Movie Review : The Avengers

Posted on May 16, 2012 by amodini

The Avengers [Blu-ray]Rating : 3.5/5
Genre : Action
Year : 2012
Running time : 2 hours 23 min.
Director : Joss Whedon
Cast : Robert Downey Jr., Samuel Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston
Kid rating : PG-13

We went to see the movie en masse, which means the kids, husband and self, because the kids love anything superheroes, and Iron Man 2 was almost tolerable. This film is almost like Iron Man2 and Thor combined (hint, hint – nothing new here) except that now there are a roomful of superheroes to do a task which Thor apparently was doing, and succeeding in, all by himself. In fact, post movie that’s exactly what my son asked – Why do they need so many super-heroes when we “know” that Thor can fight Loki single-handedly ? I considered sitting my wide-eyed young man down and giving him the lowdown on Hollywood studios, but then decided against it – what’s the point on opening the door to cynicism so early in life ? Do note though that this review is written expressly to prevent you from asking the same question – you’re hopefully cynical enough already to take the medicine straight-up.

CNN calls this film the Friday night smack-down, and I would agree with them if they meant that the smacking down was into an extra-soft instant-sleep-promising mattress. Because I dozed off in snatches. You will not blame me once you hear the story : Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. has a power source which troublesome Loki steals and hands over to the denizens of the Norse netherworld. Fearing the worst, Fury calls in reinforcements, i.e.; Agents Romanoff and Agent Clint Barton, Iron Man, Captain America and Hulk. And Thor just turns up on his own. Loki plans to use the power source to open up a portal connecting his world to Earth, and transport demons here to vanquish humans into submission. Déjà vu, anyone ?

So, what were the good bits ? Iron Man is snarky and arrogant as always, and that is entertaining. Captain America is the boy scout, leading the bickering band into some semblance of a plan attack, although could they redesign his face mask ? Scarlett Johanssen as the Black Widow, is the compact ball of fury, and her character is much better developed than in Iron Man 2. Jeremy Renner as Agent Barton is . . . well, he just is. So, of the lot, I’ve got to say that the hulk was my favorite – Mark Ruffalo is fabulous as the mild mannered Bruce Banner with an anger-management issue. In fact he was so good that he should be signed onto play the Hulk for his lifetime – I will see each and every one of those films. He appears mild and very patient in the first half of the film, because we do not see the transformation to the large, green, angry giant, but when he does lose his temper, the film’s entertainment value sky-rockets.

There is also humor. Some of it comes from the smart-mouthed responses, some from the jostling of egos, and some of it plain comes from well-timed sequences. There is a scene where Hulk is being given a talking to by Loki, and he will have none of it – apparently transforming from altruistic and intellectual looking Dr. Bruce Banner to a large green hulk affects the brain. Thus he sets about giving Loki a good drubbing. There is some Iron Man-Thor goofiness since the two are strong characters, with large egos, and not easily pushed around.

The Avengers is more of the same Superhero koolaid we’ve been drinking since when “Thor” came out. Apparently people want more of it; Avengers grossed nearly 2.3 million in it’s first opening weekend, and the show we went to was sold out – we went to the one scheduled after it. That one turned out to be in 3D, which is regular screens with 3D, as opposed to 3D IMAX. So, you prop the 3D glasses on top of your regular eye glasses (or maybe that’s just me) and off you go. Too much stuff on your eyes frankly, and not worth the effects or the extra dime. After a while 3D appears to be 2D, and you don’t actually notice the extra depth shots. I went in expecting Disney-park like 3D effects, you know the ones where the bullet comes right at you, and they aren’t any of those in here; kind of hard to sustain those effects in a 2.5 hour film, I’d imagine. So, I’d say skip the plain 3D version – either go for the 3D IMAX, or the IMAX by itself.

Or skip it altogether. At about a 2.5 hour length this is overly long, and the same old stuff, now multiplied by the number of super-heroes.

Posted in 2012, action, hollywood, rating-PG13 | Leave a comment



Movie Preview : Shanghai

Posted on May 10, 2012 by amodini

Here’s a film I’m waiting for. Directed by Dibakar Banerjee, this stars Abhay Deol – who always picks interesting films, and in this he appears to be playing a Tamilian – T.A. Krishnan, quite a departure from his last film. There is also Emran Hashmi, Kalki Koechlin and Farooque Sheikh, who graces the screen after a very long time. June 8th it is then!

