Bollywood Movie Reviews October 4 2019 Page 2

Movie Review: The Lion King

Years back in 1994 we saw the release of the animated Disney film THE LION KING, which went on to become a cult classic that kids the world over have grown up on. Now, decades on, we see a remake of the film with photorealistic computer animated characters. But will this remake entice the audience or will the film be just another heavy on visual effects extravaganza, is what we analyse. In the African savanna, the young lion Simba idolizes his father, Mufasa, and longs to succeed him as King of the Pridelands. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar, Mufasa’s brother — and former heir to the throne — has plans of his own. A jealous Scar initiates a coup which results in Mufasa’s death and Simba’s exile. While in exile Simba grows up in the company of Timon and Pumbaa, a meerkat and warthog pair with a carefree lifestyle. As tensions rise, he is drawn back into a battle with Scar by the friends from his past life. Will Simba take back what is rightfully his is what the rest of the film is about. Starting off since the film is a shot for shot remake of the 1994 animation do not expect differences, though an obvious fact is, more often than not viewers are left waiting for something new to happen. That being said, THE LION KING does not live up to the previous film. In fact, save for the photorealistic computer generated animatronics, little else makes an impression. When compared to the ’94 version, this new age visual effects masterpiece only brings in more colour, vividness and life like realism to a story that has since been told a million times over. Sadly, this is not where it ends, instead unlike the previous film, the new LION KING seems lacking the emotional connect. Contrary to what THE JUNGLE BOOK accomplished, THE LION KING fails to establish an emotional rapport with anyone older than a fifth grader. However, it isn’t all bad. Once the film begins, viewers are hard pressed to believe that the on screen visuals are not live action, from the way hair and particles move in the wind, to the physics of flowing and still water, the makers of THE LION KING have paid attention to the minutest detail. WOW: Shah Rukh Khan PAIRS UP With Aryan Khan For LION KING | Mufasa | Simba

Coming to the direction, Jon Favreau has quite literally remade the original. A frame to frame copy of the 1994 film, THE LION KING features everything that made the original heart touching and endearing. Retaining James Earl Jones as the voice of Mufasa as homage to the original is something that takes the relatability of the film a notch higher. Sadly though, the rest of the voice over cast leaves a lot to be desired. Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar to John O Oliver as Zazu, Donald Glover as Simba to Beyonce Knowles Carter as Nala, and Billy Eichner as Timon to Seth Rogen as Pumbaa have each given it their best, but the emotional connect that developed an instant rapport in the first film is sorely missing. Crisp editing, and well executed sequences that resemble the original almost shot for shot without looking repetitive is definitely a high point for Favreau. In terms of music, the background score and the tracks are well, let’s just say perfect. Favreau has retained a lot of the original charm in this new age rendition of a classic. On the whole, THE LION KING features nothing new, and is in fact a step down from the original. It will however attract kids and younger audiences. At the Indian box office, the Hindi version of the film may have a better appeal as it features voice-overs by Shah Rukh Khan and his son Aryan Khan.

Super 30 Movie Review

Overpopulation is one of the biggest ills plaguing the country. The number of people in this country vis-à-vis the education institutes available are fairly disproportionate. As a result, lakhs of students every year have to struggle and study hard in order to get a few thousand seats in elite educational institutes. The problem gets compounded when students belong to low-income groups and hence, their access to fine tutoring at affordable prices is even lesser. Anand Kumar from Bihar came as a godsend for many such aspirants. He gave free coaching to students and guaranteed them a seat in IIT. This feat made him a household name and now Hrithik Roshan is all set to reprise his role in SUPER 30. The film has faced lots of obstacles and also few delays. So does SUPER 30 manage to do justice to the journey of the man and yet manage to entertain? Or does it fail to entice? Let’s analyse. SUPER 30 is the story of a selfless man fighting for the cause of education-for-all. The year is 1996. Anand Kumar (Hrithik Roshan) has completed his graduation and is passionate about mathematics. He’s so good in the subject that he is felicitated at the hands of the education minister (Pankaj Tripathi). Anand manages to solve a complex mathematical problem, which has baffled scholars all around the world. His feat lands him a seat in the prestigious Cambridge University. His father Eshwar Kumar (Virendra Saxena) is a postman who takes out his PF to fund Anand’s foreign education. When the money falls short, he and Anand knock at the doors of the education minister, who had promised him help. But the minister refuses to help. Meanwhile, Eshwar passes away one day suddenly. He was the only earning member of the family and hence, Anand sheds his ambition and begins selling papad to survive. One day, he bumps into Lallan Singh (Aditya Srivastava) who runs Excellence Coaching Centre, an institute for those giving the IIT-JEE exams. He is aware of Anand’s brilliance in mathematics since he was in the college when Anand was felicitated. He gets Anand enrolled in his coaching institute as a premium teacher. Since Anand’s teaching methods guarantee success, he becomes quite sought after. Excellence Coaching Centre management even promote themselves by using Anand’s picture on their banners. Anand’s financial condition also improves as he’s even made one of the signatories. However, he soon realizes that some brilliant students aren’t getting a fair chance to excel in life because of their underprivileged background. Overnight, Anand quits Excellence Coaching Centre. He starts his own centre, where he decides to teach 30 students for IIT entrance exams for free. Not just that, he even arranges for their accommodation and food. Lallan obviously is livid and he tries his best to persuade Anand. When nothing works, he tries to demotivate Anand, saying that all his students who fail will go back to their impoverished lives. It’s important that each and every student of Anand manages to crack the IIT exam. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Sanjeev Dutta’s story is decent and has the potential. However, the incidents shown in the film seem too unreal at places. The makers claim it’s based on a true story but some of the episodes of the second half seem fictional. Sanjeev Dutta’s screenplay is watertight in the first half. There’s too much happening but it’s all written down well. The writing in the second half is a bit shaky. Also, the writing seems quite dated. The good vs bad battle is something we have witnessed in countless number of films before. Many of the scenes of the baddies are typical of the 90s films especially the manner in which they are plotting to strike against the hero. Sanjeev Dutta’s dialogues are acidic and make the right impact. Vikas Bahl’s direction is average and could have been better. In the first half, he manages to handle everything well but cracks begin to develop in the second half and it shows. There are several loose ends; for instance, what angered Lallan and the minister so much about the Super 30 programme that they even get ready to eliminate Anand? The funny part is that Vikas hints a bit on the entire education scam. But for a better impact, he should have delved a little bit more on the topic. In the absence of the detailing, it looks quite superficial. Secondly, some characters appear all of a sudden. There’s a way of introducing important characters. In SUPER 30, Raghunath (Amit Sadh) and Purshottam (Manav Gohil) suddenly spring out of nowhere and it takes a while to understand who they are and what their relevance to the plot is. Similarly, some major characters vanish without a trace as well, towards the climax. The biggest goof up by Vikas however is in the Holi sequence. It falls completely flat. It also gives one a déjà vu of Vikas Bahl’s earlier film, SHAANDAAR [2015]. Even the hospital scene in the end seems stretched. Super 30 | PUBLIC REVIEW | First Day First Show | Hrithik Roshan, Mrunal Thakur | Vikas Bahl

SUPER 30 has an interesting start, depicting Fugga (Vijay Varma) as a kind of narrator who tells the story of Anand to an audience in London. The focus soon shifts to Patna and the beginning portions are not very well directed. But they keep one glued to the screen. A lot happens in the first half – from Anand getting selected for Cambridge to the struggle faced to get funds to his father’s demise to becoming rich and famous after being employed at the coaching institute to starting his own centre. Hence, there’s never a dull moment in the 75-minute-long first half. The second half begins well and the sequence of the competition between Excellence students and Anand’s students is impressive. But then things go downhill, in the Holi sequence. It’s bizarre to say the least and the intended message just doesn’t come across. The climax too might seem filmy for a section of audience. But it is thrilling and also moving due to which the overall impact is not affected much. The final scene is quite uplifting and is an apt way to end the film. SUPER 30 belongs to Hrithik Roshan, no two doubts on that! He’s the soul of the film and the reason why one looks forward to the proceedings despite issues in the second half. He’s completely convincing as a Bihari and his accent, clothes, make-up, body language etc. are spot on. He proves yet again why he’s one of the most accomplished superstars at present! Mrunal Thakur (Rashmi) suits the part and delivers a decent performance. It’s a very small role but has a relevance to the story. Aditya Srivastava is quite good in the villainous role. Pankaj Tripathi is gimmicky. In some scenes, it works but in few places, it doesn’t come across as intended. Virendra Saxena is adorable and his character is sure to win hearts. Nandish Singh (Pranav Kumar) is fine as Anand’s brother. Amit Sadh (Raghunath) is too good and has a badass look which suits him. Sadly, he’s hardly there and this is one character you wish had more screen time. Vijay Varma is entertaining in the intro scene but later on his character’s significance will be questioned by the viewers. Rajesh Sharma is wasted and one wonders why his character is even there in the film. Manav Gohil is natural. Karishma Sharma is sizzling in the item song. As for the students, all have done a superb job but the ones who leave an impact are Ghanshyam Kumar (little Fugga), Deepali Gautam (Kusum) and Rahul Raj (Kishore). Ajay-Atul’s music is not of chartbuster variety and one wishes the film had one chartbuster, theme-like song. ‘Jugraafiya’ is the best of the lot. ‘Paisa’ is situational. ‘Question Mark’ seems like a good idea on paper but execution is weak. ‘Niyam Ho’ is played at a crucial juncture. ‘Basanti No Dance’ is horrible. Ajay-Atul’s background score is a bit loud but correctly makes the impact. Anay Goswamy’s cinematography is appropriate. Allan Amin’s action is realistic and is not over the top. Amit Ray and Subrata Chakraborty’s production design is quite real. Subodh Srivastava and Niharika Bhasin Khan’s costumes are straight out of life. None of the characters look glamorous by any angle. Vikram Gaikwad’s make-up is praiseworthy, especially in the case of Hrithik. Mukesh Chhabra’s casting deserves applause, in the case of the casting of students particularly. Sreekar Prasad’s editing is disjointed and from an editor of such a calibre, a better job was expected. On the whole, SUPER 30 has a fine first half but goes downhill in the second hour. Yet, the impact is made due to the high emotional quotient and also thanks to Hrithik Roshan’s superlative performance. At the box office, it will require a good word of mouth to rein in the footfalls.

