Movie Review: Sherni

The man-animal conflict is increasing in our country, with each passing year, as more and more forest land is being taken over for residential and other purposes. It is a burning issue but surprisingly, very few films have dealt with this issue. NEWTON [2017] director Amit Masurkar takes up this initiative and comes up with SHERNI. The intriguing trailer and Vidya Balan’s towering presence has generated hype for the film. So does SHERNI manage to thrill and enlighten the audience? Or does it fail to impress? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1229360" src="https://ift.tt/3gKdzAS" alt="Movie Review Sherni" width="720" height="450" /> SHERNI is the story of a tough forest officer intending to capture a tigress that has caused havoc in a region. Vidya Vincent (Vidya Balan) has joined as the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) in the Bijaspur Forest Division. Her husband Pawan (Mukul Chadda) is away in Mumbai while she resides alone in a residence allotted by the Forest Department. She is not happy with the promotions and salary hikes that she has received in the last 9 years and wants to quit. But Pawan advises against doing so as his corporate job is on shaky grounds. One day, Vidya learns that a tiger was spotted close to a village. A few days later, the tiger kills a villager, leading to anger among the locals. Through the camera traps, the forest officers learn that it’s a tigress, named T12, which is behind the killing of the villager. The elections are around the corner and the sitting MLA, G K Singh (Amar Singh Parihar), makes it a political issue. He promises the village residents that he’ll kill the tigress and thus provide respite to them. On the other hand, P K Singh (Satyakam Anand) is an ex MLA who wants to get back to power. He provokes people against G K Singh. Amidst this madness, another villager is killed while she goes to collect wood in the forest. G K Singh then invites Ranjan Rajhans aka Pintu (Sharat Saxena), a self-proclaimed conservationist but who is actually a hunter. He desires to kill T12 to fulfil his hunger for hunting. Vidya, however, is not in favour of killing the animal. She advises the villagers to stay away from the forest. Using camera traps and tracking the pug marks, she hopes to find T12, tranquillize her and then release her in a nearby national park. Time is running out and it’s important she succeeds in her endeavour before it snowballs into a huge controversy and before Pintu hunts the tigress down. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Aastha Tiku's story is impressive. The issue keeps coming up in the news all the time but to see a whole film dedicated to it is rare. But Aastha Tiku's screenplay is bland and stretched. The initial portions are interesting but after a point, the proceedings seem repetitive. And the climax is the biggest downer. Amit Masurkar and Yashasvi Mishra's dialogues are simple and sharp. A few one-liners are unexpectedly funny and help to keep the interest going. Amit Masurkar's direction is average. He seems to love shooting in forests. NEWTON was majorly set in a jungle and so is SHERNI. A few scenes are exceptionally helmed. Amit also neatly explains the role of the forest officer, the concept of Forest Friends, how bureaucracy and government apathy can mess up things etc. On the flipside, he directs the film like a documentary. On top of that, the film’s run time is 130 minutes. It’s a bit too long and ideally, the film should have been under two hours. At certain points, nothing much is happening and we get to see repeated scenes of forest officers and others searching for the tigress. These scenes are sure to test the patience of the viewers. The finale moreover is disappointing and bewildering. A few questions remain unanswered and it leaves audiences confused as to what exactly happened. Lastly, Vidya Vincent’s character is not that impressive, and more on that later. SHERNI begins on a dry note. The opening credits are shown on a black screen with no music. It makes it clear that the film is for niche audiences. The beginning portions are engaging as audiences get acquainted with Vidya Vincent, her job, the search for the tigress etc. The humour quotient also works well. Two scenes that stand out in the first hour are when G K Singh storms an awareness programme of Hassan Noorani (Vijay Raaz), and P K Singh chasing Vidya’s senior Bansal (Brijendra Kala) in his office. The latter is quite amusing and novel, and would surely be appreciated. In the second half, one expects fireworks as the characters seem quite interesting and their conflicting motives were a perfect recipe for a captivating drama. Unfortunately, the makers don’t handle it well. The film ends on an unjustified and drab note. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Vidya Balan: “Entertainment is being RE-DEFINED today, very honestly if this…”| Amit Masurkar</strong></span> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://ift.tt/3gC7gAS" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Vidya Balan as expected gets into the skin of her character and delivers yet another commendable performance. She looks and suits the part and makes one forget about her past performances. However, her character is not well fleshed out. The promotional campaign had drawn parallels between her character and that of the tigress. However, Vidya Vincent doesn’t really protest or rather, she doesn’t really roar when she witnesses injustice happening around. There are scenes where she’s just a silent bystander. In the end, one finally gets hopeful that she’ll take up matters into her own hands. But the makers don’t explain it well and hence the character loses its sheen. Sharat Saxena is credited immediately after Vidya in the opening credits and rightly so as he has an important part. He’s too good as a passionate hunter who can go to any lengths to achieve his goal. Vijay Raaz doesn’t raise laughs for a change and yet, he’s very impressive. Neeraj Kabi (Nangia) has a great screen presence. Sadly, even his character’s confusing actions seem unconvincing. Mukul Chadda is decent while Brijendra Kala is dependable. Anoop Trivedi (Pyare Lal) is funny and a great find. Satyakam Anand leaves a huge mark while Amar Singh Parihar does well. Gopal Dutt (Saiprasad) is wasted. Ila Arun (Pawan’s mother) is okay; her track in fact increases the film’s length. Suma Mukundan (Vidya’s mother) and Nidhi Diwan (Reshma; Hassan’s wife) don’t get much scope. Sampa Mandal (as the feisty villager Jyoti) is too good. Bandish Projekt's music is poor. <em>'Bandar Baant'</em> is the only song in the film. It is relegated to the background and fits well into the narrative. Benedict Taylor and Naren Chandavarkar's background score is minimal and impactful. Rakesh Haridas's cinematography is splendid and the forest scenes especially are very well captured. Devika Dave's production design is straight out of life. Manoshi Nath, Rushi Sharma and Bhagyashree Rajurkar's costumes are non-glamorous, in sync with the demand of the script. Futureworks and The Cirqus' VFX is great in the scenes of the tiger. But it is unrealistic in the bear sequence. Dipika Kalra's editing is not up to the mark. The film ought to have been shorter. On the whole, SHERNI rests on an interesting storyline and Vidya Balan’s performance. But the slow and documentary-style narrative, longer runtime and bewildering climax ruins the impact.

