Review : Sarkar

Posted on July 18, 2005 by amodini

[amazon_link id=”B004B41VAY” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]SARKAR HINDI BLU RAY FULLY BOXED AND SEALED[/amazon_link]Rating : Good (4/5)
Genre : Drama
Year : 2005
Running time : 2 hrs and 4 minutes
Director : Ram Gopal Verma
Cast : Amitabh Bachhan, Abhishek Bachhan, Kaykay Menon, Katrina Kaif, Tanisha, Supriya Pathak, Rukhsar

SARKAR : Fabulous!

Ram Gopal Verma’s best effort so far, this is an excellent film. Inspired by the Hollywood film “Godfather”, Verma infuses Sarkar with it’s essence while still giving it a very Indianised look – the nuances, the situations and the story is all very well-set in Mumbai. Screenplay is taut, and all actors perform beautifully, giving this desi Godfather an honored place in the Indian movie Hall of fame. Sans songs,or the frills of usual, commercial cinema, this engrossing film is worth every paisa/cent of it’s ticket price.Subhash Nagre (Amitabh), is a modern-day god-father of urban Mumbai. He dispenses justice to the common man, who comes to him with problems, and is much revered by the public as “Sarkar”. Although shown to have contacts with politicians and con-men, Nagre is also a principled man, refusing drug money, and protecting innocents. His elder son Vishnu (KK) is quite the opposite, easily swayed by lucre and women, and resents his father. Surrounded by Sarkar’s aura, shadowed by his father’s powerful presence, Vishnu carries a massive chip on his shoulder, and this father-son relationship is filled with strife and arguments. The younger son, Shankar (Abhishek) has just returned from the US, with girlfriend Pooja (Katrina), isn’t interested in his father’s local affairs, and plans to return to the States. Untouched by life in Mumbai, and aloof from the nitty-gritty of his father’s business, Shankar adores his father, and believes in his principles.

Matters heat up when Vishnu is thrown out of the house by Subhash, when he kills an innocent man. Vishnu seeks shelter with the enemy camp. He and Subhash’s enemies then manage to get Subhash arrested on a trumped up murder charge, and plan to kill him in jail. When Shankar learns of the plot, he strives to get help from Subhash’s associates, but all turn him down. His father, the great “Sarkar” in jail and facing imminent death, brother plotting against the family, and all previous “friends” circling in for the kill like vultures, Shankar must manage to find a way out ….

This film is hard to criticize. Supriya Pathak as Subhash’s ethnic, Maharashtrian wife, makes a resounding comeback to films. Katrina and Tanisha, both in miniscule roles, manage to impress. Kaykay is flawless as the renegade son. Rukhsar, as Vishnu’s wife Amrita, emotes adequately. Amitabh is good in his under-stated performance. And Abhishek, while proving his acting mettle, tries a little too hard to appear serious and brooding. The supporting cast is very good, a few roles essayed by seasoned TV artistes. While the character of Nagre bears superficial similarities to Bal Thackeray, Rukhsar’s resemblance to Smita Thackeray is uncanny.

It would be correct to say that the film belongs to both the lead characters, Amitabh (Subhash) in the first half, and to Abhishek (Shankar) in the second, post-interval half. The background music score is adequate and heightens the tone of the film. If you expect an Indian version of the Godfather, it is not that. Sarkar is a film in its own right. Yes, similarities are there and will show through (Vishnu’s character based on Sonny and Shankar’s on Michael etc), but Sarkar’s story does differ, and so does its treatment. All comparisons apart, expert direction, skilled editing, and classy composition and cinematography, make “Sarkar” a very good film; the kind we’ll be talking about for a long time to come.

