Rakta Charitra(Telugu) - 2010 - Review

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Film: Rakta Charitra
Rating: 3.5/5
Banner: Cinergy productions

Cast: Vivek Oberoi, Abhimanyu Singh, Shatrughan Sinha, Kota, Radhika Apte, Zareena Wahab, Sushant Singh, Tanikella, Subhalekha Sudhakar, Vishwajeet Pradhan, Rajendra Gupta, Ashish Vidyarthi, Kitty and others
Dialogues: Nageswara Rao
Music: Dharam- Sandeep
DOP: Amol Rathod
Editing: Bhanodaya, Nipun Ashok Gupta
Story, screenplay, direction: Ram Gopal Varma
Producers: Madhu Mantena, Sheetal Vinod Talwar, Chinna Vasudeva Reddy, Rajkumar
Release Date: 22nd Oct 2010

Ram Gopal Varma is back after a long hiatus into the Telugu circuit and he chose his favorite genre of violence, intensity and bloodshed. Let us see how far RGV is successful in convincing audiences. Let us peep into good and bad in the movie:

Story
Noted MLA Narasimha Reddy (Kitty) has got a trusted aide in the form of Veerabhadriah (Rajendra Gupta) in Anandapuram area.

However, Narasimha’s relative Nagamani Reddy (Kota) is unable to take this for reasons of caste and losing his presence. He plants a seed of friction and in no time, Narasimha Reddy gets Veerabhadriah killed. This enrages Veerabhadriah’s elder son Shankar Ravi (Sushant) and he gets into a killing spree and operates from forests.

Veerabhadriah’s younger son Pratap Ravi (Vivek) who is away from all this gets to know of this and before he realizes, Shankar Ravi also gets killed. He vows revenge on his father and brother’s killers and in this process, Narasimha Reddy, Nagamani Reddy and others are brutally killed. Nagamani Reddy’s son Bukka Reddy (Abhimanyu) who is insane to the core is unable to take this and he becomes Pratap’s main enemy.

Meanwhile, the rise of Pratap as opposite force to Bukka Reddy is noticed by Shivaji Rao (Shatrughan) who sets a new party and he decides to lift Pratap to put an end to Bukka Reddy. What happens after that forms the rest of the story.

Performances:
Vivek Oberoi is an apt choice, his eyes deliver the sufficient emotion of revenge and his body language is intense. He has done full justice to his role.

Abhimanyu Singh is a complete show stealer. His menacing looks and his cold blooded performance will give some spine chilling moments.

Shatrughan Sinha was contained and it must be said that traces of real life N T Rama Rao are quite prominent in his gestures and dialogue delivery.

Kota was perfect, Radhika was naturally appealing, Zarina was neat, Tanikella was impressive and he made his presence felt, Rajendra Gupta was adequate, Sushant was brief, Ashish Vidyarthi was alright, Subhalekha Sudhakar was standard, Subrat Dutta was good, the others did their bit as required and added value.

Highlights:
Symbolism shots with respect to showing a cycle in Shivaji Rao (Shatrugan Sinha)’s place (recalling TDP and NTR), usage of left had, addressing as ‘brother' are impressive.

Showing a dog barking after the death of Naga Mani Reddy (Kota) depicts ‘kukka chaavu'..That’s impressive.

Ram Moorthy (Tanikella) saying to Pratap Ravi ‘to shave beard as a politician should look clean at face although dirty at heart'

Bukka Reddy’s introduction scene

Disappointments:
RGV’s voice over is overflowing. It’s not a radio drama to explain everything with a voice over. Whatever RGV is saying in voice, is being conveyed visually! It disturbed the mood to some extent.

Pratap Ravi stays in forest as per the dialogue. But he stays in a dusty hill area that hardly looks like a forest. It may sound trivial, but when such observations linger in mind, some audience gets distracted from the mood.

Why Dabbunnoda song? The context is not convincing.

Challenges:
The subject chosen is quite hard hitting so one needs to have some background information before actually connecting to the film.

Facing criticism with respect to Shivai Rao’s (a replica of NTR) characterization and converting it into publicity element.

Facing criticism and questions with respect to ‘pedda sir' (implying YSR) and again converting it into a publicity element

Mood is suddenly dropping down at the conclusion point of the movie. Waiting till Part-2 to get completeness in feeling is a challenge for audience and it’s challenge for maker to sustain interest for 1 month till Part-2 release.

Analysis:
“Goodness or badness can never be anyone’s property. They are situational.
If a man is hunger free, he showers only goodness. But if any sort of hunger (be it lust, power craving or greed or vengeance) hits him, he spells badness'.

Rakta Charitra is a fiction based on historical facts.
It’s rather powerful to say that it’s a true depiction of human emotions.
It’s a tour to extreme human beings.

Ramayan or Mahabharat or any chronicled history in dramatic form depicts the extremities of emotions in every character. For example if Karna is known for generosity, its shown with eccentricity of chopping off his own armored skin to offer for a beggar. If Bheeshma is known for sacrifice, its shown in extreme point of choosing life time celibacy to keep himself and his legacy far from kingship. Any drama holds grip only when the characterizations are strong. This fact was known for dramatists right from Veda Vyasa and Valmiki. Similar path is now chosen by Ram Gopal Varma is depicting a historical fact in dramatic form.

He has shown Bukka Reddy as a determined rapist (!) and dedicated murderer (!).The incidents canned around this characterization are extreme in imagination. Pratap Ravi is shown as a bad guy, but for a true reason (since he is chosen to be the hero of the plot).

Ram Gopal Varma is a master of movie making and an expert storyteller. This is seen here yet again. As such, the storyline can be understood in few words and there is nothing unpredictable about it but then it is the way Ramu takes off with each scene and how he gets the viewer into the film which counts.

His screenplay techniques and shot compositions are one of those dexterities he possesses. Perhaps a layman might find the visual appeal to be dim but then there are few flashes of his brilliance which are seen on and off. The focus was more on the emotion of the protagonist and the villain so that is a challenge to handle for more than two hours.

On the other hand, it is not a typical Varma characterization where most of the actors give hard expressions, talk less and convey more. Here the characters speak sufficient and sometimes little verbose!! But still there is a rhythm in their performance and it connects to the regular audience.

On a whole it’s a movie about the raise of a leader.

Bottom-line: For the lovers of realistic violence

Movie Review: Guzaarish

Bollywood appears to be inclined towards exploring rare illnesses/disorders/disabilities, with directors casting megastars in characters to raise awareness about the lesser-known ailments. In GHAJINI, Aamir Khan had short-term memory loss [Anterograde Amnesia]. In PAA, Amitabh Bachchan played a child afflicted with Progeria. In MY NAME IS KHAN, SRK was shown suffering from Asperger Syndrome. In TAARE ZAMEEN PAR, Aamir Khan portrayed problems of Dyslexic children. In BLACK, Amitabh Bachchan was shown succumbing to Alzheimer's. In KARTHIK CALLING KARTHIK, Farhan Akhtar portrayed a Schizophrenic.

This is not the first time that master film-maker Sanjay Leela Bhansali has attempted a movie that has the protagonist suffering from a serious disability. In GUZAARISH, Hrithik Roshan suffers from Paraplegia, a complete paralysis of the lower half of the body, including both legs, usually caused by damage/injury to the spinal cord.

Bhansali has always been known for two things. The first thing is, of course, the visual splendour in his films [which was quite evident in HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM, DEVDAS and SAAWARIYA] and the second thing that he takes inspiration from various stories. The critically acclaimed BLACK was inspired from THE MIRACLE WORKER [a 1962 film] and SAAWARIYA from 'White Nights', a Russian short story.

There's talk that GUZAARISH is a remake of Christopher Nolan's Hollywood movie THE PRESTIGE, which, let me clarify, it is not. GUZAARISH brings back memories of two films, which may be coincidental: The Spanish Oscar and Golden Globe winning film MAR ADENTRO aka THE SEA INSIDE [2004], which, in turn, was based on a real-life story of Ramon Sampedro and WHOSE LIFE IS IT ANYWAY?, a television play which was later adapted into a play [theatre] and much later into a film [1981].

