Movie Review : M.S Dhoni: The Untold Story

MS Dhoni The Untold Story is directed by Neeraj Pandey who has directed hit films like ‘A Wednesday’, ‘Special 26’ and ‘Baby’. Coming to the story of this movie, the director Neeraj Pandey has written the script along with Dilip Jha. The script highlights the difficulties that were faced by MS Dhoni since his childhood who dreamed of playing at the highest level. What are the problems that he has faced during that time? What led him to join as the Ticket Collector at the station and what led him towards going once again to the game. The director managed to recreate the 2011 world cup winning shot. Furthermore, this scene in the climax literally brings goosebumps to audience. Not only the struggles but the director has also shown the love story between MS Dhoni and Sakshi Dhoni. One has to admit that the love story of MS is as good as it gets. All in all this movie has got every emotion.

Sushant Singh Rajput is the heart and soul of this movie. This talented young actor has got under the skin of real MS Dhoni and has enacted the same on the reel. Such is the perfection that his performance in this movie made everyone connect to the character. The movie has already created a huge buzz on social media & all the credit goes to Sushant Singh Rajput for the dedication and the time that he has taken for this role. He has also enacted the cricketing shots of Dhoni very accurately. In no way, you can right off this actor in this movie. Such is the essence that he has brought for this movie. Coming to the other actors of the movie, Kiara Advani is seen playing the role of Dhoni's wife has also done a great job in the movie. The romantic love scenes between Sushant and Kiara perfectly highlight the chemistry between the two.

Movie Review: Dishoom

Buddy cop action movies were a specialty back in the '90s. These movies were a heady mixture of physical comedy and action thrills. Dishoom is a throwback to these films. Picture it like a cross between David Dhawan's Bade Miya Chhote Miya and Abbas Mustan's Race. This two-hero team up is unmistakably high on masala movie set pieces and easy to digest. It's classic Hindi movie fluff, updated with modern film-making styles. It won't challenge your ability to comprehend, neither will it offend your sensibilities. It'll sweetly settle in to your suspension of disbelief, just like popcorn entertainment should.

The movie kick starts with a missing Indian cricket star called Viraj (Saqib Saleem) somewhere in the Middle East. Viraj is a superstar and the one hope of Indian cricket, kind of like Virat Kohli. Once he goes missing, the Indian authorities send in their toughest cop Kabir (John Abraham) to investigate and rescue Viraj. Kabir has issues with authority, so in a bid to bypass the stifling police department in the foreign country, he decides to team up with the bumbling cop Junaid (Varun Dhawan). Junaid's number one unsolved case is that of a missing bull dog named Bradman. Kabir thinks he can have his way with the investigation by muscling out Junaid as his partner. So the unlikely team of a tough cop and a funny cop get down to tracking the cricket star and his kidnappers. The story is classic masala movie formula. Every situation in the movie is either a set up for an action sequence or a comedy gag. Jacqueline Fernandez steps in to add some glamour and romance to the proceedings.

Even though the concept of Dishoom is unoriginal, its got enough slick contemporary treatment to engage its audience. At just over 2-hours long, the movie seems like a breeze. It doesn't waste time with sentimentality or characterization, it just throttles from one scene to the other. There are car chases, bullet fights, running around, easy humour and just one song in the middle: Sau tarah ke. Dishoom is a snappy film. The helicopter stunt right at the end is a never-seen-before moment in Hindi cinema at least. The motorcycle and side carriage stunt is a slick throwback to movies like Sholay and Main Khiladi Tu Anari. Dishoom has the trappings to entertain fans of '80s and '90s movies.

The performances are okay. John Abraham takes care of the machismo while Varun Dhawan deals with the comedy. Both actors look at ease in their characters, effortlessly sailing through one gag after the other. Jacqueline Fernandez looks pretty but apart from sizzling in the Sau tarah ke song, she has very little to do. Saqib Saleem plays the cricketer and the victim and the only big challenge in his performance is the multiple shoulder dislocation. Akshaye Khanna plays the main antagonist and he's in the same form as he was a few years ago in Race. He makes the bad guy look good. But the stand out performer here is Akshaye Kumar in a two minute cameo playing a homosexual to hilarious effect.