Posted in 2005, drama, rating-PG13, thriller, watchable | 1 Comment

Review : My brother Nikhil

Posted on July 12, 2005 by amodini

Rating : Good (4/5)
Genre : Drama
Year : 2005
Running time : About 2 hours
Director : Onir
Cast : Juhi Chawla, Sanjay Suri, Purab Kohli, Lillette Dubey, Victor Banerjee, Gautam Kapoor, Shweta Kawaatra, Peeya Rai Chaudhary, Dipannita Sharma, Sujoy Ghosh

MY BROTHER NIKHIL : Sensitive film about AIDS

This well-directed film about a man with HIV and its impact on his family, friends and world, is an interesting foray into a so-called taboo topic. The film depicts happenings of the 1987-1994 timeframe, when AIDS was a lesser known disease, and ignorance about it widespread. The film, slow-paced and bereft of the usual commercial hoopla, is engrossing and well-told.

Anamika (Juhi) and her brother Nikhil (Suri) live with their parents Anita (Dubey) and Navin Kapoor (Banerjee) in Goa. Anamika and Nikhil have a very close bond. Handsome, good-natured Nikhil is the State swimming champion, which makes his family, especially his father, who’s living out his dreams through Nikhil, very proud. Life is rosy, and happiness and good-times abound.

All is shattered however, when Nikhil is diagnosed with HIV. He’s ostracised by his teammates, thrown out of the team, his bank job, and finally even out of his home by his parents. Treated like a pariah by society in general, he moves in with his friend/lover Nigel (Purab Kohli), but is picked up by the police and forcibly quarantined in a dilapidated building by ignorant government authorities. Unable to face the ostracization, his parents move to Bombay, but Anamika stays in Goa, trying to rescue her brother …

All actors have done a fine job, especially lesser known actor Purab Kohli, who emotes exquisitely. Sanjay Suri as Nikhil, is very good, and fits into the nice guy mould well. Juhi as Nikhil’s good-humored, loving and supportive elder sister oozes (in a good way) sisterly love and compassion. Gautam Kapoor, as Sam, Anamika’s supportive husband is adequate. Lillette Dubey brings out the many facets of motherhood, as Nikhil’s overwrought mom, while Banerjee plays the doting father to the hilt. The rest like Kawaatra (better known as TV VJ, and actress), Peeya Rai C. (also seen in Bride and Prejudice), and Sunjoy Ghosh render their roles well.

The film is told a lot through flashbacks, with some dialogues in English. Cinematography is dark and earthy, with the play of light and shadow, used to emphasize certain moments. There is only one song, a catchy number, the refrains of which ring out through the movie. A good film, recommended.

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Review : Paheli

Posted on July 6, 2005 by amodini

Rating : Good (4.35/5)
Genre : All-in-one
Year : 2005
Running time : 139 minutes
Director : Amol Palekar
Cast : Sharukh Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Anumpam Kher, Juhi Chawla, Aditi Govitrikar, Amitabh Bachhan

PAHELI : Sheer poetry !

Amol Palekar’s foray into “commercial” cinema, Paheli is a Rajasthani folk-tale told with elan, opulence and vivid color. Based on the novel “Duvidha” by Vijaydan Detha, Paheli appears on-screen as a vibrant, full-of-life musical. The simple story tranforms into stunning visual imagery on-screen. Besides eye-catching cinematography, awe-inspiring locales, a deft director and actors who do their job ably, Paheli has an ethereal quality, a quixotic yet beautiful mix of the real and the fairy-tale-ish.

Laachi (Rani Mukherjee) is a Rajasthani girl, newly married to baniya Kisan (SRK). Her rosy dreams of married life are shattered when her husband seems to value his accounts over spending time with her, and leaves the very next day on business, to return after 5 years. Laachi is bereft, but is comforted by her sister-in-law, Kajri (Juhi).

Inexplicably her husband returns after only 3 days, a changed man, spouting flowery phrases instead of the angular words of the baniya. Laachi is delighted as is the household, but her husband reveals (only) to her that he is not Kisan, but a ghost who has assumed Kisan’s form, to be with her. She is taken aback and weeps, whereupon the ghost asks her to make a decision. If she decides to be with him of her own free will, he will stay, or else he will leave so as to not cause her any pain.

