Adios 2013!

As 2014 begins, it is time to list out what appealed to me (and hopefully at least a few cinegoers) most and what repelled me in 2013.

Movies I absolutely loved...
Kai Po Che - Delightfully heartbreaking tale of friendship and ambitions stymied by fate!
Raanjhanaa - Wonderfully realistic and irrational love story that ends as tragically as it begins
Raam Leela - A brash, colorful take on the bard's eternal love story accentuated by spirited performances
Madras Cafe - A hard-hitting docu-drama that takes sides but reveals enough while doing so
Lootera - A slow, yet impactful retelling of O. Henry's Last Leaf with melodious music and beautiful frames

Movies that were flawed but watchable...
Special 26 - A trying-to-be-smart film, which has its monents but which goes a tad too far in trying to swindle the viewers, not to mention the damage done by unnecessary songs and a tame romantic angle
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag - An at-times gripping biographical with unnecessary songs and bravado scenes to live out the fantasy of Milkha Singh
B. A. Pass - Faithful translation of Railway Aunty that focuses more on the lurid and less on the emotions
Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster Returns - Interesting story brought down by the hammy Mahie Gill and the underwhelming climax
Aurangzeb - Interesting take on Don and The Devil's Double that is a little stretched and often underwhelming
Bombay Talkies - A couple of fantastic stories (Star, Murabba) marred by a couple of cheesy ones (Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh, Sheila Ki Jawaani)

Movies I thought were overrated...
Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani - A coming of age film that focuses too much on long legs and pretty visuals and delves very little into the subject matter
The Lunchbox - A pretentious and boring film with some good moments
Shuddh Desi Romance - Unrelatable yawn-fest, where you lose track of who wants what as quickly as the characters in the film
Ghanchakkar - Too underwhelming for its own good

Movies I hated... 
Grand Masti - Unfunny, boring and lame
Zanjeer - Ghastly!
Chennai Express - Squanders some interesting ideas to deliver a stereotypical unfunny comedy with a hammy SRK in every frame
The Attacks of 26/11 - Terrible attempt at homage to the dastardly acts, punctuated with irritating background music, pathetic camera angles and deliberately bad acting
Chashme Baddoor - Bad remake of a really funny film, even Dibyendu Sharma couldnt save this one
Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara - Yawn-inducing soporific film about clowns who happen to be gangsters

And now for the awards....

Best Actor
Sushant Singh Rajput - Kai Po Che
Akshay Kumar - Special 26
Dhanush - Raanjhanaa
Farhan Akhtar - Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
Ranveer Singh - Lootera
Ranveer Singh - Raam Leela

Best Actress
Deepika Padukone - Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
Sonam Kapoor - Raanjhanaa
Sonakshi Sinha - Lootera
Deepika Padukone - Raam Leela
Shilpa Shukla - B. A. Pass

Best Film
Kai Po Che
Raanjhanaa
Lootera
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
Raam Leela
Madras Cafe

Best Director
Abhishek Kapoor - Kai Po Che
Subhash Kapoor - Jolly LLB
Anand L Rai - Raanjhanaa
Vikrmaditya Motwane - Lootera
Sanjay Leela Bhansali - Raam Leela
Shoojit Sircar - Madras Cafe

Best Supporting Actor
Rajkumar Yadav - Kai Po Che
Amit Sadh - Kai Po Che
Saurabh Shukla - Jolly LLB
Boman Irani - Jolly LLB
Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub - Raanjhanaa
Paresh Rawal - Table No. 21
Rishi Kapoor - Aurangzeb
Nawaazuddin Siddiqui - Bombay Talkies

Best Supporting Actress
Kalki Koechlin - Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
Swara Bhaskar - Raanjhanaa
Konkona Sen Sharma - Ek Thi Daayan
Supriya Pathak - Raam Leela

Best Music Director
Amit Trivedi - Kai Po Che
Mithoon, Jeet - Aashiqui 2
Pritam - Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
Amit Trivedi - Lootera
A R Rehman - Raanjhanaa
Sanjay Leela Bhansali - Raam Leela

Best Song 
Maanjha - Kai Po Che
Tum Hi Ho - Aashiqui 2
Sunn Raha Hain Na Tu - Aashiqui 2
Badtameez Dil - Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
Manmarziyaan - Lootera
Raanjhanaa - Raanjhanaa
Lahu Munh Lag Gaya - Raam Leela
Ambarsariya - Fukrey
Zinda - Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

Best Male Playback Singer
Amit Trivedi - Manjha, Kai Po Che
Arijit Singh - Tum Hi Ho, Aashiqui 2
Ankit Tiwari - Sunn Raha Hain Na Tu, Aashiqui 2
Amit Trivedi - Ghanchakkar Babu, Ghanchakkar
Benny Dayal - Badtameez Dil, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
Sukhvinder Singh - Piya Milenge, Raanjhanaa
Shiraz Uppal, Jaswinder Singh - Raanjhanaa, Raanjhanaa
Javed Ali - Tum Tak, Raanjhanaa
Amitabh Bhattacharya - Ankahee, Lootera
Amitabh Bhattacharya - Shikayatein, Lootera
Siddharth Mahadevan - Zinda, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
Arijit Singh - Laal Ishq, Raam Leela
Shail Hada - Lahu Munh Lag Gaya, Raam Leela

Best Female Playback Singer
Shreya Ghoshal - Sunn Raha Hain Na Tu, Aashiqui 2
Shruti Pathak - Shubharambh, Kai Po Che
Sona Mohapatra - Ambarsariya, Fukrey
Rekha Bharadwaj - Kabira, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
Shalmali Kholghade - Balam Pichkari, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
Shreya Ghoshal - Banarasiya, Raanjhanaa
Monali Thakur - Sawaar Loon, Lootera
Shilpa Rao - Manmarziyan, Lootera
Shreya Ghoshal - Nagada Sang Dhol, Raam Leela

Best Lyrics
Mithoon - Tum Hi Ho, Aashiqui 2
Irshad Kamil - Milne Hai Mujhse Aayi, Aashiqui 2
Swanand Kirkire - Manjha, Kai Po Che
Swanand Kirkire - Shubharambh, Kai Po Che
Amitabh Bhattacharya - Khoon Choos Le, Go Goa Gone
Amitabh Bhattacharya - Badtameez Dil, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
Irshad Kamil - Tum Tak, Raanjhanaa
Amitabh Bhattacharya - Shikayatein, Lootera
Amitabh Bhattacharya - Manmarziyan, Lootera
Amitabh Bhattacharya - Sawaar Loon, Lootera
Prasoon Joshi - Zinda, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
Siddhartha-Garima - Lahu Munh Lag Gaya

Worst Actor Imran Khan - Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara
Shah Rukh Khan - Chennai Express
Ram Charan - Zanjeer
Vivek Oberoi - Grand Masti
Ranbeer Kapoor - Besharam

Worst Actress
Sonakshi Sinha - Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara
Sonakshi Sinha - R... Rajkumar
Amisha Patel - Race 2
Priyanka Chopra - Zanjeer
Pallavi Sharda - Besharam

Worst Film
Himmatwala
Race 2
Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara
Zanjeer
Besharam
Boss
Gori Tere Pyaar Mein

Worst Director
Sudhir Mishra - Inkaar
Abbas Mustaan - Race 2
Ram Gopal Verma - The Attacks of 26/11
Abhinav Kashyap - Besharam
Apoorva Lakhia - Zanjeer
Milan Luthria - Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara

Previous years : 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009 (best and worst), 2008 (best and worst)

Sanjay ki Leela ka Raam, Sanjay ke Raam ki Leela!