Posted in 2012, bollywood, preview | 2 Comments



Movie Review : Vicky Donor

Posted on April 29, 2012 by amodini
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Rating : 3.5/5
Genre : Comedy
Year : 2012
Running time : 2 hours 5 minutes
Director : Shoojit Sircar
Cast : Ayushmann Khurana, Yaami Gautam, Dolly Ahluwalia, Kamlesh Gill, Annu Kapoor, Jayant Das
Kid rating : PG-13

You’ve probably heard the seminal jokes already – I tweeted some of them. Yes, indeed Bollywood has gone ahead and made a film on, er . . sperms. Kind of awkward if you think about it, because for all it’s item girls and double entendres, we never actually get down the technical aspects of baby-making. Thankfully the film handles the subject without any awkwardness or crudity, and doesn’t go down the David Dhawan-esque road it could have.

Vicky Khurana (Ayushman Khurana) is the loutish Delhi boy, desiring class, money and a job. In the meanwhile, this good-natured Lajpat Nagar lad lives in a barsaati, and subsists on his beauty-parlor-owning mummy’s income, helping her occasionally with threading and pedicures and such-like. One day he is approached by fertility specialist Dr. Chaddha (Annu Kapoor) who persuades him to donate sperm. Vicky, initially hesitant, warms to the idea once he is handed financial remuneration for his services. All is well – Vicky has his money and Dr. Chaddha has high quality sperm for his rich clients – until Vicky falls in love with Ashima (Yami Gautam) and they decide to marry. Dr. Chaddha is beset with worry at the thought of his sperm-well drying up, while Vicky is busy dealing with wedding woes and an ironical twist of fate . . .

I saw John Abraham, the producer of this film, on television where he said that if even one person would go see this film, they would make a profit. He must be laughing all the way to the bank right now, as he must, because the lead pair are both big-screen debutantes and probably charged pittances. Ayushmann, an MTV Roadies winner, is better known for his MTV VJ-ing and his television show hosting – I remember seeing him anchor the Hrithik Roshan, Farha Khan, Vaibhavi Merchant dance competition reality show “Just Dance” where he did an excellent job of providing structure and comic relief. He is an excellent actor, mouthing Delhi-speak with ease. And though I can’t say that I was floored by his charm, since I consider him far from the “handsome hero” image, he does have an easy-going, good-natured sort of appeal.

Yami Gautam, the heroine, is a brown-eyed beauty. A good actress, she plays her character of strait-laced Bengali bank officer Ashima Roy with a great deal of charm and innocence. In supporting cast I’ve got to talk about Dolly Ahluwalia and Kamlesh Gill who play Vicky’s mom and grandmom, respectively. Both are fabulous and exude excellent chemistry as the sometimes-friend-sometimes-carping-foe mother-in-law-daughter-in-law pair. Even the actors who played Ashima’s father and pishi-ma were a scream.

Although the acting and direction was good overall, credit must go where it is due – to the great screenplay and characterization. The film doesn’t have a very strong story, but you never seem to notice that since it glides along ever so smoothly. The characters were expertly drawn; the Lajpat Nagar-ians spoke quintessential Lajpat-Nagar-ese; sperm-donation was by turns “gandaa kaam“, or “phuddu kaam“. Vicky’s mom speaks Delhi-ite Punjabi, with lots of English thrown in. Biji was the adorable grandmother, given to liberal views and a penchant for flat-screen televisions, 32 GB iPhones and alcohol. Culture wars (Punju-Bengali) ring true; while Ashima’s dad and pishi-ma have a fit at Ashima falling for a “culture-less” Punjabi boy, Vicky’s mom is aghast at her prospective bahu being a fish-eating Bengalan.

This film has some fabulous music. The melodious “Pani da” has been composed and sung by Ayushmann himself. “Mar Jayian” is another gorgeous love ballad. The film ends with a Bhangra-beat-based item number “Rum and Whisky” with John and the cast. The first half of the film was pure a-laugh-a-minute joy and refreshingly enjoyable. The second half was OK, but the climax went the traditional, “emotional” way, which was kind of disappointing – and the reason I’m going with a 3.5 rating, instead of a full 4 stars. Regardless, I am strongly recommending a watch on this one.

Kidwise : This film is pretty clean – almost family-friendly, if your family has older children. It does have a few lip locks, and a brief 2-second lovemaking scene. No vulgarity, or double meaning dialogues here, although there is plenty of “sperm talk”, and various diagrams/car ornaments/balloons of the motile little creatures themselves (LOL!) so if you’re taking younger kids, be warned that they might have a few questions!

