Dec21
Dec18
This week’s recommendation: OMG: Oh My God!
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Starring Paresh Rawal, Akshay Kumar, Mitun Chakraborty, Om Puri.
Review:
Probably the best underdog of the year. A director whom we have not heard of much in the recent times, Umesh Shukla, gives us this comedy drama which inevitably invokes the thinking side of our brains and enlightens us on some of the aspects of how often we cross the lines on the name of our God and our devotion towards him.
The direction could have been improved and some cheesy bits could have been removed or altered, like for example, the introduction of Akshay Kumar which was a complete rip-off from Ghost Rider. I seriously do not understand why some of our Bollywood directors resort to copying what was already shown in Hollywood in movies with A-Class stars.
However, that grudge aside, the movie and what it sets out to achieve is nothing short of brilliant. It is like a rude slap on the face of the overly devoted Indians or any overly devoted person in fact. It primarily takes Hinduism head on and the points out in numerous ways on how we spend millions of rupees on our Gods by pouring milk on the idols (which goes into waste) and donating in thousands of rupees when the temple is already rich and earning in the millions. On the other hand we refrain with detest from spending a single rupee on the poor, handicapped and disadvantaged people sitting and begging right outside those temples.
The way the story is presented is absolutely fantastic and the script has been written tightly so that the audience is never distracted. It is in fact inspired from the English movie “The man who sued God” and also adapted from a Gujarati play. They rightly say so during the opening credits and I applaud that move by the director. We often have movies made in Bollywood which are heavily inspired by other movies but rarely credit is given to them.
Story in brief:
The whole story revolves around just one character: Kanjibhai. This atheist (one who does not believe in God) is stuck with extreme bad luck when his antique shop is completely destroyed in an earthquake while rest of his community is not effected. Of course, our Kanjibhai is smart fellow and has everything insured soundly. But his bad luck streak continues when the insurance company nulls his insurance policy based on the fact that an earthquake is an “Act of God” and they can’t do anything about it.
Being an atheist, Kanjibhai finds this complete unfair and vows to get his money back either from the insurance company or the God himself. What follows is some of the most simplistic yet most convincing arguments that we have seen. The way Kanjibhai fights his own case (which idiotic lawyer would fight against God?), how he gets support from unexpected people and how the “Religious Leaders” try to bring him down is all what the movie is about.
Songs:
Not a movie for songs in my opinion and I am glad that they did not overly concentrate on bringing out top-notch songs for this. A movie like this, a drama like this can depend on a background soundtrack but not on song and dance sequences. That is exactly what was done in this movie. There are songs but they are not so critical whereby a part of the story is depicted through them.
Acting:
Paresh Rawal. There is a reason why he has been in so many hits. Right from the days of Ram Lakhan till now. We have seen him in so many comedy roles that having a comedy movie without him is hard to fathom. What was needed in this movie was very demanding. A comic personality with a zest to fight the Religious “rowdyism”. And this is what Paresh Rawal delivered. It is an outstanding performance and one that is done so well that people who see him for first time (there are not many unless you are new to Bollywood movies) will start referring to him as Kanjibhai in the future.
And then there is God. Played by our Khiladi actor, Akshay Kumar. A modern-day Lord Krishna. Akshay Kumar is yet another comedian of sorts. He handles any role with easy and the way he portrays Lord Krishna is adorable and you feel your affection towards him just the way you might feel towards Lord Krishna if you are his devotee.
Mithun Chakraborty plays the leader of the Religious movement who plans on bringing down Kanjibhai. The way he walks, his facial expressions change, and his hand movement are just brilliant! He does his role in such a way that you will love his acting but start hating his character. No one, I repeat, no one could have pulled of this character better than Mithun.
There is nothing much to write home about Om Puri. He is one of the most established actors and has done so many varied roles. Again his performance in this is top notch although shorter than you would expect.
Moral:
The movie tackles the hot topic of how Religion is being turned into a business and how people blindly put their faith and trust and more importantly, money on their loving Gods purely on the name of devotion. It shows how temples are worth millions of rupees and get richer by the second while the nation itself is still poor and there are people dying of hunger right outside the doorstep of temples. It shows how we, the public, are so cruel and do not bother to help our less advantaged people but are ready to donate our Gold necklace or a hundred thousand rupees to Gods.
