Movie Review: Dhoom 3

Dhoom 3 answered in 15 simple questions:

Q1: Is Dhoom 3 entertaining?
Ans: NO Absolutely NO.

Q2: Is Dhoom 3 intelligent?
Ans: Ahahahaha!

Q3: Is Dhoom 3 original?
Ans: Are you kidding me!

Q4: Is Dhoom 3 for kids?
Ans: Yes. for kids who like watching Katrina! ne mein Kamli Kamli..ne mein Kamli Kamli..

Q5: Is Dhoom 3 Aamir's worst?
Ans: May be.. comes close.

Q6: Is Dhoom 3 for teenage boys?
Ans: ne mein Kamli Kamli..! ne mein Kamli Kamli..!

Q7: Is Dhoom 3 for teenage girls?
Ans: Shirtless Aamir roams around in his room.

Q8: Is Dhoom 3 Uday Chopra's career best?
Ans: And the Oscar for the Most Irritating Character in a supporting role goes to..

Q9: Is Dhoom 3 full of nicely executed car chases and bike stunts like in Hollywood films?
Ans: Car chases hain. Bike stunts hain. But Gajodhar ki amma bhi usse better stunts kar sakti he.(No Offense to the Gajodhars)

Q10: Is Dhoom 3 the best film of the year according to Karan Johar?
Ans: Shirtless Aamir roams around in his room.

Q11: Is Dhoom 3 for sane minded adults?
Ans: Ahahahaha!

Q12: Is Dhoom 3 for Asylum patients?
Ans: No.. Poor guys. They deserve better.

Q13: Is Dhoom 3 good enough to turn us into Asylum patients?
Ans: Yes. But you can watch "The Prestige" later and you'll be fine.

Q14: Is Dhoom 3 for third degree torture?
Ans: May be.. comes close.

Q15: Is Dhoom 3 paisa wasoool!
Ans: Mera paisa wapis dedo *beeeep*..!

Movie Review: The Lunchbox

50 years later in my life:

Grandson: Dadaji.. nayi movie ayi he.. Delhi Express.. love story he.. bohot achhi he.. usme toh wo gana bhi sahi he.. Pungi dance.. jate hai na.. please..

Me: Aaj kal k picture bhi koi picture hain.. Pungi dance! Tauba Tauba.. Hamaare zamane me ek film ayi thi.. jisme na koi Pungi thi.. na koi Lungi.. fir bhi kamaal kardiya us picture ne… dil jeet liya mera..

Grandson: Konsi Dadaji? Story kya tha uska?

Me(smiling)

Circle Circle Circle

FLASHBACK!

The year is 2013:

“The Lunchbox” is an Indian epistolary romantic film written and directed by Ritesh Batra, and produced by Guneet Monga, Anurag Kashyap, and Arun Rangachari.

The film set in Mumbai, revolves around a mistaken delivery in dabbawala (lunchbox service) of Mumbai, which leads to a relationship between an about to retire, Saajan, also a lonely widower and an unhappy housewife, Ila as they start exchanging notes through the daily lunchbox. (Courtesy Wikipedia)

It’s funny how a few words, like those that are used to describe this film, overlook the deeper aspects.

Happiness, Pain, Anger, Love etc are all emotions that one might write down on a piece of paper to describe his/her feelings. But would a person reading those words actually feel them?

“The Lunchbox” is a love letter to cinema, a film that soars in its simplicity and yet never shies away from the dark.

Recently I had the misfortune of watching several big budget romantic comedies/dramas that were either tacky, over-the top or simply too slow and boring.

I am glad to say that this film is none of them.

In fact this is one of those films that you would remember for a long time to come.

Everything is perfect in this film. The cinematography, the sound, the people, the actors. Even the dabbawalas are real!

Irrfan Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui are actors that never disappoint. Nimrat Kaur is excellent too as the housewife. The beautiful actress fits in so perfectly that it’s hard not to fall for her.

But the real star here is the food! Every time Irfan Khan opened his Lunchbox my taste buds went gaga over the food. This film satisfied my hunger for good cinema but left me hungry literally. :)

It's a film made with a lot of heart and it’s for people who have one.

Conclusion:

Remember this excerpt of a conversation from the climax of an animation gem:

Shifu: Thank you… Thank you..