Movie Review: Spider-Man – Far From Home (English)

One of the greatest chapters in world movie history has to be the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). After introducing various exciting superheroes and also the ultimate villain (Thanos), the series went on another level in AVENERS: INFINITY WAR [2018] and later in AVENGERS: ENDGAME [2019]. The latter ended on a somewhat tragic note owing to the demise of Iron Man primarily. However, MCU saga continues and one of the first post-ENDGAME films that have hit theatres is SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME. So does it manage to entertain and excite audiences? Or after the events of AVENGERS: ENDGAME, it doesn’t live up to the expectations. Let’s analyse. SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME is the story of a superhero torn between his love and responsibilities whilst fighting a nasty villain. The world is slowly adjusting after half of the population disappeared and then re-emerged five years later (called the ‘blip’). Peter Parker aka Spider-Man (Tom Holland) is still distraught by the demise of Tony Stark aka Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr). He doesn’t want to be a superhero for a change and is looking forward to a two-week summer field trip to Europe organized by his alma mater, Midtown School of Science and Technology. That MJ (Zendaya) is also a part of it makes him even more excited. He plans to propose to her on top of the Eiffel Tower, Paris during the trip. Meanwhile, Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) and Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) reach Mexico where locals complain that the cyclone, that destroyed their village, ‘had a face’. While investigating, the Earth Elemental resurfaces. At this point, Quentin Beck aka Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) also emerges and destroys the creature. Realizing that Spider-Man can prove to be of help, Nick calls Peter and even sends Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) to him. But Peter ignores the call for plea and heads to Venice for the trip. While he and his school mates are enjoying the sights, the Water Elemental wreaks havoc. Mysterio reaches on time and he destroys it and Peter also helps him. Nick Fury meanwhile reaches Venice as well and tells Peter that the Fire Elemental will be attacking next, in Prague. Mysterio, who is revealed to be from another Earth, says that it is the most dangerous of all and that it destroyed his planet. Nick hence insists that Peter help them. He also gifts Peter Tony’s glasses, equipped with the artificial intelligence, EDITH, meant for the latter’s successor. Peter is touched with the gesture but he rejects to help and looks forward to moving to Paris next where he will be finally proposing to MJ. However, Nick gets the school trip’s itinerary changed to Prague instead of Paris! Hence, Peter reluctantly is compelled to help in fighting Fire Elemental. As expected, the fire creature attacks and with great difficulty, Mysterio, along with Peter’s help manages to destroy it. Peter realizes he doesn’t deserve the EDITH glasses and hands it to Mysterio. All seems to be well but here’s when things change for the worse. Peter realizes he has done a grave mistake and what happens next forms the rest of the film. Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers’s story is impressive and is in sync with the theme and mood of the earlier SPIDER-MAN film, SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING [2017]. Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers’s screenplay does justice to the plot and adds a lot to the film. There’s a lot happening in the movie, especially in the personal life of Peter, and this aspect especially is well woven with the hero vs villain track. Dialogues are as expected witty and up the humour quotient. Jon Watts’s direction is commendable and he takes the film to great heights. After having more than 20 MCU films and showing countless number of evil creatures vandalizing various cities, it is a challenge to show all of that and yet impress the audience. And Jon wins the battle here, though in the first hour, it doesn’t entirely impress. But later on, with some twists in the tale, the desired impact is made. He also directed SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING and hence, recreates the mood and even some of the aspects. The intro scene, after the Marvel logo is shown, for instance is done in the same way as the earlier film. But he also brings a contrast by making Peter run away from superhero responsibilities whereas in SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING, he is dying for the next mission. Lastly, he also touches upon the Iron Man tribute but makes sure he doesn’t go overboard. On the flipside, the twist in the villain track is a shocker but could have been more convincing. It’s bewildering that the antagonist managed to pull off what he did without any suspicion. SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME’s beginning scene, showing the Mexico sequence is ordinary. The fun begins once the narrative shifts to New York City and viewers get acquainted with the ‘Blip’ concept. With AVENGERS: ENDGAME fresh in mind also Peter’s association with Tony, it seems very convincing when he declines to help Nick. His chemistry with MJ is electrifying and not just action, but this film scores in this department as well. The scenes where Water and Fire Elementals destroys Venice and Prague makes for a good watch, although it’s something that we have seen in previous Marvel films too. But it’s how Spider-Man and Mysterio team up is what makes it novel. Till here, the film is fine but it goes on a high once the true intentions of Mysterio are unveiled. And this really takes the film on a high because the events that follow are novel, especially the villain’s powers and methods. The finale in London is very exciting. The mid-credit scene is shocking and makes you wait for the next Marvel films with even more excitement. The post-credit scene is a surprise, though it raises questions as well. Tom Holland is now fully acceptable in this role. This time, Peter has become a bit matured although his goofy side is still intact. Tom balances this act very well. As Spider-Man too, he is just apt. His best act however is when he’s trying to woo MJ. Jake Gyllenhaal is quite impressive in this interesting role and he gets better in the second half. That evil laugh, when he reveals his true colours, is one of the memorable moments in the film! Zendaya is terrific and she does complete justice to her character. The way she rattles off trivia about various places and shows her dark side of humour makes her even more fascinating. Jon Favreau is dependable as always and this time, his character pisses off Peter and you have to see the film to understand why! Marisa Tomei (Aunt May) is a stunner as expected and is decent. Samuel L Jackson in his element. Jacob Batalon (Ned) is quite funny and even his character comes across a significant change and it adds to the entertainment. Tony Revolori (Eugene) is fine as the bully and there’s a hint given as to how he’s going to contribute a lot to future Marvel films. Other actors who are nice are Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill), Angourie Rice (Betty), J B Smoove (Professor Julius Dell), Martin Starr (Mr Harrington) and Numan Acar (Dimitri). The late Stan Lee unfortunately is not present in his trademark cameo appearance. Michael Giacchino’s music is energizing for such a superhero film. Matthew J Lloyd’s cinematography is breath-taking and the various cities are well captured. The sequence set in the tulip fields of The Netherlands however stands out. Claude Paré’s production design is up to the mark. Anna B. Sheppard’s costumes are appealing. VFX as expected is top class and in the illusion scene, it is very impactful. Leigh Folsom Boyd and Dan Lebental’s editing is sans complaint. But in a crucial twist scene, it is too quick and takes a while to comprehend. On the whole, SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME is a fun, entertaining fare that gives viewers their money’s worth. With AVENGERS: ENDGAME fresh in everyone’s minds, it further adds to the impact. Spider-Man has been immensely popular in India and hence at the box office, SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME is expected to rake in huge numbers and possibly emerge as the biggest non-AVENGERS Marvel flick. Recommended!

Movie Review: Article 15

One of the burning issues of the country is the caste system. Despite relevant laws and provisions, one can’t deny that the discrimination of various communities continue with alarming regularity. At times, it manifests into shocking crimes. The political class takes advantage of these conflicts and it further creates a divide. Very few films in Bollywood have plots that actually revolves around caste, shockingly. Anubhav Sinha however takes up the challenge, motivated by the success of his last year’s flick MULK, which dealt with religious tensions. The result is ARTICLE 15, featuring the urban audience’s favourite star Ayushmann Khurrana in the leading role. The trailer and content has already become a talking point. So does ARTICLE 15 succeed in giving audiences a thrilling time? Or does Anubhav Sinha miss the bus this time? Let’s analyse. ARTICLE 15 is the story of a righteous cop trying to solve a caste-related crime. Ayan Ranjan (Ayushmann Khurrana) is an IPS officer from Delhi who has been transferred to a village named Lalgaon in Uttar Pradesh as punishment posting. As soon as he joins duty, he comes to know about a case involving three missing girls from the Dalit community in the village. The cops out there don’t investigate the matter, citing that the case isn’t serious and the community often files false complaints. The next day however, the corpse of two of the missing girls – Shalu and Mamta – is found hanging on a tree. The third girl, Pooja, is missing. One of the girls from the community, Gaura (Sayani Gupta) tells Ayan that these three girls used to work under the local contractor Anshu who used to pay them Rs. 25 per day. The girls then asked for a raise of just Rs. 3 but it was rejected by Anshu. Hence, they protested and left work. Gaura alleges that Anshu possibly violated the girls to teach them a lesson. Ayan decides to investigate the matter as he realizes that Gaura is indeed right. But officer Brahmdutt Singh (Manoj Pahwa), working under Ayan, secretly tries to change the narrative of the crime. He plants a story in a newspaper that both the girls were in a same-sex relationship and that’s why their fathers killed them. In short, it was not a caste-related crime but honour killing is what he tries to prove. He also forces Dr. Malti Ram (Ronjini Chakraborty) to change the post mortem report, although it’s clear that Shalu and Mamta had been repeatedly gang raped and then hung on the tree. Amidst all these challenges, Ayan attempts to solve the case and find Pooja. To top it all, a Dalit underground leader Nishant (Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub) attacks police officer Jatav (Kumud Mishra) and Ayan’s PA Mayank (Ashish Verma) and sets their jeep on fire. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Anubhav Sinha and Gaurav Solanki’s story is very hard-hitting and deserves to be told. It is loosely inspired by events like the Badaun rape case and Una flogging incident. The various characters, their dilemmas, and of course their caste status is well put out and used. However, one also wishes the film didn’t have so many people as it becomes confusing. Also, not all contribute entirely to the main plot. Anubhav Sinha and Gaurav Solanki’s screenplay is engaging and keeps one hooked from start to finish. There’s so much happening every minute and the writers try their best to keep audiences captivated. A few scenes however should have been written in a more entertaining way. Anubhav Sinha and Gaurav Solanki’s dialogues are one of the pillars of the film. They take several scenes to another level. And the writers don’t take a safe route. The names of various castes are fearlessly mentioned and thankfully, the CBFC hasn’t chopped off these references either. It’s a pleasant surprise that even the F-word has been retained. In one sequence, the characters even discuss about the symbols of the political parties and it’s easy to understand what they are hinting at. Anubhav Sinha’s direction is first-rate for most parts. It’s a very sensitive topic, which is why most filmmakers have feared taking it up. Anubhav not only makes a film out of it, he does a fine job and also ensures the various communities don’t get offended. But one wishes he had made ARTICLE 15 in a more commercial way. His earlier film MULK was easy to comprehend and had a thrill element and that made it more mainstream. ARTICLE 15 is entertaining and massy only in parts. In a few scenes, it seems like a documentary. A few moments however are very memorable and keep lingering in one’s mind for a long time. The shots where sewer cleaners enter the gutters without any safety equipment is bound to haunt viewers. Another brief but powerful shot is how political workers put up the banner of the upcoming rally on the very wall where posters of missing Pooja are pasted. It’s quite an interesting way to subtly tell viewers about how society has got the priorities all wrong. Article 15 Review | Ayushmann Khurrana | Isha Talwar | Public Review | FDFS

