'Madras Cafe'

Rating: ****)

By Subhash K. Jha 

Film: "Madras Cafe"; Cast: John Abraham, Nargis Fakhri and Raashi Khanna; Director: Shoojit Sircar; Rating: ****



If only history could be changed by art. Cinema is a powerful medium for socio-political expression and revolution. Alas, in this country, entertainment engages all other aspects of life on celluloid.


But seriously, it's time now to get off the "Chennai Express" and get into "Madras Cafe" for a cup of the compelling. We need a reality check. And we need to regain a sense of history in Bollywood cinema which seems lost in the hoary art of streetside tamasha, glorified and aggrandized by processes of cinematics that are perceived to be the elixir of pop culture.


It is time for mainstream entertainment to grow up. Heightened realism is a means to achieve a synthesis of fantasy and history in this deftly scripted semi-fictional account of the processes leading to Rajiv Gandhi's tragic assassination in 1991.


The trenchant script, co-written by Somnath Dey and Shubendu Bhattacharya, attempts and succeeds in building the same spiral of pseudo-history that Oliver Stone built in "JFK". I feel Indian politics, because of the country's multi-culturism, is far more complex than its American or European counterpart. Our cinema tends to dilute, simplify and trivialise history because we are much too wary of and lazy about getting involved.


Not Shoojit Sircar. Not "Madras Cafe". Not John Abraham. What a courageous producer and actor John has proven himself to be! More of that later.


But first the plot.


Let me say right away, that to understand the enormity of the story told in "Madras Cafe", the audience ought to be familiar with the violent history of the Sri Lankan civil war. But even if you don't know that thousands of Tamilians died in the war of separatism, it is no sweat off the screenplay's back.

Tucked away in the compelling creases of the plot is a terrific thriller about the assassination of a prime minister, who, let it be known, is not named in the film. Nor are the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), Prabakaran and the other key players. But then this is India. Here, secrecy and stealth are the founding fathers of any political expose.


But you can't escape the clutches of history's tyranny. Sircar's skillful interweavement of fact and fiction leaves little room for scepticism. We know as we watch with helpless astonishment, that the 'Prime Minister' will die, that the hero in this case won't be able to save him.


Such are the heroes in real life. Unsung, sizes smaller than life. John Abraham skips into the part of the RAW agent Vikram Singh with an ease and comfort of a natural-born secret agent. If James Bond or for that matter Kabir Khan's Tiger were to have any truck with real-life politics, they would have been as believably brave and as credibly heroic as John in this film.


Every actor seems to take a cue from the vast resources of authenticity at their disposal. Specially riveting is Prakash Belawade as John's associate, who seems to drink hard to escape from the enormity of his compromise. Even Nargis Fakhri, so self-consciously affected as Ranbir Kapoor's doomed soul-mate in "Rockstar", nails her war correspondent's part with her radiant presence. But I have a quibble with her character Jaya. Why does Jaya speak in English while Vikram answers in Hindi?


The linguistic puzzle never quite obstructs the devastating drama of war violence conspiracy and betrayal. These are dramatic points of political reckoning. And yet Sircar keeps the proceedings subdued and low-key. It's a miracle how Sircar's narrative voice never gets shrill even when the occasion is so ripe for over-statement.


Plenty of the credit for the tonal correctness of the narrative must go to Kamaljeet Negi's brilliantly unadorned cinematography, which locks in on stunning visuals of violence and espionage-related action without falling into the mistake of making the frames look prettier than the grim situation that they are meant to capture.


Sircar's editor Chandrashekhar Prajapati imbues a documentary style mood to the footage. But the sense of cinematic expansiveness is retained in the way the camera moves through the characters' restless lives, searching for positions of comfort in a situation laden with desperate anxiety.


There's a whole lot of stifled drama in "Madras Cafe". When a key character dies in the second-half, the tragedy is handled without fuss. John's tight-lipped performance gives the film a sense of tragic grandeur. We constantly feel we are in a territory where drama has no place. The soundtrack is exceptionally honest. Shantanu Moitra's background music underscores every scene without hammering in the emotions.


"Madras Cafe" is a dark deep and satisfying film about the politics of separatism. The film doesn't take sides. If it is against anything, it is the culture of violence that nations often feed into neighbouring countries for their own gains. This film opens up the hitherto unexplored genre of political drama in Bollywood.


After "Vicky Donor", we know Sircar is comfortable exploring innovative cinematic territory. Here, he tells an edgy disturbing provocative but rational and fair-minded story that takes mainstream Bolywood cinema kicking and screaming into a new horizon.


This is cinema signifying a coming-of-age with unforgettable visuals and drama and a rousing mature career-defining performance by its leading man.


Get off the train, baby. This is arguably the best political thriller that Bollywood has so far given us.

Chennai Express

Film: "Chennai Express", Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Director: Rohit Shetty, Rating: ***

Dammit! No out-takes!! Is this really a Rohit Shetty film? Every film of the "Gol Maal" director has so far ended with out-takes giving us entertaining glimpses from during the making of the film. Here those trademark Shetty out-takes are replaced by a Honey Singh track which celebrates Rajnikanth and the lungi.

The rest of the film resembles those typical sambar-and-sandalwood creations by K. Raghvendra Rao, and worse still, Raj Kanwar's "Dhai Akshar Prem Ke" where Aishwarya to escape her parental wrath at her elopement, introduces to her family a man she has just met as her soul-mate.

Of course, there are the flying cars exploding in the air to make sure we know that all said and drummed, this is a Rohit Shetty presentation.

Packaged with pickled precision, peppered with just the right doses of naughty jokes and precocious pranks that go well with Shah Rukh's 40-year-old brat's act, "Chennai Express" is the kind of non-toxic comic entertainer where the most damaging double-entendres you'd get is a Tamil word that sounds like Angelina Jolie's name.

Come again?

That brings me to another major hurdle in the heap of hilarity that Shetty builds so meticulously in the first-half.

