Movie Review: Always Kabhi Khabi…

By Neharika.
Directed by: Roshan Abbas
Produced by: Gauri Khan
Screenplay by: Roshan Abbas, Ranjit Raina, Ishita Moitra
Story by: Roshan Abbas, Ranjit Raina
Starring: Ali Fazal, Giselle Monteiro, Zoa Morani, Satyajeet Dubey, Satish Shah, Lilette Dubey and Vijay Raaz
Music by: Aashish Rego, Shree D, Pritam Chakraborty
Cinematography: Fuwad Khan, Anshuman Mahaley
Editing by: Sanjay Sharma
Distributed by: Red Chillies Entertainment, Eros Entertainment

Grade: D: Poora time Waste  :(

ALWAYS KABHI KABHI is said to be based on director Roshan Abbas successful play ‘Graffiti’, which he had written and directed way back in 1999.

The story spins around the lives of four high-school adolescents – Sameer aka Sam, Aishwarya aka Aishu/Aish, Taariq aka Einsten, Nandini aka Nandu the Bull, who are in theirfinal year at St. Marks, a school full of good looking, well-dressed romantic students dancing around with funny professors like Ms Das (Lilette Dubey) and Professor Agarwal urf Agro (Vijay Raaz), the girl’s skirts end much above their knees and Romeo and Juliet continues to be the most important chapter in classroom.

Sam, the coolest dude in school, who lives life through shortcuts falls in love with Aish, a new entrant in the school, and as always, you can expect obstacles in their love story. A parallel love story emerges between angry young rebel, Nandu and the cute nerd Einsten. Everyone’s parents are evil.
In short, the story is about how the four brats screw up their lives, and to top it up, the family problems, thus clashing their dreams and aspirations.

The first half of the flick is dull and boring while the second half has a flashy climax. The movie is completely a teeny,youth type film, filled with dreams, friendship, love, crushes, parents pressure, campus life, flirting etc etc. The film does convey a message at the end especially to the parents.

Though the movie is so-so, in fact, it desperately wanted to look youthful, though the dialogues and one-liners did have a youth flavor. The entire star cast did their parts beautifully and can be rated above average. Thankfully, there was no over acting.

Roshan Abbas’ Always Kabhi Kabhi would have worked well if he had released the flick a few years back.

Rating: 1 out of 5 

‘Ready’ is a SUPERHIT!!!

Salman Khan’s latest film Ready is emerging as a superhit at the Bollywood box office.

Having taken bumper opening weekend collections, Ready has continued to maintain its good run throughout its first week and is soaring high in the secondweek too, with no dip in the collections. It collected Rs. 4.5 crores on Friday, Rs. 5.9 crores on Saturday and the collections shot up to Rs 9.05 crores on Sunday. The totalsecond-weekend collection amounts to more than Rs 19 crores. Adding up the first and second weeks collection, the film has made close to 90 crores and so far, it is the biggest Bollywood hit of 2011.

It is expected to cross the Rs. 100 crore mark by the end of this week.

Movie Review: Shaitan….

By Neharika.

Directed by: Bejoy Nambiar
Produced by: Anurag Kashyap, Sunil Bohra, Guneet Monga, Meraj Shaikh
Screenplay by: Megha Ramaswamy, Bejoy Nambiar
Starring: Rajit Kapoor, Rajeev Khandelwal, Kalki Koechlin, Pawan Malhotra, Shiv Pandit, Gulshan Devaiya, Neil Bhoopalam, Kirti Kulhari
Music by: Prashant Pillai, Amar Mohile, Ranjit Barot, Anupam Roy
Cinematography:Madhie
Editing by: Sreekar Prasad
Distributed by: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures

Shaitan, a movie which the Indian spectators will experience for the first time. It is this realism, edginess and awkwardness that stays with the audiences once they leave the theaters.

A story about five youngsters, who live life as if there is no tomorrow. They come from affluent homes, speeding through the streets of Mumbai in an expensive Hummer. Amy [Kalki], Dash [Gulshan], KC [Shiv], Zubin [Neil] and Tanya [Kirti] enjoy life, seeking for excitement all the time, till a moment changes everything. Well, they meet with an accident, killing two people on a two wheeler. Their actions to cover up lead them through a series of incidents, thus bringing out the inner ‘shaitan’ in all of them.

