Bollywood Gossip : 2020

Thursday, 31 December 2020

Movie Review: Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi

Death is a tragic phenomenon of life. But several films in Bollywood have presented this inevitability in a lighter or even in an outrageously funny way. For example, JAANE BHI DO YAARO [1982], EKKEES TOPPON KI SALAAMI [2014], DADDY COOL [2009], BUDDHA MAR GAYA [2007], MALAMAAL WEEKLY [2006], PUSHPAK [1987], NEHLLE PE DEHLLA [2007], etc. Now Seema Pahwa’s directorial debut RAMPRASAD KI TEHRVI also promises to have a light take on death. So does RAMPRASAD KI TEHRVI manage to entertain and impress viewers? Or does it fail in its endeavour? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1164174" src="https://ift.tt/3rKj9rK" alt="" width="750" height="450" /> RAMPRASAD KI TEHRVI is the story of a family assembling together after ages due to a tragedy. Ramprasad (Naseeruddin Shah) is an old aged patriarch who suddenly passes away while teaching piano at his house to a kid in the neighbourhood. He resided with his wife, addressed as Amma (Supriya Pathak) by one and all. Their sons and daughters live in different parts of the country. Obviously they all rush to Ramprasad's mansion, located in a small house in Uttar Pradesh as soon as they get the news. What should have been a period of mourning for the family results in chaos as past wounds resurface. On top of that, Seema (Konkona Sen Sharma), wife of the youngest son of Ramprasad, Nishant aka Neetu (Parambrata Chatterjee) does not come. It leads to gossip and speculation among the wives of the other sons. Meanwhile, since Ramprasad passed away on December 19, the pandit announces that the tehrvi will hence fall on January 1. It leads to an argument in the family as some feel it will be awkward for people to attend such a ceremony on the first day of the year. The issue resolves and then, another problem arises. Ramprasad's children come to know that the patriarch had opted for a loan of Rs. 10 lakhs and that he has returned only Rs. 3 lakhs. It is now their responsibility to repay the rest of the amount. While going through his diary, they come to know that he took the said loan as his children were demanding money from him. This revelation leads to another round of tu tu main main. In all this chaos, Amma feels left out. The grandchildren meanwhile are least bothered about the death of their grandfather and are having a fun reunion. She realises that it'll be difficult for her to stay in the haveli all alone. Even if she chooses to stay with their sons, it seems that they won't be ready to accept her. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Seema Pahwa's story is promising. The biggest strength is that it’s very relatable. Everyone has been in the situation depicted in the film. Hence, one can’t help but relate very well to a lot of happenings in the film. Seema Pahwa's screenplay is however inconsistent. A few scenes and confrontations are very well thought of and also fleshed out. On the flipside, the film slips in the second half as crucial details are left out about some important characters. Seema Pahwa's dialogues are realistic and situational. However, the funny dialogues of Prakash Bade jija ji (Brijendra Kala) seem out of place. Seema Pahwa's direction is quite neat in the first 30 minutes. The way she establishes the setting and the mood makes for an engaging watch. Some of the characters like that of Seema seem very interesting and a lot could have been done here. However, one wonders why Seema Pahwa left out the backstories of certain characters. This is especially in the case of Seema’s character. One fails to understand what exactly she did wrong with Neetu and his family. It’s not like she was the only daughter-in-law who stayed away from her in-laws. The rest of the bahus also got separated from Ramprasad and Amma. Also, towards the end, Seema’s change of heart makes one feel that she’ll ask Amma to stay with her. That’s what the build-up seemed like. When she doesn’t, one wonders why that is so. Probably, she had the same issues as other daughter-in-laws and was not ready to take the responsibility. But this bit should have been better explained. Meanwhile, Rahul (Vikrant Massey) lusting after Seema individually seems like a great idea but looks a bit forced. The final scene is heartening but comes too suddenly. RAMPRASAD KI TEHRVI begins well. No time is wasted as Ramprasad passes away in the first scene itself. From here, it’s a breezy watch as all the madcap characters arrive and create madness. A few scenes stand out like the four brothers having drinks and expressing their long-suppressed anger. Also, the sequence where Amma hides behind a pillar and sees that everyone is having a gala time while she’s mourning the demise of her husband is very moving. Post-interval, the film gets too serious. Many who would go for the film after seeing the trailer and assuming that it’ll be a light-hearted film will be in for a surprise, or rather, shock. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1164175" src="https://ift.tt/3n0Zn80" alt="" width="750" height="450" /> RAMPRASAD KI TEHRVI is laced with some fine performances. Naseeruddin Shah is dependable in the cameo. Supriya Pathak is the best part of the lot. One can feel the pain of her character. Konkona Sen Sharma is as expected quite excellent but is let down by weak characterization. Parambrata Chatterjee delivers a great performance. Vikrant Massey is excellent. Vinay Pathak (Pankaj), Manoj Pahwa (Gajraj) and Ninad Kamat (Manoj) enhance impact with the way they have exceled in their respective roles. Sadiya Siddiqui (Pratibha), Divya Jagdale (Sulekha) and Deepika Amin (Sushma) also do well but after a point, their gossiping seems repetitive. Anubha Fatehpura (Rani; badi jiji) is convincing while Sarika Singh (Dhaani; choti jiji) is very good in the scene where she speaks to Amma at night outside. Manukriti Pahwa (Bitto; who falls for Rahul) is quite lively. Brijendra Kala, Sawan Tank (Samay), Neivan Ahuja (Saksham; neighbour), Shikant Verma (Basant Chote jija ji), Yamini Dass (Mami ji), Vineet Kumar (Mama ji), Rajendra Gupta (Tauji who spoke English) and Mahesh Sharma (Vinod, who was with Tauji) are decent. Lastly, Sanah Kapur is quite memorable as the younger Amma. Sagar Desai's music is forgettable. 'Ek Adhoora Kaam' registers as it comes at an interesting situation. The rest of the songs like 'Jo Ghum Hua Hai', 'Aisa Hai Kyun' and 'Bulawaya Aaya Re' do not leave a mark. Sagar Desai's background score is subtle and well woven with the narrative. Sudip Sengupta's cinematography deserves praise. There are several long takes which are very well captured by the lensman. Darshan Jalan and Manish Tiwari's costumes and Parijat Poddar's production design are straight out of life. Dipika Kalra's editing is fine but one wishes the flashback scenes of Seema and Nishant had got more screen presence On the whole, RAMPRASAD KI TEHRVI has a very interesting story to tell but fails to make the desired impact due to a very weak second half. The film would face a tough time in cinemas and should have ideally released directly on an OTT platform.