Laachi asks him to stay, and the two spend 4 happy years together, resulting in Laachi’s pregnancy. Amid celebrations in the 4th year, and Laachi’s labor, her real husband returns. Now there are 2 Kisans, both professing to be the real one. Since no one knows how to tell the difference, the villagers set off for the king’s court, for his decision. Mid-journey they meet a leggy shepherd (Amitabh), who promises to solve the problem…..

Rani shines as Laachi, and Sharukh does a commendable job as Kisan, doing justice both to the comedic yet feeble Kisan, and the masterful and confident ghost. Anupam Kher as Kisan’s greedy father is impeccable, while Juhi does a muted job as Laachi’s sister-in-law. Aditi Govitrikar as Laachi’s friend looks beautiful and performs adequately. Naseeruddin and Ratna Pathak Shah, dole out some home-truths , as the voices of “ghostly” dolls, while Rajpal Yadav provides the comedy, as the inter-village messenger. Sunil Shetty has a fleeting role as Kisan’s brother.

The story lends itself to feel-good distractions such as a camel race (which Kisan’s family’s camels win), and the finding of water in the dry Rajasthan desert. The plentiful songs are melodious and well-choreographed. The dialogues are very “Rajasthani” in feel, and the song lyrics (penned by Gulzar) are in-sync. with the film’s time period. The few special-effects are decently done. Details are well-taken care of, as can be seen in the costumes. The sets, not quite as opulent as the costumes, are adequate, and impart authenticity.

This film is the story of a woman. It is not an ode to women’s empowerment, or emancipation (as has been much-touted). However, the powerlessness of the woman is strongly felt in some poignant scenes, such as the one in which Laachi, on being asked of her wish (by the ghost), weeps because no-one has ever asked about her wishes before.

Nothwithstanding the little kinks in the story, this is a good film. Few directors can take a simple story and imbue it with just the right amount of mirth and charm, maintain pace, and still keep the viewer engrossed. Amol Palekar succeeds in doing just that. Highly recommended.

Posted in 2005, bollywood, drama, rating-PG13, recommended | 2 Comments

Review : Silsiilay

Posted on June 28, 2005 by amodini

[amazon_link id=”B000HD99IO” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Silsiilay (Original Hindi Movie with English Subtitle)[/amazon_link] Rating : Average (3/5)
Genre : Drama
Year : 2005
Running time : 2 hrs and 10 minutes
Director : Khalid Mohammed
Cast : Tabu, Kaykay Menon, Jimmy Shergill, Rima Sen, Bhumika Chawla, Rahul Bose, Celina Jaitley, Priya Badlani, Karan Panthaky

SILSIILAY : Dabbling in women’s lib

Khalid Mohammed brings to the screen another story of strong women, and their lives and struggles. The film unfolds episodic fashion, with a narrator (Sharukh Khan in a small, comedic (??) cameo). Other than that there is no coherence or tie-up between the 3 female protagnists. Yes, there is a split-second meeting-together of the three at the end, but that doesn’t realy add meaning to the film or the script.The 3 stories in order of appearance, are of :

1. A film-actress Zia (Chawla), and her splitting up with her boyfriend Neil (Bose). Neil has hitched up with another woman Nandita (Priya Badlani), because he doesn’t agree to Zia’s demand of a baby out of wedlock. But since Zia doesn’t have what she wants, she isn’t done with him yet.

2. A secretary Anushka (Sen) in love with slimy womanizer Nikhil (Asmit Patel), and loved by her boss Tarun (Shergill).

3. Rehana, the second wife of businessman Anwar (Menon). Anwar is having an affair with airhostess Preeti (Jaitley), while Anwar’s son (from his 1st wife) Inayat (Karan Panthaky) secretly lusts for Rehana.

The stories end when the women extricate themselves from their difficulties, and supposedly “find” themselves. However, story #1, and #2 were weak, with Zia’s character needing more development and depth, while Anushka’s reasons and decisions were unexplained and too vague to garner viewer sympathy. Ms. Sen, looks good, but does not do well in a scenario where acting is required. The 3rd story stands strong because of competent acting by all involved (Tabu, Menon and Panthaky). Bhumika Chawla, acts well enough, but her character does not leave the impression it could have, due to poor character development. Rahul Bose as the boyfriend, is adequate, as is Badlani. Jimmy Shergill, as knight-in-shining-armor Tarun, has a small-role, and is good at projecting an honest, nice-guy persona.

