Vishwaroop

 

                                                                       The first in India

               

              In spite of having seen decent action sequences in some recently released films like Ek tha Tiger, action in Indian films has been incomparably inferior to that produced in the west. Writer, co-producer and director Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroop is a perfect example to break this convention and is to date the most technically sound film made in India. This can perhaps become your sole reason to catch it this week in the theatres.

                Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroop totally sucks you into the plot within the first few minutes of the run time.  It is easily amusing to see an effeminate hero dance kathak on a classical number, in a spy thriller in the very beginning of the film. But it soon starts to lose its grip with some scattered writing in the second half.  Hasan writes a non linear screenplay and tries his best to keep the suspense intact, but the story is often too simple to even pretend to have anything hidden.  And in this desperate play of the screenplay, Hasan introduces unnecessary characters and scenes which add nothing but an excessive run time.

                It all starts with narration from Dr Nirupama(Pooja Kumar) an oncologist in the states, who is married with an hidden agenda to an effeminate and much older husband,Vishwanath(Kamal Haasan). Having to self hide her guilt of an affair with her boss, she hires a spy to find out a possible extra-marital affair of her husband. Soon the spy falls into the wrong hands while chasing Vishwanath, and things start to unfold and all the lies to unveil.

 



                A large portion of the film is shot in parts of the terrorist camps of Afghanistan and is easily the highlight of the film. The combat including the bombings, the Arab culture and especially the vicious terroristic influence on the kids of the jihads is shown with utmost genuineness which makes it a well researched film. Hasan excels in showing emotions of the innocent Arabs living life on the edge in Afghanistan.  For instance, a scene where an innocent Arab accused of being a traitor is hanged to death on a crane while the mother cries helplessly reveals the intense atmosphere in the country.

                The camera work is excellent with clean cinematography capturing the lonely arid deserts of Afghanistan and cold snowy winter of New York. Editing is uniquely done, especially the spoofy edits when the narration changes timelines.

                Pooja Kumar as Dr. Nirupama is well cast, she often struggles to match up to Hasan’s performance, but succeeds in most providing a comic relief in the film. It is interesting to see Rahul Bose cast as a jihad, especially when the casting team had a lot of other options. He seems a little uncomfortable in his character, and doesn’t finds a spot for it. Shekar Kapoor has limited work, and he hardly shines through whatever he gets. Praising Kamal Hasan for a good performance is like calling sugar sweet; from being the effeminate to the macho guy, he gets it all bang on!

                Vishwaroop could have been a great film had it managed to find a smarter script. Yet, the film is easily watchable and I would recommend a watch as this film has touched such a height of excellence in the technical department that no Indian film has to date.

                For the record the film doesn’t make any derogatory remarks on any sane community of the world, and the film clearly deals with anti-terrorism ideals and the reality of the terrorists groups of Taliban in Afghanistan.

 

I am going with a 3 out of 5 for Kamal Hasan’s Vishwaroop. Watch it for its technical finesse and to have a closer look at the reality of Afghanistan



 

 

 

Race 2

All tried and tested, yet unapologetically immature

 

            Director duo Abbas Mustan’s Race 2 reminds you of the very recently released Dabang 2 and also makes you realise how the Hindi film industry lacks imagination and originality. Race 2 is yet another sequel produced to a successful predecessor and is amusingly similar to it. The twists appear at similar situations, but this time they are painfully predictable.

                Abbas Mustan yet again attempt their signature stylized and slick action thriller with Race 2, but are ditched but a patchy script which craves for logic. Race may not have been the most logical of thrillers, but its surprising twists had made it an engaging film. Race 2 offers neither a surprise nor  thrill for it is a film with a scattered and confused story. However, the film starts with a plot having potential and leaves with you a higher expectation at the end of the first half. The second totally falters.

                Characters are either repeated from the first part or replaced by similar ones in this sequel. Ranvir Singh(Saif Ali Khan) is the same smart rich man, this time with a motive of his own. John Abraham replaces Akshay Khanna as Arman Malik, a filthy rich businessman ever ready to expand his empire. Both characters have opposing agendas and use other characters to win over each other. Abbas Mustan use their skills of showing slick action sequences, exotic foreign locales and good looking men and women with least amount of clothing. Race 2 is certainly an ambitious project and it shows on its expensive production design and the star-cast.

                Certain action sequences have clarity and good editing while the climax sequence shot on a flying private jet is ridiculously illogical and badly animated and can become a reason why some might totally dislike the film. Cinematography is decent and the camera captures decent looking locales of Turkey. Songs pop in the movie at the most unnecessary situations and can be easily annoying. Music is average. Background score is good.

                Amongst the actors, everyone fits well into their parts except John Abraham, whose performance falls at various moments and the big muscular body just doesn’t help.