Bhansali has worked himself to the grind and his presence is felt in every frame of GUZAARISH. There is an inimitable intellect that Bhansali brings to his movies. Bhansali is also known to extract the best performances from his actors. In a light-hearted vein, I would go to the extent of saying that Bhansali has the ability to make a dumb man speak and a sightless man see. His devotion and dedication towards his craft is truly inspirational and motivating. In GUZAARISH, Bhansali puts behind all the glitter and glamour and comes up with yet another unique and sensitive story told through a series of flashbacks.



Final word? GUZAARISH is special in more ways than one. In my individualistic opinion, it easily ranks amongst Bhansali's best works so far. Just don't miss this one!

Set in Goa, it tells the story of an accomplished magician Ethan Mascarenhas [Hrithik Roshan]. Ethan suffers serious injuries when one of his magical trick goes horribly wrong, turning him to a Paraplegic. Confined to a wheel chair, Ethan becomes a Radio Jockey at an FM Station called Radio Zindagi. His show talks of hope, laughter and sunshine and it's difficult to imagine that the man behind it has been immobilized with a spinal injury for the last fourteen years of his life. Sofia [Aishwarya Rai Bachchan], a nurse, takes good care of him; they share a silent love.

Ethan files a petition in court for mercy killing. This decision of Ethan leaves Sofia stunned. Ethan takes the help of friend-lawyer Devyani [Shernaz Patel] to support his appeal. Even Ethan's mother Isabel [Nafisa Ali] supports him in his petition, although Ethan is persuaded by his physician Dr. Nayak [Suhel Seth] to retract his case. Alongside all this, Omar [Aditya Roy Kapur] enters Ethan's life with the aim of learning magic from him. Impressed by Omar's love for magic, Ethan agrees to pass on his legacy to him.

Only a sensitive raconteur can do absolute justice to a challenging subject like the one in GUZAARISH and Bhansali seems the right candidate for an extremely tricky theme like mercy killing/Euthanasia. The story is complex and can only be narrated by a storyteller who has the art of telling stories most convincingly. Sure, the protagonist in GUZAARISH wants to end his existence, but that doesn't mean the film is disheartening or unsettling. Clearly, the writing [screenplay: Bhavani Iyer and Bhansali] is smart, taut and absorbing.



GUZAARISH has a number of sequences that bear the unmistakable stamp of a genius. Sample these…

* The courtroom sequence and Aishwarya's outburst towards the end of it.

* The hearing of the petition at Hrithik's house.

* Hrithik's act going wrong and the near-fatal accident.

* The finale.

Any negatives? The generous usage of English in the narrative. The language is sure to act as a barrier in the hinterland specially. Agreed, the film is set in Goa, they are bound to speak that language, but despite everything, Hindi is a must for a pan-India appeal.

Irrespective of how his films fare at the box-office, Bhansali's films have always been embellished with rich and cherished music. The songs continue to linger in the hearts of the listeners with their dulcet and soothing tunes. After legendary Satyajit Ray and Vishal Bhardwaj, Bhansali is the next accomplished film-maker who has himself created the music of his film. The songs in GUZAARISH are more inclined towards poetry that's earthy and contemporary. However, it does take some time for the listeners to sense the pulse of the music. 'Tera Zikr Hai Ya Itra Hai' is a limerick to exquisiteness, 'Sau Gram Zindagi', with its philosophical tone, leaves a lasting impression, the title track 'Guzaarish' casts a spell on you and 'Udi' is, of course, memorable.

GUZAARISH has been magnificently shot. The indoors as well as outdoors [the gorgeous panorama] add so much to the film. There's no refuting that cinematographer Sudeep K. Chatterjee has created some really alluring and enthralling visuals. The very effective and subtle background score [Tubby and Parik] of GUZAARISH is its very backbone. The feelings of intrigue, anxiety, anguish and romance come across so well. In fact, for the very first time, I felt that I was not hearing the background score, I was feeling it. Dialogue [Bhavani Iyer and Vibhu Puri] belong to high standards that touch your soul. Costumes [Sabyasachi] are absolutely wonderful; they gel well with the setting and mood of the film.



Hrithik and Aishwarya are seen in a lackluster facade and that's what makes the characters so plausible. While Hrithik is seen sporting a beard and has even put on weight, Aishwarya is seen in sober outfits. In fact, the two actors have gone through a drastic appearance change and both pressurize you to believe that they are indeed Ethan and Sofia. It must be said that Hrithik and Aishwarya exude a certain dignity and elegance, much needed for a sensitive film of this magnitude and caliber.

It must have been an arduous task for Hrithik to carry off the Paraplegic character of Ethan Mascarenhas, but he depicts the part with flourish. It's a great risk in filmy norms to have the hero of the film almost entirely on a wheel chair, but Hrithik has never hesitated or been irresolute in putting himself to adverse conditions, in order to achieve excellence, in whatever character he chooses to depict. Kudos to Hrithik for accepting a role that's truly opposite to his larger-than-life image and portraying it with elan.

Aishwarya, as Ethan's nurse who is the epicenter of his world, has approached this role with rare understanding, not going overboard even once. So effective is she that she not only influences you but also compels you to believe that their love is solid in its quiet strength and also spirited in their verbal sparring. The sensational chemistry, which sizzled the silver screen in DHOOM 2 and JODHAA AKBAR and won hearts all over, sizzles yet again, but this time in a distinctive aspect.



Aditya Roy Kapur is truly outstanding in a pivotal character. Shernaz Patel is exceptional. Nafisa Ali makes her presence felt in a small but significant role. Suhel Seth is in terrific form. Moni Kangana Dutta is okay. Vijay Crishna [judge] is effective. Rajit Kapoor does complete justice to his role. Makarand Deshpande leaves an impression. Ash Chandler and Achint Kaur lend good support.

On the whole, GUZAARISH is an invigorating tale. Bhansali, as a film-maker, has scaled several notches above his past accomplishments to create a near-perfect cinematic experience. The highpoint of the motion picture is the magnificently penned story of an incapacitated and debilitated man who desires to end his being with dignity. The film seduces the viewer with a strong emotional quotient, soulful music and of course, the crackling and wonderful onscreen chemistry between Hrithik and Aishwarya. Without doubt, GUZAARISH is one of the most profound, insightful and enriching dramas of the year.

Aisha - Movie Review

Starring Sonam Kapoor, Abhay Deol, Amrita Puri, Ira Dubey, Cyrus Shahukar, Arunoday Singh Directed by Rajshree Ojha Rating: *** The thing about shallow people from the beau monde is that they shouldn’t be played shallowly when brought to the screen. Sonam Kapoor in a ‘tailor’- made role (where more moolah seems to have been spent on tailoring her chic outfits than on exploring the locations , sound sights scents and , yes, sense of this embarrassing world of excessive self-preening) gets the Jane Austen character right. Quite a leap for the actress. When she had played the confused lover-girl in Saawariya Sonam had imposed her own natural-born confusions on the character rendering it shaky and disembodied. In Aisha Sonam is far more in control of her character’s misguided emotional compulsions. The fact that the young actress knows this label-centric designer world of chic shenanigans so well helps Sonam master and contour her character’s art of self-deception in a way the original author of the character would have approved. Sonam’s world harks back to Jane Austen’s giddy-headed British gentry class where match-making was not idle chatter. It was religion. When placed in the neo-rich spiced-up politically-charged atmosphere of Delhi Jane Austen’s characters seem to come alive in unexpected spurts of sassy splendour and unbridled joie de vivre. You can’t help laugh at these young often-aimless people’s selfimportance. Aisha is a 2-hour celebration of pre-nuptial rituals. Though no one says it, every girl in the picture wants only one thing. And it isn’t necessarily love, but somewhere close. The bristle and bustle of Delhi come alive through the slender intellectual faculties of the protagonists. Let’s not forget Jane Austen had applied great intellectual strength to her frail and shallow people. Aisha converts Austen’s world into a frail feisty frolicsome fashion fiesta shot with an empowering affection for the natural light that bathes these somewhat affected people. The cinematography by Diego Rodriguez and specially the songs and background music by Amit Trivedi create a multi-hued skyline in this saga of sophomore socialites, their loves, lovers and love tattle. Debutant director Rajshree Ojha gets into this world of titillating trivia and designer dreams with a wink and smile that go a long way in building a showcase around these metropolitan mannequins on a singleminded match-making prowl. The casting is as dead-on as it can get. While the guys Abhay Deol, Cyrus Sahukar and Arunoday Singh play the Brain, Nerd and Hunk with absolute relish it’s the girls who keep you chuckling and tch-tch-ing. Neha Dubey and debutant Amrita Puri put in pitch-perfect performances as sahelis bullied into alliances that seem manipulated on earth rather than arranged in heaven. They have a bright future ahead, single or not. But the film belongs to Sonam Kapoor, make no mistake of that. She makes the best of a rather rare opportunity for an Indian leading lady to be a part of Bollywood film that salutes Victorian mores and Delhi’s elitist affectations in one clean cool sweep. Engaging and endearing Aisha makes you wonder if there’s anything more important in the world than finding the right match. Maybe finding the right movie about finding the right match?

