[Movie Review] ~ Naye Film Ki Review ~

[Pukhtana_4_Lyfe]

Salam everyone.
Pukhtana here with a new thread . Aap ko title se pata chal gaya hoga.
Well in this thread we get to share film reviews . It will only be for film reviews ( Bollywood, Hollywood & Lollywood etc ).
So Lets Start.

Please avoid other conversations as this thread is only for Movie Reviews. Thanks.






Aaj Ki Film Review : U Me Aur Hum

The first time Ajay saw Pia, she served him drinks. She affected him more than the alcohol, and he found true love. He was a leading psychiatrist, but she messed up his mind.

The first time Pia saw Ajay, he had too much to drink. She watched him make a fool of himself, and was relieved when he passed out. She was a woman who followed her heart, but despite his claims of true love, she had made up her mind.

Thus began the story of Ajay and Pia.

A love story, that begins at sea. Ajay is on a cruise with his friends - Nikhil and Reena, unhappily married, and Vicky and Natasha, happily unmarried. Ajay is having a wonderful time dealing with martial strife, lots of bad language and huge hangovers, when he finds Pia, and time stands still. After a disastrous first meeting, Ajay tries everything to woo her. He wants her, by hook, crook or even her little private notebook. She's not an easy catch at all, but finally, by sheer perseverance, he dances his way into her heart.

Ajay and Pia develop a strong and special bond. In each other, they find an anchor. But the tide goes against them. Weighted down by lies and deceit, their boat is rocked, and their relationship drowns.

But even oceans cannot keep true love apart. Against better sense, Ajay waits for Pia. In Pia's case, better case prevails, and she comes back to him. With no doubt in their minds about the way they feel for each other, they rush into marriage, despite the advice and failing relationships of their friends.

Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry. And Ajay-Pia, love each other dearly, and their marriage flourishes, setting an example for their friends.

But no marriages can be complete without problems, and Ajay and Pia have also have to face hurdles, some of which seem insurmountable. We are taught in school how to do sums, how to read and write, and how to conduct scientific experiments. But what do we really know about the greatest social experiment of all, namely our ability to keep the love alive in our marriage, especially in the face of crises?

But even as things get much worse, and sometimes unsolvable, Ajay and Pia don't give up. They realize that marriage is not a ritual or an end. It is a long, intricate, intimate dance together and nothing matters more than your own sense of balance and your choice of partner. And Ajay and Pia are used to dancing together.

So they battle all odds, and dance, and sometimes they fall. But every time they fall, they fall in love. And that's what a successful marriage requires. Falling in love many times, always with the same person.

This is the special love story of Ajay and Pia. There may be no monuments dedicated to them and perhaps their names will soon be forgotten. But in one respect they succeed as gloriously as anyone who's ever lived: They've loved each other with all their heart and soul; and in life and marriage, that has always been enough.

[Barbie Doll Jiya]

FILM REVIEW OF JODHA AKBAR

The timing of Ashutosh Gowariker’s Magnum Opus could not have been better. A love story set in the 16th century between the Mughal Emperor who ruled Hindustan (now India), Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar, and a fiery young Rajput princess, Jodhaa. With love as the backdrop, and highlighting the Hindu-Muslim marriage of alliance culminating in love and respect for one another, a day after Valentine’s Day was an apt moment for its release. Moreover, with hate politics being on the agenda, the timing of its release could not have been better. JODHAA AKBAR surely comes as a soothing balm to every Indian. If watched closely, it sends a message loud and clear that country is above everything else, even self! For our warring politicians, for this message alone, this movie is worth many trips to the multiplex.
Viewed as a love story, it portrays beautifully, the defiance of Jodhaa, the Rajput girl who is asked to marry Akbar, a Muslim Emperor. Not one to bow down or suppress her voice, Jodhaa expresses two strong wishes to the Emperor. Only if he agrees will she marry him. The first being he will not force her to change her religion and the second; he will give her a place in his palace to have a temple of her own. Both wishes are granted!

Then comes the tough task of the Emperor trying to get close to Jodhaa. Slowly, she teaches him that winning battles is not everything... he learns to win her heart as well. For lovers, this is a beautiful rendition of a perfect love story.


Ashustosh Gowariker has outdone himself. This movie is a masterpiece, a complete interpretation of what the director has visualized. From costumes, to body language, to background score, to the songs, sets, manpower and lighting... Gowariker has everything spot-on. Cinematographer Kiran Deohans captures through his wide lens the glory of the Moghul Era recreated by Nitin Desai. A R Rahman uses the beat of huge drums to transport you to another era. Pure, acoustic delight. Ravi Dewan recreates the fights that have you on the edge of your seats, while Raju Khan, Rekha Chinni Prakash and Ash Kumar combine to give you some breathtaking dances to do justice to the costumes of Neeta Lulla. The choreography of the tracks Khwaja Mere Khwaja and Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah leave you awestruck.

Now, for the performances. The perfectionist that he is, Gowariker has taken pains to pick his entire cast and each one blends with the other to transport you back to an era gone by. Even the extras have been carefully picked.

Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachahan in the lead role, contrary to beliefs, have come out looking super cool.
Both actors complement each other, and both have been given the space to build their characters. I would rate this as Aishwarya’s best performance to date. This is credit to a good director who knows how to extract a performance from his actor. As for Hrithik, he soaks in the moment and one can see him completely surrender himself to Gowariker. He has worked hard on his body language and dialogue delivery. He portrays well the qualities of Akbar. He may not be the perfect Akbar, but he does enough to relive the role of the Emperor; that of a gentle and tolerant ruler with a love for his subjects who even put his life on the line to save his country. His dialogue towards the end where he subjects himself to the might of Sharifuddin Hussain for a sword fight, 'Hum Hindustan ko galat haaton mein jaate nahin dekh sakta', draws a huge applause.

Considering the intricacies of the subject, I guess the three-hour plus length of the movie could not have been avoided.

TO GO OR NOT: Oh yes, politicians and lovers and all those interested in good cinema, a must watch. JODHAA AKBAR is sure to bag a host of awards at next year’s ceremonies.

[Inn0c3nt_Eyes]

Movie Review: One Two Three



One who has watched television serial 'Office Office' cannot easily miss a comedy coming from writer-turned-director Ashwini Dhir. His debut 'One Two Three' opened today at the box office. Being a tag of comedy the movie got quick response, but due to India - South Africa cricket match it has failed to get as much response as expected by the debutant director. Let's watch what special Ashwini Dheer brings to us with 'One Two Three'. This is indeed an improvement on other movies falling under this genre. The movie has both its originality and wit. In fact, it's mix of high as well as low quality of humor besides excellent performances from a number of the top star cast. So, the audience will certainly have a good time when watching it in theater and also for quite some time outside it.
'One Two Three' is a tale of three men from various parts of India, each having his own characterization and identity. It basically revolves around these very three men who share a common name Laxmi Narayan due to which various confusions start and the basic plot of the film is established. The story starts with the introduction of the three main characters as Laxmi Narayan 1, 2 and 3, wherein Laxmi Narayan 1 being played by Tusshar Kapoor is a young and aspiring emotional shooter from the underworld whose only aim is to fulfill his mother's dream of becoming the most popular don. Laxmi Narayan 2 being played by Suneil Shetty is an automobile salesman from Mumbai aiming in life to keep his boss happy> However, in the meanwhile he turns out a confused and annoying character.

[IMG]http://images.sma****s.com/reviews/2008/mar/28/review0328_inside2_small.jpg[/IMG] Laxmi Narayan 3 being played by Paresh Rawal is a small dealer of undergarments, which he sells in a mobile car on the streets of Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi. The story proceeds with the three of them reaching a single destination called Pondy for their three different jobs. While Laxmi Narayan 1 (Tusshar Kapoor) reaches Pondy on a mission to shoot somebody, Laxmi Narayan 2 (Suneil Shetty) is there to buy a vintage car from a beautiful and sexy girl called Laila (Sameera Reddy) who runs a used-cars showroom and Laxmi Narayan 3 (Paresh Rawal) reaches Pondy to select the designs for his new lingerie for Valentine collection from sweet and simple girl Jiya played by Esha Deol; she is an undergarments designer and needs the cash badly to save her late father's hotel from being taken over.