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Movie Review: Sardar Ka Grandson

The digital platform has been a boon for many films boasting of edgy and out of the box content. However, ever since the pandemic hit the world, we have seen some conventional family films also make its way on OTT. SARDAR KA GRANDSON, which has been released today on Netflix, joins this club. The trailer has sparked curiosity among viewers and it seems to be a feel-good entertainer. So does SARDAR KA GRANDSON manage to entertain and touch the hearts of the viewers? Or does it fail to impress? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1217193 size-full" title="Movie Review Sardar Ka Grandson" src="https://ift.tt/3waE20P" alt="Movie Review Sardar Ka Grandson" width="720" height="450" /> SARDAR KA GRANDSON is the story of a devoted grandson trying to fulfil his ailing grandmother’s last wish. Amreek (Arjun Kapoor) resides in Los Angeles with his girlfriend Radha (Rakul Preet Singh). Both run a movers and packers company called ‘Gently Gently’. Amreek has a laidback and carefree attitude and doesn’t believe in owning up to his mistakes. This affects his work and also his relations with Radha. Fed up with his behaviour, Radha breaks up with him. Amreek is devastated. This is when his father, Gurkeerat aka Gurki (Kanwaljit Singh) calls him from his home in Amritsar, Punjab. He tells Amreek that he should return immediately as his grandmother, Sardar (Neena Gupta), is sick. Sardar, aged 90, has a tumour. The doctors advise Gurki that they should take her home as operating her at this age can prove fatal. Gurki realizes Sardar doesn’t have much time but he hides this fact from Sardar. Sardar, meanwhile, has a wish. She wants to go to Lahore, Pakistan and visit the house that she built with her husband, late Gursher Singh (John Abraham) in 1946. A year later, during Partition, Gursher dies while fighting the rioters. Sardar however escapes and reaches India. Since then, she has been missing Gursher and the house. Hence, it’s her desire to visit Pakistan so that she could see her ancestral house. Sardar tells Amreek about it. Gurki advises Sardar that she can’t travel in this condition. But Amreek realizes how much this means to her. He promises her that he’ll help fulfil her wish. He tries to get her visa. However, her application is rejected as she’s blacklisted from visiting Pakistan. This is because a few years ago, she had attacked a Pakistani official, Saqlain Niazi (Kumud Mishra) when she had gone to watch an India vs Pakistan cricket match. This is when Amreek learns that Radha has transplanted a nearly hundred-year-old tree in the USA. Amreek thus begins to learn about structural relocation and realizes that a lot of people have successfully lifted a house and transplanted it to a different location. Amreek requests help from both the government of India and Pakistan for his mission. Both decide to help him, in principle. Amreek then decides to visit Lahore. However, he hides about his plan from Sardar. He fears that if he fails in his endeavour, she’ll be heartbroken. Hence, Amreek pretends to go back to Los Angeles in front of Sardar. Amreek reaches Lahore and successfully is able to find Sardar’s house. But when he reaches there, he sees that the local authorities are about to demolish the structure! What happens next forms the rest of the film. Anuja Chauhan and Kaashvie Nair's story is lovely and quite promising. Anuja Chauhan and Kaashvie Nair's screenplay is first-rate. Yes, there are a few loose ends and something should have been done about it. But the writers score when it comes to emotional quotient. And that compensates for most shortcomings. Also, the message of harmony between India and Pakistan is well-woven. Amitosh Nagpal's dialogues are in sync with the film’s mood and the character’s personality traits. However, one dialogue of Amreek being a little crackpot because he was injured in childhood is repeated too many times needlessly. Kaashvie Nair's direction is superb. This was not an easy film to pull off. But Kaashvie comes out with flying colours especially in the emotional and dramatic scenes. The character of Sardar is the soul of the film and one can easily connect with her tragic past and her desire to see her Lahore house. However a few scenes defy logic. For instance, it’s amusing to see that Sardar’s house was left untouched for as long as 70 years in what seemed to be a congested and prime locality. In fact, when Amreek enters the house for the first time, one expects the house to be in a shabby condition but surprisingly, it doesn’t seem to have been abandoned since 7 decades. Also, the manner in which Sardar’s family cuts off internet and DTH connection from their residence so that Sardar doesn’t learn about Amreek’s mission is hard to digest. Lastly, a teenaged boy named Chhote (Mir Mehroos) starts helping Amreek. It’s quite touching the way he goes all out but why he does it or why does he oppose the demolition in the first place and his backstory are never established. SARDAR KA GRANDSON isn't really engrossing from the first sequence. It takes a while to get used to Amreek’s personality and behaviour. But things get better once he reaches Amritsar. His interactions with Sardar are lovely. The manner in which India’s Ministry of International Relations decides to help while being in foreshadows is too good. The second half presumably begins once Amreek reaches Lahore. The scene where he stops the demolition is hilarious. From here on, though the film drags, it is peppered with some very heartwarming and moving scenes that are sure to put a smile on one’s face and also leave one’s eyes moist. The last 20 minutes again could have been trimmed but at the same time, it is applause worthy. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1217194" src="https://ift.tt/3uZkegu" alt="" width="720" height="450" /> Arjun Kapoor delivers a very fine performance. In fact, this is his best performance in the last 3-4 years. In the second half especially, he puts up a very good act. Neena Gupta is adorable. The film revolves around her and she enhances the impact. However, her character’s quirks reminds one of Rishi Kapoor in KAPOOR &amp; SONS [2016]. Rakul Preet Singh is hardly there in the first half and is quite impressive in the second hour. Kanwaljit Singh is dependable as always. Kumud Mishra does great as the antagonist. Shahid Lateef (Pakistani cop Rauf Khalid) is apt for the part. Mahika Patiyal (Pinky; Amreek’s sister) leaves a mark. Soni Razdan (Simi; Amreek's mother), Divya Seth Shah (Honey; Sardar’s second daughter-in-law) and Ravjeet Singh (Lovely) don’t get much scope. Arvinder Bhatti (Gurbaz Chacha) is wasted. Mir Mehroos gives a great performance but as aforementioned, one fails to understand why he is excitedly helping Amreek. The other actors who do well are Rajiv Kachroo (Pakistani High Commissioner Qureshi), Masood Akhtar (Khan sahab, who owns the house), Akashdeep Sabir (Contractor who organizes the demolition) and Priya Tandon (Pakistani journalist who interviews Amreek). Finally, John Abraham and Aditi Rao Hydari (Young Sardar) are cute in the flashback scenes. Tanishk Bagchi's music is not memorable but is in sync with the narrative. <em>'Naal Rab Ve'</em> is the best song of the lot and is well sung by Divya Kumar. <em>'Dil Nahin Todna'</em> serves as a nice opening credit song. <em>'Main Teri Ho Gayi'</em> is sweet while <em>'Jee Ni Karda'</em> is foot-tapping. Gulraj Singh's background score goes well with the film’s mood. Mahendra J Shetty's cinematography is appropriate. Subhash Shinde's prosthetic make-up for Neena Gupta is convincing though it could have been slightly more realistic. Sujeet Subhash Sawant and Sriram Kannan Iyengar's production design is authentic. Sheetal Sharma's costumes are real yet glamorous. Futureworks' VFX is quite good. A lot of VFX is used in the later part of the film and it’s neat. Maahir Zaveri's editing could have been better. The film is 139 minutes long and should have been shorter by at least 10 minutes. On the whole, SARDAR KA GRANDSON is a heart-warming, touching tale that has its emotions in the right place. It might not be logical at some places but it compensates for this shortcoming with the emotional quotient, message, touching climax and performances. Also, it’s a clean entertainer and deserves to be watched with your whole family. Recommended!