I had given up on Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Not that I was ever a huge fan of his, but his last few efforts - the much-overrated Black, the dull and soporific Saawariya and the good but too-long-for-its-own-good Guzaarish had left a lot to be desired. Gone was the innocence and honesty of the free-spirited Khamoshi, the playfulness and youthful romance of the wonderful Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam or even the grandiose and drama of the resplendent Devdas. There was no hope and in fact, I had resigned and moved on.  And then, I happened to watch SLB's latest last week. And was I mesmerized or what!

 GKR Raam Leela or Raam Leela, for short, as it was originally intended to be called and as it should be called, some prudes in the country notwithstanding, is a fantastic movie with great dialogues, excellent direction and spirited performances. This movie reminds once again what a good director can achieve. SLB has done a great job writing and directing the film and has brought out the best in all his actors. I wasnt sure how Ranveer Singh would do in a complex role and cringed throughout his entry song. But he rose to the occasion and how! He is just fantastic and I cannot imagine many other actors who could have done his chichora-with-a-heart role so well. Deepika is delightful and dances with aplomb, and although she falls short of being brilliant like Ash in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam or Madhuri in Devdas, she is miles ahead of all actresses of the current generation (perhaps except Vidya Balan). Glad Kareena did not do this film. She would have got rid of all the intimate scenes with Ranveer which were essential to establish the attraction between the lead pair. The Ranveer-Deepika chemistry is outstanding! Supriya Pathak shines in an author-backed role and effortlessly chews the screen when she is in it. While you can see Deepika is putting in a lot of effort to carry off the role, and Ranveer is taking it easy, Supriya Pathak is completely effortless and that comes only with experience. All supporting actors do their bit well. Music is fantastic and beautifully used. Especially, Lahu Munh Lag Gaya, Ang Laga De and Laal Ishq are haunting; Ram Chahe Leela, Nagada Sang Dhol, Ishqyaon and Tattad Tattad are appropriately placed and lift the movie a couple of notches. Dialogues are superb and bring freshness and fun to the proceedings.

There are a few glitches in the script like the ridiculous contract scene in the end, and the movie could have been about 20 mins shorter, but with the rest of it being so enjoyable, you would be willing to gloss over the glitches. SLB is the real hero of this venture and now I am looking forward to seeing his next. He is back with a bang!

Goodbye 2012, hello 2013

The year is over and its time to wrap up with lists and awards. So, here they are :)

Movies I absolutely loved...
English Vinglish - Delightfully simple and well-told story with super acting by Sridevi
OMG Oh My God! - A difficult concept portrayed in an effective way
Kahaani - Taut, well-paced, suspense thriller
Barfi! - Fun, bitter-sweet movie with great acting by all leads

Movies I enjoyed...
Agneepath - Intense masala done well with very good performances
Vicky Donor - Novel concept executed with great impact
Rowdy Rathore - Massy masala done in the most entertaining way possible

Movies that were flawed but watchable...
Talaash - A very gripping suspense till the climax, after which the movie goes downhill
Cocktail - An on-off urban tale of relationships
Agent Vinod - An overlong spy story with some great scenes and movie references
Ek Tha Tiger - Decent first half, wayward second half; overall a dull but watchable Salman movie after years

Movies I thought were overrated...
Gangs of Wasseypur I - Over-indulgent, overlong and stupefyingly boring tale with a one line story
Gangs of Wasseypur II - Takes forever to come to the point and the point is excruciatingly stupid
Ishaqzaade - Waters down a crackling start and sparkling performance by Parineeti with some overwhelmingly stupid twists and a never-ending last hour
Dabangg 2 - Laziest sequel ever; nothing even remotely interesting happens in the movie

Movies I hated...
Kya Super Kool Hain Hum - As crass as it can get
Jab Tak Hain Jaan - As dumb as a story can get

Movies I decided to miss...
Housefull 2 - Could not bear the thought of watching John and Akki in a Sajid Khan comedy
Bol Bacchan - Ajay Devgan is terrible at comedy!
Joker - The trailer made things amply clear
Son of Sardaar - Ajay Devgan and Sanjay Dutt are both awful at comedy
Khiladi 786 - What crap!

And now for the awards....

Best Film
Kahaani
Agneepath
Barfi!
English Vinglish
OMG Oh My God!

Best Director
Sujoy Ghosh - Kahaani
Anurag Basu - Barfi!
Habib Faisal - Ishaqzaade
Karan Malhotra - Agneepath
Gauri Shinde - English Vinglish

Best Actor
Hrithik Roshan - Agneepath
Ranbir Kapoor - Barfi!
Irrfan Khan - Paan Singh Tomar
Akshay Kumar - Rowdy Rathore
Paresh Rawal - OMG Oh My God!
Ayushman Khurrana - Vicky Donor

Best Actress
Vidya Balan - Kahaani
Deepika Padukone - Cocktail
Priyanka Chopra - Barfi!
Parineeti Chopra - Ishaqzaade
Sridevi - English Vinglish

Best Supporting Actor
Rishi Kapoor - Agneepath
Boman Irani - Ferrari Ki Sawaari
Saurabh Shukla - Barfi!
Anu Kapoor - Vicky Donor
Abhay Deol - Shanghai
Akshay Kumar - OMG Oh My God!

Best Supporting Actress
Diana Penty - Cocktail
Ileana D' Cruz - Barfi!
Dolly Ahluwalia - Vicky Donor
Kareena Kapoor  - Talaash
Huma Qureshi - Gangs of Wasseypur II
Richa Chaddha - Gangs of Wasseypur I & II

Best Music
Pritam - Cocktail
Ajay-Atul - Agneepath
Amit Trivedi - Ishaqzaade
Pritam - Barfi!
Ram Sampath - Talaash
Amit Trivedi - English Vinglish

Best Song
Tumhi Ho Bandhu - Cocktail
Chikni Chameli - Agneepath
Pani Da Rang - Vicky Donor
Pareshaan - Ishaqzaade
Aashiayan - Barfi!

Best Male Playback Singer
Ayushmaan Khurana - Pani Da Rang (Vicky Donor)
Arif Lohar - Jugni (Cocktail)
Sonu Nigam - Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin (Agneepath)
Mohit Chauhan - Barfi (Barfi!)
Nikhil Paul George - Main Kya Karoon (Barfi!)
Phir Le Aya Dil - Arijit Singh (Barfi!)