ARTICLE 15’s initial scene is quite a shocker but then the interest levels drop. The first 10-15 minutes are spent in introducing the characters and setting. It’s when the dead bodies are found that the film rises again. The complexities are laid out very well and one begins to see with interest how Ayan wades through these challenges and attempts to bring justice. One of the most memorable sequences of this hour and also the film is when Ayan gets outraged after knowing the caste status of fellow cops and how there are plenty of hierarchies. The intermission point takes the cake as the finest scene of the film and will surely be greeted with claps in cinema halls. It also excites audiences as they expect second half to be even better. In the second hour however, the film gets quite complicated. The subplots of Nishant and the Mahant ji are interesting and even realistic but don’t gel well with the main plot. On the positive side, the twist in the tale is unpredictable. The scenes of Nihal Singh and his sister give goosebumps. Also, the sequence of Ayan being interrogated by the CBI is arresting. The climax is quite impressive and the film ends on a fantastic note. Ayushmann Khurrana is in top form. He’s mostly known for quirky roles but last year, he surprised everyone by exceling in the thriller ANDHADHUN. In ARTICLE 15 however, he goes one step ahead as there’s no scope for comedy at all here. Yet, he comes out with flying colours. Even with his silences and eye movements, he conveys so much. ARTICLE 15 has created a buzz also because he’s there in the film and he ensures he doesn’t disappoint his fans and admirers. Manoj Pahwa leaves a huge mark. Anubhav Sinha extracts the best from him – last year he rocked in MULK – and now with this flick, he yet again impresses. Watch out for the scenes when he charges towards Jatav and in the second half when he confronts Jatav. Kumud Mishra is the surprise of the film. His role is very well fleshed out and with his performance, he takes it on a high. He gets to be in a clapworthy sequence in the second half. He also contributes to the comic quotient in the movie. Sayani Gupta is efficient. She arguably did a similar role in JOLLY LLB 2 [2017] where also she was begging the powerful people for justice. But here, the setting is different and she tries her best to ensure her performance doesn’t remind one of any previous performance. Her breakdown scene is chilling. Isha Talwar (Aditi) is decent and her chemistry with Ayushmann is quite fresh. Aakash Dabhade (Satyendra Rai) has a crucial part and is well cast. Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub gives a powerful performance and suits his character. It’s a well written part but one wishes his later portions had more impact to the overall plot. Ronjini Chakraborty is quite confident. Nassar (CBI official) is apt. The actors playing Anshu, Amla the maid, Nihal Singh and Mahant are fine. Music has no scope in the film and it’s not relegated even in the background. ‘Kahab Toh’ is played in the opening credits and its lyrics are quite sharp. ‘Shuru Karein Kya’ is played during the end credits and though it is catchy, this rap track looks out of place considering the theme of the film. Mangesh Dhakde’s background score is not consistent but the exhilarating music elevates impact. Ewan Mulligan’s cinematography is quite raw and suits a film of this genre. Nikhil Kovale’s production design is realistic. Overall, the look of the film is quite rich and even a bit haunting and it works. Vishakha Kullarwar’s costumes are straight out of life, especially the ones worn by the marginalized communities. Yasha Ramchandani’s editing is appropriate. On the whole, ARTICLE 15 is a hard-hitting film that raises some important issues related to caste, that are plaguing the country. At the box office, the powerful plot and brand Ayushmann will ensure that it gets decent footfalls in the multiplexes.

Movie Review: Kabir Singh

One of the most loved love stories of Bollywood is DEVDAS. It has been remade several times and ten years ago, Anurag Kashyap gave a different touch to the tale through DEV D [2009]. All the interpretations have been liked as there’s a charm in the story of a man who goes on a self-destructive path when he fails to get the girl he loves. Two years ago, Sandeep Reddy Vanga made a Telugu film named ARJUN REDDY, which had a kind of a deja vu of DEVDAS. Yet, it stood out due to the treatment, execution and performances. ARJUN REDDY became a cult success and now its Hindi remake KABIR SINGH is all set to hit theatres. So does KABIR SINGH turn out to be as good as or better than ARJUN REDDY? Or does it fail to stir the emotions of the viewers? Let’s analyse. KABIR SINGH is the story of a heartbroken man on the path of self-destruction. Kabir Singh (Shahid Kapoor) is a top ranked medical student from a Delhi medical school. He is hot tempered and once during a football match, he gets into physical altercation with a rival college student named Amit (Amit Sharma). The college Dean (Adil Hussain) asks him to tender an apology or else he’ll be fired. Kabir choses the second option as he’s of the opinion that he did no wrong. But in no time Kabir changes his mind after he sees the first year student Preeti (Kiara Advani). Luck favours on him as Preeti’s family is family friend of Kabir’s and he’s asked to take care of her. Kabir is much feared on campus and he starts to give her personal lessons. Preeti enjoys this attention and soon they begin a romantic relationship. After their course ends, they move back to their respective residences in Mumbai. Kabir’s brother Karan (Arjan Bajwa) is getting married and Kabir goes to Preeti’s house to pick her up. Things turn awry here as Preeti’s father spots the lovebirds cosying up to each other. In a sudden turn of events, Preeti is compelled to get married to one Jatinder and Kabir is unable to stop this union. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s story is top-notch and very entertaining. The entire premise and most of the script is the same as ARJUN REDDY. Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s screenplay does justice to the premise. The biggest plus is that it’s quite fresh. Despite the DEVDAS hangover, it stands out and looks like a story of present day. The film showcases a vast journey of the protagonist and it’s stitched together very well. Siddharth-Garima’s dialogues are quite impactful and suit the temper of the protagonist. The funny and medical-inspired one liners are quite witty. Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s direction is quite impressive and he recreates the same magic that he managed to create in ARJUN REDDY. For a director who’s so new, Sandeep helms this venture like a pro. One can feel the pain that Kabir goes through and despite his immoral acts and addiction, one’s heart goes to him. To manage to achieve this feat is no cakewalk. KABIR SINGH has a bit of a philosophical beginning and it’s confusing. The film gets on track as the flashback commences. One of the high points of the first half is when Kabir assaults the rival college player and rationalises his behaviour in front of the Dean. The scenes where he orders Preeti to join him for private lessons seem a bit unsettling but it gets better once you find out that Preeti is willingly joining him and that she enjoys his company. Then again the film goes on a high during the intense Holi sequence. The tension continues in the entire pre interval and intermission portions. Post interval the film gets a bit dragging. But it keeps one engaged as Kabir turns into an alcoholic but a fantastic surgeon and gets into a sort of fling with Jiya Sharma (Nikita Dutta). The in house court sequence is very intriguing. The climax is partly predictable but the turn of events will surely surprise one and all. The film ends on a lovely note. Kabir Singh Review | Shahid Kapoor | Kiara Advani | Public Review | FDFS

Shahid Kapoor owns the film. It won’t be wrong to say this is his most accomplished work. He had a tall order to accomplish since he is stepping into the shoes of Vijay Deverekonda and that too in a role that made him an overnight craze. Yet, Shahid comes out with flying colours. He has boyish looks and still, when he enters the rival college and bashes a student in front of other hundreds of in house students and they don’t object, it seems totally convincing. His alcoholic phase is quite digestible too. Kiara Advani doesn’t have much dialogues and her screen time is limited in the second half. However she fits the part and adds a lot with her fine performance. Her breakdown sequence is exceptional. Nikita Dutta is sweet in the supporting role. Arjan Bajwa and Suresh Oberoi (Kabir’s father) are decent. Soham Majumdar (Shiva) has a very crucial part and is very entertaining. Audiences would surely love him. Adil Hussain is passable. Vanita Kharat (Kabir’s maid) raises laughs in both her scenes. Amit Sharma is a bit over the top but that suits his character. The actors playing Shruti, Jatinder, Keerti are fine. The Songs are mostly relegated in the background. ‘Bekhayali’ is the best of the lot and very well placed in the film. ‘Kaise Hua’ is well shot and the instrumental part of the song is like one of the film’s themes. ‘Tujhe Kitna Chahne Lage’, ‘Pehla Pyaar’ and ‘Tera Ban Jaunga’ are sweet. ‘Mere Sohneya’ is uplifting. Harshvardhan Rameshwar’s background score is subtle and even absent in a few scenes. But the central theme of the film is exhilarating and adds to the excitement. Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran’s cinematography is superlative. The madness is very well captured. Mansi Dhruv Mehta’s production design is quite rich. Payal Saluja and Ankita Patel’s costumes are realistic yet appealing. Afzal Usman Khan’s action is quite real and gory. Aarif Sheikh’s editing is a bit abrupt at certain places. On the whole, KABIR SINGH is a well-made love saga which has tremendous appeal for the youth. The deadly cocktail of adult theme, lovemaking scenes, hit music, taut script and bravura performances would surely bring audiences in hordes to the cinemas.

Movie Review: Toy Story 4 (English)

In 1995, we were introduced to the characters Woody and Buzz Lightyear, along with a host of others with the film TOY STORY. Since then, we have seen two other films in the series release with Woody and Buzz playing the mainstay characters who though being just toys have imparted valuable lessons. Now nine years after the last film in the franchise hit screen, we see the release of TOY STORY 4. Promising to recreate the feelings of old, the new film yet again brings the two main characters to the forefront, while interweaving a social lesson for viewers. But will this new film from Pixar live up to expectations or will it be just another animated flick is what we analyse. TOY STORY 4 begins with a prelude to what has happened since the first film. Though brief, the segment manages to capture the essence of the past, and gradually transforms into the present. From there we are taken into the world of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the gang whose new owner Bonnie is all set to start a kindergarten. Woody, once a favourite is now cast aside, but staying true to his nature, the cowboy goes above and beyond to ensure Bonnie is happy on her first day in kindergarten. While there, Bonnie makes a new toy from a spork, who she names Forky. However, all hell breaks loose when the family along with the toys head out on an adventurous road trip that turns into an unexpected reunion, as Woody’s slight detour leads him to his long-lost friend Bo Peep. As Woody and Bo discuss the old days, they soon start to realize that they’re worlds apart when it comes to what they want from life as toys. For those of you who remember the Pixar animated films from the days past, let us just say that TOY STORY 4 is sure to bring back fond memories. With characters that have already been developed over the past three films, a watertight script and a story that takes viewers on an emotional roller-coaster ride with twists and turns when least expected. In fact, TOY STORY 4 is exactly what you expect a Pixar animated film to be, replete with family values and messages conveyed in an entertaining fashion that connects with kids and adults alike. For those of you who have watched the TOY STORY saga unfold, the latest film is a perfect culmination to the franchise. Director Josh Cooley has done exceedingly well in developing a film that not only keeps up the pace but also gives viewers much needed breathers to slow down and enjoy the plot. The animation is as expected, seamless and visually stunning. From the quick paced sequences to the way each character responds and acts, it is emotions that are the main focus. Another point that needs to be mentioned is the fact that the writers and director have developed the film in such a way that viewers who will be watching this as the first film in the TOY STORY franchise will be able to understand the nuances of friendship between Woody and Buzz, and the rest of the gang. In terms of animation, Pixar has risen to the call and have done an excellent job with making the film. Refined finishes, believable movement and most of all, visual emotions that convey feelings effortlessly are what makes TOY STORY 4 stand out. On the whole, TOY STORY 4 is an entertaining fare as a standalone film and an even better one as a finale to a saga. A definite must watch for the young and old alike. At the box office, the film will face competition from the other big releases, and with low key promotions, the film might find the going a bit tough.