The generous outflow of Tamil that seems initially engaging (more so, since Shah Rukh shares our non-comprehension of the rapidfire Tamilian cloudburst that accompanies Deepika's quicksilver character) begins to come in the way as the narration grows older and runs out of energy.

But then there is the sprightly Deepika as the runaway Tamilian girl who piles on to the North Indian mithaiwala stranger to escape marrying the boorish fiancee back home in her village in Tamil Nadu.

We've seen Kareena Kapoor do the chirpy runaway train traveller in "Jab We Met". Deepika brings a special filtered-coffee flavour to her chirpy character. Even that broad hammy accent grows on us.

Yes, we like! Here she is is the only Rohit Shetty team member (and I use the term 'team' since Shetty generously credits the direction to himself and his team) who seems to have a firm grip over her rudderless dithering character.

Deepika plays Meena Amma with flavourful flourish. She is specially delightful in three key sequences, two of them comic and the other unexpectedly sombre.

In the sequence where her character turns into a sleeping, kicking and convulsive zombie, she's unbelievably goofy. It's not just Shah Rukh who gets a kick out of that scene.

Would Rohit Shetty please do a full-fledged out-and-out comedy with Deepika? That, "Chennai Express" is not. It is a half-hearted but laugh-hearted effort that makes the fatal error of taking itself too seriously.

Towards the end when the utterly shammed climactic fight ensues, we even have a long speech by Shah Rukh on the social status of the girl child.

Not now, please!

As we squirm at the attempt to turn comedy into a serious business we look back at the rest of the film with some amount of warmth and affection.

Some of the long shots of the train winding through green acres is breathtaking. And Shah Rukh's first meeting with Deepika's father over a bridge over a fast-flowing river is shot with amazing brio.

There's a wonderfully-shot sequence where Shah Rukh has to carry Deepika to a temple over hundreds of steps. Deepika here goes from amusement and mockery to a sense of belonging and pride in her man's arms. It's a moment built with care and love.

But then, such tender affection really has no place in this comedy of cultural dispossession where the Punjabi boy Rahul gets embroiled in Tamil girl Meena's family affairs and comes out... well not quite wiser. But filled with self-mocking laughter.

Shah Rukh pokes a whole lot of good-natured fun at his now-aging lover-boy persona. There are tongue-in-cheek references to "Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge" and several other Shah Rukh Khan films and songs including the introductory South Indian lines from the "Jiya jale" song in "Dil Se".

All these self-tributes work better than what Puri Jagganath did with the Bachchan persona "Buddha... Hoga Tera Baap".

Rohit Shetty is more in command of his canvas here than in his last comedy "Bol Bachchan". But the self-deprecatory laughter is still not good enough. Somewhere you feel the one-line plot (okay, if not one then two-line plot) is stretched into an unwelcome second-half where nothing really happens. Even the humour tracks stops short beyond a point.

But there is some genuine steam and spark in the early part of "Chennai Express".

Towards the beginning of the train journey when Deepika and Shah Rukh play a kind of antakshari of Hindi film songs to put the goons off her trail, Deepika completely overshadows her kingly co-star, who should be okay with being upstaged by his female co-star.

After all he has given Deepika priority over his own name in the credit titles. And Deepika takes the lead very seriously. She has never looked better and never been funnier on screen without even trying too hard.

But then the plot and the situations let her down. The antakshari-speak that was amusing in the beginning recurs during a stale fight sequence in the second-half.

We are no longer laughing. Not when Shah Rukh's purported big chase sequences end in embarrassing deadends. Not when an item song with incoherent words and even more misguided logistics pops up like a joke whose punchline has gone missing.

Through all of this, Shah Rukh Khan braves it with a delicious sense of self-mockery bordering almost on a masochistic absence of heroic pride.

Yes, he likes it when the joke is on him. But that happens once too often here.

So it's finally here. The film that all Shah Rukh Khan fans (which covers half the hemisphere) has been waiting for. The good news first. "Chennai Express" is a pleasant and likable film in parts. The bad news is, it does nothing for Shah Rukh Khan's imdomitable star power except to tell us he can still play a 40-year Rahul without faltering.

That we already know.

Naughty Jatts

Naughty Jatts, another addition to the rom-com Punjabi movies with the heavy star cast infact the hit cast in the recent times. Arya Babbar earned lot of appreciation from his previous movie Jatts in Golmaal, Roshan Prince’s Fer Mamla Gadbad Gadbad did well on the box office, the Punjabi Juliet, Neeru Bajwa is still enjoying the success of Jatt & Juliet 2 and Binnu Dhillon is the rockstar of Punjabi movies these days. So each and every member of Naughty Jatt’s cast is promising to bring another hit movie on the screen.

Director Pankaj Batra is making his come back in Punjabi movies after Virsa, released in 2010. Naughty Jatts is completely different in genre as compare to Virsa.

The story begins with the one sided love story of two boys for a single girl. Rocky (Arya Babbar) is the neighbour of Simmy (Neeru Bajwa) and has been trying to impress Simmy for quite some time. On the other hand Laali (Binnu Dhillon) is a close friend of Simmy and he also wants to get married with her. But unaware of all the other things, Simmy wants to become a singer and also wants to marry a singer. Rocky’s cousin Balwinder (Roshan Prince) comes to the city for music classes and for a land case and he stays with Rocky at his flat. Rocky acquires his help to impress Simmy and Laali keeps on trying to push him back. All this develops an interesting plot.

Taking on from the plot to the screenplay, direction and individual performances by the principal cast, all these things are in favour of Naughty Jatts. It’s a fun ride all the way through and moves on a very good pace without slipping even for a minute or two especially in the first half. A complimentary job by the whole star cast and the crew.

There are very few weak points in the movie except one or two tiny ones. The climax could have been little more interesting and vast than it is. Few more reasons could have been generated for a better love story ending.