[IMG]http://images.sma****s.com/reviews/2008/mar/28/review0328_inside3_small.jpg[/IMG] It is now that the entire confusion starts with an exchange of three different envelopes for their different jobs as all of them have a common name of Laxmi Narayan. So, all of them reach a place. Incidentally, there's also a priceless diamond that everyone wants to obtain and underworld kingpin Bhai (Manoj Pahwa reveling in some fantastic one-liners) sends Laxmi Narayan (Kapoor) to bump off a hilarious don D'Mello (Mukesh Tiwari) for the diamond. A lady cop (Neetu Chandra) doing a Haryanavi accent adds to the fun. Thus, identities get crisscrossed and sweet confusion maintains over next few sequences. The story now is full of fun, comedy and laughter leading to a climax most unexpected.

[IMG]http://images.sma****s.com/reviews/2008/mar/28/review0328_inside4_small.jpg[/IMG]While talking about the characters of Laxmi Narayan trio -- Suneil Shetty, Tusshar Kapoor and Paresh Rawal - Paresh Rawal scores number one status while Suneil Shetty and Tusshar Kapoor score number two and three positions, respectively. Among female characters, Neetu Chandra stands ahead of others with Sameera Reddy and Esha Deol following her as number two and three. The director has given due respect to them even without any demand from feminists. This is all the more important in a comedy like this which deals with relatively light subjects. Esha has succeeded as a Tamil-spouting hotel owner and Sameera Reddy as showroom owner. Neetu Chandra hasn't left any stone unturned to justify her character.

[IMG]http://images.sma****s.com/reviews/2008/mar/28/review0328_inside5_small.jpg[/IMG]Technically, the filmmaker has badly failed in following the latest techniques. So, the movie looks as old as if made some ten years ago. This is indeed shocking, especially in view of the presence of an eminent comedian as Ashwani Dhir. This is all the more irritating that the movie's songs which are excellent and listenable are rendered and ended abruptly. They lack the pace. Except the title track and one or two other songs all the other songs are boring and nothing to do with subject. Songs like Gotta Rock Mahiya and the title song One Two Three are most enjoyable. Similarly, music by Raghav Sachar is good and lyrics by Aditya Dhar and Munna Dhiman are excellent indeed. Cinematography is average though. The movie's USP is its star cast.
Being a writer of comedy script debutant Ashwini Dhir has done his job up to the mark and needs a big round of applause.

Overall, the movie is good and worth watching entertainer.

[82ROCKER]

Film scripts are like rubber band. Try stretching the band beyond a point and it's sure to give away. The script of ANAMIKA suffers for this reason!

Director Ananth Narayan Mahadevan presents every sequence with utmost care till the intermission point. You're hooked, you're transported to the world of Mrs. Anamika Sisodiya, the character who continues to haunt everyone in this film, even after she's gone. You eagerly look forward to the twist in the tale.

Alas! What eventually unfolds, though filmed with the same sincerity, lacks conviction. It also fails to surprise you because midway through the journey, you know what the outcome would eventually be. It doesn't keep you guessing. And that's bad news for any thriller!

Frankly, a suspense saga works only if it is backed by a solid climax. In ANAMIKA, the tension gradually builds up till the climax, but the end is so tame, so contrived that you exclaim, 'Gosh! What was that?'


As a storyteller, Ananth almost gets it right -- he has handled the complex theme like a pro, even extracted convincing performances from his set of actors, has worked hard on maintaining the mood of the film from start to end -- but he's letdown by the writing in the second hour.

ANAMIKA tells the story of an escort Jia [Minissha Lamba], who gets married to Vikram Sisodiya [Dino Morea] after a 2-day courtship. Before marrying Jia, Vikram confesses that his first wife, Anamika, had died under mysterious circumstances.

Vikram and Jia fly to Vikram's ancestral home in Gajmer in Rajasthan. The home, a palace to be precise, is being looked after by Vikram's childhood friend Malini [Koena Mitra]. Now begins the story… Everyone in Gajmer seems to be obsessed with Anamika and Jia starts sensing it. In fact, Jia is constantly compared to Anamika. Worse, she even sees Anamika's spirit in the palace.

In a turn of events, Anamika's dead body is discovered and the police [Gulshan Grover, Dino's brother-in-law] re-open the case. All fingers point towards Vikram. Is he the murderer?

Loosely based on the novel 'Rebecca', ANAMIKA is a difficult subject to make. But after the initial hiccups, the director succeeds in involving the viewer in the mysterious world of Anamika. The backdrop of Rajasthan, the isolated palace and the reference to Anamika at every point only deepens the mystery. So far so good!

Almost the entire first half is executed with élan by Ananth, who's only grown as a storyteller over the years. But, as mentioned earlier, the writing [in the second hour] acts as a spoilsport. Without wanting to reveal the climax, let's just say that it's one of those tame and predictable endings that we've visited time and again.

Anu Malik's music is pleasant, but the songs [the ones filmed in Thailand] and the choreography in particular of these tracks don't really gel with the mood of the film. Pushan Kripalani's cinematography is alright. The stunning locales of Rajasthan, the production design [Gayatri Marwah] as also the styling is commendable. Aadesh Shrivastava's background score deserves special mention. It's excellent.

Dino Morea surprises you with a controlled performance. Also, he carries the regal look convincingly. Minissha Lamba is a revelation. She's getting better and better with every release. Koena Mitra is first-rate. Gulshan Grover is effective. Achint Kaur is highly competent. Vishwajeet Pradhan and Jatin Grewal are okay.

On the whole, ANAMIKA is letdown by its writing in the second hour. At the box-office, the not-too-interesting face-value coupled with the ongoing cricket mania will only go against it.

82ROCKER added 31 Minutes and 28 Seconds later...

82ROCKER added 4 Minutes and 17 Seconds later...

mr. white mr. black movie review


It's tough to make a comedy. It's even tougher to make people laugh. With MR. WHITE MR. BLACK you realize that director Deepak Shivdasani's intentions may be sincere, to make a full-on entertainer, but the film fails to transport you to ha-ha-land. It takes off with gusto, but the vehicle runs out of gas suddenly, leaving you stranded midway.

MR. WHITE MR. BLACK borrows heavily from the tried and tested stuff. There's a bit of GOPI KISHAN [Suniel Shetty's double role won praise then]. Plus, the usual masala that worked at a point of time. However, despite its uninspiring content, there's no denying that a few scenes do make you flex your facial muscles, even though the jokes are quite childish. Unfortunately, things take a complete U-turn in the second hour, with this comedy proving more of a tragedy for the hapless viewer.


In short, MR. WHITE MR. BLACK is a half-baked fare that tries too hard to entertain, but fails.

Gopi [Suniel Shetty], a simpleton, arrives in Goa from Hoshiarpur. His mission - to hand over a piece of land to his childhood friend Kishen [Arshad Warsi]. Kishen swindles people with a little help from his accomplice [Atul Kale], to earn enough money to educate his sibling Divya [Mahima Mehta], who's studying in London. Kishen, however, has managed to hide his profession from Anuradha [Rashmi Nigam] by cooking up an alibi of a twin brother, Hari, who's the bad guy.

Kishen avoids Gopi like he's bad news. He's not going to give up his flourishing business and travel to Hoshiarpur just to take possession of a measly piece of land. Meanwhile, diamonds worth Rs. 25 crores have been stolen by three girls, who are now holed up in Goa. Kishen traces the three girls and succeeds in robbing the diamonds. But the diamonds actually belong to a don, Laadla [Ashish Vidyarti], who has also reached Goa.

That Deepak Shivdasani has an eye for style is visible at the very outset, when the three girls perform a heist in broad daylight. The film actually starts off with a bang! A few portions thereafter are equally interesting, but the writing suddenly deviates into unwanted territories in the second hour.

