly humourous. AK and Kunal Roy's pair indulges in a flurry of 'Jaane bhi do Yaaron'-esque (just for analogy) antics, which set one up to expect more as the movie progresses. The music, as is well known, is well done and gels well with the movie too. The good part ends there. To top off all the script mess-up, the director chose to cast a 'newbie' as female lead- one who is not a looker (at all!), has her voice dubbed (or it is just a complete mismatch to her countenance) and cannot act to save her life. Her only contribution to the movie were two insanely/incredibly/ridiculously long liplocks with Ayyusshman which were completely unnecessary, and their inclusion reinforced my belief that Mr. Sippy knew very well about the complete lack of 'masala' in his script, and tried making up for it in more ways than one.

Worth a watch only if you have some time and money to kill. And, even in that case, just go buy yourself some ice-cream or something.

Movie Review: Kai Po Che (2013)

Release date: 22nd Feb 2013
Director: Abhishek Kapoor
Rating: 3.5/5


Passion, chasing one's dreams, undying friendship in the toughest of times, all peppered with young, innocent love blossoming secretly. I am so sure Mr. Bhagat knew he would see his story take the shape of a Bolly flick the day he penned it.

The story, and especially how it pans out in sync with the tribulations of the incidents that occurred in Gujarat in the early 2000s, is appreciable. The young, and hitherto little known cast has also delivered commendably. Yet, just after the characters take shape in your head, and you start getting interested in the juggernaut of events that are panning out in their lives, the movie comes to an end. You are hastily fed a heavily awkward, partly happy conclusion to the tumultuous chain of events that had transpired ten years earlier.

Still, this is worth a trip to the theater- for the freshness of its cast, for the joyous sequences which remind us how the religion of cricket binds this nation, for the touching back-slapping camaraderie, and not to forget, for the demure Amrita Puri. One also has to commend the team for boldly depicting an issue as sensitive as the Gujarat riots.

But for the lackadaisical and abrupt ending, the movie lives up to the substantial media hype it had garnered. A good background score definitely helps (Music review here).

Movie Review: David (2013)

Release date: 1st Feb 2013
Director: Bejoy Nambiar
Rating: 2.5/5


So, David. With not one, not two, but three Davids. Three stories set apart in time and place. Do the stories marvelously intertwine through a surprising turn of events? No. Does the scriptwriter force them into each other anyway? Hell, yes.

Having talked about the desperate juxtaposition of events to justify the movie’s title, perhaps the only part of the movie which is a definite no-go, I shall move to a lot of good things the movie has to offer. Firstly, the movie has an unassuming, yet effective lead cast. Vikram (haven’t seen much of his movies but have heard of his reputation down south), one of the Davids, comes through as a very believable and likable character. Vinay Virmani, of ‘Speedy Singhs’ fame (playing one of the other Davids) gets another chance, and takes it up well. He was put in scenes where he had little to speak, and bring out the intensity on his face. And with the benefit of doubt for being a newcomer, he does deserve a pat on the back.

And that brings us to our good old friend, Neil Nitin Mukesh. Now there are only a few Indian male leads who can carry off an onscreen name like David. The director had no misconceptions about Neil’s acting and dialogue delivery talents. And this is where the scriptwriter plays a masterstroke. He builds up a lead character with really little to talk and/or emote. Frankly, there was precious little to screw up in that role. Talking of screwing up little roles, the ravishing Monica Dogra comes close to doing just that. Her character’s relevance to the plot is as much as that of Javed Akhtar to the Indian Cricket team’s pace bowling attack. She is pretty convincing till she is looking right at you from that giant screen and giving you that enticing look. But woman, don’t talk.

Which is precisely what our other leading lady Isha Sharvani does. She looks stunning, and plays a deaf and mute girl – the muse of two Goan fisherman, who have little else to do apart from getting horribly drunk. Save the completely avoidable and insensitive jibes dished out at Roma (Isha), this was my favourite story from the movie. Saurabh Shukla plays David’s (Vikram) dead father whose ghost talks to his son, and doles out meaningful advice from time to time, sometimes as this apparition visible merely to him, and at times, by entering the life forms of people around. Yes, it sounds ridiculous when I describe it here, but adds for some much needed comic moments. Also, the Goan melodies bring life to a movie where half of the sequences (well, one of the three stories) is in black and white. And did I mention, Isha Sharvani looks delectably pretty. Oh! And not to forget Tabu, managing to look wonderful after all these years, who has a well-scripted role as a massage parlour owner and go-to friend for Vikram, and pulls it off with her usual aplomb. Much love.

Another eye-catching part of the movie is the number of well known (and mostly jobless) faces it manages to bring together. Sample this- we have Lara Dutta playing a ridiculously inconsequential role, we have yesteryear’s beauty Sarika appearing for a song. We are surprised by Milind Soman playing a vile businessman…wait for it…’s henchman. Nikhil Chinappa appears in a blink-and-you-miss-it cage fight sequence (which again seemed to be there for no apparent reason. “It seems to be a symbolic ‘David’ beats Goliath sequence”, I quipped to my friend in the audience when Nikhil manages to vanquish a much heftier opponent, although I was probably making sense out of nothing.)

All in all, if one can get over the first half hour of randomness, and ignore the disappointing end, the remaining one and a half odd hours offers a good entertainment package. However, considering the empty rows of seats that greeted us, I am not sure if the audience is too keen to give this one a try.

Two-and-a-half stars for the movie. Another half for the pretty ladies.