Po:  No! Master! No, no, no, don't die, Shifu, please!

Shifu: I'm not dying, you idiot! Dragon Warrior...

...I am simply at peace. Finally.

Well I felt like Shifu after watching this film. :)

Movie Review: Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani

Following is the reaction of some girls sitting behind me while watching this film:

Girl 1: eh wooooow! Look at Ranbir! He’s so cuuuuute.. !

Girl 2: Madhuri chaan diste na! (Madhuri is looking so good)

Girl 3(on a joke):  Hooow dumb!

All Girls (on seeing Ranbir Kapoor with a beard post interval): eeeeeeeeeeeewwwwww… chiiiiiiiiiiiiii

If you even remotely resemble these types of creatures then Ye Jawaani Hai Deewani is for you.

Directed by Ayan Mukherjee(yes. he’s the director of Wake Up Sid) this film is completely opposite to his earlier venture. While the previous film was a mature piece of work, his new film is a glossy commercial khichdi that slaps you with every other Bollywood cliché that you might have witnessed.

I don’t even need to describe what the film was about. If you have seen films like Hum Aapke Hai Kon, DDLJ, Swades, ZNMD, Dil Chahta Hai then you’ve seen 90% of the film.

To be frank, I wasn’t expecting any ‘serious film-festival type’ movie either. This movie has been marketed as a fun commercial film that is coming-of-age.

So does it live up to its promise? YES. To some extent.

The first half is littered with scenes that strike a chord and the chemistry between the leads Ranbir Kapoor (super-skinny!), Deepika Padukone, Kalki Koechlin, Aditya Roy Kapoor is good.

The foot-tapping score by Pritam is refreshing.

But having said all that, this film is so boring and predictable overall!

The problem with this film is that it pretends to be something that it isn’t. It tries hard to convince us that it’s a film about dream, ambition.. and yada yada.

So it unapologetically stops every few minutes for some unconvincing melodrama and stilted dialog that seem to have been picked up straight from films like ZNMD, Dil Chahta Hai etc.

The characters here are over-the-top and the only people that stay on ground are Bunny and Naina's parents (excellently played by Farooq Sheikh and Dolly Ahluwalia) and Deepika Padukone(in the first half).

Rest is all Commercial-Cinema-From-Urban-India. So we have huge Shadi Baarat sets and glossy dance numbers. We have people drinking wine instead of water all the time.There are advertisements within the film. And a trekking group is full of gorgeous babes and handsome men who never break a sweat.

The actors have done an OK job. But its Deepika Padukone that surprises with her restrained performance as Naina. With her subtle expressions in the first half she manages to be the only relatable thing in an ‘oh-so-adorable’ group of friends.

Final Verdict: Marginally fun with some hilarious zany one-liners but deathly boring otherwise, it’s an overlong melodrama that goes on and on and on and on and on and on (yup. It’s that lengthy!)

Movie Review: Bombay Talkies

An Indian anthology film by the four big names in Bollywood!

Dibakar Banarjee, Anurag Kashyap, Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar!

Yummy! :)

“Bombay Talkies” is a film consisting of four short stories by the aforesaid Bollywood directors celebrating the centenary year of Indian Cinema and the beginning of a new era in modern cinema.
 

The film starts off with a short by Karan Johar( Ajeeb Daastan Hai Yeh) that deals with homosexuality.  Actors Rani Mukherjee, Randeep Hooda and Saqib Saleem have done a terrific job of portraying their characters. Refreshingly understated unlike any other Karan Johar films, this segment starts off with a sequence that sets the tone for Bombay Talkies.  And believe it or not, this film is bold, sensible and dark and surprisingly comes close to being the best of the lot. I wish he continues making such beautiful films instead of the usual candy floss glossy drivel that he’s so known for manufacturing.

The second short film is by Dibakar Banerjee (Star) which is adapted from the original Patol Babu Film Star, a short story by filmmaker and writer Satyajit Ray. It revolves around a failed theatre actor (played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui) struggling to make a living with a depressed daughter and a cheerful and understanding wife. Dibakar Banerjee is well known for movies like LSD and Shanghai. He’s also well known for choosing a perfect cast for his films.