Take, for instance, Suniel's character. He wants Arshad to return to Hoshiarpur to fulfill a promise, but the reasons don't come across strongly. Note another point. When the three girls realize that the diamonds have been robbed from their locker and they begin a search for Arshad, the story suddenly shifts to various sub-plots: The love interest, followed by the mandatory songs, another 15-20 minutes are devoted to Arshad's sister's marriage and much later, the original owner of the resorts [Sadashiv Amrapurkar] re-appears on the scene. The three girls eventually show up in the climax. Truly, the second half is chaotic!

Deepak Shivdasani shows a flair for comic fares, but is letdown by a hotchpotch screenplay. Music is equally ineffective. 'Samundar' and 'Gopi Kishan' are average compositions, but the remaining tracks are lackluster. Thomas Xavier's cinematography, surprisingly, lacks sheen.

Suniel Shetty repeats his act without any variation. Ditto for Arshad, who is livewire in some portions only. Amongst ladies, Anishka Khosla [resembles Preity Zinta from some angles] is an okay actress. But what is the talented Sandhya Mridul doing in a film like this? Rashmi Nigam looks pretty, that's it! Sharat Saxena is the only actor who stands out. Ashish Vidyarthi is loud. Shehzad Khan is funny. Vrajesh Hirjee and Upasana Singh's track is half-baked. Manoj Joshi deserved a better role. Sadashiv Amrapurkar and Atul Kale are passable.

On the whole, MR. WHITE MR. BLACK promises only a few moments of laughter, which isn't enough. At the box-office, an also-ran!

[Pukhtana_4_Lyfe]

Banner
B R Films

Status
Released

Color
C

Release Date
May 9, 2008

Language
Hindi

Genre
Drama / Children

Shooting Studios
Mehboob Studio

Producer
Ravi Chopra

Director
Vivek Sharma

Star Cast
Amitabh Bachchan...... Bhoothnath (Kailash Nath)
Juhi Chawla...... Anjali Sharma
Shahrukh Khan...... Special appearance
Aman Siddiqui...... Banku (Aman Sharma)
Priyanshu Chatterjee
Rajpal Yadav...... drunkard Anthony
Satish Shah...... Principal Irani
Neena Kulkarni
Aashish Vidyarthi
Nauheed Cyrusi...... Guest Appearance
Aashish Chaudhary...... Guest Appearance


Singers
Amitabh Bachchan
Armaan Malik
Koushtuv Ghosh
Aparnaa Bhaagwat
Shravan Suresh
Sneha Suresh
Sukhwinder Singh
Hariharan
Juhi Chawla

Lyricist
Javed Akhtar

Music Director
Vishal Dadlani
Shekhar Ravjiani
Salim Merchant
Sulaiman Merchant


Teaming two superstars [Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan] in your directorial debut is as good as impossible. Opting for a novel story -- the relationship between a spirit and a mortal -- is an equally big challenge. Really, it requires courage to make a film that defies the stereotype, yet is seeped in emotions that work with the Indian junta. Vivek Sharma's first outing BHOOTHNATH is a simple story, well told and that's why it works!

Aimed at kids between 6 and 60, BHOOTHNATH relies on the belief that has been passed on to us through generations: Aatma amar hain.

Let's get a few things straight at the very outset. BHOOTHNATH is not an eerie experience [it does have a few moments though]. It's more of a kiddie film with a strong undercurrent of emotions. In fact, the bonding between the spirit and the kid makes you smile, even laugh at times and most importantly, makes you moist-eyed at two vital points of this 2.08 hour film.

One of the prime reasons why BHOOTHNATH works, besides the above-mentioned reasons, is due to the right casting. The story rests on two shoulders -- the experienced [Bachchan] and the raw talent [Aman Siddiqui] -- and both shoulder the responsibility beautifully, both compliment each other wonderfully well and make it a must-see experience.

You forget most films the moment you step out of the cineplex. But there're films that remain etched in your memory for their simplicity. BHOOTHNATH is one of those films. Go for it!

[82ROCKER]

Comedies are the flavor of the season and more and more film-makers are following the formula re-invented by David Dhawan and Priyadarshan. Entertainment is the key word, while a logical story goes out of the window. Shashi Ranjan's new outing DHOOM DADAKKA tries to recreate the hungama and gets it quite right in the first hour as well, but it's on a slippery wicket thereafter.

Problem kya hain? Let's not look at the plotline, but the funny situations fail to evoke mirth. In fact, the entertaining moments don't work after a point. Unlike the first hour, which packs in quite a bit in terms of substance and laughs, things slide downwards soon after the intermission.

DHOOM DADAKKA could've created a mini-dhoom with its entertainment quotient, but the writers play the villain here!

An 'All Asian Bhai Meet' is being held in Bangkok. The agenda is to discuss and assess the falling sensex of 'Bhaigiri' in Asia. In the discussion, a rival Don of Mungi's [Anupam Kher], Fursat Lala [Gulshan Grover], proposes an ambitious plan for a piece of land in Alibagh and puts across a valid argument that it is important to have a waaris, the new generation, to improve matters. Since Mungi has no waaris, it is only logical that the next man, i.e. Fursat Lala should be made the new Don.

Mungi assures the syndicate that he has a waaris, who he will present before the syndicate and asks for a month's time to do the same. Now Mungi and his friend Jignesh [Satish Shah] set out to trace Mungi's estranged sister Angoori [Bhavana Balsawar], whom Mungi had thrown out years back because she wanted to marry a music teacher. One of the letters reveals that Angoori did give birth to Kamal. Mungi is thrilled and resolves to hunt his waaris in Mumbai, where he comes across a detective, Johnny English [Satish Kaushik], who promises to find Kamal.

Through his weird ways, Johnny English gets hold of an NRI [Sammir Dattani], who claims to be Kamal. Johnny takes him to Bangkok but, to his shock, finds another guy [Shaad Randhawa] there, who also claims to be Kamal. While this confusion is on, Shivani [Aarti Chhabria] arrives on the scene claiming to be the real Kamal.

A confused Mungi asks all of them to stay in the house till he arrives at a decision as to who the real Kamal is. In the ensuing drama enters the second girl Jiya [Shama Sikander], who claims to be a girlfriend of the NRI Kamal. Is one of them the real waaris?

That Shashi Ranjan has a flair for comedies is evident at several points in the first hour. Together with the dialogue writer Ashwani Dhir, Shashi succeeds in making you laugh at the funniest of situations and silliest of jokes. That's where the director triumphs. Note the portions involving Satish Kaushik and Deepshikha or the three youngsters claiming to be Anupam Kher's nephew. Shashi changes gears and uses the brakes like a seasoned driver.

But the car runs out of fuel as you munch popcorn and relish the samosa after the interval. In terms of script, a number of questions remain unanswered even after the show has concluded. Besides, the second hour is an exercise in boredom and gets unbearable after a point. The climax is also a major hotchpotch.

Roopkumar Rathod's music is unlike what he has composed so far. It's easy on the lips and quite catchy. The title track as also 'Ishq Ka Rog Laga' [filmed on the seductive Aarti Chhabria] stand out. Ashwani K's cinematography is perfect, although the director and the DoP haven't captured the beauty of Bangkok to the optimum.

DHOOM DADAKKA doesn't demand histrionics, but given the genre of the film, the two boys - Sammir Dattani and Shaad Randhawa - handle their parts well. Sammir also dances well in the title track, while Shaad mimics the top actors quite well. Aarti and Shama are more of eye candies.

Of the supporting cast, Satish Kaushik is excellent, while Deepshikha exudes tremendous confidence. Anupam Kher is, as always, first-rate. Satish Shah is equally convincing. Gulshan Grover does well. Newcomer Zac has an inconsequential role. Jackie Shroff is just okay. Razzak Khan does a fine job.

On the whole, DHOOM DADAKKA could've been a decent timepass flick, but it misses the bus.

[82ROCKER]

Nowadays, with corporate houses being in the spotlight for their multiple films, one begins to think - whatever happened to producers who built an empire in the 1960s, 70s and 80s? One of the prolific production houses of the era re-emerges on the scene with the Mithun starrer DON MUTHUSWAMI.