Posted in 2012, bollywood, comedy, rating-PG13, recommended, romance | Leave a comment



Movie Review : Saaransh

Posted on April 27, 2012 by amodini

SaaranshRating : 4/5
Genre : Drama
Year : 1984
Running time : 2 hours 17 minutes
Director : Mahesh Bhatt
Cast : Anupam Kher, Rohini Hattangadi, Soni Razdan, Madan Jain, Haider Ali, Akaash Khurana, Nilu Phule, Suhas Bhalekar
Kid rating : PG-13

Recently re-watched Saaransh, after many, many years. It is a rather old film and its stars Anupam Kher and Rohini Hattangadi were young then, although they play an aged couple. It remains one of the best films I have seen, a reminder of the times when Mahesh Bhatt actually produced quality.

B.V.Pradhan (Kher) and his wife Parvati (Hattangadi) have lost their young son Ajay. He was working in New York and was stabbed to death in a mugging. Hoping to alleviate their loneliness and bring in some extra income the couple decide to house a paying guest. A young woman Sujata Suman (Soni Razdan), an actress decides to rent the room and moves in. Her boyfriend Vilas Chitre (Madan Jain) helps her move. Sujata and Vilas hope to marry soon, but Vilas hasn’t yet told his politician father about Sujata.

It comes to light that Sujata is pregnant with Vilas’s baby and presurrizes him to speak to his father. However when he does so, Gajanan Chitre (Nilu Phule), facing impending elections and fearing a scandal, refuses to give Sujata and Vilas his blessings. Vilas is cowed down, and breaks off his relationship with Sujata. Gajanan puts his henchmen after Sujata and tries to persuade her to abort the baby. Pradhan and Parvati support Sujata, but Gajanan is a powerful, evil man and will stop at nothing to ensure an election win.

This is a wonderful film, filled with impeccable direction and great acting. Bhatt manages to portray emotions just right, not overdone or overflowing with pathos, but truly heartfelt. There is great nuance, and great empathy here. The screenplay is beautifully scripted, and Bhatt pauses at just the right moments to show us the reality of life – Pradhan and Parvati’s great sorrow at the loss of their son, Pradhan’s empathy for another young person’s hard life, and above all the old couple’s grit and determination to do the right thing despite all the threats and dangers that come their way. Bhatt also reflects on the way society reacts to a crisis in its midst; most people turn away, unaffected. It is a few who take a stand, and Pradhan is one of those people.

I will always remember the heartbreaking way some emotions are rendered in this film. There is a scene in this film where Pradhan goes to apply for a librarian’s job in the city. There he meets Haider Ali, a friend of his now dead son Ajay. Pradhan greets Haider and asks of his welfare, and Haider, who has come to apply for the same job, lies and tells Pradhan of his booming business and US trips, and his wanting the job to while away the time. Not in reality having a booming business or trips abroad, and unaware of Ajay’s death, he even tells Pradhan that on his last, very recent trip abroad he has spoken to Ajay and that Ajay is doing well. Pradhan, a bent, frail old man, looks at Haider’s shabby clothing and scuffed shoes and listens silently, sorrow in his eyes.

Kher and Hattangadi’s mannersism refelected the ages of the old couple – a halting walk, a love of habit, and a tolerance which can only come with the years. Razdan, Jain and Phule are also very good. This film hasn’t lost any of it’s beauty or resonance with age – highly recommended.

Posted in bollywood, drama, outstanding, rating-PG13, recommended | Leave a comment



Movie Review : I am Kalam

Posted on April 18, 2012 by amodini

I Am KalamRating : 4/5
Genre : Drama
Year : 2010
Running time : 1 hour 27 minutes
Director : Nilab Madhab Panda
Cast : Harsh Mayar, Gulshan Grover, Hussan Saad, Pitobash Tripathi, Sanjay Chauhan, Beatrice Ordeix
Kid rating : G

There are very few Hindi films made for children. To name a few : “The Blue Umbrella”, Makdee, etc. Mostly desi kids do with sports-oriented or super-hero films : Chak De India, Iqbal, Lagaan or Krish etc. “I am Kalam” is a rarity then, since it is centered around children and neither preachy nor containing overly sweet/sassy kids (which is quite nice – the nosy, supercilious kids of Hindi cinema can get to you).