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Movie Review: Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi

Friday, 25 December 2020

Movie Review: Shakeela

Vidya Balan’s much loved 2011 film THE DIRTY PICTURE told the story of a Southern siren Silk Smitha. Audiences loved the depiction of the Southern industry of the 80s and the hypocrisy of society which was exposed in the Milan Luthria-directorial. 9 years later, now Richa Chadha takes up the part of another popular Southern heroine, Shakeela, in the film, titled SHAKEELA. So does SHAKEELA manage to give an entertaining and thought-provoking time to the audiences? Or does it fail to impress? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1162204" src="https://ift.tt/3rrVrjP" alt="" width="750" height="450" /> SHAKEELA is the biopic of the adult star Shakeela. The year is 1990. Shakeela (Kajol Chugh) is a young school girl living in the small town of Vallamkulam, Kerala with her parents and a couple of siblings. She belongs to a poor family and his mother is constantly upset over their condition. Shakeela is always interested in acting and when she gets a chance to play Draupaudi in the school play, she readily accepts it. She even wins a trophy and a cash prize of Rs. 1000. The same day, however, her father passes away. Her mother takes Shakeela and her siblings to the city of Cochin. Her mother was a junior artist in the film industry at one point and she decided to try her luck in cinema again. Soon, however, her mother has a change of plan. She takes Shakeela to filmmaker Rajan Pillai (Vivek Madan) and asks her to cast Shakeela in one of his adult films. Rajan agrees. Shakeela, however, runs away from the first day of shoot and blasts her mother for making her act in such movies. Her mother, however, tells her to not back out as it would help their family have a decent standard of living. Shakeela has no choice but to go with the flow. Soon, she starts getting a lot of film offers. 9 years later, Shakeela (Richa Chadha) has grown up and has achieved popularity but is not yet a star. She is a huge fan of superstar Salim (Pankaj Tripathi) and one day, she gets a chance to be the junior artist in his film. Salim has a roving eye and he gets attracted to her, despite having a family. He tells Shakeela that she’ll play the lead in his next film and that she should meet him at his farm house at night for a ‘narration’. Shakeela gets the hint and refuses to go. She climbs the ladder of success, without sleeping around with anyone. A day comes when she becomes as popular as Salim. Salim gets insecure. He tells his friends in the media to spread the word that it is Shakeela’s soft porn films which are responsible for the rising sex crimes in Kerala. This ignites a debate and people come out on the streets, demanding a ban on her films. The producers of her upcoming films panic and she has no choice but to return the fees that were given to her for those movies. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Indrajit Lankesh's story is alright but could have made for a shocking fare. Sunil Kumar Agarwal's screenplay (additional screenplay by Janardhan Maharshi, Rohan Bajaj and Naireeta Dasgupta) is the biggest culprit. The writing is weak and moreover, with so many writers scripting, it becomes a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth. The film’s tone changes every 15-20 minutes. Only a few scenes here and there are well scripted. Rohit G Banawlikar, Rohan Bajaj and Ashish Waghmare's dialogues are very poor. There were some crucial scenes where the impact could have been great but the dialogues play spoilsport. A few dialogues were sharp and acidic but the makers compel the characters to repeat them and hence, the effect gets diluted. Indrajit Lankesh's direction is lacklustre. To give credit where it’s due, the director ensures that one is not reminded of THE DIRTY PICTURE, despite that both films are on the same lines. And moreover, Silk Smitha, the protagonist of that film, also has a part in SHAKEELA. However, THE DIRTY PICTURE had class even though it was about a sexy siren. SHAKEELA, on the other hand, seems like just another soft porn film which Shakeela did in the prime of her career. Funnily, the film exposes the double standards of the society but the focus on body shots and titillation goes against the very message of the film. Till the first half, the film was still bearable. In the second half, it becomes bizarre. Audiences are suddenly told that all this while Shakeela has a best friend, Suhana (Ester Noronha), who is her body double. However, the makers chose not to show their friendship for one full hour. Shakeela’s bond with her mother was a great track but it’s treated in a superficial manner. Her family, in fact, is forgotten for most part of the film. Shakeela’s epic dialogue in the climax comes too late in the day. The text in the end which informs viewers about Shakeela’s present state is a shocker. Instead of lauding the makers, one feels angry at them as viewers would realize that this was such a great story but has now gone down the drain due to bad handling. Richa Chadda: “A.K.Hangal Sholay mein nazar aaye, fir unhe apni medical fees ke liye dusron se…” <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://ift.tt/3rpmBIe" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> SHAKEELA’s opening scenes give an indication that it’s going to be a substandard product. The childhood portion of Shakeela seems cute. The scene where school kids are made to enact the scene of Draupadi’s cheer haran in a school play is difficult to digest. The film gets a bit better as Shakeela achieves the pinnacle of success. However, the film never really goes on a high. Post-interval, the film goes downhill as random and bewildering sequences pop up. Shakeela’s struggle to make a ‘clean’ film should have been a gripping plot point but the attention wavers considerably. The ending, though shocking, fails to create an impact. Richa Chadha is decent but her performance leaves a lot to be desired. She does try her best but the end result is not satisfactory. Kajol Chugh, who plays the young Shakeela, is way better and leaves a mark. Pankaj Tripathi is fine as an egoistic superstar. Some of the best scenes of the film are when a fight master helps him in cheat shots while shooting for action scenes. These scenes had no connection with the main plot but made the film slightly more engaging. Ester Noronha has a fine presence but is letdown by poor dialogues. Rajeev Pillai (Arjun) is alright. Vivek Madan and Sundeep Malani (Director Swamy Sir) are okay. Sheeva Rana (Silk) and the actors playing Shakeela’s mother, actress Bhavana Menon, writer Ahmed Ali, Danny Fight Master and Thomas Financier are nothing great. Music has no scope, although a film should have had a nice, retro soundtrack. 'Tera Ishq Satave', played in opening credits, is forgettable. The random placing of intimate scenes look forced. Even 'Taaza' is not memorable and the same goes for the romantic track. Veer Samarth’s background score is slightly better. Santosh Rai's cinematography is passable. The focus on body shots for titillation could have been avoided. Production design gives no reason for complaint. Ballu Saluja's editing is random in the second half. On the whole, SHAKEELA rests on a very good and a shocking story but is executed horribly. It has released in cinemas without any buzz and hence, it would sink without a trace.