                Race 2 has it all, big money, glamour, cleavage and stars but a patchy story and not surprising twists waste all the glitter its makers gave it.

 

I am going with a 2.5 out of 5 for Abbas Mustan’s Race 2, watch it if you are willing to enjoy all the glamour without a good story.

 

 

 

 

Trailer:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bollywood 2012

 

BOLLYWOOD MOVIES 2012

 

#10 :

 

EK MAIN AUR EK TU
 

 

#9 :

 

SHANGHAI

 

 

#8 :

 

DELHI SAFARI

 

 

#7 :



AGNEEPATH











 

 

#6

 

VICKY DONOR

                              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AND

 

 

OMG! OH MY GOD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#5

 

TALAASH

 

#4

 

GANGS OF WASSEYPUR 1 & 2

 

 



#3

 

 



PAAN SINGH TOMAR

 

 AND

 

 

KAHAANI

   

 

#2 

 

ENGLISH VINGLISH

 

 

 

 

BARFI!

 

 

In a nutshell:

#1 Barfi

#2 English Vinglish

#3 Paan Singh Tomar and Kahaani

#4 Gangs of wasseypur

#5 Talaash

#6 Vicky Donor and Oh My God

#7 Agneepath

#8 Delhi Safari

#9 Shanghai

#10 Ek Main aur Ek Tu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Special Thanks to Mr Bhavya Chadva for providing valuable suggestions for finalising the rankings! 

 



Dabang 2

New pot from the same mould

 

                Debutant director, Arbaz Khan’s Dabang 2, a sequel to the blockbuster hit of 2010, Dabang, is more of a good business opportunity to its makers than just a film. Dabang 2 feeds on the success of its predecessor, and heavily at that! It has almost become a rule to produce a sequel to every successful film that is made in the Hindi film industry, be it the Dhooms, the Housefuls or now the Dabangs. But it is clear that magical films do not get made every day and on the top of it, to reproduce the magic in the sequel without solid content is rather a weird task.

                Dabang 2 happens to be a caricature of Dabang in almost all ways. But this replica falls short of recreating the magic its predecessor created. Having said that, Dabang 2 is not particularly a bad film.  Director Arbaz Khan and writer Dilip Shukla make a decent entertainer with some witty and comic dialogues, wacky action sequences and good performances.

 



                What keeps this film from being a good film is the simply the story which is coherently similar to Dabang's except that Chulbul now has a happy joint family and a pregnant wife. The clichéd and extra ordinarily influential villain whose ego is periodically tickled by Chulbul and then a chance for a big revenge is what Dabang had, and is naturally inherited by its sequel’s script.

                What’s good about this sequel which none of the sequels in Bollywood have managed before is that, its director maintains the image of its protagonist from the predecessor rather than going overboard. Chulbul Pandey is as strong and flamboyant as in Dabang without getting extra powers or qualities. I believe the character is what the audience will cherish and connect to in Dabang 2. Arbaz Khan as a director captures some really mature and touching interactions between Chulbul and his wife (played by Sonakshi Sinha) and celebrates post marriage romance onscreen.

                Screenplay is very amateur and you literally see the film running in a cyclic order of action-drama-romance-songs making the already weak script annoyingly predictable. Action is stylised with an effective background score and good editing, however, it seems overdone in parts. The entry action sequence is lengthy and monotonous while the finale sequence is disappointing. Music is average and the funniest part is that each song inherits from its coinciding song from Dabang in terms of singers, tune, setting and the situation in the story. Dabang 2 is a new pot from the same mould!

                Prakash Raj plays the overpowered villain, he can never disappoint. But don’t expect a Singham level performance because he surprisingly has a less screen time. Arbaz Khan and Vinod Khanna carry their characters ahead with ease. Sonakshi Sinha cake walks through another role in the shadow of a flamboyant hero played by a big star. Salman Khan as Robinhood Pandey or this time the Kung Fu Pandey steals the show. You will find the same Chulbul, a little fat though, delivering big faced one liners, smacking goons with ease and going shirtless in the finale sequence. Salman Khan never pretends to know to act, but pulls it off with sheer screen presence and his real life dabang attitude reflected on screen.

                Dabang 2 is neither a magical film nor a trash! But it’s earning big buks for its producer is inevitable just as the consequent production of a dozen more Dabangs is!

               

I am going with a 2.5 out of 5 for Arbaz Khan’s Dabang 2. If pure Salman Khan entertainer is what you are looking for, then Dabang 2 is your destination this festive season.



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Trailer:

 

Talaash

 

Much more than suspense

           

More than anything else Reema Kagtis’s Talaash is primarily a story of Mumbai’s underbelly; a significant part of Mumbai which is treated as cursed and its inhabitants mercilessly ignored. Co-writers Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar weave a suspense drama in this dark, yet not dull side of Mumbai.