Chhotu (Harsh Mayar) is a poor boy, left with dhaba owner Bhati (Gulshan Grover) by his mother to work and fend for himself. She tells him that he is a smart and nimble boy and will work hard for Bhati. Bhati, a kind-hearted man takes him on, and finds that the boy is indeed spry and learns quickly. Chotu fetches and carries, applying himself to tasks like making Bhati’s trademark tea as well as Bhati himself. His energy and spirit threaten Laptan (Pitobash Tripathi) Bhati’s other employee.

Chhotu perchance meets Prince Kunwar RanVijay Singh (Hussain Saad), the son of the erstwhile king Raja Rudra Pratap Singh (Sanjay Chauhan). Hearing of his ceremonial title “Kunwar” , Chhotu decides to change his name from the flippant “Chhotu” to the impressive Kalam; he has seen President A.P.J. Kalam on television and heard of his poverty-stricken childhood. One of the more endearing scenes in the film is of Chhotu looking in the mirror and copying Dr. Kalam’s (quite distinctive) hairstyle.

The Raja’s ancestral palace is now a luxurious hotel, but the Raja still lives in his royal world and forbids his young school-going son from hob-nobbing with “commoners”. So Chhotu and Vijay, now friends, meet in secret. Chhotu sees a different world, becoming exposed to the Prince’s privileged lifestyle. Seeing his friend’s curiosity and desire to learn, the Prince gifts him books and toys which Chhotu keeps carefully hidden. However Laptan sees them and grasps at an opportunity to get Chhotu out of his hair forever . . .

This is a simple but appealing tale; my kids enjoyed it very much. All the actors have done well, and I must commend the two young boys who play Chhotu and the Prince. Pitobash Tripathi (of “Shor in the City” fame) is excellent and Gulshan Grover is effective in an unusual (for him) role as a kind-hearted do-gooder. The director keeps the film interesting and at an understandable level for children, without resorting to gimmicky crowd-pullers. Without delving too deeply into the harsh realities of poverty he manages to show us Chhotu’s indefatigable spirit and sunny humor even in hard times. Very nicely done.

There is hope. Highly recommended.

Posted in 2010, bollywood, drama, family-friendly, rating-G, recommended | 2 Comments

Movie Review : Tanu Weds Manu

Posted on April 6, 2012 by amodini

Tanu Weds Manu [Blu-ray]Rating : 4/5
Genre : Romance
Year : 2011
Running time : 2 hours 15 minutes
Director : Aanand Rai
Cast : Madhavan, Kangana Ranaut, Jimmy Shergill, Ram Kissen, Deepak Dobriyal, Swara Bhaskara, K. K. Raina, Rajendra Gupta, Navni Parihar, Eijaz Khan
Kid rating : PG

“Tanu weds Manu” is an unexpectedly subtle film, given that when it was released it was best known for it’s thrumming Bhangra number “Saddi Gali”. Tanu (Kangana Ranaut) is Tanuja Trivedi, a girl of middle-class UP-ite roots. Manu (Madhavan) is Manoj Sharma, the NRI doctor come home to find a bride, upon his mother’s persistence. The two meet when Manu and his family visit Tanu’s family to meet the girl, i.e.; Tanu. She is drugged and out cold at the time, but Manu is smitten nevertheless. He assents to the marriage and the families come together to decide on the practicalities. However, Manu’s dreams of marital bliss die a quick death, when Tanu brusquely tells him that she has a boyfriend whom she intends to marry. She tells him (Manu) to back off from the marriage, which he does. But his troubles don’t end there – the fellow is lovelorn for a girl who won’t have him, and he thinks a change of environment will help, so he goes to a friend Jaspreet’s (Eijaz Khan) wedding in Kapurthala, Punjab. Who else does he meet but the lady herself – Tanu in all her wedding finery and brimming with the enthusiasm and the whimsy that won his heart in the first place . . .

This is the tale of the Sharma-Trivedi love-struggle, and nicely etched out. The characters are true blue UP, speaking chaste Hindi – the kinds I hear only when I’m in UP, like the word “paglait” for example. As we travel to Kanpur and Lucknow, listen to the Sharmas and Trivedis talk excitedly, we see the Hindi-belt in all it’s vernacular glory. The cinematography is excellent (I’d not have thought that UP landscapes could have looked this appealing) and there are nice details like the way Manu’s father affectionately address his wife as “Madam”, or the coil of mosquito repellant under Manu’s bed as he lies in bed dreaming of Tanu.