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Movie Review: Shakeela

Thursday, 24 December 2020

Movie Review: Coolie No.1

David Dhawan is rightly credited as the king of masala films. His movies are targeted at an audience that craves for entertainers. As a matter of fact, barring a few exceptions, a majority of his movies have made the spectators smile and his producers and distributors laugh all the way to the bank. His success rate is, without doubt, enviable. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1162069" src="https://ift.tt/34JZXAJ" alt="" width="750" height="450" /> That’s one of the reasons why his 45th directorial venture COOLIE NO. 1 is looked forward to. However, this time, Dhawan Sr is competing with himself. 25 years ago, in 1995, he helmed a film — starring Govinda and Karisma Kapoor — which was loved not just for its humour, songs and drama, but just about everything. It’s a film that stays fresh in our minds to date. Naturally, when he attempts to remake the much-adored entertainer, the updated version is bound to be judged minutely, perhaps with a magnifying glass. Let’s get to the point. Is the updated / rebooted version of COOLIE NO. 1 equally entertaining? The comparisons are inevitable. If Dhawan Sr stumbles, the armchair critics will tear the updated version to shreds, while son Varun Dhawan — who reprises Govinda’s character — will face severe backlash for stepping into the supremely talented actor’s shoes. Be forewarned. COOLIE NO. 1 is strictly for those who relish crazy entertainers. Those with an appetite for movies that defy logic, motive and intellect. The funda is crystal clear: Entertain. Make you laugh. To transport you to a different world. The trailers had prepared us about what to expect and COOLIE NO. 1 lives up to those expectations. The plot in a nutshell [no spoilers here]. COOLIE NO. 1 tells the story of a porter / coolie Raj [Varun Dhawan], who falls in love with Sara [Sara Ali Khan]. However, her father [Paresh Rawal] is extremely keen that she marries a millionaire. The porter pretends to be a tycoon, but the cat is out of the bag soon. What happens next? This one’s an updated version of Dhawan Sr’s COOLIE NO. 1 [1995], which, in turn, was a remake of Tamil film CHINNA MAPILLAI [1993]. Dhawan Sr maintains the essence of the Hindi original — including some chartbusters — but sprinkles it with some fresh punches, to adapt to the current times. Like most Dhawan Sr movies, COOLIE NO. 1 is a joyride laced with several outrageous situations. More of a fun-fest that's aimed at pleasing the hardcore masses. The punches may seem frivolous, but what works is the chemistry between Varun and Paresh. That's the prime reason why the proceedings work for most parts. Additionally, the actors that show up during the course of the journey [Johny Lever, Jaaved Jaaferi, Rajpal Yadav] enhance the funny moments. On the flip side, a few sequences look forced and could’ve been curtailed. Especially at the start of the second hour. COOLIE NO.1 QUIZ- Varun Dhawan vs Sara Ali Khan- PAISA VASOOL fight Govinda David Dhawan <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://ift.tt/3hf9XXu" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Dhawan Sr is in a familiar zone, hence it’s not much of an effort to get it right. The writing is wacky. Also, the witty one-liners make sure you have a constant smile on your face. The soundtrack is energetic and the idea to retain the original songs from the 1995 movie [‘Mirchi Lagi To’, ‘Husn Hain Suhana’] is a master stroke, since these are timeless melodies. Varun glides into the character effortlessly. The role demands that he plays to the gallery and the actor follows the diktat. The act may come across loud and at times, he may be overstepping the boundaries, but it works well in a film of this genre. Matching Varun is Paresh Rawal, who is an absolute joy to watch. In fact, the comic timing of the two actors is fantastic. Sara Ali Khan gets limited scope to prove her credentials. She is decent. Ditto for Shikha Talsania. The supporting characters — Sahil Vaid, Johny Lever, Jaaved Jaaferi, Rajpal Yadav and Manoj Joshi — fit their parts wonderfully. On the whole, COOLIE NO. 1 is a typical David Dhawan entertainer — crazy, outrageous and over the top — but funny and entertaining. Sit back and enjoy this ride!