Movie Review: Men in Black: International (English)

Back in 1997 we saw the sci-fi film MEN IN BLACK hit screens starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith. The film, about an undercover government organization that secretly protects the Earth from alien life was an instant hit among the masses. Following the success of this, there were two other sequels that released, with the last one releasing in 2012. Now, six years on, we see a new film in the series with MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL. But will this new film which features a new cast, comprising of Liam Neeson, and the THOR: RAGNAROCK pair of Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson manage to live up to the past films in the series or will it fall flat and be classified as just another CGI filled fest is the question. The film starts off after the events of MEN IN BLACK 3, with a new branch of the MIB being set up in London. From here the film skips to a scene in a local neighbourhood in America where a young girl Molly (Tessa Thompson) sees her parents get nuralized, but escapes the same herself, while at the same time assisting an alien lifeform to escape. Years pass, and Molly persistently searches for the mysterious organization of individuals who wear only black suits. Meanwhile back in London, the head of the branch, High T (Liam Neeson), pairs her up with Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) to battle a different alien species called The Hive. The battle is won and both Agent T and Agent H are hailed as heroes. Back in America, Molly finally finds the headquarters of MIB and convinces Agent O (Emma Thompson) to recruit her. Put on a probationary period, Agent O sends Molly now rechristened to Agent M on a mission to London where she meets Agent T and Agent H. Though on probation Agent M wriggles her way onto a mission with Agent H, a mission where they need to keep an alien noble safe. Unfortunately things take a turn for the worse, and the two must now figure out what went wrong, who leaked the information of the alien noble being on Earth. And most importantly they have to tackle their biggest threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization. Right from the word go, viewers are taken on a journey where everything is possible, from wormhole travel to high speed undersea trains. With excellent CGI, the film is visually stunning keeping you in your seat. However, the first half of the film is spent in setting up the premise for the story while at the same time introducing the new characters. Though Agent T and Agent H aren’t given much in the way of a backstory, Agent M, on the other hand, has her life played out from the moment she first encountered the Men in Black. Sadly this process comes across as long drawn and if not for the visuals and occasional action sequences, viewers would be hard pressed to stay in their seats. The second half of the film picks up with all the ends coming together, a clearer picture begins to emerge. However, as the story progresses one can’t help but notice how predictable the flow is. In fact, the entire core of the film can easily be surmised by the end of the first half with the eventual outcome also being spot on. In this regard, the writing of the film certainly could have been better; with a rather predictable approach and lacklustre punch lines in the dialogues, a lot is missed. In fact, when compared to the previous film, MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL comes across as a half baked attempt to take the franchise forward. The writers Art Marcum and Matt Holloway could have paid more attention to the comic aspect of the film, which unfortunately works only in parts, while for the remainder of the time it comes across as forced and unwanted. Marcum and Holloway have also tried to imbibe Agent T and Agent M with the same kind of relationship that was shared by Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith in the previous film. However, once again the writing falls flat with the two coming across as disinterested and unconcerned for the other. Director F Gary Gray does what he can with the script and dialogues, weaving a visually stunning film. Unfortunately, this does little to help the film. Coming to the performances, Chris Hemsworth who was last seen as the bloated Thor in AVENGERS: ENDGAME is back in shape and on the ball as far as his performance is concerned. Sadly, we have seen his comic side and know he could do better but was limited by the script in this one. Given this fact, Hemsworth has done a commendable job of trying to carry the film. Tessa Thompson, as Molly/ Agent M has done a decent job in her role and so has Liam Neeson as High T. However, though each of the artists have given it their all putting their best forward, the underwhelming story and the weak writing severely undermine their acts. As for CGI and visual effects, MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL has it all. From big explosions to unimaginable alien lifeforms, the film features everything. But once again, visuals alone do not make a film, making this latest in the franchise just another CGI filled venture. Even the background score of the film is rather forgettable, unlike the previous films whose tunes are still there in the back of your mind, MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL features an uninteresting and uninteresting soundtrack. On the whole, for those of you who have loved the MEN IN BLACK series this new release will be a serious downer. At the box office, with BHARAT running strong and competition from other new releases, MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL will face a tough time ahead.

Movie Review: Game Over

Video games are an inherent part of the lives of many. In today’s times, it’s not uncommon to see people playing games on their smartphones as a stressbuster or as a hobby for long hours. Hollywood has made films where these games are the USP like JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE [2017], READY PLAYER ONE [2018], WRECK-IT RALPH [2012] etc. When it comes to Bollywood, apart from RA.ONE [2011], no other film has had this element. Now GAME OVER attempts to get into this space. This is a dubbed Hindi film and is originally shot in Tamil and Telugu. So does GAME OVER manage to give viewers a thrilling time? Or does it fail? Let’s analyse. GAME OVER is the story of gamer fighting demons inside her and also in the outside world. In December 2017, in Sector 101 in Gurugram, a young girl named Amrutha (Sanchana Natarajan) is stalked by an unknown killer while she’s enjoying her meal in her house, all alone. Sometime later, the killer enters her house, assaults her and takes her out of the house in a football field. Here, he beheads her and sets her body on fire. A year later, Sapna (Taapsee Pannu), who stays in Dhankot in Gurugram is having a traumatic time. She is a video game designer and a video game addict who stays alone in a palatial house along with her house help Kalamma (Vinodhini Vaidyanathan). A couple of weeks after Amrutha was murdered, Sapna too had a harrowing time, on New Year’s Eve, when she was raped and the whole act was filmed. With December 31 approaching, she begins to have panic attacks. Since the rape, she has not been able to stay in darkness for more than few seconds. In the midst, she begins to face a new problem. She has a game-centric tattoo on her wrist and it begins to ache badly. Before going to the skin specialist, she goes to the tattoo artist Varsha (Ramya Subramanian) to check if it’s something to do with the tattoo. Varsha hesitatingly informs her that she had mistakenly put a memorial tattoo on Sapna. Meaning, a small amount of ash, of Amrutha, was mixed in the tattoo ink. It was to be used for the tattoo of Amrutha’s mother Dr. Reema (Parvathi T) but by mistake, it was applied on Sapna. Sapna is obviously aghast on knowing this information. She attempts to kill herself but survives. After a meeting with Dr. Reema and knowing the kind of fighter Amrutha was, Sapna decides to start life afresh. At this point, however, the killer who killed Amrutha begins to stalk Sapna. On December 31, he decides to murder her. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Ashwin Saravanan and Kaavya Ramkumar’s story is a bhel puri of various aspects. The film touches upon trauma faced by rape survivors, cancer survivors, serial killing, video game addiction etc. And it’s not stitched together well. Ashwin Saravanan and Kaavya Ramkumar’s screenplay gets affected because of the poor and random storyline. The second half is better and though it reminds one of JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE, it manages to engage a bit. Shruti Madan’s dialogues are nothing great and the ones by Vinodhini Vaidyanathan could have been better written. Ashwin Saravanan’s direction is nothing great. Though he understands the technicalities, he fails to do justice to the overall plot and that’s not surprising since the writing itself is flawed.  A few scenes are quite engaging with one sequence in the second half guaranteed to give viewers a jolt. But he should have made the narrative simpler and not culminated the film on such an abrupt note. Moreover, the loose ends in the film are way too many.

Game Over Movie Review | Taapsee Pannu | Ashwin Saravanan | First Day First Show

GAME OVER’s biggest problem is that it is dubbed in Hindi. When the makers were shooting it in two Southern languages already, they should have also shot it in Hindi especially since lead actress Taapsee Pannu is a popular face in Bollywood. The film has been shot in South but the makers attempt to pass it off as Gurugram and it just doesn’t work. Not just the exterior settings, even the interiors are not convincing. What exactly does Sapna do for a living that she’s able to afford such a huge bungalow? Despite having such a vast place, Sapna doesn’t have her own bedroom and sleeps on the sofa in what seems to be the room where she works. No explanations given! In fact, a lot of things are left unexplained till the very end and it really dilutes the impact. The entire rape episode is never properly touched upon. The serial killer bit too is not properly dealt with. Moreover, the film’s genre keeps changing. It starts off as a violent crime drama. Later, it becomes a psychological thriller, even giving a déjà vu of the Hindi film PHOBIA [2016]. In the scene where Sapna meets Dr. Reema, it becomes an emotional saga. The second half is like a different film altogether. The twist here is novel and that thankfully arrests attention. It’s also completely action packed and that somewhat helps in entertaining the viewers. But it’s not enough to impress the audiences on the whole. Taapsee Pannu is quite good in her part as always. Very few actresses can convincingly play such a part with élan and Taapsee definitely impresses. She constantly tries to rise above the weak script. Vinodhini Vaidyanathan has a very crucial part and is okay. Ramya Subramanian has a fine screen presence. Sanchana Natarajan is quite likeable. Her track is heartwarming but doesn’t make the desired impact as it seems like a misfit in such kind of a film. Anish Kuruvilla (Psychiatrist) is passable. Ron Ethan Yohann’s music is exhilarating. The theme played during the opening credits is splendid. A Vasanth’s cinematography is appropriate for such kind of a film. Sachin Sudhakaran and Hariharan M’s sound design is nothing special and should have been better considering the film’s genre. Shiva Shankar’s art direction is decent. “Real” Satish’s stunts and N K Nandini’s costumes are realistic. Richard Kevin A’s editing is nothing remarkable. On the whole, GAME OVER packs in too much in a single film and hence the desired impact is not made. The buzz is negligible and hence, GAME OVER will surely face a tough time at the box office.

Movie Review: X-Men: Dark Phoenix (English)

Over the years we have seen superhero films grow into a genre of its own, especially with Marvel’s characters entertaining us on the big screen. Now, continuing the same is the latest release from Fox Star in the form of X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX. But will this new film, which will essentially mark the end of an arc in the X-MEN franchise, match up to the ones that have already been release, will it bring clarity to the muddled up timeline of the X-MEN universe or will it be just another actioner devoid of soul is what we analyse. X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX starts off by introducing Jean Grey as a child who realises her mutant abilities via a gruesome accident. From there, Jean is taken to Professor Charles Xavier’s institute, where she eventually grows to become part of the X-Men team. Unfortunately on one fateful mission in space Jean is nearly killed when she is hit by a mysterious cosmic force. Once she returns home, this force not only makes her infinitely more powerful, but far more unstable. Wrestling with this entity inside her, Jean unleashes her powers in ways she can neither comprehend nor contain. With Jean spiralling out of control, and hurting the ones she loves most, she begins to unravel the very fabric that holds the X-Men together. Now, with this family falling apart, they must find a way to unite — not only to save Jean’s soul, but to save our very planet from aliens who wish to weaponize this force and rule the galaxy. Will the remaining X-Men manage to overpower what Jean has become, will Jean manage to fight against the forces within her are some questions that make up the rest of the film. Starting off, the film begins by laying down the premise and introducing Jean Grey’s character and her mutant abilities. Though the first half of the film is rather slow thanks to this setup being introduced, the second half does pick up. However, despite a more rapidly progressing second half, action sequences are sparse and far between. Although, the few action sequences that are there are well executed and are sheer visual treats, one expects more from what is essentially the last film in a character’s arc. X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX has in its run up to release been promoted as an edge of the seat thrill ride that promises an adrenaline pumping action, the onscreen product though is far from it. In fact, more often than not, the viewer is left impatiently waiting for what comes next. Director Simon Kinberg seems to have focussed more on telling the story of an individual mentally tussling with herself to gain the upper hand, while unknowingly affecting those around. Sadly, this latest offering in the X-MEN franchise is as muddles as the recent releases in this series. Unfortunately, unlike the other Marvel sagas, the X-MEN franchise has been subject to rather random time jumps and shifts that have left their core audience at a loss. If you think you will gain clarity about the time line with reference to X-MEN: APOCLYPSE and X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, you will be let down. But it isn’t all downhill, we have to admit that the CGI is well developed and seamlessly woven into the live action bits, from the space mission to the wanton destruction that happens, each CGI heavy sequence is modelled and executed to perfection. The background music too is on point, and with Hans Zimmer as the music director, one expects nothing less. Coming to performances, Sophie Turner as Jean Grey is decent. She does well in her given role; however there are times when it may all seem a bit over the top. But, Turner does hold her own, even when sharing screen space with the likes of Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy. As for Fassbender and McAvoy, both have done equally well in their given roles. In fact, both the actors have over the time adapted to their characters and embodied them perfectly. As for the rest of the cast, each of them have done fairly well in their limited roles. A special mention needs to be made here for Jessica Chastain as Vuk, she plays the emotionally and expression devoid character with aplomb. On the whole, X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX is just another action movie that you won’t regret not watching. And if you are an X-MEN fan there are high chances that you be disappointed. At the box office, the film hits screens alongside the Salman Khan starrer BHARAT, and will face an uphill task. However, the release across 1100 screens in multiple languages will certainly assist in posting decent figures.

