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| Focus on Barsaat |
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| Focus on Mangal Pandey: The Rising |
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Mangal Pandey: The Rising Director:
Ketan Mehta Born in a peasant's family in 1931, Mangal joined British Army's 34th
Native Infantry at the age of 18 and he was killed when he had seen just
26 autumns of his life and was unmarried. This film had its world premiere at the Locarno film festival in
Switzerland only the other day as its opening film. The movie is released
today (this Friday) world over with about one thousand prints, making a
record for any Indian film. Other records that add to the mystery of this
film is that it is the costliest one made in India. The Rising'. Ace Khan has been proved right once again in his
conviction to bring an ambitious epic on screen after hard labor of last
two and half years. The friendship continues even when they return to India. Mangal Pandey is posted in Behrampur. The time is rife when Indian soldiers are ill treated in comparison to their British counterparts. The British rule imposes new rules that are more convenient to them. As
a result, Indians get angry. Then the news reaches all corners of the
country that the new supply of cartridges from Britain is greased with
beef and pork. He rebels and kills some British officers. British officers order his
arrest, and when overpowered by the soldiers Mangal Pandey shoots himself
but only to be left wounded. He is captured and courtmarshaled for the
revolt and punished with death. He is a man of few words, but whatever he does he does it with a
conviction. He had been nurturing a dream of making Mangal Pandey for the
last 17 years, and it was when Aamir was camping in USA for promotion of 'Lagaan'
for Oscars that Ketan approached Aamir for this role. He made a film that can change the whole trend and scene of filmmaking
in India. The historical trend may now grow following the success of this
film. Ketan has done extensive research on the subject. He made the
terrain of Maharashtra look authentic. He got very good assistance in the form of scriptwriter Farooq Dhondi and also in getting background score by A R Rehman. Abbas Ali Moghul has infused life in action sequences. Besides, Ketan also gets good support from his costume department
handled by Lovleen Bains and in the makeup by Penelope Smith and Slash
Apeni Sandhu. Sets prepared by Nitin Chandrakant Desai are of very high
value and rightly depict the era they are supposed to represent.
Though Amisha Patel and Rani Mukherjee do not have much to do in the
film, they have managed to be honest to their roles.
Rani playing a prostitute is awesome and even Toby Stephens has done a
marvelous job.
On the whole, 'Mangal Pandey: The Rising' is a sure winner at box office and its success is going to give jitters to the forthcoming films. A perfect way to celebrate this year's Independence Day, isn't it?
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| Focus on Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya |
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Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya Director:
David Dhawan The police advised the theaters in Mumbai not to exhibit the movie at
all. However, the prospects of the film look very bright at the box
office. The David-Salman combo has been a success most of the time since 'Judwa'
except for few films like 'Chal Mere Bhai'. 'Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya' also
happens to be first film where you get to see Salman with his both
brothers-- Sohail and Arbaaz. Salman has worked in 'Auzar' and 'Hello
Brother' with Arbaaz, while Sohail has directed big brother in the latter. He befriends beautiful girls and then breaks relations with them on the
plea that he is a married man. This goes on and on. Samir gets all the
support from his dedicated and workaholic nurse Naina (Sushmita Sen).
Naina not only takes care of his patients but she tries to keep a check on
his affairs. However, she insists on meeting his wife first. This tricky situation
makes Samir work overtime to save his skin. Once again Naina comes to his
help and in the form of a friend Vicky (Arshad Warsi) and fake patient
Thapa (Raj Pal Yadav). But this puts Samir's mother (Bina Kak) and also Pyaare Lal (Sohail
Khan) who is hell bent on disclosing all the lies that Samir has been
telling to Sonia, in trouble. His love for comedy has paid off and his labor to assemble the right
cast has helped him a lot to make 'Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya' sail at the box
office smoothly. Then comes Sushmita Sen who once again plays a pretty doll after 'Main
Hoon Na'. She brings a kind of grace and maturity to the story, and with
her charm the frames of the film look wonderful. Kathrina Kaif too has
shown immense improvement. David has another prot in making in Arshad. On the whole, 'Maine Pyar
Kyun Kiya' is film of the season, and given the hype that recent tape
controversy has created for the film, it will sure be a winner at box
office. |
| Focus on Paheli |
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Paheli Director:
Amol Palekar
The maker of films like 'Bhangarwadi', 'Daayra', 'Kairee' and 'Anahat', Amol Palekar, brings SRK back with this not-so-common body trait in Bollywood heroes. The few actors who could succeed with moustaches have been Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor and Kamal Hasan in some films. But, not only Shah Rukh Khan makes this change from his usual screen appeal, he also wears Rajasthani attire to lure his fans at box office who have till date seen him in mushy films and have adored him playing a lover boy as Raj in most of the films. Raj turns a ghost in 'Paheli' his latest released this Friday. He has
been a friend of a ghost in his 'Chamatkar' though starring Naseeruddin
Shah (as ghost) and Urmila Matondkar. Actor- turned-director Amol Palekar wanted to make this film on his own in the beginning with Shah Rukh, but later he agreed to do this film with SRK as its producer. Still, there were reports of a mismatch of wavelengths between the two.
However, Shah Rukh removed all such things to promote the film, though
jokingly he called 'Paheli' an artistic trash in his career! The words
uttered in a lighter vein seem to be turning true at box office. Read how
it happened. Now, Amol Palekar who won hearts of millions as an actor in the past with his boy next-door image in 'Chitchor', 'Rajnigandha', 'Golmaal' and others, has directed it. Palekar had earned laurels for his last films 'Daayara' and 'Anahat'. But, 'Paheli' is the bet that neither he played earlier nor would he be
able to play in future. First, it was 'Parineeta' and now 'Paheli' that
have brought back literature on the silver screen. He follows her to her new home. Lachhi meets her sister- in- law (Juhi
Chawla) who is living alone after her husband (Suniel Shetty) left home
for good fortune. A relation develops between the two. A native of the same village
visits the town in the meantime, and there he notices the original man. A
'Paheli' sets in front of all the characters of the story once this
villager comes back. The film ends with all characters coming one after another with
solutions for this 'Paheli'. However, Amol Palekar tries to be different
once again from the stereotype climax. Amol Palekar as a director and Shah Rukh Khan as a producer have assembled some of the best technicians. First, help for Amol Palekar comes from Ravi K Chandran whose cinematography is excellent. He captures sand dunes of Rajasthan like never before. The color
combinations and set designings are the other favorable aspects of 'Paheli'. As a choreographer, Farah scores 10 out of 10 marks for creating steps
that are akin to the film. Gulzar too has come out of hiatus and delivered
some very good lyrics, equally matched by music director M. M. Kreem. In
fact, Kreem has delivered his best music till date for 'Paheli'. It will be hard for his diehard fans to digest this performance that is
poles apart from films like 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge', 'Kuchh Kuchh
Hota Hai', 'Kal Ho Na Ho' or 'Veer Zara'.