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Movie Review: Coolie No.1

Wednesday, 23 December 2020

Movie Review: Wonder Woman 1984 (English)

The year 2020 has been an awful one for the Indian box office. Theatres remained shut for most part of the year and even after cinema halls resumed operations, the footfalls haven’t been as one would have expected. Thankfully, in the last weekend of the year which incidentally is also the beneficial Christmas period, an exciting Hollywood film, WONDER WOMAN 1984, has arrived in cinemas. The first part did well in India and has amassed a fan following. Even the lead actress [Gal Gadot] is a recognizable and a very popular face for the Indian audiences. As a result, the expectations from the sequel have been tremendous not just for the moviegoers but also for the exhibitors and the industry at large. So does WONDER WOMAN 1984 manage to be a great entertainer like the first part? Or does it fail to entice? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1161689 size-full" title="Movie Review: Wonder Woman 1984" src="https://ift.tt/2WCZRq6" alt="Movie Review: Wonder Woman 1984" width="720" height="450" /> WONDER WOMAN 1984 is the story of a female superhero trying to stop a megalomaniac man who wants to conquer the world. The year is 1984. Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) now works as a senior anthropologist at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. She still has not got over Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) and misses him deeply. In the institute, a nerdy girl, Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig) joins in and she specialises in many areas. She is insecure about her looks and shy behaviour and begins to look up to Diana. Meanwhile, Diana continues to be Wonder Woman and comes to the rescue whenever required. During one such stint, she saves a jewellery store from being robbed and gets the robbers arrested. When the police investigate the crime, they realise that the store was just a front and that the real business of the shop owners was to deal in black marketing of antiquities. The FBI sends these antiquities to the Smithsonian Institute so that they can understand its true value. Barbara is given the responsibility. Diana too joins her out of curiosity as she's the one who foiled the robbery plan. Both stumble upon a Dreamstone. As per the inscription, this mysterious object grants wishes upon contact with any user. They try their luck. While Barbara wishes to become sexy and confident like Diana, Diana asks for Steve. The next day, Diana begins to gradually realise that her wish is becoming true. The same day, aspiring businessman and TV personality Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) visits the Smithsonian Institute. He expresses interest to become a partner in the institute. He gets a tour of the place and becomes smitten with Barbara. Barbara, too, is floored by the interest shown by such a rich, pleasing personality. Soon, it comes to light that Maxwell is deep in debt and has been conning investors with a fake ponzi scheme. To get out of the mess, he needs access to the Dreamstone. It is because of this reason that he befriends Barbara. Soon enough, he steals the stone from Barbara under the pretext of having the writings deciphered from an expert friend. Instead of making a normal wish, Maxwell wishes to become the stone and get the power to grant wishes to others. On the other hand, Diana can't stop being happy as even her wish gets fulfilled and Steve returns from the dead. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Patty Jenkins and Geoff Johns's story is impressive and more importantly, it is not connected to any other films of the DC Universe. If one has seen the first WONDER WOMAN movie, one would easily be able to understand the goings-on. Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns and Dave Callaham's screenplay is entertaining and even escapist. DC films tend to be dark but this one is written unabashedly as a complete commercial entertainer. The dialogues are simple and sharp as required. In the scenes of Maxwell, the one-liners are far-fetched but that’s as per the character’s personality. Patty Jenkins' direction yet again is very impressive. The first part was also lengthy at 141 minutes but it didn’t feel like it as there was a lot happening every minute. The sequel is no exception. This one is 2.31 hours in length and yet, the film doesn’t bore or drag. Some viewers might miss action bits in the first half. But Patty makes it evident that she’s setting up things in the first half for a grand, action-packed second half. However, the narrative is a lot more than just action. The romance between Diana and Steve is beautifully treated and also the mad side of Maxwell. On the flipside, the finale is gripping but is also quite preachy. And it’s also a bit lengthy. One wishes if the makers had kept this bit in check. Also, the flashback of Maxwell adds to the film’s duration. It was an important part of the story without doubt. But it comes at a juncture when one expects fireworks and a fast-paced narrative. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1161690" src="https://ift.tt/3pjwVQi" alt="" width="720" height="450" /> WONDER WOMAN 1984 has a thrilling beginning showcasing a young Diana competing in a very difficult athletic competition in her kingdom of Themyscira. An important aspect of the story is inserted at the end of this track and one understands that it’ll have some importance in the narrative later on. The entry sequence of the adult Diana is straight out of a Salman Khan movie and is sure to be greeted with whistles and claps. Barbara’s introduction in the narrative and her bond with Diana is sweet. One might get a bit restless as action mostly takes a backseat in this hour. But no complaint as there’s lots happening in the film. The revival of Steve Trevor takes the cake in this hour. Also watch out for the scene when Steve flies the airplane through fireworks. It has a lovely Disney-like touch and would be lapped up. Post-interval, the action finally comes to the fore and goes on another level. It’s not just about Diana trying to save Maxwell for destroying the world; the track of Barbara also plays an important part and enhances the tension levels. The climax, though preachy, makes an impact. The mid-credit scene is quite a surprise. Speaking of performances, Gal Gadot yet again performs incredibly in the lead role. She is a pro at action scenes. But she rocks the most in the romantic scenes and sequences that require her to be vulnerable. She also carries off her various outfits like a queen, and that’s also praiseworthy. Chris Pine is adorable as always. He is sure to leave viewers smiling, especially in scenes where he gets amazed with the advancement of technology in the 1980s. Kristen Wiig is a surprise of the film. Her role is very well written and she does total justice. Pedro Pascal is quite over the top but handles the part very well. Some of his acts might also remind one of Trump. Connie Nielsen (Hippolyta; Diana's mother) and Robin Wright (Antiope) are fine, as expected, in their cameo appearances. Amr Waked (Emir Said Bin Abydos) overacts a bit. Ravi Patel (Babajide) gives a fine performance but his character is shown in a hurried manner and no time is spent in establishing him properly. Lucian Perez (Alistair) is cute as Maxwell’s son. Stuart Milligan (US President) is fair. Gabriella Wilde (Raquel) and Shane Attwooll (Dangerous, drunk man) are passable. Kristoffer Polaha (Handsome man) is lovely. Lynda Carter (Asteria), who played Wonder Woman in the 1970s television series, has a memorable special appearance. Hans Zimmer's music is cinematic and enhances the impact. In a few action scenes, however, it overpowers the impact. Matthew Jensen's cinematography is splendid. The opening shot of Themyscira is breathtakingly shot. Aline Bonetto's production design is rich and she tries her best to make the film look as authentically 80s as possible. Lindy Hemming's costumes are quite glamorous, especially the clothes worn by Gal Gadot and Kristen Wiig. Action is a highpoint and visually superior. Thankfully, it’s not gory. VFX is top-class. Richard Pearson's editing could have been crisper, especially in the end portions. On the whole, WONDER WOMAN 1984 is a complete entertainer that is sure to give you your money’s worth. It is treated in a commercial manner and hence, has a lot of mass appeal. At the box office, it faces several roadblocks like the scare of certain moviegoers over going to cinemas, night curfew in the state of Maharashtra and the fear of the spread of the HD pirated prints once it’s out on HBO Max on Friday December 25. On the plus side, the film has tremendous hype and moreover, there’s a lot of pent up demand among audiences. It releases in the beneficial Christmas weekend sans any competition. Also, WONDER WOMAN series and Gal Gadot have a following in India and hence, its box office outcome can be very healthy.