So when a powerful director like him clubs with a powerful actor like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, you already know what to expect. :) The duo just nails it to perfection. The lump in your throat that you get towards the end of this segment is testament to the fact that both the director and the actor are the best in business.  This short film is simple and yet delivers an emotional heft that any film lover cannot and should not miss. ‘Cinema for the classes’ at its best. :)

Post interval Bombay Talkies dips down a bit and doesn’t carry the complexities of the first two films.

The film continues with a short by Zoya Akhtar (Sheila ki Jawaani) which is about a school-going child who unlike other kids of his age dreams of becoming a dancer Sheila (Katrina Kaif). Child actor Naman Jain of Chillar Party fame and his father played by Ranvir Shorey do extremely well. The story however seems to be inspired from a Hollywood movie named Billy Elliot and though aptly executed, it ends on a pretty contriving note. Yet it’s a sweet film that would manage to put a smile on your face.

And then comes the fourth and the last one by the great Anurag Kashyap(Murabba). This short film is about an Allahabadi youngster who is sent to Mumbai on a mission by his bed-ridden father, to get Amitabh Bachchan to take a bite and bring back the half-eaten murabba. The whole idea sounds fine but the execution is underwhelming as there is nothing new. Actor Vineet Kumar Singh does well but the film gets repetitive after a point.

As the credits roll, a song showcasing all Bollywood actors lip-synching to a blotched tune shows up on screen. After witnessing all those mature shorts, this monstrosity is cringe worthy and all it does is make you quickly move to the exit door.

Final Verdict: Very good cinema for the classes. Boring cinema for the masses.

Movie Review: The Croods

Remember that feeling when you return back home after a hard days work and turn on the air conditioner. You lie on your couch lazily and enjoy that simple moment as the cold air gently touches your skin. Though it’s not a huge thing in your life, you forget all sorts of problems and just lay there like a little baby for that one specific moment. That moment is refreshing and priceless.

Watching The Croods was something similar.

A product of Dreamworks Animation studio and directed by Kirk De Micco and Chris Sanders this 3D animation film(put on your glasses please) comes with one and only one intention. And that is… to entertain you.

Co written by John Cleese (the Monty Python guy..) The Croods is a prehistoric comedy adventure that follows the world's first family as they embark on a journey of a lifetime when the cave that has always shielded them from danger is destroyed. Traveling across a spectacular landscape, the Croods discover an incredible new world filled with fantastic creatures - and their outlook is changed forever.

Full of clever humor, touching moments and delightful animation, it’s a film designed for the kids and adults alike. The 3D here is quite remarkable too. Especially a chase sequence early on in the film that is both funny and thrilling at the same time.

But what I really liked about this film was the imagination put into designing those creatures. The creatures here clearly rival the Avatar animals and I’m not even exaggerating.

The underlying themes about family, friendship and love though superficial are played out well like any other Dreamwork animation films.

What this film lacked though was a powerful third act that would have really turned it into something special. And as a result it felt repetitive in the last few minutes.

But by the time you get there you would have already gotten your money’s worth.

It’s one of those beautiful films that surprise you. Do not miss it.

Conclusion: A perfect way to start off May.. :)

Movie Review: Iron Man 3

So here I am sitting on my couch trying to figure out about a film named Iron Man 3 and the bell rings. And as I answer the door who do I find on the other side?

It’s none other than the great, the genius… Iron Ma.. no wait.. you.. you are not Iron Man.. you look like some piece of crap from the junkyard.. Holy shit.. you are..

“I am Steel. From the 1997 film..?”

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

And I snap out of my sleep! I am still on my couch. I look around and nothing has happened.

“It was a dream.. It was just a dream..  efffinnn clichés!”

Iron Man 3 as the name suggests is the third installment to the Iron Man franchise.

Directed by Shane Black, the film has some “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” humor which is certainly quite refreshing to watch. But is it better than the previous installments?

Well not exactly.

Robert Downy Jr. plays the multimillionaire Tony Stark who this time around faces a threat named Mandarin (terrifically played by Ben Kingsley) who looks like a Chinese version of Bin Laden with a British accent.

Having seen Iron Man 1,2 and The Avengers, my expectations were sky high on this one but sadly this film does not deliver.

Don’t take me wrong here. It has some good enjoyable moments throughout but it’s the lack-luster story and a ‘Joker’-ish villan named Aldrick Killian(played by Guy Pearce) with his team of uninteresting and exploding zombies that really suck the life out of this film.