It all starts with a death of a film star in a supposed car accident, doubted as a murder. Inspector Srujan Shekhawat finds himself caught in this complex case which looks too simple on its exterior. Simultaneously, Shekhawat struggles to face the loss of a loved one and handling an almost broken marriage with Roshni(Rani Mukherjee). He befriends Rosie(Kareena Kapoor), a sex worker, who appears very kind, attractive and helpful to Shekhawat. She puts forward convenient clues at convenient moments to Shekhawat to push him deeper into the case. The story is not just about the murder in a red light area of Mumbai, it goes deeper into the emotions of each character. By the end of it, you certainly sympathize with every character’s journey in the story and may even identify with their struggle if not the life.

 

Director Reema Kagti writes a gripping screenplay such that even if the story flows slowly, you never really get weary of it and lose interest. Talaash’s biggest achievement is its crispy writing, tight screenplay and at times, entertaining dialogues.Real characters, real locations and a dark bloomy cinematography add to the effect.

Talaash benefits from a bang on casting. Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Taimur, a guy for the bad-jobs, ambitious to have a good life is mind blowing and a highlight amongst the actors. Kareena Kapoor is decently good, but she gets it too sophisticated some times. Rani Mukherjee is terrific as a struggling wife. She gets into every bit of her character’s reality and doesn’t shy away from having no make-up. Aamir Khan as a cop brings a lot of dignity to his character. Watch him in scenes with Rani Mukherjee and you will realize the depth he gets into his role.

Now coming down to what everyone has been waiting for: The Answer. Being a suspense film, a grand revelation at the end is apparent. The question is how has Talaash got it? Well, according to me, there can be a mixed reaction among the audience. To me, purely as a movie watcher, the revelation didn’t totally appeal. After having invested so much of my concentration in the movie, I didn’t totally get what I wanted to. Well, surprises make a suspense story better, but this  ‘not really surprising revelation’ wasn’t as pleasant. Towards the end, I kept hoping the writers would come up with yet another twist that could be acceptable to me, but they didn’t. Having said that, this is an individual reaction, and I cannot challenge it. But do not expect it to deliver a Kahani level revelation, you could come out disappointed.

Talaash qualifies as a very good film, but certainly not a spectacular one.

I am going with a 3 out of 5 for Reema Kagtis’s Talaash, watch it for the film it is, and not just to get the answer to the question, and you wouldn’t be disappointed.

 

 

 

Trailer:

 

Life of Pi

Technology at its best: A visual bliss!

 

Ang Lee’s Life of Pi, an adventure film based on Yann Martel’s novel of the same title is one of its own kind movies, with a thorough visual bliss!

                It is a story of Piscine, a boy named from a Parisian swimming pool, and self nicknamed as Pi, inhabiting in Pondicherry with a family that owns a zoo. The family soon starts sailing to Canada in plans to shift home, with a host of exotic animals, where a storm shipwrecks them leaving behind Pi and a Bengal Tiger as survivors in the Pacific Ocean. Screenplay runs in flashbacks as Pi, now older, narrates his life since childhood and the deadly ocean adventure he had once been through.

                The film deals with multiple themes including the religion-spirituality Vs logic-reality conflict, belief in God and then the grand ocean adventure. Now the most amazing part of the story is the survival strategies applied by Pi, not just against beating the difficulties of living in the ocean, but the mere effort of a boy to co-exist with an adult Bengal Tiger without becoming the tiger’s meal himself, for over 227 days. As fictional as this situation may sound, the survival of Pi and the tiger seems compellingly believable. The story ends abruptly though,leaving the viewer to expect something more to come but all he gets is the end credits. Ang Lee fails to add the emotional quotient that the theme demands, hence film falls just short of touching your heart, and instead leaves with just the visual pleasure.

 

            As mentioned above, the screenplay runs into flashbacks, is smooth and is just as it should have been. Make sure not to miss the introduction song where the animals of the zoo are well framed and to watch for. The Pondicherry scenes are a novelty, the swimming pool of Paris with its crystal clear water (literally), the ocean at night with coloured fish and stars are totally fascinating. These are just a handful of examples of the film’s visual brilliance; watch the film for a flood of such scenes. This is a film where the cinematography and camera are at their level best! They are easily the film’s biggest highlight. Another highlight is the make-up. Red and dark skin, marks of Ocean sickness on the boy’s body look so real that it almost gives you a feel of how it would be like there in the ocean. Music is suitable for the theme.

Instances of visual brilliance



 

 

 

              Amongst the actors, debutant Suraj Sharma as the young Pi is perfect for the role. Irfan Khan as the older Pi looks convincingly similar to Suraj Sharma and is well cast, but that bizarre accent!! The tiger and other animals, partly animated, are amusing and amazing and examples of what a spectacular job technology can do today. Adil Hussain is particularly impressive in short role of Pi’s adamant yet caring father and Tabu too is well cast as Pi’s mother, but she doesn’t have much to do.