About Characters –

Arya Babbar is now getting use to the Punjabi cinema and looks impressive as a part of the lead cast. He has been on top of his performance in Naughty Jatts. Roshan Prince is improving more and more with every movie. He has looked cute in a more of a silent role but yet very imposing too. As usual, Neeru Bajwa has been terrific with her acting as well as with her looks in the movie. Binnu Dhillon is the standout performer once again. He is just too good once again and this time in more of a lead role. BN Sharma is another actor who has a big role in uplifting the movie. Karamjit Anmol deserves a huge appreciation with his character in Naughty Jatts. The way he has complimented Binnu Dhillon and other cast, is sympathetic.


The story may not have anything new to offer but the way it has been presented and at the pace it moves, is really marvellous. Screenplay and Dialogs are very enjoyable and delightful.


Music of Naughty Jatts is moderate and is a bit above average. Surkh Gulabi, Katrina and Dil Nai Lagna are the picks. Background music also very restrained and goes well with all the scenes.


Director Pankaj Batra earlier directed Arya Babbar and Gulshan Grover starrer Virsa in 2010 and he earned a decent amount of fame with that movie. He has been involved in some big bollywood movies as an assistant director in the past. His work in Naughty Jatts is simply remarkable. The way he has carried a light hearted story, is really appreciating.


All in all Naughty Jatts is humours, amusing and a twisted comic love story. Climax may not be as exciting as rest of the movie but still having the humour in loads. Watch it and it could prove to be a stress reliever for complete 2 hours.


Rating : 3.5/5.

Best Of Luck

Star cast: Gippy Grewal, Jazzy B, Simran Kaur Mundi, Sonampreet Bajwa, Binnu Dhillon, Punit Issar, Karamjit Anmol, Harpal Singh, Naresh Kathooria and Bobby Bedi

Director: Manmord Sidhu

Producer: Gunbir Sidhu, Manmord Sidhu, Sarabjit Singh Raju, Ravneet Kaur Grewal, Sippy Grewal and Amandeep Kaur Sidhu

Music: Jatinder Shah

Genre: Comedy

Timing – 133 Minutes

Rating - 3 & 1/2

Star cast: Gippy Grewal, Jazzy B, Simran Kaur Mundi, Sonampreet Bajwa, Binnu Dhillon, Punit Issar, Karamjit Anmol, Harpal Singh, Naresh Kathooria and Bobby Bedi
Director: Manmord Sidhu
Producer: Gunbir Sidhu, Manmord Sidhu, Sarabjit Singh Raju, Ravneet Kaur Grewal, Sippy Grewal and Amandeep Kaur Sidhu
Music: Jatinder Shah
Genre: Comedy
Censor Details: U (Punjabi) – 133 Minutes

- See more at: http://punjabimania.com/movie-review-best-of-luck-punjabi-movie/#sthash.oeUfhgCc.dpuf

Star cast: Gippy Grewal, Jazzy B, Simran Kaur Mundi, Sonampreet Bajwa, Binnu Dhillon, Punit Issar, Karamjit Anmol, Harpal Singh, Naresh Kathooria and Bobby Bedi
Director: Manmord Sidhu
Producer: Gunbir Sidhu, Manmord Sidhu, Sarabjit Singh Raju, Ravneet Kaur Grewal, Sippy Grewal and Amandeep Kaur Sidhu
Music: Jatinder Shah
Genre: Comedy
Censor Details: U (Punjabi) – 133 Minutes

- See more at: http://punjabimania.com/movie-review-best-of-luck-punjabi-movie/#sthash.oeUfhgCc.dpuf

Star cast: Gippy Grewal, Jazzy B, Simran Kaur Mundi, Sonampreet Bajwa, Binnu Dhillon, Punit Issar, Karamjit Anmol, Harpal Singh, Naresh Kathooria and Bobby Bedi
Director: Manmord Sidhu
Producer: Gunbir Sidhu, Manmord Sidhu, Sarabjit Singh Raju, Ravneet Kaur Grewal, Sippy Grewal and Amandeep Kaur Sidhu
Music: Jatinder Shah
Genre: Comedy
Censor Details: U (Punjabi) – 133 Minutes

- See more at: http://punjabimania.com/movie-review-best-of-luck-punjabi-movie/#sthash.oeUfhgCc.dpuf

Punjabi movie industry is going through a sea change in all departments. The mood within the industry is that of experimentation and trialing and a lot is being done. In Best of Luck, Director Manmord Sidhu and writer Dheeraj Ratan choose an interesting plot, garnish it well with humor and emotions, cast splendid actors and lace it all with amazing foot-tapping music and  the result is an entertaining two-hour joyride!

The aesthetic appeal of the film is very high with some awesome cinematography (Toby Gorman) capturing the beautiful locales of Vancouver. Slick, young, and lively- that’s how ‘Best of Luck’ can be best described - a movie that offers nothing really to complain about. This movie is definitely not meant for the serious movie watchers as the film-maker (Manmord Sidhu) makes it very clear at the outset– Let’s just entertain! 

Kullu (Gippy Grewal) and Happy (Binnu Dhillon) are friends living in Vancouver, Canada and earning their living by delivering Pizzas. Kullu falls for Simran (Sonam Bajwa) while, Happy finds his childhood sweetheart Kammo too in the same city. Kammo is a doctor and her brother (Naresh Kathuria) wants her to get married to a doctor only. He right away rejects the proposal brought by Happy and insults him along with Kullu at his place. 

Happy is heartbroken and suicidal, so to help his friend, Kullu devises a plan to abduct Kammo’s brother. Their plan backfires, when instead of Kammo’s brother, they end up kidnapping a gangster, named – Goli (Jazzy B). On realizing that by mistake they had kidnapped a deadly goon, Happy and Kullu are ready to do anything that Goli asks them to. Goli is in deep personal trouble as well and wants Kullu to act as Preet’s (Simran Kaur Mundi) boyfriend and impress her grandfather – Mr. Jarnail Singh (Puneet Issar) a retired brave police officer. Goli knows that Jarnail Singh would never approve him to be his grand-son-in-law since he is a gangster. 