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Movie Review: Wonder Woman 1984 (English)

Friday, 11 December 2020

Movie Review: Torbaaz

Terrorism has spread its deadly effect all over the world. And one of the tactics used by terrorists to unleash fear and bloodshed is suicide bombing. According to a report, as of mid-2015, about three-quarters of all suicide attacks occurred in just three countries – Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, 1059 such attacks have taken place until mid-2015 with many of these attacks carried by child suicide bombers. Sanjay Dutt-starrer TORBAAZ focuses on this burning issue and it’s something that we haven’t seen in Bollywood films. So does TORBAAZ manage to thrill and entertain the audiences? Or does it fail to impress? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1157666" src="https://ift.tt/3qLTIpi" alt="Movie Review: Torbaaz" width="720" height="450" /> TORBAAZ is the story of an ex-army doctor seeking to bring children joy through cricket. Nasser Khan (Sanjay Dutt) was an army doctor in the Indian Army. At one point, he was working in the Indian embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. His wife Meera (Priyanka Verma) and son Aryan (Preet Bhanushali) also shifted there. Meera started doing social work for the refugees along with Ayesha (Nargis Fakhri). One day when Nasser, Meera and Aryan were shopping in the market, a child suicide bomber carried out an attack. It killed Meera and Aryan instantly. A few years later, Ayesha invites Nasser to Afghanistan for the inauguration of a refugee camp called Tomorrow's Hope. Nasser goes there reluctantly as the death of his family is still haunting him. At first, he's bitter but later moves on when he meets the father of Niaz, the kid who carried out the blast. Ayesha then invites Nasser to another Tomorrow's Hope Refugee Camp, which is located outside Kabul. Here, he sees that the kids comprising Baaz (Aishan Jawaid Malik), Gulab (Rudra Soni), Sadiq (Rehan Shaikh), Ali Sher (Tapajyoti Sarkar) etc love playing cricket. Nasser realizes that they are immensely talented and that their future can be bright if they take their cricketing career seriously. Hence, Nasser announces that he'll coach them in cricket and if all goes well, they can one day they can play in the Afghanistan Cricket Team. Sadly, there are too many obstacles. For starters, some kids are Pashtuns while the others are from Pakistan. These two groups don't see eye-to-eye. The Pakistani group is accused of being the ones carrying out suicide bombings. Not just that, the terrorists lead by Qazar (Rahul Dev) is trying to find the Pakistani kids whom he trained very well and who are potential suicide bombers. He finds out that they are residing in the same refugee camp where Nasser is trying to build a cricket team. He tells his men that he wants these children to further his terror agenda. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Girish Malik's story is excellent and the need of the hour. Not many would be aware about the sufferings of those who lost their loved ones in suicide attacks or also of the refugees in Afghanistan. The story throws light on these aspects and helps in adding to the viewer’s knowledge. But Girish Malik and Bharti Jakhar's screenplay is poor and insipid. Very few scenes leave an impact. Also, this should have been a fast-paced saga but is instead quite long at 2.13 hours. Girish Malik and Bharti Jakhar's dialogues are nothing special. Girish Malik's direction is the biggest culprit. This could have been a great flick if the direction was better or it was handled by someone else. But sadly, Girish Malik’s execution spoils the show. A few scenes are random and are added for the heck of it. Moreover, there are scenes of drone attacks and wars going on between terrorists and armed forces. The tone of the narrative changes suddenly in these scenes and the film turns into a documentary or a film festival-type of a film here. Also, the use of stock footage looks bad. On the positive side, he has handled a few scenes here and there with élan. TORBAAZ begins in a very bizarre and random manner. The film then gets on track as Nasser gets introduced in the narrative and he reaches Kabul. His ordeal of losing his wife and child could have been better depicted. The parallel track of the kids is interesting and it’s something that makes the film bearable. But the documentary style of scenes put in the film at regular intervals further hamper the impact. The cricket match scene doesn’t impress and we have seen better versions of an underdog team time winning or giving a tough time in recent times in films like CHHICHHORE [2019] and CHHALAANG [2020]. The final scene is well thought of but again, badly directed. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1157665" src="https://ift.tt/2IDMtyu" alt="Movie Review: Torbaaz" width="720" height="450" /> Sanjay Dutt is decent and nothing special. But he is likeable in this avatar and character. Nargis Fakhri is wasted. Rahul Dev is over the top as the villain. Priyanka Verma is decent in the cameo. Preet Bhanushali doesn’t have much to do. Rahul Mittra (Colonel Junaid Khan) suits the part but his performance is weak. Gavie Chahal (Shariyar) is fair while Raaj Singh Arora (Harpal aka Billu; the coach) is decent. Mohd Haq Peer Khan (Niaz), Daljit Sean Singh (Niaz's father), Rockey Raina (Abullah; driver) and Nira Suaraz (Baaz's mother) are okay. As for the actors playing the refugee kids, Rehan Shaikh leaves the maximum mark as the smallest kid, Sadiq. The way he scolds Sanjay Dutt in a few scenes is hilarious. Aishan Jawaid Malik has a crucial part as Baaz and gives a very good performance. Rudra Soni comes next and leaves a mark. Tapajyoti Sarkar, Kanha (Imlal) and Ballu Panchal (Wahid) are also good. Vikram Montrose's music doesn’t work. 'Maula' is forgettable. This should have been a song-less film. Bickram Ghosh's background score, however, has the thrill element. Hiroo Keswani's cinematography is beautiful. The locales of Kyrgyzstan are very well captured. Javed Karim's action is sans and blood and gore. Orozbay Absattarov's production design is realistic. Shaahid Amir, Bhagyashree Rajurkar and Pallavi Patel's costumes are straight out of life. Post House's VFX is average in a few scenes and fair in the rest. Dilip Deo's editing (additional editing by Protim Khaound) is haphazard at places. On the whole, TORBAAZ rests on a fine idea and tells an important story. But the poor direction ruins it all. Disappointing.