Best Female Playback Singer
Shalmali Kholgade - Pareshaan (Ishaqzaade)
Kavita Seth - Tumhi Ho Bandhu (Cocktail)
Shreya Ghoshal - Chikni Chameli (Agneepath)
Neeti Mohan - Jiya Re (Jab Tak Hai Jaan)
Shreya Ghoshal - Radha (Student Of The Year)

Best Lyricist
Irshad Kamil - Luttna (Cocktail)
Irshad Kamil - Tumhi Ho Bandhu (Cocktail)
Javed Akhtar - Jee Le Zara (Talaash)
Amitabh Bhattacharya - Abhi Mujhe Mein Kahin (Agneepath)
Swanand Kirkire - Aashiyan (Barfi!)
Kausar Munir - Pareshaan (Ishaqzaade)
Ayushman Khurrana, Rochak Kohli - Pani Da Rang (Vicky Donor)

Best Story
Gauri Shinde - English Vinglish
Bhavesh Mandaliya, Umesh Shukla - OMG Oh My God!
Tigmanshu Dhulia - Paan Singh Tomar
Sujoy Ghosh, Advaita Kala - Kahaani
Anurag Basu - Barfi!
Juhi Chaturvedi - Vicky Donor

Best Screenplay
Gauri Shinde - English Vinglish
Sujoy Ghosh, Suresh Nair, Nikhil Vyas - Kahaani
Reema Kagti, Zoya Akhtar - Talaash
Shiraz Ahmad - Rowdy Rathore
Bhavesh Mandaliya, Umesh Shukla - OMG Oh My God!

Best Dialogues
Juhi Chaturvedi - Vicky Donor
Zeishan Qadri, Anurag Kashyap - Gangs Of Wasseypur I
Zeishan Qadri, Anurag Kashyap - Gangs Of Wasseypur II
Bhavesh Mandaliya, Umesh Shukla - OMG Oh My God!
Habib Faisal - Ishaqzaade

Previous years : 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 (lists and worst)

Jab Tak Thi Jaan

Jab Tak Hain Jaan is a story of some of the most stupid characters you have seen till date. Check this out -

A Punjabi NRI girl who bargains with Sir Jesus for every damn thing in life, ultimately bargaining for the life of someone she apparently loves immensely (while engaged to someone else, but we'll forgive her for that) in return for not loving him again ever (or as it seemed from later parts, not to sleep with him, coz you know, that's what true love is all about - sex). Dont even get me started on the lack of bottoms in her wardrobe - apparently someone told her women dont need to wear anything below the upper thighs, for that part is made of pure plastic. Incidentally, that is the same material as her face.

A wannabe, yuppie modern 21 year old missy, who makes out and breaks up with guys at will and considers that one of the achievements to list on her resume along with being a topper in every subject, being a champ at every sport, not to mention a National Level swimmer and deep-sea diver who doesnt realize the water in Ladakh lakes is cold before she dives into one for a bet as measly as her budget for clothes and almost drowns in it before being rescued by a brooding armyman who waits till she chokes under the water before pulling her out. Some National swimmer she is!

And finally, we have the hero of the movie, the kind of guy you feel bad for because he is saddled with dumb and dumber as the choices for his mate in bed. Why am I being crass, you ask? Coz that's what he wants most of the time - to do the dirty. Dont blame him though, for the plastic looks really good and National champ has a penchant for chaddis shorter than a purse and tops that will make a tank-top look like a burkha. Any man who can remember what that means will fall for that.

Which brings us to the worst enemy of the movie - the plot. The plot is so skimpy, it competes with Katrina's skirt and Anushka's IQ for brevity. Its something even Sherlyn Chopra would be wary of wearing. Or maybe not. The story is ridiculous to say the least and borrows liberally from children's stories - for instance that part about keeping your promise with God. It also makes a mockery of the Indian Army and the noble profession of bomb diffusion. The innumerable plotholes are not even worth getting into. The music looks bad on-screen, the hammy cameos by Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh are embarassing and saddled with unbelievable logic. The background score is remarkable and keeps you awake through the 3.5 hrs. The cinematography is breathtaking and gives the film a fresh and majestic look - something the film is quick to counter through trite dialogue and cring-worthy scenes. Katrina is a mix of John Abraham and Neil Nitin Mukesh. Anushka is a mix of Preity Zinta on coke and Zayed Khan not on coke. SRK is okay as the 25 year old Londoner (although he cant pull it off that well anymore due to age) and really good as the armyman. It was good to see him not resort to buffoonery after years! Sadly, he is screwed over by a terribly written film. The saving grace is the last song showing Yashji directing the movie. It is a delight to watch. Unfortunate that he didnt sign-off his directorial career with the evergreen and entertaining Dil To Pagal Hai. Jab Tak Hain Jaan takes whatever life was left in viewers after watching ignominies like Ra.One, Mausam and Bol Bacchan and dunks it into the freezing Leh waters. And there's no brooding armyman waiting to resuscitate you back to life.

Sweet!

Barfi! is the kind of film that makes you care about the characters - smile with them, feel for them, empathize with their situation, root for them and ultimately, be with them in spirit in their journey. For this reason alone, it is a film that needs to be commended and promoted. That it achieves all of this and also manages to entertain is a complete bonus, and a delightful one at that!

Anurag Basu shakes off the effects of the monstrous snoozathon, remembered as Kites by the more adventurous who dared to watch it, and as the-Sphinglish-movie-that-almost-killed-Hrithik-Roshan's-career by others, and returns to his Gangster and Life..In a Metro roots to cook up a tasty, heart-warming, feel-good movie that focuses on characters and their lives rather than the audience's money. The story is beautiful and maturely handled. The cinematography is top notch. So is the background score by Pritam, which adds even more life to the movie. The music is perfect and used exceedingly well in the proceedings. The dialogues are minimal, given the predicament of the main protagonist, and yet, the few that exist, are well-written. The feel of the movie is cheerful, and in spite of the grave topics touched, remains happy throughout. The silent dramedy genre is not tried too often in Hindi cinema, and when it is tried so well, all you want to do is stand up and applaud. The supporting cast is apt and Saurabh Shukla in particular is delightful as a harrowed cop troubled by years of misdeeds by the protagonist. When you compare his portrayal of the character with something similar shown in typical Hindi movies, like Amitabh's character in the God-awful Bunty Aur Babli, you can see how we as an audience, have always valued star wattage more than good acting. And 7 years hence, things havent changed much. Even today, an Akshay Kumar for a Rowdy Rathore or an Ajay Devgan for a Bol Bacchan continues to get more acclaim for their "different" roles, over someone like Saurabh Shukla in this film or Anu Kapoor in Vicky Donor. Not to take anything away from Kumar or Devgan. They just happen to have larger fan bases. Ultimately, it is gems like Barfi! that wake us up from our mediocre slumber party.