The story gets interesting when Jarnail Singh is hell bent on finding at least one negative point in Kullu to reject the proposal as he doesn’t feel that Kullu is capable of becoming his grand-daughter’s husband either. 

With foot-tapping songs and energetic dialogue delivery, loads of humor and tremendous youth appeal, Best of Luck is a full-on masala film, more of a fun ride. Sure, one does feel that Best of Luck. is caught up in seen-it-all-before-in-Hindi-movies situations, but what saves the film is the excellent performances and crisp storyline that don't give you any moment to think seriously. 

But the film falters at places. Though it thrives on jokes, some of them fall flat and aren't as enjoyable, especially, in the second half. Besides, the film takes in a lot of cinematic liberties. For example, we don’t really understand what exactly happens when Jarnail Singh announces Kullu and Preet’s engagement and why Kullu doesn’t call Simran (on her cell phone, for God's sake!!)  to clear up the misunderstanding!! He could always take his girlfriend into confidence while executing Goli’s plan! 

Also, the character of Jazzy B comes across as quite unreal. Besides the shooting of the bottles scene, there was nowhere where Jazzy B was established as a boisterous goon who could not be easily caught by Canadian police. Even in the action department, Gippy takes the lead! 
 

But despite the absurdities and a few illogical situations, Best of Luck works. One of the aces of the film is, without doubt, its musical score (Jatinder Shah/Sukshinder Shinda). There’s not just one but four tracks that have become hugely popular. 91 ya 92, Happy Shappy, Jatt Kaim and Desi tadka all are entertaining!

As far as performances are concerned, everyone wanted to know how Jazzy B would do in his debut. Well, the good news is that Jazzy B does decent enough in whatever role he is given. Of course, he could’ve been better in the emotional department, but his whacky spiked up and peacock-colored hair, stylish attire and not to mention, his uber cool yellow Hummer would make everyone go crazy. 

Gippy Grewal as usual, delivers a charming, charismatic performance. Binnu Dhillon is dependable as always. He is one actor who fits into any role perfectly. In fact, both Binnu and Gippy deliver one of the finest, accomplished and dexterous acts. 

The scene when Binnu wants to fall off the bridge attempting to commit suicide is just astounding. Both the actors manage to humorously handle the situation which was actually, quite poignant. Simran Kaur Mundi looks lovely and enacts her part with utmost confidence. Sonam Bajwa is pretty and decent. 

Puneet Issar plays his part brilliantly well and deserves to be seen more in Punjabi cinema. Karamjit Anmol’s Haryanvi accent Punjabi makes everyone laugh.

On the whole, Best of Luck is an awesome entertainer that has an interesting storyline, good humour and some amazing music and action.

'Bajatey Raho' good, but not very good

Film: "Bajatey Raho'; Cast: Tusshar Kapoor, Vinay Pathak, Ranveer Shorey, Ravi Kishan, Brijendra Kala; Director: Sashant Shah; Rating: ***

For the second time this week Ravi Kishan gets it bang-on. Playing a vicious entrepreneur with a marriageable daughter, Kishan is an energetic ball of agile evil.

The same goes for the rest of the arresting ensemble cast of very capable actors who get into the mood of the con-job without fuss and with a flair for acting funny without toppling over into parody.

I call it Fukrey-land. Welcome again to the comic world of lovable losers. The cast here is older, if not wiser than in "Fukrey". Mummyji (delightfully droll Dolly Ahluwalia) and her family of sons and son-like wanderers must redeem the family honour. Hence, we encounter a series of con-jobs, which involves vicious builders, bankers, caterers and middlemen.

Delhi has been projected as a hotbed of wheelers and dealers, schemers and screamers in several recent films. This is director Sashant Shah's "Challo Dilli" all over again, though in a totally different context.

"Bajatey Raho" had the potential to crack the dark-comedy genre. The plot about elaborate con jobs implemented by middle-class citizens has earlier been done with tongue-in-cheek derision in Dibakar Bannerjee's "Khosla Ka Ghosla" and Neeraj Pandey's "Special Chabbis".

Here the laughter is drowned in a whole lot of unnecessary back-projection and emotional history. Why couldn't Mummyji and her gang be up to their money-minded mischief and con antics just for the fun of it? Why the sob story to prop the impropriety?

Not that the storytelling lacks a warm self-mocking humour. When the script sets its heart in it some of the characters are positively - or do I mean negatively - brilliant in their believability.

The TV actor, who speaks in the third-person about himself, the principal of a school caught accepting a bribe in a sting operation, the foreigner mistress of the slimy tycoon who attends a 'Mata Ki Chowki' where a parody of "Subah hone na de" from the film "Desi Boys" is played as a "bhajan".
This happens only in India.

The film is crammed with interesting characters played by interesting actors. But at the end of it all, you aren't sure if all of them belong in this film.

Ravi Kishan as the slimy tycoon, who becomes putty in the pretty Vishakha Singh's hands is outstanding.
Brajesh Kala as his Man-Friday is even more so. Brajesh's Bagga is a yes-man who is now tired of being kicked around. We catch this character at a critical transitional phase in his life. We know he will explode. And he does.

Other actors suffer from roles that are either under-written or over-performed, depending on which phase of the serio-comic narration he or she is required to sustain.

There are signs of intelligent writing everywhere. But the material sags for the lack of a sincere motivation.

The climax with Dolly Ahluwalia posing in a white wig as Mrs Hansal Mehta is laughably short of humour.

Nonetheless, "Bajatey Raho" does give us a few chuckles even while delivering a rap on the knuckle to the 'naqalchi' wannabe rich middle-class in Delhi.

This is a dig at the Gurgaon quick-rich culture. But the taunt gets lost in an aimless jaunt.

