Archive for the ‘Movies (Bollywood)’ Category
Movie Review – ISHQIYA – Naseeruddin Shah, Arshad Warsi, Vidya Balan
Get ready for tangy, pungent, sizzling and spicy stuff. Be forewarned, ISHQIYA isn’t the fluffy, candyfloss, saccharine sweet story of lovers breaking into songs in mustard fields. In ISHQIYA, you just don’t know what turn the story may take next. Not just the story, even the characters here are so impulsive and unpredictable.
You need to have a strong stomach to absorb ISHQIYA. It’s high on drama, it’s wild, it’s real. But it’s not dark, it’s not sleazy, it’s not crass. Frankly, you don’t expect debutante director Abhishek Chaubey to make a stereotypical fare thanks to the tutelage by his guru Vishal Bhardwaj, who loves to swim against the tide and undertake risks in film after film.
You could call ISHQIYA a distant cousin of OMKARA. Set in Gorakhpur in North India, the film has a rustic feel, depicts characters that may make you uncomfortable and is laced with saucy lingo. Yet, it’s different than OMKARA.
Final word? You can’t help but fall in ishq with ISHQIYA. Tired of sherbat? Try this spicy jaljeera for a change!
Two thieves, Khalujaan [Naseeruddin Shah] and Babban [Arshad Warsi], are on the run from their boss, Mushtaq. They seek refuge at a friend’s house, but instead meet his widow, Krishna [Vidya Balan]. The time spent together draws the duo to her, Khalu with his tinted vision of old-fashioned love and Babban with his lustful eye. But the past catches up with all three!
There’s no denying that the promos had prepared me of the journey ahead, yet it took me a good 15-odd minutes to get into the world of Khalujaan, Babban and Krishna. But once you get sucked into their world, the blurred images start getting clearer and clearer and you become an active participant in their journey.
The first hour passes in a jiffy, but the story actually gets dramatic and volatile in its second hour. It’s at this stage that things start getting more and more unpredictable. The story does a somersault every 10 minutes and by the time it reaches its finale, you’re curious to know how the debutante director would conclude this saga. The end, of course, will have its share of advocates and adversaries, but the fact remains that it’s offbeat.
Abhishek Chaubey is a welcome addition to the ranks of avid storytellers. His choice of the subject and also handling of the material is what makes this film so eminently watchable. Not once do you feel that ISHQIYA has been helmed by a first-timer. Note the change of events in the song ‘Dil To Bachcha Hain Ji’ or the kidnap drama and the heated argument that follows thereafter. Even the passionate lovemaking sequence between Arshad and Vidya has been dexterously canned.
However, Chaubey and his team of writers could’ve kept the writing simplistic towards the finale. It’s complex and also lacks clarity. Yet, all said and done, screenplay writers Vishal Bhardwaj, Sabrina Dhawan and Abhishek Chaubey deserve kudos for coming up with a film that keeps you hooked for most parts.
Vishal Bhardwaj’s musical score has his unmistakable stamp all over. The film is embellished with two lilting gems – ‘Ibne Batuta’ and ‘Dil To Bachcha Hain Ji’ – which are a rage with listeners already and have been juxtaposed beautifully in the plot. Mohana Krishna’s cinematography is first-rate. Dialogues [Vishal Bhardwaj] are acidic and a few lines are indeed startling.
Every actor in ISHQIYA delivers a sparkling performance! Naseeruddin Shah is superb as a romantic. He is matchless in the sequence when he learns the truth about Vidya and Arshad. Arshad packs in a bravura performance yet again. Post MUNNABHAI films, Arshad should be liked in this one the maximum. Vidya continues to surprise. It’s a dynamic performance undoubtedly. PAA and ISHQIYA are two landmarks in her career.
The actors enacting the role of Jijaji, the kidnapped victim and Vidya’s husband are all perfect. The child, who interacts with Arshad, is natural. In fact, every performance in ISHQIYA is worthy of mention.
On the whole, ISHQIYA is definitely worth a watch. The film has a riveting plot, great performances, soulful music, an absorbing story and skilful direction to make the viewer fall in ishq with it. It should appeal to the hardcore masses as also the multiplex junta.
Movie Review – RANN – Amitabh Bachchan, Ritesh Deshmukh
Ramgopal Varma is itching to tell a new story in his movies. You may garland him for his efforts or loathe him if you feel letdown, but you need to hand it to him for picking up stories that defy stereotype.
This time, in RANN, the maverick film-maker does an expose on the games the heavyweights in the media play to further their interests. RGV goes into the newsrooms and also behind it and throws light on the politician-industrialist-media nexus. Also, it’s an insider’s account of how news channels that are greedy for ratings sensationalize stories to grab eyeballs.
On surface, you don’t want to know what goes behind the scenes and how, at times, news are ‘created’ by vested interests. But RANN scratches the surface and opens a can of worms. RANN also mirrors the fact that just like there are good and bad people in every field, there’re some rotten ones in the media too who succumb to temptations and create news to climb the ladder of success.
RANN is a serious film and RGV knows what he’s talking this time. It wouldn’t be erroneous to state that you recall RGV’s SARKAR while watching RANN, even though the two films are as diverse as chalk and cheese. You recall SARKAR because RANN is an equally powerful film that shows a world we’ve only seen from the exterior.
RANN is for those who enjoy serious cinema. It’s more for the intelligentsia, for the thinking viewer. Definitely not for those who seek refuge in frivolous masala capers.