Movie Review: Bharat

In Bollywood, a film that covers an entire lifespan of a character is very rare and is only seen in biopics. Hollywood has done that quite often in fictional films but in our cinema, it has rarely been witnessed. Blockbuster director Ali Abbas Zafar, after delivering two Rs. 300 crore grossers, is now back with BHARAT. It stars Salman Khan in the lead and he’ll be seen in various avatars as he ages through the film. The looks of the superstar has been appreciated but will these praises be there for the film as well? Will BHARAT work despite being such an atypical entertainer? Let’s analyse. BHARAT is about the journey of a man and a nation together. The story begins in 1947 in Mirpur village near Lahore. Bharat (Salman Khan) is a kid and his father Gautam Kumar (Jackie Shroff) dotes on him. This is the time of Partition and Bharat and his family are compelled to leave for India. At the railway station, Bharat is climbing on top of the train with his sister Gudiya (Barbiee Sharma) when she falls down on the station. Gautam has already managed to safely climb atop the train but he goes down to search Gudiya. But before that, he gives his watch to Bharat and assures him that he’ll be back. He also tells him to go with his mother Janki (Sonali Kulkarni), brother and sister to Gautam’s sister Jamuna (Ayesha Raza Mishra)’s shop, Hind Ration Store in Delhi. Bharat and his family cross over to India and thus go to the ration shop as asked by Gautam. They are quite poor and Bharat starts doing odd jobs. Bharat soon grows up as a dashing young man (Salman Khan) and he and his childhood friend Vilayati (Sunil Grover) join a circus. Here he comes across the sizzling Radha (Disha Patani). Both Bharat and Radha get into a relationship while also doing death defying stunts. However when Bharat realises his stunts might be influencing youngsters to do the same without proper training, he quits the circus. He goes to employment exchange where he meets Kumud (Katrina Kaif) and gets smitten by her. Bharat and Vilayati are sent to Middle East to work in the oil fields. The money is good but not as much as he expected to earn. Hence, Bharat decides to work in the dangerous underground mines. Kumud who is now in love with Bharat stops him from taking up the project since she’s aware that the risk is quite high. Bharat however still takes up the work. All is well at first but 21 days later, an explosion takes place in the underground mine. It seems near impossible for Bharat and his other colleagues to come out alive. What happens next forms the rest of the film. BHARAT is based on the 2014 Korean flick Ode To My Father (directed by Yoon Je-kyoon; written by Park Su-jin). The story has been Indianized very well and the important events of post-Independence India like the death of Jawaharlal Nehru, rise of unemployment, the 1983 Cricket World Cup final, era of liberalisation and globalisation, emerging trend of redevelopment etc are well inserted in the narrative. Ali Abbas Zafar and Varun V Sharma’s screenplay is effective and keeps viewers engaged from start to finish. The emotional sequences especially are quite well written. Ali Abbas Zafar and Varun V Sharma’s dialogues are simple and sharp, and even quite funny at places. Ali Abbas Zafar’s direction is topnotch. Unlike his previous films, this film is in a different zone but Ali handles it all like a pro. The film changes tracks every 15-20 minutes and to handle such a film is not a cakewalk. For instance, after the tragic Partition scene, the film gets a bit comic and even quite colourful in the circus sequence. The switch however happens quite seamlessly and this can be seen throughout the film. On the flipside however, the humour is forced in a few scenes and doesn’t make the desired impact. Also, the National Anthem scene seems unwarranted for and could have been written in a better way. BHARAT begins very well, showing the 70-year-old Bharat and his life in Delhi. One might feel that the makers perhaps have shown too much at this point. But one need not worry because there’s a lot that the principal character goes through in his life and it slowly gets unveiled. The childhood portion is moving while the circus scenes are vibrant and entertaining. The real fun however begins once Bharat meets Kumud and later when he starts working in the Middle East. Till this point, there hasn’t been much conflict in the tale. But it finally enters the narrative once Bharat and his teammates get trapped. The manner in which the film goes on a high at this point is seen to be believed. The second half gets better thankfully. The scenes of the ship are quite good and watch out for how the humour is so well infused in the sequence where the pirates attack the vessel! The best however is reserved for the pre-climax. An interesting development takes place here and it’ll surely bring tears to the eyes of viewers, a la BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN [2015]. The film ends on a justified note. Bharat Movie Review | Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover, Disha patani | Public Review

Salman Khan as expected rocks the show. He is dashing and entertaining in each and every avatar. And he seems convincing in all these makeovers. In the circus scene, he’s supposed to be below 30 years ago and it comes out just right. Even as an old man, he fits the part and makes subtle changes in his speech, body language etc. His fans are surely in for a treat! Katrina Kaif looks ravishing and performance wise, she is first rate. She gets to essay a very well-written part and she does justice to it. Her conversation with Salman while munching on shawarma is quite memorable. Sunil Grover gets a lot of screen time and is almost like the second lead of the film. And he makes good use of the opportunity and would surely be appreciated. Jackie Shroff’s screen time is very limited but he has a crucial part and he makes his presence felt. Disha Patani is sizzling and has a fine screen presence. Tabu (Meher) has a powerful cameo. Aasif Sheikh (Mehek’s husband) stands out with his characterization and humour. The kid actors – Barbiee Sharma, Kabir Sajid (young Bharat), Aaryan Prajapati (young Vilayati) and Matin Rey Tangu (young Jimmy) are adorable. Nora Fatehi (Sussan) looks quite hot but is wasted. Sonali Kulkarni, Kashmira Irani (Mehek), Kumud Kumar Mishra (Keemat), Ayesha Raza Mishra, Shashank Arora (Chhote), Rajiv Gupta (Gulati) and Ivan Rodrigues (Gupta) are decent. Meiyang Chang is hardly there but his look is quite badass. Vishal-Shekhar’s music is good but could have been better. ‘Slow Motion’ is the top song of the lot followed by ‘Chashni’. ‘Aithey Aa’ is well choreographed. ‘Zinda’ is exhilarating. ‘Tupreya’, ‘Aaya Na Tu’ and ‘Thap Thap’ are okay. Julius Packiam’s background score is better and exhilarating, especially in the emotional scenes. Vaibhavi Merchant and Adil Shaikh’s choreography is appealing, especially in ‘Slow Motion’ and ‘Aithey Aa’. Marcin Laskawiec’s cinematography is captivating and some scenes are very well captured. Rajnish Hedao’s production design is quite rich. Ashley Rebello, Alvira Khan Agnihotri, Veera Kapur Ee and Lolveen Bains’s costumes are authentic and also glamorous. The ones worn by Katrina Kaif and Disha Patani stand out. SeaYoung Oh, Parvez Shaikh and Dave Judge’s action is not too gory and is appropriate. Rameshwar Bhagat’s editing falters in a few places but overall, it’s commendable, considerable the expansive storyline. On the whole, BHARAT is a super-entertainer with emotions as its strong USP and Salman Khan like never before. The superb combination of Salman Khan, emotions and the release period [Eid] will ensure fireworks at the ticket windows. At the box office, it will fetch bumper profits for all concerned. Bharat Review Bharat Movie Review                   Bharat Movie Review

Movie Review: India’s Most Wanted

Since many years, there have been extraordinary tales of heroism and bravery pertaining to national interest. At times, these news items made it to the newspapers and yet didn’t become a talking point. Or there were times when it never made it to the headlines at all. Director Raj Kumar Gupta made a film last year, RAID, which fell in the latter category. And now he tells a story that comes in the category of former in his upcoming film, INDIA’S MOST WANTED. So does INDIA’S MOST WANTED manage to entertain and keep the viewers gripped? Or does it fail? Let’s analyse. INDIA’S MOST WANTED is the story of a sensational capture of a terrorist. Prabhaat Kapoor (Arjun Kapoor) is an intelligence official based in Bihar and has the reputation of capturing several high-profile criminals. He one day gets a tip from a mysterious source (Jitendra Shastri) about a dreaded terrorist’s hideout in Nepal. This terrorist is none other than Yusuf (Sudev Nair), who has masterminded several terrorist attacks in India. Thanks to his track record, he has been hailed as India’s Osama Bin Laden. After getting permission from his senior Rajesh Singh (Rajesh Sharma) unofficially, Prabhaat leaves for Nepal along with Pillai (Prasanth Alexandrr), Amit (Gaurav Mishra) and Aasif Khan (Bittu). Without informing Rajesh, Prabhaat takes financial and manpower help from Ravi (Bajrangbali Singh) and the team reaches Kathmandu, capital of Nepal. They meet the source and he tells them that Yusuf had met him through his acquaintance Nadeem to send money to Saudi Arabia. But the source doesn’t know where Yusuf exactly resides. Thus begins the hunt for Prabhaat and his team. However, the challenges in front of them are aplenty. They are not authorized to use weapons and are on the mission illegally. Moreover, Pakistan’s ISI have a heavy presence in Nepal and they’ll do anything to save Yusuf from the clutches of Team Prabhaat. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Raj Kumar Gupta’s story is strictly okay and reminds one of the second half of Akshay Kumar-starrer BABY [2015]. He has tried to remain authentic to the real incident. In doing so, Raj Kumar Gupta’s screenplay suffers. The episode of how the terrorist was nabbed was sensational especially the bit of getting hold of him without firing a single bullet. But in other words, this also means that the film is devoid of action and some real entertainment. Raj Kumar Gupta’s dialogues are nothing great. Raj Kumar Gupta’s direction is not upto the mark, especially considering his work in the past films like AAMIR [2008], NO ONE KILLED JESSICA [2011] and RAID [2018]. The writing is surely the biggest culprit here but even his direction doesn’t do much to salvage the situation. A few scenes here and there are fine but these are far and few between. The element of thrill is certainly missing. Moreover, the idea of inserting shots of various serial blasts followed by Yusuf’s justification at regular intervals is very random and spoils the film’s narrative. Arjun Kapoor On Freedom Of Expression | Bolne Me Sau baar Sochna Padta | We Are Soft targets