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Movie Review: Sardar Ka Grandson

The digital platform has been a boon for many films boasting of edgy and out of the box content. However, ever since the pandemic hit the world, we have seen some conventional family films also make its way on OTT. SARDAR KA GRANDSON, which has been released today on Netflix, joins this club. The trailer has sparked curiosity among viewers and it seems to be a feel-good entertainer. So does SARDAR KA GRANDSON manage to entertain and touch the hearts of the viewers? Or does it fail to impress? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1217193 size-full" title="Movie Review Sardar Ka Grandson" src="https://ift.tt/3waE20P" alt="Movie Review Sardar Ka Grandson" width="720" height="450" /> SARDAR KA GRANDSON is the story of a devoted grandson trying to fulfil his ailing grandmother’s last wish. Amreek (Arjun Kapoor) resides in Los Angeles with his girlfriend Radha (Rakul Preet Singh). Both run a movers and packers company called ‘Gently Gently’. Amreek has a laidback and carefree attitude and doesn’t believe in owning up to his mistakes. This affects his work and also his relations with Radha. Fed up with his behaviour, Radha breaks up with him. Amreek is devastated. This is when his father, Gurkeerat aka Gurki (Kanwaljit Singh) calls him from his home in Amritsar, Punjab. He tells Amreek that he should return immediately as his grandmother, Sardar (Neena Gupta), is sick. Sardar, aged 90, has a tumour. The doctors advise Gurki that they should take her home as operating her at this age can prove fatal. Gurki realizes Sardar doesn’t have much time but he hides this fact from Sardar. Sardar, meanwhile, has a wish. She wants to go to Lahore, Pakistan and visit the house that she built with her husband, late Gursher Singh (John Abraham) in 1946. A year later, during Partition, Gursher dies while fighting the rioters. Sardar however escapes and reaches India. Since then, she has been missing Gursher and the house. Hence, it’s her desire to visit Pakistan so that she could see her ancestral house. Sardar tells Amreek about it. Gurki advises Sardar that she can’t travel in this condition. But Amreek realizes how much this means to her. He promises her that he’ll help fulfil her wish. He tries to get her visa. However, her application is rejected as she’s blacklisted from visiting Pakistan. This is because a few years ago, she had attacked a Pakistani official, Saqlain Niazi (Kumud Mishra) when she had gone to watch an India vs Pakistan cricket match. This is when Amreek learns that Radha has transplanted a nearly hundred-year-old tree in the USA. Amreek thus begins to learn about structural relocation and realizes that a lot of people have successfully lifted a house and transplanted it to a different location. Amreek requests help from both the government of India and Pakistan for his mission. Both decide to help him, in principle. Amreek then decides to visit Lahore. However, he hides about his plan from Sardar. He fears that if he fails in his endeavour, she’ll be heartbroken. Hence, Amreek pretends to go back to Los Angeles in front of Sardar. Amreek reaches Lahore and successfully is able to find Sardar’s house. But when he reaches there, he sees that the local authorities are about to demolish the structure! What happens next forms the rest of the film. Anuja Chauhan and Kaashvie Nair's story is lovely and quite promising. Anuja Chauhan and Kaashvie Nair's screenplay is first-rate. Yes, there are a few loose ends and something should have been done about it. But the writers score when it comes to emotional quotient. And that compensates for most shortcomings. Also, the message of harmony between India and Pakistan is well-woven. Amitosh Nagpal's dialogues are in sync with the film’s mood and the character’s personality traits. However, one dialogue of Amreek being a little crackpot because he was injured in childhood is repeated too many times needlessly. Kaashvie Nair's direction is superb. This was not an easy film to pull off. But Kaashvie comes out with flying colours especially in the emotional and dramatic scenes. The character of Sardar is the soul of the film and one can easily connect with her tragic past and her desire to see her Lahore house. However a few scenes defy logic. For instance, it’s amusing to see that Sardar’s house was left untouched for as long as 70 years in what seemed to be a congested and prime locality. In fact, when Amreek enters the house for the first time, one expects the house to be in a shabby condition but surprisingly, it doesn’t seem to have been abandoned since 7 decades. Also, the manner in which Sardar’s family cuts off internet and DTH connection from their residence so that Sardar doesn’t learn about Amreek’s mission is hard to digest. Lastly, a teenaged boy named Chhote (Mir Mehroos) starts helping Amreek. It’s quite touching the way he goes all out but why he does it or why does he oppose the demolition in the first place and his backstory are never established. SARDAR KA GRANDSON isn't really engrossing from the first sequence. It takes a while to get used to Amreek’s personality and behaviour. But things get better once he reaches Amritsar. His interactions with Sardar are lovely. The manner in which India’s Ministry of International Relations decides to help while being in foreshadows is too good. The second half presumably begins once Amreek reaches Lahore. The scene where he stops the demolition is hilarious. From here on, though the film drags, it is peppered with some very heartwarming and moving scenes that are sure to put a smile on one’s face and also leave one’s eyes moist. The last 20 minutes again could have been trimmed but at the same time, it is applause worthy. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1217194" src="https://ift.tt/3uZkegu" alt="" width="720" height="450" /> Arjun Kapoor delivers a very fine performance. In fact, this is his best performance in the last 3-4 years. In the second half especially, he puts up a very good act. Neena Gupta is adorable. The film revolves around her and she enhances the impact. However, her character’s quirks reminds one of Rishi Kapoor in KAPOOR &amp; SONS [2016]. Rakul Preet Singh is hardly there in the first half and is quite impressive in the second hour. Kanwaljit Singh is dependable as always. Kumud Mishra does great as the antagonist. Shahid Lateef (Pakistani cop Rauf Khalid) is apt for the part. Mahika Patiyal (Pinky; Amreek’s sister) leaves a mark. Soni Razdan (Simi; Amreek's mother), Divya Seth Shah (Honey; Sardar’s second daughter-in-law) and Ravjeet Singh (Lovely) don’t get much scope. Arvinder Bhatti (Gurbaz Chacha) is wasted. Mir Mehroos gives a great performance but as aforementioned, one fails to understand why he is excitedly helping Amreek. The other actors who do well are Rajiv Kachroo (Pakistani High Commissioner Qureshi), Masood Akhtar (Khan sahab, who owns the house), Akashdeep Sabir (Contractor who organizes the demolition) and Priya Tandon (Pakistani journalist who interviews Amreek). Finally, John Abraham and Aditi Rao Hydari (Young Sardar) are cute in the flashback scenes. Tanishk Bagchi's music is not memorable but is in sync with the narrative. <em>'Naal Rab Ve'</em> is the best song of the lot and is well sung by Divya Kumar. <em>'Dil Nahin Todna'</em> serves as a nice opening credit song. <em>'Main Teri Ho Gayi'</em> is sweet while <em>'Jee Ni Karda'</em> is foot-tapping. Gulraj Singh's background score goes well with the film’s mood. Mahendra J Shetty's cinematography is appropriate. Subhash Shinde's prosthetic make-up for Neena Gupta is convincing though it could have been slightly more realistic. Sujeet Subhash Sawant and Sriram Kannan Iyengar's production design is authentic. Sheetal Sharma's costumes are real yet glamorous. Futureworks' VFX is quite good. A lot of VFX is used in the later part of the film and it’s neat. Maahir Zaveri's editing could have been better. The film is 139 minutes long and should have been shorter by at least 10 minutes. On the whole, SARDAR KA GRANDSON is a heart-warming, touching tale that has its emotions in the right place. It might not be logical at some places but it compensates for this shortcoming with the emotional quotient, message, touching climax and performances. Also, it’s a clean entertainer and deserves to be watched with your whole family. Recommended!

