Chulbul Panday Returns

Iss hafte ek ki release hai Arbaaz Khan ki Dabangg 2.

Aam taurpe filmein sirf do prakar ki hoti hain.

Ya toh filmein achi hoti hain ya phir film burri hoti hain.

Magar Salman Khan ki filmein na achi hoti hain - na hi burri hoti hain - wo sirf aur sirf Salman Khana ki  film hoti hain.

Dabangg 2 sahi mano mein Dangg ka sequel hain. 

Wohi josh ,Jalwa, jhatka matka - kuch purani aur kuch nayi baton ke saath.

Peechli baar Chulbul Panday Lalganj mein thhe.

Iss baar Pandayji ki posting Kanpur mein hain isliye kuch Kanpur ki sadkein, kothiyaan aur wahan ki cheheal pehal film mein nazar aate hain.

Peechli baar Chulbul Panday pita Vinod Khanna aur bhai Makhi Singh ke dushman thhe.

Iss baar saara pariwar Tv serial ke pariwar ki tarha saath saath hain.

Peechli baar Chulbulji Sonakshi Sinha se ishq ladaye the.

Iss baar wo apni patni par puri tarha se kayal hain.

Peechli baar Munni thi. Iss baar bhi Munni hain.

Peechli baar Zandu Balm ka item number tha. Iss baar Kareena Fevicol ka item number sajati hain.

Peechli baar Pandayji action cop the.  Iss baar wo sper cop hain -ahan jaate hain sena saath lekar jaate hain – ladne ke liye nahi hasi mazak karne ke liye.

Peechli baar jab wo gunde ko marte the toh ainn mauke par gunde ka mobile baja tha.

Iss baar bhi jab wo gunde ko maarte hain toh ainn mauke par gunde ka mobile bajta hain.

Dono baar call maa ka tha aur dono baar Panday maa ko Namaste karte hain.

Peechli baar Salman Khan ne trouser belt ko pakad kar ek special dance step kiya tha.

Iss baar unka trouser belt apne aap uchalkar dance karta hain.

Peechli baar wo action aur romantic hero thhe.

Iss baar wo bhavook hokar kabhi kabhi ro bhi lete hain.

Peechli baar climax scene mein villain Sonu Singh ko dekhkar  unka shirt gusse mein apne aap phat jaata hain.

Iss baar wo villain ko shirt utarte dekhkar apna shirt nikalkar unki jamke pitai karte hain.

Peechli baar Chulbul Panday ek se do hue the. Iss baar wo do se teen hote hain. 

Sach toh ye hain ki Salman Khan ki film ka review karn mushkil hi nahi namumkin hain aur ye namumkin  Dabangg se Dabangg 2 ka promotion karwaya hain producer director Arbaaz Khan ne.

Toh Dabangg 2 ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hain 3 stars.

Searching for someone…

Film: Talaash

Producer: Aamir Khan, Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani

Director: Reema Kagti

Cast:  Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukerji

Genre: Suspense, Thriller

Iss hafte sirf ek release hain – Excel Entertainment aur Aamir Khan Productions ki Talaash.

Talaash police inspector Shikhawat Suri ki kahai hain –jo ek zyaati haadse ke baad kabhi chain ki neend so nahi paata.

Shikhawat saari saari raat shehar ki andheri sadkon par ghumta hain.

Aisi hi ek andheri sadak par unki mulakate Rosie yaane Kareena Kapoor se hoti hain.

Shikhawat yaane Aamir Khan ko talsaash hain ek suraag ki.

Rosie Shikhawat ko surag tak le jaati hain – magar na chahte hue use aur bhi pareshaan kar deti hain.

Roshni – yaane Rani Mukherji pareshan hain apne pati Suri yaane Aamir Khan ke liye.

Film ka pace unduly slow hain – aur saath saath ek constant tension bhi hain – jiski wajah se puri film ke dauran ek ghutan si mehsoos hoti hain…

Film sanjida hain aur devoid entertainment bhi toh koi romance, music ya item number ki umeed na rakhe.

Film ke plus mein main kahungi ki film ki shot taking bohat niralee hain aur ordinary se ordinary scene extra-ordinary tarike se unfols karti hain.

Director Reema Kagti ki sabse badi khubi ye hain ki who apne audience ko bilkul hi underestimate nahi karti jiski wajah se film ka har khayal-jassba -har rishta aur kirdaar understated hain!