Rann - Watch it for Big B & the serious shift of Ritesh

What is it all about?

Amitabh Bachchan, this man has done it before and again he does it with tremendous ease. By his sheer simplicity of getting into the skin of the character makes an average film worth watching.

If you believe that in this era, one channel can force a PM to resign on criminal charges, which never gets investigated… If you believe that a channel can make an opposition leader the next P.M…

If you believe that the oath taking ceremony of India’s PM can be halted because one respected honest journalist is making some exposure in his studio…

Then you can hail RGV’s ‘Rann’ as a thought provoking, stark and sensible cinema, otherwise it’s a juvenile view of the complexity, hunger, myth of journalism based on the principle ‘To speak the truth without fear or favour’ which is loosing its credibility and colour by every sensationalism and scripted news items day by day. The prolific RGV who told us nothing but the truth in ‘Satya’ and continued to rule with ‘Sarkar’ fails to apprehend the true enormity of media blunders which we see everyday and can’t list them and forget very easily. But wonders like Jessica Lall trial or the current Shruti or even the thelka expose still remains in our minds. Rather the movie is a simple average neta media story on the surface of a T.V. channel where it doesn’t give the material or the audience much.

New Delhi Times, Surkhiya, Page 3, even SRK’s ‘ Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani’ have tried to show us the insight of media some dared to bring the truth somewhat while others didn’t. Sadly, RGV’s ‘Rann’ comes with lack of evidences and sources that make you feel that you are watching a contrived social drama.

The Story……Of Course

One can easily imagine the drama as the writing lacks insights and details where Vijay Harshvardhan Malik (Amitabh Bachchan) is the founder of a private news channel, India 24/7. A hardcore upholder of journalistic ethics, his channel is battling for survival. Jay (Sudeep), his son, looks at his father's news channel purely as a business enterprise that must make profits to justify its existence. He hates that his competition (Mohnish Bahl) is doing better than him. The story takes a turn when a corrupt politician, Mohan Pandey (Paresh Rawal), decides to use the channel to his advantage by using Vijay's son-in-law Navin (Rajat Kapoor). Pandey aspires to be the Prime Minister and indulges in a vicious campaign against his political opponent.

Navin is the most insecure man on earth and won't rest till he becomes the number one industrialist in the country. He, in turn, involves his brother-in-law Jay in Pandey's game plan.

What to look out for?

The movie is shrewdly made and is surrounded by some excellent performances.

Big B as the distinguished newsman who is a staunch believer of honesty gives a performance that makes this average fair watch able for the man’s sincere efforts.

The 5 minutes speech during the end moments of the film clearly showed the aghast, pain and sadness of the man who believes in honesty thwarting and refusing all the demands is now helpless as he finds his son on the receiving end. Big B’s pause and expressions are just brilliant and forces you to feel for the character where ironically the movie doesn’t.

Ritesh spunk’s a surprise by enacting a serious role breaking his mould from those mindless clowny acts. Sudeep is fantastic and spontaneous. Paresh Rawal does the villainy with sincerity. Rajat Kapoor is earnest. Mohnish Bhel once again proves. The ladies didn’t have much to do but still Suchitra Krishnamurthy gets more scope and shines. The movies intriguing moments apart from Big B’s speech are given by Rajpal Yadav who is repetitive but is still enjoyable.

Technical aspects are strong; the movie is well shot by Amit Roy where Nipun Gupta’s scissor work makes it look sharp and the background score by Debasish Mishra makes an attempt to set our mood.

What’s not?

Apart from the blunders mentioned at the start, the movie lacks details and takes too much liberties like Ritesh Deshmukh an entrant is immensely lucky to be a part of the channel’s board meeting where TRP’s and other important decision are being taken, he even voices his opinion and goes for exclusive interviews?.

Later on, he acquires the top position of the channel because he was the man behind the expose and what on earth makes the strong principal holder like Amitabh quit the job as a media man, he should have continued and set an example.

Big B’s speech should have ended the film on that inspiring thinking note but the call for the push and pull of commercial and sensible cinema makes RGV to end on a melodramatic and filmy note making Sudeep who plays Big B’s son commit suicide and a new entrant Purab Shastri getting the top position in the channel.

Where and when do we see the pathos of crusading reporters who selflessly put their principles above all? At least in the film it could have been shown.

And how on earth can a person decide the venue for his oath taking ceremony as a PM of India away from Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Recommended: ‘Rann’ is like listening to the just an average debater in middle school presenting a term paper called "Politics, Power and the Media.", this dumping down on the insights which we need to know and ‘covering’ it with a routine Bollywood drama of politicia and the media is for those cinegoers whose look for drama and melodrama and not the truth.

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Exclusive Movie Review | 3 Idiots | Rating : 4.5/5

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Life is all about listening to your heart and chasing your dreams. That's the essence of 3 IDIOTS, directed by the supremely talented Rajkumar Hirani. Let me come to the point right away. There are films and there are more films. And then there's 3IDIOTS.

Come to think of it, 3 IDIOTS carries a huge 'burden' on its shoulders: The 'burden' of humungous expectations. And it's not without reasons...

# 3 IDIOTS is Aamir's next release after the record-breaker GHAJINI.

# 3 IDIOTS is Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra's third film together, after MUNNABHAI MBBS and LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI, landmark films.

# Three actors from the path-breaking RANG DE BASANTI team - Aamir, Madhavan and Sharman - team up yet again. Plus, Aamir's teaming up with Hirani. It couldn't get bigger!

3 IDIOTS is over-hyped and that could be dangerous for any film since it's the expectations which kill a film if the content doesn't match up to the hype. In this case, all izz well!

Now let's demystify the myths...
3 IDIOTS is not about idiots or nincompoops. It's about three engineering students who believe in 'I'll Do It On my Terms' and that's what the three characters achieve in life and that's what Hirani, Chopra, Aamir eventually achieve at the end of the movie. Making a movie on their terms! .

One more thing! You cannot draw parallels with any other film, past or present, successful or unsuccessful. And though people may draw parallels with GHAJINI or the MUNNABHAI series, it would be sacrilege to do so. 3IDIOTS [based on a novel 'Five Point Someone' by Chetan Bhagat] doesn't tilt, it stands tall.

Here's yet another illusion: 3 IDIOTS belongs to Aamir Khan. Yes, it does, but also to R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Boman Irani, Kareena Kapoor and Omi, the entrant in Hindi movies, who delivers an equally sterling performance. The film would be incomplete without any of these characters.

To cut a long story short, all you'd like to say about the film is, All izz very, very, very, very, very well. Watch this film to know what it means!

Two friends [R. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi] embark on a quest for a lost buddy. As they make their way through the perilous landscape [Shimla, Manali, Ladakh], another journey begins: their inner journey through memory lane and the story of their friend - the irrepressible free-thinker Rancho [Aamir Khan], who, in his unique way, touched and changed their lives.

It's a story of their hostel days that swings between Rancho's romance with the spirited Pia [Kareena Kapoor] and his clash with and oppressive mentor, Viru Sahastrabudhhe [Boman Irani]. And then one day, suddenly, Rancho vanishes...

Who was he? Where did he come from? Why did he leave? The friend who influenced and inspired them to think creatively and independently, even as the conformist world called them threeidiots. Where is the original idiot now?