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Movie Review: Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai

A Salman Khan film is special. RADHE - YOUR MOST WANTED BHAI - directed by Prabhu Deva - is in news for varied reasons. First and foremost, it’s a Salman Khan movie and he teams up with Prabhu Deva yet again. Also, the hybrid release, which is being viewed by one and all, more so within the film fraternity. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1216302 size-full" title="Movie Review: Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Movie-Review-Radhe-–-Your-Most-Wanted-Bhai-2.jpg" alt="Movie Review: Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai" width="720" height="450" /> Let’s begin with the plot, without revealing spoilers... RADHE narrates the story of an honest cop - Radhe [Salman Khan] - who wants to rid the city of drug menace. The drug lord - Rana [Randeep Hooda] - is ruthless and eliminates anyone and everyone who crosses his path. Radhe and Rana come face to face at regular intervals. Will Radhe put an end to Rana’s nefarious activities? Based on South Korean crime drama THE OUTLAWS, RADHE rests on a clichéd plot and predictable situations, but banking entirely on Salman’s star power to camouflage the deficiencies. The viewer can guesstimate what’s in store next, but the fast-moving narrative coupled with some stylishly executed action pieces keep you hooked. RADHE has its share of hiccups. The romance between Salman and Disha looks forced. Ditto for Jackie Shroff’s track, which could’ve done with some electrifying moments. If the intention was to keep the character light, nope, that doesn’t really work. Director Prabhu Deva is entrusted with an oft-repeated plot and there’s not much he can do. The confrontations between Salman and Randeep show the director’s expertise, so do the sequences between Salman and Azaan, but moments such as these are extremely few. The latter half, especially, could’ve done with some interesting twists and turns. Also, after a point, one genuinely feels that the writers have run out of ideas. The climax is arresting, but we have seen far better and more exciting action-packed endings in Salman’s films in the past. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Salman Khan: “Radhe has got NOTHING to do with Wanted, ye Wanted ka BAAP hai”</strong></span> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://ift.tt/3y8HZ7V" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Salman Khan is fiery and it is his presence that keeps you glued to the proceedings, despite the shortcomings. He is in super form, but, sadly, the writing doesn’t do justice to his stardom. Randeep Hooda is menacing and delivers a convincing performance. Disha Patani looks good, but her presence is purely ornamental. Jackie Shroff is funny initially, but his portions don’t really work after a point. The remaining actors are passable. The soundtrack is a plus. However, the two best tracks - ‘Seeti Maar’ and the title song - are reserved for the latter half. While the former is already popular, the title track is energetic. Cinematography captures the mood of the film right. The action sequences - although well executed - get gory and brutal at times. On the whole, RADHE - YOUR MOST WANTED BHAI is a Salman Khan show all the way. The film has some massy moments, which would have attracted ample footfalls at single screens specifically. However, the clichéd plot and predictable proceedings act as a speed breaker. RADHE is strictly for Salman Khan fans.

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Movie Review: Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai

A Salman Khan film is special. RADHE - YOUR MOST WANTED BHAI - directed by Prabhu Deva - is in news for varied reasons. First and foremost, it’s a Salman Khan movie and he teams up with Prabhu Deva yet again. Also, the hybrid release, which is being viewed by one and all, more so within the film fraternity. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1216302 size-full" title="Movie Review: Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Movie-Review-Radhe-–-Your-Most-Wanted-Bhai-2.jpg" alt="Movie Review: Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai" width="720" height="450" /> Let’s begin with the plot, without revealing spoilers... RADHE narrates the story of an honest cop - Radhe [Salman Khan] - who wants to rid the city of drug menace. The drug lord - Rana [Randeep Hooda] - is ruthless and eliminates anyone and everyone who crosses his path. Radhe and Rana come face to face at regular intervals. Will Radhe put an end to Rana’s nefarious activities? Based on South Korean crime drama THE OUTLAWS, RADHE rests on a clichéd plot and predictable situations, but banking entirely on Salman’s star power to camouflage the deficiencies. The viewer can guesstimate what’s in store next, but the fast-moving narrative coupled with some stylishly executed action pieces keep you hooked. RADHE has its share of hiccups. The romance between Salman and Disha looks forced. Ditto for Jackie Shroff’s track, which could’ve done with some electrifying moments. If the intention was to keep the character light, nope, that doesn’t really work. Director Prabhu Deva is entrusted with an oft-repeated plot and there’s not much he can do. The confrontations between Salman and Randeep show the director’s expertise, so do the sequences between Salman and Azaan, but moments such as these are extremely few. The latter half, especially, could’ve done with some interesting twists and turns. Also, after a point, one genuinely feels that the writers have run out of ideas. The climax is arresting, but we have seen far better and more exciting action-packed endings in Salman’s films in the past. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Salman Khan: “Radhe has got NOTHING to do with Wanted, ye Wanted ka BAAP hai”</strong></span> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://ift.tt/3y8HZ7V" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Salman Khan is fiery and it is his presence that keeps you glued to the proceedings, despite the shortcomings. He is in super form, but, sadly, the writing doesn’t do justice to his stardom. Randeep Hooda is menacing and delivers a convincing performance. Disha Patani looks good, but her presence is purely ornamental. Jackie Shroff is funny initially, but his portions don’t really work after a point. The remaining actors are passable. The soundtrack is a plus. However, the two best tracks - ‘Seeti Maar’ and the title song - are reserved for the latter half. While the former is already popular, the title track is energetic. Cinematography captures the mood of the film right. The action sequences - although well executed - get gory and brutal at times. On the whole, RADHE - YOUR MOST WANTED BHAI is a Salman Khan show all the way. The film has some massy moments, which would have attracted ample footfalls at single screens specifically. However, the clichéd plot and predictable proceedings act as a speed breaker. RADHE is strictly for Salman Khan fans.