Tanu’s parents, especially her father are tired of the headstrong Tanu and quite ready to see her married. She has other ideas. She is quite a rebel, trying to do everything that her parents forbid – which means smoking, drinking, and associating with the wrong crowd. Quite a vociferous character she knows what she wants and will not shy away from speaking her mind. Manu, on the other hand is quite the opposite. Quiet and almost introverted, he differs from his UP-ite brethren in respecting a girl’s wishes and practicing restraint – he doesn’t want Tanu against her will.

Besides the physical locales and settings that he gets just right, the director also interestingly portrays Tanu’s plight and the culture she is surrounded by. Although she never comes out and says it, one might imagine her rebellious streak to be a response to her family’s get-the-girl-married (and quick!) mentality. A small-town girl with an opinion! Whoever heard of such a thing! What will people say? It is interesting to note that when Manu agrees to the marriage, Tanu’s opinion is not even sought. I was also appalled at the scene where an out-cold Tanu is “displayed” for a meeting with her prospective bridegroom, but have no trouble believing that such a callous treatment could be possible – it is reflective of the culture. I can also sympathize with her father, distraught at the antics of his wayward daughter; hard indeed to be a father of an independent-minded daughter in a society which deems women happiest if and only if tied to a man.

In such circumstances, Manu’s respectful character is immensely appealing, and you are rooting for him almost immediately. Madhavan is stellar in this role, charming and just the right amount of besotted. Tanu’s character, if I say so myself, was a little too flighty to garner much sympathy – a girl who is ready to cut off her nose to spite her face. Kangana manages to look vulnerable even so. As cold and unfeeling as she appears to be, because of Kangana’s excellent portrayal of Tanu, we realize that this is just one lone, much-harassed woman striking out against the restrictions around her. Her character makes you wish that women weren’t pushed so forcefully into abiding by society’s rigid, restrictive rules that they turned a complete about-face.

“Tanu weds Manu” also has an excellent supporting cast. Deepak Dobriyal is superb as Manu’s best friend Pappi, who advocates a more aggressive path to wooing Tanu than Manu would like. K.K. Raina is Kishan Sharma, Manu’s beleaguered father. Rajendra Gupta is Tanu’s father Rajendra Trivedi, and carries the role of hapless father beautifully. Navni Parihar as Tanu’s mother Radha has a small, ineffectual role; she is ill-used since she is a fine actress. Jimmy Shergill is Raja Awasthi – a character Manu meets almost accidentally, but who plays a major role in deciding Manu’s fate. Swara Bhaskar plays Payal Sinha, Tanu’s best friend about to get married to Manu’s friend Jaspreet. She is excellent as a Bihar-an, with the right tones and inflections.

Besides the stellar cast, the film is well-directed and also has an exquisite sound-track. There are the obvious crowd-pleasers – “Saddi Gali” and “Jugni”, but then there are the soft, sentimental numbers in Mohit Chauhan’s golden voice – “Yun hi” and “Rangrez” which never seemed to get the traction they deserved. The film includes the Lata Mangeshkar sung oldie “Kajra Mohabbat Wala” which is lovely, since they use it unmodified – see it below.

I saw Mouna Ragam many, many years ago, and “Tanu weds Manu” appears to be a modern-day Mouna-Ragam. Of course the rebellious girl-meets-strong,silent man theme has been explored in other films like “Hum dil de chuke sanam” , Aisha (2010), Swami (1977), Bezubaan (1982) and has been a staple of romance-lovers for generations. This movie is a pleasant interpretation of it. If you haven’t seen this film it, I highly recommend it.

Posted in 2011, bollywood, family-friendly, rating-PG, recommended, romance | 7 Comments

Movie Review : Harishchandrachi Factory

Posted on April 1, 2012 by amodini

Harishchandrachi Factory (2009) (Marathi Film / Drama Movie / Indian Cinema DVD)Rating : 3/5
Genre : Bio-pic
Year : 2009
Running time : 1 hour 35 minutes
Director : Paresh Mokashi
Cast : Nandu Madhav, Vibhawari Deshpande, Atharva Karve
Kid rating : G

The Marathi bio-pic “Harishchandrachi Factory” is based upon the life of Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of the motion picture in India. The film portrays Dhundiraj Govind Phalke as an intensely curious and eccentric sort of a man who is fascinated by the movies when he chances upon an English film. Mesmerized he watches show upon show, spending entire days at the cinema-tents, and finally decides to make a movie himself. To learn how to make films he journeys to England. On his return he brings back knowledge and the paraphernalia to make his beloved films, and makes “Raja Harishchandra” the first full length feature film created in India.

