Common man..at his best!

A Wednesday (2008)

This movie was released in India before Mumbai Terror Attacks 26/11. But one can easily gauge its relevance with more assurance today. The message the movie gave is a simple thing, that are we really safe today wherever we are? But it is supposedly the most difficult question for our Government and the common folks.

For that matter, when lakhs of Mumbaikars gathered at Gateway of India or Oberoi to show their anger in a non-violent manner, it was showcased very diligently. But what after that? When it comes to sign petitions and making NGOs, only few raise their hands.

And the less you speak of the politicians the more it is better. But anyway, why to blame them when we ourselves elect them? We blamed them after 1993...when terror gripped Mumbai like a wild fire...and we blamed them after 17th July, 2006...when Mumbai's railway was exploded by the cruel minds. Even today we are blaming. And soon the blame game will over. And everyone will almost tend to forget it. And we say that it's the Mumbai spirit to keep going on and on. Great!

What Naseer's common man has done in this movie is an exemplary definition not only for Mumbaikar's but all those who feel that since we are safe, let's continue with our work. I'm not saying that common man should adopt this stance which is adopted by Naseer's character in the movie, but at least we can try for the myriad options to unite and collectively adopt strategies to enhance our own security.

Leaving aside this issue, I guess this movie is an eye-opener for many people worldwide. It is simple yet gripping. I salute the story and screenplay writer Neeraj Pandey who has scripted each and every scene with a lot of practicality and consciousness. His direction is noteworthy.

Naseer shines as always. He has this particular way to deliver his dialogues which I like the most(sometimes, I try to imitate it!). And equally commendable performance is delivered by Anupam Kher as the decisive Police Officer who’s last scene of meeting the common man and not revealing his name took the movie to an all-together different level of maturity. Rest all actors have done their part well.

This movie needs a more public viewing than Filmfare or any other film nomination!

Rating: 4/5

Rab-bing the wrong way!!

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008)

Some movies are meant for pure entertainment. The things like logic and sense don't work in such movies. They are the symbol of true Indian Commercial Movies made just for entertainment. And the fact that such movies exist in Indian Filmography is very obvious thanks to our culture, traditions and beliefs. And such movies will continue to work in India, no matter you are in 2008 or 2080. This movie is an example of such movies.

The best part of this movie is the screenplay by Aditya Chopra. In fact, it is the only thing which makes this movie a one-time watch. The story lacks sense, logic and hold in several parts but still the way it is presented by Aditya is commendable. I believe that Aditya as a screenplay writer and a dialogue writer succeeds than he as a story-teller. The dialogues and the tactful presentation of scenes has been his forte in all his movies. Same was the case in Mohabbatein.

Anushka Sharma is the worst choice for the role of Taani. If the director wanted to cast a new face only, then he could have searched for someone better than her. She looks good and sweet but lacks the much needed serenity or emotions on her face for the role of Taani.

The music is RNBDJ's another plus point. Salim-Sulaimaan has done pretty well job. Haule Haule keeps on haunting you even after the movie. Tujh mein rab dikhta hai and Dance pe chance are soothing to hear. Even the shabad in the opening credits sounds too well. End credits keep you engaged for a while.

Yash Raj Movies are always technically sound. No wonder this movie has a good cinematography.

It's Suri's character which Shah Rukh has done very well. As Raj, we have always seen him. Such a performance was expected from him after being in the industry since so many years.

Lastly, as I said, logic and sense doesn't hold any grounds here. So it's fine if Taani fails to recognize Suri as Raj and falls in love with him. It's a Yash Raj Hindi Film. I am sure many are here to love such movie. Let them enjoy!

Rating: 2/5

Fashion (2008)

Rating: 3.5/5

Fabulous! Basically almost all of the Bhandarkar movies are my favourites. This one adds to the list.
I loved the movie. It's in typical Bhandarkar style. Cinematography is very gripping. And Priyanka does her part right. Oh man, she looks amazing throughout the movie! Another sensational character, Shonika is well designed and Kangana Ranaut is the best choice for the role. She's surely gonna win all the supporting actress awards next year! And is it true that almost all fashion designers are femnine or gay? At least that is what been portrayed in the movie.
Bhandarkar articulately brings out the face of fashion world with his high profile dramatic scenes and songs. His last movie, Traffic Signal was nice as well but not as good as Chandani Bar or Page 3. With this one, he has gone to his basics again and surely gonna bag awards next year. Go for it!

Saawariya (2007)

Rating: 2/5

Over-exaggeration of anything may result in a failure. And the best example of this statement is Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Saawariya. It worked for Devdas since it had some mind-blowing performances and a soulful screenplay. It worked for Black since it had a brilliant theme and a purpose keeping the dumb-and-deaf people in sight. But it doesn't work here. There isn't anything new to see and the exaggerated art direction just puts you off. And the end result is an over-exaggerated play of love and emotions which lacks depth and soul.
The tragic end adds fuel to the fire. Why did he choose such an end? Does he wanted us to rave about his so-called gracious and delightful couple? The scenes slide one after another as if we're watching an extended version of Black. Music is no doubt, appreciable (Jab Se Naina, Yu Shabnami and Saawariya were brilliant!) but how does it matter if screenplay itself lacks soul?
The only positive point about this Bhansali's saga is the performances. No, not of Sonam Kapoor..she's cute and sweet but sadly, lacks the much required acting aura for the character of Sakina. Rani Mukherji comes out as a pleasant surprise, gets to the skin of the character and delivers a mind-blowing performance (and she doesn't cry a lot in this one!!). Zohra Sehgal is sweetest lady I've seen in the recent times...hats off to her performance which adorns the sincerity of her character. And yes, last but not least, Ranbir..who's charismatic..handsome..does extremely well. The shades of his father were visible in his oration. Definitely, a graciously inherited heritage of acting is his plus point. But it couldn't save the movie.
Silence...grand sets...and lots of drama doesn't always help. Bhansali lost this time.