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Movie Review: The Big Bull

Actor Abhishek Bachchan’s career has seen a lot of ups and downs. But one can’t deny that he is a powerful performer, as proven by his work in films like YUVA [2004], DHOOM [2004], SARKAR [2005], GURU [2007], DOSTANA [2008], PAA [2009], BOL BACHCHAN [2012], etc. After taking a break of nearly 2 ½ years, he returned to the big screen with a stellar act in MANMARZIYAAN [2018]. In the past one year, he has made his mark on digital with the web series BREATHE: INTO THE SHADOWS [2020] and the crazy comedy LUDO [2020]. Now he’s back with another web venture, THE BIG BULL. The trailer has been liked and there’s a curiosity to see what it has to offer, despite the subject being similar to SCAM 1992, arguably the most successful web series of India. So does THE BIG BULL manage to stand out and impress the audiences? Or does it fail? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1205922 size-full" title="Movie Review: The Big Bull" src="https://ift.tt/31V3ryz" alt="Movie Review: The Big Bull" width="720" height="450" /> THE BIG BULL is the story of a common man’s journey from rags to riches. The year is 1987. Hemant Shah (Abhishek Bachchan), a resident of Bombay, is working at Bal Kala Kendra on a modest salary. He is in love with Priya (Nikita Dutta), his neighbour but since he’s not financially secure, he’s apprehensive about asking her father for her hand in marriage. One day, a parent of one of the kids, who comes to practice at Bal Kala Kendra, tells Hemant that after selling stocks of Bombay Textile, he’s able to earn a nice moolah. This makes Hemant curious about the world of stocks. Meanwhile, his brother Viren Shah (Sohum Shah) loses a large amount of money in stocks. Viren is in debt and Hemant decides to invest in Bombay Textile’s shares. But he does his homework before doing so. This enables Hemant to not just make Viren debt-free but also earn a neat little profit. In no time, Hemant enters the world of stocks and starts working for a stock trader named Kantilal (Hitesh Rawal). Hemant aspires to have a trading account but as per the rules, he needs to pay Rs. 10 lakhs for it. In order to earn the said amount, Hemant joins hands with union leader Rana Sawant (Mahesh Manjrekar) of Premier Auto. His insider trading activity soon helps him earn Rs. 10 lakhs. Hemant starts to now manipulate stocks and even gets banks on board to exploit the loopholes in the system. All this takes the sensex to dizzying heights. Thus, he becomes a hero of sorts among stock brokers. Since his financial condition improves, he marries Priya. While everyone is hailing Hemant Shah, Meera Rao (Ileana DCruz), the finance journalist at India Times newspaper, is least impressed. She’s confident that Hemant is illegally making money at the stock exchange. She writes critical articles about him. And one day, she stumbles upon shocking evidence about Hemant’s nefarious activities. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Kookie Gulati and Arjun Dhawan's story is interesting. It is inspired from the life of Harshad Mehta, the infamous stock broker, and his experiences were fascinating, cinematically. Kookie Gulati and Arjun Dhawan's screenplay is effective at most places. The writers have tried their best to make the goings-on as entertaining and as dramatic as possible for a better impact. They succeed, but not fully, for two reasons. One, they have edited out several important events from Hemant Shah’s life and have made it too fast-paced. Secondly, the comparisons with SCAM 1992 take away the impact to some extent. Ritesh Shah's dialogues, however, are sharp. Kookie Gulati's direction is decent. He had the challenge of not just keeping the goings-on entertaining but also easy to comprehend. This is because not everyone understands the concept of stocks and shares. And Kookie succeeds to an extent at both the aspects. On the flipside, one can’t help but draw parallels with SCAM 1992. Even if one tries his/her best, one can’t forget the Pratik Gandhi-starrer web series as it was highly memorable. And it was handled in a much better manner. One wishes if THE BIG BULL had released before SCAM 1992 as then, it would have been more entertaining and interesting for viewers. Now, since most of the target audience of THE BIG BULL have already seen SCAM 1992, one already