To put it blatantly, it is a complete rip-off of the Sylvester Stallone starrer, the English comedy OSCAR. But our real concern is does it work as well? To answer that simply - Mithun can never be doubted. The film does entertain and the credit goes to Mithun mainly. He is the life in the film and honestly, there's nothing to look forward to except him.

Muthuswami's father is on the deathbed and Muthu [Mithun] comes to see him and pay his last respects. The father slaps Muthu and tells him that he has brought shame to the family by being a gangster and that he would die an unhappy man. The Don asks his father what he could do to bring his father peace. He extracts a promise from his son that he should go straight. Thus begins the drama of the Don trying to change into a gentleman. From Don Muthuswami to Sir Muthuswami.

Muthu tells his henchmen to continue working for him, but instead of being gangsters, they have to work as domestic help. He engages an Urdu/Hindi teacher Jaikishan [Mohit Raina] to improve his language. To add to the confusion is his daughter Sanjana's [Hri****a Bhatt] marriage. The best match, according to him, was his good friend Don Vardhan's son Pradhan, but Sanjana refuses. In fact, she lies that she is pregnant.

Muthu's manager Preetam [Rohit Roy], who wants to marry Muthu's daughter, is another angle of this story. He had been stealing regularly from Muthu, to make himself a millionaire. There's also Ranjana [Anusmriti], who tells Muthu that she loves his accountant Preetam. Meanwhile, Sanjana and Jaikishan fall in love and make things more complicated.

There are two sides to every coin, so let's not forget the negative aspects here. Minus Mithun, there's not much to look forward to in this film. Also, look keenly on the screen and you instantly notice the lackluster look of the film. The look, in fact, reminds you of the 1980s era. Ashim Samanta's direction is passable. Music [Anu Malik] is hardly appealing. Cinematography [Harish Joshi] is appropriate.

As mentioned earlier, Mithun is the sole saving grace. Rohit Roy also gets good marks. Shakti Kapoor is okay. Hri****a Bhatt is a bit loud. Mohit Raina is fair.

On the whole, this Don doesn't have the capability to rule the hearts.

[82ROCKER]

The reason why a majority of films go unnoticed is courtesy the weak storyline first. The other factors come later. HASTEY HASTEY - FOLLOW YOUR HEART also suffers for this reason. The story idea, credited to one Rohit Batra, is so tacky, so banal, so obsolete, so lifeless that you break into a big yawn 10 minutes into the film. Seriously, you actually pinch yourself. Are you watching a film produced in 2008? Clearly, the writer is the villain here.

Let's look at the plusses first. The first-time producers have left no stone unturned to give the film an upscale look. Sure, a number of films have been filmed in the U.S., but very few have done justice to the panoramic locales that U.S. has to offer. Also, Anu Malik's music is quite catchy. You hum a few lines when the songs unfold on screen. Plus, there's Rajpal Yadav in a triple role. Fine, the jokes are corny, but you cannot help but break into a laugh at times.

But the problem is that the writer messes things up completely. And the writers [screenplay: Gavender Agrawal and Ritesh Pandey; scenario, dialogues: Bholu Khan] don't do much to salvage the situation. The screenplay is as listless as the concept. Sad, a good opportunity is lost!

Neel [Jimmy Sheirgill], a student at Columbia University, is in love with Maya [Nisha Rawal]. Sunny [Rajpal Yadav] is Neel's room-mate and also his buddy. Neel accepts a career opportunity that requires him to go to India to set up a call centre business. Much against Maya's wishes, Neel travels to India with Sunny.

Tanvi [Monishka Gupta] is a young executive who goes out of her way to help Neel and his team in India. She is instantly attracted to Neel and tries her best to win his heart. But Neel rejects Tanvi. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and Tanvi succeeds in making life miserable for Neel. How Neel comes out of it is the remainder of this misadventure.

Director Toony tries to pack in ample entertaining moments in this 2 + hour film. The love story [at the start] is monotonous, the turning point in the tale [the scam] is the weakest link of the enterprise and the love story [towards the penultimate reels] is never-ending; it goes on and on and on. You are exasperated by then.

The scam part is so childishly treated that you don't believe it. What really happens and how it eventually gets solved makes you feel that the writers don't even know the basics of putting a story together. Even the climax is too weak. The lead pair desperately hunts for each other in New York. They keep running from pillar to post till they [suddenly] meet in the end. Hey, aren't we living in an era of cell phones and Internet?

Given the sub-standard writing, director Toony tries his best to salvage the show. He has executed the comic scenes [Rajpal Yadav] well. Otherwise too, a few moments are interestingly handled. Anu Malik's musical score is pleasant. The title track is the best of the lot. Damodar Naidu's cinematography is topnotch.

As always, Jimmy Sheirgill pitches in a sincere performance. The two ladies -- Nisha Rawal and Monishka -- are non-actors, but the cleavage show might appeal to the hoi polloi. Rajpal Yadav is excellent. Jawed Sheikh is wasted. Ditto for Manoj Joshi. And what did Shakti Kapoor see in this role? Upasana Singh is getting typecast.

On the whole, HASTEY HASTEY - FOLLOW YOUR HEART is a poor show. At the box-office, the weak merits coupled with the climax of the IPL cricket matches will make it an also-ran!

[82ROCKER]

A film like THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC makes you nostalgic. It takes you back to the light-hearted, feel-good cinema made by directors of calibre like Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee. The focus was on narrating a simple story. A movie that put a smile on your face even if you walked in with a frown.

THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC does exactly that!

Strangely, for some reason, the film lacks the hype associated with a biggie. Perhaps, the string of flops the premiere production house [YRF] churned out, indirectly, took a toll on this movie. But THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC should reverse the trend.

Write your own movie review of Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic A bit of MARY POPPINS. A dash of THE SOUND OF MUSIC. A sprinkle of ENCHANTED. THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC may not be the most original script, but the sweet and tender moments in this enterprise elevate it to a watchable status.

That Kunal Kohli is a fine storyteller has already been proved [HUM TUM and FANAA were accomplished works]. Now watch him handle a simple, uncomplicated story with dexterity and you'd agree, Kunal has only matured with time.

To put a long story short, THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC is a simple story, well told. It's one of those films you'd enjoy watching with your family, without feeling embarrassed or red-faced. It's sure to put a smile on your face when you exit the auditorium, which, frankly, is a rarity these days!

Ranbeer [Saif Ali Khan], a leading industrialist, is a loner, not by choice, but because he lost everyone he ever loved. He is now faced with a peculiar and uncomfortable situation. In a rare and landmark court verdict, he is to look after four orphan children. The orphans hate him and want revenge from him. The children do not want to live with a man they hate; he too cannot face them or look them in the eye for certain reasons. Their life together is very unhappy.

One day, the kids pray to God for help and He does help them. He sends his most mischievous, childlike, lovable angel to the rescue, with a mission to bring Ranbeer and the kids together. Geeta [Rani Mukerji] comes bicycling down a rainbow… and bursts into Ranbeer's house as the self-proclaimed new nanny.

And then starts the roller coaster ride of fun, emotions, magic and love. An angel who doesn't know what love is. A man who always lost love. Four orphans who need love.

Kunal Kohli opens the cards at the very outset. The car accident and the subsequent court judgment set the story in motion. But the first half isn't without its share of flaws. The pranks played by the kids to harass Saif fall flat. They're anything but funny most of the times. Ameesha's character is another sore point. Actually, the film could've done without this irritating character.

However, Rani's entry in the story adds magic to the goings-on. Her interaction with the kids and how she eventually wins them over is enjoyable. The kids, of course, are the actual heroes of this enterprise, but more on that later.

It's the second hour that takes the film to a different level. How Saif bonds with each of them and the turning point, an incident that makes the kids see Saif differently, is simply excellent. Ditto for the finale, which may seem Bollywoodish, but you don't mind it.

Kunal Kohli has worked with the best of stars [Aamir, Saif, Hrithik, Kajol, Kareena, Rani], but the real test is to extract performances from four unknown kids and that's where he deserves brownie points. It's easy to handle grown-ups, but kids can be really tough. Also, Kunal doesn't [thankfully] make the proceedings melodramatic with rona-dhona thrown in to make it a perfect 'family film'. The emotions are subtle, but nonetheless move you.