'D-Day' acutely accomplished work of art

Film: "D-Day"; Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Irrfan, Arjun Rampal, Huma Qureshi, Shruti Haasan, Sriswara, Aakaash Dahiya, Nasser and Chandan Roy Sanyal; Director: Nikhil Advani; Rating: ****

Fragrant pencils and the stench of blood... Irrfan's character identifies flavoured pencils with his undying love for his son even when his life is soaked in the blood of traitors and other modern-day heroes. Funny, how two entirely disparate experiences can co-exist in a work of art!

And make no mistake, Nikhil Advani's sixth feature film is an acutely accomplished work of art. It's a thriller, yes. About the enforced extradition of a Dawood-like gangster.

But what I came away with was a haunting love story between a mysterious Indian intelligence agent and a Pakistani sex worker, both wounded and scarred for life. She in ways that we can see. He in intangible ways. But pain, at the end of the day, is pain. It's what binds together the sex-worker and the ex-army man.

Shot in an expertly constructed brothel sets with the crowded colours of lurid sex suggesting the tragedy of lives lived in borrowed beds, the scenes between Arjun Rampal and Shruti Haasan are punctured by piercing silences and a haunting melody about love, loss and incomplete lives sung by Rekha Bharadwaj.

Later, much later, the girl is tortured to painful death by a sadistic butcher, gleefully played by Chandan Roy Sanyal.

In one of the most innovative editing techniques applied to a Hindi cinema (editors Aarif Sheikh and Unni Krishnan can take a bow), we see the scarred prostitute's torture and death through Arjun Rampal eyes as though he were there when it happened, when he was not.

And in the background a haunting Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy song "Alvida" plays with assertive evocativeness, reminding us that the end of love is always death.

The love story could have been the entire script of Advani's film. But "D-Day" -- odd title since the antagonist is no more named Dawood -- has a lot more to say, and it says it with in a tone of unfussy enrapturing elan that invites us into its midst without using gimmicky methods of enticement.

The screenplay by Advani, Ritesh Shah and Suresh Nair constructs a collage of characters hell-bent on a collision course. Though rigorously researched, the erudition sits easily, spontaneously and unobtrusively on Advani's narration.

The story of a bunch of RAW agents on a mission in Pakistan to nab "India's Most Wanted" is told in a tone that favours a detached distance from the proceedings while ensuring we see each character's life in prismatic close-ups.

Though a deeply patriotic film, "D-Day" indulges in no flag-waving. The Indian flag makes one guest appearance, and that too at the end. God bless Manoj Kumar.

Every character in "D-Day", even the dreaded caricatural Bhai (the don named, ha ha, Goldman), is a prisoner of his own lost dreams and aspirations.

The RAW heroes are thrown in our face without elaborate preamble. The very attractive Huma Qureshi as the RAW agent Zoya has her personal life in shambles. But we never see her unhappy husband. We only hear him. And we're happy that he speaks about their distressed relationship in the voice of the very talented Raj Kumar Yadav.

Every character, visible or invisible, speaks to us in urgent desperate tones. And within 20 minutes of the playing-time we're consumed by these doomed lives that seem to have lived on the edge forever and have nowhere to go except the abyss.

With astonishing impunity Advani sketches half-finished all his characters. These are people whose dreams can never come true.

The film's deep affinity to the business of unfinished lives gives a cutting edge to Advani's narration. As the plot progresses, the narration gets only more and more involving and intriguing until from Karachi we reach breathlessly to the Indian side of the Indo-Pak border where Rishi Kapoor gives a sneering contemptuous speech on the Indian government's inability to control terrorists and terrorism.

This is as good a place as any to say "D-Day" is crammed with remarkable actors furnishing the anxious proceedings with a riveting life-force.

Rishi as the gangster is, of course, first-rate. When is he anything less? While conveying the sinister slimy side of the gangster, Rishi also gives a comic interpretation to the rotund goggled perpetrator of mayhem. Yup, this guy is having himself a blast.

The other actors too are entirely in their element. Arjun and Shruti's tragic love story is played by the actors in muted mellow muffled shades. Arjun seems to become a more evolved actor with every role. As for Irrfan, his portrayal of a man on a suicidal mission trying to hold on to the memory of his wife and son is so vivid you can touch his anguish.

Newcomer Sriswara is extremely credible as Irrfan's wife, while Huma as the third member of the RAW team is effortlessly appealing and effective.

Newcomer Akaash Dahiya as the fourth RAW team-member is so much on the edge, you want to hold him back from toppling over.

The cinematography by Tushar Kanti Ray uses cluttered garish spaces to create a sense of spiritual emptiness during times of tremendous stress and anxiety. This is a film with world-class action scenes. But it is not an action film. It's a film about love and loss. But it isn't a love story.

So what is it we are looking at here? Go find out for yourself. With this one film, Advani joins the ranks of the most accomplished young filmmakers of Hindi cinema and by far Karan Johar's Dharma Productions proudest product.

"Ramaiya Vastavaiya"

Director: Prabhu Deva                                 

Main Lead : Shruti Hassan,Girish Kumar

Producer: Ramesh Taurani

Music Director: Sachin , Jigar

Lyricst: Irshad Kamil

Singers:
Atif Aslam     Shreya Ghoshal     
Mika Singh     Neha Kakkad     
Monali Thakur

After a span of unconventional love stories like ‘Raanjhanaa’ and ‘Lootera’, here is a typical romantic flick which has a storyline seen in many, many movies before.


After watching the movie for merely 20 minutes, the audience will be able to reminisce the Kajol-Salman-Arbaaz Khan starrer ‘Jab Pyar Kia Toh Darna Kya’.

The movie revolves around “love” – brotherly love, sisterly love and love between two people who are attracted to each other. Sonu Sood – who plays an over-protective brother – takes care of his sister Sona, played by Shruti Hassan, after their mother dies. Raghuvir – played by Sonu – educates his sister and never lets anything or anybody hurt her. All he desires is to find a down to earth guy who can keep his sister happy in their own village.