Although Kalid Mohammed attempts to do something novel, his production lacks coherence, and a strong tie linking the 3 stories. The film could have been split into 3 separate plays, without any loss of effect. All through the film, I kept waiting for some profound truth to come crashing out on screen, but none did. I waited for links to tie the three women, to make them sisters in similar predicaments, but none appeared. A film which could have sizzled with passion and feeling, could have been a much-awaited, glorious jaunt into modern-day, urban sisterhood, instead appeared enigmatic and upper-class, redeeming itself only in the end, with Rehana’s middle-class naivete.

This is a film in the right direction, because we do need films, which potray women asserting their right to live life on their own terms. However, more research, and detail and development will help considerably. All in all, a good effort – watchable.

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Review : D

Posted on June 20, 2005 by amodini

Rating : Good (4/5)
Genre : Drama
Year : 2005
Director : Vishram Sawant
Cast : Randeep Hooda, Chunky Pandey, Goga Kapoor, Yashpal Sharma, Sushant Singh, Rukhsar, Isha Koppikar

D : Company’s prequel smoulders on-screen

This Ram Gopal Verma production is the debut vehicle for actor Randeep Hooda, and director Sawant, both of whon accomplish their tasks with finesse. Although in the same vein as Verma’s earlier gangster flicks, like Company, Satya etc., this one though engrossing, is a tad inferior by comparison. Supposedly a prequel to the celebrated “Company” (although names differ), “D”, the story of one man’s rise in the Mumbai underworld, and his corporatization of crime as a “Company” unfolds as a well-told, but violent drama.

Deshu (Hooda) is a mechanic in Dubai, who has come home after his mother’s death. His father, is a dry, gruff, police constable. Deshu, unwittingly becomes a witness to a murder, when Mangli bhai’s goons chasing a man, burst into his chawl, and proceeed to kill the man right there. Roughened up by the police to act as witness, and threatened by the goons to not, Deshu keeps shut. Later, he joins a rival gang (Hashim bhai’s), and proceeds to kill Mangli.

Little by little, with his bravery and intelligence he manages to become Hashim bhai’s (Goga Kapoor) right-hand man, much to the dismay of his two sons, Muqarram (Sushant Singh) and Shabbir (Yashpal Sharma). The rest of the film chronicles his take-over of the gang, when Hashim bhai, bending to his son’s wishes, allows an unwarranted attack on Deshu and his faithful lieutenant Raghav (Pandey). The film ends with Deshu, having crowned himself underworld king, dreaming of forming the “D” company and running it as a well-tuned machine from outside India’s borders.

The film is short, strong, and aggresive. Randeep Hooda turns in a powerfully restrained performance as Deshu, and exudes an honest, straightforward-man type aura, which makes his character likeable. Rukhsar, as actress Bhakti, and Deshu’s love-interest also does well, and reminds one of yester-year actress Kamini Kaushal. Chunky Pandey as Raghav, casts aside his image as non-actor, and performs well. And Isha Koppikar as his wife, is good as the ethnic, Maharashtrian beauty. The other 2 actors of note are Sushant Singh and Yashpal Sharma, who turn in impressive performances as Hashim bhai’s venomous sons.

The director presents scenes interestingly, not wasting much time on dialogue, but cutting down the scenes to a few lines of dialogue and silencing the rest of the conversation with the background score. Interesting technique this, reduceness staleness of conversations (for all of us who’ve seen Company etc.), and the use of profanity. However, the film loses brownie points because it tries to be “too” polished – Company was good because it was a bit rough around the edges; it brought home the elegance of the film. “D” in contrast, has typical in-your-face gangster music, very few light moments, and therefore comes across as “heavy”. Also the character of Deshu, is not a many-splendoured thing but very focussed and inward-looking (the word I’m looking for, without wanting to say it is cold-blooded). The viewer, while liking and sympathising with Deshu, cannot fathom his thoughts or reasoning, and therefore is rendered less appreciative than he/she could be.

