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

Bad Joke

Film: Joker

Producer: Farah Khan, Akshay Kumar, Shirish Kunder

Director: Shirish Kunder

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha, Shreyas Talpade, Minisha Lamba

Genre: Comedy

Rating: Below Average

by Bhawana Somaaya

Story:

In 1947 when the maps of India and Pakistan were being drawn, Paglapur went unrecorded. The village had the distinction of housing the largest mental asylum in the region. During partition, the asylum inmates broke loose and established their own republic away from the rest of the country. Paglapur remained neglected until a NASA scientist of Indian origin returns to his roots and changes destiny of home town.

What works about the film:
Lead pair Akshay Kumar-Sonakshi Sinha and all the supporting actors playing villagers who submit to the utter madness of the plot. All the dances lovingly choreographed by Shirish’s wife Farah Khan and punctuated with thumkas from Sonakshi. 

Performances:

As Agastya working on a top secret project for creating a device to communicate with aliens Akshay Kumar is competent. As his wife ready to follow his dream in America and Pagalpur, Sonakshi is endearing.
She enjoys being in front of the camera irrespective of what the script has to offer.

What does not work:

The illogical plot and screenplay. Director Shirish Kunder wanted to make India’s first extra terrestrial comedy but the fact is that Joker neither makes you laugh nor cry! You submit to the madness in exasperation. There is a character who thinks he is a lamppost and so hangs from a tree top. Another speaks gibberish. Everybody is in search of the aliens and this includes the White House, FBI, media and battalion of army waiting with cannons to attack them!!

Message confusing:

The pack of cards and Joker used as metaphors for Pagalpur village is contradictory. In the climax Akshay Kumar says Pagalpur does not need any patronage, then why did you go through all the trouble my dear Agastya?

Verdict:

It is a no show, sorry Kunder you served us bad cards!

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

You can subscribe to it at sales@starblockbuster.com

Tiger roars…

Ek Tha Tiger

Producer: Aditya Chopra

Director: Kabir Khan

Cast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Ranvir Shorey, Girish Karnad, Roshan Sheth

Genre: Romance- Thriller

Ratings: Superb

by Bhawana Somaaya

Story:

In the dark world of intelligence and espionage many secrets are stored for security but some escape the files and become legends. Tiger (Salman Khan works for Research and Analysis Wing, India’s external intelligence agency and is always trotting the globe on assignments. On one such mission Tiger meets Zoya and what follows is a tumultuous journey watched and followed by two nations.

What works about the film:

Everything: from the opening frame showcasing credit titles against the back drop of Turkey to the closing shot freezing on a Black & White frame, writer -director Kabir Khan travels his audience through unfamiliar path and constantly surprises them.

There is not a dull moment in the film and for this the credit goes to the writers-Nilesh Mishra and Kabir Khan. The plot, characters and dialogues are completely believable.

The film has all the twists and turns necessary for a thriller and is ably aided by all the technical departments. Julius Packiam’s background score is seductively upbeat even though it has a striking resemblance with the background score of Akhtar’s Don. Rameshwar Bhagwat’s editing is razor sharp and action director Conrad Palmisano conceives fearless, magical moments on screen. Aseem Mishra’s cinematography captures blue seas, brown mountains, orange skyline, magnificent architecture and a gorgeous star pair!

It is a treat to watch virgin locations like Turkey, Ireland, Kazakhastan as part of narrative and not just for song and dance. Interestingly even the choreography and the songs are in harmony with the story. Special mention must be made of Katrina’s costume by Alvira Agnihotri and the vibrant production design.

Performances:

To all those who have complained that Salman Khan never breaks away from his star image, watch the actor play a RAW agent with sincerity and restrain. He is tough when on a mission, awkward when he is ogled by neighbours, attentive when with his senior, endearing in romantic scenes involving Katrina, anguished when betrayed and fearless when courting danger. Tiger alias Rathore Singh is a character suiting Salman’s age and image!

Katrina Kaif always underplays and that is her strength as an actor. She surprised everybody in New York and Rajneeti and Ek Tha Tiger is one more feather in her colourful cap. As Zoya she is mysterious and alluring and manages to affect you in all her important scenes.

What does not work:

Very small things: There is no explanation about what happens to Roshan Sheth and the Ranvir Shorey and Girish Karnad’s premise of disagreement is unconvincing.

What’s special:

The action sequences are majestic, that Kabir Khan dares to unfold a story untold so far, Salman Khan and most important, the politics of the film! The message was infallible in Veer Zaara and perfect now and both these films are produced by YR Films.

Verdict:

It guarantees a blockbuster opening and house full running for three weeks all over India in single screens, multiplexes and abroad. 

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

You can subscribe to it at sales@starblockbuster.com

Self indulgent

Film:  Jism 2

Producer: Dino Morea and Pooja Bhatt

Director: Pooja Bhatt

Cast: Sunny Leone, Randeep Hooda and Arunoday Singh

Duration: 2 hours 12 minutes

Genre: Erotic thriller

Ratings: Below Average

by Bhawana Somaaya

Story

A porn star (Sunny Leone) is hired by a dashing intelligence officer (Arunoday Singh) to become a Honey-trap for a dreaded assassin (Randeep Hooda). In doing so, she not only has to confront her bitter-sweet past, but is also forced to make an impossible choice - one that will put her own life in double jeopardy.

What works about the film

Let me think…the title perhaps or may be the marketing strategy employed for the film promotion. They not only pre-poned the film by a week but were in the eye of the storm with so many controversies related to the film. Everybody is curious to know what is beneath the transparent sheet particularly since the government banned the posters on the eve of the release. What works also to an extent is Mahesh-Pooja Bhatt brand who seven years ago gave us a very bold film Jism.

Performances

All of them are extremely bad but if I have to put them in the worst order it would start with senior IB officer Arif Zakaria who is hilariously out of place, his junior Arunoday Singh who is expressionless through out the film, cop turned aggressor Randeep Hooda who is so inconsistent that I suspect he is performing to a different script in his mind and finally Sunny Leone –all she does in the film is to walk around in lingerie and heave her bosom heavily.

What doesn’t work about the film

Everything – to begin with there is hardly any ‘jism’ in the film – except some smooching scenes. The story line is anorexic with no insights into the making of a porn star. The art with low lights and ink blue walls is suffocating and self indulgent, there are too many songs and the overpowering background music interrupt an already shaky narrative. The Bhatts are known for their characterization but this time all the interpersonal relationships appear synthetic. Mahesh Bhatt’s dialogues are rhetoric. It is evident that he has nothing new to comment on the subject.

Verdict

The film will have a good opening because of the steamy posters and the controversies surrounding the ban on them but once inside the theatres, the audiences are bound to feel cheated. Pooja Bhatt has been saying in all her interviews that Jism is about the female gaze. The camera does not stop lingering over Sunny Leone’s bosom. I suspect the camera prefers the male gaze.

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

You can subscribe to it at sales@starblockbuster.com