Hirani is a genius and that has been proved twice in the past. He proves it for the third time with 3 IDIOTS. Screenplay writers Hirani and Abhijat Joshi and screenplay associate Vidhu Vinod Chopra narrate a story that's straight out of life. A story that each one of us can relate to or identify with.

Very often, we've read news-reports of students committing suicides because they've to live up to the family's pressure/expectations. This film depicts it at the very start, when a student commits suicide. But the issue doesn't end there, for 3IDIOTS raises a pertinent question: Was it suicide or murder?

Hirani balances the rough and smooth incidents in their lives beautifully. The sequences in the campus, right from the ragging sequence at the start, to Omi's speech when the word 'chamatkaar' is changed to 'balatkaar' [superb; will bring the house down], to the trio getting caught in an embarrassing situation at the reception ofKareena's sister [Mona Singh], to the dinner sequence at Sharman's house, to Kareena and Aamir driving Sharman's seriously ill father on their bike to the hospital... the funny moments would make your jaws ache.

The interval point is a shocker. The point at which the first half ends will leave you stunned. Now what was that? Kahani mein twist!

The mystery is solved soon after the intermission ends and a new journey begins. That's one of the USPs of the film. Just when you think that the story would be solved, a new story begins. Of course, the pace dips slightly in its second hour, especially during the delivery sequence of Mona [which may appear filmy to a few], but the immediate sequence, when the baby boy is born and also the subsequent sequence between Boman and Aamir bringthe film back on track. The culmination to the film is novel and yes, it's a master stroke from the writing point of view!

Every person behind the camera gives his/her best to the film. Hirani and Joshi's screenplay is the mainstay of the film. If you fondly recall 'Gandhigiri' from their previous film LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI, you'd have a new phrase to chew on this time: 'All Izz Well'. Muraleedharan C.K.'s cinematography is awesome. Note the aerial view at the very start, when Madhavan and Sharman begin the journey to Shimla or the picture perfect look of Ladakh... the DoP does a magnificent job.

Shantanu Moitra's music may sound plain ordinary to ears, but when viewed on screen, the score is just perfect. 'Give Me Some Sunshine', 'All Is Well', 'Zoobie Doobie' are three tracks that would grow on you after you've watchedthe film . The choreography of 'All Izz Well' [Avit Dias] and 'Zoobie Doobie' [Bosco-Caesar] are eye-catching. The background score [Sanjay Wandrekar, Atul Raninga, Shantanu Moitra] is right.

3 IDIOTS belongs to everyone. But, yes, there's no denying that Aamir makes you forget all his past achievements as you watch the amazing actor play Rancho. To state that this ranks amongst his finest works would be an understatement. Madhavan is incredible, especially in the sequence when he explains his point of view to his father [Pareekshit Sahani]. Sharman is outstanding from start to end. This was a difficult role to portray and only an actor of calibre could've pulled it off. Boman is superb as the vicious head of the institute. The scenes between Aamir and Boman are extra-ordinary and it's a treat to watch these two powerful actors clash on the big screen, without getting overdramatic. Boman's appearance, mannerisms and dialogue delivery are exemplary.

The length of Kareena's role may not be as much as Aamir, Madhavan and Sharman, but she registers a strong impact nonetheless. Omi is excellent and the viewers are sure to love his acidic tongue and gestures in themovie. Mona Singh doesn't get much scope. Jaaved Jaffery is competent. Pareekshit Sahani is decent.

On the whole, 3 IDIOTS easily ranks amongst Aamir, Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra's finest films. Do yourself and your family a favour: Watch 3IDIOTS. It's emotional, it's entertaining, it's enlightening. The film has tremendous youth appeal and feel-good factor to work in a big way.

Rating : 4.5/5

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Rocket Singh – Salesman Of The Year Movie Review | Rocket Singh Review

Some films absorb you instantly, from the very outset. But it takes time to get into the world of a salesman who thinks from his heart.

Come to think of it, ROCKET SINGH – SALESMAN OF THE YEAR is about a simpleton, but the story of his struggle and accomplishment isn’t the kind that would charge you or make you charter a similar path in life. Also, the story of an underdog who comes up the hard way should make you feel euphoric in the end, right? But ROCKET SINGH – SALESMAN OF THE YEAR doesn’t.

Frankly, ROCKET SINGH – SALESMAN OF THE YEAR is more of a documentary on the life of a salesman. It’s a decent film, no two opinions on that, but the question is, [a] Is the story powerful enough to excite you and [b] Does it grab your attention in entirety? Sadly, the answer to both the questions is in the negative.
There’s another problem and this is strictly from the point of those seeking entertainment. A Yash Raj film with Ranbir Kapoor [after AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI] essaying the title role, coupled with fun-filled promos ['Pocket Mein Rocket Hain'] might make you assume that it would offer lods of entertainment, but this has barely a song or two, as good as no romance and hardly any comic moments – the recipe for most Hindi movies.

In a nutshell, ROCKET SINGH – SALESMAN OF THE YEAR is a dull and dry experience.

Harpreet Singh Bedi [Ranbir Kapoor] has just graduated and his marks are, well, let’s say a little embarrassing. But marks never stopped him from dreaming of an exciting and adventurous career, and they never will.

He takes a deep, positive breath and dives into the world of sales, rumoured to be an ultra cool career. It’s everything he dreamt of, with its smooth dressing, smoother talking men and women who can sell ice to an Eskimo, dreams to an insomniac and a lifetime mobile connection to a dying man. But soon, his idea of success begins clashing with the strange ways of these ‘professionals’ and ‘bosses’ he looked up to.

ROCKET SINGH – SALESMAN OF THE YEAR may be based on a simpleton’s life, but the viewer gets a hang of things only towards the second hour. The entire first hour is devoted to establishing the characters and also getting used to the way sales persons go about their business.

There’s not much excitement in the first hour, barring a few attention-grabbing scenes that pop up intermittently. The story just flows, with the viewer not reacting much to the proceedings. But things change for better towards the post-interval portions when the protagonist and his colleagues’ lives get complicated.

At least two sequences deserve a mention here. The first, when Ranbir and his boss have a lengthy telephonic conversation. The second, when the boss realises his folly and apologises to Ranbir. But, unfortunately, the culmination to the story doesn’t give the feeling of euphoria or victory. Ideally speaking, it should have. That’s one of the reasons why the impact is missing.

Shimit Amin is an efficient storyteller and he has been most faithful to the plot, but if the plot itself has its limitations, there’s not much he can do to boost the proceedings. Jaideep Sahni has had the courage to narrate a new story, but the story is one-dimensional. Also, there screenplay is devoid of songs, romance and entertainment, which will go against the film completely.

Salim-Sulaiman’s background score is effectual. Vikash Nowlakha’s cinematography is alright

Ranbir Kapoor is an exceptional actor and ROCKET SINGH – SALESMAN OF THE YEAR mirrors this fact. The actor underplays his part beautifully, which only goes to prove that he’s equally at ease essaying straight-out-of-life roles. Prem Chopra is exceptional. A number of new faces enact pivotal roles here, but the ones who stand out are Ranbir’s boss Puri and colleague Nitin. Both are fantastic.

D. Santosh is first-rate. Gauhar Khan leaves a strong impression. Shazahn Padamsee doesn’t get any scope.

On the whole, ROCKET SINGH – SALESMAN OF THE YEAR is more of a documentary on the life of a salesman. Lack of music, romance and entertainment, coupled with zilch hype, will go against the film. A colossal disappointment!

Ratings-**

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De Dana Dan - Movie Review

Be forewarned. DE DANA DAN is the most bizarre film from the maharaja of laughathons, Priyadarshan. Not even in your wildest dream you'd think that Priyadarshan would place almost an entire film in a hotel and have its entire cast, comprising of 26 [or is it 27?] characters, most of them weirdos, interacting with each other. Brings back memories of BLAME IT ON THE BELLBOY? May be!

But Priyadarshan needs to be credited for pulling it off. There are times when you laugh hysterically at the most outlandish jokes and situations. There are times when a raised eyebrow or a wide-open jaw makes you break into a guffaw.

Be cautioned. DE DANA DAN is a loud film, with each and every character screaming on top of his/her voice, with the characters shouting, running, even floating and swimming in the end.