knows more or less the entire story. Hence, one knows in advance what’s going to happen. Thankfully, the writers have fictionalized some plot points and added a twist in the end which will leave the viewers surprised. Even if one keeps the SCAM 1992 comparisons aside, the film has another major hiccup. It moves too fast. Some developments are never explained properly. For instance, one gets a hint that Hemant’s father was upset with him and had even kicked him out of the house. But what exactly happened is never explained in the film. Then, Hemant starting his own consultancy, named Mile High, happens all of a sudden, leaving viewers bewildered. The character of Sanjeev Kohli (Samir Soni) is crucial to the narrative but the writers and director don’t give him the required due. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Abhishek Bachchan: “I’d like to collaborate with Carryminati on…”| The Big Bull | Ajay Devgn</strong></span> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://ift.tt/3fSu0fZ" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> THE BIG BULL has an average opening. The entry scene of Abhishek Bachchan should have been powerful but instead, it’s bland. The film thankfully gets better with the scene where Hemant walks with Priya at night and the former finds out about Viren’s debt. While the rise of Hemant is depicted neatly and quickly, what stand out are the scenes that come just before the end of the first hour. The song <em>'Ishq Namazaa'</em> is very well shot and keeps the interest going. Hemant’s experience at the party in Delhi is intriguing. The scene of the Income Tax Department’s raid and the interview scene of Hemant and Meera run parallel and is the best part about the first hour. In the second half, things get better as Meera attempts to uncover the truth based on the leads that she gets. This is also the time when Hemant gets on shaky ground and tries to his best to get out of the mess. The last 30 minutes is when the film really gets better. The press conference scene is treated dramatically and is bound to arrest attention. The twist in the climax is unexpected. Abhishek Bachchan gives a commendable performance and he also underplays at several places. He is essaying the part of a flamboyant, egoistic man but he understands that it doesn’t mean he has to go overboard. Interestingly, the actor had done a similar role in the past, in GURU [2007], and the actor ensures that one is not reminded of that performance when they see THE BIG BULL. However, the brief shots of him laughing manically seem unintentionally funny and should have been done away with, ideally. Ileana DCruz hardly gets any scope in the first half but shines in the second half. However, she looks very unconvincing as an old lady in the present-day track. Nikita Dutta is lovely and leaves a huge mark. Sohum Shah is, as expected, dependable and maintains a strong position from start to finish. Mahesh Manjrekar and Samir Soni are decent in their special appearances. Supriya Pathak Shah (Amiben; Hemant and Viren's mother) is convincing. Saurabh Shukla (Manu Malpani) gets his act right. Ram Kapoor (Ashok Mirchandani) has limited screen time but he rocks the show. Shishir Sharma (Rajesh Mishra; Meera's boss) is fair while Lekha Prajapati (Tara; Viren's wife) and Hitesh Rawal get limited scope. The same goes for Sumit Vats (Hari). Kanan Arunachalam (Venkateshwar) is too good especially in the scene where he spills the beans. Trupti Shankadhar (Ashima; who meets Meera in the train) and Rio Kapadia (NCC MD Singh) register an impact despite being there for just one scene. Music is average but is well placed. <em>'Ishq Namaza'</em> is soulful and shot beautifully. The title track plays in the background in some important scenes in the first half. <em>'Hawaon Mein'</em> is played during the end credits. Sandeep Shirodkar's background score adds to the drama. Vishnu Rao's cinematography is appropriate. Durgaprasad Mahapatra's production design is rich. Darshan Jalan and Neelanchal Ghosh's costumes are reminiscent of the late 80s and early 90s era. NY VFXWaala's VFX is praiseworthy. Dharmendra Sharma's editing is too slick and quick at places. On the whole, THE BIG BULL gets affected due to the comparisons with SCAM 1992. Yet, it stands out at several places and works due to the performances, the dramatic moments and the unexpected finale.