Credit titles aur opening shot se lekar – saare close-ups- flashbacks aur montages bohat hi sensitively project kiye gaye hain.

Saare performances competent hain magar Kareena Kapoor ke screen par aate hi ek ruhani jadu chha jaata hain. – isliye Kareena film ka ikka hain.

 Zoya Akhtar aur Reema Kagti ki kahani emotional hain magar bohat saari memorable ki yaad dilate hain.

Film ka doosre ikka hain – Farhan Akhtar ke dialogues – jo teer ki tarha dil ko chubhte hain.

Ye do ikke aur technical expertise ke bawajood film mein kuch kummi hain – jaise kuch choot gaya hain – aur jisse hum bayyan nahi kar sakte.

Talaash ki ek aur anokhi baat hain. Fil dekhne ke dauraan aapka ka ek anubhav hain – aur theatre chodne ke baad -doosri subah aap ka alag anubhav hain.

Ye dono anubhav s ke liye Talaash ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hain 3.5 stars.

Bhawana Somaaya

www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Not to be missed

Film: Life Of Pi

Producer: Ang Lee, Gil Netter, David Womark

Director: Ang Lee

Cast:  Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Adil Hussain

Genre: Drama, action, adventure

Life of Pi - issi naam ki prize winning kitab par adharit angrezi  film hain jo Broke Back Mountain jaisi  Oscar winning film banane wale director Ang Lee ne direct ki hain.

Ye kahani hain - ek saise teenager ki  jo lambe arse tak ek life boat par beech sarovar phas  jaata hain aur uske saath hain ek Tiger - jo iss muskil daur mein uska akela saathi bhi hain aur jaani dushman bhi.

Pi Pondicherry ki khupsurat gulliyon mein apne maa baba aur bade bhai ke saath rehta hain. Pi ke pita zoo ke malik hain isliye Pi ka janwar ke saath ek rishta hain aur Pi ke uncle swimming champion hain isliye Pi ka paani se bhi ek khaas rishta hain.

Aam taurpar kitabon par adharit filmein zyadatat audience ko disappoint karti hain. Ye  shayad pehli film hain jo kitab se bhi bahtareen sabit hui hain.

Iss film mein zindagi se juddi teen baton ka zikkr hota hain – prakruti – insaan aur bhagwan!

Film ki bemisaal cinematography aur computer imageries aap ko prakruti ki sundarta aur prakruti ka rosh  dikhati hain…

Pi ki bhumika mein bahtareen kalakar Suraj Sharma aap ko insaan ke dhairya aur hauslein ka saamna karati hain…

Aur aakhir mein bhagwan…Kya sachmuch mein bhagwan humari madad ko aate hain…ya ye humare andar ki hi koi shakti hain…

Irfaan Khan film ke sutradhar hain – Canada mein apne pariwar ke saath rehte hain aur accented English mein baat karte hain.

Tabu jisne Irfaan ke saath Maqbool ki hain ismein chotte Pi yaane Suraj Sharma ki maa hain.

Film ki likhawat – soch aur sandesh lajawab hain. Canadian author kitab ke akhri pages mein aapko bandh kar rakhte hain. Director Ang Lee film ke climax mein aapko deewana bana dete hain.

Ye shayad pehle film hain jahan lambe arse tak koi dialogues na hote hue - aap do ghante 8 minute tak  bade parde se nigah nahi hata sakte ho.

Life of Pi ko kissi bhi haal mein – kissi bhi film buff ko miss nahi karni chahiye.

Life of Pi ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hain 5 stars.

This week releases - Nightmare for a critic!!

Film: Makkhi

      Producer: Sai Korrapati, Suresh Babu

Director: S.S Rajamouli

      Cast: Sudeep, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Nani

Genre: Fictional

Rating: Very Good

Synopsis: It is a simple story of love, revenge and reincarnation where a beloved is reborn as a fly and protects his beloved from the villain.

Plus points: are the fantastic animation and the conviction in the script. Director Rajamouli is a revered name down South and has made the same film in Tamil and Telegu- both 100 crore films.

Minus points: the film could have been shorter by 10 minutes and excluded superstition stuff about tantriks. Also there is a strong South flavour which could have been reshot to make it Hindi audience friendly.

If you are Spiderman, Rajnikant fan: you cannot miss Makhi.

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Film: Chittagong               

Producer: Bedabrata Pain, Anurag Kashyap

Director: Bedabrata Pain

Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Raj Kumar Yadav, Jaideep Ahlawat

Genre: Social

Rating: Very Good

Synopsis: Set in the turbulence of the 1930s British India, Chittagong is a true story of a 14 year old Jhunku, and of his journey to find where he belongs.