However, as luck would have it, she falls in love with an NRI, Ram – played by Girish Kumar - whom she meets at her best friend’s wedding. Then starts the typical love-hate relationship, which actually culminates into proper head-over-heels, let’s grow old together kind of love. 

Sadly, this doesn’t stay for long and then comes the cliched separation and the guy’s desperation to prove his love.

After having delivered “macho” movies like ‘Wanted’ and ‘Rowdy Rathore’, Prabhu Deva has done a fair job with ‘Ramaiya Vastavaiya’, but it has nothing new which has not yet been seen before.

Alas, there is one thing that has not been seen ever before – a villain who speaks just one sentence in the entire movie. There is a lot of commotion because the bad guy wants to marry the good and beautiful girl, but the bad guy never mouths these words himself – not once!


 As for the actors, Shruti Hassan fails to captivate the heart with her performance and delivers her dialogues at the same pace and with the same emotion no matter what the scene is. As for Girish Kumar – who has debuted with this movie – India may have literally found a “jumping jack”. Weather he’s dancing, or flirting or just walking, he is always “jumpy” about it. Sonu Sood, on the other hand, does manage to portray a farmer to perfection – from his clothes to the way he speaks.

Poonam Dhillon - Ram’s mother – plays a woman obsessed with money and her status, while Randhir Kapoor – Ram’s father – doesn’t have much of a role apart from playing a husband petrified by the very look of his wife.

Paresh Ganatra – who plays Bijli - walks away with the cake for his comic timing. He manages to make the audience laugh each time he makes an entry – be it a light hearted scene or emotional.

As for the actors, Shruti Hassan fails to captivate the heart with her performance and delivers her dialogues at the same pace and with the same emotion no matter what the scene is. As for Girish Kumar – who has debuted with this movie – India may have literally found a “jumping jack”. Weather he’s dancing, or flirting or just walking, he is always “jumpy” about it. Sonu Sood, on the other hand, does manage to portray a farmer to perfection – from his clothes to the way he speaks.

Poonam Dhillon - Ram’s mother – plays a woman obsessed with money and her status, while Randhir Kapoor – Ram’s father – doesn’t have much of a role apart from playing a husband petrified by the very look of his wife.

Paresh Ganatra – who plays Bijli - walks away with the cake for his comic timing. He manages to make the audience laugh each time he makes an entry – be it a light hearted scene or emotional.

Rating -- ** 

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag rakes in over half a million dollars in US

Farhan Akhtar starrer 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag', which narrates the life of legendary Indian athlete Milkha Singh, has raked up $647,112 in the first week of its release in the US.


The filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's biopic has also scored the 15th spot on the popularity chart of movies in the United States this week.


According to Box Office Mojo, the website that tracks top American movies, the film is playing across 140 theaters in the United States and collected $647,112 in the first three days of its release over the weekend.


On the first day of its release on July 12, the movie collected $183,083, while it jumped next day to $270,275 on Saturday. On Sunday (July 14) it collected $193,774 across its 140 theaters.


"A biopic gets the Bollywood treatment in 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag'(Run Milkha Run), which dramatizes the life of record-breaking Indian sprinter Milkha Singh, played by the talented Farhan Akhtar," wrote The Washington Post in the review of the movie.

"Like most Bollywood films, Milkha's story is supposed to be a saga. But aside from a horrifying experience in childhood and some major triumphs on the track, much of the rest of his history feels like filler held together by a faulty framing device," the daily added. 

"The Indian running champ Milkha Singh may be the hero of the over-the-top 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag', but this Bollywood film's true, tormented heart lies in the brutal era of India's partition. As a side character in the film puts it, Milkha - a ka 'the Flying Sikh' - ran away from Pakistan and has been running ever since," wrote The New York Times.  

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the three-hour sports biopic about India's most famous runner requires viewer endurance, but pays off with an exhilarating climax. 

 Praising the performance of Akhtar's in the movie, The Hollywood Reporter said. "The smart, sinewy Akhtar does not look like the typical Bollywood hero, which is one of the factors that Mehra says led him to choose him for the role after a casting search that took him as far as Canada, the UK and the US" 

"But beyond the impressive physique he has cultivated for the role, Akhtar has captured a sense of focus and piety that led Singh to rise from his humble beginnings as a post-Partition refugee and small-time crook to national champion," it added.

Fer Mamla Gadbad Gadbad

Fer Mamla Gadbad Gadbad is a light-hearted entertainer with several twists and turns in the storyline. This is one movie, which doesn’t simply rely on the dialogues but has a story to tell as well. However, the dragged and sluggish screenplay makes it far less entertaining than what it should have ideally been.

The film boasts of a great start, with Roshan Prince making a smashing entry while B.N. Sharma, Karamjit Anmol, Shivender Mahal  and Hobby dhaliwal’s characters also getting in charge. We soon get a feel that we are heading towards an engaging and fun-filled entertainer however, Fer Mamla Gadbad Gadbad gets repetitive and tedious after a point. Although the director and story writer (Rimpy Prince) makes sure that the story doesn’t go haywire and unlike many Punjabi comedy films, this movie doesn’t leave any ends open either, however, too much dialogues and punches don’t quite suit this kind of film beyond a point.

 

Fer Mamla Gadbad Gadbad is a triangle love story with principal characters being Jassi (Roshan Prince), Geet (Japji Khaira) and Roop (Bhanushree Mehra). Jassi is an aspiring actor and film producer. In order to realize his dreams and marry the love of his life, Roop, he starts doing immoral activities like, playing a fake lover to break someone’s marriage in lieu of money. During one such ‘drama’, he ends up breaking the marriage of ‘Geet’ (Japji Khaira) and getting married to her forcefully by the village community. So, finally he’s left with two girls in his life. Will he end up with his love or his unexpected life partner?