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is a letdown, barring just one track, 'Pyaar Ke Liye'. Sudeep Chatterjee's cinematography is perfect. The effects are eye catching at times.

Saif fits into the sauve millionaire part [Richie Rich - the poor little rich guy?] very well. And the best part is, he never 'acts'. He's a complete natural! It's a pleasure to watch Rani in a role that does justice to her talent. She's lovable. But why is she sporting the same outfit throughout? Ameesha doesn't work, mainly because her role looks like an add-on. And what is she wearing throughout the movie? But she sizzles in the 'Lazy Lamhe' track.

The four kids are adorable. Each of them is terrific, but the one who's bound to walk away with taalis is the cute Sikh kid called Iqbal. Watch him break into the 'Main Nikla Gadi Leke' song from GADAR; it's bound to bring the house down. Rishi Kapoor is likable in a cameo. Taraana is okay.

On the whole, THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC is a simple story told very effectively and efficiently. At the box-office, it may be a slow starter, but should gradually gather momentum with a strong word of mouth. Business at multiplexes will be the best.

Go watch it, it's a treat for your entire family!

[82ROCKER]

LOVE STORY 2050 has elicited tremendous response for varied reasons…
* One, its one-of-its-kind sci-fi fare, with a big chunk of footage devoted to VFX.
* Two, the pre-release hype, the frenzy in the media, the various tie-ups/endorsements has kept LOVE STORY 2050 constantly in news.
* Three, LOVE STORY 2050 marks the debut of Harman Baweja, one actor who has been lapped up by industry bigwigs even before his debut vehicle has hit the screens. It's a hi-profile launch.

From the looks of it, LOVE STORY 2050 demands a dekho, but there's a hitch…

Special effects -- for that matter the trappings used to embellish a movie -- work only if a movie has a rock-solid base: Content. Unfortunately, LOVE STORY 2050 gives more preference to special effects, while the writing takes a complete backseat.

Given a title like LOVE STORY 2050, the film ought to evoke strong emotions, mainly towards the second hour, when the lead man has a tough time convincing his lady-love. But technical wizardry and VFX dominate this hour, while the emotional moments fail to evoke any reactions. Actually, your heart does not pine for the lovers and that's why this love story hardly creates any impact.

The silver lining is -- you've guessed it -- Harman Baweja. You may compare him with Hrithik Roshan [in terms of looks]. You may find his dialogue delivery similar to that of SRK. But the guy is a lambe race ka ghoda. Ranbir Kapoor now has tough competition. It's Harman Baweja, the new flavor of the season!

Karan [Harman Baweja], a young, spirited, sporty boy lives life off the rules, while Sana [Priyanka Chopra], a petite, shy girl lives life by the rules. Opposites attract… and love blossoms. Karan's uncle, Dr. Yatinder Khanna's [Boman Irani] much developed time machine finally works. Sana expresses her wish to travel ahead in time to Mumbai. But there's an accident…

Mumbai 2050. Flying cars, 200 storey buildings, robots and sky rails have changed the face of Mumbai. Through a series of twists and turns, Karan finds himself separating from his love. Meanwhile, Dr. Yatinder and Karan are under threat from Dr. Hoshi.

You are mesmerized by the initial scenes in LOVE STORY 2050. And it's not the script that hooks and magnetizes you. Harman's skills as an actor and also a gymnast [watch him give the firangs a chase] makes you speechless. Note the cycle chase [wow!] or Harman wooing Priyanka on a roller coaster [superb… you sure have guts, Harman]. The film works in this hour because the chemistry between the lead actors is also piping hot.

But things go downhill in the post-interval portions. What takes precedence are special effects, robots, gizmos, the masked villain… In this melee, the writing is put on the backburner.

Director Harry Baweja is letdown by the script. The idea is exciting, but what comes across is off-putting. Anu Malik's music is tuneful. 'Sach Kehna' and 'Milo Na Milo' stand out, also because Harman's dance movements are exceptional [kudos to the choreographer]. Cinematography [Vijay Arora] is first-rate. Sound quality [Dwarak Warrier] is top class. Dialogues [Mayur Puri] suit the mood of the film. Sets [Omung Kumar] deserve special mention. They're truly imaginative! Special effects are topnotch, matching international standards. Costumes and styling are avant garde.

Harman Baweja has the potential to be a major star, a front-runner. No two opinions on that! He's an exceptional dancer and looks handsome as well. But most importantly, he knows the grammar of acting well. Watch out for this kid! Priyanka Chopra is immensely likable. She suits her part to the T. Boman Irani is efficient. Archana Puransingh is lovable. The kids don't contribute at all.

On the whole, LOVE STORY 2050 rests on a thin plot and that would curtail its reach to a major extent. Disappointing!

[Marina Khan]

Kismat Konnection

Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Vidya Balan, Juhi Chawla, Om Puri, Boman Irani, Vishal Malhotra, Himani Shivpuri, Haider Ali, Shehnaz Anand, Karnvir Bohra, Amit Varma, Dimple Sharma
Story: Rahila Mirza
Screenplay: Sanjay Chhel, Vibha Singh, Sai Kabir
Music: Pritam Chakraborty
Director: Aziz Mirza
Ratings - *1/2

Maybe there is on one in this world who doesn’t believe in kismet but for that single reason you can’t blame or over emphasize the issue of kismet. But the story of the film depicts little more.

Just like any other Bollywod flick, in this film also, Raj (Shahi Kapoor) and Priya (Vidya Balan) meet each other. But despite feeling love for each other the only thing they develop for each other is pure hatred.

But see the kismet connection hidden in such a chemistry which turns bad luck of Raj, who has been fighting for getting a better work for last five years in the field of Architecture, into a good one. Raj comes to his fortune teller Hassena Banu Jaan (Juhi Chawla) and describes everything to her.

Banu tells him that Priya is his lucky charm and for a better future he should always take her with him to wherever he goes for his job.

Raj agrees on it and takes Priya to a meeting with Batra & Gill, a company that wants to construct a shopping mall. But soon Raj comes to know that the proposed mall is going to be made by demolishing Priya’s community centre.

Priya helps Raj without having any idea about what’s going on. But as soon as Raj gets the project, the reality comes into open for Priya.

For the sake of love Raj proposes Gill (Om Puri) for building the combination of shopping mall and community center but Gill denies it.

At the end of the story Priya’s kismet helps Raj once again and Mr. Batra (Boman Irani), friend to Priya and partner of Batra & Gill, accepts Raj’s proposal of making the shopping mall beside the community centre.

Shahid must remember that audience’s expectation regarding his characters in films has touched the sky after the success of Jab We Met and he must accept films keeping that in mind only.

At the same time he must avoid playing the stereotype characters. On the other hand Vidya has tried her best to live the life of her character but unfortunately the character, especially her outfits, hasn’t suit her level best.

I guess she must not attempt this kind of characters. Juhi Chawla is excellent in the character of Hassena Bano but the lose bangle in her hand made audience think about possibilities that forced her wearing it.

Few scenes with Vidya made us realize like Juhi’s jewelries are put on Vidya. Om Puri and Boman Irani are good as usual. Himani Shivpuri proved with two scenes that character maybe small but it has to be strong. There is nothing to talk about other characters of the film.

Despite its length of 2 and half an hour, the film seemed longer and unusually slow. Aziz Mirza has chosen beautiful locations but he better has understood that beautiful locations cannot make beautiful films. Music and lyrics are not to the marks.

Expectations of watching a good film may drag a lot of audiences to the theatre but they better know in advance that the film has nothing extraordinary to offer the audience. People will surely fail to connect to the film, if not to the stars. - Rajnee Gupta

[Pukhtana_4_Lyfe]

Mehbooba

By Subhash K Jha

Starring Manisha Koirala, Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgan
Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali….oops, Afzal Khan
Rating: * ½

Manisha Koirala is the one reason why one would want to brave this prolonged homage to the cinema of Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

This one is a 3-hour long rag-carpet welcome to Sanjay Leela Bhansali Hum…Dil De Chuke Sanam. The plot, ambience, characters, music and even the interactive interludes between the main protagonists are all derived with lipsmacking relish from Bhansali's film.