The direction is of top quality, and in spite of loopholes like the predictable whodunit track, or the shaky back-and-forth in timelines, it does complete justice to the written word. The screenplay is brilliant and easily the best of the year yet. Coming to performances, Ileana exudes charm and confidence in her Hindi debut and fits her Bong character to the T. Hardly can you guess from her portrayal of Shruti that she is a born Goan, who has been working in mindless Telugu masala for 6 years. For someone whose hips, rather than emoting skills, have been the focus of much discussion for years down in Tollywood, Ileana does very very well and has Anurag Basu to thank for, for sketching such a meaty character for her debut. Priyanka Chopra packs a complete surprise! I had expected her to ape SRK from MNIK and was cringing at the thought of enduring that through the movie, but she plays the role subtle and subdued, with the right amount of energy when required. After Saat Khoon Maaf, here is another performance she can be proud of, when she eventually hangs up her boots. And finally, to the star of the show - Mr. Ranbir Kapoor. After wowing us in Wake Up Sid, RocketSingh, Raajneeti and Rockstar, RK delivers another masterstroke in and as Barfi. It is a very difficult character to play at any stage of your career, let alone so early, and I cannot imagine anyone doing as much justice to it as Ranbir does. He immerses himself completely and makes you smile when he plucks his heart out for Shruti, feel for him when he discovers he has no chance with her, and root for him when he is out to help Jhilmil. Doing physical comedy is no mean feat and the only one who has managed it well in the last 20 years is Govinda. RK however does a very different take on physical comedy, more of the Chaplinesque variety, and manages it with aplomb. No words can describe the brilliance of his performance. He is sure to sweep all awards and critical acclaim this year as well.

Ultimately, Barfi! is a film which deserves being seen, for few films are so sincerely made and yet manage not to take themselves too seriously. Missing it will be like missing out on something truly not worth missing, like a ummm....well made Barfi? :)

Identity crisis

**Spoilers!!!**

While watching Ek Tha Tiger, the thought that kept hitting me again and again was that throughout the making of the film, the makers faced a dilemma and were unable to decide what kind of movie they wanted to make. Did they want to make a realistic story of spies and their world, or did they want to make a full-blown, no-holds-barred, quintessential Salman Khan entertainer which defies logic and earns whistles and claps in abundance? They couldnt decide, and finally, they ended up making a movie that is neither here nor there.

Don't get me wrong. Ek Tha Tiger is not a bad movie. In fact, far from it! It has a decent plot, it maintains its tone and tempo and even has some stunning action scenes. But it is not a very entertaining film. At the same time, it is not the best Salman Khan film ever, as is being touted. Nor is it the best Bollywood action film yet. Heck, it is not even the best spy movie to come out of Bollywood this year. But before we get into comparisons, let's talk about what worked and what did not.

The story concept, although not terribly complex, is interesting. What happens when a spy decides he/she wants to lead a normal life? Can someone who has been trained and who has sworn to put country before self for all his or her life revert the decision at some point of time in life and start a new life afresh? There are so many possibilities there and Ek Tha Tiger pretty much skims over them. The screenplay is quite dull and underplays everything. The stakes dont rise high enough - not in the emotional scenes, not in the funny scenes and surprisingly, not even in the high voltage action scenes. The action scenes are excellently choreographed though, and do appear slick and sophisticated. They are fun to watch but the experience continues to be underwhelming, because the stakes arent high enough, and as an audience member, you dont feel the action has an end purpose that you care about. The culprit here is the direction, which underplays everything and ends up making the entire movie look like a ho-hum effort. The background music is apt and does improve the impact of the scenes in places.

Music is a mixed bag. Banjara is the weakest of the lot and is picturised very typically. It also comes at a point where the momentum of the film is already low and acts as a speed-breaker. Laapata is easy on the eye and comes as a refreshing change in the movie. Saiyaara is perhaps the best placed song, but lacks good visuals to accompany it. Maashallah comes off as the best of the lot, especially since it appears at the end as the credits roll, and there is nothing it can do to spoil the effect of the movie. It is easily the most energetic song of the album and, in spite of an uninspired display of dance moves by the lead pair, manages to entertain. Cinematography is excellent and every frame looks beautiful and adds to the scene. The direction by Kabir Khan, who gave us the very interesting Kabul Express and the fine-till-the-muddled-climax New York, is confused and, for lack of decision, makes a meddle of a good story idea and opportunity.

The supporting cast is pretty good and does a commendable job. Girish Karnad and Ranvir Shorey are a delight to watch in particular. Katrina Kaif is ill suited to the role and although she does her action scenes with aplomb, her emoting is wooden and listless. A better actress could have done wonders in this role, which itself needed more fleshing out. Salman Khan does well as a RAW agent, especially in the first half where he is under disguise and in the action scenes. He plays his part with conviction, without going over-the-top and without his usual low-brow humor. It is refreshing to watch him do simple stuff without hamming or overacting. Where he appears unconvincing is the romantic angle, and that is because the romance is half-baked.

Ultimately, Ek Tha Tiger is a well-meaning film, which at only 2 hrs 10 mins takes too long to come to the point and then makes the point very meekly. In the process, it does not entertain enough and ends up being a middling effort. It is neither a massy film that caters to Sallu fans nor one that will win critical acclaim for its finesse. Again, it is not a bad film, just an underwhelming one. And all this because it faces an identity crisis.

The Tiger Roars...Review

Coming soon....

Ek Tha Mish-mash

Ever since the movie was announced, there has been a lot of anticipation for seeing darling of the masses Sallu bhai in a classy action role sans the juvenile humor that is usually part of his movies (and that drives me nuts! Why does he need to do those pathetic jokes in every single movie!). I was looking forward to the music even more since it is composed by Sohail Sen, who delivered very enjoyable music in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan last year. The album is finally out.

The album starts off with a very, very ordinary Mashallah, sung by Wajid and Shreya Ghoshal and also composed by Sajid-Wajid. Wajid screws up the track to some extent with his uninspiring vocals. And Shreya is the wrong choice for the song. Sunidhi would have been perfect. The Arabian theme is good but the execution is where the song falters.

Next up is Banjaara, easily the best song of the album. I had been looking forward to this song since I saw the shoot clips in Jan. My first reaction to the song was it is underwhelming. The violin tune playing throughout the song is lovely, but Sukhvinder is not in form. His part lacks energy. The song starts off classy, even reminding one of Dil Gira Dafatan from Delhi 6, then moves on to a massy base, and ultimately cant make a choice between being classy and massy; ends up being a middling effort. But after repeated listens, it is starting to grow on me.

Next up is Laapata sung by KK and Shreya. It is okayish and sounds like a leftover from Mere Brother Ki Dulhan. These kind of songs suited Sallu during his Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge days when he put loads of energy into the dances.

The album concludes with Saiyaara, which is another neither here nor there effort. Mohit Chauhan does well but is not in top form. The song sounds like a wannabe great emotional number but ends up being just that - a wannabe.

The Tiger theme is decent, but nothing great. Overall, I am disappointed with the album, although it isnt the worst of the year. Its just about average. Expected a lot from it and Sohail Sen after his chartbusters last year. Hope this is one of those cases where okayish music does not spoil the effect of the movie (think 3 Idiots)

Two sides of the same coin?

I finally got around to watching two of the most hyped Marathi films in recent times - Deool and Shala - and I must say the experience was a bit like having a Krackjack biscuit. Lets talk about Deool first.