  INDIA’S MOST WANTED starts on an average note. Prabhaat’s entry is intended to be heroic but it doesn’t come out well. The sequence where Prabhaat’s members pool in money for the Nepal trip from their own pocket is moving especially considering that all of them hardly have any savings. This is the only time one can feel for them. Otherwise, throughout the film, one doesn’t really root for them and also they don’t seem convincing about their record of successfully executing some crucial missions in the past. The pace of the film is slow and some scenes just add to the confusion and length. The character of India’s Most Wanted terrorist also is weak. He doesn’t come across as powerful or heinous but thankfully, no attempt is done to show his back story or his sufferings. The interrogation of the source is well executed. The intermission point is quite dramatic. Also, the climax is when the interest really piques. But again, the sequence of Team Prabhaat’s journey from Nepal to India seems rather convenient. The finale is a bit exhilarating and that helps the film end on a somewhat decent note. Arjun Kapoor delivers a performance that can be called passable. His act is not consistent – in some scenes, he really acts genuinely but in some scenes, he doesn’t seem in complete form. His best act is when he sets his eyes on the terrorist for the first time. Rajesh Sharma is quite dependable. Jitendra Shastri is entertaining, especially his looks and character. Prasanth Alexandrr, Gaurav Mishra and Aasif Khan are strictly okay. Same goes for Bajrangbali Singh. Sudev Nair tries his best to look and act in a heinous manner. Amit Trivedi’s music is forgettable. ‘Vande Mataram’ doesn’t evoke any sense of patriotism. The club song ‘Dil Jaani’ is forced although it’s hummable. Amit Trivedi’s background score is in sync with the film’s mood. Dudley’s cinematography is nothing special. Too many aerial shots have been used. Rita Ghosh’s production design is realistic. Rohit Chaturvedi’s costumes are also quite authentic. Parvez Shaikh’s action lacks excitement. Bodhaditya Banerjee’s editing is flawed as the film could have been much shorter. India’s Most Wanted Review : On the whole, INDIA’S MOST WANTED is an average fare thanks to its poor writing and direction. At the box office, the film is going to face an uphill task owing to the lack of excitement and buzz. India’s Most Wanted Review :        India’s Most Wanted Movie Review

Movie Review: De De Pyaar De

In Indian society, a marriage of a younger woman with an older man is seen as completely acceptable. However, terms and conditions apply especially if the age gap between the two is considerable. Such marriages are quite common and yet they continue to raise eyebrows and become a topic of gossip. Luv Ranjan, known for making quirky relatable romcoms, now takes up this topic in his latest offing, DE DE PYAAR DE. But this time he’s just the writer and producer as he passes on the director’s hat to well-known editor and first time director, Akiv Ali. So does DE DE PYAAR DE manage to entertain and give a gala time, just like Luv Ranjan’s previous works? Or does it fail to deliver? Let’s analyse. DE DE PYAAR DE is an unusual love story. Ashish (Ajay Devgn), 50, is based in London. He is separated from his wife, Manju (Tabu). At a common friend’s wedding, he comes across Aisha (Rakul Preet Singh) who is 26 years old. She is free-spirited and carefree and both she and Ashish get attracted to each other. In no time, she moves into his place. When the topic of marriage comes up, Ashish hesitates but realizing how much he loves Aisha, he agrees. He takes her to his hometown in Manali to get his parent’s approval. He decides to go there unannounced and as soon as he reaches there, all hell breaks loose. Ashish has not been in contact with them since years and hence his family comprising of Manju, daughter Ishita (Inayat), son Ishaan (Bhavin Bhanushali), father (Alok Nath) and mother (Madhumalti Kapoor) are startled to see him and that too with Ashish. Ishita gets livid as her to-be-father-in-law Atul (Kumud Mishra) is about to come to meet the family. She is petrified since she told Atul and her boyfriend Rishi (Rajveer Singh) that Ashish is no more! Ashish develops cold feet on seeing so much of negativity upon his arrival. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Luv Ranjan’s story is entertaining and also quite progressive and mature. He gives a very important message but peppers it with entertaining and funny sequences to keep the interest going. Luv Ranjan, Tarun Jain and Surabhi Bhatnagar’s screenplay is also just right and very effective. There’s so much happening in the film every minute that throughout the 135 minute duration, one doesn’t get bored at all. A few sequences are unconvincing here and there but the plusses outweigh the minuses in a huge way. Tarun Jain and Luv Ranjan’s dialogues are as expected very well-worded, witty and funny. The lingo is of today’s generation and that is refreshing. The muting of abuses however is a downer. Akiv Ali’s direction is quite good and as a first-timer, it is very praiseworthy that he has handled the film and its plot with sensitivity and finesse. The film is also a bit bold for the Indian audience due to the stigma attached with couples having unusually huge age gaps. Also, a sequence related to Raksha Bandhan might raise eyebrows. Same goes for the pre-climax twist. Hence, a section of moviegoers might get uncomfortable. But the writing along with Akiv’s direction ensures that it’ll be accepted and will be seen in the right spirit. Also, it reflects the changing times. DE DE PYAAR DE begins on a rocking note. Aisha’s entry is smoking hot and the manner in which she develops feelings for Ashish is gradual and seems convincing. The track of Sunny Singh (Akash) adds to the fun. A surprise of the first half is when the laughter vanishes and the narrative gets moving. However, it doesn’t take the film down and prepares audiences for the fact that the film is not a laugh-a-minute caper. The intermission point is clapworthy and comes at an excellent point as one knows that from hereon, it’s going to be all fireworks. And that’s what happens in the second half. The madness goes on another level as Ashish gets attacked from all quarters. At the same time, it will also make viewers teary-eyed. The sequence where Ashish bats for live-in relationships and the effect it has on others is too good. But the best is deserved for the pre-climax and climax. Some unexpected developments take place and Manju’s outburst is seen to be believed. The film ends on a great note and there’s even a hint of a sequel!

Ajay Devgn is subtle and underplays his part beautifully. When it comes to comedy, in recent times he’s known for films like GOLMAAL where he is over the top. But in case of DE DE PYAAR DE, Ajay understands the space well and keeps the whole thing real and at the same time entertaining. In the initial scenes, he speaks with his eyes a lot without mouthing many dialogues and it creates a tremendous impact. And there’s a lovely SINGHAM surprise in the film which will make the masses crazy! Rakul Preet Singh shines like a star and it is her most accomplished work in Bollywood. She appears very confident as the hot bombshell and performance wise, she is spot on. In fact, she dominates many sequences of the first half. Tabu on the hand is the soul of the second hour. Her character is fleshed out very well and with her performance, she makes it even more special. Her part would be accepted with open arms and after ANDHADHUN [2018], this is yet another feather in her cap! Jimmy Sheirgill adds to the humour though in some scenes, his character seems a bit forced. Alok Nath seems to have sleepwalked from the sets of Luv’s previous film, SONU KE TITU KI SWEEETY [2018]. No complaints though as he’s funny. Kumud Mishra adds a lot to the film. Inayat is too loud and though that was the character requirement, she goes slightly overboard. Bhavin Bhanushali is adorable and his track too adds to the madness. Jaaved Jaaferi (Sameer) and Sunny Singh contribute to the laughter quotient in the first half. Madhumalti Kapoor and Rajveer Singh are okay. Songs are not of chartbuster variety but work in the film. ‘Vaddi Sharaban’ is the best of the lot due to its picturisation, situation and choreography (Bosco Caesar). ‘Dil Royi Jaye’ comes next and the moving track is beautifully sung by Arijit Singh. ‘Mukhda Vekh Ke’ is foot-tapping, ‘Chale Aana’ is visually strong while ‘Tu Mila Toh Haina’ is sweet. ‘Hauli Hauli’ is played in the end credits. Hitesh Sonik’s background score adds to the entertainment. Shashank Tere’s production design is rich and appealing. Niharika Bhasin Khan and Aki Narula’s costumes are glamorous especially the ones worn by Rakul Preet. Even Ajay and Tabu are styled nicely. Chetan M Solanki’s editing is praiseworthy as the pace of the film is neither too quick nor dragging.

De De Pyaar De Review :

On the whole, DE DE PYAAR DE is a paisa vasool entertainer with plenty of laugh aloud moments and strong emotions as its USP. At the box office, the film has the potential to work big time basis a strong word of mouth. Recommended!

De De Pyaar De Review      De De Pyaar De Movie Review

Movie Review: Student Of The Year 2

Some of the most popular films on OTT platforms at present are those that are set in schools or colleges. These are usually light-hearted films dealing with love and other school based aspects. Not just on streaming platforms, even in cinemas, this genre has never gone out of fashion and Hollywood regularly churns such films. But when it comes to Bollywood, one can hardly recall handful of such films. The only memorable movies one can recollect in the last 10-11 years are JAANE TU YA JAANE NA [2008], 3 IDIOTS [2009] and FUKREY [2013]. STUDENT OF THE YEAR 2 hence is an important film in this regard. Its first part, released in 2012, was a success and established three new actors – Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra. Now, Karan Johar has released STUDENT OF THE YEAR 2 and this time he casts two new girls – Ananya Panday and Tara Sutaria – along with popular actor Tiger Shroff. However, it’s Punit Malhotra who’s wearing the director’s cap for the sequel. So does STUDENT OF THE YEAR 2 manage to entertain and be as good or better than its predecessor? Or does it fail to entice? Let’s analyse. STUDENT OF THE YEAR 2 is the story of triumph, love and making a comeback. Rohan (Tiger Shroff) and Mridula (Tara Sutaria) study together in Pishori Chamanlal college. Both are in love and there comes a time when Mridula changes her college and gets admission in the prestigious St Teresa College. Rohan too wants to get admitted in this institution but knowing that the fees there are too costly, he abandons the plan. He still tries his luck and seeks admission under the sports quota. As luck would have it, his admission is approved. Rohan reaches there and realizes Mridula has changed. For starters, she now calls herself Mia. She also gets a bit detached with Rohan. However, in no time Rohan wins her heart and they both again become a couple. Meanwhile, Rohan is introduced to the Teresa’s stud and star athlete, Manav Mehra (Aditya Seal). They quickly become friends but Manav’s sister Shreya (Ananya Panday) detests him. She always tries her best to put Rohan in a spot. At the time of the dance competition of the college, Rohan and Mia team up while Manav and Shreya jointly participate. For both the girls, winning the competition is very crucial.  Mia wants to attain popularity and she realizes that this dance competition will be a step in that direction. Shreya, meanwhile, wants to escape the clutches of her tyrannical father Mr Randhawa (Chetan Pandit) and also her over-achiever brother Manav and enrol in a dance school in London. During the competition, Manav and Shreya win while Rohan and Mia get defeated as Mia loses her grip. Mia is devastated and when Rohan goes to console her, he finds Mia and Manav cosying up to each other. An angry Rohan punches Manav. This action leads to Rohan’s expulsion from St Teresa. Manav, still cross over getting hit by Rohan, gangs up and beats Rohan black and blue. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Arshad Syed’s story, with additional inputs by Paulomi Dutta, is nothing new and novel. However, it’s written keeping in the mind the genre. Arshad Syed’s screenplay however is praiseworthy as its peppered with some entertaining, dramatic and even moving moments. The beginning however is a bit haphazard. Arshad Syed’s dialogues are witty and some one-liners raise guffaws. Punit Malhotra’s direction is appropriate. He understands the space in which the film is set and does justice to the plot in hand. He had a tall order to reach considering that the first part was very well helmed by Karan Johar. In that regard, he comes quite close and that’s quite a feat. Despite the unreal world, Punit puts his earnest effort in making it seem convincing. At a few places, he does falter though, story-wise. Shreya’s turn around in the second half is difficult to digest. Also, a twist in the first half revolving around Mia is surely a shocker but might raise questions. STUDENT OF THE YEAR 2 doesn’t have a great opening as such. The beginning portions don’t really engross viewers. It’s only when Rohan gets admission in St Teresa that the film picks up. The stark contrast between Pishori and St Teresa is well depicted. Also, the issues Rohan faces while adjusting in the new environment and the way he upgrades his wardrobe to fit in is very relatable. The scene at Jeffrey’s is funny but the scene to watch out for in the first half is when Mr Randhawa slaps Shreya. It takes the film to another level as viewers realize Shreya’s life isn’t as lovely as it seems to be. Another sequence that comes close is the intermission point – quite impactful. The second half gets better as Rohan changes gear and also his life dream. A few sequences stand out here – Shreya celebrating her birthday alone, Rohan, Shreya and Mia arguing in the café and the fight at the college stadium. The climax keeps viewers on the edge and though predictable, it makes for a fine watch. ROFL: Tiger Shroff, Ananya Pandey & Tara Sutaria’s FUNNIEST Quiz Ever | SOTY 2