'Paheli' may find some response in multiplexes where there is a
growing patronage for experimental films.
but in small centers and in metros even, Shah Rukh's loyal audience
will find it tough to sit all through this 'artistic trash', as
confessed by SRK.
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| Focus on Sehar |
| Sehar Depicting realism on the big screen is an effort that needs to be lauded, but getting too technical about it and using jargon/lingo that is difficult to comprehend by the commoner can boomerang. That's the problem with SEHAR, directed by Kabeer Kaushik. SEHAR has a one-dimensional plot, which may sound interesting on paper, but when translated on celluloid, it just doesn't appeal. The plot and setting may've excited the storytellers [the director, the writer, the producers, the actors], but it may not necessarily excite a moviegoer seeking entertainment-driven content. Besides, SEHAR may be an honest effort that chronologically documents the life of a heroic cop and his fight against a gangster who spread terror in a state [U.P.], but neither are the incidents well-known to the majority nor the gangster so notorious that it would make the viewer bite his nails to watch the real characters get immortalized on reel. SEHAR delineates the journey of a newly-appointed 31-year-old S.S.P. of Lucknow, Ajay Kumar [Arshad Warsi], instrumental in bringing together a group of committed police officers under the aegis of Special Task Force. The Force, bequeathed with a single agenda, succeeds in challenging the might of organized crime in Uttar Pradesh. And in the process, what unfolds is the ever-changing dynamics of Uttar Pradesh's siyaasat: Railway contracts, ISI involvement, politician-mafia-police-builder nexus, rigid red-tapeizm and criminalization of University students. The problems with SEHAR are manifold…
SEHAR has just one song [the romantic track], but the song and even the romance bit looks forced in the narrative. Perhaps, the director wanted to balance realism with make-believe, but the romantic bit looks completely out of sync. Any redeeming points? Yes, a few deft strokes, especially the climax, filmed in a moving train. Prior to that, the sequence when the cops rescue a kidnapped kid from the clutches of the gangsters is well executed. The thrills here are not those involving fisticuffs, but using pistols. Cinematography is up to the mark. The background score is alright. Dialogues gel well with the mood of the film. Cast in a serious role, Arshad Warsi gets into the skin of the character and proves his versatility as an actor. But post MUNNABHAI M.B.B.S. and HULCHUL, the actor's image is more of a funster than a serious cop and that will come as a shocker to his hardcore fans. Mahima Chaudhary has been cast for the glamour bit than taking the story forward. Pankaj Kapoor is noteworthy. Sushant Singh does his part effectively. Suhasini Mulay is first-rate. On the whole, SEHAR is a dull and dry subject that will appeal to a very thin segment of moviegoers. At the box-office, however, it will be a non-starter.
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| Focus on 7 ½ Phere |
| 7 ½ Phere Post HUM AAPKE HAIN KOUN and MONSOON WEDDING, the concept of depicting Indian marriages on celluloid continues to be a favorite for most storytellers. 7 ½ PHERE not only looks at a traditional Indian marriage, it also talks of strategies adopted by television channels to increase their viewership by installing spycams and making public the juiciest details/hidden skeletons concerning individuals/family. A fascinating concept without doubt, thankfully 7 ½ PHERE is interestingly handled as well. Of course, there's no denying that the film has its share of loose ends, but the light moments and the sequence of events keep you engrossed for most part of the first half mainly. However, 7 ½ PHERE could've done better with some superior actors and better production values. The absence of known names, barring Irrfan and Juhi, as also the making, which lacks finesse, act as road blocks in the film. 7 ½ PHERE has a novel story to tell. And director Isshaan Trivedi handles the light moments with flourish. The split personality of almost every character is well depicted and like MONSOON WEDDING, the film looks at issues that one comes across in today's modern society. Asmi [Juhi Chawla] has been entrusted the task by her television channel to cover a reality show. There's a marriage in the Joshi family and when Asmi offers the proposal of covering the event for the TV network, the family stands divided on the issue. The bride's father is willing to go along with the idea, but a few members in the family find the idea ludicrous. Manoj [Irrfan Khan], the bride-to-be's youngest uncle, develops a soft corner for Asmi. Getting an inkling of Manoj's feelings, Asmi decides to use him for the project. Asmi gets hidden cameras installed in the house and as the hidden cameras begin to roll, the skeletons begin to tumble out of the Joshis' closet. Chaos and confusion reigns supreme, until Manoj realizes that he has opened up the Pandora's box. Loosely inspired by Ron Howard's Hollywood film EDTV [1999; starring Matthew McConaughey, Jenna Elfman], 7 ½ PHERE has an interesting premise, a theme that hasn't been attempted in Bollywood earlier. With a novel theme as its USP, the director has packed the narrative with a series of interesting incidents that would bring a smile on your face. But there's no denying that 7 ½ PHERE would've emerged as a foolproof entertainer had the writing been consistent all through. While the first half has several arresting moments, the pace slackens in the post-interval portions since the focus suddenly shifts to various sub-plots, including Juhi's aspirations of becoming a topnotch director as also the love story of the aged couple [Anang Desai, Neena Kulkarni], besides the long-drawn sequence between the bride and the groom in the penultimate reel. Also, the film would've had a better impact had the length of the second half been concise. Director Isshaan Trivedi has handled the light moments well, but he could've kept the screenplay in check, besides making the second half as interesting as the first. Cinematography is alright. Dialogues are the highpoint of the enterprise. Talking of performances, both Irrfan and Juhi vie for top honors. The general perception about Irrfan is that he looks best in roles that demand intensity, but the actor is a delight to watch in a role that requires him to be witty all the while. He is simply adorable! Juhi is first-rate yet again, although she needs to keep a check on her weight. Among character actors, Sri Vallabh Vyas and Neena Kulkarni are the best. On the whole, 7 ½ PHERE is a fairly decent entertainer that holds appeal for those who prefer light entertainers. At the box-office, 7 ½ PHERE is more of a big city film that would've fared much better had it released during an open week, backed by more hype. |
| Focus on Yahaan |