Deool is a very well-directed, well-enacted tale of beliefs and how man uses God for his own benefit. Its starts off slow and slightly difficult to decipher, but grows with each scene, until it reaches a high-point by the intermission. The scenes in the second half are well etched too and the end is just perfect, fittingly allowing Girish Kulkarni a couple of scenes of his own with "his" Datta. The village setting, the lingo, the playful politician couple, the mandatory female Sarpancha backed by a stronger hand, the older generation's obsession with TV soaps, the youth leader's mental tussle between backing his uncle who brought him up and backing his instincts which could open more doors for him, the transformation of the village from a serene place to a bustling worship-center, the economic upturn and its downsides, the demoralization of a good-natured man who wants to do good for his village but cant make others see it, and ultimately, the mental turmoil of the simpleton who is the reason for the change but not the beneficiary - it is all protrayed so well, that the director Umesh Kulkarni deserves a pat on his back. He has tried hard to stay on course and although there are a couple of weak points - like the item song under the garb of using a celebrity show for publicity and using a famous actor in a gimmicky cameo in the climax - those are minor abberations in an otherwise well-conceived project. All actors do full justice to their parts - right from Dilip Prabhawalkar as the well-meaning Appa, Nana Patekar as the chameleon-like Bhau, Hrishikesh Joshi as the ridiculously-named Tomya, Srikant Yadav as the seething-with-anger Anna, Sonali Kulkarni as the flirtatious Vahini saheb, and last but not the least, National award winner Girish Kulkarni as the god-fearing simpleton Keshya. The dialogues strike a perfect balance between being hilarious and poignant, and the irony in the scenes takes the movie several notches higher. The songs are just awesome - especially the bhajan Deva Tula Shodhu Kutha and the parody Phoda Datta Naam Taho. They are not only well sung but also brilliantly penned and add to the sarcastic nature of the story. The end is very apt and makes you cry for the poor Keshya who has lost his cow to the commercialization of God, but who finally comes into his own by sending a message back to the establishment, even though he knows it will have only a minor effect. Deool entertains and also makes you think about what is wrong with the way we view progress and the cost at which we achieve it. A movie you cannot afford to miss!

Shala, on the other hand, is a take on adolescent love in school days, with the backdrop of emergency. It tries to provide an unbiased view of how teens think and behave, and what shapes their thoughts, without being judgemental. Shala is helped by a very good performance from Anshuman Joshi as the main protagonist Joshya, through whose eyes we see the world. The setting is authentic and the camaraderie between Joshya and his buddies Fawdya and Mhatre is sure to bring back memories of your own buddies from school. Ketaki Mategaonkar is sweet as Shirodkar and you can see why Joshya falls for her. Most of the teachers do a good job and a few scenes like the one which draws parallels between what is happening in the country at the time of emergency and what happens in the classroom when Shirodkar doesnt put a brown cover on her book, or the one where Joshya's father listens to his side of the story considerately before reaching a conclusion, are very well handled. Where the movie falters big time is in its direction, in all senses. The story does not have any direction, and while it is quite understandable that debutant director Sujay Dahake wanted to come up with a slice-of-life film, Shala does not have enough entertaining or interesting moments to keep you hooked for 98 mins. Now when a movie cant do that for such a short span of time, its asking for trouble. Most topics broached are just poked at and then left alone, which left me tremendously dissatisfied as a viewer. For eg. the parallels between emergency and classroom atmosphere started out very well but the emergency angle petered out very tamely in the end. The issue of a newly admitted Bandra girl trying to commit suicide because her classmates tease her using their favorite teacher's name was handled very very amateurishly. If the issue was not important or did not deserve a proper conclusion, why bring it up at all! The character of Joshya's uncle was half-baked and did not go to its full potential. Even Joshya's own philosophies were under-developed, and while that is understandable since he is only 14 years old, the message that the movie gave out was terribly confusing and that is not pardonable. Every movie need not have a message or take a stand, but a half-baked, lily-livered message is worse than no message at all. Shala succeeds on one count, and that is invoking nostalgia. Unfortunately, it fails on most other counts - story-telling, entertainment and holding the viewer's interest. Its not so much a bad film as it is an amateurish attempt at making a feel-good film. Ultimately, it ends up being a pretentious, wannabe film, that could have been so much more.

A twist in the tale

Now this is a story Jeffrey Archer would have been proud of. I must admit I went into Kahaani expecting a good movie - a deep, meaningful film with great performances - and came out getting a taut, riveting thriller that is hard to second guess! And yes, it had great performances too. Giving anything out about the movie and its story will be a gross disservice to those who havent seen it yet, so lets just focus on the other aspects.

Kahaani has a great story, which ties up almost all loose ends and manages to be totally convincing. Yes, there can be one or two minor issues you may have with the story (I have a couple, hit me up if you want to get into a discussion), but those are inconsequential when compared to the masterful direction by Sujoy Ghosh. This guy had lost his direction (no pun intended!) with the terrible money-waster Aladin a few years after starting out brightly with Jhankaar Beats, a deliciously fun film with great music, and Home Delivery, a movie that bombed but also one I enjoyed in parts for its superfun spoofy format. He is back on track with Kahaani and I am eagerly looking forward to what he comes up with next.

All the actors are in great form, not the least of them Vidya Balan, fresh from the success and accolades earned for The Dirty Picture (which I found a tad overrated). She gives a fine, controlled performance and barring for a couple of out of place laughs and smiles, she carries the film on her firm shoulders. Nawazuddin Siddique is real as IB officer Khan. But the show is stolen by Saswata Chatterjee in the role of Bob Biswas. He is killer! Technically, the cinematography and editing are apt and the background score fits the mood. The songs are not used much but wisely used wherever they are used.

In the end, Kahaani is a work of a master director. If movies like Johnny Gaddar and Samay are your cup of tea, Kahaani is an exotic chai you shouldnt miss.

The jinx is finally broken?

After my rant exactly a year ago, the "jinx" finally seems to be broken! For the first time since 2002, someone other than well-past-his-prime-as-a-leading-actor Amitabh Bacchan, performs-well-but-gets-awarded-for-the-weirdest-roles Hrithik Roshan and I-yam-the-self-proclaimed-khinggg SRK has won the Best Actor at Filmfare. Lets give a round of applause to the David who managed to defeat these Goliaths - Ranbeer Kapoor. Janardhan Jakkhad has managed to do what people like DJ, Radhey Mohan, Munnabhai, and Chulbul Pandey couldnt! Hopefully, this isnt a one-off year when the choices are sane and this will usher in a new era of unbiased and non-SRK-in-hammy-self-anointed-king-role-winning-for-bullshit awards!

The Filmfare winners this year are given below. My choices can be seen here.