Having said all that, director Sawant shows great promise, and Hooda displays a flair for serious, meaty roles. May we be treated to more theatrical productions by these two!

Posted in 2005, drama, rating-PG13, thriller, watchable | 4 Comments

Review : Hazaron khwaishen aisi

Posted on June 20, 2005 by amodini

Rating : Good (3.9/5)
Genre : Drama
Year : 2005
Director : Sudhir Mishra
Running time : 2 hrs
Cast : Shiney Ahuja, Chitrangada Singh, Kaykay Menon

HAZAARON KHWAISHEN AISI : The do-gooders and the fixers

HKA, a Pritish Nandy Communications production, is a politically tinted story contrasting ambition and idealism, and the paths they lead us down. And then it raises the bigger question of whether ambition or idealism is ever enough or long-lasting ? There are no straight answers; however we follow the lives of the three main protagonists in the search of some.The story starts off in 1969, the age of flower-power, student politics, and the Naxalite movement in Bihar. We get to meet Geeta (Chitrangada Singh), a student in a Delhi college, and the two men (also students) who love her. Vikram (Shiney Ahuja), the son of an idealistic, middle-class political party worker from U.P., is tired of the travails of the middle-class and longs to build a brighter and materially richer future for himself. Siddharta (KayKay Menon), son of a rich ex-judge, is given to idealism, and thoughts of revolution and fighting for the rights of the oppressed. Geeta, a Telugu speaking South-Indian, bred in the UK, Africa and India, has led a sheltered life and is moderate, although drawn into Siddharta’s circle because she loves him.

Siddharta, however is steadfast in his beliefs, and since Geeta is unwilling to devote her life to Siddharta’s cause, they part. She marries an IAS officer (Ram Kapoor), but has an affair with Siddharta begind his back. Finally, unable to bear a separation from Siddharta, she divorces her husband, and joins Siddharta in the villages of Bihar where he works. Meanwhile Vikram, is steadfastly climbing the ladder of success, accquiring wealth and contacts.

The story wends its way through Geeta and Siddharta’s life, its trials, and tribulations, exposing their thoughts and inner ideals. We also see Vikram, who although drawn to power and money, cannot get over Geeta and is tied to her through his attempts to rescue her from hardship. Can Geeta and Siddharta endure in their life of service ? And what of Vikram, who still loves Geeta ? The film leads us through their lives, stretched thin by love, relationships and commitment to their private ideals.

The film is stark and true, and brutal at times. It throws up many interesting questions, and is quite intriguing even at a philosophical level. English is used in atleast 50% of the film if not more, which was quite surprising. Moderately paced, the movie heats up towards the end, finishing up quite unpredictably. All three lead characters act well and convincingly. The script and direction succeed in delving into the characters lives and their private philosophies in depth, allowing the viewer to sympathise and feel for the characters. Direction is good, and storyline believable. This is a serious film, no song-dance routines, no frivolity, just a good story well-told. A must-see.

Posted in 2005, bollywood, drama, rating-PG13, recommended | Comments Off on Review : Hazaron khwaishen aisi

Review : Parineeta

Posted on June 10, 2005 by amodini
Movie Review Parineeta

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre : All-in-one
Year : 2005
Running time : 2 hrs and 25 minutes
Director : Pradeep Sarkar
Cast : Sunjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Raima Sen, Diya Mirza

PARINEETA : Yester-year love tale is charming on screen

Although based on Sarat Chandra chattopadhyay’s novel of the same name, this film reminded of the old Dilip Kumar-Madhubala love-story films, where all seems to be lost, but not just yet. I haven’t read his work so am unable to tell whether Chopra sticks to the original plot. Of course it is obvious that he does take certain filmi liberties with the film, thus rendering it just a tad overdone.