But what do you expect in a Priyadarshan film that has a title like DE DANA DAN? The promos never promised path-breaking or thought-provoking cinema that would give birth to debates and discussions. So why look for logic in this one?

DE DANA DAN makes no qualms of narrating a story you haven't heard before. Here, the story is non-existent and it's left on Priyadarshan to mix-n-match those two dozen characters and keep the momentum alive for the next 2.45 hours.

DE DANA DAN promises laughter and entertainment and sticks to its promise. This one's not for the hard-nosed types, but for those who worship escapist cinema. Who want to chuckle, giggle and chortle at those mindless jokes. In short, DE DANA DAN is a pure dhamaal entertainer!

Nitin [Akshay Kumar] is a butler, cook, driver, watchman, gardener to a wealthy female industrialist [Archana Puran Singh] in Singapore. Like any young man, Nitin too dreams of a better life. He desperately wants to become rich and marry the love of his life, Anjali [Katrina Kaif], who supports him financially.

Ram [Suniel Shetty], Nitin's best friend, also came to Singapore with the dream of striking it rich, but ended up a courier delivery man. He falls for Manpreet [Sameera Reddy], but her high society parents will never approve of marriage, not unless Ram has lots and lots of money.

In the midst of all this is Harbans [Paresh Rawal], a shrewd businessman, who's looking for ways to multiply his income and avoid his debtors. He decides the best way would be to marry his son [Chunky Pandey] off to a girl whose parents can give him a large dowry. He is introduced to Manpreet's parents at a function and is impressed by their social status. He introduces himself as a well-established businessman, impresses them and they decide to get Manpreet and Harbans' son married.

With several factors working against them, Nitin and Ram soon reach a dead end in their relationships. When both receive ultimatums from their girlfriends, they realize that only a life of vice can help them out of their misery. They come up with an audacious plan to kidnap someone important and demand a ransom.

The kidnapping goes awry and both hide at a local hotel while waiting for the ransom money. But misfortune is never far and the kidnapping spirals out of control.

Meanwhile, Manpreet's wedding reception is being held at the same hotel that Nitin and Ram are hiding in. Soon, they are joined by a motley set of characters including a Chinese Don [Asrani], a hired assassin [Johny Lever], a ACB police inspector [Sharat Saxena], a club dancer [Neha Dhupia], an ambassador [Vikram Gokhale], a young frustrated double crossing wife [Aditi Govitrikar], a letch [Shakti Kapoor], a drunken waiter [Rajpal Yadav] and a dead body nobody wants to check into the hotel.

DE DANA DAN is atypical Priyadarshan film that has the unmistakable stamp all over it. But, at the same time, DE DANA DAN is erratic and uneven - energetic at times, lethargic at places. Also, the culmination to the film is very similar to the director's earlier works, with the entire cast running helter-skelter.

On the flip side, you miss Akshay's presence in the second hour. He disappears [gets locked in a cupboard] for at least 20 minutes and the focus, hence, shifts to the other characters. His fans will miss his presence, for sure. Besides, the film tends to get very lengthy towards the second half and overtly verbose too.

Director Priyadarshan is synonymous with comedies and the ace storyteller promises laughter in abundance. Handling so many characters, plus making a film on mistaken identities could be very tough, but the director gets it right. Pritam's music is alright, while the RDB track, 'Paisa', is the pick of the lot. Salim-Sulaiman's background score is energetic. K. Ahambaram's cinematography is alright.

The review would be incomplete if one ignored the dialogue writer's [Jay Master] contribution to the film. The lines are laced with wit and soaked in humour and bring the house down on several occasions.

DE DANA DAN has so many characters that it gets difficult to pinpoint or single out any one actor. Akshay is at his best in a Priyadarshan film and DE DANA DAN proves it. Suniel is natural to the core. Paresh is incredible; he pitches in a superb act. Katrina and Sameera don't have much to do. Amongst the plethora of actors, Johny Lever, Neha Dhupia, Manoj Joshi, Asrani, Vikram Gokhale and Archana Puransingh deserve special mention.

On the whole, DE DANA DAN is targeted at the masses and it delivers laughter in abundance. Leave your brains behind to enjoy this madcap entertainer!

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'2012' Trailer - Movie Review: 2012

For almost a decade and a half, director Roland Emmerich has been intent on destroying parts of the world and causing general chaos amongst its inhabitants. To facilitate this he has made full use of the special effects available, whether it be the giant lizard in Godzilla (1998), the flooding of New York in The Day After Tomorrow, or the destruction of the White House in Independence Day, his best film to date. However, not content with what's done so far, Mr. Emmerich has targeted the entire world and made 2012, using a Mayan doomsday prophecy as the basis - or perhaps excuse - to reek havoc on Earth once more.



And as hard as it may be to imagine, especially if you've seen Emmerich's previous work, the man has outdone himself in terms of scale of destruction and the visual effects which make it all believable (if that word can be used to describe an Emmerich movie). The film is all about, for its whopping 158-minute runtime, causing as much destruction as possible on a worldwide scale. And for that it achieves its primary goal. However, there's never anything different to the film than that, not really, and because of that it gets boring by the time we get to the fifth or sixth visual effects-laden destruction scene, and watching our hero, played by John Cusack, and his family narrowly escaping death gets more than a little bit repetitive and tiring.

The story is simple: a Mayan prophecy predicts that the end - or rather, destruction - of the world will happen in the year 2012. The government prepare for the worst, keeping that a secret from the public until "the time is right." Finally we land at the dreaded titular year, and things start to go very bad for humanity. Sea levels rise, floods are abound, earthquakes appear left, right and centre, building collapse, volcanoes erupt and you can add every other type of disaster you can think of to that list. We specifically follow Cusack's Jackson Curtis (something to be noted: switch those two names around and you have the real name of rapper 50 Cent - on purpose or just a coincidence?) and his family as they try to flee and evade disaster at every interval.

I won't explain anymore about where the plot heads (the ads probably do that for me), but needless to say there's a chance at survival for at least some of the population. The plot of an Emmerich film is never important, nor are the characters, and that's once again an issue once the appeal of the visuals and general destruction wears off. That sort of thing can only go so far before it gets tedious, and most of Emmerich's films have gotten away with it (just barely) because their runtimes are rarely that lengthy. However, at almost two hours and 40 minutes, 2012 far outstays its welcome, and the fact that it doesn't let up with its worldwide destruction means it gets boring way before the end credits roll.

On the surface it may seem like some attention is paid to the characters and the importance of their lives, after all the whole movie is about humans trying to survive what seemingly can't be survived (a certain pointlessness and hopelessness is at play). But if you look past the surface you can see it's all just "insert here" for any emotional moments regarding specific human characters Emmerich thinks we care about but we really don't. There is talented actors to be found, from Cusack to Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Oliver Platt and Woody Harrelson (who's easily the best character in the film), but they're all completely wasted for the most part, with nothing to do but react to what's going on around them (something which is entirely unconvincing at the best of times).

The visuals really are spectacular here, even if the destruction they make at least quasi-believable gets tiring after a while. Shots of tsunami's sweeping cities, earthquakes causing buildings to collapse, and volcanoes spitting giant fireballs are often jaw-dropping. However, isn't that to be expected with a price tag of around $200 million? You get what you pay for, as they say.

For some reason a Roland Emmerich film has failed to have both epic destruction and crazy visual effects along with great character development and a strong story since 1996's Independence Day. Since then his movies have only really facilitated a sort of morbid curiosity in movie goers in seeing parts of their world destroyed, whether it by giant monsters (Godzilla) or by natural disasters (The Day After Tomorrow). 2012 is just another one of those, a movie which at first is entertaining in a "switch off your brain" sort of way, but which gets tiresome and repetitive before the half-way point, leaving you looking at your watch and wanting the credits to roll.

Some laughable dialogue and ridiculous plot points, under-developed characters played by wasted actors and a far too long runtime leads to the conclusion this isn't worth the time and money it takes to watch it. If you're a big fan of disaster movies you'll want to see it, and will be able to forgive it's huge flaws in lieu of the visuals more than others. But for everyone else you might as well rent one of Emmerich's other movies - in the end you'll get the same effect.