Tiger Shroff is completely in his element and as always, does a great job. His screen presence is electrifying and though he is perceived as a killing machine, it’s still believable when he’s the one getting bashed up by the baddies and he doesn’t even fight back. However, when he does make a comeback, it’s seen to be believed! In fact, the praise should also be showered on Punit Malhotra for using Tiger’s action potential to the fullest and also seamlessly making it a part of film’s narrative! Ananya Panday is a complete star and she proves it. She looks very convincing as a spoilt rich brat. Her change of heart might seem unconvincing but once that happens, she impresses even more, acting-wise. Her’s is in fact the most moving character in the film and she wins hearts! Tara Sutaria too puts her best foot forward. Her screen presence too is something to watch out for. Sadly, she gets a bit sidelined in the second half but she surely gets noticed and is set for a bright future in Bollywood! Aditya Seal is well casted and he is terrific as the baddie. Watch out for the scenes where he’s silently observing and without saying a word, he conveys a lot! Harsh Beniwal (Puggi) is quite entertaining and raises laughs. Ayesha Raza (Principal Singh) and Manoj Pahwa (Coach Mahipal) are a bit over the top but it was as per the requirement of the character. Samir Soni (Principal Gujral) tries to be funny but fails. Gul Panag (Coach Kuljeet) shines in a small role. Chetan Pandit is alright. Rajesh Kumar (Rohan’s astrologer uncle) is hilarious in his entry scene. Manasi Joshi Roy (Roshan’s aunt) is unrecognizable and doesn’t have much to do. Samreen Kaur (Mia’s mother) is there for just one scene which is also needless. Rajveer Singh (Security guard Lahiri Singh) gets noticed. Will Smith is seen for a few seconds while Alia Bhatt adds to the glamour quotient in the end credit song. Vishal-Shekhar’s music is not that great. The first part had very memorable songs while in this part, songs are below-par. ‘The Jawaani Song’ is the best of the lot and most entertaining. ‘The Hook Up Song’, appears in the end credit, is okay. ‘Main Bhi Nahin Soya’ is moving, more so because of the visuals. ‘Fakira’ and ‘Jat Ludhiyane Da’ are also alright. ‘Mumbai Dilli Di Kudiyaan’ is not a part of the film. Salim-Sulaiman’s background score is energetic and dramatic. Ravi K Chandran’s cinematography is rich and gives the film a brilliant look. Choreography is visually appealing by all three – Remo Dsouza (‘The Jawaani Song’), Adil Shaikh (‘Fakira’ and ‘Jat Ludhiyane Da’) and Farah Khan (‘The Hook Up Song’). Sumayya Shaikh’s production design is superior in terms of visuals and ups the film’s richness. Manish Malhotra and Nikita Jaisinghani’s costumes are also a treat to the eyes. Though they might seem a bit too over the top, especially the costumes worn by Ananya and Tara, it will be liked by the target audience and might soon even set a new trend in fashion. Sham Kaushal’s action defies logic and laws of gravity at places but in a film of this zone, it actually works well. Ritesh Soni’s editing is praiseworthy. The film is nearly 145 minutes long but doesn’t seem lengthy. On the whole, STUDENT OF THE YEAR 2 is an entertaining and an enjoyable fare which will strike a chord in the audience’s hearts. At the box office, it has the potential to do excellent business! Student Of The Year 2 Review        Student Of The Year 2 Movie Review

Movie Review: Blank

Before Tara Sutaria and Ananya Panday make their much awaited debuts next week in STUDENT OF THE YEAR, there is one more newbie who will step into the world of Bollywood – Karan Kapadia with BLANK. The film and the actor both have been talked about since Karan is the nephew of Dimple Kapadia. Even Akshay Kumar has lent his support to the film by agreeing to do a promotional song. With the marketing aspect being taken care of, the questions that arise now are – Is BLANK well-made worth all the hype and buzz? Or does it fail to strike a chord with the audience? Let’s analyse! BLANK is the story of a terrorist who is a ‘living explosive’. Hanif (Karan Kapadia) is a part of a terrorist group called Tehreer Al-Hind, headed by Maqsood (Jameel Khan). He has arrived in Mumbai along with other terrorists with a deadly plan – to set off 24 bomb blasts, each by a terrorist. However, on the D-Day, he meets with a road accident. He faints and is taken to the hospital. The staff there is astonished to see a timed bomb fixed to his body! Immediately, the ATS chief S S Dewan (Sunny Deol) is informed. The doctors are unable to detach the bomb from his body as its connected with his heart. Once Hanif regains consciousness, another obstacle emerges in front of Dewan. Hanif has lost his memory due to the accident and doesn’t remember anything at all about the bomb or where he has come from. Dewan’s juniors, Husna (Ishita Dutta) and Rohit (Karanvir Sharma) meanwhile nab another suicide bomber, Farukh. Realizing that the police now has the second terrorist to extract information from, Dewan’s senior Aruna Gupta orders that Hanif be taken to the outskirts of the city and be killed. Dewan accompanies the party that takes Hanif to a salt pan. On the other hand, Husna successfully locates Hanif’s residence where she finds the blueprint of the bomb attached to Hanif’s body. She realizes that killing Hanif will trigger other 24 bombs in the city and she quickly informs Dewan of the same. At this moment, a team of terrorists arrive at the salt pans and attacks the cops. They also take away Hanif. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Pranav Adarsh’s story is average. His screenplay is decent but also has its loose ends. Some small developments are also skipped which is bewildering. After all, the film’s duration is quite less and 4-5 minutes of extra scenes wouldn’t have harmed the film. Behzad Khambata’s dialogues are simple and work well. Behzad Khambata’s direction is quite good, also considering that it’s his directorial debut. He has some handled some scenes deftly. BLANK is just 111 minutes long but it seems quite lengthy. The film starts off well at a crucial moment and then goes on a flashback mode. The first half doesn’t go on a high but is decent and sans complaints. Hanif’s fight sequence in the hospital is nicely done. His interrogation sequence gets a bit dragging but keeps viewers engaged. The intermission point however is the best part of the film. Three developments are happening simultaneously here – Husna is searching Hanif’s house, Rohit is in search of the godown whereas Dewan is about to execute Hanif. And all these episodes are well directed. Post-interval however, the film goes downhill. A track is needlessly added about Hanif’s father during the 2002 riots. Remove this bit and the film still would have made sense. The action scene in the tourist office is quite long and well executed. The climax is quite unexpected and unpredictable. That is a plus but at the same time, logic goes out of the window. The masses especially would find it difficult to understand the developments regarding the bomb attached on Hanif’s body. Sunny Deol, Karan Kapadia and Ishita Dutta grace the trailer launch of the film Blank | Part 2

Karan Kapadia makes a fine debut. He succeeds in pulling off this uni-dimensional character. Shockingly, the film is marketed extensively on his name but for most of the second half, he is not there on the screen. Sunny Deol is excellent and after a string of bad films and acts [YAMLA PAGLA DEEWANA PHIR SE, MOHALLA ASSI, BHAIAJI SUPERHIT], he finally proves his worth in this film. The audiences will get to see the Deol they love, in this film. Ishita Dutta gives her best shot. Karanvir Sharma looks dashing and makes his presence felt. Jameel Khan (Maqsood) is entertaining. But his act might remind one of his character in BABY [2015]. Kishori Shahane (Dewan’s wife) is wasted. The actors playing Farukh, Bashir, Aruna Gupta and Dewan’s son Raunaq are average. Music has no scope. ‘Ali Ali’, featuring Akshay Kumar, appears in the end. ‘Himmat Karja’ is wasted and the way Sunny Deol and others start doing a particular hand movement in a serious moment looks out of place. ‘Warning Nahi Dunga’ is played during the opening credits and goes well with it. Rooshin Dalal and Kaizad Gherd’s background score however is quite powerful and escalates impact. R Dee’s cinematography is top-class and gives the film a superior look. Watch out for the bird’s eye shot of the salt pans – simply breathtaking! Vikram Dahiya’s action is visually nice and not too gory. Rajinder Sharma’s production design is appropriate. FutureWorks Media Ltd’s VFX is authentic. Sanjay Sharma’s editing is okay. On the whole, BLANK is well directed and performed and is based on the relatable events of terrorism. Sunny Deol’s fans will love him in an action packed role after a long time. At the box office, it will be an average fare!