Rimpy Prince tries his best to make the film appear as logical as possible. The film has quite a few entertaining moments like, Roshan Prince’s entry and dialogues when he visits Japji’s house for the first time, to break her marriage. All the scenes involving his ‘forced marriage’ in the village are exhilarating. But the irresistible habit of Punjabi film writers to usher a flood of one-liners and punches one after the other, somewhere reduce the impact of the emotional moments. A lot of dialogues were totally not needed and a crisper screenplay would’ve definitely served better. 

Talking about performances, Roshan Prince, has shown that he has the potential to compete with the industry’s best. He’s definitely above all those who made a debut in commercial Punjabi cinema this year. He is charming and his act is balanced. No where does he goes out of the character. Japji Khaira suits the role of a rural girl but her makeup and dresses and not to mention, her ‘totally-uncalled-for’ item song let her down. Bhanushree Mehra makes a strong Ballewood debut. She acts well, looks good and carries her part really elegantly throughout the movie. In fact her and Roshan Prince’s pairing looks far better than Japji’s and Roshan’s. B.N. Sharma who plays an effeminate character named ‘Pooja’ is awesome. 

This film would’ve lacked a lot of fun had B.N. Sharma not been at his best. Rana Ranbir’s character on the other hand is too irritating as the stammering “Rambo”. His fans would surely be disappointed after having seen him in Jatt and Juliet as “Shampy”. Karamjit Anmol is hilarious like always. Other senior actors like, Shivender Mahal, Hobby Dhaliwal, Rana Jungbahadur and Surinder Sharma put their best foot forward. 

Music by Jaggi Singh is decent. “Dil De Varke” and the one sung by Kamal Khan are especially melodious. Lakk Gadvi warga, which gets featured in the movie right after an emotional moment between Geet and Jassi, is outrageous. 

On the whole, Fer Mamla Gadbad Gadbad has splendid performances by its lead cast and a good emotional storyline, however, had the editing been tighter, and dialogues lesser, the movie could’ve turned out to be a real good entertainer.

'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' - run to watch this marvel

Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Sonam Kapoor, Rebecca Breeds, Divya Dutta, Prakash Raj and Pavan Malhotra; Writer: Prasoon Joshi; Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra; Rating: 5/5

History is created in several ways. One of them is cinema. And if Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" seems like a near-flawless homage to the flying spirit of India's greatest runner, it is partly because the story, so nimbly woven into a pastiche of drama, emotion, humour and pathos by Prasoon Joshi, is in no hurry to keep pace with the onscreen Milkha's breathless sprint.

The story of super-sprinter Milkha Singh unfolds in this exceptional biopic at its own volition. There's no effort here "to tell a story", to create an impression or to whip up a dramatic storm to captivate audiences. The synergy in the storytelling seems subliminal.

Still, we the audience, fed week after week on mediocrity masquerading as cinema, are riveted to the story of Milkha Singh for over three hours of playing time.

How come? Well, to begin with it is Milkha Singh's own powerful life as India's superstar sportsperson that sweeps us into the biopic. Milkha was so poor he couldn't afford running shoes, and when he got them, he didn't know how to run in them. When milk was offered in the army in exchange of running practice, he grabbed it (the run and the milk) with both hands.

A victim of India's brutal partition, Milkha's story was waiting to be told. And thankfully, no one before Mehra saw cinematic potential in his story. If Milkha's story had to be told, the storyteller had to be a master craftsman, and one who doesn't waste space in self-congratulatory flourishes.

With immense help from Prasoon Joshi, Mehra harnesses Milkha's life-story into an experience that is pure cinema and yet undiluted and uncompromised by the mandatory, often silly, illogical and idiotic semantics of mainstream commercial cinema.

The absolutely seamless editing by P. Bharathi is impressive. The film is very stylishly cut, but not at the cost of losing the simplicity and the innate ascetism of the sportsman-hero. And yes, there are songs composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, but they are so effortlessly woven into Milkha's saga that we don't see them as "song breaks".

This is as good a time as any to tell you that Farhan Akhtar does the Bhangra as well as any Punjabi. Actually, he doesn't dance. He just flows with the rhythm. I've never seen any actor dance with such rhapsodic abundance. Neither have I seen any actor run like Farhan.

I don't know how fast Milka ran, but Farhan's Milkha doesn't fake it for even a second. When he runs, he really runs. When he stumbles and takes a fall, we flinch and wince in our seats. Farhan's body language and emotions and expression as Milkha is pitch-perfect.

Farhan doesn't 'play' Milkha. The actor occupies Milkha's mind, body and soul. There are episodes in this astonishingly, well-structured biopic where Farhan's oneness with Milkha equals Ben Kingsley's empathy with Mahatma Gandhi in "Gandhi".

This isn't just a film about a sportsperson who brought untold glory to our country. "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" is the story of an individual's journey from nullity to pinnacles of success in a world where politics and violence are constant reminders of how little an individual's aspirations matter in the larger, often murkier scheme.

In Prasoon Joshi's interpretation of Milkha's amazing success-story, yearning is the cornerstone to achievement. In 1947, when India became two nations, we see little Milkha (Jabtej Singh) run for his life to escape the savage butchery that snatches away almost his entire family. Only his dear sister, played wonderfully by Divya Dutta, remains. As we see it, Milkha never stopped running since the partition trauma.

The 'run' as a metaphor of life's expedient circumstances, runs through the narrative.

Happily, the screen time is as much taken up with Milkha's record-breaking achievements on the field, as it is with vignettes from his personal life. There is a robust heartwarming romance between Milkha and the vessel-friendly 'kudi' Biro (Sonam Kapoor, looking prettier than ever). The writer and director invest inexpressible warmth in the protagonist's courtship scenes. We've seen this kind of love blossom on Punjab's soil before. But it still feels special and unique.

Farhan does the rest. And he gets tremendous support from other actors, specially Divya Dutta, who is incomparably sincere in her role. Pavan Malhotra as Milkha's coach is as usual, first-rate.