Inspector Mathur [Rajeev Khandelwal], who’s fighting his inner demons too, is handed over the responsibility of chasing the youngsters.

The story has the exact amount of ‘rage’, ‘psyche’ and ‘moments’. No dull moments. Both the first and the second halves were well balanced. The film gives us a glimpse of the erratic and inner psyche of today’s youngsters who live for the moment.

Talking about the star performances, Rajeev Khandelwal ( Mathur) as a cop was very very convincing, focused performance. Kalki was as usual excellent, giving a striking performance. Debut actors Shiv Pandit and Kirti both are fresh and will shock audience with their smart convincing act.The others were pretty decent and effective.

Debutant director Bejoy Nambiar has done a fab job. His content, is worth a praise. Right from the script to direction to narration to execution; everything is just about perfect. Madhi’s cinematography is spectacular. The car chase scene literally gets your hair to stand. Must say, very interestingly shot.
The film’s sound-track, which lists five composers including Ranjit Barot and Amar Mohile and a metal band, is peppy and simply superb. Dialogues are completely youth centric.

Final word: An adrenaline pumped thriller, a must watch flick for youth who love realism and edginess.

I give it a 4 on 5 rating…

Kalki-Kashyap’s Honeymoon plans…

Just over a month back, we saw the very lovely Kalki Koechlin tying the knot to Anurag Kashyap. The couple, however, couldn’t go on their honeymoon as work kept both of them busy.

“We really want to go out for our honeymoon soon, don’t know where we will head but we both like mountains and beaches, it depends on our mood and how tired we are. After I finish Dibakar’s film, we will go off and spend some quality time,”Kalki said during her visit to Delhi.

Kalki Koechlin, will be seen playing the role of a disturbed character in today’s release Shaitaan. Kashyap, who is also the producer of Shaitaan, says there was no societal pressure on him or Kalki to tie the knot.

“Getting married was our decision and wasn’t a society pressure or any other pressure. We have been living together for three years, it was not less to any married couple but it is a good feeling to call her my wife,” said the filmmaker, known for directing films like Black Friday and Dev D.

Sharing an intellectual and emotional bond with his lovely wife Kalki, Kashyap said,
“The compatibility between us is amazing. Our bonding and intellectual graphs come down to same level. She is a writer herself, so it’s not that I can’t talk to her about my work or take her opinions because she herself has some great way of thinking and projecting things differently.”

Yamla Pagla Deewana – Deol Pariwar da Dhamaal

By Raam

Director: Samir Karnik
Banner: Top Angle Productions
Writer: Jasvinder Singh Bhatt
Cinematagrophy: Kabir Lal, Binod Pradhan
Editor: Mukesh Thakur
Music: Pyarelal, Anu Malik, RDB, Sandesh Shandilya, Rahul Seth, Sanjoy Chowdhary
Cast: Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Anupam Kher, Nafisa Ali, Johnny Lever, Puneet Issar, Kulraj Randhawa, Himanshu Mallik, Sucheta Khanna, Emma Brown Garett

Grade: A – Wah! Kya Film Hai 

After the melodramatic APNE in 2007, Dharam paji ka pariwar is back together in Samir Karnik’s Yamla Pagla Deewana once again. And the outcome, well I never thought I would be able to say this about a Samir Karnik film – BRILLIANT. The film doesn’t fail to entertain for one single moment and the audience are definitely in for a wonderful laugh riot, a rarity in Hindi Cinema nowadays.

Story: The story starts with Ajay Devgan providing the voice-over about the films of the seventies where the family splits under very unusual circumstances and everyone is reunited once again for a Happy Ending (the footages of B.R. Chopra’s Waqt, Nasser Hussain’s Yaadon ki Baarat and Manmohan Desai’s Amar Akbar Anthony are shown). Understandably, this is supposed to belong to that cliched genre, yet a successful seventies Hindi Cinema formula.