| Yahaan '…YAHAAN' A love story with Kashmir as the backdrop sounds interesting. And Mani Ratnam's well-crafted ROJA stands tall on the list: A tourist [Arvind Swamy] is kidnapped by a militant [Pankaj Kapoor], while the tourist's wife [Madhoo] runs from pillar to post to get her husband back. Debutante director Shoojit Sircar also sets a love story in the valley. But this one is different: It talks of an army officer falling in love with a local girl. An interesting concept without doubt, as far as the premise is concerned. But there's always a slip between the cup and the lip… …YAHAAN may be well intentioned, but it lacks the punch associated with a genre that tries to amalgamate romance with thrilling moments. The grip, so essential in a film like this, is missing here and that's its biggest undoing. The problem with …YAHAAN is that it takes its own sweet time to come to the point. After introducing the principal characters, the story doesn't move at a brisk pace in the first hour. You've seen all this and much more -- the insurgency, the role of the armed forces, the plight of the locals in the wake of terror, et al -- in the past. In a nutshell, it's like any other ordinary love story! …YAHAAN is the story of an Indian Army Captain, Aman [Jimmy Shergill], who falls in love with a local girl, Adaa [Minissha], while the officer is posted in Kashmir. The unwritten law debars women of the valley to have any relations with an outsider, but Adaa takes on the risk and faces the consequences. Aman and Adaa decide to combat the inflexible rules and face strong opposition in the process. To start with, director Shoojit Sircar is letdown by an uninspiring script. Sircar and his team of writers [Piyush Mishra, Somnath De, Sameer Kohli and Sircar himself] should've come up with a screenplay that would've kept the viewer on the razor's edge, but the writing is so mediocre that one keeps wondering, What really prompted the makers to choose this subject in the first place? In the second hour, a few sequences are well penned and executed indeed, like the meeting/confrontation between Yashpal Sharma and Jimmy Shergill. A few twists and turns in the post-interval portions also catch you by surprise. But sequences such as these are few and far between. However, the portions that depict Minissha running from pillar to post to safeguard Jimmy's life and reputation remind you so much of ROJA. The climax, when Minissha approaches the television channel to prove Jimmy's innocence, looks completely far-fetched and is difficult to absorb. Ditto for her speech, which is very melodramatic. Besides, placing the speakers outside the mosque so that the terrorist [Yashpal Sharma] has a change of heart, appears formulaic and filmy. As a storyteller, one fails to understand why Sircar chose to narrate the story with a hand-held camera [cinematography: Jakob Ihre]. The frames are shaky all the time, which can get quite distracting for the viewer. It also leaves you with a feeling that you're watching a documentary. Even the blue tint throughout the film takes the sheen away from the enterprise. Where ROJA scored and where …YAHAAN falters, besides a taut screenplay, is in its music [Shantanu Moitra]. Barring a soft number, 'Pooche Jo Koi', the film lacks a melodious score to compliment the love story. Dialogues [Piyush Mishra] are natural at times, but routine/run-of-the-mill at most places. …YAHAAN rests on Jimmy Shergill's shoulders and the efficient actor enacts his part with utmost conviction. The actor delivers a commendable performance all through. Newcomer Minissha is awkward at places, but quite confident at times. Overall, a decent debut. Mukesh Tiwari and Yashpal Sharma are alright. The actors playing the roles of Minissha's father and grandmother [Dolly Ahluwalia] stand out with convincing portrayals. On the whole, …YAHAAN could've been a riveting saga, but turns out to be a bland product. At the box-office, …YAHAAN has limited prospects. |
| Focus on Viruddh |
| Viruddh Mahesh Manjrekar has, quite often, excelled when he chose to attempt intense themes. Films like NIDAAN, VAASTAV and ASTITVA, at the start of his career, proved that Manjrekar is amongst the best if he puts his heart and soul into a movie. But when the same director attempts comic capers like JIS DESH MEIN GANGA REHTA HAI and PADMASHREE LALOO PRASAD YADAV, you want to tear your hair in disgust. You pinch yourself, is he the same guy who narrated an absorbing story a few monsoons ago? Clearly, Manjrekar is most comfortable handling films that seem straight out of life. Serious subjects or issue-based films are his forte… The spirited storyteller now takes a look at yet another serious subject in VIRUDDH. Of course, a remotely similar subject, revolving around aged parents who've lost their son, was witnessed earlier in Mahesh Bhatt's SAARANSH [Anupam Kher, Rohini Hattangadi]. But VIRUDDH is different from SAARANSH. While Bhatt's acclaimed movie focused on the aged parents trying to come to terms with a lonely existence, VIRUDDH is about an aged couple fighting tooth and nail to prove that their slain kid was not a drug peddler. Talking of comparisons, the concept of an aged couple, in the sunset of
their lives, was witnessed some time back in BAGHBAN. And VIRUDDH follows
a similar path as far as the compatibility of the couple is concerned.
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| Focus on DUS |
| Dus Terrorists, bombs n bullets, anti-terrorist squads… Haven't we seen all this and more before? Post 9/11, film-makers across the globe have tried to depict mass-killings and atrocities by terrorist groups and how anti-terrorist squads put up a fight to diffuse the crisis. After attempting love stories in the past [TUM BIN, AAPKO PEHLE BHI KAHIN DEKHA HAI], Anubhav Sinha's third outing DUS ventures on a different path altogether. DUS is different from films of its ilk because the story takes place in a span of ten days, with the conspiracy being hatched in faraway Canada. The key conspirator plans to wreck havoc when the Indian Prime Minister undertakes a goodwill visit to Canada… An interesting idea without doubt, but interesting ideas don't necessarily translate into interesting, gripping, riveting, spellbinding 2-hour films. What could've been an exhilarating thriller, with pulse-pounding moments, ends up being a run of the mill saga, courtesy a half-baked screenplay. Terrorism is a global issue and since DUS goes beyond the shores of India, the writers could've used their imagination and packed the film with moments that would've made your jaws fall on your knees. The problem here is, every person talks about the much-dreaded terrorist [who is holed up in Canada], the terror associated with his name, his vast syndicate, his evil intentions, his nefarious activities… but when a lone member of the anti-terrorist squad corners the kingpin in the end, he comes across as a ordinary gangster, with no empire, no henchmen, no support-system to back him. So, what was this hullabaloo all about? Director Anubhav Sinha tries to camouflage the defect [lackluster
screenplay] with stylish execution, great music, hair-raising stunts,
eye-filling visuals, but let's not forget that the moviegoer wants to
listen to a captivating story at the end of the day. Everything else is
secondary!
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| Focus on Sarkar |
| Sarkar First, the plusses… Every Ramgopal Varma film is special. When the maverick film-maker sits on the producer's chair, you witness new talents exploding with path-breaking, innovative concepts. And when RGV decides to wear the garb of the director, calling the shots himself, expect experiences that linger in your thoughts even after the movies have completed their run at the movieplexes. Regardless of how RGV-directed films fare at the ticket window, the fact cannot be denied that the nonconformist film-maker has had the courage to attempt films that defy the stereotype. He is one creative thinker who doesn't bow his head to commercial diktats. Right from SHIVA, his first outing in Hindi cinema, to SARKAR, his latest endeavor, RGV has made films that seem to please the viewer within him, not the hard-nosed critics or those in the trade. SARKAR is inspired by Mario Puzo's literary classic THE GODFATHER, which Francis Ford Coppola immortalized on the big screen in Hollywood. Comparing SARKAR and THE GODFATHER would be sacrilege simply because THE GODFATHER was set in the U.S., while SARKAR is set in the Indian milieu. It's very Mumbaiya, to be precise. THE GODFATHER may've inspired a number of films in India, but RGV takes the essence from the classic and narrates the games political heavyweights play, besides focusing on the politician-underworld nexus in Mumbai. SARKAR is without doubt an interesting film. The story, its execution,
the performances, the drama... The outcome leaves you spellbound.
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| Focus on Yakeen |
| Yakeen Bollywood has produced some wonderful suspense-thrillers in the past. WOH KAUN THI, TEESRI MANZIL, BEES SAAL BAAD, MERA SAAYA and GUMNAM remain etched in your memory for their innovative concepts as also the wholesome entertainment they had to offer. Girish Dhamija, who has been associated with two well-crafted thrillers, RAAZ and KASOOR [in the capacity of the dialogue writer], also opts for a novel theme for his directorial debut, YAKEEN. While Dhamija gets a few things right in his first attempt at film-making, you cannot overlook the fact that the film has its share of loose ends. YAKEEN borrows heavily from director Wolfgang Peterson's Hollywood flick SHATTERED [1991; starring Tom Berenger, Greta Scacchi, Bob Hoskins]. For the Indian moviegoer, the concept may not be entirely novel, since YEH VAADA RAHA [Rishi, Tina, Poonam] also spoke about medical wonders. Also, FACE/OFF [John Travolta, Nicolas Cage] continues to remain fresh thanks to its repeat telecasts on Indian television. Keeping the inspirations aside, there's no denying that the first half of YAKEEN keeps you hooked to the proceedings, but the graph of the film slides downwards in the post-interval portions. The narrative suddenly gets slow, the turn of events aren't as captivating [except when the suspense in revealed] and the impact that a taut thriller ought to make is missing. Nikhil [Arjun Rampal], a business tycoon settled in Himachal Pradesh, is married to Simar [Priyanka Chopra]. Though the marriage seems perfect, their relationship is devoid of that closeness which represents the ideal bonding. Life takes a bizarre turn when their car plummets from a cliff. Nikhil is hospitalized, while Simar escapes unscathed with minor cuts and bruises. The turbulent phase in their life draws Nikhil and Simar closer. Nikhil
begins to reconstruct his life. At first, he relies on the care and
guidance of his loving wife and business associates [Ankur Nayyar, Kim
Sharma]. But confusion starts mounting with contrasting pictures of his
past being painted by everyone around him, with strange flashes of memory
coming to him from time to time. Nikhil starts experiencing some
terrifying moments. His mental trauma increases when he starts suspecting
Simar's fidelity.
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| Focus on Bachke Rehna Re Baba |
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Bachke Rehna Re Baba Director:
Govind Menon Cut to 21st century, the new age directors don't have seasoned actors
like Pran and Ashok Kumar. We wonder what would happen when the current
band of senior actors like Paresh Rawal and others retire. Director Govind Menon tried his luck with garam Dharam in his last
flick 'Kis Kiski Kismat' but that sank without even a trash. So, this
time he makes it safer and ropes in glamour doll of yesteryears' Rekha
for help. Govind Menon used Mallika's more than a dozen kiss scenes in 'Khwahish';
this time around he has gone up to capture the lip locking sequences. There many not be any novelty in presenting a comic thriller as a
s-e-x thriller but Govind tries to make Mallika look more seductive than
ever. This is the only highlight of 'Bachke Rehna Re Baba'. And this
also proves to be the biggest drawback. Once she does that and makes sure that the prey is in her paws, she
introduces her niece Padmini in the scene. Yes, Mallika baby is in the
role of Rekha's prot Not only she learns lessons of how to seduce a man and make him
tremble in his knickers, she also learns from her aunt how to con the
riches and make a moolah in life. Rukmini and Padmini do it again and
again and with ease. Everything is going as per the plan that Rukmini has laid out for the life. Then enters the young chap Raghu (Karan Khanna) and the women's plans go haywire. The reason is his love for Padmini. Rukmini has already briefed Paddu against love in their life. What
should Paddu do now? The situation becomes graver with the return of the
cheated businessmen, one dead and the other alive. She has shown her body a lot and now only her seducing advances make
people in front benches whistle and giggle. Otherwise, she does not look
a s-e-xy woman at all. She does try to ooze oomph on screen, but she
doesn't have that charm in her looks that Urmila once had.
However, Mallika's entry in 'Paisa Vasool' was for the masses.
Classes might try to keep away from the film from the very first
day.
To rate actors as per their performances will be injustice to Mallika in 'Bachke Rehna Re Baba'. So, if we go by as to who exposed to the most in the film, it is none but the s-e-xy lass from Haryana, Mallika Sherawat who scores 20 out of 10. Yes, it is because the only aim to have Mallika on the screen in 'Bachke Rehna Re Baba' is to have her to expose as much as she can. We are happy that Govind Menon kept in view the Indian Censor Board at the beaches of Mauritius.
Otherwise, we are afraid Mallika might have crossed the two piece
limit of exposure. If it happens in near future likes of Mallika
will be the reigning queen of those porn movies! Satish Shah and
Paresh are doing these kinds of films for money, but why Rekha is
into all this? No one knows. If you know the answer please feel free
to send your feedback to us.
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| Focus on Parineeta |
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Parineeta Director:
Pradeep Sarkar The trend has moved further. This time, the intention is clear to
revive old classics and bridge the gap between the two-generation. It was
fifty years back when legendry Ashok Kumar decided to give another novel
of Sharat Chandra, 'Parineeta', a classy touch, and present it on silver
screen. He made 'Parineeta' with the help of director Bimal Roy and that film
is still remembered for its strong portrayal of the lead character by none
other than tragic queen Meena Kumari. The happy end of the story is that even macho men have started feeling
the pressure and have agreed to abide by the new rules of the
entertainment world. If V. Shantaram made 'Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani' way
back before independence, the trend of biopic films too helped these types
of filmmakers to continue their efforts and make substantial cinema. If 'Parineeta' and after that 'Paheli' also made on a literary work by
Vijay Dan Jetha succeed, chances are bright that those trying to rake in
moolah with sex and shit will learn a lesson from this. 'Parineeta' also sees debut of yet another music video maker Pradeep
Sarkar in Hindi cinema. Going by the face value of the film, it can be
said for sure that he is miles ahead of people like Ken Ghosh and Anubhav
Sinha. Brought up in a typical bhadralok culture, she oozes ethics and
etiquettes in her persona wherever she goes. She has a chance encounter
with Shekhar (Saif Ali Khan), son of a rich businessman. Both become
friends and start sharing every thing in life. They share a bond between
them. It is hard to define in words. Later, he begins to love Lolita. Meanwhile, intimacy develops between
Lolita and Shekhar too. The triangle of the love suddenly has an element
of intrigue in it. It leads into greed, deception and misunderstandings.
Before any one can understand anything, the cold breezes of love turn into
heavy winds of mistrust and malafide intentions. He takes technique as a tool and not as the master as is happening in
the films of many young directors. He uses the locations as a canvas and
brushes the scenes on them like a painter. But while doing all this and
creating an ambience of the early sixties, he loses co- relation with the
present. However, it lacks in script. Even dialogue department is weak. It is
handled by Rekha Nigam (she was the brain behind 'Jeeto Chhappar Phad Ke'
show on small screen). Both Sarkar and Chopra have left many loose ends in
the film and that would affect its prospects at box office. Saif Ali Khan shows one more progression as an actor post- 'Hum Tum'.
This is his one of the best performances of his career. Sanjay Dutt brings
in the required charm for the film. |
| Focus on Silsiilay |
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Silsiilay Director:
Khalid Mohamed
He has returned with yet another woman-oriented subject 'Silsilay' that has the "urban" feel and touch. This week has been women special as two major releases 'Bachke Rehna Re Baba' and 'Silsilay' essay woman as lead characters. 'Bachke Rehna Re Baba' has the sensual charm of Mallika Sherawat and
evergreen Rekha whereas 'Silsilay' comes out with the teamwork of Tabu,
Bhumika Chawla and Riya Sen. The surprise package of the film is the
presence of Shah Rukh Khan in guest appearance. Catchy music, hi-tech cinematography, bold and brazen outfits coupled with some sensuous and lip locking scenes. 'Silsilay' will be better known for bold image make over of Bhumika Chawla and first commercial attempt by method actors like Rahul Bose and Kay Kay Menon. Critics appreciated 'Zubeida' and 'Tehzeeb' for their presentation and
social relevance but unfortunately they met with average response at the
box office. 'Silsilay' shows some promise to sustain but will face heavy
competition from 'Bachke Rehna Re Baba', 'Bunty Aur Babli' and 'Parineeta'. The film has episodic treatment as it collages life sketches of three
different women from today's society. The "realistic" cinema
shows its strength and valor as the film glorifies the instances and
events of a Bollywood actress, a workingwoman and a contemporary urban
housewife. The jigsaw relationships that these women carry show their struggles,
aspirations and desires towards men, life and relationships. The concept
of infidelity rules over their lives as they discover real love. Zia has plethora of luxuries, money and fame but craves for real love
in her life. Zia has been in relationship with Neel (Rahul Bose), but Neel
falls for the charm of rich businessman's daughter. Zia's life is upset
and she feels isolated and deserted though she enjoys her stardom. Anushka hails from Dehradun and comes to Mumbai to fulfill her dreams. She is infatuated by the looks and charms of rich spoilt brat Nikhil (Ashmit Patel). Meanwhile, her office companion Tarun (Jimmy Shergill) nurses ambition to marry her. After viewing Nikhil's "Casanova" acts, Anushka feels
shattered and falls for the real love of Tarun. Till now the film has
glorified ice maidens and aspiring starlets but now the scene shifts
towards modern day housewife Rehana (Tabu). Rehana has stepson Inayat (Karan Pathanky) who silently admires her and
nurses hatred for his father. After confrontation with her husband, Rehana
decides to walk out from his life. Zia gets pregnant and one fateful day
she meets with an accident but is rescued by Rehana and Anushka. The film
ends silently thereafter. One thing that keeps viewers' interest intact is its realistic
treatment that binds audience for three hours. Himesh Reshammiya's music
has been trendy and sensuous. To add to film credits all the songs gel
well with the film. Songs like "Jab Jab Dil Mile", "Ban
Jaiye" and "Belibaas" will attract audiences and might hit
chartbusters. Dialogues by Shiraz Ahmed and Shabir Masani hold attention during the confrontation scenes between Rahul Bose and Bhumika Chawla. Sanjeev Mulchandani's costumes are upbeat with modern trends and Sharmista Roy's art direction is brilliant. Bhumika Chawla steals the show with her new bold image makeover. The
"touch me not" girl has adapted to modern society lingo with
flair and will be revelation for many in recent times. Ashmit Patel overacts and looks like a ramp model with his ultra long hair look. Divya Dutta and Natassha shine in their supporting roles, and newcomer Karan Pathanky shows some promise. Year 2005 started off disastrously for producer Vashu Bhagnani but things might work out this time. 'Silsilay' is a better product than 'Vaada'. So, the audiences can expect better films from Puja Entertainment and Vashu Bhagnani in future. |
| Focus on Ssukh |
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Ssukh By Taran Adarsh, June 18th, 2005 - 0930 hrs IST One of the finest actors of the country, Govinda, is back after a sabbatical. Directed by Govinda's brother Kirti Kumar, who gave us the likeable HATYA, SSUKH is an acid test for the two brothers. So, does the actor make a terrific comeback? Does SSUKH reaffirm your belief in that powerhouse of talent that mesmerized millions of moviegoers since LOVE 86 and ILZAAM? Has Kirti changed with the times and come up with a product that the moviegoer of today would identify with? Despite Govinda's spirited performance, SSUKH remains a film that doesn't do justice to the actor's enormous talent. Reason: A lopsided script, of course! Chandraprakash [Govinda] is leading a content life with his wife Sushila [Preeti Jhangiani]. Sushila's close friend Bhavna [Aarti Chhabria], who has separated from her husband Rakesh [Chunkey Pandey], decides to visit Chandraprakash and Sushila for a few days. Bhavna's lawyer Khalilbhai [Mahesh Anand] informs her that her grand-father has bequeathed Rs. 10 crores to her. But there's a catch: She would inherit the money only if her marital life is perfect. Or else, her conniving brother [Sharat Saxena] and sister-in-law [Pratima Kazmi] would inherit the huge amount. Things take a turn when Bhavna's brother and sister-in-law drop by to check her marital status. To keep matters under control, Bhavna introduces Chandraprakash as her husband. Not convinced with Bhavna's explanations, her brother and sister-in-law hire a detective [Avtar Gill] to keep track of her whereabouts. Things get complicated when Rakesh re-emerges on the scene. Also, Sushila starts feeling restless when she realizes that Chandraprakash is spending more time with Bhavna. The problems with SSUKH are manifold. First and foremost, the film rests on an outdated plot. In today's time and age, when Hindi cinema is going through a metamorphosis, stories such as these look completely out of place. The second flaw lies in its execution. The handling of the subject reminds you of the cinema of 1980s. Nothing wrong with churning out a masala flick that's reminiscent of the cinema of yore, but the packaging has to be contemporary. In this case, it's not! The plot gets childish at times, like the portions when Govinda and Aarti have to prove to the detective that they're indeed a couple. From walking with a bedsheet draped around them to dancing in their home to even spending a night together, every trick in the book looks far-fetched. One often wonders why the thought of calling a cop, to complain about the detective [for invading their privacy], doesn't cross any of the characters' mind. Bhavna could've also led a simple life without bothering about the brother and sister-in-law, instead of creating complications for all concerned. Loopholes aplenty! Direction [Kirti Kumar] is not inspiring at all. Ditto for the music [Kamini Khanna]. Barring 'Suno Raaton Mein Kya', the remaining songs are plain mediocre. The 'Aavjo' track is well filmed, with Govinda displaying his dancing skills effortlessly. Govinda carries the film on his broad shoulders, though one wishes that the actor should've staged a comeback with a cohesive screenplay. Preeti Jhangiani is passable, while Aarti Chhabria goes over the top. Chunkey Pandey doesn't get much scope. Jackie Shroff is wasted. The remaining actors fill the bill. On the whole, SSUKH stands on a weak foundation [script] and that will prove to be its downfall. Rating:- *. |
| Focus on Bunty Aur Babli |
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Starring: Abhishek
Bachchan, Rani Mukherjee, Amitabh Bachchan.
But, when it comes to big screen the fizz of the Babli meets Bunty
who is trying it very hard to make a name for himself as a solo hero in
the Hindi film industry. 'Bunty Aur Babli' also makes the revival of the
trend that started way back in 1942 with the first ever super duper hit
film 'Kismat' where the lead hero is presented with gray shades. The underdog angle presented with the charisma of Big B worked most
of the times and even Govinda made it almost to the top by repeating it
in films like 'Aankhen', 'Coolie No. 1', 'Hero No. 1' and several
others. The film comes at a time when all schools and colleges are closed for
summer vacation and there is no competition from any other film during
the week. In short, 'Bunty Aur Babli' has all the equations in its favor
to hit the bull's eyes, but it has missed the bus. Why? Read on. Be it 'Refugee', 'Tera Jadoo Chal Gaya', 'Bus Itna Sa Khwab Hai' or 'Mumbai
Se Aaya Mera Dost'. All these films are Abhishek's solo hero films and
all have been flops. Abhishek plays Rakesh, a commoner from Fursatganj,
again from a small town who wants to make it big, either by hook or by
crook. Inspired
from 1937 classic, 'Boney And Cloyed', 'Bunty Aur Babli' also has
Amitabh Bachchan playing a cop for the sake of survival of his son. If
memories of 'Ranvir' and 'Sarkar' are still afresh; both films announced
to be the first film of the two Bachchans together. Bunty Aur Babli' falls flat on the story front and also at
screenplay. Sometime it looks like Abhishek and Rani are freaking out in
the ravines of Bithoor and other places of Uttar Pradesh, and the camera
is just capturing their voyage. It was Yashraj Films' 'Dhoom' that gave
Abhishek's career a big boost last season but its latest didn't help
him. No doubt, the film's opening is excellent, but a bad movie's good
opening is always more harmful as it creates the worst mouth publicity.
The film is very high in technical departments. Abhik Mukhopadhyay and
Anuj Mathur deserve applause for their work as cinematographer and sound
designer, respectively. Even the plethora of senior artistes right from Raj Babbar, Punit Issar, Kiran Joneja Sippy and Rameshwari to Prem Chopra and Pratima Kazmi do their best to lift the tempo of film. But the end result is not as satisfying as was expected to be. As a producer Aditya Chopra may move ahead with another film but as an actor it will be very hard for Abhishek to move on as a solo hero any more! |
| Focus on Naina |
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Naina Director:
Shripal Morakhia
No one has ever questioned this trend of recycling the films in
India. The question, however, remains why to increase the quantity, if
there is the quality. The answer lies in 'Naina', which has Urmila
Matondkar working out of the Ram Gopal Verma camp and giving a superb
performance in a film that is made by a new director. But her mentor thinks otherwise. 'Naina' is one step forward for
Urmila Matondkar after 'Pinjar' and 'Bhoot'. Now, she can move in any
direction without the help of her mentor. She has a position that can
command the roles of her choice. We have had many technically brilliant
films but without a good story. 'Naina' has both. After several years, one day it is decided that she will get the
light for her eyes courtesy an eye donor. She gets the cornea transplant
done, but alas, her life turns worse. The problem arises when with the
sight of the donor also come all those visuals that have been witnessed
by the donor of the eyes. Eventually, she comes across many revelations that are shocking as
well as horrifying. Her travel includes dark bylanes of London to eerie
daylights of Gujarat. 'Naina' tries to cross over in terms of audience
too, and tries it best to relate with masses as well classes. He is a perfect blend of modernity and traditions. Shripal also
showcases a truly new horizon to Indian filmmaking that started with Ram
Gopal Verma's films, but got lost somewhere in the middle. The credit for goes to the good work done by Parikshit Lalwani in
sound department, C.K. Muralidharan and Jonathan Bloom's camera and once
again a perfect blend of background music by Salim Sulaiman. There are not many known names in this film except her's. But the film gets good help from likes of Shweta, Amardeep and Sulbha Arya. The film is a sure hit among fans of horror films. This will be liked by those who always look for something new.
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| Focus on Kaal |
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Kaal Director:
Soham
The previous generation is passing on the baton to new and fresher
talent, and you get a complete makeover cinema. Of late, Bollywood has
realized the importance of making reality films. 'Kaal' is the new entrant
in this realistic cinema, the in thing of world cinema these days. With 'Kaal',
new director Soham Shah tries to prove his mettle in direction. In 'Kaal', Soham travels in the forbidden territory of Jim Corbett
National Park. The setting is just right for a supernatural thriller like
'Kaal'. With the help of a brilliant technical team, he succeeds in
executing a novel idea on screen. Incidentally, she has been on a honeymoon. The traumas of mysterious
death have been looming large on the people of the forbidden world for
quite some time. However, Krish must find a solution to this as desired by
the International Wildlife, so that the innocent cats of the jungle are
not to blame. The
fear of unknown takes them one by one and they are forced to change their
target. They want to come out of this forbidden territory of death. A
local man, Kali, (Ajay Devgan) promises them a way out for their exit from
the deadly woods. They have little time and almost no home to defy death
that is 'Kaal'. He has also helped by doing an item number with Mallaika Arora. Going
by the impact of the film, Soham Shah turns out to be a brilliant
storyteller. Helping him in his voyage are sound designer Dwarak Warrier,
cinematographer Santosh Thundiyil and music director-duo Salim Sulaiman. Vivek Oberoi must feel happy too as this film will also end his trauma
of giving flops after flops. This time he gets a character that is more
suitable for him after a long gap since 'Company'. Playing his friends are
Dayashanker Pandey, Kushal Punjabi and Vishal Malhotra. Among these two, Esha gets more time and meat in the film. On the whole, 'Kaal' has opened with a mix response across India and has got a very good opening in most of the cities. Veterans among viewers may find 'Kaal', a different film to digest; the difference being only in story telling. This makes 'Kaal' a different film to watch.