BEST FILM : Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
BEST DIRECTOR : Zoya Akhtar for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

BEST ACTOR : Ranbir Kapoor for Rockstar
BEST ACTRESS : Vidya Balan for The Dirty Picture
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE : Farhan Akhtar for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE : Rani Mukerji for No One Killed Jessica
BEST MUSIC DIRECTOR :  A.R. Rahman for Rockstar
BEST LYRICS : Irshad Kamil for "Naadaan Parindey" from Rockstar
BEST PLAYBACK SINGER (MALE) : Mohit Chauhan for "Jo Bhi Main" from Rockstar
BEST PLAYBACK SINGER (FEMALE) : Rekha Bhardwaj and Usha Uthup for "Darling" from 7 Khoon Maaf
Best Debut (Male): Vidyut Jhamwal for Force
Best Debut (Female): Parineeti Chopra for Ladies vs Ricky Bahl
Best Debut Director : Abhinay Deo for Delhi Belly
RD Burman Award for upcoming talent in field of music: Krsna for Tanu Weds Manu
Best Film (Critics): Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Best Actor (Critics): Ranbir Kapoor for Rockstar
Best Actor Female (Critics): Priyanka Chopra for 7 Khoon Maaf

Best Dialogue: Farhan Akthar for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Best Screenplay : Akshat Verrma for Delhi Belly
Best Story: Sanjay Chauhan for I Am Kalam
Best Production Design: Shashank Tere for Delhi Belly
Best Editing: Huzefa Lokhandwala for Delhi Belly
Best Cinematography: Carlos Catalan for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Best Background Score: Ranjit Barot for Shaitan
Best Sound Design: Nakul Kamte for Don 2
Best VFX: Red Chillies VFX for Ra.One
Best Action: Action Concepts for Don 2
Best Choreography: Bosco-Caesar for "Senorita" for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Best Costume: Niharika Khan for The Dirty Picture

Fire in the belly

I had not expected Karan Johar to back such an intense, gritty film, and I am pleasantly surprised he did! Agneepath is a difficult film to make, especially since the original, in spite of being a pretty bad movie with hammy performances, continues to live in memory of the audience. Kudos to Johar and director Karan Malhotra for making their own film borrowing only the basic theme of the original!

Agneepath is NOT your quintessential masala potboiler. Whoever claims it is probably does not know what a quintessential masala potboiler means! It is a dark revenge drama, replete with excellent performances, strong but rarely over-the-top dialogue and above all, hardcore, earthy action. The direction is really good, especially for a newcomer, and it is to the director's credit that he manages to extract focused performances from pretty much the entire cast! Rishi Kapoor as Rauf Lala is a knockout, and it is wonderful to see him play an out-and-out negative character at this stage of his career, not bothering about screen image and length of role. THIS is how a superstar ought to age! Sanjay Dutt is brilliant as Kancha and invokes terror every time he is on screen. His expressions, his dialogues and his overall demeanor are worthy of a villain and after the Munnabhai series and Vaastav, this is another performance of his that will be remembered for years! Hrithik Roshan carries off the main protagonist's role with a lot of intensity and pathos. His eyes speak when his lips dont and not giving him too many lines is a masterstroke, for I have always found Hrithik weak in the dialogue delivery department. He tends to mumble a lot and comes off as incoherent when given too many complex lines to deliver. Which is why he excels even more in this role which needs him to talk less and emote more. That he is brilliant at the latter is no secret and he proves it once again with a near flawless performance. Its just the end of the first month of the new year and we already have a couple of brilliant, award-worthy performances from Agneepath! Chetan Pandit as Master Deenanath Chauhan and Arish Bhivandiwala as the young Vijay are really good in their roles too. Cinematography is brilliant and complements the proceedings very well. The dialogues deserve special mention for being impactful without going over the top even once.

Now to the downers. Priyanka Chopra sticks out like a sore thumb in this mammoth cast and in spite of having almost nothing to do, still manages to botch it up by acting like someone who needs to be in a mental asylum. Once a competent actress, she has surprisingly lost all talent since 7 Khoon Maaf, which was perhaps the high-point of her career, acting-wise. Zarina Wahab playing Vijay's mother, has to make do with a confusing role and although she doesnt do a bad job, you cant really tell what her issue in life is. Does she not realize why her son is doing what he is doing? Does she not know a way of trying to stop him from being bad? Does she not want her daughter to never know about Vijay? Maybe she is supposed to be confused, but she comes off as indifferent, due to the poorly sketched role. The songs act like speed-breakers and at times, spoil the realistic portrayal of the story. Gun Guna is idiotic and takes the movie down a notch or two while it is on. Chikni Chameli is energetic but wasted. Shah Ka Rutba has some unintentionally funny choreography, although it goes well with the proceedings. Deva Shree Ganesha is superbly picturized and aptly used in the pre-climax. The background score is top notch and fits the mood of the movie. Action is excellent and, with the exception of one hilarious bit in the climax, takes the movie to a different level altogether. Thankfully, it is not over the top and very believable, which is a relief after watching some ridiculously choreographed set pieces in Bodyguard et al.

Ultimately, Agneepath is an action drama with a strong story and commendable performances. Its violent, yes, but its also gripping and in spite of being almost 3 hrs long, manages to hold your interest for almost all the time, which in itself is no mean feat. In times when good, sensible movies are few and far between, Agneepath is one movie that gives you pretty much all you could hope for from an action drama.

Bye bye 2011

The year is almost over and its time to wrap up with lists and awards. So, here they are :)

My favorite movies of the year
1. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara - Amazing!
2. I Am Kalam - Simple and beautiful
3. Pyaar Ka Punchnama - Packed with punches and so relatable
4. Dhobi Ghat - Poignant and impactful
5. Rockstar - So much pathos!
6. Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster - Delicious and raunchy
7. Delhi Belly - Haha-fest
8. Saat Khoon Maaf - An interesting experiment
9. Yeh Saali Zindagi - Twist-filled story with Irfan on top
10. Shaitan - Zany
11. Ladies vs Ricky Bahl - Fun of the Lol Dimpy variety
12. Ready - Salman-tertainment

The worst movies this year according to me
1. Ra.One - Yuck!
2. Dum Maaro Dum - Shit-fest
3. Damadamm - Unbearable!
4. Singham - Not everyone can do a Dabangg!
5. Game - Why waste money on an Abhishek starrer, Farhan?
6. Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap - Terrible disservice to the legend that is Big B
7. Bodyguard - What the fuck were they thinking?
8. Mere Brother Ki Dulhan - Terrible acting by a bunch of non-actors
9. Don 2 - Yawn! Making a sequel is not mandatory, Mr Akhtar! And save the facial contortions for your mime shows Mr. Khan.
10. Mausam - Soooo slow and full of holes!

And now for the awards....