Plus : it is an authentic representation of history, well researched and earnestly presented. It excels in all the departments – cinematography, action, locations and first rate performances.

Minus : it is a slice of history with nothing frivolous about it so those looking for entertainment, stay away.

Kindly note: Ashutosh Gowariker made a film on the same subject a while ago titled Khele Hum Jee Jaan Se.

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Film: Aiyya

Producer: Anurag Kashyap and Viacom 18

Director: Sachin Kundalkar

      Cast: Rani Mukerji, Prithviraj, Subodh Bhave

Genre: Rom-com

Rating: Average

Synopsis: Meenakshi Deshpande (Rani Mukerji) lives in a dream land and is forever possessed by her fantasies. She falls in love with a Tamil artist Surya (Prithviraj) and is drawn to the scent of the man.

The minus point of the film is that: everything – the plot, presentation and the characters are over the top.  The first half is entertaining but post interval the director loses the plot.

What works is: Rani Mukherji who can sing, dance, emote, romance, make you laugh and empathize.

Recommended for: Rani fans.

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Film: In The Name Of Tai

Producer: Ujjwal Thengdi

Director: Ujjwal Thengdi

Cast: Nishigandha Wad, Asrani, Vilas Ujawane, Mahesh Thakur, Ujjwal Thengdi

Genre: Drama

Ratings: Good

Synopsis: Inspired by a real story that of an ordinary woman who struggle for 20 years against the powerful lobby of land mafia.

What works about the film: is that it stays true to the real story and has no pretensions. All performances particularly Nishigandha as tai is noteworthy.

What does not work: is that it appears more as a Marathi film than Hindi – the locales, characters, dialect are strongly Maharashtrian.

The message: more than makes up for the presentation.

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Film: Bhoot Returns

Producer: Jitendra Jain

Director: Ram Gopal Varm

Cast: Manisha Koirala, Alayana Sharma, Madhu Shalini, J.D. Chakravarthy

Genre: Horror

Rating: Average

Synopsis: it is yet again the story of a haunted house and a tormented family.

The plus of the film: is it marks the comeback of Monisha Koirala – it is good to have her back even if this is not the best vehicle for the actor.

The minus of the film: is that the horror does not strike you in the 2D or the3D.

Poster reads- First was a warning. Fear returns. I don’t think so.

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Sridevi sparkles

Film: English Vinglish

Producer: Sunil A Lulla, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, R Balki

Director: Gauri Shinde

      Cast: Sridevi, Mehdi Nebbou, Adil Hussain, Priya Anand

Genre: Drama

Ratings : Spectacular

Synopsis:

Shashi is an efficient housewife who is made to feel inadequate because she cannot speak English. Her family often cuts crude jokes on this but she takes it in her stride. She is an excellent homemaker and her clients devour on delicious laddoos prepared by her. While visiting America for a family wedding, she makes most of the trip by taking a crash course in English language and this small adventure transforms her life.

What works about the film?

The story, treatment, script and the characters, writer director Gauri Shinde portrays the chronicle of a self employed house wife with amazing insights. Shinde is familiar with her characters and their anxieties and does not sideline anyone. They speak believable dialogues which are a mixture of Hindi English and at times Marathi. The city of New York is used as a character that the protagonist learns to befriend.  Swanand kirkire’s lyrics tug your heaqrt strings woven into Amit Trivedi’s composition.

 

Performances

French actor who loses his heart to the desi girl is a super actor and devastatingly handsome. Adil Hussaian as Sridevi’s husband is effectively chauvinistic and Priya Anand as Sridevi’s elder sister amazingly natural. The film however belongs to Sridevi who makes certain that you cannot blink while she is in frame. She transforms the mundane into magical with her reactions and often her actions speak louder than her expressions.

Scenes to remember

There is no way you are going to forget  a nervous Sridevi traveling by plane to New York, her encounter with the woman at the café, the laddoo disaster at the wedding and her final speech. Superbly scripted and superbly performed.

Verdict

It is all about woman power and this time even the box-office will have to bow to this special actor called Sridevi

The review appears as it is in Blockbuster, a newly launched trade magazine.

You can subscribe to it at sales@starblockbuster.com

Novel concept

Film: OMG Oh My God!

