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Reviews
Peepli [Live] (2010)
Peepli Live - Pithy satire clad in slick script
Anusha Rizvi has a story to tell and she does it all too un-preachily. No sermons. No grandstands. Her narrative, taking care of every nuance, puts the point right across, and manages to move you. She takes a light- hearted approach to a serious issue. The satire, directed at the media and the government, tends to go tad bit overboard, but is hard-hitting and convincing, for most part. Laudable performances by theatre artists Omkar Das Manikpuri as Natha and Raghubir Yadav as Budhia, (Natha's elder brother). A first timer in the Hindi film industry, Omkar Das is sure to take you by surprise. You may not take to him instantly but his childlike vulnerability and subtle ways, win you over, as the story progresses. Be it his tripping in the gobar, or his confiding in Budhia that he doesn't want to suicide, or the tenderness with which he pats the goat, even as he lies cowering from his own set of woes. (Titbit - Apparently, Rizvi spotted Omkar Das at a play in Bhopal. Until then, Amir was suppose to play Natha) Raghubir Yadav is born to act. He emotes flawlessly. One such scene is where he is arguing with Natha over who should suicide. Within a second, he solemnly vows to suicide, all teary-eyed, in the next, he takes a 'relieved' drag off his beedi, having managed to convince innocent Natha to sacrifice his life ;) From the grouchy (yet entertaining) amma (Farookh Zafar), to Natha's nagging wife Dhaniya (Shalini Vatsa); from the B-grade Hindi news channel correspondent Deepak, to the stoic English news channel reporter Nandita (Malaika Shenoy), it's a perfect cast all the way. The film gets drab and predictable in parts but manages to leave an impact, nevertheless!
Aisha (2010)
Aisha - visual delight (... that's it!)
I had been warned about the film before I hit the theatre! "Pathetic," "drag," "awful" was what I'd heard. I was still curious to see just how pathetic it could get ;) Despite all my fangirl-ism for Sonam K, louv for Abhay D and huge expectations from the film, it did turn out 'p.' A shallow storyline with cardboard characters (save a few), Aisha will only be remembered until your next movie on the theatre. The film, all swank and ritzy, is high up on the visual quotient, but that is all there is to it!
Airheaded Aisha (the character) is a sucker for everything chic. She wakes up to a life that's perfect. An ordinary day in her life means - shop n splurge (she flaunts Dior bags throughout); watch polo matches (and rub shoulders with the elite); go around advising people (she mistakes that 'muft ka gyan' for 'social work'); and smile pretty! La la la laa. Superficial, yes, but she's pulled it off 'pretty' decently. Abhay Deol is royally wasted in the film. There isn't much of him, but whatever little, he's fab. He's at his best where he proposes Aisha. (He looks dapper in his Dior suits ;)
After cameos in Rang De Basanti (as a struggling RJ) and Dilli 6 (as a loser photographer), Cyrus Sahukar strikes again and as convincingly, though as a rich-Delhi-da-munda Randhir Gambhir. He's hilarious, he's annoying, he's adorable! Lakme face and supermodel Lisa Haydon (Angelina Jolie look alike?) who plays Abhay Deol's NY-returned friend, is to watch out for (all reasons besides acting ;) All in all, if not anything, the movie will at least make you want to liven up your wardrobes ;)
Find me on http://eatpraylovemovies.blogspot.com/2010/08/visual-delight- and-thats-it.html
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010)
You won't mind it Once...
A tale of two gangsters in the city of Mumbai....err.. Bombay! Once upon a Time...., set in 70s, shows Sultan Mirza's (Ajay Devgan) rise to power and his ultimate demise after his opponent Shoaib (Emraan Hashmi), defies to oust him. The film transports you to the Mumbai then. The 70s (cliched) film dialogues, the bling and peppy numbers of that era, the look, the costumes (flared bell-bottoms) and, most importantly, the simplicity of the narrative. Sultan, a smuggler, gangster, I felt, was a less-sauve Subhash Nagre (Amitabh Bachchan in Sarkar) of sorts, a benevolent godfather-like figure to the oppressed. He may not have the Bachchan-like persona but manages to impress all the way. Be it as a mobster or a lover. His 60- second scene where he woos Rehanna (Kangana Ranawat) is to watch out for, besides many others. Kangana, in her '70s-film actress' role, is petite and pretty. Her dialogue delivery is clunky at times (which I have noticed in other films too). Imran, as a chindi-chor in his childhood (the kid was impactful with his dialogues), is as convincing as the wannabe-Sultan Mirza in his youth. You'll see traces of his serial kisser-image, but he manages (mostly!) to go beyond and make you forget that with his convincing young-blooded rebel act. But then, again.. We have seen him in similar roles before. A small-town chap wanting to make it big, by unlawful means! Jannat? Anyone? The 22 year-old Prachi Desai (opposite Imran) pulled off her role (whatever little) pretty smoothly for a one-film old actress. Randeep Hooda is striking as ACP Agnel Wilson. The name R Hooda sounded familiar but my failure to recall got me googling it. Sushmita Sen's ex boy-friend! Randeep's other films include Monsoon Wedding (2001) and Ram Gopal Verma's 'D' (2005). Haven't seen both of those, but in OUATIM, he's definitely good. All in all, the film has its set of clichés, in terms of dialogues for its 70s setting, but is certainly a one-time watch!