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Movie Review: Torbaaz

Movie Review: Indoo Ki Jawani

Since 5-6 years, dating apps have become an important part of our lives. Many have had ugly experiences or have failed to find a decent match, but at the same time, there are those who have managed to meet their soul mates on it. Interestingly, not many films in Bollywood have spoken about this aspect. INDOO KI JAWANI, starring Kiara Advani, however, takes up the challenge and is based on this aspect. Of course, the film is much more than the dating app and promises to have a comical twist. Also, it’s a significant film as it’s the second Hindi film, after SURAJ PE MANGAL BHARI, to release in cinemas in the post-pandemic season. So does INDOO KI JAWANI manage to entertain audiences? Or does it compel the audiences to swipe left? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1157528" src="https://ift.tt/3mgVvzr" alt="Movie Review Indoo Ki Jawani" width="750" height="450" /> INDOO KI JAWANI is the coming-of-age story of a girl who experiences life through misadventures and dating apps. At the Delhi-Ghaziabad border, cops try to stop a Black Scorpio car at the check post. But the occupants of the car refuse to show their identity and escape. They also fire at a cop. The cops led by Avinash Nigam (Iqbal Khan) find the car outside a house. The terrorists are nowhere to be seen but the police find explosives inside. Soon they find one occupant of the car, a Pakistani, and the hunt begins to find the second person. Meanwhile, in Ghaziabad, Indira Gupta aka Indoo (Kiara Advani) is having a tough time with her boyfriend Satish (Raghav Raj Kakker). Satish wants to sleep with Indoo but she is apprehensive. She then agrees to come to his house at night and later, has a change of mind. Hence, a desperate Satish asks a girl from Indoo’s colony, Alka (Lisha Bajaj) to spend the night with him, despite the fact that Alka is getting married to someone else next week. Meanwhile, Indoo’s best friend Sonal (Mallika Dua) tells her that she should take the plunge and sleep with Satish. Hence, she lands up at Satish’s place but finds him in bed with Alka. Indoo breaks up with him immediately. At Alka’s wedding, Indoo is lusted by not just young boys like Kittu (Shivam Kakar) but also old-aged men like Prem uncle (Rakesh Bedi), Ranjit uncle (Rajendra Sethi) and Pran uncle (Chittranjan Tripathi). Kittu mixes alcohol in Indoo’s drink and this leads her to dance like crazy. Her reputation in her neighbourhood gets tarnished. The next day, Indoo’s parents (Rajesh Jais, Alka Kaushal) leave for Delhi to get the admission done for Indoo’s brother Bunty (Harsh Sharma). They request her not to do any more drama. A lonely Indoo, still sad about the break-up, agrees to Sonal’s idea of using a dating app to find a guy for one-night-stand. Sonal believes that this will help her in her next relationship. On the app, Indoo matches with Samar (Aditya Seal). After a brief chat, Indoo invites him home in the evening. The same day, she finds out from Prem uncle, Ranjit uncle and Pran uncle that a terrorist from Pakistan is roaming in Ghaziabad. In the evening, Samar reaches Indoo’s place. Samar turns out to be a thorough gentleman. Indoo attempts to get intimate with him but gets nervous. She calls Sonal who motivates her to seduce him. Indoo decides to do so and in the process, Samar’s passport falls from his jacket. This is when she sees that Samar is a Pakistani! This development terrifies her. She also wonders if he’s the same terrorist that the police are trying to find. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Abir Sengupta's story is entertaining. The manner in which he has brought together dating apps, prejudices, mindset in small towns, terrorism and India vs Pakistan debate into a single film is quite praiseworthy. Abir Sengupta's screenplay is effective for most parts. It’s good to see that the writer has tried his best to ensure that the film doesn’t come off as a run-off-the-mill product. However, the film drags at a couple of places. One feels so especially in the first half. The trailer had depicted already that Indoo’s match is a Pakistani. This bit comes late, just before the interval. Hence, one wishes if the first half was tighter. Abir Sengupta's dialogues