Best Film
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Pyaar Ka Punchnama
Delhi Belly
Dhobi Ghat
I Am Kalam

Best Director
Zoya Akhtar - Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Bijoy Nambiar - Shaitan
Kiran Rao - Dhobi Ghat
Nila Madhab Panda - I Am Kalam
Luv Ranjan - Pyaar Ka Punchnama

Best Actor
Hrithik Roshan - Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Ranbir Kapoor - Rockstar
Prateik Babbar - Dhobi Ghat
Shahid Kapoor - Mausam
Harsh Mayar - I Am Kalam


Best Actress
Priyanka Chopra - Saat Khoon Maaf
Vidya Balan - The Dirty Picture
Mahie Gill - Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster
Katrina Kaif - Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Vidya Balan - No One Killed Jessica


Best Supporting Actor
Farhan Akhtar - Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Divyendu Sharma - Pyaar Ka Punchnama
Kunal Roy Kapoor - Delhi Belly
Randeep Hooda - Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster
Rajeev Khandelwal - Shaitan
Gulshan Grover - I Am Kalam


Best Supporting Actress
Monica Dogra - Dhobi Ghat
Kalki Koechlin - Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Rani Mukherjee - No One Killed Jessica
Parineeti Chopra - Ladies vs Ricky Bahl
Poorna Jagannathan - Delhi Belly


Best Music
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy - Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Ram Sampat - Delhi Belly
Harris Jayraj - Force
A R Rehman - Rockstar
Amit Trivedi - No One Killed Jessica
Sohail Sen - Mere Brother Ki Dulhan
Sachin Jigar - Shor In The City

Best Song (Couldnt decide at all! They are all so good! Help me!)
Character Dheela - Ready
Sadi Gali - Tanu Weds Manu
Te Amo - Dum Maaro Dum
Saibo - Shor In The City
D K Bose - Delhi Belly
Der Lagi Lekin - Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Teri Meri - Bodyguard
Sadda Haq - Rockstar
Ooh La La - The Dirty Picture

Best Male Playback Singer
Lehmber Hussainpuri - Sadi Gali : Tanu Weds Manu
Ash King - Te Amo : Dum Maaro Dum
Neeraj Shridhar - Character Dheela : Ready
Ram Sampath - D K Bose : Delhi Belly
Mohit Chauhan - Khwabon Ke Parinday : Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Shankar Mahadevan - Der Lagi Lekin : Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Ash King - I Love You : Bodyguard
Ali Zafar - Madhubala : Mere Brother Ki Dulhan
Mohit Chauhan - Jo Bhi Main : Rockstar
Mohit Chauhan - Sadda Haq : Rockstar
A R Rehman, Javed Ali, Mohit Chauhan - Kun Faya Kun : Rockstar

Best Female Playback Singer
Shreya Ghoshal - Saibo : Shor In The City
Alyssa Mendonsa - Khwabon Ke Parinday : Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Shreya Ghoshal - Saathiya : Singham
Neha Bhasin - Dhunki : Mere Brother Ki Dulhan
Bombay Jayshri - Chahoon Bhi To : Force
Shreya Ghoshal - Main Chali : Force
Harshdeep Kaur - Katiya Karoon : Rockstar
Shreya Ghoshal - Ooh La La : The Dirty Picture

Drum Roll

This post comes a bit late. But nevertheless, I am happy to announce that I had entered a couple of posts (this one and this one) from this blog for the Reel Life Bloggers contest by wogma and reviewgang and the Guilty Pleasures post won some recognition in the contest :) You can read more here.

After last year's Top Bollywood blog award, this comes as another pleasant surprise and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the readers of this blog. It is you and recognition like this that keep me going :) Thank you! :)

Con-Test

The Band Baaja Baaraat team is back this December and although Ladies vs Ricky Bahl is no patch on the super-entertainer from last year, its a pretty decent one-time watch. Generously borrowing its plot from Marathi play To Mee Navech, Hollywood turkey John Tucker Must Die, Jeffrey Archer's book Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less and YRF's very own Bachna Ae Haseenon and Bunty Aur Babli, Ladies vs Ricky Bahl manages to hold its own for more than 2 hours without inciting a yawn from you and that in itself is no mean feat!

The story is quite predictable, but the cons, although not totally believable, are well-written and engaging. The first half is a breeze except for the songs which stick out like a sore thumb. The second half is bumpy but not too stretched, and since there's an agenda all through the movie, time passes by pretty quick. The dialogues are quite good and the screenplay, although hardly believable, is taut and doesnt even pretend to make sense, and that works in its favor. The acting is okay-okay. Ranveer Singh does decently but cannot recreate the Bittoo magic. Anushka Sharma looks emaciated and pretty much indifferent in her role. Dipannita Sharma is monotonous while Aditi Sharma fits her part perfectly. Parineeti Chopra is the life of the movie and steals the show completely! She is amazing as the Delhi girl and brings the house down every time she speaks. Here's one actress with some sense of comic timing and hope she gets more roles to showcase her talent. The music is a huge disappointment - barring Jigar Da Tukda to an extent, all other songs fail - on the eyes as well as the ears. The climax is a cop-out and the conventional treatment could have been avoided. But in spite of all its drawbacks, the movie is a fun ride. If not for anything else, do check it out for the new kid on the block - Parineeti Chopra! She maybe Priyanka Chopra's cousin, but she has the capacity to leave her more celebrated cousin behind with her spunk and non-fake attitude!

The Busty Picture

Cleavage, boobage and thunder thighs - the life of an erstwhile silver-screen temptress is told through as many body parts as possible and while that in itself is not an issue, the corny template-ish treatment definitely is, and that is what made me walk out from the theatre un-moved after the movie ended. The premise is interesting, and so is the acting, but what kills this movie is the Madhur Bhandarkar-ish treatment which makes it a very un-entertaining, long drawn and unrelatable saga of make-believe pathos.

That Silk is played by Vidya Balan with loads of courage and spunk helps the movie a lot. Supporting her ably are brilliant actors like Nasseeruddin Shah, as a lecherous superstar and Emraan Hashmi as a I hate you (like I love you) arty director. And although both do a good job, their characters are half-baked because the director is in a hurry to pack an entire lifetime of the actress and wants to do it hurriedly when not required, while taking his time when totally unnecessary. The movie begins well, but loses its way soon after the intermission and goes totally haywire by the time it ends. Its not a particularly bad movie - the over-the-top dialogues and Vidya Balan ensure that much. But it makes the one cardinal sin that no movie should make - it gets boring very quickly and stays that way till the end. And ultimately, it is so busy focussing on other stuff that it forgets giving enough footage to invoking sympathy for the actress and her feelings.

I know this movie got great reviews and has raked in a lot of moolah, and I am happy to see it do that. If only we had a more heartfelt film with less weirdness like that forced cabaret dance-off and the silly red saree metaphor, it would have felt much better. Alas, the year has pretty much ended the way it began with No One Killed Jessica - another brilliant idea gone all ho-hum due to less-than-able direction and screenplay.

A flawed piece of art

Imtiaz Ali, A R Rehman and Ranbir Kapoor - take a bow! It takes guts to make a movie like Rockstar and although the movie is far from a masterpiece, its a class apart from most movies we have seen this year. Rockstar is, at its core, a love story, and yet, when have we last seen a love story portrayed so unconventionally? Rockstar brings back images of Dev D, and while it fails to rise to the dizzy heights of the latter, mainly due to a fractured screenplay and the interminably long second half, it does manage to make its mark in a big way.