The movie tells us that there is one thing above any kind of devotion or donation to our Gods and Temples, that is helping other less fortunate people.
Ending notes:
This is the kind of movies India needs. A country which is rapidly falling into corruption on scales never seen before, a country which is losing its morals and traditions faster than a bus, packed with people, hurtling down the hill. These are the kind of movies which can and will improve people and inspire at least one out of a thousand to make a stand to help the less fortunate. I only wish this movie was more heavily advertised and shown for free in certain parts of India so that the maximum number of people can get to watch it. Thank you Umesh Shukla for such an eye-opening movie.
I’ve watched:
Once and counting!
Trailer:
Apr15
This week’s recommendation, Chosen by You: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Starring Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol, Katrina Kaif, Kalki Koechlin, Naseeruddin Shah.
Review:
After Luck By Chance, director Zoya Akhtar brings us ZNMD. From what little we have seen of her, we know that her movies don’t follow the usual boy meets girl, girl’s father disagrees, boy fights goons sent by girl’s father, boy wins girl’s AND father’s heart storyline. I can’t say with how much passion I hate that kinda storylines.
That being said, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara somehow turned out to be a “Dil Chahta Hai” of sorts of the current age. To those who don’t know Dil Chahta Hai (IMDB 8.3) , it was a cult classic hit made a decade ago and was the first direction by Farhan Akhtar. It changed the rule books of Bollywood which was tuned to making lovey dovey sappy movies like Hum Apke Hain Kaun, Dil Wale Dulhania Le Jayenge e.t.c. Dil Chahta Hai brought a new age in terms of storylines and direction.
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is not going to change the pages of Bollywood. But it would be remembered as one of the movies which showed what talent we have in Indian Cinema. Direction was first class, acting was brilliant, story was immersing, music is refreshing, choreography and cinematography was simple and perfect. You are taken on a ride with these three friends and shown the issues that they face and how they overcome it by going on the road trip that they always wanted.
Story in brief:
Arjun, Kabir and Imran. These are the three friends. Arjun, a financial broker from London, played by Hrithik, Kabir, who comes from a wealthy construction business, played by Abhay and Imran, a writer who earns little compared to the other two, played by Farhan. Kabir’s engagement to Natasha (played by Kalki) sets about the trio onto planning a long overdue road trip to Spain.
Through this trip, they face and overcome their issues with the help of their friends. Kabir for one, doesn’t know for sure if he is ready for the marriage. Arjun on the other hand has become workaholic and still holds Imran guilty of his break-up with Sunani. Imran is searching for his father who had long abandoned him and his mother right after he was born.
Songs:
A lot can be said about a Bollywood movie from the songs it has in it. This movie starts off with the song Dil Dhadakne Do and shows as the three friends prepare themselves for their long-awaited road trip. The lyrics and tune just somehow make you end up feeling as if you are preparing on a holiday. In fact, if you are hate going to work (like 99% of us do) then you should listen to this song everyday morning! Might actually make you feel better, who knows!
Ik Junoon, played during the La Tomatina festival is another great piece as well. And in my view, the best one has to be Khwabon ke Parindey. The cinematography done is absolutely fantastic. Getting the video to carry the emotion being portrayed in the lyrics of the song is a tough job. There are very few songs which nail it to this perfection. The drive through the Spanish openness and the blue skies all around make it even more perfect.
Besides the songs, you should also watch out for the poems mentioned throughout the movie. They are definitely worth mentioning and their timing, the voice of Farhan narrating them, was very well done.
All the songs and poems are worth mentioning in fact but that would make you boring as I would go on and on and on. So lets carry on.
Acting:
I have been waiting to write about this. When you combine Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol and Hrithik Roshan, what do you get? A feast for your eyes of course! Abhay Deol, has always been a sort of underdog. Comes in very few movies. Most of his movies follow a totally out of mainstream storylines. Has never done a masala movie. And, is doing it right. What an actor he is! Gets right into the character and delivers on every scene. The emotional range he is able to portray is amazing. In one scene he and Farhan are making fun of Hrithik by imitating their college teacher’s accent and in a scene just a few moments later, he is playing the serious mediator between Farhan and Hrithik. It’s a roller coaster ride I say!