are witty and add to the humour quotient. The Indo-Pak debate dialogues could have been shorter as it was getting repetitive in the second half. Also, the term ‘jhanda gaadh diya’ is mentioned after every ten minutes and it frustrates viewers after a point. Abir Sengupta's direction is neat and simple. It is also creatively done at places. For instance, the scene where Indoo chats with Samar for the first time on the app could ideally have been a normal, routine scene, shot probably in a coffee shop or Indoo’s residence. But Abir instead sets it in the middle of a busy Ghaziabad chowk where fights and chaos have caused immense madness. This actually enhances the impact. Also, the director focuses on how people in neighbourhoods in small towns tend to be nosy and prejudiced under the garb of being cultured. This is treated in a humorous manner but is a reality and this element is well utilized in the script. On the flipside, the finale is fun but could have been more thrilling. The idea of intercutting an action scene with the jagrata shots seemed clichéd. Also, using surrogate brand names like Fakebook, Dinder, Café Coffee Bay and Domato is very laughable. One wishes they had used original names (as they did with Limca and Aquagard) or maybe the makers could have used fictitious brand names. INDOO KI JAWANI begins on an interesting note which makes it clear that Indoo has morals and values and that she is concerned about her image in the society. The animated opening credits are very nicely done. The first half then moves at a relaxed, slow speed. The film of course gets better when Samar and Indoo meet and when she discovers that he is from the ‘enemy country’. At first, it’s fun to see both of them debating about which country is better. After a point, it gets too much. The last 20 minutes are thrilling and the film ends on a good, funny note. Talking of performances, Kiara Advani is adorable. She looks extremely cute and puts up a very entertaining performance. The manner in which she rants angrily throughout the film makes for a humorous watch. This film gives her a chance to showcase her acting talent and hence, it would surely help her in pushing her career ahead. Aditya Seal doesn’t have much to do initially in the first half but later makes his presence felt. He looks dashing and his dialogue delivery is spot on. Mallika Dua is hilarious and is great as the bestie with loads of gyaan about men, adult films and sex. Iqbal Khan leaves a huge mark and deserves to be seen more in films. Raghav Raj Kakker, who was loved for his role of ‘Karamchand’ in SCAM 1992, is fine. Shivam Kakar is a bit over the top. Rakesh Bedi, Rajendra Sethi and Chittranjan Tripathi are appropriate in the roles of lecherous uncles. Rajesh Jais, Alka Kaushal, Harsh Sharma and Lisha Bajaj don’t get much scope. Govind Pandey (constable Om Prakash Chautala) suits the part to the T. Ashok Lal (auto driver) is funny. Archana Shukla (Kittu's mother) is efficient. Jitendra Rajput (terrorist) has a crucial part and does well. Masood Ibrahim (Abhishek Singh) is okay. Kiara on CONTROVERSIES around films: “If they’re getting a bit TOXIC then I…”| Indoo Ki Jawani <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://ift.tt/33XUjun" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Music is not of chartbuster variety but is used well. 'Hasina Pagal Deewani' is foot-tapping. 'Dil Tera' is novel and beautifully gives homage to Bollywood. 'Single Ladies' is relegated to the background while 'Heelein Toot Gayi' appears during the end credits. Neel Adhikar's background score is in sync with the film’s mood. A Vasanth's cinematography is sans complaints. Priya Suhass' production design gives the film a realistic touch. Amin Khatib's action is minimal and not too violent. Sheetal Sharma's costumes are very appealing, especially the ones worn by Kiara. Ajay Sharma's editing could have been crisper but nevertheless, he does a fine job. On the whole, INDOO KI JAWANI is a fun-filled entertainer and deserves to be watched for its plot, realistic setting, humour and Kiara Advani’s adorable performance. At the box office, the positive word of mouth might result in an increase in footfalls over the weekend.

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Movie Review: Indoo Ki Jawani