Why, Mehbooba (no relation to Shakti Samanta's Mehbooba in 1977) even goes to Budapest where Bhansali shot the second-half of Hum….

Except, that Mehbooba goes to Budapest in the first-half and to the bustling screechy noisy food-laden haveli from the first-half of Bhansali's Hum… in the second-half.

Ho hum…. The melodies (if one may call them that) flit in and out like unwanted guests after every ten minutes of dialogue.

If the songs were sacrificed on the editing table, maybe—just maybe—Mehbooba would be more bearable in its old-world love triangle ambience of two brothers (one idealistic and lovelorn, the other unscrupulous and ever-libidinous) who fall for the same girl.

The meat of the métier goes to the majestic Manisha…Still resplendent and lovely no matter where and in what they put her, Manisha never fails to infuse a poetic aura to her character.

Fetchingly photographed by that wunder-lensman Ashok Mehta at times Manisha looks as incandescent as she did in Bhansali's Khamoshi: The Musical.

Alas, like this long-delayed film, Manisha too has gone through innumerable ups and downs in her career.

The inconsistencies in the narration are covered up with a lot of exterior gloss. To the director Afzal Khan's credit the film's scattered pastiche is woven into what can pretty much be described as a seamless 'yawn' about two men and a woman who should know better.

The sets and locations are opulent flamboyant and eye-catching. No subtlety is applied in the visuals or emotions. The song-and-dance numbers that come along with alarming rapidity are shot with an eye for unhampered opulence.

So who gets the girl at the end? That's a question which must remain in the audiences' mind in any love triangle.

Beyond a point we stop caring completely about these three compulsively conflicted characters, even though one of them is played by a star who brings in an element of the tragic and classic grandeur from an era gone-by.

And one isn't referring to either of the two male leads. Devgan and Dutt behave like Devgan and Salman Khan from Bhansali's Hum Dil… discussing the same woman with each other ad nauseam as though she were two different entities.

A case of a split personality? By the time the triangle is resolved (with one of heroes coming to a suitably stickly nemesis) the only 'split' personality is the audience.

Most of them have fled the dread of watching a film that goes back the oldest traditions of Hindi cinema and emerges with a product that substitutes genuine emotions with elaborate props borrowed from a master storyteller's creative godown.

[82ROCKER]

UGLY AUR PAGLI is a bizarre and uncanny title. But catchy and attracts instant attention at the same time. It's for this reason that you expect UGLY AUR PAGLI to be one wacky ride, what with the film promising 99 slaps and 1 kiss.

Besides, post PYAAR KE SIDE EFFECTS, unconventional stories with unconventional casting only got an impetus. Since UGLY AUR PAGLI comes from the same production house that delivered P.K.S.E., you only expect the film to go a notch higher, or be at par, than the earlier experience. And that's where the film falls short of expectations.

Viewed as an individualistic experience, UGLY AUR PAGLI has a few interesting moments. Don't look for a story here, for it's the moments and incidents that bind this 2-hour film together. So what if the writers and director seem inspired by MY SASSY GIRL? Mallika Sherawat and Ranvir Shorey are enough to make you forget the waferthin plot at times.

Sure, a few scenes do bring a smile on your face, they are genuinely funny and bizarre [Mallika wearing undergarments above her clothes in the college], but there're times when the humour falls flat. You just don't react to the on-screen antics, you sit motionless while absorbing them [the futuristic stories that Mallika pens makes you break into a yawn!].

All said, had director Sachin Khot opted for a strong story and backed it up with strong emotions [in the latter part], UGLY AUR PAGLI would've made you exclaim 'Lovely'. As things stand now, UGLY AUR PAGLI is below par!

UGLY AUR PAGLI tells the story of Kabir [Ranvir Shorey], a carefree guy who has been studying engineering for the last five years and whose life goes for a sixer when he meets the quirky and kinky Kuhu [Mallika Sherawat].

Kabir always wanted a girlfriend, but never in his wildest dreams did he ever think he would encounter a girl who could make him dance around circles, ride cycles without seats, wear high heeled ladies sandals…

10 minutes into the film and you realize that UGLY AUR PAGLI is not the usual prem kahani. Yet, you take to the over-dominating, brash woman and the timid, docile and submissive guy. In fact, you break into a smile as you are introduced to these characters. But the smile surfaces only intermittently.

Nothing wrong with the first hour, but the second hour is problematic. Problem is, the absence of a story makes every moment look repetitive. What you've watched in the first hour is remodelled and represented in the second hour, with slight modifications of course.

Besides, the story is stretched in the second hour. Why does Mallika disappear suddenly [we're told she goes to Kolkata for two years]. Also, how does Gaurav Kapoor, the prospective groom, know Ranvir Shorey? Gaurav blurts out 10 ways to win Mallika in his first meeting itself. But the question is, why would Ranvir guide Gaurav when he's himself hopelessly in love with Mallika and has been searching for her whereabouts desperately? Clearly, the writers just didn't know how to conclude this saga!

Debutante Sachin Khot is letdown, to a major extent, by a slipshod and sloppy script. Music [Anu Malik] is another sore point. Besides 'Talli' [well rendered by Mika, Anmol Malik and Hard Kaur] and to an extent, 'Karle Gunaah', the remaining songs should be given a skip.

UGLY AUR PAGLI belongs to both Mallika and Ranvir. The best thing about Mallika is, she's a complete natural. She's spunky and spirited and that's one of the reasons why this role works. And it works only because Mallika is portraying it. Doubt if any other actress would've carried off the devilish streak so well. Her emotional side is also well captured in the concluding moments.

Ranvir Shorey - an incredible actor indeed! To play a submissive part convincingly requires complete understanding of the craft and Ranvir proves, yet again, that he's one of the most dependable actors around. Again, the best thing about him is that he's not pretending to act. Tinnu Anand and Sushmita Mukherjee are hilarious in their first scene. Bharti Achrekar is alright. Zeenat Aman is hardly there for one scene.

On the whole, UGLY AUR PAGLI is, at best, an ordinary fare, but in the absence of a tight script, the film will face an uphill task in days to come.

[82ROCKER]

BACHNA AE HASEENO is special. Ranbir Kapoor is cast opposite teen deviyaan -- Bipasha Basu, Deepika Padukone, Minissha Lamba. It's produced by a premier production house, the credits read 'Story by Aditya Chopra' and most importantly, it's helmed by Siddharth Raj Anand, who merged form and content so beautifully in SALAAM | NAMASTEY and TA RA RUM PUM. The expectations, therefore, are humungous.

Before we go any further, let's clear a misconception at the very outset. BACHNA AE HASEENO is not inspired by THE BACHELOR [the industry feels so, hence this clarification], but it bears an uncanny resemblance to the yesteryear film TEEN DEVIAN [1965; Dev Anand, Nanda, Kalpana, Simi Grewal] and Telugu film NAA AUTOGRAPH [Raviteja, Bhoomika, Mallika, Gopika, Kanyaka]. Of course, Chopra and the screenplay writer try to be different and any resemblance with any film could be purely coincidental.

Now let's move on! BACHNA AE HASEENO has a great cast, great chemistry amongst actors [so sizzling, it could melt butter], great locations [jaw dropping actually] and some great moments. But all these factors combined together don't make a great film. BACHNA AE HASEENO suffers, to a major extent, due to its screenplay running out of steam in the second hour.

The gist of the story is truly captivating -- the guy is a complete flirt, he wears his heart on his sleeve. Enter three women in different stages of his life. Love is in the air. Two dream of marrying him, but he ditches them and the third, whom he intends marrying, says a blunt 'No' to the offer. Heart-broken, the guy realizes his folly and plans on doing prayashchit. He goes back to the first two women and apologises. Wow! A story to bowl you over indeed!

BACHNA AE HASEENO has splendid moments in the first hour. In fact, the three stories, minus the culmination of course, are beautifully told in the first hour itself. There're some attention-grabbing moments in this hour [details later] and you genuinely feel exhilarated after having watched those portions.