The basic requisite of enjoying Dishoom is to not have any heavy duty expectations. This film by director Rohit Dhawan is the same brand of easy entertainment that his dad was known for. The movie starts with a song (Toh dishoom) and it ends with a song (Jaaneman). The new age filmmaker has just added a whole lot of style to the same old substance. And as it did 20 years ago, the gimmick still works out.

My Rating :  2.5 / 5 

Dhanak : Shed your burdens, search for that magical rainbow

Dhanak
Cast: Hetal Gadda, Krrish Chhabria, Vipin Sharma, Suresh Menon, Raghu Ram
Director: Nagesh Kukunoor
My Rating: 3/5

There is something incredible happening around us, but we don’t know it yet. Call it magical realism or our inability to spot a rainbow (Dhanak), we keep marching ahead with our blinkers on. But, Pari (Hetal Gadda) and Chotu (Krrish Chhabria) are not like us, not anymore.

They live in a small mud house near the desert in Rajasthan where life is as difficult as it can be. Pari has been failing her exams for two years to study in the same class as her brother Chotu. The young boy will be turning nine soon and his sister believes that her idol, Shah Rukh Khan, who appears on the posters of an eye donation campaign, can help restore blind Chotu’s vision before his birthday. Now, they need to meet Khan who is shooting at the other end of Rajasthan.

Unlike most road movies, Dhanak is not about any inward journey for its lead characters. Undeniably innocent, their approach to life is pure and full of trust. They believe in a house with walls of sweets, and sing folklore with foreigners. They fight to prove Shah Rukh’s supremacy over Salman. And, to walk across Rajasthan is just another sport for them.

This may prove dangerous because the barren lands stretched on both sides of the road can trick you into believing things that aren’t there.

Movie Review : Drishyam - Does Not Paint A Good "Drishya" AKA "Picture" !

In a hilly town in Goa, cable company owner Vijay Salgaonkar (Ajay Devgn) lives with his wife Nandini (Shriya Saran) and two daughters. Vijay loves his family to the core and can do anything for them as long as it does not involve (too much) money. Salgaonkar stays away from his family on most nights. The phone's off the hook all night and there's no way for his family to reach Vijay if there's an emergency. No, there's no paramour here. Vijay's only liaison is with films. This 'IVth fail' orphan is loved by all the residents of the town, save a certain police officer Gaitonde (Kamlesh Sawant). Gaitonde's corruptness meets a tough contender in Vijay's straight-backed-ness, and the latter lets slip no opportunity to douse the former with vitriol.In Vijay's happy family life, there arrives a Sam. Stalker par excellence, and after Anju's (Vijay's elder daughter) happiness. A bizarre turn of events lands this Sam, the son of Inspector General Meera Deshmukh (Tabu), among the 'missing'. The story takes numerous twists and turns, much like Goa's serpentine roads, and finally, it reaches a climax. One, which leaves you with a 'What the...'. Take it whichever way you want to.

Director Nishikant Kamat's Hindi remake of the 2013 Malayalam Drishyam has many praiseworthy parts, and even more bleh-inducing ones. Touted as an edge-of-the-seat thriller, this Drishyam does take you to the edge of the seat occasionally, only to push you back to comfort. The film sees some classy acting by its two leads, Ajay Devgn and Tabu. While Ajay manages to convey his honest do-gooder well, Tabu's shades-of-grey policewoman act is first-rate. On screen, the electric chemistry between the two is palpable to the hilt. But that's hardly enough to redeem this Drishyam.

Shriya Saran is shrill in parts and horribly over the top in others. She tries to fit into the role of Vijay's loving wife and doting mother to their children, but can't make an impact. Among the film's other pivots, Rajat Kapoor as Meera's husband is a joy to watch. Ishita Dutta fizzles out in an unimpressive debut. She weeps at the drop of a hat, and while some of it is understandable; the rest, not. Kamlesh Sawant's Gaitonde is good in the comic scenes, but tends to get on one's nerves in his machismo-brandishing ones.