The visual effects overall are fantastic though. Especially a terrific flight sequence where Iron Man saves eleven people falling off an airplane. But the effects are pretty much what you would expect them to be by now.

Apparently it’s RDJ and his hilarious conversations with Jarvis, with Pepper and with a kid who looked like he dropped in straight from a 'Home Alone' film, that kept me awake till the end, which is not what I was expecting from a film that promised to be so much more.

And about that twist. Oh wait! Don’t worry! I’m not going to reveal it! But here’s a thing. For better or worse, this movie had one of the most deceptive trailers you could ever imagine.

Conclusion: It’s certainly a good film but also an overrated ‘Marvel’. ;)

Movie Review: Ek Thi Daayan

What would your reaction be when a movie starts off with a disclaimer saying ‘it does not intend to stereotype women as witches’ and the whole crowd goes “ha ha ha ha ha”

The story about witches and witchcraft is not new to Bollywood. Movies in past have explored this genre so much that it’s a done to death concept (did I use the word ‘death’?)

So after a flurry of Vikram Bhatt horror flops 1920, Raaz and so on, here comes Ek Thi Daayan a super natural thriller directed by Kannan Iyer and written by Vishal Bharadwaj who explores the world of daayans and pishaches.

Emran Hashmi plays a famous magician named Bobo ( by the way what kind of a person names his son Bobo for christ sake!) who is also referred to as ‘Bobo the Baffler’ by his fans. All’s well and good until he starts hallucinating ‘chipkalees’ and ‘dead bodies’.

He undergoes hypnosis and discovers that in his childhood, he was terrorized by a woman named Diana, played by Konkona Sen Sharma(creepy as hell!).

Young Bobo (superbly acted by Vishesh Tiwari), is convinced that the women who has become his widowed fathers recent love interest is actually a witch trying to kill him or his sister.

Genuinely scary and intriguing, this portion of the film is an extended flashback sequence that plays out well and manages to keep you on the edge of the seat. The intrigue along with some jump-out-of-your-seat moments build up the story nicely till the interval. And then all ‘hell’ breaks loose (I mean that in a very bad way).

Post interval the movie goes down-hill when it starts going down the commercial lane.

So there is a Shaadi dance number where Bobo, his wife, the psychiatrist, the father from the church all dance to a tune “Totey Ud gaye”! And if you think that’s ridiculous wait until you watch the hilarious climax which involves a fist fight between daayans and pishaches. The post interval part murders the entire concept.

The film hams it up badly here but relies on its actors to rise above their roles. And in all fairness they do deliver. Emraan Hashmi as the magician is good and Huma Qureshi does well too. Kalki Koechlin has nothing much to do here.

But it’s the ever-dependable Konkana Sen Sharma who gives a chilling performance. It’s a difficult task for any actress to say lines like “Bobo, me arahi hun..!” and still look scary. With her big black eyes and little nuances in her ‘daaiyan mannerism’ she is truly intriguing. She’s so good in her role that if I was a little kid watching this film, I would run away from any women whose name is Diana.

Conclusion: Starts off like an A-grade horror flick and ends like a C-grade one it’s worth a try if you are very eager to dive into it.

Movie Review: Django Unchained

“Django Unchained” is one of those movies that gets a release date in India ‘decades’ after it was actually released in the US. So what does that mean? Well piracy for starters but I had to go through this unfortunate experience of dodging off those ‘pirates’ to enjoy a spoiler-free film. :)

Django Unchained is a 2012 american action western drama film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. The film is set somewhere in Texas in 1858, two years before the civil war. It deals with subject of slavery with a nice western tinge to it and with violence so gruesome that it was a bit too much even by the Tarantino standards. (And I mean that in a good way.)

Now chances are you already know Tarantino’s films but If you are unfamiliar with this man and his work than I would highly recommend “Inglorious Bastards”, “Kill Bill” and my personal favorite “Pulp Fiction”.

Sudden gruesome violence, black humor, Odd ball cameos, long witty dialogs, unconventional screenplay and most important of all THE FUN are some familiar troops that make his films so special and his latest offering “Django Unchained” doesn’t fall short on any of those things.