 

Set in the Calcutta of 1962, the film plays out partway in flashback. It starts off with depictions of Shekhar’s wedding day, when Shekhar leaving his family-filled home, steps across the street into his neighbor’s home, meets the aging matriarch there, and reminsces…

Shekhar, the son of rich businessman Naveen Rai and his neighbors Koel, and her cousin Lolita have been friends from childhood. Lolita’s parents having expired Lolita comes to live with her uncle (Mama) Gurucharan, when she is little. The three grow up, with Lolita (Vidya) and Shekhar (Saif) developing a mutual attraction. Shekhar’s parents now look for a suitable bride for Shekhar, and overlooking Lolita, settle on Gayatri Tantiya (Diya Mirza), who seems to be a favorable alliance, since she is rich and her family can further many of Mr.Rai’s business ambitions. Shekhar, now dabbling in music as a music director, loves Lolita but afraid of offending his father meets the westernized, Anglo-Indian Gayatri.

Meanwhile, a family friend’s rich brother Girish (Dutt) comes visiting from London, and on meeting Lolita, is quite taken with her. Lolita socializes with him without any romantic notions, unwittingly stoking Shekhar’s jealousy. At work in Naveen Rai’s real-estate development office, Lolita gets wind of a secret, new Hotel project in which her uncle’s home/haveli is to be turned into a hotel ! It turns out that the haveli is mortgaged to Naveen Rai and he intends to have it.

Lolita, perturbed, asks Shekhar for a loan , but he, in his usual easygoing, careless manner, waves the matter away for later. Girish, hearing of the matter, loans Gurucharan the money on a pretext, and Gurucharan is able to save his home, still believing that Naveen Rai is a good and kind man. In anger at losing his pet project, Naveen Rai, arranges for Shekhar to be out of town on a business pretext, and while he is out, fires Lolita and abuses Gurucharan’s family. Gurucharan, because of this has a heart attack.

When Shekhar returns he finds that owing to Gurucharan’s ill-health, a quick marriage has been arranged between Lolita and Girish. He swallows his father’s stories about Girish having bought out the Gurucharan family, and in anger at being spurned, watches as Girish packs up the entire family and takes them to London for treatment of Gurucharan’s worsening condition…

Direction is excellent, and set and film-style give credence to a Calcutta of the 60’s. The story, I presume, has been stretched a bit to include filmi theatrics, especially towards the end, where the good versus evil morality holds strong sway. Dialogues are apt, except at the ending where they go over-the-top. And the music is melodious, kind of sweet and old-worldy – in keeping with the genre.

Ms. Balan makes a good debut, expressing emotions adequately, in a subtle and restrained performance. Saif, while acting fine, is slightly miscast as a yesteryear playboy – he’s still sorta in the “Dil chahta hai” mode. Sunjay Dutt as the besotted Girish, does well too. Raima Sen, as Lolita’s cousin Koel, does justice to her perky character, while Diya Mirza is visible in a fleeting few scenes, hardly enough to make an impression. The supporting cast – the parents, Rai and wife (Sabhyasachi Chakraborty and Surinder Kaur), and Gurucharan (Achyut Potdar) and wife do their job ably.

This is a good, moderately-paced, story-based entertainer. Not the urban, slick film of the modern world, this old-ish tale still keeps the viewer engrossed. Recommended.

Posted in 2005, bollywood, drama, recommended | 2 Comments

Review : Kabhi khushi kabhi gam

Posted on June 8, 2005 by amodini

Rating : Above average (3.5/5)
Genre : All-in-one
Year : 2005
Running time : 3 hrs and 40 minutes
Director : Karan Johar
Cast : Amitabh Bachhan, Jaya Bachhan, Shahrukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Kajol , Kareena Kapoor

KABHI KHUSHI KABHI GAM : Bonafide Masala entertainer !