Jeethu Joseph's story is fresh. However, the way it pans out spoils the game. Making a character crack a case in her mind and recite all its nitty-gritty, for example, feels forced. Drishyam's near-three-hour runtime could have been reduced a LOT more. Aarif Sheikh's scissors should have been sharper. Goa, from the rocky terrains to the quarries, has been captured well on film, thanks to Avinash Arun.The film takes a lot of time to establish the story. At the end of the first half hour, you're left teetering on the edge of your patience. And just when you are about to snap, wham! The turn of events draws you in into the story. The joy, however, is short-lived, as long-drawn sequences are used to portray the simplest of happenings. Just putting across the Salgaonkars' sense of fear needs many minutes, a task which could have been accomplished in one-fourth that time. The boredom compels one to nitpick: A space in between 'head' and 'quarters' on the Police Headquarters' signboard, for example, can't be un-noticed.

At one point in Drishyam, Vijay sermonises that he 'can do anything to save his family'. Makes one snort in disbelief. Yes, this is the same man who, to watch films uninterrupted, avoids taking calls from his family all night, come hell or high water.

Among Vishal Bhardwaj's songs, Carbon Copy and Dum Ghutta Hai deserve a special mention.

In all, Drishyam squanders much of its potential, leaving one wondering what the film could have been, had it been executed well. Watch it if you have to, for Ajay and Tabu's display of duelling willpowers.

My Rating :

Cheers !

Jeetendra AKA The Bunnyman

Movie Review : Bajrangi Bhaijaan .... Salman Khan's BEST Film So Far !!

If you think you have to leave your brains at home for a Salman Khan film, be surprised. This one will need you to take your heart along with your brains as well. For above everything else, 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' sure has its heart in its right place.

Year after year, Salman Khan wins hearts with his mere appearance on the silver screen. And no matter what else a film has got to offer, everything fades in front of the aura of Salman The Superstar, Salman The Superhuman. However, Kabir Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan is not quite in that bracket. It does have Salman, sure, but he's hardly the driving force of the film; contradictory POVs be damned. What shines through more than anything else in this film are two people - Nawazuddin Siddiqui and child artiste Harshaali Malhotra.

"Surat dekhi hai iski," asks Salman's Pavan Kumar Chaturvedi to a policeman in a police station, while trying to explain Munni's (Harshaali) plight. And by the end of this near-three-hour film, the girl's face is among the things that stay with you.

As the film begins, one is treated to the devastatingly beautiful scenes of Kashmir. And you don't want to blink for even a moment, lest a shot is missed. The camera zooms in on a gathering in front of a TV set, somewhere in the mountains of the Sultanpur district in Pakistani Kashmir. Cheering to Shahid Afridi's sixes, a heavily pregnant woman declares that her yet-to-be-born son would be called Shahid.

Six years later, on board the Delhi-Lahore Samjhauta Express, the woman is accompanied by her daughter, Shahida. On their way back to Pakistan after a mannat in a 'Hindustani Dargah', Shahida gets off the train, and is lost. She reaches Kurukshetra, and happens to cross paths with Pavan Kumar Chaturvedi aka Bajrangi, a hard-core devotee of Lord Hanuman. Pavan takes the mute Munni to Delhi, where he lives. After several twists and turns and revelatory moments, Pavan and his landlords, Rasika's (Kareena Kapoor Khan) orthodox Hindu parents, realise that Munni a) is a Muslim, and b) belongs to Pakistan.

Movie Review : Bahubali - The Beginning - A Visual Extravaganza !!

Baahubali is undoubtedly the most prestigious project that has come out of Tollywood in the recent times. Directed by the genius Rajamouli, this film has Prabhas, Tamannah, Rana and Anushka in lead roles. Touted as the biggest motion picture in India, Baahubali has hit the screens on 10th July 2015. Let’s see whether it lives up to its hype or not. I of course saw the Hindi dubbed version of it. 

Story:-

Shivudu (Prabhas) is brought up by some native villagers. He grows up with special skills which turn out to be a mystery for every one. One fine day, he spots Avantika (Tamanna) and falls in love with her.

As time passes by, he comes to know that she and her group are trying hard to rescue the royal princes Devasena (Anushka) from the evil clutches of Bhalaladeva (Rana). Shivudu decides to help Avanitka and enters the Mahishmati Kingdom.

As soon as he lands there, he comes to know that he has a past associated with both Mahishmati and Bhalaladeva. What is that past ? What does Shivudu have to do with Mahishmati ? Who is Shivudu in real life. To know answers to these questions, you need to watch the film on the big screen.