                In the end, as mentioned repeatedly, Life of Pi, serves as a spectacle than just a film. The visual brilliance compensates for its little flaws and makes it a kind of a film that hasn’t been made before.

                In spite of having watched it on the front row, Life of Pi didn’t disappoint visually. This movie is most certainly the best 3D experience produced till date. To enhance the quality of the experience, make sure to watch it 'only' in 3D, and at a place where 3D is supposedly the best. For viewers in India, PVR would be a good option(We do not endorse any brands here).

 

Ang Lee’s Life of Pi gets a 3.5 out of 5 simply for how the film looks on the screen rather than for what the film talks about. Not many films get a high rating for just being an eye candy, Life of Pi is one of the very few. Go watch it, it can disappoint nobody.

 

 

Jab Tak Hai Jaan

                    

 

 The Grand Finale!

 

 Considering the amount of buzz this name created, Jab Tak Hai Jaan needs no introduction. This Grand Finale of late Mr Yash Chopra’s series of romantic films has certainly made history owing to the unfortunate death of its director a month prior to the film’s release. Watching the film is inevitable to almost every Indian who has been following Indian cinema for the past forty years or so, that is since Mr Chopra made his first film. Now whether he has really got it Bang On! this time is a question, but even if he hasn’t, the film’s success is apparent.

                Jab tak hai jaan, is a story of Samar (Shar Rukh Khan) in his twenties who just about manages his bread butter at London. He befriends Meera Thapar(Katrina Kaif) a rich father’s beloved daughter, and soon falls for her. Then, Samar in his late thirties is an Indian army officer in Kashmir where he meets Akhira (Anushka Sharma), a young, perky intern working for Discovery. The story unfolds by connecting the two timelines and the two women of Samar’s life. Now unlike most of Chopra’s films, the hero doesn’t take any time to convey his feeling to the girl. His films have been maturing and growing with time. Yash Chopra in his 80s recognizes the subtle changes in the life style and culture and incorporates them well in the film especially to appeal to the youth. Chopra’s previous films had characters relating their times and he does it this time too. This is the biggest strength of Yash Chopra as a director. Who would have thought of seeing characters casually smoking, abusing, kissing and having sex in a Yash Chopra film? Sorry to spill the beans, but I had to appreciate this change in his style of cinema.

                Now what this film lacks is the script. Chopra’s previous films have not necessarily been realistic, but the characters’ behaviour had been acceptable. Characters in Jab tak hai Jaan often seems to do things very synthetically without any logic. It soon turns into a story manipulated rather than a story logically etched. It uses a lot of clichés for instance road accidents at a very particular instant. Now, the 1980s audience might have accepted it, but with so much maturity coming in Indian cinema today, Jab tak Hai jaan lacks conviction in its basic script.

 

 

 

                JTHJ has been extensively shot in United Kingdom and Jammu Kashmir. Cinematographer Anil Mehta particularly does a mind blowing job with the beautiful locales of both the places. UK and London in particular has been captured best to its potential and become highlights of the film. Screenplay falters and drags the already weak script. Scenes are unnecessarily elaborated adding to the running time and soon you see the audience losing patience. The film certainly has scope to edit down a lot of matter that does nothing but increase the length of the film. Screenplay is not totally linear, yet it fails to keep any suspense from the audience. Having said that, the film does provide some really charming moments, elaborated dance numbers and decent performances.

                Jab tak hai Jaan heavily borrows from all previous Chopra films, Veer-Zara in particular. Screenplay being similar to Veer-Zara’s, it almost feels like the script writer made a modern day Veer-Zara trying his hardest to hide that from the audience.

                Lyrics, monologues and poems by Gulzar are impressive and add to the romantic appeal. AR Rahman can never be a disappointment, but he surely doesn’t give his best here. The music is functional, considering Rahman’s standards. Wonder when we will get a Lagaan or a Dil se level work from him again. Choreography is apt, especially the song Ishq Shava is really well choreographed.

                Shah Rukh Khan as Samar gets to play two opposite poles of Samar’s personality. He certainly looks younger than he is, but a guy in 20s?? Man, not totally convincing. But he nails the other part as an introverted insufferable army officer. He easily is one of the most charming army officers we have seen onscreen. Katrina tries her hardest but suffers due to a badly written role. Anushka Sharma is easily the best part of the film. Her perky character, one liners and charm are the comic relief of the film. But is she getting type cast as the bubbly perky girl? We will have to wait and see.

                 

As a mark of respect for late Mr Yash Chopra and his series of romantic films, I leave Jab Tak Hai Jaan unrated. Yash Chopra is one personality who can make his films successful even posthumously. I needn’t ask you to watch it, you will watch it anyway, for Yash Chopra!     

 

Trailer: