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1920: Horrors of the Heart (2023)
1920: Horrors Of The Heart:- A Tenable Flick With Some Delightful Highs
1920 has been a series that has been a constant and music has been a highlight of this series. Ever since I read about the new part and saw its trailer, I wanted to watch the movie on the big screen.
Well, the experience was okay on the whole. I felt the horror quotient was missing. I expected a lot more of it on the whole. But then, I feel the title had a say in it. We can justify the theme "Horror Of The Heart" given the kind of plot that has been meted out here. There's family, there's past, there's secrets, there's lies, there's betrayal, there's resurgence, there's resurrection, there's drama, there's the final victory and things falling in place too.
The idea of a family drama filled with horror and life after death is something new and even the manner of the end isn't the usual one. Yes, the climax could and should have been more heavy and painful, but this is a movie that delves deep on simplicity and not complicating stuff.
With Bhatt flicks, I'm very comfortable, knowing the fact that there would be something to look forward to. Here also, I quite enjoyed my time even though there wasn't enough to label it a perfect movie.
Music has been a key ingredient in all Bhatt flicks, especially the horror ones. Here, even though it is no where near the good old music of Chirantan Bhatt; music by Puneet Dixit is so soothing, melodious and painful. In today's era, I thank Puneet and team for giving a bit of melody.
Lori by Shreya Ghoshal is outstanding. Such peaceful vibes it gives. It is no where near Ajnabi Hawayein from Shaapit but surely reminded me of it. Woh Kahaani has pain in the terrific voice of Papon. Zaroori Hai is such a beautiful song sung by Javed Ali & Palak Muchhal. Aye Zindagi is situational with the husky voice of Esha Gaur who brings about a major impact.
Kudos to Shweta Bothra for writing such hard, gripping and meaningful yet painful lyrics for the whole album. These are the kind of words that we need more of in Bollywood.
It was about time for Krishna Bhatt to step into direction in movies. Yes, she'll get better with time and experience. There were some abrupt endings of scenes throughout the movie which could have been avoided. Bhatt Saab has written the movie along with Suhrita Das. The writing is usual, yet unusual. It is a different kind of a horror flick involving family drama aplenty.
Editing by Kuldeep Megan is moderate. Duration ain't an issue, some cuts and focus surely are. Cinematography by Prakash Kutty is good. The usage of candles, frames that bring about the fear and surprise factor are there which adds to the credibility of the movie.
Dialogues of the movie were a let down for me. They were too simple, too real for the theme of the movie. The plot surely warranted a lot more heaviness according to me.
Coming to the performances, Avika Gor had a very good debut. It was a delight to see her bloom on the big screen. Barkha Bisht Sengupta gave a commendable performance. Rahul Dev for some reason seemed extremely subdued throughout with his dialogue delivery and appearance.
Amit Behl was in a different role and did well. Danish Pandor was passable in his role. Randheer Rai impressed with his voice, not persona. Avtar Gill had a weird walk and style of movement, dunno why. And now, the one who impressed the most was Ketaki Kulkarni. She had a lot to do, her character had it all and she impressed big time.
What I also liked was the end credits wherein the set up was character name followed by real name. It was a highlight for me. All in all, it was a decent experience and I would rate the movie 3/5.
PS:- The dress worn in the second half by Avika is the one that my beloved Deepshikha owns. It made us both smile.
IB 71 (2023)
IB71:- Praiseworthy Portrayal Of A Massive Little Triumph
Not often do you come across patriotically driven movies made with pure intentions and honest acts. Mostly, it is about the extremes at both ends and how we succeed against all odds. IB71 is different on that front. It has its heart and soul at the same place from starting to finish.
What impressed me the most was the crisp editing that led to the run time being only 119 minutes. It doesn't drag or head into any sub plots of sorts. It focuses on the main essence of the movie all through the course of its running.
The movie is based on an inspiring story of how India stopped Pakistan and China from aligning to fight with India on the Eastern front in 1971 by blocking the air space.
This is a movie about a triumph that's little but extremely important in the context of the bigger picture. Such stories need to be told and if told in the right way, it marks for a celebration of sorts.
India had only 10 days to go about it all. Going through the available options, rejecting most of them and finally finding the only way possible was a thinking of a level that only a person of the caliber of Intelligence Bureau could come up with.
This was a confidential mission and had to be done in a way that Pakistan would be caught unaware. How a case study from a friend helped in getting the idea, how the personnel involved in that case study eventually laid the foundation of execution, how the hijack was planned, executed, how the espionage was carried out successfully is all what this movie is about.
It's a brilliant story which ought to be told and celebrated. How 30 agents risk their all to enable India towards a possible triumph in a mission that had to be done in 10 days is shown quite briskly.
There have been references, nuances and instances to show how each party tries to outsmart the other. There's suspicion, there's vengeance, there's conviction, there's ways in which both India and Pakistan tend to show the potential that they have through their tactics.
I quite liked the manner of story telling here. This is a movie which wanted to show this, this and this. This is a movie which showed this, this and this only. No extra fuss, no add-ons etc. Editing is excellent, keeping us glued all through to cherish the accomplishment. Sandeep Francis deserves a lot of accolades for it all.
Direction and writing by Sankalp Reddy is quite good. The movie has its heart at the right place. Story is by Aditya Shastri and it makes for a beautiful cinematic viewing. It was a story based on 1971 hijacking and it deserved a mention for sure.
Dialogues have been written by Sahar Quaze and Junaid Wasi. Surely, some of the dialogues as expected land a punch. Also, there's a tad bit of humour too, which really does add to the flavour of the theme of the movie. I've liked the lyrics of Zikr, Uska Hi Banana and Bawra Mann and thus, to see Junaid Wasi write such beautiful dialogues here doesn't come as a surprise to me.
Just the 2nd Hindi movie but the cinematography by the experienced Gnana Shekar V. S. is top notch, especially the scenes in the aeroplane.
The only loophole or a small drawback would be the improper use of technology by the opposing country in the movie. That bit could have been more clinical.
Rest, the call trapping, listening to call recording, call divert, voice modulation, convincing through preaching about religion etc. Has been shown quite well.
Coming to the performances, Vidyut Jammwal as Dev, an IB agent is brilliant. He deserves and warrants a lot more attention. Vishal Jethwa as Qasim is sheer class. He has nailed the role completely. He impresses big time. Anupam Kher is okay in his role as IB Chief. Suvrat Joshi has screen presence and makes for some emotional moments. He has done really well. The get up and look of Dalip Tahil as Zulfikar Ali Bhutto is beyond words and outstanding. Hobby Dhaliwal plays his part as Army chief of Pakistan with aplomb.
Coming to others, Niharica Raizada shows so much through her eyes and behaviour. She does a terrific job. Rest of the cast has been okay at best. But yes, the one who impressed me the most was one certain Ashwath Bhatt. What a performance! His appearance, dialogue delivery, portrayal of his character and the way he does it all was so convincing and brilliant.
All in all, IB71 is a story that I'm happy to have seen. I'm also impressed in the manner of showcasing it all on the big screen, keeping the viewers glued all through with a terrific manner of storytelling wherein we're shown only what's there to be shown. I would rate it 4/5.
Chal Mann Jeetva Jaiye 2 (2023)
Chal Man Jeetva Jaiye 2:- An Absolute Gold With Life Lessons Galore
Phew! If at all there was a movie for whose sequel I had been waiting for long, it was this! I saw the first part in theatre in January 2018 and since then, there was this urge of seeing what the second part would come up with.
Badi der lagadi meherbaan aate aate! What I felt last evening was incredible. I love the different shades of movie making. I love it when a movie breathes life and its fuel is honesty and giving lessons.
Movies ain't just about entertainment after all. If the first part was about bankruptcy and its pros and cons, the second part is about the personality development as mentioned by Dev towards the end of first part.
We've learnt a lot about the usage of active and passive voice in school. Have we ever implemented it in real life? Do we ever realise how different the approach becomes when saying things in either of the two forms? All this and much more has been beautifully portrayed in the movie.
In this materialistic world; morals, ethics, values and principles have gone for a toss. There's sheer justification of crossing the limits on all fronts and it is deemed to be cool and the new normal. To stay put on the non-monetary assets amidst the plethora of monetary gains fetched by this materialistic world on a continuous basis is a tough ask but worth it.
How do you build mental strength? How to bring up the courage to accept your own weaknesses? How to be disciplined enough to face your fear and keep on trying until you eventually succeed? We all know the process but very rarely do we follow it.
You know what, given our life's experiences, we know what it takes to be consistent and persistent. And yet, invariably, we seek an easier route always.
There are so many life lessons in the movie. The one about Gandhi Ji was brilliant too. Like Dev, even I would have been frustrated and angry. Eventually, I would have also settled the dust and surrendered. But that's where the difference lies. In the urge of seeking an easier path, not many delve deep into the whereabouts of greatness today.
This treasure hunt comprises of the right way of living, going on the path of our morals, staying put against all odds and the willingness to surpass every storm on the way. This is what makes the movie special for me. And there's so much more to come. We're only getting started it seems.
Everyone has some quality in them that differentiates them from others. We ought to seek the path of its finding. Everyone makes mistakes. One can't be right all the time. Self- learning is a key aspect of life. These kind of life lessons are so beautifully portrayed.
The dialogue wherein the senior most statesman of the Sanghvi family Mr. Suryakant says that he's the most weak of them all and that he's lost respect in the eyes of his own son speaks volumes of how our inner self shows us the reality.
When our strength is governed by external factors and outside gains, its core essence also diminishes once the outer beauty fades or goes away. The ability to build the mental strength from within is what it's all about. This has been beautifully portrayed through the character of boss man Vasant Sanghvi. His character goes through it all and eventually realises it all too.
Also, some rigid and taking life for granted characters add to our misery, suffering and how they constantly demean others who're trying their best has been so truly shown in this movie.
Distractions are plenty. Addictions are aplenty. Cleverly taking pit stops and finding the way towards the chequered flag is an art one has to matter with time to survive here.
This movie is about fighting your fears and coming up with apt solutions when you're facing down the barrel. It is about turning the negative into the affirmative.
Every day is different. Every day is a new game of cricket of sorts. Some days, you have it easy. Some days, you have it tough. There's bounce. There's swing. There's pace. There's turn. Not every day will be a flat pitch. Even on a flat pitch, you'll falter some day. Can you accept it? Are you ready to change the approach and hang in there against all odds? The movie is about all this and much more. It is about turning the negative into affirmative.
The best part about the movie for me was the following realisation:- The path from "I Can't Do It" to "I Don't Want To Do It." Yes, ultimately, we're the ones who decide our limits.
Written and directed by Dipesh Shah, this is another big tick for him. What a movie! What direction! What concept! What eagerness to showcase life lessons in such a beautiful manner on screen! To come up with something like this and execute it in this manner is sheer class.
Coming to the performances, once again, the cast has done a splendid job overall. I surely missed Anupama Masand playing Guni bhabhi in this one though. The expressions of Krishna Bharadwaj as Dev are top notch. He's delivered a brilliant performance. Like in part one, Hemen Chauhan makes an impact through his voice and personality as Viren in the movie. Dharmendra Gohil as Vasant was my favourite actor in part one. He's done a tremendous job even this time around, be it the emotional, normal or the serious parts. Harsh Khurana as Niranjan stamps his authority too. Rajeev Mehta is a delight to watch as always. Rudrakshi Gupta is as good as in part one. Ketkie Parekh has impressed big time in this one and so has Sheetal Pandya. In fact, she has quite a bit of screen space this time. New entry Kaushambi Bhatt was excellent. Her character and performance was so good. And and, Karan Desai as Bhola Bhagat was the hidden gem of this movie for me. Rest of the cast was okay at best.
All in all, this isn't a movie for the mass but for ones who want to experience life and its beautiful hidden aspects on the big screen. Bring on Part 3 soon. Don't let the wait be this long now. I will rate it 4/5.
Hun Iqbal (2023)
Hun Iqbal:- A Film Heavy On Content And The Thrill Flavour
We've often heard about "Change Is Constant." With changing times, the manner of making movies and the kind of content to be shown in it is changing too.
I haven't seen a plethora of Gujarati movies to be able to tell about its overall scenario but certainly, the industry is evolving big time of late.
Yesterday, I watched Hun Iqbal on the big screen. It was an absolute delight to watch the flick on the whole. The "Concept" and the "Plot" are the clear winners in this movie. It is an out an out thriller which is easily a Director's movie.
The level of content and the art of attracting viewers' attention throughout has been successfully achieved here. From the beginning itself, the drama unfolds in such a manner that you're inclined towards the screen and wanna anticipate about "What Next!"
Hun Iqbal is a masterpiece in content and wins on concept alone, not to forget the performances and dialogues that add to its beauty. The only negative I found was the editing. Given the manner in which it ended, editing could surely have been a tad bit more crisp, especially in the second half.
The ending was unusual too. You don't quite end a movie without ending it. That's another brave call by the team. It could have backfired but I guess it was worth the risk. It only adds to the differential flavour of the movie.
The mystery remains intact and there's so much more to be seen too. Given the positive word of mouth, I'm sure many people will watch the movie and eagerly wait for what's to unfold in the next part.
The direction is gripping and given the quality of content and story writing, it only enhances the reputation of the movie. Music and background is quite good too. In fact, there's a Hindi song that's much better than what all Bollywood comes up with these days. Kirdaar sung by Tshering Bhutia is outstanding. Her voice is lovely and she wins us over with the softness and peaceful vocals. Lanka Poonch Ni Pachad and Man Kabootar are brilliant too. Well done Darshan Shah, Thaakur and team.
Coming to the performances, everyone have played their part quite well. Devaki hands down steals the show for me. Be it her looks, her expressions, her dialogue delivery, the manner in which she reacts, everything was perfect. Sonali Ma'am is brilliant too. Nirav Vaidya plays his part quite well and stays put during the tough emotional moments. Ravi Ranjan is good too.
Now, Mitra Gadhvi! Dost, for me, hands down, this is the best movie that you've been a part of. Yes, this goes beyond Bas Ek Chance easily. Again, it was an absolute pleasure to watch you on the big screen and in such an impactful role again. Onwards and upwards, always. Waiting to see how you unravel in Part 2. Hai na, Yes!
All in all, Hun Iqbal is in a territory of its own. It is gripping, eventful and keeps us all glued to the screen throughout. The heist has been pulled off, what next now is to be seen. Kudos to Pallav Parikh for coming up with this concept. May you keep scaling new heights.
I would rate it 4/5. It is a must watch movie for sure. Cheers Team Hun Iqbal.
Hey Kem Chho London (2022)
/Hey Kem Chho London:- Made With Heart, With Humour And Misunderstanding As The Core Of It All/
Phew! For a movie that was supposed to be watched at its Ahmedabad premiere on 1st or if not possible, at its Mumbai premiere on 2nd, I finally watched it on 6th and writing its review now on 8th.
I went to watch a Gujarati flick after a long time. And it was quite an experience. The entry scene of all 3 lead characters was good. I quite liked the cinematography on the whole. Well done Manas Ganguly on that front.
The plot is all about 2 childhood friends, with connected family bonding through their ancestors and how different the life of the 2 boys were. Enter the girl. A common name "Krishna" leads to a lot of confusion, misunderstanding and lots of banter. Enter the same girl again. You know where it's heading! Oh yes, some more confusion, misunderstanding and lots of banter.
The plot isn't something to boast of. But the story certainly feels like it has its heart at the right place. What's cinema after all if it doesn't come with its cinematic liberties!
Editing was crisp, sharp and to the point. Be it the length of the movie or the duration of some scenes, it seemed proper. Kudos to Kaushik Srivastava for it. If I come to dialogues, there were some real good ones. Be it some epic one liners, to some humorous words to some life lessons, there was quite a bit of variety to keep the audience glued. Aseem Arrora and Uroovaak Vora need a mention for this.
Direction by Ssunny Suraani and Ankit Sunil Trivedi seems good as they've put up a story which isn't thoughtful but one which entertains its viewers. It has a good cast, good music and even with the shortfalls in the plot, keeps the audience in it till the end.
Yes, on the whole, it is an average Gujju flick but then, entertainment quotient is surely there. The locations in London, the spirit of the actors and the soul of the makers can be felt while watching the movie.
In every movie, I do tend to find some hidden gems when it comes to actors. Here, there was this character "Soda" which stole the show for me. He doesn't have much screen space, but whatever he has, he surely nails it. Kudos Deep Vaidya. And the fact that he was present with family in the show whilst we were watching was so good.
The performances were good. It was a delight to see Leena Jumani on screen in a Gujju movie. She has done a really good job. The personality of Manas Shah showed on screen. He made his presence felt throughout the movie. Anang Desai and Muni Jha were at the top of their game, just as expected.
It is always a pleasure to go for a movie wherein you watch your first and constant friend on the big screen. To see his journey, to see him perform, to see his success, to see his efforts being finally rewarded gives a satisfaction of an extreme level coz only some of us actually know the kind of struggle it has taken to be where he is.
Yes, I'm talking about Mitra Gadhvi. So loved to see him again on the big screen. That scene wherein he spoke the so called "Kakko" of Gujarati in one go was sheer class. Being a Gadhvi, ye to banta tha boss. Aama to te "Bhaangi Nakhyu, Fodi Nakhyu, Bhookko Kari Nakhyu."
And another dialogue wherein I loved him was when he said:- "Mane Bau J Gamti Ti Yaar E" or something on that front and sat down on the road. He was his natural self in some scenes and seemed like he was performing in some other scenes.
All in all, it was a decent experience and to watch it with closed ones was fun. More so, glad I went for the night show and didn't stay up for India vs Sri Lanka wherein India disappointed again.
Keep up with the good work Gujarati Film Industry. Keep innovating. Audience will appreciate the good work. It can be seen with the kind of crowd the multiplex had for the show i went to. My one liner on the movie:- "London Mein Gujarati Ka Bol Bala Ho Gaya." I would rate the movie 3/5.
Tumhari Sulu (2017)
Tumhari Sulu:- A light hearted and a feel good movie
Phew! I am probably doing a proper movie review for the first time in about a year, first in 2017. Thus, I hope to get into the groove of it all through this review.
It's a movie which has a bit of everything in it and has its heart at the right place. As the name suggests, Sulu is Sulochana played by Vidya Balan who's a housewife and the youngest of the 3 sisters. The 2 elder sisters, both twins, are well educated, have gone to outstation audits and work in Bank whereas Sulu is regularly taunted for her inability to clear 12th even after 3 attempts.
Sulu is married to Ashok (Manav Kaul) who works in a shirt manufacturing company where all the other staff members are extreme adults. He gives medicines to the boss, stops fights between members and works for the betterment of the company. A change of guard at workplace leads to shambles later on. They have a son who's seemingly mischievous and the little happenings shown early on lay the foundation for a massive plot later on.
Coming to the story, Sulu is a housewife who is like any normal human being. She participates in many different contests and counts the items won to tell her husband about the savings made through it. During one such contest, she wins a pressure cooker and easily demands a TV as their TV isn't working since over 7 months now. While going to collect the prize, she discovers about an RJ hunt and aspires to give it a try. What transpires after that, how she adopts into this new routine, how she manages to keep a balance between family and work, how she overcomes the hindrances coming her way is what this movie is all about.
This is a very thoughtfully made film. Almost all the bits and pieces are put in place by the end of the movie. There is a relevance to each and every small incident be it about the son initially, the lift scene, work place chaos of Ashok etc. We can relate with it in many ways.
If a 4th fail Vijay Salgaokar goes all the way to save his family in Drishyam, a 12th fail Sulu shows us that you need to love yourself and have the belief within to succeed at life in Tumhari Sulu. When Sulu cuts vegetables while doing her show, it reminds us of Usha Ji from Office Office, the only difference being Sulu does it all by herself.
Direction and writing by Suresh Triveni is good. In this age, I am on the lookout for something different and meaningful. He's succeeded in doing it. Cinematography by Saurabh Goswami is really good, especially the set up at the radio office. I just loved the way it was presented all throughout. The pace as well as the length of the movie was fine except the fact that things seemed a bit rushed towards the end. Other than that, I have no issues with the editing of Shivkumar Panicker.
In a year where there have been only a few quality and melodious songs, I just loved the simplicity and charm of Rafu. It has simple, yet catchy and meaningful lyrics by Santanu Ghatak who has also composed the song. But the way in which Ronkini Gupta sings it takes it to another level. Other songs also go with the mood of the movie and seem decent. The skills of the performers in the song Farrata were commendable to say the least. The lady driver stating her husband initially missing him, later leaving him and that she loves Pakistani artists but doesn't play their songs as she isn't sure about the mentality of her passengers is a very good scene.
Coming to the performances, Vidya Balan as Sulu is the heart and soul of the movie. She's good as usual and strikes the right chord with her performance. Manav Kaul impresses once again, he's such a gem of an actor. His dialogue deliveries as well as expressions were superb. I loved each and every frame of Neha Dhupia as the radio head Maria in the movie. She looked adorable and performed brilliantly. Vijay Maurya as Pankaj was the one who impressed me a lot. His expressions were terrific and he proved to be a differential amongst the other quality actors.
One might feel it isn't that easy to become an RJ but sometimes, you do end up at the right place at the right time and things work out well for you. It isn't an easy job to give answers instantly while being on air and thousands tuned in to listen to you. The show Tumhari Sulu rocked big time and the way of speaking as an RJ is a highlight in itself.
All in all, Tumhari Sulu shows us that one should love their own self and not worry about the opinion of others. One should be ready to explore their horizons for success. The end seemed a bit rushed, would have loved a confrontation of Ashok with his boss at workplace but its fine. I will rate it 3.5/5.
Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015)
Prem Ratan Dhan Payo: - An Addition To The Current Season Of Old Is Gold
Well, I am sure you would be wondering why I went with such a tag line to describe this! Alas, the last few days have been taking me back into my lovely childhood days. The biggest reason is the Cricket All Stars by a mile and now Bhaijaan is back as Prem in a Sooraj Barjatiya movie. Sigh!
A couple of more reasons would be Salman-Sonam pairing for the 1st time since Saanwariya & another thought which emerged in my mind which I would disclose later when I feel convenient to post about it.
The story starts in Ayodhya with Prem Dilwala (Salman Khan) and his entry dialogue " Kisi Ke Haath Chalte Hai, Kisi Ke Pair Chalte Hain. Hamare Dono Chalte Hai." The story then moves to Pritampur where the majority of the movie remains before finishing again in Ayodhya. Prem loves Rani Maithili (Sonam Kapoor) who runs an Uphaar Foundation NGO and is set to marry Prince Vijay (Salman Khan) and would attend his coronation in Pritampur. Prem decides to visit Pritampur to get a glimpse of Maithili with his ever-dependable friend Kanhaiya (Deepak Dobriyal) :- He looked wonderful as Sita in the beginning. (Smiles)
In Pritampur, Enter Deepraj Rana , Diwanji (Anupam Kher), Yuvraj Ajay (Neil Nitin Mukesh) (younger brother of Vijay), Chirag Singh (Armaan Kohli) (Yes, you read it right), Rajkumari Chandrika (Swara Bhaskar) and Rajkumari Radhika (Aashika Bhatia). The younger brother wants to take over the reins and come out of living in the shadows of Vijay and the two Rajkumaris have been having hatred for Vijay due to injustice meted out to them.
All in all, Vijay had a sad life and from what was shown about his character, he did what he wanted to all the time which even led to verbal fights with Maithili. Can he change? Will the family unite? Will brotherhood prevail? Will the sisters be happy? What about Prem Dilwala? What about Maithili? These are mostly the questions that are answered as the movie moves ahead.
What do you expect from a Sooraj Barjatiya movie having Salman Khan? A family entertainer? Check. A blockbuster? Check. Lots of Songs? Check. Expect it to be decent, beautiful and simple? Check. A big family? Check. A certain Aloknath? Whoops, he is the only one missing. To add to it, you also have a photo of Munni (our very own Shahida aka Harshali from Bajrangi Bhaijaan) in one of the scenes. Yes, this movie is a bit too long, could have cut down quite a bit & some of the sequences were unwanted & exaggerated. But it was a decent effort and credit to Sooraj Sir to keep up to his enigma even now.
Direction, story and screenplay are by Sooraj Barjatiya Sir and it's his typical way and manner but as they say, change is inevitable & the only constant, so there was some modernization with the lead actress wearing a bit revealing outfit & latest phones being used. Dialogues are by Aash Karan Atal & they aren't the highlight of the movie by any means although I liked a few of them delivered by Sonam. Cinematography by Manikandan is really nice whereas the editing by Sanjay Sankla is a letdown as it could have been much better.
Music hasn't been a hallmark of Barjatiya movies but having a lot of songs is & it's the same thing with this one as well. Apart from Jalte Diye , none of the songs could match my liking. But it was good to see Himesh Reshammiya back with a full album and Shaan getting a couple of songs (as I said, it's the season of Old Is Gold).
Coming to the performances, Salman bhai is his usual self & carries the movie on his own with utmost ease. The Sallu fans are in for a treat again. Anupam Kher Sir is an expert, the less said about him the better. Neil Nitin Mukesh is someone I like and he did justice to all that he had to do. Deepak Dobriyal was good as usual, in all the 3 looks. There was Armaan Kohli as well, who was just average. Deepraj Rana was brilliant (loved his dance behind Salman during the football match). Aashika Bhatia & Manoj Joshi were good. Swara Bhaskar is amongst my favourite since Madholal Keep Walking & loved her work even here in PRDP. She does act well.
Now is the time to post about something that emerged in my mind. All through these years, I have had just 2 Bollywood crushes :- One being Dia Mirza and the other being Sonam Kapoor. Now (you may want to hit me for this), looking at the movie from Maithili's point of view, PRDP was Sonam's RHTDM for me. In RHTDM, it was those 5 days that won Dia over & in PRDP, it's those 4 days with Prem. Yes, the situations and scenarios are totally different, but that's where my mind took me & I thought it was a must to state it. Coming to Sonam's performance, loved every bit of it be it dialogue delivery or sheer presence of her on the screen. She is easily the most beautiful looking woman I have seen so far, be it real or reel.
All in all, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo is a decent family entertainer which will not disappoint you as most critics have stated. I read a few reviews which stated this is outdated and not for this generation (same was said for Hamari Adhuri Kahani). Who are you to judge that? I liked it, you didn't, just keep it that way, don't come to foregone conclusions. I will rate it 3.5/5.
Bliss, a 1st ball 4 from Viru & 50s for Sachin & Ganguly today, Old is indeed Gold.
Bas Ek Chance (2015)
Bas Ek Chance :- A Decent Effort Which Deserves Appreciation
For the first time in my life, went for a movie premiere along with the cast and that to, for a Gujarati movie, but it was a very fruitful and memorable experience indeed.
This is the first time that I have seen a Gujarati movie and reviewing it just as a mere viewer of it. Inox, Vadodara was crowded last night with the full cast and the closed ones of the team of the movie Bas Ek Chance for its premiere show.
The reason I got this opportunity was all due to my friend who debuted in this movie:- Mitra Gadhvi. The movie was emotional for me due to it.
Coming to the movie, I am surprised with the quality of the movie on the whole. It is a very whole-hearted and honest effort by the makers led by Kirtan Patel. As Rajiv Sir stated: - "It's an honest movie with a learning which made him do it."
The plot is good, simple and well displayed. An engineering drop-out Brijesh Patel (Aditya Kapadia) wants to make a feature film on a story which he has written. To support him are his friends and musicians Manu (Alpesh Dhakan) and Meet (Mitra Gadhvi). Brijesh loves Neha (Bhakti Kubavat); their story is a bit topsy-turvy all through with a happy ending.
What are the hindrances faced by Brijesh? The struggles of his father Bachubhai Patel (Rajiv Mehta Sir) and how he still supports his son, the difficulty of Manu, the politics of the movie industry is all what this movie is all about. It goes on at a very decent pace and has its own style with comedy, emotions and all combined in it.
The direction by Kirtan Patel is indeed good and deserves a mention. The story is written by Jay Bhatt and it is simple & effective. But the real winner over here is the Cinematography by Amar Kamble and Editing by Nirav Panchal . These 2 add to the quality of the movie. Those 2 things are the key element of this movie and it seems like a Bollywood movie.
Music by Pranav-Nikhil-Shailesh & Ahmon band is quite catchy with some really good lyrics penned by Priya Saraiya Mam especially for Sapna Joya and Brijlo.
Coming to the performances, Aditya Kapadia is average in his performance. Bhakti Kubavat is decent in what she has to do. Rajiv Sir is excellent as always. Falguni Dave is good as Brijesh's Mom. Mushtaq Khan is good. And now, the 2 who impressed me the most are Alpesh Dhakan and Hemang Dave. They were a treat to watch and have acted brilliantly. Rest of the cast was average.
Well, my friend Mitra played the role of Meet and the very sight of watching him on the Big Screen made me happy. He has a good role & he portrays it well. He did a couple of his usual expressions and used his style which was great to see. It was a proud moment for him & his Parents, those moments stay forever. I wish him the best for the future, it's a good beginning.
All in all, Bas Ek Chance is a decent effort and I liked it on the whole. If Gujarati films can be made at this level, it is really a treat for the audience. I would rate it 3/5 plus an additional 0.5 for my friend to give an overall rating of 3.5/5. People who like Gujarati movies should spend some time to watch this honest attempt.
Drishyam (2015)
Drishyam :- Sheer Class and excellence, this is it
Well, visuals can indeed be deceptive. When the maker knows what he wants to present, you know you are in for an absolute treat. And for the ones who haven't seen the South Indian make of this movie, like me, are in for a masterpiece.
Drishyam is inspired from a Japanese novel The Devotion of Suspect X & has been adopted into various languages in movies. When the roots have already been built, it is about proper presentation in a particular amount of time which is where Nishikant Kamat and his team come out triumphant.
The best part about this movie is that it was presented and portrayed with utmost perfection in a manner in which the makers wanted it to be shown. The buildup was slow but every aspect was properly covered with enough evidence to win the audience.
Suddenly, after a poor 1st half of 2015, Bollywood is coming up with tremendous flicks. It was the emotional journey of Bajrangi Bhaijaan 2 weeks back, critically acclaimed Masaan(I haven't seen it) last week and the gripping Drishyam now.
Coming to the story, it is about the family of Vijay Salgaonkar (Ajay Devgn) ,his wife (Shriya Saran) ,his elder daughter Anju (Ishita Dutta) and the younger daughter Anu. Vijay is a 4th fail illiterate (as has been emphasized a lot in the movie) who lives a happy and satisfied life. He has his own cable service and he loves, watches, uses the scenes in movies in real life. Life takes a turn when the elder daughter (adopted) encounters a sad incident while on a School Nature Camp.
This is the bitter reality of life:- We become culprit for no fault of ours and evil intentions of few spoilt rich. It was a mischief by a boy called Sam which came back to haunt the Salgaonkar family. Now, the only aim of Vijay is to protect his family from the police. It was to save themselves from blushes of the incident. But they were up against a tough & scary(I mean threatening) Inspector General (IG) Meera Deshmukh (Tabu) who was inclined to find the truth, after all Sam was her son.
The way the planning is done, the manner in which it is portrayed, the confidence with which the family handles tough interrogations, the way the sequences are shown is all just perfect. Hats off to the original writer Jeetu Joseph, he left no stone unturned. The adaptation by Upendra Sidhaye is really good with a few changes here and there. The story unfolds wholly in Goa.
The writing & script was so good that for me, it easily comes up amongst the best Bollywood has ever had. And the way Nishikant Kamat has handled it is simply phenomenal. The less said the better for Nishikant Kamat who has won my heart with such a wonderful vision and achieving the ultimate goal through this vision. You might feel that the pace is slow in the 1st half, but it doesn't bore you as its gripping. Some of the sequences are just scintillating especially after the arrival of Tabu.
We have seen ample of movies regarding catching the criminal but this one is different, it's about saving the family. Will Vijay succeed? Or will Meera find out the truth? Watch it in a cinema theatre near you to find out.
Direction by Nishikant Kamat is stupendous. It was an immense pleasure watching the movie on a Thursday night Premiere. When audience shouts and applaud towards the end, you know that the movie has won. Quite a lot of credit has to go to the casting director Vicky Sidana for coming up with a tremendous blend of actors. Apart from the big guns, it was the superb selection of supporting cast of Rajat Kapoor(Meera's husband), Ishita Dutta, Kamlesh Sawant (Inspector Gaetonde), Martin Uncle(Owner of Martin's cafe) etc.
In such thriller movies, editing is a key aspect & with Aarif Sheikh, you know he will set it up perfectly & he did. Cinematography by Avinash Arun is also really good with the frames being simple yet catchy and beautiful rendition of Goa.
There are just 2 songs comprising of the evergreen duo of Vishal Bharadwaj and Gulzar Saab but music isn't what matters in this movie. It's the haunting & terrifying back ground music by Sameer Phaterpekar which makes you deeply involved. I would specially like to point out the background music during the interrogation involving Tabu with her deadly eyes & the haunting music.
Coming to the performances, Ajay Devgn delivers a phenomenal performance, one that will be remembered. His eyes speak a lot & he lived the character of Vijay Salgaonkar. Tabu is simply outstanding as Meera, playing the role of a tough cop & a concerned mother. She chooses her roles wisely and delivers a great performance most of the times. Shriya Saran is too young to play a mother but she also performs wonderfully well. She had a couple of difficult scenes and she did it really well. Debutant Ishita Dutta is someone whom I have seen earlier in the serial Ek Ghar Banaunga & I knew she would make it to Bollywood. She makes a really good debut. Rajat Kapoor is at his fluent best as he usually is. The younger daughter also does a decent job. But its Inspector Kamlesh Sawant who impressed me a lot, he was simply sensational. Martin's cafe plays a crucial part in this movie and so does Martin uncle. Others were brilliant as well.
All in all, Drishyam is a perfectly made movie which won me over. For me, it was flawless. I would rate it 4.5/5.
Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015)
Bajrangi Bhaijaan :- A movie full of heart and emotions
I have never been a fan of Salman's Masala flicks of late but as and when I saw the trailer of Bajrangi Bhaijaan, I felt as if this was different and needed to be watched. The basic opinion for a Sallu movie is that it would be a no brainer, but this one needs brain and more so,a pure heart.
