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.

Movie Review : Dil Dhadakne Do

Like Zoya Akhtar’s previous film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Dil Dhadakne Do is also about a trip that changes the travellers’ perspective towards life. Just that this time the journey is long, less memorable, and screeching to a halt often. 

The rich have their own set of problems and their lives are as miserable as any middle-class guy’s life. This is the theme of a film which has the Mehras, led by a self-made business magnate Kamal Mehra (a golden-haired Anil Kapoor), at the helm of affairs. The family’s 25-year-old son Kabir (Ranveer Singh) is expected to take over the business from his father, but he wants to add wings to his life: He's more keen on aviation, of all things. His elder sister Ayesha (Priyanka Chopra), we are told has a 'business acumen',  but she couldn’t claim the CEO’s chair because she is married and the Mehra household is too fond of their male scion. Kamal’s wife Neelam (Shefali Shah) is a sharp-tongued, insecure woman who is struggling hard to keep up with her husband’s flamboyant image. 

The second branch of this 169-minute long saga features a free-spirited dancer Farah Ali (Anushka Sharma) and her roller-coaster romance with Kabir Mehra.

There is a third set too. This set of characters, who make Dil Dhadakne Do a crowded film, include Ayesha’s patriarchal husband Manav (Rahul Bose) and her former best friend Sunny (Farhan Akhtar). 

The Delhi-based Mehras look happy and content from outside, but their empire is crumbling. And unlike a conventional business family, what do they do to keep everything floating? Surprise, surprise! They plan a two-week long cruise trip to attract investors. 

Just that they have no idea that this trip is about to change their perceptions forever. It’s going to be a life-altering experience for the people who are buried under pressure to behave the way the society wants them to behave. 

The duo of Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti has come up with a story that deals with frivolous and almost non-existent issues. It’s hard to believe that the rich and mighty of the Delhi society are so not connected to the ground realities. And even if they are pretentious and pompous, it’s highly improbable for them to be like this confused lot. 

The central thread in itself is philosophically disturbing. Here’s a family where everybody knows everybody’s dark secrets, and they have been fairly quiet about it since the beginning. They seem to believe that this is how it’s supposed to be. It appears that their brains are conditioned by the way they are, and that means absolute approval to the existing patriarchal values. Later, when it comes to personal freedom and making a choice, they keep pretending that they are taking a stand without doing anything about the wrongs already done. Kabir knows about his father’s affairs and his mother’s pathetic position in the family, yet he falls back on his father’s shoulder when the family is neck- deep in choppy waters. 

Similarly, the miserable woman in the body of Neelam Mehra keeps speaking the same language as her husband. In fact, the regret in her expression is quite perceptible when she denies Kamal some playful bedtime moments. In short, most of the primary characters, except Priyanka Chopra's perhaps, are at ease with status quo, still they keep complaining. 

Interestingly, a sequence in the film shows Farhan Akhtar indulging in a verbal battle with Rahul Bose over 'women's liberation'. It’s weird, to say least, to see two men debating over giving more power to women, with the woman in their life, Priyanka Chopra, sobbing all through. Woman, wake up, you run a business conglomerate and have just featured in a Forbes’ list. This wasn’t expected of you. 

But this is not the only ill-conceived scene in the film. Kamal is admitted in the hospital and his wife tells him that she has always dreaded the day when he would leave her. She very dramatically says, "Tum mujhe bhool gaye Kamal". Within seconds Kamal promises to not tread the ‘morally corrupt’ path and she goes back to her usual self of a doting wife. No agony, no anger, no remorse, nothing. 

Don’t get me wrong. I am not against the family values imbibed in our culture, but such docile characters can’t help the cause the director so proudly preaches through a dog Pluto (Aamir Khan’s voice) in the film. 

The climax is another big let-down. On second thoughts, it’s similar to many other sequences in films that build up just fine in the beginning, only to give it all up at the most critical time. The ultimate moments of DDD are completely out-of-sync with the rest of the film. I don’t want to give out important plot twists but it’s bizarre to see ‘so called, educated’ characters possessing the IQ of a toddler. 

Music Review : Hamari Adhuri Kahani

Hamari Adhuri Kahani is an upcoming romantic drama, which has been directed by Mohit Suri. Famed for his notable works Aashiqui 2 (2013) and Ek Villain (2014), Suri returns yet again, but this time with a fresh star cast. Starring Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan and Rajkumar Rao in pivotal roles, Hamari Adhuri Kahani is reportedly based on the love story of film producer Mahesh Bhatt’s parents. Scheduled for release on 12 June, the film has a high level of expectations from the mass audiences, who have made Suri’s previous two films blockbuster hits. The music to the film has been composed by Mithoon, Jeet Ganguly and Ami Mishra. Does the music to Hamari Adhuri Kahani have anything that’s worth listening to? Is it as good asAashiqui 2 or Ek Villain? Read on to see what I thought of it!

To start off we have the title track ‘Hamari Adhuri Kahani,’ performed by the one and only Arijit Singh. The song has a nice eclectic mix of instruments such as the piano, violin and the flute; all of which gives it a hauntingly beautiful composition. Although the song itself is quite long, nevertheless, it is still a praiseworthy attempt on Jeet Ganguly’s part; who has put a lot of heart and soul in to making of this. In addition, Arijit performs well throughout the song and doesn’t fall flat anywhere. Though its impact is not at the same level as the super hit romantic number ‘Tum Hi Ho,’ Arijit has still done a respectable job and gives the song the body which it needs. There is also a second version sung by Jeet Ganguly, which is good in its own right; but probably not as memorable as Arijit’s version. This is definitely one of the big highlights of the album and therefore worth checking out.

Next is ‘Humnava,’ which has been composed by Mithoon and sung by Papon. This is probably one of my favourite songs in the album, which has been composed with a great deal of thought. I love the style of music which Mithoon adopts for his compositions, which gives it more originality. I also enjoyed listening to Papon’s vocals, who is not your typical commercial Bollywood playback singer; yet manages to do justice to the song. Another great tune which certainly deserves your time.

Following this is ‘Hasi,’ which has been composed and sung by Ami Mishra. If I was forced to choose one song from this album that I consider being my favourite, then it would definitely be this one. I love the use of the guitar and drums which gives a musically Western feel; yet the lyrics and vocals from Ami make it Indian at heart. Though the lyrics appear to be a ‘been there, heard that’ sort of thing, I still think the song overall has a unique style and melody to it which stays with you. There is also a female version sung by the wonderful Shreya Ghoshal, which is also well produced, with great vocals from Shreya. Thus, Ami has done an excellent job with this song and I think it will very much grow in popularity amongst music lovers and fans of the film itself! This will probably be the next ‘Sunn Raha Hai Na Tu.’