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Aladin - Movie Review

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Riteish Deshmukh, Jacqueline Fernandes, Saahil Khan, Ratna Pathak Director: Sujoy Ghosh Rating: *** "I am still a teenager", says Amitabh Bachchan right at the beginning of "Aladin", setting the mood for the film to follow. Young at heart and fresh in treatment, "Aladin" wouldn't have been possible without him. Playing Genius - The Genie could have gone either way since he is expected to be whacky, quirky, a little eccentric, a bit mad and hugely lovable. The narrative is clearly divided into two sections. If the first half is more children friendly, the second half has a lot going for teenagers and above. There is some fun in store for children with a donkey's head replacing Riteish's, his guitar turning into a frog and him being thrown in the air after being turned into a balloon. The funny antics that follow may not have grown ups rolling with laughter, but should surely keep the smiles on. Amitabh's 'Yo dude' act keeps the fun going. He adopts a completely different body language as the flamboyant genie, who is happy moving on with the times, and could give the younger generation a run for its money. Meanwhile, Sanjay Dutt's Ringmaster character makes on and off appearances, though one would have expected to see more of him. The entire past about Aladin and the Genius gets a little confusing. The real fun begins in the second half with the battle between good versus evil. Sanjay becomes more prominent on screen, the past is unearthed, action and thrills take centrestage and the best of VFX is unveiled. The visuals belong to the never-seen-before variety, especially the ones where Big B is shown repenting about his misdeeds. The flashback sequence is extremely well done too. Sujoy Ghosh does well in conjuring the imaginary world of 'Khwaish' that gives the film a visual appeal. This is further enhanced by the presence of newcomer Jacqueline Fernandes. Riteish is likeable as the young man who gets superpowers towards the film's end, hence keeping an option for a sequel. Sanjay is good but how one wishes that he had at least a couple of dramatic scenes with Amitabh. However, the film completely belongs to Amitabh who totally steals the show. Watch him in "Genie Rap" and you'll know why. The story of "Aladin" is legendary and Genie and Jasmine are known worldwide. This is why it requires courage for a filmmaker to set the film in contemporary times and come up with his own take on a well loved tale. Ghosh does exactly that as he lets his imagination go wild and spins a tale that ends up relating the past, present and future of these characters. This VFX filled entertainer is just the right recipe if one is looking for a family entertainer.

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Blue - Movie Review

Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, Zayed Khan, Lara Dutta, Katrina Kaif Kylie Minogue Director : Anthony D'Souza Rating: **** When the makers of a film proudly proclaim their product to be at par with their Hollywood counterparts, one is bound to be sceptical. More so because "Blue" is an action film, that too set underwater, which is not just a first in Bollywood but also a rarity in Hollywood. So does "Blue" set new standards for Bollywood action movies? Does it actually get into the underbelly of the sea and show a world hitherto unexplored? The answer is yes. Let's put it this way - "Blue" may not be the mind-blowing commercial action thriller that you would have ever seen. However, it certainly is the most innovative attempt that deserves to be acknowledged and lauded. Action is truly the USP of the film and keeps the momentum going for "Blue" due to which one doesn't quite miss the presence of a solid storyline. From first till the last frame, it's the amalgamation of action and an unknown world (under the sea) which brings in a novelty factor. For those hunting for a storyline, "Blue" actually begins and ends at the basic synopsis level. Mr. Richie Rich Akshay Kumar wants a treasure to be explored and entices his employee and friend Sanjay Dutt with tempting offers. Dutt is reluctant to take that dive into the sea even though his girlfriend Lara Dutta and brother Zayed Khan do present him enough reasons to take the plunge. Eventually he relents and the journey of "Blue" begins. Simple. There are five key action sequences that keep the pace up for the film. Each of the three bike sequences featuring Zayed become better and better and in fact his introduction a la 'Fast and the Furious' is something unique for an Indian film. The boxing ring sequence featuring Sanjay and Akshay does hint of "Broken Arrow", though it works in establishing their characters. Most importantly, the entire underwater hunt sequence is a breathtaking affair. Anthony D'Souza has a strong eye for visuals and that shows. Technically, whether it is camerawork or sound, "Blue" bears an international feel. Whether it's Sanjay or Akshay, the revelation about their past isn't quite hammer strong, even though convincing. Moreover, even though the film is a multi starrer, one does expect Akshay to be on the forefront. However, for a change, a film featuring him does allow equal screen space for other actors as well. As for Lara and Katrina Kaif, their presence is required to make the film look good and in that aspect, they do well. In a nutshell, "Blue" is made for those who want pulsating action, innovative stunts, glamour and some unbelievable moments that defy logic. It mainly caters to the youth that just want some non stop action in those two hours while keeping James Bond movies in mind. The kind of films where bikes are meant to race through traffic, cars are meant to explode, women are meant to bring on a glamour quotient, villains are meant to be suave, action is meant to belong to never-seen-before variety and technical aspects are meant to be superior to the best.

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Movie Review Wake Up Sid

Recall those years when partying hard was the only agenda on your list. Recall those years when staying awake at nights, chatting away with friends became a habit. Recall those years when bunking college and sneaking into movie halls was more exciting than books. Recall those years when you were completely clueless and aimless about the vocation you wanted to pursue once you graduated… That indecisive phase when you were hesitant to take that first big step in life can never be erased from your memory.

WAKE UP SID, directed by debutante Ayan Mukerji, is like revisiting those years that lay at some remote corner of your mind, after you moved on in life.

Actually, WAKE UP SID is a slice of life film. It's not merely real in concept, but has also been told most realistically, so much so that you can't help but draw parallels with your life or with someone you know. But what really makes WAKE UP SID most believable is Ranbir Kapoor, who's mastered the craft at such a young age.

Verdict? WAKE UP SID mirrors those years with flourish. This one's a simple story that strikes a chord instantly. Strongly recommended!

WAKE UP SID tells the story of Siddharth aka Sid [Ranbir Kapoor], a lazy, unmotivated slacker from Mumbai whose life undergoes a series of changes after taking his final year college exams. Sid's world is breezy, carefree and without any true responsibilities.

Sid thrives around his two best friends, Rishi [Namit Das] and Laxmi [Shikha Talsania], very rarely communicates with his mother Sarita [Supriya Pathak] and takes his father Ram Mehra [Anupam Kher] and all his hard-earned wealth for granted. Despite all these traits, Sid is an honest boy; sweet, funny and above all, a good friend.

Aisha Bannerjee [Konkona Sen Sharma], an aspiring writer from Kolkata, learns this soon enough when her path crosses with Sid's on her first day in Mumbai. Ambitious, well-read and driven, Aisha has come to Mumbai to realize her dreams as a writer. Despite their contrasting personalities, Sid becomes Aisha's first friend in the city.

As Aisha sets up her life in Mumbai, with the help of Sid and his gang, Sid allows for time to fly by over long drives, parties that stretch well into dawn, and endless hours doing absolutely nothing. But a series of circumstances and events compel him to take stock of his life and take a hard look at himself.

Let's not compare WAKE UP SID with anything you've watched before. Not DIL CHAHTA HAI. Not LAKSHYA either. Debutante director Ayan Mukerji narrates a story that you can relate to instantly and treats it with utmost care. A few moments linger in your memory and evoke bitter-sweet memories.

The first hour, right till the intermission, sweeps you off your feet. You get drawn into Sid's world instantaneously; you react to everything he does. But the post-interval portions slackens, courtesy the writing. The Rahul Khanna track, for instance, looks half-baked. Also, the story stagnates after a point and hence, the pacing gets very slow. It's only towards the finale that things perk up. Ideally, the film could've done with some trimming in this hour.

Ayan Mukerji packs in a solid punch in most parts of the film. The emotional moments especially gets you all moist-eyed. The humour too is well integrated in the sequences. Even the confrontation between the father and son is superb. Prior to that Konkona's birthday sequence is amongst the finest sequences of the film. Music [Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy] is melodious. Anil Mehta's cinematography is top notch. Niranjan Iyengar's dialogues are just right.

There's no denying that Ranbir Kapoor is a supremely talented actor, but in WAKE UP SID, he proves that he's amongst the best in the business today. No one could've portrayed Sid as effectively as Ranbir has enacted, that's for sure. This is an award-worthy performance.