Director Paresh Mokashi presents Phalke’s film-making story in a light-hearted manner. I say “film-making story”, because Mokashi restricts himself to only that phase of Phalke’s life when he became enamored of film, and Phalke was already in his 40s then. “Harishchandrachi Factory” does not touch upon Phalke’s earlier vocations, and he had many – photography, magic, printing, drafting (working as a draftsman for the Archeological Survey of India). Phalke himself is portrayed as Chaplinesque, ever-smiling with a demeanor to match. His family’s financial troubles do not bog him down, nor does the condemnation of friends and well-wishers. He is single-minded in his devotion to film, leaving the mundane problem of feeding and clothing the family to his wife (who is apparently a saint).

Even when Phalke goes to England, a dhoti-clad man of limited financial means with little knowledge of the country or it’s language, he is, in the film, fortuitous enough to bump into another Marathi manus, who ecstatic at meeting another countryman and entranced by Phalke’s desire to learn film-making for himself, helps him get settled. Thus, the film skims over Phalke’s life extracting from it only a light-hearted bonhomie and treating any problems he must have faced with disdain or ignoring them completely. While this produces a cheery, amusing film, it is also its biggest fault, and the reason why I didn’t like it.

Given the limited nature of the film, it’s actors do well. Nandu Madhav as the lead character is quite the bumbling knowledge seeker, holding onto his principles. Having fought with his printing press partner, Phalke is unable or unwilling to fend for his family with a “regular”, uninteresting job, and Madhav does exude the single-minded curiosity required of such an inquiring mind. Vibhawari Deshpande is his patient wife Saraswati, birthing children, keeping the family afloat, inspite of poverty, and Phalke’s propensity for selling off furniture and household goods to raise funds for his film-making opportunities.

From the film, we can surmise that Phalke is a restless, creative soul, caught in a pragmatic householder’s life. His wife, according to the times, is all-accepting of her husband’s flighty behavior and inability to hold onto a job with a steady income. She fends for the family through parental support, and supports Phalke in his making “Raja Harishchandra” by not only helping with camera work, but by caring and feeding the cast and film-workers, and serving as general dogsbody. The film does not explore Phalke’s mindset or the probable anguish or angst of his wife – a fascinating drama could have come just of of Phalke’s family life. Instead Phalke proceeds to flit from career to career, and his wife continues to stoically shrug her way through her hard life. Indeed, if she was as dedicated to Phalke and his work as she is portrayed as being in the film, I wish they had also instituted an award in her name, for she has as much of a contribution in the making of Indian’s first feature film as Phalke himself.

This is a decent watch, although I’m not recommending it for discerning adults; it is an innocuous, unblemished portrayal of a legend’s life, almost fairytale like in it’s simplicity. Because of its uni-dimensional depiction, and inability to deal with any of Phalke’s hardships, racial tensions, and political climes of that time, this does not satisfy. I am quite surprised that this contextually-limited film was India’s nomination for the Oscar’s in 2009.

Posted in 2009, bio-pic, family-friendly, historical, humor, netflix, rating-G | 3 Comments

Movie Review : Paan Singh Tomar

Posted on March 29, 2012 by amodini

Rating : 4/5
Genre : Drama
Year : 2012
Running time : 2 hours
Director : Tigmanshu Dhulia
Cast : Irrfan Khan, Mahie Gill, Zakir Hussain, Vipin sharma, Jahangir Khan
Kid rating : PG-13

I’ve been hearing of this movie for a while, and didn’t quite know what it was about. When it did make it to the screens, I heard of it only in critic circles; friends I’d mention it too would stare at me blankly – Paan Singh what ? Quite understandable really, for this is a relatively low-key film starring Irfan Khan who can’t quite command a commercial venture solely on his name, fabulous actor though he might be. Still it comes via director Dhulia, maker of films like the recent “Saheb, Biwi air Gangster” and the 2003 drama “Haasil”, so it comes as no surprise that this film also is just as watch-worthy as the previous two.

This film is inspired the real-life story of a jawan of the Indian Army who after competing nationally as a steeple-chase runner and representing India in the Asian Games (1958), became a dacoit in the Chambal Valley. Paan Singh goes into sports in the Army because it is a way of getting unlimited food (as a regular jawan food is rationed). When he appears to have a knack for running, and steeple-chases he is coached and manages to win in the National Games. Paan Singh hails from the Morena Zilla, know for it’s gun violence. Though peaceful by nature, he is forced to pick up guns over a family land dispute when the police and local law will not help him.