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| Focus on Waqt |
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Waqt Director:
Vipul Amrutlal Shah
The generous and self-righteous Ishwar learns something that makes him realize that he needs to send his son away to be on his own. Aditya is confused that he is asked to leave his home. So he learns to live on his own, and get a job to support his wife and
child-to-be-born. The strong bond between Ishwar and Aditya is shattered,
a family torn apart, but why? Akshay Kumar has improved throughout the years, and its no surprise that he succeeds in playing his role. His on-screen chemistry with Priyanka is unavoidable and they always sizzle together in their roles. Priyanka is another actress who seems to act well with certain stars,
Akshay is one of them. Shefali Shah is refreshing as the mother (more-so
than the typical filmi-mothers). Boman Irani and Rajpal Yadav are in top
form to lighten the pace of the film. On the technical side, editing, and screenplay bring the movie together nicely. Also, the dialogues are realistic and the interaction between father and son are some of the highlights of the film. Vipul
Shah’s direction gets his message across about parents giving more
responsibility to their children. The story moves much faster once the
real drama begins in the second half. Overall, Waqt is the perfect family
film with everything: drama, comedy, good performances, a good social
theme so don’t forget to watch it with a relative. |
| Focus on Kuchh Meetha Ho Jaye |
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Kuchh Meetha Ho Jaye Director:
Samar Khan
We get a peek into the lives of these people. There is a bachelor (Parvin
Dabbas) being pursued by two women, an airhostess (Sandhya Mridul)
living with the guilt of an extra-marital fling, the divorced couple who
rediscover love (Sachin Khedekar, Iravati Harshe), young lovers who met
each other through the Internet (Mahima Mehta, Shravan). All the love stories are tied up with convenient endings. Also, is it
necessary to focus on all the passengers? It would have been better to
focus on the most interesting characters and create just four stories.
This would have given more room and time for dramatic development. We
are inundated with so many characters that we quickly lose interest. Unfortunately, the nature of the story means that it needs to depend on realism and with an unrealistic setting, it does not work. To give credit where it is due, Sabu Cyril´s art direction does make the airport look good. Himesh Reshammiya´s enjoyable tunes are brought alive with Sameer Arya´s cinematography. Samar Khan´s "Kuchh Meetha Ho Jaye" is not bad but there is very little that stays with you after watching the film.
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| Focus on Khamosh |
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Khamosh Director:
Deepak Tijori
It is needless to add that whether the movie will be commercially
successful or not, it will certainly help Shilpa to bag more offers from
producers. She has performed well as the leading lady in the film directed
by Deepak Tijori. Before the vehicle comes to a grinding halt due to some mechanical
fault, it dashes against a woman named Mahek, played by Kainaaz Pervees.
Shilpa persuades Kashmira to take the wounded woman for treatment. Her
husband is Avinash played by Rajiv Singh. They were proceeding for their
honeymoon. They stay in the motel too. Strange things happen in the motel
located in rural Maharashtra. Since it rains heavily, the inmates staying in the motel suspect one
another. The suspects include the receptionist Adi, played by Vrajesh
Hirjee. His offence is that once he was detected by some of them
sharpening his knife on the sly. He is eccentric though, and enjoys wacky
sense of humor. As rain continues, a police van stops there carrying a
criminal played by Kelly Dorjee, in handcuffs. He is kept handcuffed in a
locked room. Mystery deepens as he flees. The lady doctor cannot recognize her. Besides Shipla Shetty and Juhi
Chawla, others who have done justice to their roles are Vrajesh Hirjee as
Adi and Rakhi Sawant as Kashmira, boyfriend of Shilpa Shetty. |
| Focus on Lucky |
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Lucky Director:
Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru
It’s never easy for a debutant director to deliver in a situation
when even the so-called Showmen of the industry fail to deliver. But if
the movie stars one of the most bankable stars the industry has ever seen
coupled with a rocking sound track, half the battle is won already. Add a
super-aggressive publicity campaign to it, and one is dead sure of an
earth-shattering initial at the BO. Devoid of forced cleavages and unnecessary intimate encounters, and packed with clean entertainment; Lucky is fun for the entire family. What’s more, it makes for an ideal date movie too. So all you guys out there, put on some fine clothes, wear a nice cologne, buy her some flowers on your way, and go watch Lucky. Add some popcorns and a soft drink during the interval and there you go, a perfect date! |
| Focus on Socha Na Tha |
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| Focus on Zeher |
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Zeher Director:
Mohit Suri
While Milan after assisting the Bhatt camp chose to make films for
other banners and show his individual brilliance with 'Kachche Dhage'
and 'Deewar-Let Us Bring Our Heroes Home', Emraan has chosen to be
exclusive smooch boy for Vishesh Films, the Bhatt camp's film churning
factory. Shamita Shetty and Udita Goswami. Udita made her debut in Puja
Bhatt's first directorial venture in 'Paap' and Shamita has been lying
low since her debut in Yashraj films 'Mohabbatein'. Mahesh Bhatt always weaves stories around these subjects, presumably
from his own life. This time he seems to have come full circle. His
formula to make a commercially viable film these days is to make
erotica. But there is a thin line between erotica and vulgarity. The
difference between these films and 'Zeher' is that in this movie both
hero Siddharth (Emraan Hashmi) and heroine Sonia (Shamita Shetty) are
cops. Siddharth is a hot cop who doesn't mind rubbing shoulders with the
people of his like; on the other hand Sonia does anything to nap a
criminal. But, Siddharth doesn't want to lose her. She has given him care and
love in the recent past. Siddharth tries to help her with the money that
he has recovered during a raid. However, before the money serves his
purpose, Anna dies in an unfortunate incident. Sonia is handling the
case and now all roads lead Sonia to a man who is also her husband,
Siddharth. He chooses to be different in his logics, what may come. He knows how to make news about nothing and sell the film on the platters of headlines. It reflects in his making too. He chooses his characters accordingly. Taking a newcomer for a big
banner is a raw deal. The film is made in a shoestring budget, and even
if it fails at the box office, the maker is never a loser. These latter lassoes don't come cheap and we see a director like Mohit Suri putting his all energy to bring out the best from his cast. So, Mohit Suri needs applause. He made dolls like Udita and Shamita work well. The only problem with ''Zeher' is that people fail to co-relate this
with their lives. The film moves on a linear track. Much of the erotica
on which the film is banking upon looks repetitive. Erotica can sell at
box office but only if it is made more diligently. Both Shamita and Udita have given their best performances till date. But how much their titillating acts succeed at the box office will decide the fate of the film. May we appeal to Mr. Bhatt that to fill the moneybox, please don't corrupt the cinema. If the only option left is to make erotica, then why not start making porn films? |
| Focus on Tango Charlie |
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| Focus on Karam |
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Karam Director:
Sanjay F. Gupta
Gupta
must have chosen to do this in order to heighten the impact of
suspenseful or emotional scenes. Ironically, it is this very method of
shooting that lessens the impact of crucial moments within the plot. The
exaggerated visuals may look great but curiously, they leave the viewer
feeling detached from what is happening. It is as if you are listening
to a friend who is telling you about his bad dream last night. You´re
curious but you are not particularly interested in the details of the