Producer: Akshay Kumar, Ashvini Yardi, Paresh Rawal

Director: Umesh Shukla

Cast: Paresh Rawal, Akshay Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty, Mahesh Manjrekar

Genre: Comedy

Rating: Good

Novel concept

by Bhawana Somaaya

Synopsis:

Inspired from a popular Gujarati play Kanji Virudh Kanji enacted as Kishen v/s Kanhaiya in Hindi, the film tells the plight of Kanji bhai (Paresh Rawal), a shopkeeper. When a tornado destroys his store and the life insurance company refuses to compensate his damages, Kanji turns rebellious and takes on God and all the Godmen. Kanji is an angry atheist determined to fight the world alone until a miracle happens. Lord Krishna (Akshay Kumar) visits Kanji and thus begins a conversation between man and the supreme.

What works about the film?

Is that the idea is original and the writing refreshing. The film raises a debate on the existence of God.  The narrative is linear and has two protagonists - the harassed human Kanji bhai and the Almighty portrayed as a contemporary Krishna in designer suits and goggles doing stunts on his motor bike.

Performances:

Mithun Chakraborty as the Godman, who sing-songs his lines, is a caricature and least appealing. Paresh Rawal as the angry, exasperated and amusing Kanji bhai is convincing and speaks his lines with a facility that comes out of internalizing the character. Akshay Kumar as Krishna Vasudev Yadav from Gokul has a difficult part of balancing the believable with the surreal. Akshay plays Krishna with restrain and mischief. He polishes off all the butter from the refrigerator, wakes up playing  the flute, adorns a peacock feather and works miracles at his will.

What does not work?

Is that it is too verbose which usually happens when films are adapted from plays. For those accustomed to a diet of song and dance there is just one Sonakshi Sinha’s item number. The production values are below average and most important, Kanji’s conversations with God even though laced with great humour and drama, after a point become rhetoric.

Director:

Umesh Shukla tries to earnestly do something different and to an extent succeeds. His desire to initiate a dialogue between the atheist and the believer is intriguing.

   Some montages in the film stay with you, for instance when Akshay steps on the streets and watches his many idols on sale. There is just one scene presenting him in the Vishnu avataar and it is effective.

The film reminds you of Nagi Reddy’s Yehi Hai Zindagi where Vikram Gokhale played God and Sanjeev Kumar the common harassed man. In Yehi Hai Zindagi, Lord Krishna in his original avataar visits Sanjeev Kumar from time to time until Sanjeev, an atheist transforms into a believer.

Verdict:

It is brave of Akshay Kumar to play a part which is in complete contrast to his image. It would be interesting to watch how his fans accept him in this new avtaar. 

The review appears as it is in Blockbuster, a newly launched trade magazine.

You can subscribe to it at sales@starblockbuster.com

No fireworks

Film: Kamaal Dhamaal Malamaal

Producer: Percept Picture Company

Director: Priyadarshan          

Cast: Nana Patekar, Shreyas
Talpade, Paresh Rawal,
Madhurima Banerjee, Om Puri

Genre: Comedy

Ratings: Rhetoric

Synopsis:

Bakri Johny (Shreyas Talpade) is a terrified soul and has done nothing in life other than buying lottery tickets every week. He is obsessed with Maria (Madhhurima) daughter of the village don and sworn enemy of his father, David...Peter (Paresh Rawal) who makes certain that his daughter stays away from Johny. Hope comes in the form a silent but very hungry man Sam (Nana Patekar) who is determined to bring the lovers together.

What works about the film?

Nothing. Not the director nor his brand of comedy. Nana Patekar is a new addition in the old camp and comes as a breath of fresh air but even he cannot salvage the film. The actors have a good time but not the audience.

What does not work?

There are no surprises. It is one more meaningless comedies from the Priyadarshan stable.

Verdict:

Difficult for the film to break even but Priyadarshan has a track record of surprising! 

The review appears as it is in Blockbuster, a newly launched trade magazine.

You can subscribe to it at sales@starblockbuster.com

BIG FM Movie Review- Heroine

UTV produced aur Madhur Bhandarkar directed Heroine - kahani hain film abhinetri Mahi Arora ki - uski chamakti lok priyata - aur zyaati zindagi mein bikharte rishton ki.

Ye kahani hain sitaron ki duniya ki…kalakaron ki…jasbadon ki aur sabse zyada- kismat ki…!

Jiss tarha se film ke promotion – endorsements – aur anginnat interviews kiye gaye thhe - aisa lagta hain jaise director Madhur Bhandarkar aur leading lady Kareena Kapoor kuch naya lekar aaye hain.