The actors play a vital part in any film and this film has got some excellent cast who rise above their roles.

Jamie Foxx plays Django a free slave who with the help of a German bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz(terrifically played by Christopher Waltz) sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner named Calvin Candie (deliciously played out by Leonardo Dicaprio)

Christoph Waltz as the antagonist in Inglorious Bastards had given me chills of a life time and this time around he plays the opposite. But he does it so well that he’s one thing that will remain with you after you leave the theatre. His acting prowess forms the backbone of this film. And the other actors playing smaller roles like Samuel Jackson as Stephen, Keery Washington as Broomhilda have also done justice to their parts.

But it’s the excellent cinematography and sound editing that eats the cake here. When a bartender is pouring wine into the glass or when a man uses a whip-lash to ‘punish’ someone you actually feel that you are there and it’s these little things that make this film so unique and truly involving.

The only one quibble that I have with this film is that the story is not as deep and multi-layered enough as with the directors previous ventures and as a result it feels overlong and exhausting towards the end and you don't get those "Kill Bill" vibes that you were expecting.  But if we set aside the comparisons, this film is unique & still far away from the ‘usual’ and most important of all its FUN!

It’s a lengthy film made for the big screen. Go with an extra large popcorn bucket and have a blast.

But here’s a warning. If you don’t like wit in your cinema, if you hate long conversations and if genuine violence puts you off then I’m really sorry to say that Quentin Tarantino movies are not your cup of tea.

Movie Review: Kai Po Che!

Before watching "Kai Po Che!":

Me: Hey! Let’s watch Kai Po che.. A movie about Friendship, Forgiveness, Passion and..

Bro: wait.. yet another movie on ‘friendship’! Another 3 idiots! Another Zindagi na milegi dobara... Come on! Don't you get tired of watching movies about same old stuff.. Can't we watch ‘Die Hard’..?

Yippee ki yay!

Me: No.. ‘Die Hard’ got bad reviews.. And seriously? Choosing 'Die Hard' over 'Kai Po Che' is the dumbest thing that must have ever come to your mind. Nopiee ki nay!

Bro: Ok then.. let's go.. But we will watch Die hard after we are done with Kai Po Che.. ok?

Me: Ok. Cool.

About the film:

The film title Kai Po Che is originally a Gujarati phrase that means "I have cut the kite" which refers to a kite competition where one of the competitors uses his kite to cut off another competitors kite and yells "Kai Po Che!"

Adapted from "The 3 Mistakes of my Life"(Chetan Bhagat) and Directed by Abhishek Kapoor (Rock On!!) this is a character driven film about friendship, forgiveness, passion, love.. all in the backdrop of some real events. The story mainly revolves around three friends, Ishaan played by Sushant Singh Rajput, Govind played by Raj Kumar Yadav and Omi played by Amit Sadh, who set out to open a sports training academy.

The Good:

A film about friendship is not a new thing in Bollywood. We have already witnessed "3 Idiots", "Rock On", "ZNMD", "Dil Chahta Hai".

“Kai Po Che” looks similar at first but peel off the layers and it's much more.

Adapted from a book titled "3 mistakes of my Life" this film is a tightly scripted and crisply edited drama that never bogs down or dumbs down for its audience and instead resorts to subtlety.

Playing with themes like dreams and aspirations, friendship standing test of time, a commentary of our education system is not an easy task and the director does an incredible job of weaving everything together.

Cinematographer Anay Goswamy has made look Gujrat so beautiful that I feel like taking a vacation and running off to that place for the Kite festival.

Also, music given by "Amit Trivedi" is refreshing especially the song "Manjha".

But it's the characters that drive this film and the three leads are a revelation here.

Rajkumar Yadav, Amit Sadh and Sushant Singh Rajput not only have a good screen presence but they can actually ACT! (Sorry about me shouting and all.. but can’t control my emotions right now)

The actors have such great chemistry that it reminded me of my college days. These guys are not actors in this film. They ARE Govind Patel, Omkar Shastri and Ishaan Bhatt. And this is where this film hits it out of the park.

A capitalist money minded friend. A political friend. An emotional/day dreamer friend. These are people whom we have met somewhere at some point in our lives. These are people whom we can relate to and care about.

The Bad:

Not applicable.