from Movie Review | Bollywood Movie Reviews | Latest Hindi Movies Reviews - Bollywood Hungama https://ift.tt/3cYgZj2

Movie Review: The Big Bull

Actor Abhishek Bachchan’s career has seen a lot of ups and downs. But one can’t deny that he is a powerful performer, as proven by his work in films like YUVA [2004], DHOOM [2004], SARKAR [2005], GURU [2007], DOSTANA [2008], PAA [2009], BOL BACHCHAN [2012], etc. After taking a break of nearly 2 ½ years, he returned to the big screen with a stellar act in MANMARZIYAAN [2018]. In the past one year, he has made his mark on digital with the web series BREATHE: INTO THE SHADOWS [2020] and the crazy comedy LUDO [2020]. Now he’s back with another web venture, THE BIG BULL. The trailer has been liked and there’s a curiosity to see what it has to offer, despite the subject being similar to SCAM 1992, arguably the most successful web series of India. So does THE BIG BULL manage to stand out and impress the audiences? Or does it fail? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1205922 size-full" title="Movie Review: The Big Bull" src="https://ift.tt/31V3ryz" alt="Movie Review: The Big Bull" width="720" height="450" /> THE BIG BULL is the story of a common man’s journey from rags to riches. The year is 1987. Hemant Shah (Abhishek Bachchan), a resident of Bombay, is working at Bal Kala Kendra on a modest salary. He is in love with Priya (Nikita Dutta), his neighbour but since he’s not financially secure, he’s apprehensive about asking her father for her hand in marriage. One day, a parent of one of the kids, who comes to practice at Bal Kala Kendra, tells Hemant that after selling stocks of Bombay Textile, he’s able to earn a nice moolah. This makes Hemant curious about the world of stocks. Meanwhile, his brother Viren Shah (Sohum Shah) loses a large amount of money in stocks. Viren is in debt and Hemant decides to invest in Bombay Textile’s shares. But he does his homework before doing so. This enables Hemant to not just make Viren debt-free but also earn a neat little profit. In no time, Hemant enters the world of stocks and starts working for a stock trader named Kantilal (Hitesh Rawal). Hemant aspires to have a trading account but as per the rules, he needs to pay Rs. 10 lakhs for it. In order to earn the said amount, Hemant joins hands with union leader Rana Sawant (Mahesh Manjrekar) of Premier Auto. His insider trading activity soon helps him earn Rs. 10 lakhs. Hemant starts to now manipulate stocks and even gets banks on board to exploit the loopholes in the system. All this takes the sensex to dizzying heights. Thus, he becomes a hero of sorts among stock brokers. Since his financial condition improves, he marries Priya. While everyone is hailing Hemant Shah, Meera Rao (Ileana DCruz), the finance journalist at India Times newspaper, is least impressed. She’s confident that Hemant is illegally making money at the stock exchange. She writes critical articles about him. And one day, she stumbles upon shocking evidence about Hemant’s nefarious activities. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Kookie Gulati and Arjun Dhawan's story is interesting. It is inspired from the life of Harshad Mehta, the infamous stock broker, and his experiences were fascinating, cinematically. Kookie Gulati and Arjun Dhawan's screenplay is effective at most places. The writers have tried their best to make the goings-on as entertaining and as dramatic as possible for a better impact. They succeed, but not fully, for two reasons. One, they have edited out several important events from Hemant Shah’s life and have made it too fast-paced. Secondly, the comparisons with SCAM 1992 take away the impact to some extent. Ritesh Shah's dialogues, however, are sharp. Kookie Gulati's direction is decent. He had the challenge of not just keeping the goings-on entertaining but also easy to comprehend. This is because not everyone understands the concept of stocks and shares. And Kookie succeeds to an extent at both the aspects. On the flipside, one can’t help but draw parallels with SCAM 1992. Even if one tries his/her best, one can’t forget the Pratik Gandhi-starrer web series as it was highly memorable. And it was handled in a much better manner. One wishes if THE BIG BULL had released before SCAM 1992 as then, it would have been more entertaining and interesting for viewers. Now, since most of the target audience of THE BIG BULL have already seen SCAM 1992, one already knows more or less the entire