Plus Points:-

As you start watching Baahubali, one thing that hits you instantly is the scale of this magnum opus. The extravagant sets, spectacular visuals and the sheer magnitude has not been showcased in any Indian film before. One cannot shy away to laud Rajamouli for thinking something this huge and also executing it on such a mammoth scale. The war sequences and the way they have been executed are in true Hollywood style.

Prabhas is terrific in a dual role and is the apt choice as Baahubali. No one except him could have done justice to the role which is larger than life and has many heroic moments. His sheer screen presence and emotional performance will be immensely loved by his fans. As expected, Rana is menacing as the baddie Bhalaladeva. This is a dream role for him and he gives a top notch performance as the bad guy.

It is quite surprising to see the amount of detailing that has gone into every aspect of this film. What catches your attention right away are the terrific visual effects. There are certain scenes in the film which will just leave you spell bound. Tamanna is gorgeous as Avantika and plays her part well.

Ramya Krishna is elegant as Shivagami and brings a lot of depth to the film. Nasser and Satyaraj play their roles perfectly. Second half of the film has a lot of emotions which elevate the film to another level.

Minus Points:-

The story line of Baahubali is quite routine and predictable. The actual film kick starts only during the second half and ends abruptly which might leave you a bit unhappy. Anushka has nothing much to do in the film as her character will be revealed only during the second part.

Certain war sequences have been dragged out and could have been trimmed to decrease the run time. There is so much hype surrounding the film that certain unwanted songs side tracks the film. The romance between Prabhas and Tamanna also looks exaggerated at times.

Movie Review : Guddu Rangeela

Guddu was a stupid Shah Rukh Khan film, Rangeela was a terrific Aamir Khan film.

Subhash Kapoor’s Guddu Rangeela might have nothing to do with the Khans or their 1990s films, and yet it falls, fittingly enough, halfway between a really fun ride and a film that goes nowhere. It has an intricate, interesting plot and a set of fine actors visibly having a good time, but it lacks finesse and consistency.

Still, thanks to the actors and the brisk narrative, it’s certainly worth a watch.

Guddu and Rangeela, played by Amit Sadh and Arshad Warsi, are a pair of singing-dancing scamps who cross paths with too many gangsters, and, with a big debt on their heads, they take on a lucrative mission to kidnap a deaf-and-dumb girl.

This kidnapping happens within seconds; one moment the girl is being asked if she prefers Shah Rukh or Salman, the next she’s been carted into the back of a Scorpio. (See what I mean about a brisk narrative?)

The plot rolls on and quickly establishes its heroes and villains, setting us up for a fun melee, with some anti-Khap commentary thrown in.

The problem can be illustrated by the fact that the girl, Baby, played by Aditi Rao Hydari, fiery-eyed and fierce, isn’t mute after all. That plot-point lasted all of two minutes.

Despite the fun opening song Mata Ka Email, the fact that Guddu and Rangeela are professional performers is never used again either. (See what I mean about utter inconsistency?) Kapoor tries so hard to make sure his film is quirky that he doesn’t care about how clever or funny it actually is, and Guddu Rangeela could well have fallen flat -- except for the actors.

Ronit Roy leads the pack, playing a small-town Melisandre as he enforces Khap rules and tells parents to strangle their disobedient daughters. As Billu Pehelwan, Roy is intensely demonic and utterly believable as a local tough, snarling a 'rrrap' sound to makes sure even goats leap out of his rampaging path. He’s super.

Arshad Warsi could, to be fair, now sleepwalk through a part like this. Then again, it’s Warsi’s sheer likeability that keeps the film going at least in the first half.

Aditi Rao Hydari is perfectly cast as a bright-eyed girl who knows more than she lets on, and the actress looks luminous -- particularly when surrounded exclusively by laffangas.

It takes a while for Sadh, the laffanga in love with her, to find his groove; the first few scenes see him very uneasy, but he gets better and his body language feels less forced.

There’s a fine moment the two actors share where he propositions her with strikingly succinct bawdiness -- I doubt any film has had a one-word seduction -- and he nails the delivery while her eyes instantly brim with scorn even as her tongue is too busy telling him off.