dream. This is how it feels while watching "Karam". As a
viewer, you find it difficult to get yourself involved in the details
and twists of the story. Only Priyanka Chopra somehow manages to rise above the trite script. She puts her one hundred percent into her uninteresting character, which does nothing except get bandied around by the villains and occasionally sniffle into the phone. John Abraham has been typecast into the role of the weary lover with shades of grey and repeats his acts once again. Shiney Ahuja, Vishwajeet Pradhan and Bharat Dabholkar go through the motions. In fact, the only thing that you ever notice about "Karam" is the technical flair. It has a story but Sanjay F Gupta does not mix it with the necessary ingredients and therefore makes it a forgettable experience. |
| Focus on Bewafaa |
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Bewafaa Director: Dharmesh Darshan 'Raja Hindustani' also proved to be a turning point in its
director Dharmesh Darshan's career. Dharmesh's last tryst with emotional drama
was 'Dhadkan' and since then he has been lying low in filmmaking. 'Bewafaa' is one step ahead in Hindi social films in dealing
with extramarital affairs and takes on from where films of Jeetendra like 'Ek Hi
Bhool' and still earlier 'Mang Bharo Sajna' and others left the scene. The
formula has always worked wonders for filmmakers in Bollywood, but the recent
spurt of 'Saas Bahu' serials on small screen has taken a very heavy toll on
films of this genre. The wedding did not happen in earlier two films but in 'Bewafaa'
the plot moves on this basis only. Sushmita Sen plays the role of elder sister
Aarti. Her younger sister Anjali (Kareena Kapoor) is in love with an aspiring
musician Raja (Akshay Kumar). But, despite having been brought up in foreign
soil, Anjali finds it hard to reveal her love story to her parents (Kabir Bedi
and Nafisa Ali). Now, situations demand that Anjali should marry Aditya and
being an obedient daughter she does so and migrates to Delhi with Aditya. Aditya
is a big business tycoon who hardly gets time for Anjali and his kids. On the other hand, Anjali does everything to keep the home
intact and looks after the kids like a real mother. Every thing seems to be
going normal on the face but Anjali cannot forget her first love Raja. And, when
the fate brings Raja to Delhi as a successful musician, the love from past
rekindles. The need of time has it that Anjali indulges in extramarital affair
with Raja. But, at the end of the day the question remains the same, is
Indian society ready for such experiments? Experiments have always been welcome
among Hindi film viewers; the latest example being Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Page 3'
that is doing very good business and also Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Black' that
has been watched. So, Kareena is not fit for such a diversified role. While
Karisma very aptly moulded her image from a bubbly girl to an intense lady,
Kareena will have to work a lot and sweat more. Sushmita Sen does a better job
than Kareena in 'Bewafaa'. Manoj Bajpai should listen to the danger bell ringing for
him, and if he keeps on doing such roles, he will soon be out of Bollywood.
Shamita leaves the impact in short but sweet (not really!) role. Robin Bhatt has failed to maintain the pace of the film
mainly in the latter half. On the whole, Chehraa Director:
Saraubh Shukla Jurm Director:
Vikram Bhatt Black
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali The film was called Khamoshi The Musical. Despite the presence of matinee idols like Salman Khan, Manisha Koirala and Nana
Patekar, the film failed. Sanjay realized that for carving out a niche for himself he needs to combine opulent visualization with emotional drama and thus were born two wonders - Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas happened. The last two saw him getting worldwide recognition as Devdas was also showed in Cannes and other film festivals around the world. May be the attraction that he got from Devdas made him dream about a film that will see him getting red carpet welcome at Oscars and thus was born Black. There have been films like Sparsh in the past and Koi Mil Gaya in recent days where the protagonists of the films were physically challenged. But Bhansali adds another chapter to this tradition with the help of the screen magic of Amitabh Bachchan and the leading lady of the time Rani
Mukherjee. She is deaf and blind. Michelle soon becomes frustrated with her life. The complications also affect her personality. Her world is Black and she wants to fill colors in it, at whatever cost. The situation demands the entry of an angel and that is how Big B moves in as Debraj
Sahai. When no one understands him, he takes the advice from an old friend who is also the principal of the school in which he is teaching. He sends him to Mc Nelly's place. Debrai reaches Michelle's place, drunken and high. Upon meeting Michelle, he hatches an original plan for her and that is to give a shock treatment to her. His efforts and patience bear fruit and Mc Nelly speaks her first words. The bond starts growing and when everything seems to be going well, fate strikes Debrai in the form of a deadly disease and he is now suffering from Alzheimer's disease. To most the film is reminiscent of the miraculous story of Helen Keller, a real life kid who bravely confronted life and made a name for herself in the late 50s. Hollywood paid tributes to the lady by making countless films on her and the story also inspired many around the world. Sanjay Leela Bhansali takes a fresh look at Keller's life and times and presents Black. The film is undoubtedly a class apart, not even a single person would expect a film like this coming from Bollywood Biggies. Sanjay Leela Bhansali should be given a standing ovation for this daring decision. Sanjay gets all the needed support from his crew. If Ravi K Chandran has captured Shimla in all new nuances with brilliant lit scenes, it is Omung Kumar who has created lively sets for the film. Every scene tells a story and it is the treatment of the film that leaves you spell bound. The blackground music given by Monty is brilliant. The technical team has lived up to their master's expectations and the whole team competes with the technical brilliance of Hollywood. Despite some excellent performances in films like Khaki and Dev last year, Big B had got many brickbats. Black brings him in the right frame again. He delivers a performance that will leave his critics spellbound. He gets brilliant support from Rani Mukherjee who has emerged a winner in the movie. But, despite all this brilliance what goes against Black is the fact that its looks are very grim and depressive. Audience coming for pure entertainment will feel let down. But, if Bollywood has to move ahead with time we will be open to experiments like this. A must watch for those who like different cinema. Shabd Director: Leela Bajaj They both fell flat on their faces and their individual
ventures had to bite the dust at the box office not once but many times till
they learnt their lesson the hard way. History repeats itself this Friday with
the release of two films - Shabd and Black. What coincidence that both the films have been released
together. While Black will still be praised for its making, Shabd is perhaps too
archetypal to be accepted even by regular moviegoers what to talk of family
audience. All attempts by Yash to entice her fail and then Shaukat
enters the scene. He wants his wife to enter into a relationship with Yash so
that the contours of his story start developing. But, little does he know that Antara will actually defy the
novel storyline and fall in love with Yash in real life too. The story has an
unexpected twist as Antara falls head over heels in love with Yash. And there is
no looking back for her. The lines and situations written for her are not well thought
of and all this only makes her presence go useless on screen. Aishwarya needs to
learn her lessons fast, In her attempt to make a niche for herself overseas. Even
Sanjay Dutt is a misfit in his role. Zayed Khan looks impressive as far as his
screen presence is concerned. Blackmail Director: Anil Devgan Her talent (the oomph factor) is missing and that
will make her many fans disappointed. The overall rating is just about
an average film, and may not fetch much money for its makers. Sad,
though!
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