Dostana (2008)

Rating: 3/5

It’s all fun. Music is hilariously best…appreciable work by Vishal and Shekhar. I wanted to see more of Kirron Kher who was excellent. And heyy, what’s up with Priyanka? I mean…she have always looked beautiful, but this time she is unbelievably awesome! She looks sexy, charming and elegant in each and every scene of her. A competent performance…though nothing more challenging for her to do but still looked and acted very well…this is definitely her year…Fashion…Dostana…no wonder you hear it next year…and the Best Actress Award goes too…
And all the fuss about gays and homosexuality…uff! I mean it’s nothing to do with it. Still Karan maintained, in his interviews, that the movie will change people’s perception about homosexuality. Really? Ho-hum!
John needs some acting lessons…and Abhishek was excellent. But anyway, first time ever the commercial cinema has at least dared to laugh on gays whole-heartedly. Fire, My Brother Nikhil were the serious attempts but commercially tanked. And I heard that NCP leaders are high on this movie too. Why? Maa ka ladla bigad gaya?

Arth (1982)

My Rating: 4/5

If you haven't watched this movie, then you have really missed something so important as far as Hindi Films are concerned.

The story is very much simple. You may feel that now but remember the year in which it was released and I would like to salute the writer-director Mahesh Bhatt for presenting and highlighting the issue of extra-marital affairs at that time!
It's a story about an extra-marital affair between Inder and Kavita, a popular film actress and the consequences of this affair on his marriage and his wife, Pooja. Kavita turns psychic and slowly starts feeling insecure about being in such an undefined relationship while Pooja leaves Inder's life to enter a life full of self respect, independence and dignity.

All the songs, be it Tum ye jo itna muskurarahe ho.. or Koi ye kaise baatayein.. are touching and heart-melting..Jagjit Singh and Kaifi Azmi deserves the credit which they got. Direction is too good and last but not least, the performances by almost all actors which keep you engaged till the end. Shabana Azmi delivers a flawless Pooja with such a calm and restrained performance. She excels truly in that party scene when she first faces Kavita. Kulbhushan Kharbanda plays the troubled man with much needed consciousness. Rohini Hattangadi and Karan Razdan are too flawless. But more specifically, I watched this movie for one actress and that is Smita Patil. Hat's Off to her!!! She has sparkled in whichever scenes she did and brought the warmth and craziness required to play an 'other' woman. Terrific performance by late Smita Patil.

Watch it if you haven't..at least for the peformances by Smita and Shabana..both truly compete!!

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna...

The other day, I happened to watch one of my favorite movies again on TV and it was Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black. There are many reasons why I term this as one of my favorite movies. Firstly, it was fabulously directed by Bhansali. Secondly, the story was touching, the background score was gripping and cinematography was marvelous. And lastly, performances! No doubt about a classic act from Big B. It was very much expected from him. But I was surprised to see Rani Mukherji as Michelle. I mean, it’s not that I was watching her in any movie for the first time. I had loved her in Mani Ratnam’s Yuva as well. But the way she has performed in Black left me speechless then in the theatre where I watched this movie for the first time and also this day when I was watching it on TV.

I can certainly rate and categorize Rani amongst those classic actresses of Indian Film Industry who gave an altogether different meaning to the word ‘Bollywood Herione’. Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Vjayantimala, Nargis, Waheeda Rehman, Sharmila Tagore, Hema Malini, Rekha, Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit are the most anticipated names of this category. They were Bollywood Queens. There are other ace actresses as well like Juhi Chawla, Kajol, Karishma Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai who made their best attempt to reach the topmost pedestal but weren’t very successful. Rani had the spark to reach the top. The performances she delivered in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Hey Ram, Saathiya, Hum Tum, Yuva, Bunty Aur Babli, Mangal Pandey – The Rising and Black aren’t some jokes. Her last successful attempt was Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna but unfortunately it was the director of the movie Karan Johar who messed up the script and the film couldn’t turn out that well.

But what after that? Babul, Tara Rum Pum, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag and Saawariya were Box Office Duds. Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic turned out to be another good-for-nothing movie. Is that all from Rani?

The Low phase in career graph is witnessed in each and every actor’s career. Madhuri Dixit too experienced it in 1996 when her movies were simply failing to create the flutter. But don’t forget that Dil To Pagal Hai came in 1997 and Devdas in 2002. Actresses like Madhuri and Sridevi enjoyed a greater period of dominance in the industry. But look at Rani…it’s as if her career graph is going low and low.

The reasons are very much obvious. Rani’s association with Yash Raj Banner has done a lot of mess with her choice of selection of movies. Yash Raj Films are very much stereo-typical and Rani is doing similar kind of roles again and again without any variety like the way she did in Yuva or Black. Or is it that the air of the two consecutive Best Actress Awards which she received for Hum Tum and Black in 2005 and 2006 has gone in her head?

Is this the end of the empire of this queen?