Afsos aisa bilkul nahi hain. 

Aisa nahi hain ki iske pehle - cinema jagat par filmein nahi bani hain - magar zyadatar aisi filmein ubharte sitaron ke bare mein thi.

Heroine ek superstar ki kahani hain jo real life superstars se inspired hain – iske bawajood na hi kahani rasilli hain – aur nahi kirdaar.

Aisa lagta hain jaise saare kirdaar aur saare rishte khokle hain.

Mana ki show business opportunities ki duniya hain - magar ye zaroori nahi ki film ka har kirdaar negative ho.

Yahan par producer nirdayi hain- director kamzor - journalist bikau - starlet lalchi – pracharak chaalbaaz aur electronic media besharam!!.

 2 ghante aur 30 minute ki film mein na koi surprises hain aur na hi entertainment.

Director Madhur Bhandarkar- jinhone ab tak bohat saare professions par filmein banayi hain – iss baar - apne hi profession ko prastit karne mein nakamyaab rahe.

Film ki likhawat khokli aur banavti hain – aur kahin se bhi humare dil ko nahi chhooti balke ye kehna galat nahi hoga ki Heroine cinema jagat ka exaggerated, unrealistic aur gairrzimmedar ka portrayal hain.

Ye saari khamiyaan maaf hoti - agar film ke performances lajawab hote – aur iski kahani mein sambhavna thi -  

Magar Shahana Goswami aur Divya Datta ke sivay - ek bhi kirdaar sacha nahi lagta. Arjun Rampal kuch scenes mein effective hain - magar film ki sabse badi disappointment – film ki heroine - Kareena Kapoor hain.

Mahi Arora - khush ho ya uddas- hasse royye- nache ya gaye – aap ke dil mein nahi utarti.

Uski  paristhitiyaan bad se badtar hoti jaati hain iske bawajood audience ko character se sahanubhuti nahi hoti.

Iski wajah ye hain - ki Mahi khud apne problems ke liye zimmedaar hain.

Heroine unn saare formuon ka mishran hain – jo box-office par chalti hain -jaise alchohol, abuse, brothel,  cigarettes, drugs, item number, sex aur gaali galoch – iske bawajood- baat nahi banti.

Aur iski wajah hain film ki niyat – Director sirf sensation – sensation aur sensation chahta hain!

Heroine ko Big Entertainment ratings milte hain 2 stars.

The above review in Hindi features on 92.7 Big Fm over the weekend. Suno sunao life banao.

Superficial and Fake

Film: Heroine

Producer:  Ronnie Screwvala, Siddharth Roy Kapoor, Madhur Bhandarkar

Director: Madhur Bhandarkar

Cast: Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Randeep Hooda, Sanjay Suri.

Genre: Drama

Ratings: Disappointing

by Bhawana Somaaya

Synopsis:

Set against the backdrop of show business, the film tells the story of superstar Mahi Arora and her battle to sustain her fading career and relationships. 

What works about the film?

Everything off the screen – The hype and the aggressive pre-release promotions, the innumerable endorsements, the various controversies related to the film and leading lady Kareena Kapoor’s personal life specifically, her impending marriage. 

What does not work?

Everything on the screen – All the characters are caricatures and their interpersonal relationships, fake. The screenplay is a cluster of scenes and devoid of any complexities or insights. The film is apparently borrowed from personal lives of many actresses but not a single moment rings true! It is too long – 2 hours 30 minutes and presents an exaggerated, cynical image of cinema world where everyone you are introduced to is ruthless be it the scheming producer, submissive director, abusive hero, unethical journalist, ambitious starlet, manipulative PR machinery and invasive electronic media.

Performances:

All would have been forgiven if the performances were sparkling and there was ample opportunity for the supporting cast to shine but none, except Shahana Goswami and Divya Datta make an impact. Arjun Rampal is effective in parts but the biggest let down is Kareena Kapoor. Galloping through an incoherent script that fails to define stages and phases in the actor’s career, Kareena plays Mahi Arora on an even keel without any dramatic fluctuations. We don’t know how old she is and for all that she goes through, she is well preserved without any signs of ravage or degradation.

There are few spunky moments when she comes alive like when she lashes at the media in a press conference or when she is mechanical in conversation with her mother but besides that, Mahi leaves you cold and untouched!

What is upsetting about the film?