The film is told partly in flashback fashion when Paan Singh grants an interview to a small-town reporter. In the film, Dhulia details out Paan Singh’s life, from that of a law-abiding decent man to that of a notorious dacoit hunted for by the police. Dhulia develops his characters nicely – Paan Singh might be a law-breaker, but we’re siding with him anyways. There is in Paan Singh’s story the uncomfortable truth of little people, unable to garner influence or money to pay off the police, squashed by the merciless arm of the law. Irrfan as Tomar, one of those little people who wouldn’t take injustice lying down, does a fabulous job. Mahie Gill is his wife and has a smaller role, but leaves her mark nonetheless.

This film is gritty and down-to-earth. For it’s well-paced direction, screenplay and gorgeous acting this bio-pic is well-worth your time. Go see it!

Kidwise: Violent – may not be suitable for kids under 13.

Posted in 2012, action, bio-pic, bollywood, crime, drama, rating-PG13, recommended | 2 Comments

Movie Review : Agent Vinod

Posted on March 25, 2012 by amodini

Agent Vinod Hindi CD (Bollywood/Indian)(2012) Saif Ali Khan, Kareena KapoorRating : 3.5/5
Genre : Thriller
Year : 2012
Running time : 2 hours 38 minutes
Director : Sriram Raghavan
Cast : Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Prem Chopra, Ram Kissen, Babu Antony, Ram Kapoor
Kid rating : PG-13

AGENT VINOD : UN-BOND-ING !

Director Sriram Raghavan is a master at producing slick, suspense thrillers like Johnny Gaddar and Ek Hasina thi (which has the #2 slot on my Best Films of 2004). I was pretty sure that with such accomplished credentials, Agent Vinod would be another unforgettable film. The trailer strengthened that notion. Now post-viewing I’ve got to say that I liked Agent Vinod, although this is well below Raghavan’s usual effort.

Agent Vinod is Bollywood’s answer to James Bond. Well almost. Saif Ali Khan is RAW operative Vinod – a stylish, suave master of international sleuthing. When a fellow RAW agent Rajan (Ravi Kissen) is killed, AV is forced to country-hop across Afghanistan, Morocco and London in pursuit of a nuclear “suitcase” bomb. En route he meets Dr. Ruby Mendes aka Dr. Iram Parveen Bilal of the ISI, who swears to Vinod that she is on his side, but he has trouble believing her.

The bomb apparently is to be exploded in New Delhi, and Vinod and Iram are thrown together to thwart plans by the heinous Colonel (Babu Antony). As they get closer to home, right into New Delhi itself, it seems it might be impossible to prevent this catastrophe . . .

First of all, kudos to Saif & Co. (Saif is producer also) on creating the first likable Indian spy hero. Yes, the first desi spy to come out of mundane sounding, bureaucratic RAW, and still be full of the coolth and the magical plasma that makes spy-agents seem so glamorous. Saif as Agent Vinod is quite delectable – dashing and stylish, never a hair out of place, always a debonair smile on the face. Young and vigorous with a sense of humor to boot, he jumps continents, bashes up baddies, speaks several languages, flies choppers on demand – all the while turning on the charm like it was on tap. As I said in an earlier tweet, desi spy hero ho to aisa ho!

Kareena as Iram is passable. As good an actress as she is, I couldn’t see her as a spy – didn’t look too fit, didn’t do anything too spy-like, and there wasn’t too much emoting required; a case of the spy who could but didn’t :-) . The villain Babu Antony is impressive because he appears cold and calculating AND suave. Prem Chopra as villainous Kazaan was a caricature, and I was just as appalled to see Gulshan Grover on screen.

Now for the meat : the film was reasonable fun but didn’t deliver on it’s promise of a spy “thriller” – thriller being the keyword here. Although I was relieved that inspite of this being a commercial venture, the film didn’t break often for songs – there is that Qawwali number, but that was it. There was the slow song “Raabta” which is pictured on a surreal fight sequence but that was done well, and didn’t break the tempo. Still the film didn’t manage to ratchet up the tension – so no hanging on to the edge of your seat in nail-biting anticipation, which in my view makes this thriller not so thrilling. This film is kinda all over the place, and doesn’t quite come together with the economy of movement, or succinctness which would have provided the much needed adrenalin rush. Screenplay and direction are to be blamed, me thinks.