Unlike other period films in recent times which have conveniently and lazily resorted to antiques, artefacts and vintage songs, the 1950s in "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" simply and effortlessly emerges from the character and his milieu.

Binod Pradhan's camera glides across Milkha's inner and outer world, and telling it like it is. There's a complex design to the seeming simplicity of this saga of a simple Sikh who would guzzle two cans of ghee on challenge and run to the winning post on feet mauled by jealous rivals.

Who said life could ever be easy for those who aspire to fly higher than the rest? The beautiful irony of Milkha Singh's life that this consummate biopic captures so ably, is that he really didn't aspire to anything. He ran simply because he had to.

The rest, as they say, is history.

"Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" is the kind of cinema that doesn't tempt us to share the protagonist's life with any false hopes. We the audience are driven into a desperate urge to share Milkha's life not only because he ran fast, but because he wasn't afraid to stumble, falter and fall.

OYE HOYE PYAR HO GAYA

Sharry Mann is On Silver Screen From Today.His First Film OYE HOYE PYAR HO GAYA is in Theatres and got Housefull on First Day, As expected due to High number of Promotions.But Sadly the Film is Not Upto the Mark to Make it to HIT CATEGORY for Sure.

 Oye Hoye Pyar is Just Another Comedy Film to encash the Punjabi Audience, But It Cannot Touch the High Marks Made By JATT & JULIET or CARRY ON JATTA.Sharry Mann’s debut film - Oye Hoye Pyar Ho Gaya is not So Greatly Directed and Screenplay is Poor too.


Script of the Film is Loose With NO ENDS to Some things.At the END, Oye Hoye Pyar Ho Gaya, makes no sense.In the Film, The things are just Jointed to make People Laugh.Acting of Binnu Dhillon and Rana Ranbir are Good As Always, They Know How to Do the Real Work.
Sharry Mann is Just OK in His Acting and We Don’t think He Can make a Good Career in Punjabi Films and These Type of poor Stories will Not Bring him Good Enough.

On the whole, OYE HOYE PYAR HO GAYA is a Fail on Technical and Strategic Side.

Jatt & Juliet 2 -- Must Watch

Director : Anurag Singh

Jatt & Juliet 2 released with the biggest number of screens across the region and this has led to an unbelievable gross on first day. The stats are not confirmed, but according to  resources, Jatt and Juliet 2 is expected to have an opening of more than 1.25 crores in Punjab alone. Post success of Jihne Mera Dil Lutya Diljit has scored another hit with Jatt and Juliet and it’s time for the movie review.

The Movie has a clean plot with all the ends tied up. No loophole in the story and no complaints.
Coming to Cast,Diljit=Awesome! As simple as that. He has played his character so well with so much vigor and dedication that he never lacks in his ability to charm people.

Diljit knows exactly how to deliver a comic punch, how to modulate his tone to suit the temperament and how to stay natural in front of camera. It’s easy to say that so and so actor acts naturally and it also seems easy to do, but in truth its one of the hardest things to do in acting. Diljit has scored 150 marks out of 100 in acting department. I really want to see him in a serious role now. Way to go Diljit, you hold the torch of excellence for the turbaned actors.

For Neeru, I have to admit that of all her films till date, this was her best. She really did fit into her role and the chemistry between Neeru and Diljit was above par. It should also be mentioned that acting upto Diljit’s charisma couldn’t have been an easy task, but Neeru pulled it off really well.

Overall, Jatt and Juliet 2 has it’s own shares of laughs and giggles and its a pure entertainment film for one and all – Masses and Classes. Some minor weaknesses in the plot can be ignored given the quotient of entertainment value it possesses

Ghanchakkar: beating 'around' the bush!

Director: Raj Kumar Gupta                                                              

Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan, Rajesh Sharma,
Namit Das    



Different is a much abused term in Bollywood. Almost every other film claims to be different but most end up being run of the mill. And then you have a film like Ghanchakkar that tries to be so deliberately different that the desperation shows. It only ends up being contrived cinema!

Ghanchakkar’ comes from Rajkumar Gupta, who had earlier delivered films like ‘Aamir’ and ‘No One Killed Jessica’. Perhaps, the kind of genres that he has dealt with earlier stand completely in contrast to what this Emraan Hashmi-Vidya Balan starrer aims to unfold.

The genre, style and presentation are indeed the first of its kinds but at the same time, is something that the audiences will find very difficult to digest.

It’s all about Sanjay Athray (Emraan Hashmi) and his ability to break open bank lockers and help thugs. His wife Neetu (Vidya Balan) has a bizarre sense of fashion and almost has a fetish for fashion magazines. She is loud- both literally and otherwise. She is extremely ambitious and pursues her husband to go the illegal way to earn those extra bucks! She is also quite vocal about her greed for money and hence admits to not having any intentions of producing babies with him – as she doesn’t want to introduce Sanju (Sanjay), their father – as a thief!

Sanjay is almost fed-up of his wife’s awful cooking and his mother’s phone calls at nights enquiring if he has had dinner or not. But it is not just about these two women that he gets squeezed in between – he has a bigger trouble in store – Pandit and Idris (his accomplice in a bank robbery mission).

Sanju, Pandit (played by Rajesh Sharma) and Idris (played by Namit Das) succeed in stealing Rs 35 crores from a bank and decide to distribute their shares three months thence, oblivious to what will unfold thereafter.

Vidya Balan and Emraan Hashmi, both powerhouse performers, excel in their respective roles, to say the least. They are supported by some fine performances delivered by Rajesh Sharma (seen earlier with Balan in ‘The Dirty Picture’) and Namit Das. But unfortunately, their impeccable performances can do the least to up the fate of the film at the Box Office.

The climax as a separate chunk is absolutely out-of-the-box. It could have helped had the film gained velocity mid-way through. But when you collectively put it all, it spoils the show, thereby rattling your level of endurance and understanding.

The film does have its share of highs but as a whole, fails to impress.

‘Ghanchakkar’, a film that has such heavyweights as the cast, could have been a lot better.