Rockstar is carried beyond the safety line by the simply outstanding Ranbir Kapoor. He is a powerhouse of talent and showcases such a wide range of emotions that you cant help but admire this 4 year old actor for his guts and talent. Any other actor in this role would have failed to do justice to the part! And to think that Imtiaz Ali had written the role with John Abraham in mind! Thank God John did not understand the script and rejected the movie! Itna layered role kisi wooden block ke bas ki baat nahin! Kumud Mishra does a fab job as Khatana bhai. Piyush Mishra is effective as Dhingra, while Aditi Rao, the bhabhi from Genda Phool in Delhi 6, is decent. Its nostalgic to see Shammi Kapoor on screen and his jugalbandi with Ranbir, although shortlived, is a delight to watch! Nargis Fakhri is perhaps the biggest flaw in the movie - she is terribly miscast in a meaty role that she cant carry off for the life of her! She looks sweet in a couple of scenes and tries to act coy when the script demands, but her dialogues delivery and emoting is so flat, that she takes the movie a few notches down with her. A much better actress was the need of the hour and someone like Mahie Gill would have added so much to the movie! Alas, the die has been cast and much of the flak for the failure (yes, I dont see this movie making much money or gaining much following amongst the audience. I hope I am proved wrong though!) will have to be burdened by Nargis. Imitaz Ali does a fine job of portraying pathos and pain and gets a stellar performance out of Ranbir. The first half especially is not only poignant but also quite enjoyable. The second half, on the other hand, suffers from too much diversion and is stretched endlessly, meandering from pointless to shocking. Nevertheless, its the director's vision, even though flawed, so we dont have a say in how the movie should have been.

Last but not the least, A R Rehman's music is as much a character as Ranbir's Jordan in the movie! The songs are a heady mix of soulful, melodious and rebellious, and move the story forward beautifully. All songs sound so much better on-screen and enrich the narrative immensely. Cinematography is fitting and almost every frame looks beautiful without looking fake.

Rockstar is not for people seeking entertainment or logic. Its for those of us who enjoy the journey more than the destination. Not many movies absorb you into their guts and then, when they let go, you are compelled to carry at least a bit of them with you, forever. Rockstar may not strike a pot of gold, but it makes room in a small corner of the heart, and that is an accolade few movies earn!

No.One

Lets begin with saying that Ra.One is not as big a disaster as it is being made out to be - not because it is making so much money (although it's going to be tough to recover all its costs) and also not because it is a great film. Only that, in a world of Bodyguards and Readys, I am willing to give a substandard movie a chance. The VFX in places are very good, and a couple of scenes even leave an impact. What lets the movie down is ...well...everything else.

I am willing to suspend disbelief and grant cinematic liberties to the makers and ignore a lot of blunders. For instance,

1. Why would anyone make a game where the hero and villain are guaranteed to reach Level 3, no matter what, and the entire game essentially boils down to a single bullet fight, which can also end in a tie if both miss, or both take out their H.A.R.T.s or both just decide to collaborate and put the players in a quandary?
2. If not wearing your H.A.R.T. means the opposition cant defeat you, why would you carry it with you everywhere? Wouldn't treating it like a horcrux be a better way of dealing with the situation?
3. If Ra.One wants to kill Lucifer, why doesnt he do it on one of the innumerable chances he has?
4. If killing the irritating kid is Ra.One's only aim, why does he have to come up with elaborate and ultra-lame conditions for G.One like saving the local train and the people in it?
5. If the player can only play as G.One, why did they even make a Ra.One suit?
6. Why doesnt anyone miss the Chinese scientist Akashi for 2-3 days until the irritating kid goes back to the lab?
7. Why doesnt the gaming company give a tiny rat's ass about the fact that their latest game lab has been totally destroyed on the night of the game launch and their two chief game developers are dead/missing?
8. Why would you put a Tam-brahm in a coffin and then cremate him?
9. How can an android not be detected by metal detectors?
10. Why does Shekhar's Tamil accent come and go as per his whims?


I am willing to disregard all of this and more. Coz its a movie, you are not supposed to think so much. Enjoy what is being shown and have fun. Sure, I am ready to do that. Bring it on!

But...but....where is the fun? Am I supposed to find a kid saying "Condom condom" funny? Is it funny that a game launch party attended by friends and family of the team behind it, is graced by a large number of unwieldy butts? That the developer's wife decides to do away with the remnant of her dress in a party attended by her own 11-year old son so that she can titillate the crowd with her panties playing peek-a-boo? Is it funny that the kid's bday party has a highlight item number by his mom who drops her pallu, coz you know, that's what Indian moms do - they drop their pallus in a family party and dance away, baring massive cleavage? Is it funny that the security guard licks his lips seeing G.One's pierced nipple? Is it funny to grab, kick and generally salivate at the thought of a crotch? Is it funny to videostream a sex-tape of your teacher in class? The simple answer is no!

Coming back to the movie - it is fractured and poorly directed and edited. The dialogues fall flatter than Kangana's chest before she got the boob-job. Yes, I said that, and yes, it is inappropriate but then again, I did not promote my blog for 7 months as a blog for kids and I did not get a U certificate from the censors for the same. That statement is indeed offensive but I never claimed otherwise. So, at least I am not a hypocrite. The acting is horrendous - coming from talented people like SRK and Kareena. And Kareena can be forgiven, coz her role is half-baked and not terribly crucial. But SRK! Why would he make a fool of himself in a movie he has spent 175 crores on! Give me the charming Raj anyday over this pathetic Tamil stereotype character. Arjun Rampal is hardly there. Everyone else is insignificant - even the usually funny Satish Shah. The cameo by Rajnikant is just worthless - what a waste of so much star wattage! The cameos by Sanjay Dutt and PC are funny in parts but marred by horrible gfx and a jackass-like SRK in Veer's costume. The music sucks on screen - Criminal is killed by all that in-your-face booty shaking, while Chammak Challo is murdered by all the cleavage on display.

All said and done, Ra.One is a terrible disappointment - coming from SRK and given the fact he spent 175 crores on it. Its just plain bad - both as a normal movie and as a superhero movie. It has a couple of well done gfx sequences but that's not saying much given the costs. Bad direction, pathetic dialogues and ultimately a very boring movie! Please no sequel, please!

Bawdyguard :|

Mediocre with no redeeming factors. Ready and Dabangg seem like masterpieces in front of this one. And they are not. Time to reinvent self sir.

Dirty deeds

As we turned round a corner, I noticed him. He didnt seem much older than me - maybe 2-3 years. We stopped at the signal and that gave me more time to observe. Dirtyish white shirt, worn out pants, a glint in the eye. But the most striking thing was the piece of paper he held in his hands. Tidily written words on it said "Single dad, jobless for 4 months. FINALLY FOUND A JOB. But first pay-day on 12th August. Need money to feed my child. Anything helps." Something about that sign touched me. He wasnt the first jobless person I was seeing in this part of the world. But something in those words told me he was genuine. Maybe it was the "FINALLY FOUND A JOB" or maybe it was the "Single dad". Instinctively, I reached for my pocket to take out a 20 dollar bill, and then came the hesitation - what if he was a phony, what if he was just another junkie trying to dupe people for another pinch of powder, what if he had no intentions of working and was just trying to use his kid to make money, what if he....The signal turned green, my friend accelerated on the pedal of his swanky BMW and we sped away. The pang of regret that crossed my heart was unbearable. My slight hesitation might have cost a young dad and his little kid tonight's dinner. I hope it did not, but I cant cast the "what if" away. The moment is gone. The guilt continues to stay.