story. Hence, one knows in advance what’s going to happen. Thankfully, the writers have fictionalized some plot points and added a twist in the end which will leave the viewers surprised. Even if one keeps the SCAM 1992 comparisons aside, the film has another major hiccup. It moves too fast. Some developments are never explained properly. For instance, one gets a hint that Hemant’s father was upset with him and had even kicked him out of the house. But what exactly happened is never explained in the film. Then, Hemant starting his own consultancy, named Mile High, happens all of a sudden, leaving viewers bewildered. The character of Sanjeev Kohli (Samir Soni) is crucial to the narrative but the writers and director don’t give him the required due. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Abhishek Bachchan: “I’d like to collaborate with Carryminati on…”| The Big Bull | Ajay Devgn</strong></span> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://ift.tt/3fSu0fZ" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> THE BIG BULL has an average opening. The entry scene of Abhishek Bachchan should have been powerful but instead, it’s bland. The film thankfully gets better with the scene where Hemant walks with Priya at night and the former finds out about Viren’s debt. While the rise of Hemant is depicted neatly and quickly, what stand out are the scenes that come just before the end of the first hour. The song <em>'Ishq Namazaa'</em> is very well shot and keeps the interest going. Hemant’s experience at the party in Delhi is intriguing. The scene of the Income Tax Department’s raid and the interview scene of Hemant and Meera run parallel and is the best part about the first hour. In the second half, things get better as Meera attempts to uncover the truth based on the leads that she gets. This is also the time when Hemant gets on shaky ground and tries to his best to get out of the mess. The last 30 minutes is when the film really gets better. The press conference scene is treated dramatically and is bound to arrest attention. The twist in the climax is unexpected. Abhishek Bachchan gives a commendable performance and he also underplays at several places. He is essaying the part of a flamboyant, egoistic man but he understands that it doesn’t mean he has to go overboard. Interestingly, the actor had done a similar role in the past, in GURU [2007], and the actor ensures that one is not reminded of that performance when they see THE BIG BULL. However, the brief shots of him laughing manically seem unintentionally funny and should have been done away with, ideally. Ileana DCruz hardly gets any scope in the first half but shines in the second half. However, she looks very unconvincing as an old lady in the present-day track. Nikita Dutta is lovely and leaves a huge mark. Sohum Shah is, as expected, dependable and maintains a strong position from start to finish. Mahesh Manjrekar and Samir Soni are decent in their special appearances. Supriya Pathak Shah (Amiben; Hemant and Viren's mother) is convincing. Saurabh Shukla (Manu Malpani) gets his act right. Ram Kapoor (Ashok Mirchandani) has limited screen time but he rocks the show. Shishir Sharma (Rajesh Mishra; Meera's boss) is fair while Lekha Prajapati (Tara; Viren's wife) and Hitesh Rawal get limited scope. The same goes for Sumit Vats (Hari). Kanan Arunachalam (Venkateshwar) is too good especially in the scene where he spills the beans. Trupti Shankadhar (Ashima; who meets Meera in the train) and Rio Kapadia (NCC MD Singh) register an impact despite being there for just one scene. Music is average but is well placed. <em>'Ishq Namaza'</em> is soulful and shot beautifully. The title track plays in the background in some important scenes in the first half. <em>'Hawaon Mein'</em> is played during the end credits. Sandeep Shirodkar's background score adds to the drama. Vishnu Rao's cinematography is appropriate. Durgaprasad Mahapatra's production design is rich. Darshan Jalan and Neelanchal Ghosh's costumes are reminiscent of the late 80s and early 90s era. NY VFXWaala's VFX is praiseworthy. Dharmendra Sharma's editing is too slick and quick at places. On the whole, THE BIG BULL gets affected due to the comparisons with SCAM 1992. Yet, it stands out at several places and works due to the performances, the dramatic moments and the unexpected finale.

from Movie Review | Bollywood Movie Reviews | Latest Hindi Movies Reviews - Bollywood Hungama https://ift.tt/3cYgZj2