Farhan Akhtar. I absolutely loved his role and acting in Rock On! movie. He comes from easily one of the most talented family in India. If you see his Wikipedia page, it’s mentioned that he is “an actor, director, producer, lyricist, playback singer, television host, screenwriter”. And he does all those brilliantly! In this movie, his silly antics would get you smiling in no time. Especially the scene where he sends off Hrithik & Katrina on a night walk so that he could get a little more time with his sweetheart and how he makes the entrance into the room to woo her!
And then we have Hrithik Roshan. The first thing I would say is that even with the little scope for dance moves this movie had, he still made his mark! He has had a few dud movies of late but nevertheless, his acting was never in question. In fact, most of his movies get critical acclaim for his acting regardless of the box office collections. The inner turmoil he faced, how he overcame them and how he understood the meaning of life and how to enjoy it are shown in his every scene. I especially liked the scene just after their diving trip and how he tears on having conquered his inner fear of water and feels the tranquility and peacefulness of being alone in massive body of water.
Katrina Kaif. She is definitely a pleasure to watch for any guy. As for her acting though, she leaves a little bit more to be desired. Not that her acting is bad, she has definitely improved over the years. Previously, her acting was utter rubbish and you couldn’t even watch it without cringing. If there was an award for most progress made, it would go to this girl for sure for what she has made of her acting skills and dancing skills. Her reaction and understanding to Farhan’s request on her and Hrithik going on a long night walk was done very well.
I don’t need to mention much about Naseeruddin Shah or Deepti Naval. Where ever they act, they leave a mark!
It was a pleasure to watch the scene around a dinner table in Spain just after a dance performance by the locals. You have everyone on the table, Hrithik, Farhan, Abhay, Katrina, Kalki and Ariadna (the Spanish girl). The simultaneous existence of tension in the scene and the subtle comedy involved was just too good to watch. You end up not knowing if to laugh or be serious.
Moral:
There is no single moral in this movie to say and be done with it. It just goes to show how we might face difficulties in life. In fact, how everyone faces one or the other kind of difficulty and how it is not impossible to overcome those fears and difficulties. And yes, you can say that it is easier to overcome if you had a friend or two helping you face your issues. But if you don’t take a positive step in trying to overcome them, then nobody can help you.
Life isn’t all about working and earning big money. Life is about enjoying the journey and the little aspects of it. And if we have any regrets, it’s better to set about correcting them rather than leaving them as it is only to be bothered by them from time to time.
Ending notes:
I want to go on a road trip to Spain together with my fiancée, my brother and my sis-in-law! This movie makes you want to go out with your friends and family and have an adventure of a trip.
I’ve watched:
2 times and counting!
Trailer:
Apr12
Avoid at all costs: Rascals
Genre: Comedy
Starring Ajay Devgan, Sanjay Dutt, Kangana Ranaut, Arjun Rampal, Lisa Haydon
Review:
David Dhawan, the good comedy director, has completely lost it. This could easily be one of the worst movies I watched in 2011. I cringed and muttered under my breath while watching this movie. It’s unbelievably stupid. There are some bits and pieces of information stringed together to form a story. Watching this movie is like listening to a boring guy telling you boring jokes thinking it is the most hilarious thing. The comedy in this movie will make you cry.
Story in brief:
I don’t even remember. I was angry and disappointed that David Dhawan, who gave us so many other better brainless comedies with the actor Govinda, could do this to us. Oh wait, it’s coming to my mind. It’s some story about 2 con-men who try to win the heart of a wealthy girl. Yes yes. Sounds like the classic Andaz Apna Apna perhaps. But they are worlds apart.
Songs:
They should have just released the songs without any movie. No, I am not saying the songs were good. They failed as well. But at least you wouldn’t be tortured for such a long time and at least you wouldn’t go to a theater expecting a good laugh or two but only receive a cheap cliché so-called comedy.