Konkona is natural to the core and the best part is, she's so effortless. Here's another winning performance from this incredible performer. Anupam Kher is wonderful. Ditto for Supriya Pathak. Both shine in their respective parts. Namit Das and Shikha Talsania are perfect. Rahul Khanna doesn't get any scope.

On the whole, WAKE UP SID is a well-made film that should strike a chord with the youth mainly. A metro-centric film, the film should attract its target audience and should also prove to be the first choice of the elite/urban audience this Friday. Its distributors [UTV] have very rightly released the film at plexes of metros and mini-metros [instead of flooding the market with physical and digital prints], which in turn should only make this small film talked-about in days to come. Thumbs Up!

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First user review of What's Your Raashee?

A young, super-excited fan of Bollywood, Anita couldn't help sharing her review of What's Your Raashee? with us after she caught a sneak peek of the highly anticipated film at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Read on to find out if the movie lived up to her expectations.

The first thing I would like to make clear is the What's Your Raashee is nothing like Ashutosh Gowariker's usual work. If you're expecting another Lagaan or Jodhaa Akbar, you will be sorely disappointed. This movie is much more off-the-wall and humorous than those serious films. If you can't handle lack of realism, something Bollywood is pretty much known for, then What's Your Raashee is definitely not for you. There's very little reason given as to why all 12 girls look the same, you just have to take it as it comes.

Yogesh Patel (Harman Baweja) seems to be destined to marry on the 20th of the month, as predicted by an astrologer, and it is also predicted that marriage will bring him a lot of wealth! In fact, Yogesh's grandfather has signed an agreement bequeathing all of his land and property to Yogesh once he gets married, for Yogesh is his favourite grandson and a kind-hearted boy. The father immediately decides that they should lure their son Yogesh back from Chicago to India and get him married.

The father and brother, Jitu, trick Yogesh into coming to India by saying that the father had a heart attack. Yogesh reaches, and after some annoyance agrees to meet girls for marriage.

That night, while being unable to sleep, Yogesh picks up a book called 'What's Your Raashee'. He reads about how every girl and guy are divided into 12 different signs and that their traits are also determined by which horoscope they belong too.

His father's good friend, Devu, decides to help Yogesh and puts an ad out. Yogesh ends up getting 176 replies! Instead of seeing all the girls, Yogesh says that Devu should find him 12 girls to meet, one from every raashee, and he will pick one of them.

Before I continue on, I thought I'd mention that the opening credits with the song 'Pal Pal Jisko Dhoonde' was really cool, showing Priyanka in shadow as each of the raashees.

The first girl Yogesh meets is Anjali, the Aries. The awkward and somewhat nerdy way that Anjali acts makes you realize right off the bat that Priyanka isn't going to be her typical self in this film, at least not for all of it. Anjali is awkward, cannot speak proper English and even smokes a cigarette backwards trying to impress Yogesh. Next up is Sanjana, who is Aquarius. Yogesh plans to meet her at a wedding she is going too and immediately likes what he sees. But he's also kind of confused. Why does she look exactly like Anjali?

The next girl that Yogesh meets is Kajal, the Gemini. She asks him to meet her at a college dance competition. Kajal is bubbly and energetic, and makes Yogesh enter the dance, which he does well in for the song 'Aaja Lehraate'.

Next up was Cancer, Hansa. She was a fairly traditional girl whose family was happy that Yogesh was not asking for a dowry.

Next up is Rajni, Libra. She's a corporate woman who basically runs their first meeting like a business meeting. Her personal assistant even takes minutes!

Next up is crazy ol' Chandrika, Pisces. She and her father come to meet Yogesh. Her father is quite overbearing and basically answers everything Yogesh asks of Chandrika.

The next person Yogesh meets is Mallika, Leo, who is a dancer. Yogesh is really impressed by her performance to 'Dhadkan Dhadkan'.

Yogesh meets his next raashee, Virgo, who is Dr. Pooja, at her office. They have to cut their time short and Pooja has to leave with the rest of the medical staff to a village where they work. She asks Yogesh if he wants to come with her, so they ride on her motorcycle, talking, laughing and flirting. Meanwhile, the song 'Pyaari Pyaari' plays as we see scenes of them at the village enjoying each others' time and seeing how they act with the children of the village.

Yogesh's friend sets him up to meet with his sexy Scorpio cousin Nandini. Yogesh goes to meet Nandini and is surprised to see that she is dressed conservatively and accompanied by her parents who claim that she has never done anything even remotely "scandalous" before.

Next up, Yogesh gets an amazing chance to meet the daughter of the "cotton king", one of the biggest industrialists in India. Their Taurus daughter, Vishakha, wants to meet with him. When Yogesh is taken to the industrialist's home, he is amazed at the size and grandeur of the place. It's pretty amazing.

Yogesh goes to meet the Sagittarius girl, Bhavna. The first thing Bhavna does is check how Yogesh's birth chart compares with hers. As she is studying his chart, she sees that the stars predict that his first marriage will end in failure. According to astrology, only his second marriage will succeed.

The final girl is Capricorn, Jhankhana. She is an extremely shy and extremely traditional young girl. Yogesh smiles and asks her what she studies in college. This question causes the girl to freak out and start crying. As Yogesh looks around the house he sees pictures of Jhankhana in a schoolgirl outfit.

Having already seen all of the girls, Yogesh is as confused as ever. His mother tells him to calmly take the time to think of all the girls and to finally realize which one he is in love with. He falls asleep and we see the song 'Chehre Jo Dekhe Hain'. I actually really liked the picturisation for this song with all 12 girls together and interacting. This video actually allows you to see how Priyanka plays each of the characters differently with various mannerisms. And it's interesting to see them all interacting.

As a whole it was slightly disappointing. Mostly that's because I know what an amazing job Ashutosh Gowariker can do. Harman does a better job than he did in Love Story 2050, but I also feel that any male actor could have filled his shoes. I love the soundtrack of this movie, but most song situations were extremely manufactured.

Now, that's the negative stuff, but there is one big positive, and that is Priyanka Chopra. Wow. No actress has done a role like this, that is for sure. She really busts out the acting chops in this film. This is a great follow-up to Fashion and Kaminey, for sure.

The movie itself is also quite long. Though I didn't personally feel the length of the film, the general feedback from the audience was that it was dragging on. I personally felt that the second half of the film was much stronger than the first and that viewers should stick it out, because things do get more interesting.

The chemistry between Harman and Priyanka is pretty interesting, because it keeps changing as the characters change.

Overall, I think that What's Your Raashee was okay. I will admit that the story idea is quite interesting, though execution is not always the best it could be. It's the first time I've seen the ending credits roll by with the same name listed 12 times in a row. That's got to be worth something!

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Wanted Movie Review

This is for fans and foes of Salman Khan...
Fans, rejoice, Salman is back with a vengeance with WANTED. This is his deadliest performance to date. Yes, you read it right!
Foes, sorry, you won't be able to lash out at him or pick on him or launch a vicious tirade this time. The spate of flops should come to a grinding halt with WANTED.

Let's get this straight. WANTED rides on Salman Khan's star power. He may not be the best actor in town, but in a film like WANTED, in a role that seems like an extension of his personality, you can't think of anyone else enacting this role with flourish.

A remake of POKIRI [made in Telugu and Tamil versions], WANTED is a full on masala film. Recall the successful potboilers of yore. Recall how the good guy would reduce 10 hoodlums to pulp in a fraction of seconds. Recall how heroism prevailed in the end, no matter how adverse the circumstances were or how powerful the villains would be. Recall those movies in which logic took a backseat since the focus was on entertainment... You relive those moments as reel after reel of WANTED unfolds.

A departure from candyfloss movies and diabetic-sweet characters that most Hindi movies boast of, WANTED takes you back to those days when popular cinema reigned supreme, when the sole motive of the film-maker was to entertain.

The daring hero and his herogiri, the naïve girlfriend, the corrupt cop, the dreaded don, the don's moll, the fist-clinching henchmen... WANTED is for those who seek unabashed entertainment and relish masala films. Damn the indomitable critics, pseudo intellectuals and connoisseurs of parallel cinema, this one's not for them. WANTED is for the aam junta.