KKKG is what I call an extended STC : “stylized toothpaste commercial”. Doesn’t mean its a bad film, it just means that its a L-O-N-G story without a real villain, with lots of jingly tunes, and a whole host of characters from one big happy family. And yes it entertains, if you know what you’re getting into. This is not serious path-breaking cinema. This is giving the masses what they want, albeit with a little style and panache.And yes, if you are able to tune out the fact that the script is paper-thin, and the characters unnaturally good and nauseatingly selfless you will enjoy this film. Because it has all the makings of a “masala” entertainer; the pathos and the tear-jerkers, rich costumes and sets, lots of foot-tapping numbers with well-choreographed dances, big stars, and the sheen of polished film-making which can only come when the rich make films about the moneyed. Now the story :

Yashovardhan Raichand (Bachhan) and wife Nandini (Jaya), a fantabulously rich couple, have 2 sons younger son Rohan (Hrithik) and adopted son Rahul (Shahrukh). The family also has two grandmothers (Sushma Seth and Achla Sachdev). Rohan much younger than Rahul, is away at boarding school when Rahul falls in love with a middle-class girl Anjali (Kajol) and marries her, spurning the family choice Naina (Rani) who is thought to be more of a social equal. This earns him his father’s wrath and pointed reminders of his being adopted, not having the Raichand blood in him, and hence not able to live upto expected ideals. Subsequently he is estranged from the family, and settles down abroad with wife, sister-in-law and the family Dai-jaan (Farida Jalal). Of course, he misses his family and yearns to see them. The parents apparently miss him too, and Johar milks this emotion for all its worth, stretching out these scenes interminably.

Some years down the road, Rohan all grown up, travels abroad to effect a family reunion. There, while living with Rahul and family, incognito, he meets and falls in live with Anjali’s younger sister Pooja (Kareena). Together the two plan to bring the splintered family together. How they succeed is the rest of the movie.

The film is like a whirlwind of overdone emotions – first the abundant display of close-knit family ties, and the mother-love-drenched emotional scenes. Next the pain of separation, emphasis on parents. Again puke-ably overdone. Third – the yearning for loved ones, emphasized with overwrought dialogues, much handwringing, and restrained sobbing from the men-folk. A fourth emotion, pseudo-patriotism, with scenes engineered via Anjali, is dealt with, with much covert and comedic verbal abuse against the Londoners. If this was targeted towards the NRIs, it was done badly, and I for one found it hard to swallow. It is possible to be patriotic without dissing the country in which you live, but apparently Johar does not share the sentiment.

Acting is good (as good as it can be with this script), and direction is slick. Water-work inducing emotions are balanced out with comedic action from Kajol and Johnny Lever, and dance numbers sizzle courtesy Hrithik and Kareena. Nostalgia, and cliched pativrata sentiments from Jaya B. and Kajol, come in handy to fill in those family-bonding moments.

Ultimately, this is a consummate work of fiction, told with an infinite stretch-it-till-it-breaks emotional quotient. A nice story about the high-fliers and their lofty concerns, sugar-wrapped to be palatable to the common man. Watchable once.

Posted in 2005, bollywood, drama, family-friendly, rating-G, watchable | 5 Comments

Review : Zeher

Posted on June 7, 2005 by amodini

Rating : Poor (1.5/5)
Genre : Thriller
Year : 2005
Director : Mohit Puri
Cast : Emran Hashmi, Shamita shetty, Udita Goswami, Ninad Kamath

ZEHER : Like poison, only worse !

This film is one the tried-and-tested formula films of the Bhatt camp. The formula: a storyline lifted straight from Hollywood, B grade stars, sufficient sleaze factor, decent enough songs, and voila! You have a film which will ensure returns considering its made on a shoestring budget. And “Zeher” is no different. It is, of course another matter that direction is inept, the Indianised script riddled with holes, and acting way below par.

Siddharth (Emran Hashmi), the head honcho of a Goa police station, is active in pursuing the bad guys in the drug trade, and has just nabbed drug gang members and a large haul of a narcotic and lots of illegal money. On the home front, he is estranged from his wife Sonia (Shamita Shetty), who’s also a police officer. Of course, despite their differences, and his apparent inability to stomach a successful wife with her own career, Siddharth still loves her.