Paramveer Singh Dhillon (Sunny Deol) is a Indian settled in Vancouver (Canada) with two kids, a foreign wife and mother (played by Nafisa Ali). He is leading a happy and comfortable life except that he does not know the whereabouts of his father Dharam Singh (played by Dharmendra) who runs away with his brother Gajodhar Singh (played by Bobby Deol) during his childhood.

One fine day, a family who newly moves into his neighbourhood visits them and one of the members from the family recognises Dharam Singh from the photograph hanging on the wall. He complains that he was robbed by this man when he was in Benaras not less than six months ago. So, Paramveer sets off to Benaras to find his missing brother and father.

The rest of the story is about how he finds them and how he tries to reunite his family with a to be solved brother’s love story problem which leads to event after event that has everybody in splits.

Performances: The story had enough scope for all the lead cast and nowhere in the movie would one feel that the Deols were forced into the script. Each one delivers thir best. It was a respite to watch the veteran Dharmendra (our He-Man) back on screen with a bang. Dharampaji delivers a brilliant performance which includes a lot of funny one liners.

Sunny Deol was at his usual ease with the character of a Sardar. There is no yelling of dialogues that we usually get to see in his performances. Sunny Deol understood his role well and delivers a subtle and niche performance. All his soft dialogues are well compensated by his macho fights, not to forget the scene in the climax where he just shouts and the goons begin to fly.

Bobby Deol was very good as both a conman and lover boy. He is absolutely comfortable when acting alongside his brother and father. The re-enacting of the tanki scene from Sholay and the Gabbar style scene are nice.

Kulraj Randhawa (Saheba), whose earlier works were only in Punjabi makes a neat and clean debut and she is at ease.

Anupam Kher as Joginder Singh is simply brilliant. A wonderful role for the veteran performer after a long time and he makes sure that the audience love this Sardar’s character absolutely. His scenes with a revolver in his hand at all times are simply superb.

Johnny Lever does a cute little cameo and he is impressive. Sucheta Khanna (Poli), the heroine’s brothers and their friend Binda (played by Amit Mistry), Emma Brown Garett (as Mary), the two kids and Puneet Issar are all good.

Technical Aspects: This is not a new story and since the story involves the Deol pariwar, the audience might feel they know what they are in for. But, let me tell you – you will be surprised with what you will get. Instead of an action-packed melodrama, director Samir Karnik wields a wonderful comedy and the audience are sure to walk out of the cinemas with a sense of satisfaction.

The music was good with the title song standing out. Cinematography and screenplay are decent. Editing could have been better. Fights are both hilarious and filled with action. Watch out for the luka-chupi episode in the climax – wonderful.

This Lodhi, watch Yaadon ki Baarat and Amar Akabar Anthony the Andaz Apna Apna style.

Word of Advice: Do not miss it!

Janta janarthan ka kya grade hai????

A: Wah! Kya Film Hai   , B: Paisa Vasool  , C: Ek Baar Chalta Hai  , D: Bakwaas  , E: Poora time Waste  

First look of Saat Khoon Maaf… Catch the trailer too…

7 Khoon Maaf is an upcoming Hindi drama, thriller and black comedy film directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, starring Priyanka Chopra in the lead role. The film, based on the Ruskin Bond short story, Susanna’s Seven Husbands, features seven male leads with Naseeruddin Shah, John Abraham and Neil Nitin Mukesh as the youngest husband, as well as Irrfan Khan, Annu Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah’s youngest son Vivaan Shah and Russian actor Aleksandr Dyachenko, in the roles of the seven husbands. Priyanka Chopra will be seen playing a negative character once again after Aitraaz (2004) and Yakeen (2005).

7 Khoon Maaf will release on 18 February 2011.

Will the flick be a hit???

Yuvraj Singh’s Birthday Bash with the Bollywood Babes….

The naughty bachelor of the Indian Cricket team, Yuvraj Singh turned 29 on Sunday.

He brought in his birthday in style with close friends and some Bollywood beauties including Preity Zinta, Arti Chhabria and Rakshanda Khan aboard a private yacht anchored at the Gateway of India. It was reportedly a wild party that went on all night. the hush hush bash was completely off limits to the media.