Movie Review – Avengers: Endgame (SPOILER FREE)

Over the past decade or so Marvel and Disney have introduced the audience to superhero films that have since become some of the highest grossing cinematic ventures ever. With a fan following that rivals any army, audiences throng to the cinema halls each time a film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe releases. Now, after 22 films we finally see the release of the concluding chapter with AVENGERS: ENDGAME hitting screens. But how do you wrap up over a decade of stories, with twice as many films while tying up loose ends is the biggest task this week’s release faces. Will the new release that comes with immense hope and anticipation attached to it live up to expectations or will AVENGERS: ENDGAME be yet another CGI filled actioner is the question. AVENGERS: ENDGAME starts off from where the chaotic events of AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR left. After the snap, Earth’s mightiest heroes are left picking up the pieces of what remains following Thanos wiping out half of all life. The film details the mental anguish and trauma each character goes through, the loss they feel and cope up with and eventually them formulating a plan to turn back events. Will the arrival of Captain Marvel that was revealed in the previous film be the game changer? Will the Avengers who have survived ‘The Decimation’ be able to band together and save the day, or will a new evil threaten what remains on Earth is what forms the rest of the film. Right from the word go, the viewer is plunged head first into the Avengers universe, detailing what remains after Thanos’ infamous snap that has been christened ‘The Decimation’. We learn how each of our favourite superheroes are dealing with the loss. But the film does not dwell upon this topic for long, from there on the viewer is taken on a chaotic ride filled with twists, plots and sub plots as the remaining Avengers conceptualize and execute a way to bring back the fallen. Though the runtime of AVENGERS: ENDGAME has been a point of ongoing discussion, the film which is over three hours long seems like a breeze. Not once does the film let the viewer know how much time has passed. In fact the film brings a sense of normalcy after the chaotic happening in INFINITY WAR, while keeping the viewer gripped. Like any of the previous films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, AVENGERS: ENDGAME, if not the best is by far one among the best made films in a saga that has lasted for over a decade. A fitting conclusion to a 22 film build up that literally no one could have seen coming, the film is a perfect ode to a story that has entertained a generation. Be it writing, direction, acting or editing, each aspect has been dealt with excellence. Here, a special mention needs to be made for writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, who have done a brilliant job with the character. Both Markus and McFeely understand each character and their relevant lines so well that they have managed to breathe life into their on screen renditions, while at the same time keeping in mind the happenings over the past 22 films to bring them all together in a fitting, gut-wrenching, emotional climax. However, AVENGERS: ENDGAME isn’t perfect; the film does have its share of flaws coming in the form of confusing plots and sub-plots that intertwine with each other to create a confusing mesh of time travelling mashup all done to defeat Thanos. And here in lies some of the biggest loopholes, given the fact that the film has teased time travel with set photos finding their way to the internet. The big questions then arises is, how do the Avengers maintain the space-time continuum while skipping back in time to change events. Though it may not follow the beaten path as films based on time travel have in the past, ENDGAME sees its own laws of time travel unravel. While this certainly is entertaining to watch, fans might just be plagued with a few unanswered questions at the end. Avengers Endgame: First Day First Show Grand Celebration with Fans | Public Review

Coming to the performances in AVENGERS: ENDGAME, each of the cast members from Robert Downey Jr. to Scarlett Johansson, to Chris Evans, Josh Brolin, Mark Ruffalo Chris Hemsworth and the others have done stellar jobs. Here, a special mention needs to be made for RDJ, who proves why he was the one Avenger who had the entire script of ENDGAME. Directors, Anthony and Joe Russo too have done a commendable job, as ending an era of films with a visual spectacle that entertains is no easy task. But the director duo has done exceedingly well to encompass the fandom and fan theories that have evolved over the years. With twists that keep you gripped and well executed action sequences that leave you in awe, AVENGERS: ENDGAME makes for a thrilling watch. Along with a good story, excellent direction and flawless performances, AVENGERS: ENDGAME also features visually stunning CGI that has been woven into the live action sequences seamlessly. Besides this there is also the background score of the film that adds a whole new dimension to what is happening on screen. The well intoned notes and crescendos build up the proceedings for a thrilling climax. A special mention needs to be made about the editing of the film, which seamlessly merges past and present events while at the same time ensuring not to confuse the viewer. On the whole, AVENGERS: ENDGAME is a fitting end to a journey that lasted over a decade. While the climax itself might leave viewers wanting more, the journey the film takes them on is an experience that will not be forgotten soon. A definite must watch roller coaster ride that will leave you speechless. At the box office, with shows running right through the night in some locations, and with an ardent fan following, AVENGERS: ENDGAME looks set to establish new box office records in India.

Avengers: Endgame (English) Review   Avengers: Endgame (English) Movie Review

Movie Review: KALANK lacks soul and is disappointing

At one time, multi-starrers were in vogue but of late, such films barely come out of Bollywood. A few franchises like GOLMAAL and HOUSEFULL have kept this tradition alive. Even DHAMAAL can be counted here and its recent instalment TOTAL DHAMAAL was one of the biggest multi-starrers in a long time as Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit got added to the star cast. KALANK goes one step ahead as it stars six actors, all of whom are big and prominent names in their own right. So does KALANK manage to be a memorable multi-actor flick, replete with ample entertainment and drama? Or does it fail to entertain? Let’s analyse. KALANK is the story of lovers not destined to be together. The year is 1945. Satya Chaudhry (Sonakshi Sinha), wife of Dev Chaudhry (Aditya Roy Kapur) is diagnosed with cancer and she is told that she has just a year or maximum two years to live. Realizing that Dev will be shattered after her demise, she decides to find a second wife for him. Her search takes her to Rajputana, Rajasthan where Roop (Alia Bhatt) resides. The families of Roop and Satya go back a long way. Roop at first rejects Satya’s offer but upon knowing her medical condition, she agrees. However, she has a condition – Dev will have to marry her first and only then she’ll move into the house of the Chaudhrys. Satya, Dev and Dev’s father Balraj (Sanjay Dutt) agree. Dev and Roop get married and the former makes it clear to the latter that this will be a marriage of convenience. After marriage, Roop moves to Husnabad near Lahore where the Chaudharys reside. At first she feels lonely but then gets curious by the voice of Bahaar Begum (Madhuri Dixit). She decides to learn music under her tutelage. Satya and others at first are aghast on hearing this decision since Bahaar runs a brothel and that too in the infamous part of the city called Heera Mandi. Roop protests and the Chaudharys give in. Bahaar meanwhile is impressed by Roop and decides to teach her singing. At Heera Mandi, Roop bumps into the flirtatious Zafar (Varun Dhawan). Both get attracted to each other. Zafar is a blacksmith and works for Abdul (Kunal Kemmu) and the latter has a communal mindset. He’s also against Dev’s newspaper Daily Times that promotes the idea of one nation theory, rejects the notion of Partition and recommends industrialization even at the cost of job loss of blacksmiths. Bahaar senses that Roop is getting attracted to Zafar and she gets horrified. After all, she knows that Zafar has ulterior motives behind romancing Roop and it get can lead to disastrous consequences. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Shibani Bathija’s story is poor and silly and rests on a wafer thin plot. Except for Roop-Zafar’s track, all other parts of the story are not well fleshed out and are full of loopholes. Abhishek Varman’s screenplay doesn’t do much to salvage the situation either. Instead of wrapping up scenes quickly, he lets them go on and on. And again, he doesn’t do much to hide the glitches. Hussain Dalal’s dialogues are quite good at places. But in some scenes, it’s too filmy and might even induce unintentional laughter. Abhishek Varman’s direction is not upto the mark. He was quite in control in his directorial debut, 2 STATES [2014]. But in the case of KALANK, he makes a mess. Anyways he couldn’t have done much when the script itself is flawed. The only plusses are that the climax is engaging and he is able to handle the visual grandeur of the film very well. KALANK has a surprising commencement since the trademark and famous title card of Dharma Productions is not displayed in its usual style! The three production houses associated with the film are quickly mentioned and the film begins. Again, here the principle cast is depicted quite smartly, without showing their faces. This might make everyone believe that one is about to see a film laced with a superlative script and execution. In no time, it becomes evident that it’s not going to be the case. The biggest problem with the film is that most of the developments are not convincing. In the beginning itself, audience will be bewildered as to why Satya went to Rajputana of all places to search for a bride. Roop reminds Satya that the latter’s family had helped the former’s family at one point but no details are ever given. It is also quite laughable that Zafar had never seen the face of Dev Chaudhary ever despite the fact that he had so much poison against the Chaudharys and also that Dev is a prominent figure of the town. The entire track of the blacksmiths revolting against industrialization and also for a separate nation also seems superficial. Why was Abdul so insecure about what gets published in Dev’s newspaper? Agreed that Dev’s daily must be having a wide readership. But it can’t be the only newspaper in circulation? He could have taken the help of other newspapers to spread his agenda. The film moreover is too long and some scenes could have been done away with. The bull fight sequence, for instance, serves no purpose and was just added to appeal to the masses. On the positive side, a few sequences are well directed. The intermission point, though predictable, makes for a nice watch. The sequence of Bahaar Begum, Balraj and Zafar in the second half is quite dramatic. Also, the climax and the madness at the railway station will keep the viewers engrossed. Kalank | PUBLIC REVIEW | First Day First Show | Varun Dhawan | Alia Bhatt | Madhuri Dixit | Aditya Roy Kapoor

Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt save the film from becoming an ultimate disaster. Varun is as always at his best and gives his hundred per cent to the role. He also contributes to the laughter quotient. In the climax however, he is terrific. Alia Bhatt also puts her best foot forward and just like Varun, even she is let down by the poor writing. She arguably has the maximum screen time out of all six actors and makes great use of it. Aditya Roy Kapur seems monotonous but this is how his character is. His dialogue delivery is quite good and in the scene with Varun, he does quite well. Sonakshi Sinha is sincere but her role will remind one of her act in the second half of LOOTERA [2013]. Madhuri Dixit looks stunning and gives a decent performance. Sanjay Dutt, credited as special appearance, is okay. Kunal Kemmu (Abdul) plays the villainous role with panache. Achint Kaur (Saroj), Hiten Tejwani (Ahmed) and Pavail Gulati (Aditya; journalist interviewing Roop) are fine. Kiara Advani is royally wasted. Kriti Sanon looks glamorous in the item song. Pritam’s music could have been much better. ‘Ghar More Pardesiya’ leaves impact followed by ‘Tabaah Ho Gaye’. The title track is relegated to the background. ‘First Class’ is catchy and ‘Rajvaadi Odhni’ is okay, but they come almost back to back. ‘Aira Gaira’ is forcefully added. Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara’s background score is dramatic and adds to the effect. Binod Pradhan’s cinematography is captivating and has the big screen appeal. Amrita Mahal Nakai’s production design is surreal and though it might remind one of Sanjay Leela Bhansali films, it is praiseworthy. The Heera Mandi set and especially the brothel of Bahaar is stunning. Manish Malhotra and Maxima Basu Golani’s costumes are appealing but doesn’t seem authentic in terms of the era and the economic condition of some characters. Sham Kaushal’s action is fine and not too violent. Remo Dsouza, Bosco-Caesar and Saroj Khan’s choreography is worthy. Fluiidmask Studios and NY VFXWaala’s VFX is good overall but quite bad at certain places, especially in the bull fight sequence. Shweta Venkat Mathew’s editing is very disappointing as the film is quite lengthy at 168 minutes. On the whole, KALANK is a visual spectacle that lacks soul and falters big time on account of its writing, length as well as music. At the box office, the film will suffer due to negative word of mouth and therefore the collections will drop after the initial euphoria subsides. DISAPPOINTING! Kalank Review        Kalank Movie Review