Now to the second hour -- the guy repents for his misdeeds and years later, goes back to the first two women in his life. That's where the problems surface...

From the writing point of view, the first story [Minissha] is given an appropriate and beautiful culmination in the second hour. But the second [Bipasha] and third [Deepika] stories face rough weather. These stories don't work and therefore, colour your judgement on the movie. Like it happens with most Hindi films, the writing is the culprit here as well. It lacks the power to keep you hooked in the second hour.

In a nutshell, BACHNA AE HASEENO could've been the ideal youthful entertainer, occupying the position that JAANE TU... YA JAANE NA enjoys amongst the yuppy crowd. But as things stand now, it's a great looking film with nothing outstanding about it. Strictly okay for a single watch, that's about it!

Meet Raj [Ranbir Kapoor]. He falls in love thrice...

The film talks of three love stories: Raj and Mahi [Minissha], Raj and Radhika [Bipasha], Raj and Gayatri [Deepika]. Different ladyloves at different times in his life. And each of them teach him a little bit about love and a little bit about life, in their own sweet, sexy or sassy way.

Director Siddharth Raj Anand knows the craft too well by now and his handling of the romantic and emotional scenes is worth appreciating. Take the sequence at the airport -- Minissha stands stunned listening to Ranbir's tale of 'conquest', with tears rolling down her cheeks. The silence says it all!

Note the sequence when Ranbir woos Bipasha, but eventually dumps her on the eventful day. It's raining and Bipasha just can't come out of the shock. The silence is deafening! Note yet another tragic end to the love story, when Deepika refuses the wedding proposal from Ranbir. Flashes from the past come alive at this point. It couldn't get better!

Post-interval, Ranbir's story with an already-married Minissha and her husband is equally moving. Ranbir's apology looks convincing and the culmination to this chapter couldn't be better. Ranbir moves on to Bipasha and it's here that the writing begins to go downhill. She's a wounded tigress and no amount of cajoling or apologies from Ranbir would melt her. So far, so good! But the path she uses to teach Ranbir a lesson is weird, sorry ludicrous.

The third story, with Deepika, is written in haste, one presumes. The girl suddenly has a change of heart and wants to marry Ranbir, she even writes to him everyday, not knowing that he's out of town. The culmination to this story is amateurish and one wonders whether the writer was in a tearing hurry to end the movie since the 2-hour mark had already been crossed.

Directorially, Siddharth Raj Anand offers stunning visuals and some really fine performances, but is letdown by the script. Vishal-Shekhar's music is just alright, nothing to rave or rant about. Barring 'Khuda Jaane' and 'Lucky Boy', the remaining songs don't have a lingering effect. Cinematography is a class apart. Besides, the cinematographer gets some spectacular locales and he does complete justice to it. Dialogues are good at times.

Ranbir Kapoor is marvellous. An incredible actor. One will run out of adjectives and personifications describing his performance. Amongst girls, Bipasha Basu stands the tallest. First RACE and now BACHNA AE HASEENO, the actress is finally getting the right roles that do justice to her talent. Also, she looks fab! Minissha doesn't work at the start, but scores in the emotional scenes, especially in the second hour. Deepika is a sore point. Her role isn't convincing and that's the reason why this performance doesn't work. The only consolation is, she looks gorgeous.

Kunal Kapoor is supremely efficient, handling his role with utmost maturity. Hiten Paintal is a revelation, a talent to watch out for. His camaraderie with Ranbir is top notch.

On the whole, BACHNA AE HASEENO has an interesting first half, but a weak second hour spoils the show. At the box-office, thanks to the hype built around the film, the opening weekend should be great, but beyond that, has tough chances of sustaining. Multiplexes at some big centres would be better, but that's no consolation.




82ROCKER added 1 Minutes and 30 Seconds later...

When it comes to escapist cinema, a gifted writer can make his imagination run really wild. Think of a crazy story, come up with outrageous and zany situations, rope in actors who'd look believable in those parts... hey presto, a crazy potboiler is ready to be served.

Rumy Jafry, who has penned some crazy comedies in the past, does just that. He borrows [partly] from BRUCE ALMIGHTY, also [partly] from YEHI HAI ZINDAGI [Sanjeev Kumar] and [partly] uses his imagination to come up with GOD TUSSI GREAT HO. But this khichdi isn't as delicious as one expects it to be.

First, the plusses!

GOD TUSSI GREAT HO has some really interesting moments. At least two sequences -- [i] When a dejected Salman throws the taveez in the air, the taveez reaches God, later God appears in human form and [ii] Salman invents a chair that acts as a lie detector and teaches Sohail Khan a lesson -- are pure magic in terms of writing, in terms of execution, in terms of performance.

Another ace is Salman Khan. The boyish appeal, the mischievous look, the loud-but-lovable act just cannot be overlooked.

But GOD TUSSI GREAT HO isn't as captivating and arresting at times. The potential to come up with an energetic second half are immense in a film like this, but Rumy Jafry's writing is plain mediocre. Besides, the second hour is lengthy, it gets tedious ['Lal Chunariya' song should be deleted right away]. Also, the pre-climax and climax don't sweep you off your feet.

In a nutshell, GOD TUSSI GREAT HO does appeal, but in bits and spurts. Not in totality. An average experience!

At the end of the worst day in his life, Arun [Salman Khan] angrily rages against God for making his life miserable. To his astonishment, God [Amitabh Bachchan] appears before him in human form and endowing Arun with all of His divine powers, challenges Arun to take on the big job and see if he can do it any better.

Arun responds to his newfound powers with childlike zeal and sets off making one decision after another. The love of his life Alia [Priyanka Chopra] is astonished at the 'new' decisive and confident Arun. He thinks he can make the world a happy place by granting everybody their wishes.

But to his horror, this results in unprecedented mayhem. Ultimately, Arun realises that he is only human, and being God is tougher than he thought.

Rumy Jafry has penned several solid entertainers for David Dhawan and the formula looms large all through GOD TUSSI GREAT HO. Rumy rides on myths and comedy to get it right and it really works at times. However, after a point, the writing doesn't spring any surprises. You know exactly what's in store next and that's what bogs the film down.

In terms of impact, the best portions are between Bachchan and Salman, between Salman and Anupam Kher and between Salman and Rajpal Yadav. These tracks charge up the scenario. But how one misses a meatier script in the second hour.

Directorially, Rumy Jafry's work gets easier thanks to the presence of seasoned actors. But he needs to polish his skills as far as technique is concerned. The film could've been stylishly shot. Sajid-Wajid's music is strictly okay. However, the picturisation of songs camouflages the deficiency. Ashok Mehta's cinematography is perfect. The production design/making could've been grand, given the presence of such powerful names in the cast. Special effects lack finesse.

As always, Amitabh Bachchan is competent. But GOD TUSSI GREAT HO belongs to Salman Khan, who seems to be in form this time. Priyanka doesn't match Salman's enthusiasm. Also, why is her look so inconsistent in the film? Sohail Khan is alright.

Anupam Kher is fantastic. Bina Kak is fair. Rukhsaar doesn't get much scope. Rajpal Yadav provides a few laughs. Dalip Tahil is as usual. Upasna Singh is getting typecast. Ditto for Sanjay Mishra.

On the whole, GOD TUSSI GREAT HO is average in merits, providing a few laughs intermittently. At the box-office, the holiday weekend should benefit the film. But beyond the weekend, the journey could be uneven. However, single screens should fare better in the Hindi belt.

[82ROCKER]

Three NEw BOllywood mOvies review of this week aug 22


Mumbai Meri Jaan
as for my self i vont watch it . i am not in to this kinda movie .. but that just me lol ..

The serial bombing of suburban trains in Mumbai in 2006 is a nightmarish incident the nation would never forget. And Mumbaikars still get gooseflesh recalling the ghastly incident. MUMBAI MERI JAAN recreates the incident on celluloid, but is not about terrorism per se. It talks about the aftermath of this tragedy and how the lives of five people, not remotely connected or associated with one another, gets affected in the process.

MUMBAI MERI JAAN is more of an emotional journey. Five varied stories unveil in those 2 hours [a concept that's fast catching up with Bollywood] and each makes a statement.