Radhe [Salman Khan] is a hardcore gangster. A sharpshooter with a sharp brain, he works for Gani Bhai [Prakash Raj], the dreaded Mafioso, but on his own terms. Totally fearless, Radhe single-handedly eliminates Gani Bhai's enemies one by one; making more enemies in the process.

He's astounded when the young and pretty Jahnvi [Ayesha Takia Azmi] professes her liking for him. Inspector Talpade's [Mahesh Manjrekar] lustful eyes fall on Jahnvi. He doesn't know that Jahnvi has developed a soft corner for Radhe.

Whether it's the Golden Gang or Data Pawle's Gang, everybody wants the biggest piece of the lucrative cake that is Mumbai and the only way to get it is to eliminate whoever gets in the way. As Mumbai reels under bloody gang wars, Commissioner Ashraf Khan [Govind Namdeo] vows to make the city crime free.

Director Prabhu Dheva serves a hardcore masala fare that's not inventive or path-breaking by any standard, but the execution of several scenes as also of stunts takes the graph of the film Northward. In fact, if at all there's any film that competes with GHAJINI as far as raw appeal goes, it's WANTED. Every action/stunt/chase here is choreographed with aplomb.

Watch out for the action sequence at the interval point or the penultimate half-an-hour. The climax is sure to send scores of action lovers in frenzy, as Salman bashes the evil forces black and blue. It wouldn't be erroneous to state that the climax is worth the price of the ticket, samosa, sandwich, popcorn, nachos and cola put together.

Not that this 18 reeler abounds in mindless action. As mentioned earlier, this one's a hardcore masala film and the narrative has its share of light moments and romantic sequences. Even the bad man here makes you laugh intermittently [when he's not spewing venom], especially in the sequence when the Commissioner of Police holds him captive in the middle of the sea. Even the romance between Salman and Ayesha charms its way into your heart. It's very likable.

But WANTED is not without its share of flaws. The film stands on a thin storyline and the viewer can guess what's in store next, which means that there's not much novelty in the plot. Besides, WANTED could've done without a song or two, thereby keeping its length in check.

Director Prabhu Dheva has presented Salman like never before. Most actors have drifted away from roles that hold tremendous mass appeal, that cater to the desi audience, like they did in the 1980s. SRK did it in OM SHANTI OM, Aamir Khan did it in GHAJINI and Salman does it so effortlessly in WANTED. The screenplay [Shiraz Ahmed] may not be foolproof, but it has its share of shining moments. Dialogues are clapworthy, especially those delivered by Salman.

Sajid-Wajid's music is of a mixed variety. 'Jalwa' is the best of the lot and the star presence of Anil Kapoor, Govinda and also Prabhu Dheva in this track will send the viewers into raptures. The remaining tracks oscillate between good and str***ly okay. This review would be incomplete without the invaluable contribution by the action director. It deserves brownie points. Cinematography too is top notch.

Salman is like a ferocious lion who roars with all his might. The show belongs to the actor, who scorches the screen every time he displays the manic anger. Without doubt, Salman gives the power to WANTED. It's his best work to date.

Ayesha Takia Azmi is very good and the pairing with Salman looks wonderful. Vinod Khanna is sidelined. He deserved more footage. Mahesh Manjrekar is excellent. He's only getting better with every film. Prakash Raj is first-rate. The accomplished actor adds yet another feather to his cap. Govind Namdeo is perfect.

Mahek Chahal radiates oomph. Aseem Merchant is alright. Raju Mavani is effective. Inder Kumar and Sajid are okay. Manoj Pahwa tries hard to make you laugh. Prateeksha Lonkar is as usual.

On the whole, WANTED rides on Salman, Salman and only Salman Khan's star power. A masala film that's aimed at the masses, WANTED is backed by tremendous hype and hoopla, which will result in the film taking an earth-shattering start at the ticket window. The Idd celebrations in the coming days will only enhance the business of the film, which means that the film will have a solid Week 1. The holidays in Week 2 should also be bountiful, thereby ensuring a strong place in the 'Hit' category.

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Agyaat - Movie Review

Ramgopal Varma thinks differently. This time too the maverick film-maker defies the stereotype and takes to the dense forests of Sri Lanka to meet an 'unknown' force.

But let's clear the misconception at the very start. AGYAAT is no supernatural thriller [like PHOONK] or a horror fest [like BHOOT]. This one's more of an adventure thriller that doesn't scare you at all, but makes you a participant in a pulse-pounding journey.

For any movie to succeed, it ought to keep the viewer engrossed first and foremost. AGYAAT succeeds in doing that, especially towards the second hour. You haven't witnessed a journey like the one in AGYAAT on the Hindi screen before. In the West, the most memorable film I can think of is THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT.

AGYAAT works for several factors. The dense jungle blows your mind away, the sound design and the background score are easily at par with international films, the camera movement is spectacular and of course, RGV's execution of the material is just right for a film of this genre.

But, at the same time, the culmination to the film is debatable. Of course, one would be doing gross injustice to the film by revealing the end, but it's bound to have its share of advocates and adversaries. It might bring a smile on your face or a smirk, but the fact remains that the reactions would be in extremes.

Final word? Take a trip!

A film unit goes for a shoot deep into a forest. They settle at a place with bare minimal facilities run by a strange and quirky man called Setu [Joy Fernandes]. The hero of the film, Sharman [Gautam Rode], is a completely self-obsessed man with no other concern except for his muscles and the leading lady, Aasha [Priyanka Kothari].

The team consists of the director [Howard Rosemeyer], producer [Ishrat Ali], the superstar's spot boy [Ishteyak], cinematographer [Kali Prasad Mukherjee], action director [Ravi Kale], second assistant [Rasika Duggal] and an assistant director [Nitin Reddy].

It all begins when the camera conks off... They have two days waiting for the replacement to arrive and with no form of entertainment or communication, when Setu suggests a camping trip into the forest, they jump at the opportunity. As they settle near a pond for the night, Setu hears a strange sound. He goes to investigate and never returns. After a desperate search, they discover his dead body.

Panic sets in among the unit members and they jump into the vehicle, but they being unfamiliar with the terrain results in an accident. Completely lost and trapped in the jungle as Setu, the only guy who knows the way out, is dead, they don't know which way to move to get out of the forest.

The first 25 minutes of AGYAAT are very unlike an RGV film. In a majority of his films, RGV comes to the point at the very start, but AGYAAT begins with a dream song [so unlike RGV] and the next 20 minutes are devoted to introducing the characters.

The film actually takes off when the unit decides to penetrate into the jungles and Setu is murdered. From that point onwards, the by-now-famous RGV stamp is visible in several sequences. The two deaths before the interval [Joy Fernandes and Ishrat Ali] are brilliantly executed, especially Ishrat's murder at the interval point.

AGYAAT becomes an adventure ride in the post-interval portions. Though it rests on a thin story, it's the adventure element that drives the film to its destination. There are deaths galore, but it's not blood or gore that puts you off. The murders are depicted very, very differently, leaving a lot to your imagination.

RGV experiments again, this time attempting an all-new genre. It must've been extremely difficult to shoot in the forests, that's the first thought that crosses your mind. As mentioned at the very outset, the sound design [Dwarak Warrier], background score [Amar Mohile] and cinematography [Surjodeep Ghosh] are top notch. Thee three names contribute enormously to RGV's vision.

Now to the actors! Nitin Reddy [a star in Telugu films] makes a first-rate debut in Hindi films. He dances exceptionally well [the film begins with a dance] and his confident performance make him an actor to watch out for. Priyanka Kothari shows vast improvement over her previous works. She's good this time. Gautam Rode enacts the hot-headed superstar with conviction.

Every actor in the film makes an impression, but Ishteyak, Kali Prasad Mukherjee and Rasika Duggal stand out.

On the whole, AGYAAT has an absorbing second half, but the culmination to the film would meet with diverse reactions. At the box-office, the distributors have recovered a substantial chunk of their investment from its dubbed Telugu rights and the remainder should be recovered given its aggressive promotional campaign and extensive release [700 + screens in Hindi belt]. The low-cost film, therefore, should prove to be a profitable venture on the strength of its economics!

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