The movie starts with a group of Pakistani people along with a pregnant woman in Sultanpur watching the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2014 match & as a fan of Shahid Afridi, wants to name her child as Shahid. But the new born child is a girl and is named Shahida (Harshaali Malhotra).Unfortunately, she can't speak. One tragedy when Shahida is 6 years old disappoints family further and on advice of a senior family member, the Mother decides to take the daughter to a wish fulfilling Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah in Delhi. The train route from Wagah to Attari is shown in a decent manner.
On the return journey, the train halts due to a technical problem, all fall asleep. This is when Shahida spots a small goat and goes to play with her. The train goes away before she could realize it. boards a goods train that follows and reaches Kurukshetra in Delhi where she meets the Bajrang Bali bhakt Pavan Kumar Chaturvedi (Salman Khan).
With pure heart and an innocent intention to help the lost girl meet her Parents, Pavan takes care of Shahida and calls her Munni. No one supports him much apart from Rasika (Kareena Kapoor) who teaches children in school. They take names of different cities to know the exact place from where Munni has come from. Slowly, slowly, they come to know that she fancy's Chicken & that she is a Muslim and from Pakistan.
Pavan knew how risky it was to make her reach safely to her Parents in Pakistan. He tried going to the Embassy but to no avail and had a bizarre and shocking incident with a travel agent. So he decided that somehow, he himself will take Munni to her Parents in Pakistan.
The way he reaches Pakistan through the Indo-Pak border is a bit filmy after all, but still, the journey in Pakistan is sheer master class. The reason for it is the entry of Chaand Nawab (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) , who was a freelance news reporter. He realized through a few instances regarding the honesty of Pavan and helped him in his mission. Chaand makes videos regarding the story but nobody believes it, which makes it difficult to survive in Pakistan.
Will Munni meet her Parents? Will Pavan be able to come back to India safely? What about the Pakistani cops? How the bhakt Bajrangi gets transformed in Bajrangi Bhaijaan? These are the questions that form the gripping last hour of this epic movie. Gone are the days when Salman's movies were just about smashing & fights, this is just about heart,emotions, love and a brilliant story. Uncontrollable tears will come out towards the closing moments; such is the level of attachment and connection this movie builds.
Kabir Khan has come a long way in his journey and this movie is his best direction till date only for the reason that this one has almost everything in it which is commendable. Even the Dialogues by Kabir and Kausar Munir are awesome:- a perfect blend of comedy and seriousness as and when required. One of the best for me was when Chaand was himself shooting a video at the end of which he said "Cameraman Chaand Nawaz ke saath, Chand Nawaz" :- it just can't get better than this, can it? No.Other notable ones are "Yahan Nafrat Bikti Hai, Mohabbat Nahi". My best conversation was when Pavan said "Bajrangi Hamari Madad Karenge" to which Chand replied "Yahan Pakistan Mein Bhi" to which as expected,whole theatre clapped.
Cinematography by one of my preferred ones Assem Mishra had to be good as it had to portray the sheer beauty of Kashmir and it indeed was. It was an absolute delight to watch the movie. But what won my heart was the simple, yet intriguing story by Vijayendra Prasad. I just loved the concept on the whole.
Music by Pritam is a letdown but somewhat, goes with the flow of the movie , so cannot be much of an issue. Yet, Tu Jo Mila sung by K.K. and Zindagi sung by Zubin Nautiyal and written by Neelesh Misra are notable mentions.
Coming to the performances , Salman Khan is in a totally different role and he does really well. Leaving aside his Masala roles, this might come up amongst his finest.Kareena Kapoor Khan does justice to whatever role she had. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is sheer class, the movie lifts in itself the moment he is on screen. Om puri in a small role as a Maulvi as well as rest of the support caste does a decent job. But what can I say about the young Champion Harshaali Malhotra, she is just amazing. Her innocent look, her expressions, her smile, the way she conveys it without uttering a word, I am speechless.She is a tremendous actress and is beyond excellence for a child actor.
Well, if there is anyone, who would not like this movie, it might well just be RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN as the same Asia Cup match is shown twice when Afridi hits him for those 2 sixes to win it for Pakistan.
All in all, Bajrangi Bhaijaan is made with a pure heart and sends out a strong message of love, bond and togetherness. I never expected it to be so good, but because of the emotions attached and the tears that came out in my eyes, I will ignore the few filmy flaws that the movie has and rate it 4.5/5.
Shamitabh (2015)
Shamitabh:- Pure example of how Bollywood tries to fool its audience
SHAMITABH: - PURE EXAMPLE OF HOW BOLLYWOOD TRIES TO FOOL ITS AUDIENCE
R Balki has made a movie which he feels has a different & unique concept, but in actual, is pathetic & unworthy of a watch. I was so deeply baffled that how can the big guns do such a movie.
The concept and story is so unreal that it feels like a massive pain to bear this 2hr 35min odd flick. The plot is highly indigestible & we had to keep cracking jokes to be seated till the end.
Danish (Dhanush) is a young boy who can't speak & aspires to be an actor who can act better than the best, how filmy by God!! Well, everyone aims & if we give it our all, we do succeed. But it has to be realistic & believable which is where Shamitabh totally fails.
Danish, without voice, somehow comes to Mumbai ,enters the film city, lives in the vanity van without getting caught & easily impresses an Assistant Director Akshara (Akshara Hasan) who now wants to make a good career for Danish. This is the point where it all gets away & the movie gets into that irresistible mode.
With the help of his Doctor father, Akshara takes Danish to Finland where they fit something like voice box inside the throat of Danish as a result of which he can lip sync someone else's words. How ridiculous!!