Acting:
This shows that big names doesn’t mean the movie will work. Both Ajay Devgan and Sanjay Dutt must have had sleepless nights after seeing their performances in this movie. They were not even funny in the least bit. Both are good at comedy. After all, we received movies like Golmaal & Munnabhai from them. But in this one, it’s simply a disaster.
Kangana Ranaut. My dear sweetie, please, could you just give up on doing comedy roles? I had a hard time watching you and your pathetic acting. I didn’t know if to laugh at your honest attempt at comedy or cry because of the way you acted.
Probably only Arjun Rampal was noteworthy. But then, his on-screen duration is very low and definitely not enough to save the movie.
Moral:
Big names and proven track records from Actors and Directors don’t mean anything. They can stump you and leave you dumbfounded as to what hit you. But sooner or later, you realize that crap hit you.
Ending notes:
I want my 2 odd hours back! Honestly, you would be more entertained counting the number of fingers you had for 2 hours.
I’ve watched:
Embarrassed to admit: 1 time.
Trailer:
Coming Soon!
Apr10
You choose, I review!
Apr9
This week’s recommendation: 3 Idiots
Genre: Comedy
Starring Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Boman Irani, Sharman Joshi, Madhavan
Review:
This has to be easily one of the best Hindi movie after a long time. It has everything in it that a Bollywood movie should have. It has comedy, sentiments, songs and top class acting. Generally I would support all of Aamir Khan’s movies blindly as he is one actor who has shown consistency in the recent years unlike the other Khans who have managed to do keep it only to hits and misses.
Story in brief:
The story starts off in a brilliant way and within the first 10 minutes you find out that its a journey being undertaken by 2 college friends to find their 3rd friend. Along this journey you would come to know about a long forgotten bet made to a nerd, a wedding that the friends need to crash to steal the bride from her own wedding and a funeral which goes totally out of control.
Songs:
What is a Bollywood movie without its trademark songs and dances? Some movies over do it, some under do it. But 3 Idiots is spot on. You realise that on the first song itself. The picturization is absolutely breathtaking to say the least. And it also plays an important part in establishing how the friendship was between the 2 guys and the 3rd missing guy. Its a peaceful melody and if you are as imaginative as me, would find yourself wishing you were experiencing the location with the actors first hand.
The rest of the songs are aptly placed throughout the movie. You don’t feel at any point that the flow of the story has been sacrificed just for the sake of putting the song in. And the song adds to the overall mood of the movie. The editing done on the movie and these songs is plain fantastic.
Acting:
Its Aamir. What more do I need to say? I always tend to be more biased toward him but then, he is worth being biased to. In the recent crop of Bollywood actors, he is one whom many Indians are proud of when talking to their non-Indian friends. This guy knows how to act. Doesn’t matter what kind of role it is. He will do it and deliver his 100%. He played a character which was half his age in this movie and you won’t even notice if you didn’t know his real age. That too, just after doing the character of the most beefed up and possessed guy in Ghajini.
As for Shaman Joshi & Madhavan, their acting is on par with Aamir’s. They deliver their dialogues and punchlines with such ease that you feel that those are their real characters. Without these 2 guys, this movie would have definitely not become what it is. Their versatility and the range of emotions they are able to show is just incredible.
Nothing much to be said about Kareena Kapoor in fact. She has a much more minor role but does fulfill her role pleasingly without overdoing it or such.
Oh Boman Irani! This might be one of his career best performances! He is such a joy to watch! First in Munnabhai MBBS as a principal and now here. Just outstanding! You begin to hate him and relate him to your principal or teachers that you never liked in school.
Moral:
What’s a movie without a moral? This movie, 3 Idiots, definitely has one. It shows the harsh and unacceptable path that the Indian education system has taken. It shows how every single parent expects their child to be an engineer, doctor or lawyer. And how the interests of the child are never really taken note off. The only thing the parents want from their children is good grades, good degree and a great job. They forget to see that that is not what life is all about. Life is about enjoying the journey. Its about doing things that you like. Its about excelling in things that you like.