Well, Preity Zinta, the owner of Kings XI Punjab, did have a reason to party. After all, her IPL team got a slight lease of life from the court. 

Box Office reports…

Deepika Padukone-Imran Khan’s rom-com Break Ke Baad failed to live up to the box office expectations. However, the film produced by Kunal Kohli in association with Reliance Big Pictures and directed by debutant director Danish Aslam, seems to be on safe grounds mainly thanks to its correct economics.

The movie did not have a very great start and couldn’t pick up over the weekend too. It has collected Rs 10.50 crore approx from its first weekend.

The film did business of Rs 3 crore approx on Friday and collected Rs 3.75 crore approx on Saturday. The Sunday collections couldn’t get better and was the same as Saturday with approx Rs 3.75 crore. Further, the movie dropped badly on Monday with business of Rs 1.50 crore approx. The movie can manage around Rs 5-5.25 crore approx over the weekdays, and its collection may go up to Rs 16 crore approx for the first week.

Though the theatrical performance of Break Ke Baad is not good, the film should manage to earn the revenue of Rs 33 crore against investment of 25 crore which is 32% return and proportionately better than the hit theatrical performers like My Name Is Khan, Housefull and Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, reveals trade reports. Break Ke Baad is sold for Rs 13 crore for its satellite rights while music and home video rights added another Rs 5 crore, making it Rs 18 crore for the non-theatrical rights.

The other releases of the week Allah Ke Banday and A Beautiful Wife aka Spanish Beauty received very poor response from the audience.

Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji: First Look…

Madhur Bhandarkar’s first comic offering Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji with Ajay Devgan, Emraan Hashmi, and the 3 Idiots star Omi Vaidya is ready to hit the theaters on January 29, 2011.

The movie’s first promo was launched at Cinemax, Mumbai, on Sunday. The film’s actresses Shazahn Padamsee and south siren Shraddha Das were also present at the event. The film is about three men: Ajay plays a divorced man who is seeking new love, Omi is single and wants to find love, Emraan is single and a flirt who wants love, sex and money.

Madhur is ready to take you for a fun ride with these three men who are on a quest for love. In this film Emraan is paired for the first time opposite Shruti Haasan. The two also have intimate scenes in the film.

Guzzarish gets a thumb’s up…

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘magical’ direction, Hrithik-Ash’s chemistry, and the film’s soulful music, has worked for Guzaarish, which realezed yesterday i.e November 19.

Calling it a wonderful work of art, movie critic Subhash K Jha is also all praise for Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai.

“Guzaarish is Bhansali’s most tender and evocative film to date. It layers the pain of a dying body with the passion of an unstoppable spirit as manifested in Hrithik’s skilled and effortless performance as a quadriplegic who pledges to make every moment of his limited “sau gram zindagi” pleasurable for himself an those around him,” writes Jha, who has given the rare five-star rating to the movie.

The dazzling chemistry of Hrithik-Ash has transformed into something “deep and satisfying”according to Jha. Says he, “Barring Amitabh Bachchan in Black there has never been a better performance in a Bhansali film than Hrithik’s in Guzaarish. He grabs Ethan’s role and makes the dying character come alive in delightful waves of provocative histrionics. And if we’re talking chemistry between Hrithik and Aishwarya, then let’s get one thing clear – this ain’t Dhoom. It’s something far deeper and satisfying.”

Movie critic Taran Adarsh, who has given four-star rating to the film feels that the movie is“special in more ways than one”.

He writes, “Bhansali has worked himself to the grind and his presence is felt in every frame of Guzaarish. There is an inimitable intellect that Bhansali brings to his movies. Bhansali is also known to extract the best performances from his actors.”

Also Sanjay Leela Bhansali successfully tells a complex story in a convincing way. “Only a sensitive raconteur can do absolute justice to a challenging subject like the one in Guzaarish and Bhansali seems the right candidate for an extremely tricky theme like mercy killing/Euthanasia. The story is complex and can only be narrated by a storyteller who has the art of telling stories most convincingly”, says Adarsh.

                                     


                                    

           

Break Ke Baad - Movie Stills