Sorry Bhai! (2008)
Don't miss it!
It's too vague a title to convey much, which is why, I'm guessing, not many would have seen it. And those that have, haven't taken too well to it. Reason? Tad too unconventional for a Bollywood film! I happened to pick up the DVD only recently. But unlike my fuzzy scattered thoughts on it, the film came as a pleasant surprise. It's different, its fresh (save a few scenes, I didn't mind ignoring) with a subject that's been dealt with, unctuously. The film revolves around chalk-and-cheese brothers - Siddharth (Sharman Joshi), who rejoices in the simple pleasures of life, Harsh (Sanjay Suri), a freakin' workaholic; and Harsh's fiancée Aaliya (Chittranghada Singh), a character that appears practical and level-headed initially but enigmatic, later (for most part of the film). Harsh, who leaves home years back, to work abroad (in Mauritius) is now ready to tie the knot with Aaliya. He calls Dad (Boman Irani), Ma (Shabana Aazmi) and his bro Siddharth, to be part of this 'very special day of his life' to Mauritius. As Aaliya spends time with Harsh's family, she realizes this is not how she'd pictured her life to be. What ensues is to watch out for! The characters aren't white or black (somewhere, there's a mystifying aspect to each of them). Sharman and Boman (yes!) steal the show here. Sharman's mama's-boy-evolves-into-a-man-who-dares-to-defy act is on the ball! He play a scientist (out of all the professions!) who's out there to prove a classic (read: nonsensical) theory. When he's not breaking his head over this theory, he indulges in his saxophone. His other interests include Jazz. Sharman, as an actor, is brilliant. His subtle expressions convey more than his dialogues. He is one underrated actor in the industry. Boman, with a cheerful disposition, is a sweetheart! He lightens up the screen each time he appears, with his mischievously hilarious repartees, directed mostly at his dear wife. He and Shabana share a great on screen presence (I enjoyed watching them in Honeymoon Travels!) At 54 and 59 (Shabana is six years older), they heart-warmingly :) justify the word 'chemistry.' The film is not without its flaws, but it's certainly a one-time watch. Don't be misled by the wishy-washy title. It's a sweet lil film! Go watch it! Find me on http://eatpraylovemovies.blogspot.com/2010/08/sorry-bhai- 2008-hearty-entertainer.html
Raavan (2010)
Avoid
It's very unsettling a feeling when a movie drags and drags without taking the story ahead. I had no great expectations after having seen the trailer. Something in my heart told me this one's not working. The first hour in the theater pretty effectively proved so. It was going nowhere. The crux of the first 60 minutes is really just Beera (Abhishek) kidnapping the police inspector's wife Ragini (Aishwarya) and ill treating her. Why? You have to sit and endure (i.e., if you manage to last) until the second leg of the movie to find that out. No exaggerations here, but I saw people leave the theater within the first 45 minutes. It may have been a filmmaker's delight -- the cinematography, the performances, etc. -- but the audience really steps in for some sort of entertainment. Accepted that filming certain shots must have been really tough, but nobody sits out there and wonders what went behind making the film. It's the film we're interested in. The stuff I had to endure, though, made me wonder (there was loads of time to think :D) what was going on in Mani's mind while creating this masterpiece (read: junk) The second half was relatively a breather...for it finally gets to the story. If you like forests, rivers, cliffs, mountains, (130 minutes well spent), watch Raavan! http://eatpraylovemovies.blogspot.com/2010/06/raavan.html