I would say this is a hard subject, but the way the movie handles this topic is just amazing. You don’t realise the harsh truth the movie is showing immediately. But it makes you to start thinking about the screwed up education system we have in India, where only grades are given applause and other talents like sports or photography are ridiculed.
Ending notes:
As the movie comes to an end, I strongly felt that I wish the journey wasn’t over. I wished the movie just went on and I could happily dwell in the comics and adventures of these 3 Idiots. Not many movies bring such a strong feeling in you. For me, this was one of them. Just an outstanding movie.
I’ve watched:
5 times and counting!
Trailer:
Apr2
This week’s recommendation: Munnabhai M.B.B.S
Genre: Comedy
Starring Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani, Gracy Singh & Sunil Dutt.
Review:
A movie directed by Rajkumar Hirani and written by both him and Vidhu Vinod Chopra is a must watch in my list! Just to give you an idea, this duo gave us 3 Idiots and also the second part of this movie, Lage Raho Munnabhai!
This movie hits everything in the right note. Its a hilarious roller coaster ride of original jokes that anyone would find hard not to laugh at. It is a light hearted movie which makes you laugh and appreciate the smaller things in life that we take so much for granted. Oh ya, you would get used the term “jadu ki jappi” (magical hug) in this movie.
Story in brief:
Its the story of a gangster, or bhai in Hindi, who lives in Mumbai. His parents, living in a village, are made to believe that he has become a reputable doctor and feel proud to have such a smart and capable son who gives to the society by running a charity clinic. The fun starts when he gets to know that his parents would be visiting him in Mumbai and he rushes to change things to appear like a real doctor. He even ends up joining a real medical school in his pursuit and being a gangster, locks horns with the principal who is flabbergasted that a gangster is in the midst of his college’s finest students. The movie is about how this small time gangster goes to break his parents hearts and wins it in the end. Its about how a bhai with no medical background shows the doctors that sometimes when all the medicines don’t work, only laughter and love work.
Songs:
The songs and tunes of this movie are as joyous as the movie itself. All the tunes have a catchy tune and have been picturized with over the top colors and sounds. But it doesn’t end up sounding odd or awkward. They suit the movie and have been placed appropriately with purpose throughout the movie.
Acting:
Sanjay Dutt. He is a tough one to judge. A man who has given us Khal Nayak almost 2 decades ago! A lot has changed for this actor. Court cases, jail visits, links with terrorists and what not. It shows in his age and his acting as well to some extent. He has given a credible and good performance but there are instances when you feel that he could have done better. He definitely has the talent and there is no doubt about that.
Arshad Warsi! This guy is just plain hilarious. I have seen him in so many comedies to date. This is just a natural genre for him. His dialogue delivery is flawless and one would just laugh by looking at his antics and character. He is a true joy to watch on the screen and for this movie, he is an absolute necessity. Without him, I think the movie might not have been even half as funny.
And as usual, the principal role goes to… Boman Irani of course! He is the “villain” of the movie if I can say that and he plays the role brilliantly. Its hard to find any flaws in his acting. First of all, his image suits that of a stern principal and his dialogue delivery is full of amusing tone variations you laugh even if he is serious!
For the actress, Gracy Singh, there is nothing much to mention in fact. This movie doesn’t really need an actress per se, but well its a Bollywood movie and we do need some songs! Anyway, she does justice to her role and fits fine into the cast. The role she has is rather simple so it isn’t a challenge for any actress in fact.
Moral:
In this age and technology, we leave everything to the doctors and medicines and technology. We put our complete trust in them and expect miracles from them. And when they don’t deliver, we scrutinize them and blame them. They are just human beings after all. They are not Gods. We forget that the simplest cure in our live is sometimes free. That’s joy, love and laughter. Of course there is no scientific basis to prove that you recover from illness. But it reduces your sickness and pain undoubtedly. It goes to show that a person might be rather simple hearted and a fool but because he is so simple, he can teach us simple things which we might have long forgotten while chasing our dreams and aspirations.
Ending notes:
You end up with a happy feeling after this movie and you feel more positive towards life. It somehow made me feel appreciation towards the little things that we take for granted in our lives. And I won’t be surprised if you genuinely start behaving better towards other fellow human beings!