Movie Review: Durgamati: The Myth

Female-centric films get acclaim but rarely emerge as a box office success. But the scenario is changing in the last few years. The trend has also been seen down South. In 2018, BHAAGMATHIE, starring Anushka Shetty, got a brilliant response in cinemas, collecting close to Rs. 50 crore worldwide. The film was loved for Anushka’s flawless performance, script, setting and of course, the unpredictable climax. Now its remake, DURGAMATI, is ready and has released on Amazon Prime video. So does DURGAMATI manage to impress viewers as much as the original version? Or does the remake fail to impress? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1157425" src="https://ift.tt/3qTRILZ" alt="" width="750" height="450" /> DURGAMATI is the story of an imprisoned IAS officer being interrogated in a haunted house. A state in India witnesses several robberies of priceless idols from various temples. A minister of the ruling party, Ishwar Prasad (Arshad Warsi), wins hearts of people by claiming that if the government fails to retrieve the idols within 15 days, he’ll quit politics forever. His party members are stunned with his promise. They decide to bring him down by framing him in a corruption case. CBI officer Satakshi Ganguly (Mahie Gill) is assigned for the job. She takes local help from Assistant Commissioner of Police Abhay Singh (Jisshu Sengupta). As part of her operation, Satakshi decides to interrogate Chanchal Chauhan (Bhumi Pednekar), an IAS officer who has worked with Ishwar for close to a decade. Interestingly, she is serving a jail sentence for murdering her fiancé Shakti (Karan Kapadia). Moreover, Shakti was Abhay’s brother and needless to say, the latter has not forgiven Chanchal for her act. The interrogation of Chanchal is supposed to be a top-secret operation. Hence, it couldn’t be done in the prison or anywhere else. Hence, Abhay decides to shift her to a remote location – the Durgamati Haveli. The junior officers, who are also a part of the operation, get frightened as they have heard that the haveli is haunted. They even tell Abhay and Satakshi to shift Chanchal somewhere else. However, both the officers refuse to budge as they don’t believe in spirits. The interrogation begins and Satakshi fails to get any credible information from Chanchal that can help her nail Ishwar. Chanchal consistently maintains that he is a man with a clean image and is far from corrupt. At night, the officers stationed at the site retreat to their hub while Chanchal is asked to reside in the bungalow all alone. This is when eerie things start happening inside. Chanchal complains but the cops are not allowed to go inside to help her. The investigations continue in the day while at night, Chanchal continues to get attacked by a ghost. A few days later, the spirit of Queen Durgamati finally takes control of Chanchal. At first, Satakshi and other officers assume she’s faking it to escape the interrogation. However, they soon realize that there might be some things beyond the understanding of science. What happens next forms the rest of the film. G Ashok's story is quite novel. The idea of adding political touch in a typical haunted house plot makes for an interesting combination. On paper, this is a riveting idea, without doubt. But G Ashok's screenplay leaves a lot to be desired. Some scenes are exceptional and keep the interest going but at several places, the film turns into a clichéd horror fest. Ravinder Randhawa's dialogues are simple and also acidic at few places. G Ashok's direction is simple and commercial. The film is made for the masses and that is evident from start to finish. A few scenes are very well thought of and executed. Also, he handles the grandeur and the eerie atmosphere nicely. On the flipside, the film is riddled with too many cinematic liberties. Even the original version had the same issue but there it got saved due to Anushka Shetty’s towering performance. A performance of that sort is missing here. The director does try to change a bit from the original and that’s evident in the last part of the film. But one wishes he had done something more to hide the flaws and mindless aspects of the script. Also, while BHAAGMATHIE was just 2.17 hours long, DURGAMATI is lengthier with a runtime of 2.35 hours. The makers should have ideally kept the duration the same as in the original. DURGAMATI’s first scene, of villagers dying mysteriously, seems straight out of a B-grade film. Thankfully, the film gets on track with Ishwar Prasad’s entry and when he vows to leave politics if the stolen idols are not retrieved. The introduction of Chanchal and her dynamic with Abhay Singh adds to the drama. What is also memorable is the interrogation of Chanchal. The manner in which Satakshi tries her best to get Chanchal to spill the beans but fails is well written and thought of. The intermission point, where Chanchal transforms into Durgamati and the scene of ‘Durgamati’ talking to the psychiatrist (Ananth Narayan Mahadevan) are very gripping. But from here, the film falls. The horror element drags a lot. The climax has a solid twist which is sure to catch many viewers unawares. At the same time, it raises many questions as well. The film ends with a hint that a sequel may be in the offing. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1157427" src="https://ift.tt/2KiDhzV" alt="" width="750" height="450" /> Bhumi Pednekar puts her best foot forward and does well in the scenes where she’s playing the part of the IAS officer. But as the ghost seeking revenge, her performance falls short. Moreover, Anushka Shetty had given a brilliant performance in the original version and sadly, Bhumi’s act fails to come any close. Arshad Warsi, however, is a surprise and handles the part well. It’s also a pleasure to see him in a different avatar. Mahie Gill is impressive. The way she gets the grammar wrong while speaking Hindi is nicely done. Karan Kapadia does a fine job in confrontational scenes but at some places, he goes over the top. Also, his reactions could have been more natural in the romantic sequences. Jisshu Sengupta is dependable. Ananth Narayan Mahadevan leaves a mark despite being there for just a scene. Dhanraaj (Nand Singh), Brij Bhushan Shukla (Gopi) and Tanya Abrol (Peetal Devi) ham a lot. Ajay Pal Singh (Chowkidaar) is decent but his character doesn’t have anything to do after a point. Amita Vishwakarma (Kanchan; Chowkidaar’s wife) is fair. Shubhanker Dixit (Tantrik) is laughable. Chandan Vicky Rai (Daaruk), Amit Behl (Jose), Prabhat Raghunandan (Ajay Yadav) and Ada Singh (Satakshi’s daughter) are okay. There’s only one song in the film, 'Baras Baras', and is soothing. Jakes Bejoy's background score is theatrical and the theme song is chilling. Kuldeep Mamania's cinematography is impressive. The lensman handles the grandeur very well. Tariq Umar Khan's production design is spectacular. The haveli is very well built and looks straight out of life. Priyanka Mundada's costumes are appropriate. Nishant Abdul Khan's action gets quite gory, especially in the second half. Pixelloid Studios's VFX is okay. Unnikrishnan P P's editing could have been better as the film is way too long. On the whole, DURGAMATI rests on an interesting plot and is replete with some interesting scenes and an unpredictable twist in the second half. But the cinematic liberties are aplenty which hamper the impact. Also, Bhumi Pednekar’s performance is no way close to Anushka Shetty’s memorable act in BHAAGMATHIE. It will invite massive criticism from the subscribers of the OTT platform on which it has released. However, it’s sure to find an audience when it’ll premiere on satellite TV.

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