Final verdict:

Cricket, Love, Friendship, Passion, Politics.. It’s all what India is about and it’s something that any sane minded Indian wouldn’t and shouldn’t miss.

After watching "Kai Po Che!":

Bro: Damn you… (sniff)

Me: What! You didn’t like it? (sniff)

Bro: My eyes are watery. It’s so embarrassing! F***ing friendship movies… (sniff)

Me: Oh come on now! Since when did you start crying for a film (sniff)

Bro:  Oh and why is there a bubble under your nose?

Me: I.. I got cold. (sniff..) Ok.. So next Die Hard.. I’ll go buy the tickets and then..

Bro: F*** Die Hard. Let’s watch this again. (sniff)

Movie Review: Special 26

A movie, in my opinion, in a given running time should be able to involve us in its world and should do justice to what it's trying to be. That’s all I ever want from a movie, whether it is commercial, non-commercial or any weird stuff.

 “Special 26” directed by Neeraj Pandey (A Wednesday fame) is a cleverly written commercial drama/thriller/heist film that managed to suck me into its world and kept me hooked till the end.

Inspired by a real-life heist that took place on March 19, 1987 where a group posing as CBI officers  executed an income tax raid on the Opera House branch of Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri in Mumbai, this commercial flick kicks into action from the word GO but unapologetic-ally takes pit stops for some appalling & unconvincing love angle.

Peppered with witty one-liners and some good ‘chor-police’ drama, the film with its running time of two and a half hours feels aptly paced and only bogs down in parts.

If a film says its set in 1980’s India, it has to be shot well enough to make you believe.  Late cinematographer Bobby Singh succeeds in creating an authentic world that looks real and convincing.

The booming background score by M. M. Keeravani and Himesh Reshammiya though mediocre makes sure that you don’t look away from the screen but the lousy songs add nothing to this film.

But what keeps this film alive is the charming performances.

Akshay Kumar , Jimmy Shergill, Manoj Bajpai and Anupam Kher and even actors playing little characters play their parts well with an exception of Kajal Aggarwal who sticks out like a sore thumb.

“Special 26” wouldn’t be half as good as it is if not for the director who succeeds to keep you on the edge of the seat with some good direction.

Though not as effective as the director’s previous venture “A Wednesday”, this film has more than enough wit for a commercial cinema.

Final Verdict:  Entertainment guaranteed. :)

Movie Review: David

Here’s how the director must have convinced the producer for getting a green signal for this flick.

Director: Hey I got an idea.

Producer: Tell me.

Director: Three lives.. Three destinies.. One name. David.

Producer: Whoaaa..! That sounds so cool man.. Here’s your cheque.

David(2013) is an action/crime/drama thriller directed by Bejoy Nambiar,(the man behind Shaitan) that tells three stories of three men from three different eras that are linked by one name David or so we know until the final few minutes when the actual connection is revealed. Sound’s promising isn’t it?

David is one of those films that try to be different. So if you are a person who chants ‘Different is good.. Different is great’ every time you enter the movie hall then chances are you might just end up liking this one.

As for me I am fine with ‘different’ as long as it doesn’t bore me which sadly this movie does. And to be frank there was nothing different except the editing that mixes three different time periods skillfully and some good music mixed with innovative slo-mo sequences that got me saying “Yeah.. now we are talking baby!”

If you find my opinion horribly inconsistent, then seriously it’s not me… it’s this film that jumps up & down from entertaining to deathly boring every few minutes.

So in a story set in 1975 London we have David(Neil Nitin Mukesh) who works for Iqbal Ghani, a mafia don.

Then we have another David(Vinay Virmani) in another story set in 1999 Mumbai where he is a musician born to a Christian middle class family who struggles when his family is dragged into a political issue

And there is a third David(Vikram) who is a fisherman living in Goa who falls in love with a deaf-mute girl Roma(Isha Sharvani) who would be getting married to his best friend in 10 days.

So in simple words..

1- Serious Action

2- Political Khichdi/Action

3- Romantic Comedy

Of all the three stories the first one is easily the best of the lot. Shot in sepia and nicely acted this story seemed intriguing in parts.

The second plot felt contrived and ok.

The third one was entertaining in parts but horribly boring otherwise.