I’ve watched:
2 times and counting!
Trailer:
Mar26
This week’s recommendation: Rann
Genre: Drama
Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Ritesh Deshmukh, Mohnish Behl, Paresh Rawal, Gul Panag.
Review:
Director Ram Gopal Varma, or better known as RGV, gives us Rann after a long spell of ridiculously bad movies. To those who don’t know, this guy did a remake of the 1975 cult classic Sholay as Aag. I just need to say one thing: Aag is No.18 in the Bottom 100 list of IMDB. Enough said.
That’s where you need to know one thing. RGV is like those rapidly fluctuating stocks. Rann simply is one of the best movies shown to what extent corruption shapes our country and affects the people. The movie shows a corporate fight between 2 News Channels and the unethical means and extent to which they go just to garner viewer ratings and make money. The direction is top-notch and the editing has been done brilliantly. This adds on to building tension and uneasiness. The story grabs your attention right from the start till the end.
Story in brief:
2 News agencies, 1 Bomb blast, 1 Honest reporter, 1 Corrupt Son, 1 Self-Righteous Father.
The News agencies upon learning about the bomb blast race to bring it first to the television screens and provide the quickest updates to the public. They begin to hunt for materials to show on television and even creating materials implicating top-level politicians wrongfully. Vijay (Amitabh Bachchan) leads the respected India 24 channel and Amrish (Mohnish Behl) leads Headlines 24/7 channel. There is a strong rivalry as Amrish used to be a subordinate of Vijay and feels jealous of him and detests Vijay. This is where Purab (Ritesh Deshmukh) steps in as a journalist for India 24 under Vijay. An admirer of Vijay and his ethics. But soon he witnesses a breaking news presentation by Vijay which he feels doesn’t fit the ethical image he had of Vijay. The movie sets an amazing pace through which you see how he goes about gathering information and how he might end up shattering more lives than just one.
Songs:
RGV knows his movies. This was an absolutely serious movie with a brilliant pace which could have been absolutely destroyed with any non-sensical song and dance sequences. Yes, there are no songs in this movie.
Acting:
I personally didn’t consider Ritesh to be a top-level actor. Until I watched this movie. He just amazed me with the range of emotions (and sometimes the lack of them) and he could have very well given one of his career best performances. One can’t and one shouldn’t take him lightly. He has incredible potential as an actor. He plays a very vital and almost the core role for this movie along with Amitabh Bachchan. And his performance is just riveting.
Amitabh Bachchan. Many call Shah Rukh Khan as the King of Bollywood. But Amitabh Bachchan is the God of Bollywood. He proves it over and over again. His performance is flawless. And watch towards the end of the movie for a a dialogue delivery by him which lasts for some 8 minutes! Its being said by many that this was done in a single continuous take! Yes, no retakes, no breaks. I am not sure how true this is, but if any actor can do it in Bollywood, it is him.
Everybody else delivers exactly what was expected of them. Mohnish Behl fulfils his negative role very well and you almost feel evil seething out of him. Sudeep, does very well as the son of Amitabh and he showcases a stereotype of how people can turn bad from greediness and bad company. Gul Panag has a very small role and of not any importance in the movie.
Moral:
You might be a man of ethics, rules and principles. But at the end of the day, you are still a human. And so, even if you are someone like Vijay Malik, you are prone to make mistakes. Big Mistakes. What is more important though is whether you own up to your mistakes irregardless of the implications it has for you and everybody else.
This movie shows why you can’t believe everything you see and hear. It’s like how you feel after knowing that the image manipulation software Adobe Photoshop is used to modify 85% pictures in all magazines and publications. You can’t trust those pictures anymore to be original. After watching this movie, you can’t trust any News Channels anymore. They can do anything. To get viewer ratings and money.
Ending notes:
This movie might just make you to start thinking about some of the things that you see in the news or have already seen in the past. A movie which makes you think long after watching it is definitely a good movie in my books.
I’ve watched:
3 times and counting!
Trailer:
bollywood4outsiders 