Now, they return to India & search for someone to lend voice to Danish. Enter a drunken old man Amitabh Sinha (Amitabh Bachchan) who was rejected by the industry some 40 years ago. So when Amitabh lends his voice to Danish, the evolution of SHAMITABH takes place.
A typical Bollywood style of scripting goes on from there on with fights between the 2 taking place. Selfishness, crave for more success & being greedy takes its toll. What transpires is an end which ought to have happened to make it a Bollywood movie.
Direction by R. Balki is average & good in parts. Story by R Balki is one of the worst & totally unrealistic. Cinematography by P.C. Sreeram is nothing to boast off. Editing by Hemanti Sarkar is decent enough.
Music by Illaiyaraaja will be best dealt with if not talked about. The video of the song Pidli is easily the worst I have ever seen in Bollywood, I wonder who gets to such low level of thinking!
Coming to the performances, Amitabh Sir does his job well but it isn't enough to bring a stronghold on this flick. Dhanush doesn't speak which is good. He might be a leading actor down South, but his actions bring out a forced laugh more than anything, has nothing special in him. Well, the only positive I found in the movie came from the least expected door: - the acting of Akshara Hasan. She has acted so well & I just loved every bit of her presence in the movie. I wish her the best for the future.
All in all, Shamitabh is a movie which is fully unrealistic, baseless & unbelievable. I will rate it 1.5/5.
PK (2014)
PK:- A Journey Worth Worshipping For All
Rajkumar Hirani, Aamir Khan, Sanjay Dutt:-These names are enough to bring about the Golden Memories of the Munnabhai Series and 3 Idiots. Now when they combine through a coarse of 5 years for a movie, expectations are bound to be sky high.
There was a lot of curiosity as to what will the movie be about and will it be as phenomenal and sensational as the previous ones by Hirani Sir. Well, everything is answered in this 2hr 33min flick which impresses one and all.
I won't reveal the story here but just provide some shadows to what the movie is about and how the things transpire. PK (Aamir) lands in a desert of Rajasthan and is being robbed of his prized possession which leads to a journey of search which in all senses is no less than epic.
Aamir's journey is a visual delight to all. He meets Bhairon Singh (Sanjay Dutt) who is a Rajasthani and guides his young and unknown friend in times of need. Through his advice, PK heads to Delhi which is where the story moves ahead.
In Delhi, he meets Jaggu aka Jagat Janani (Anushka Sharma) who is a budding reporter. The trust factor led to PK revealing his story to Jaggu and it is just superb to watch as a viewer. Jaggu's father (Parikshit Sahni) is upset with her as she had fallen for a Pakistani guy Sarfaraz Yousuf (Sushant Singh Rajput).
What PK portrays is a true and real scene of the mentality of the people on Earth, the fact that how blindly we follow God and the people who work as the ones who can lead to God. The manner in which religion related issues have been shown would bring about joy on our faces but it is indeed the hardcore reality of this World on the whole.
Viewing this movie from the point of view of PK made me feel so unwanted in this World. The system and working is tough for all to understand. Yet, blindly, myself included, we follow this system. Who started this? What is the use of this? Did GOD demand this? DO we need to take hardcore measures to get things done and impress God? These are some of the questions raised by this one and the manner of presenting it seems so realistic and true.
The way the question is raised on the so called gate keepers of God is the thing to watch in this movie. Given the quality of people associated with this one, we can expect it to be good in every aspect and it mostly is.
PK has one of the best 1st half Bollywood has ever seen or witnessed, it is just splendid in the way it has been presented. The aura changes in the 2nd half but it doesn't shed away from the content and focuses on giving it a quality finish.
Well, even though I have praised it, this movie is certainly the weakest of the ones made by Raju Hirani but still, it is one of the best of 2014 which proves that he is a Champion when it comes to film making. This movie lacks in terms of the intensity and depth generated by Munnabhai MBBS, 3 Idiots and Lage Raho Munnabhai. But the Direction is spot on by Hirani Sir again. We can see his flavor all through the movie. His expertise of portraying the most simplest of scenes with utmost perfection is depicted again in this movie.
The script is very well written by Raju Hirani Sir and Abhijit Joshi. Yes there are a few minor flaws but it can easily be overlooked. Editing is also done by Raju Sir and it has been very well done. Cinematography is C.K. Muralidharan is top notch, one to admire and respect.
The best thing about PK are its mind blowing Dialogues. I haven't seen such wonderful and catchy dialogues for a longtime now.
Coming to the music, I had heard the whole album long ago and felt that the songs would be situational. It turned out to be true and just as I had said to some of my friends, "Bhagwan Hai Kahan Re Tu" sung by Sonu Nigam did bring tears in my eyes. It is such a song which brings out all the emotions, hits the right zones and the video adds to the intensity. Dil Darbadar by Ankit Tiwari is also melodious whereas Chaar Kadam by Shaan and Shreya Ghoshal provide a serene simplicity. Tharki Chokro fits perfectly as does Nanga Punga Dost. All in all, the music is simple and Shantanu Moitra needs to be credited for it.
Mr. Perfectionist himself Aamir Khan can be proud of what he has done in PK, it can be placed in one of his finest works till date. He carries the movie on his own with ease and grace. Anushka Sharma does a phenomenal job and I was literally surprised watching it, she acts brilliantly all through the movie. I guess working with the best brings out the best in you fits perfectly for Anushka. I was so happy to see Sanjay Dutt back, missed him so much. No wonder he is my favorite and I loved every glimpse of his act. Sushant as Sarfaraz has done a very good job and those scenes in Belgium have been shown beautifully. Boman Irani and Parikshit Sahni do justice to what they have to deliver. Saurabh Shukla had an important role of Tapasvi Maharaj and he did well to keep up with the tempo.
All in all, PK is indeed a wonderful movie which needs to be watched by all. It asks the right questions and the manner of portraying it is what wins the battle. I will rate it 4.25/5.