Siddharth meets Anna (Udita Goswami), abused wife of a local goon Sean (Sameer Kochhar), and they have an affair (OF COURSE, Siddharth still loves Sonia oh-so-much). Anyway Anna gets pregnant with Siddharth’s baby, and at the same time finds out that her dormant cancer has returned to malignant status. The only way to save her and the baby, is a costly medical treatment. Since she doesn’t have the money, her husband is an uncaring cad, and she loves Siddharth and is basically a good girl imbued with qualities of self-sacrifice, she decides to leave Goa to relieve Siddharth of her problems. Siddharth is torn with guilt, you know, because he’s basically a nice chap, although he’s never heard of marital fidelity. And what’s an honest cop to do when caught between a rock and a hard place ? Of course, hand over illegal drug money housed in police station locker to current girlfriend !

And that’s what our charming Sidhharth does. Anna refuses, but then accepts. That very night, Anna’s house burns down, with apparently Anna and Sean still in it. Investigations are on – was it a murder ? Clues point to Sidhharth, and he has to unravel this mess, before his wife, as Chief Investigating Officer in the case, does.

The film on the whole has a very cut-and-paste feel to it. Characters seem shallow. Direction is OK. Acting is poor, especially Ms. Goswami’s. Hashmi is a close second, with the best actor in the film actually being Ninad Kamath who plays Siddharath’s friend and deputy James.

Avoidable.

Posted in 2005, action, bollywood, drama | 1 Comment

Review : Kaal

Posted on June 6, 2005 by amodini

Rating : Poor (2/5)
Genre : Thriller
Year : 2005
Running time : 2 hrs
Director : Soham
Cast : Ajay Devgan, Vivek Oberoi, Esha Deol, Lara Dutta, John Abraham

KAAL : Weak thriller falls flat

This film, although trying to break new ground, is poor. As far as pioneering something new, it doesn’t succeed very well. The script is thin and shaky and meanders unbelievably.Krish Thapar (Abraham) is a wildlife researcher, on assignment for the National Geographic. He journeys to investigate the sudden spate of killings by man-eater tigers in Orbit National Park, accompanied by photographer wife Riya (Esha). Meanwhile, Dev (Oberoi as a rich wastrel), his girlfriend Ishika (Dutta) and 2 friends are driving to a farmhouse when his new Lexus LX470 breaks down in the middle of nowhere. They manage to get a ride with an ominous sounding jeep-driver, who lures them into Orbit Park with promises of hunting some game. They meet-up with Krish and wife who’s vehicle has also broken down, and offer them a ride.

As they progress into the jungle, mysterious deaths and dissapearances start occuring. Heads are lopped off, bloody bodies are decimated, and a general atmosphere of impending doom looms large. And the tigers are considered responsible until the party meets Kali Pratap Singh (Devgan), a darkly clad man of the jungle, who warns them of bad vibes and unnatural powers emanating from the deep woods. Now the group led by Kali, who claims to know the jungle, aim to leave the jungle, fearing death and worse. Are they able to make their escape ?

The storyline is weak, with characters not very well fleshed out. Acting is poor all around, and the women have little to do, save nod in assent to suggestions by boyfriends/husbands, or scream and act petrified when required. They also wear skimpy clothing, apparently immune to jungle insects/plants and suchlike. The attempted “ghoulish” visual effects are not ghoulish enough, i.e.; not enough to even mildly chill the marrow in your bones. The director tries to induce fear via the “shock” factor and sound effects, but fails. Direction is splotchy and the film’s pace does not manage to keep the viewer engrossed.

The background score is poor and reminded me of the music of a film I detested “Daud”. The songs (2 in the film, 3 if you see this on DVD) are good, and well shot. The film however, lacked the groundwork and the “reading in between the lines” that scary films require. Although the camerawork appers to be polished and some shots are stylistically taken to emphasize the macabre, the film in totality lacks maturity, focus and depth.

One would hope that in the future, quality entertainers like Shahrukh Khan and Karan Johar would view the films they produce, before unleashing such disasters on the unsuspecting public. Needless to say – this film is best when avoided.

Posted in 2005, action, bollywood, drama, ecstatically stupid, thriller | Comments Off on Review : Kaal