There were some things very well done in this film – impressive hand-to-hand fighting sequences, some nicely done chases, a smattering of red herrings in the story and a pretty nice sound-track. Plus I was impressed that after all that globe-trotting, the film attempted a car chase on the ITO flyover in New Delhi. The background score was inspired by music of the 70s and 80s and the film itself had references to the older Agent Vinod (which starred Mahendra Sandhu), although this is not a remake of that film. The soundtrack is pleasing. From “I’ll do the talking tonight” which is a nice take on BoneyM’s Rasputin, to the soulful “Raabta”, to the playful “Pyar ki Pungi” this was interesting to listen to.

Watch this film with lowered expectations and you will not be displeased. This is not James Bond/Jason Bourne material, but a reasonable attempt at a rarely attempted genre in Hindi cinema – and for that worth applauding.

Kidwise : Violent. Free of double entendres/overt vulgarity, but does contain skimpily clad women/suggestive dance numbers.

Posted in 2012, bollywood, rating-PG13, thriller, watchable | 2 Comments

Movie Review : Kahaani

Posted on March 14, 2012 by amodini

Kahaani MovieRating : 4/5
Genre : Drama
Year : 2012
Running time : 2 hours
Director : Sujoy Ghosh
Cast : Vidya Balan, Parambrata Chatterji, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Saswata Chatterjee
Kid rating : PG-13

KAHAANI : UNPREDICTABLE, TAUT AND ENGROSSING !

I have long lamented the dearth of good noir in Hindi cinema. We did get a decent smattering of it via “Johnny Gaddar” and “Manorama 6 feet under”, but even reasonable desi noir is hard to come by, and precisely the reason why I applaud Kahaani. This film is about Vidya Bagchi (Balan), a lone pregnant woman come all the way from the UK to find her missing husband Arnab. He apparently left London to come work on a project for NDC in Kolkata. After the first few weeks, he stopped calling and communicating, and now Vidya, desperate, has come to find him.

The local Calcutta police is quite helpful, but everyone has their doubts about Arnab – maybe he’s a fly-by-nighter who’s gotten tired of the wife? Vidya, undaunted, seeks help from the NDC office, but they, while polite enough, have no records of any Arnab Bagchi. No Arnab Bagchi has apparently even left the UK or arrived in India according to embassy records. All Vidya has to show for her marriage and her bulging stomach is a photograph – Arnab and her beaming on their wedding day. The man himself seems to have disappeared into thin air. And as time passes and all her leads come to naught, a weary and distraught Vidya is doubtful of ever finding him . . .

This is a fantastic little film. It is understated and develops slowly, but the tension mounts nevertheless. The characters are beautifully wrought – the babus are dour, pot-bellied and huffing and puffing away, the policemen are frustrated by the new-fangled computer systems, and the seedy guest-house, the “Monalisa”, where Vidya resides (because her husband had also lived there) is populated with a hapless manager, leering co-residents and a general dogsbody – a grinning child named Bishnu.

Vidya Balan is outstanding as the tenacious young woman risking life and limb to find her husband. The other actors are little known but quite good also, especially Parambrata Chatterjee who essays the role of diligent police man Satyoki Sinha aka Raja; as he explains to Vidya everyone in Kolkata has 2 names – one formal “bhalo-nam” and one informal “dak-nam”. He helps Vidya in her search, she remarking that he is named after Arjuna’s charioteer (see Satyaki in Indian mythology). Nawazuddin Siddiqui is ratty, self-serving Inspector Khan – quite an excellent portrayal. Saswata Chaterjee is the balding, out-of-shape insurance agent Bob Biswas.

I must credit director Ghosh for his handling of the film making it what it is – a unique mix of suspense and tightly-wound placidity. There are no thrumming drum-beats or breathless action to add to the fervor, but it creeps on you anyway, culminating in an unpredictable twist to the the tale. Because this is oh-Calcutta, it is peopled by Bengali Babus, all who insist on calling Vidya “Bidda” much to her annoyance. And because it is Kolkata we get beautiful shots of the Hooghly and the Howrah Bridge, and other vignettes into the fetid, festering life on the city’s streets. The beautiful cinematography captures Kolkata in it’s full glory at the time of Durga Puja – the sparkling, much-decorated statues of Kali, the dancing throngs and the white sari-clad, sindoor-smeared ululating women.

Kahaani is a lovely film, rife with atmosphere and and nuanced in it’s detail. It deserves your time and patience; go see it!

Kidwise : Clean, although might be hard to understand for kids under 13.

Posted in 2012, bollywood, drama, rating-PG13, recommended, suspense | Leave a comment