Vijay Harshvardhan Malik [Amitabh Bachchan] is the founder of a private news channel, India 24/7. A hardcore upholder of journalistic ethics, his channel is battling for survival. Jay [Sudeep], his son, looks at his father’s news channel purely as a business enterprise that must make profits to justify its existence. He hates that his competition [Mohnish Bahl] is doing better than him.
The story takes a turn when a corrupt politician, Mohan Pandey [Paresh Rawal], decides to use the channel to his advantage by using Vijay’s son-in-law Navin [Rajat Kapoor]. Pandey aspires to be the Prime Minister and indulges in a vicious campaign against his political opponent.
Navin is the most insecure man on earth and won’t rest till he becomes the number one industrialist in the country. He, in turn, involves his brother-in-law Jay in Pandey’s game plan.
A film like RANN would fall into the pit if [i] its writing wouldn’t be razor-sharp and [ii] the choice of actors would be incompetent. RGV’s movies, generally, are embellished with competent actors who deliver super performances. In this film, every member of the cast shines in his/her role, the length of the role notwithstanding.
The writing is watertight and convincing. Besides, the subject matter has been presented in the most simplistic manner, which makes it easy to decipher. However, the episode showing Riteish’s investigation tends to get confusing at one point, but the climax compensates for the minor hiccups here and there.
Amit Roy’s cinematography is eye-catching. Dialogues are power-packed. In fact, one can identify with the well-penned dialogues. The background score plays a crucial role. It heightens the impact of various scenes.
Amitabh Bachchan is spectacular yet again, especially towards the finale. His speech and the way he delivers it are remarkable. Sudeep is terrific. To stand up to giants like Bachchan and Paresh Rawal is no mean achievement. Riteish is only getting better and better with every film. In fact, he surprises you constantly.
Paresh Rawal, seen in an RGV film after a long, long time, is at his vicious best. Rajat Kapoor is incredible. Mohnish Bahl gets the role of a lifetime and he sinks his teeth into it. This film should open new vistas for him. Gul Panag is natural and so easy on the eyes. Neetu Chandra does her part well. Suchitra Krishnamoorthy is too good. Rajpal Yadav contributes to some funny moments. Neena Kulkarni and Simone Singh are perfect for their parts.
On the whole, RANN is truly a well-made film. No two opinions on that. The film should be patronised by viewers of serious, sensible cinema. Recommended!
SRK on ‘Ra-1′, ‘Don 2′ and Yash Chopra’s next
Everyone’s aware that Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies and Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions are producing MY NAME IS KHAN jointly. But not many are aware that when Karan requested SRK to step in as producer-partner, the tie up happened within a minute or two.
“I told Karan that he didn’t need me [as producer-partner]. He has an efficient production house, but he insisted. So I said okay, we shook hands and I stepped into the project as producer-partner,” Shah Rukh says.
Post MY NAME IS KHAN, SRK moves over to his home-production RA-1, a superhero film helmed by Anubhav Sinha. Reportedly, SRK’s preference to RA-1 has strained his relations with Farah Khan. “That’s untrue. Why should I be upset with Farah? Farah and I go a long way. Farah, Sajid, Shirish are family and there’s no tension whatsoever,” SRK rubbishes the rumours.
Meanwhile, SRK will also begin filming DON 2 later this year. Reportedly, he has also given the go-ahead to Yash Raj’s next venture, to be directed by Yash Chopra. “They haven’t approached me yet, but if Yash-ji or Adi do offer me a project, I’d gladly walk on the set any day,” he smiles.
Karan Johar’s Next Hindi Film with SRK and Ranbir Kapoor
Call it a coincidence, but there is always a 3 or 4-year gap between each of Karan Johar’s films. KUCH KUCH HOTA HAIN [1998], KABHI KHUSHI KABHIE GHAM [2001], KABHI ALVIDA NAA KEHNA [2006] and now, his ambitious venture MY NAME IS KHAN opens this February, after almost four years since his last release hit the marquee.
“I can’t churn out movies like a machine. But I do promise to start another film this year,” Karan enlightens me. Reportedly, the supremely talented film-maker is keen to cast his favourite Shah Rukh Khan and WAKE UP SID actor Ranbir Kapoor in his next venture. True? “That’s news to my ears. Right now, I am too much into MY NAME IS KHAN and can’t think of anything else. The cast you mentioned is also untrue,” he elucidates.
Karan also adds that he hasn’t cast anyone in the AGNEEPATH remake yet. “A lot of people ask me why I am keen to remake AGNEEPATH. Let me explain. The film didn’t work at the box-office when it opened almost two decades ago and my father, who was very vocal that AGNEEPATH was one of his finest films, always felt that the film never got its due. He would often prod me to remake AGNEEPATH some day, so here I am, fulfilling my father’s wishes,” Karan says.
The new AGNEEPATH, hence, will be a tribute to Karan’s father.
Aamir Khan Skips Raavan Premiere for Mother
This could have been the Clash of the Titans with the presence of supposed rivals Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan at the London premiere of Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai starrer `Raavan` Wednesday, if the latter had not missed the event for his mother.
While Shah Rukh got an invitation both from Abhishek and his megastar father Amitabh, Aamir was invited by the Big B himself.
“Amitji invited me for the premiere of `Raavan` in London when I was there. But I had to come here for my mother`s birthday on June 13 and go to Pune to be with her. However, I wish the movie gets success and all my best wishes to Abhishek and Aishwarya,” said Aamir.
A bilingual, `Raavan` is releasing Friday worldwide.