It is an unrealistic, exaggerated, negative and irresponsible projection of the film world. For a filmmaker who has made an identity of setting his characters in various professions and exploring their worlds, Madhur Bhandarkar goes completely off the mark about his own world. There is no layering in the characters or the ambience, no efforts to portray them as people.

Verdict:

The film will grant a good opening but the audience will see through the dishonest packaging. Alcohol, abuse, brothel, broken homes, cigarettes, drugs, item number, police, politician, homosexuality, sex, skin show and swear words don’t guarantee hits and particularly when everything is projected for sensation!

The review appears as it is in Blockbuster, a newly launched trade magazine.

You can subscribe to it at sales@starblockbuster.com

This Barfi is Delicious!

Film: Barfi!

Producer: Siddharth Roy Kapoor, Ronnie Screwala

Director: Anurag Basu

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Ileana D’cruz

Genre: Romantic comedy

Ratings: Outstanding

by Bhawana Somaaya

Story:

Set in the 70s in a pretty corner of India in Darjeeling the film tells the story of three people who learn that love can neither be defined nor contained.

Barfi is deaf and mute but that does not come in the way of his enjoying his life. He is full of pranks and has a way of charming everyone he meets.

Shruti is visiting Darjeeling where she meets Barfi and though she is engaged to be married, falls in love with the simple small-town-boy who makes her laugh and live life to the fullest.

Jhilmil is mentally challenged and has known Barfi since childhood. They meet again as adults and though a lot has changed, a lot remains unchanged.

What works about the film:

Is that it is a refreshing story and completely unpredictable. To all those cynics who feel, so what’s new about love – travel into the world of director Anurag Basu and watch him unfold a stirring tale of three extra-ordinary characters. Shot in breathtaking locations with minimum dialogues, Preetam’s music fills in the blanks for the emotions that characters cannot express to each other.

Performances:

Ranbir Kapoor’s Murphy/ Barfi is a feast to the eyes and leaves you awestruck in every frame.  He is flawless, be it in the Chaplin act, romance, chase or even the most ordinary scene, conveying more with expressions and body language than words.  What’s endearing is that Barfi is spirited despite his impairment.

Priyanka Chopra’s Jhilmil is a role to remember and her best so far. Chopra plays the awkward, autistic, overgrown woman without vanity or a false chord.  

Ileana Dcruz’s Shruti is a beautiful presence – sensitive and delicate and it is evident that the camera simply loves her.

What does not work:

It is too long – 2 hours 30 minutes to be precise, and has a non-linear narrative that gets complicated. The frequent flashback forwards are unsettling but barring that there is nothing to criticize about the film.

What is special about the film:

The characters and the relationships, the star-cast and the performances, the magic of the lead pair but most important is the film’s director Anurag Basu. After Gangster (2006) and Life In A Metro (2007), Barfi is, in the true sense, a cinematic experience and Basu is the only director in present times who understands the power of silence.

Verdict:

 Barfi will determine if the audience has matured to accept the artistic as commercial. Something tells me they are ready for the change.

The review appears as it is in Blockbuster, a newly launched trade magazine.

You can subscribe to it at sales@starblockbuster.com

Dragging

Film: I M 24

Producer: Arindam Chaudhuri

Director: Saurabh Shukla

Cast: Rajat Kapoor, Ranvir Shorey, Neha Dhupia, Manjari Fadnis

Genre: Comedy, Social

Rating: Below Average

by Bhawana Somaaya

Story:

Shubendu is a principled middle-aged writer struggling to make two ends meet. He is 42 and lives a drab life till he makes an internet friend, a 22 year old beauty queen and for the first time is tempted to lie. His roommate, Gagan is a smooth operator who lives in a make believe world without a penny in his pocket. What follows is a ride of lies and embarrassing tales of cover-ups.

What works about the film:

The first half of the film is absolutely hilarious and the narrative engaging.

It is a saucily written screenplay and deliciously performed by a team of brilliant actors like Saurabh Shukla, Lillete Dubey and ofcourse the four lead players – Rajat, Ranvir, Neha and Manjari.

What does not work:

The second half does not live up to the promise of the first half and drags unnecessarily. The climax is particularly disappointing and almost unbelievable.

Verdict:
For those exposed to the best of Saurabh-Rajat combo this one lacks the magic. I give it 2 or 4 days in cinema halls.

The review appears as it is in Blockbuster, a newly launched trade magazine.

You can subscribe to it at sales@starblockbuster.com