Surprisingly this movie has such good actors and no one is convincing. Neil Nitin Mukesh and Vinay Virmani are OK and Vikram tries his level best to inject some life into an otherwise dull and poorly written character.

At the end of the day it’s the gorgeous Isha Sharvani who saves the film.

Stylishly shot and slickly edited this movie is attractive to look at but the writing is so ardent for being ‘out of the box’ that it never settles its butt.

Conclusion: Disappointingly average.

Movie Review: Balak Palak

When was the last time you thoroughly enjoyed a ‘bold’ movie with your parents?

“BP” (Balak-Palak) is a Marathi Comedy drama film directed by Ravi Jadhav (Natrang fame) that deals with importance of sex education and tries to help parents realize how important it is to communicate transparently with your children.

The best thing about the name is that you don’t realize that there’s a sub-text that says “Balak-Palak” and I can pretty much guess what your initial reaction would be on hearing/reading the word “BP”.

I am going to use the word “BP” a few more times. So the squeamish can please stop reading. ;)

But the movie deals with exactly what’s in your head right now.

“Balak Palak” revolves around four adolescents growing up in a chawl,  Bhagya (Madan Deodhar) , Avya (Rohit Phalke) , Chiu (Bhagyashree Shankpal), Dolly (Shashwati Pimplikar)  who discover one day that an elderly female friend has 'eaten dung'(shen khalla) . Their curiosity brings them to Vishu (Prathamesh Parab) a boy who tires to explain the meaning and later joins the gang in their “adventures”.

And what follows is a laugh-riot. :D

Beautifully shot and terrifically acted, “BP” is one of those films that are so enjoyable that you never realize that you are watching them for the second time and still laugh on the same jokes.

The music given by Vishal-Shekhar is fresh and energetic just like those kids. The direction by Ravi Jadhav is outstanding and I tip my hat to him because this could have so easily turned into a vulgar joke-fest but he handled everything sensibly.

About the performances, everyone has performed well but the one gem of a performance that eats the cake here is Prathamesh Parab as Vishu. With his charming dialog delivery and '36-teeth' smile he is genuinely funny and completely owns the show.

However, at its heart, “BP” is a beautiful thought provoking film which deals with an important issue that is relevant and needs to be addressed by every parent.

BUT I must warn you. It is achingly funny and I mean that in the best possible way. :)

Movie Review: Life Of Pi

First thing’s first. I have not read the book. So there’s nothing that I carried in my head other than an image of a boy stuck on a boat in the middle of an ocean and some animals to watch in 3D.
Frankly speaking I did not know what to expect other than the small description that I read on IMDB which says:

“A young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor ... a fearsome Bengal tiger.”


“Life of Pi” is a movie which, in my opinion, has been wrongly marketed as a 3D movie. It should be called ‘4D’. Well not because of the jaw-dropping special effects and (certainly not because I am high right now) but it’s for a different reason. I would come to that in a moment :)

From the word GO this movie engulfs you in the beauty of its world subtly. The opening sequence of a zoo slowly lets you settle in as the colorful birds and animals fill the screen and then the wonderful story of “Pissing Patel” begins. (Yes you read the name correctly :) )

For the dummies who seek instant gratification, this movie has plenty of “Oh! Look at that” moments to offer. But at its heart, “Life of Pi” is a beautiful slow brooding movie that grows on you.

The cast includes some of the best names in the industry so it’s practically impossible for anything to go wrong in the acting department. Irrfan Khan, Adil Hussain and Tabu are very good in their respective roles. The newcomer “Suraj Sharma” does an incredible job in spite of the fact that he’s facing the camera for the first time.

But the real stand out performance here is from “Richard Parker” the animated Bengal tiger. Filled with articulate menace and genuine helplessness, the character oozes out true human emotions. And it’s easily one of the best animated characters that I completely fell for. Right from its introduction to the final frame of this movie(probably the best I have seen) the tiger keeps you alert and hooked.

This movie fared “very good” in my cards if not for that final twist towards the end where the director does something spectacular. He adds a fourth dimension to the tale(4D). :)

Instead of being a pseudo-intellectual drivel which it could have so easily become, it sticks to entertaining you and then provides you with a twist that deepens everything that you just saw, making it.. “divine” :)

Conclusion: IT WAS FREAKING AWESOMEEEEE! :D