Nishikant Kamat's first Hindi venture is one of those films that don't deviate from the core issue. It may not be foolproof in terms of writing, but the execution is so compelling that one overlooks those minor blemishes in the narrative.

MUMBAI MERI JAAN is more of a tribute to the never-dying spirit of this dynamic city called Mumbai. A film that every citizen should watch!

On July 11, 2006, the local train service, known as Mumbai's lifeline, was struck by a series of bomb blasts. MUMBAI MERI JAAN explores the impact of this devastating incident on the lives of people of Mumbai.

From a brilliant broadcast journalist to a patriotic corporate man; from a retiring policeman at the twilight of his life to a rookie cop at the dawn of his career; from an angry and xenophobic unemployed young man to a coffee-vendor struggling to survive and belong: MUMBAI MERI JAAN follows the lives of people from all strata of Mumbai's bustling society as they tackle the aftermath of a fatal incident that brings out the best and sometimes the worst in them.

MUMBAI MERI JAAN looks at the common tragedy, but diversifies into five different stories at the very start itself. Each of those stories and the characters depicted in those stories are relatable. If you haven't witnessed these people, there's a possibility that you may've heard or read about them.

Amongst the five stories, the ones that leave a stronger impression are Paresh Rawal-Vijay Maurya, Irrfan Khan and Kay Kay Menon. Soha's story may not appeal as much since it tends to go overboard, while Madhavan's story has its moments, but is not as impactful.

Nishikant Kamat has executed the sensitive subject with gloves, handling each of those five stories with care. A number of emotional moments in the narrative move you and at times, depress no end. Credit must also be reserved for its writer as also the art director, who has recreated the ghastly incident so realistically.

Every performance in the film is applaud-worthy. Paresh steals the show. This performance should easily make it into the Top 5 performances of the year. Irrfan is marvellous. Watch him hate the fragrance of the perfume soon after he has been insulted at the mall. It's superb! Kay Kay is fantastic. The actor makes his part appear so real. Soha is a surprise. Watch her emotional breakdown at the morgue and you know that she has gradually evolved into a terrific actor. Madhavan is equally competent, conveying so much even when silent. Vijay Maurya is superb. His scenes with Paresh are incredible.

On the whole, MUMBAI MERI JAAN is a well-intentioned film that should win praise for its execution and performances. It's more for the discerning viewer, those who swear by serious cinema.





next movie is
Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam
i think its gonna be a ok movie .kinda funny .. i will watch it .


Sanjay Chhel has penned a number of comic fares. Obviously, when Chhel takes charge and decides to helm a project himself, you expect his film to be one wacky ride. Indeed, MAAN GAYE MUGHALL-E-AZAM is wild in parts, thoroughly enjoyable at times, but you don't exclaim 'maan gaye' in the end.

MAAN GAYE MUGHALL-E-AZAM prompts you to break into guffaws. Even the one-liners -- Chhel's a pro at it -- are dipped in wit-n-humour. Plus, the camaraderie between Paresh Rawal, Rahul Bose and Mallika Sherawat is superb.

Lekin kahani mein problem hain… Chhel tries to pack sooooo much in one film. Love triangle, patriotism, terrorism, songs, the theatre group's woes… the outcome is clearly erratic and inconsistent. The comedy works, not the terrorism angle.

Chhel seems inspired by JAANE BHI DO YAARO, but this inspiration could've done with a gripping screenplay. Another sore point is the absence of good music.

To sum up, MAAN GAYE MUGHALL-E-AZAM is, at best, an average fare. Watch it for the humour and also bravura performances by its lead actors.

Circa 1993: St. Louise, near Goa, is on a high alert due to illegal activities like RDX and arms landing at the coastal area. Set up in the same town is Kalakar Theatre Company, a theatre group of self indulgent dreamy actors who are always left with no choice but to perform the same age-old period play 'Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam' every time.

One fine day, they get to know that an underworld don is planning a bomb blast in the country. The drama company gets into the act to save the entire city from this blast.

MAAN GAYE MUGHALL-E-AZAM takes time to come into form. But when it does, the humour is unstoppable. Sure, you may find the theatre group's drama [Akbar, Salim, Anarkali] amateurish, but it works big time. In fact, the audi will reverberate with wild laughter at several places. But the writing lacks meat and that takes away the sheen. The pace picks up, drops, picks up again, drops yet again unfailingly.

Humour is the highpoint of MAAN GAYE MUGHALL-E-AZAM and Chhel hits a boundary there. Ditto for his dialogues. Anu Malik's music is lifeless. Barring the title track, the remaining numbers are simply add-ons. Madhu Ambat's cinematography is fair.

MAAN GAYE MUGHALL-E-AZAM belongs to Paresh, Rahul and Mallika. Paresh has mastered the art of making people laugh, but when you watch him in this film, you realize the tremendous potential this terrific actor possesses. Watch his take on Akbar or step in as Kay Kay's double; he's in top form.

Mallika stands on her feet despite a giant called Paresh Rawal. Scrutinize her as Anarkali at the outset and later, as an aspiring actress; she's fantastic. Rahul Bose is known for serious and intense roles, but he breaks the shackles with MAAN GAYE MUGHALL-E-AZAM. His timing is perfect. Surprisingly, Kay Kay isn't in form this time. Pawan Malhotra does very well. Zakir Hussain doesn't get scope. Ditto for Tanaaz. Manoj Joshi is wasted.

On the whole, MAAN GAYE MUGHALL-E-AZAM is an ordinary fare, laced with great humour at places. Average.




Next movie is
Phoonk its a scary movie . and i m gonna watch it for sure . i love scary movies and it say's its a really good movie ...


The great debate between science and superstition continues, but RGV's new film PHOONK tilts in favour of superstition. Surprising, isn't it?

The makers of the film had organized a contest. You'd be given a handsome reward if you've the courage to watch PHOONK all alone in a theatre, we're told. Honestly speaking, PHOONK isn't scary by any standards, but as a subject, it works big time because somewhere deep within us, we've heard of the power of the unknown.

Whether you're superstitious or not, you may've heard tales/experiences concerning jaadu tona. And you're all eyes and ears the moment someone comes up with an alibi.

PHOONK is easily amongst RGV's finest works [although BHOOTH was scarier] and it holds your attention all through. As a viewer, you're keen to know how RGV would culminate this story. The culmination, of course, would meet with extreme reactions. Some would rubbish it, but the believers might endorse the finale. In my individualistic opinion, it's outstanding!

All said, PHOONK is a fantastic experience. The subject -- black magic -- is its biggest star and that alone would ensure House Full boards outside plexes/cinemas.

Rajeev [Sudeep], a successful construction engineer, with a loving wife and two children, is an atheist to the core. He scowls at people who believe in the dark forces, till one day when an evil is let loose in his happy home, which threatens to destroy his family and shake up the very foundations of his convictions and beliefs.

Thanks to the hype and curiosity generated around the movie, you expect to be scared from Scene 1 itself. And RGV emphasises on lighting and artefacts, besides an eccentric woman [Ashwini Kalsekar], to create the right atmosphere.

Of course, you do get the jhatkas in a scene or two, but you don't clasp your hands tightly even once, nor does your heart goes dhak-dhak at a lightening speed. Gradually, RGV plays with the camera [excellent camerawork by Savita Singh] and sound [Kunal Mehta, Parik**** Lalwani] to heighten the impact. Like all RGV films, the camera angles bear the unmistakable RGV stamp, while the background score [Bapi-Tutul] takes an ordinary scene to the next level.

RGV is back with a bang. There's a certain consistency from start to end and this time, he gets the right subject to prove his detractors wrong. Every sequence bears the stamp of a genius that RGV is, hits and flops notwithstanding.

The performances are uniformly good. Sudeep impresses you with an excellent performance. Amruta Khanvilkar is efficient. Baby Ahsaas Channa makes a strong impression. Ashwini Kalsekar is top notch. Zakir Hussain's tantric act is superb. Ganesh Yadav lends good support. K.K. Raina and Lilette Dubey, both doctors, are competent. Kenny Desai, Anu Ansari and the actress enacting the role of Sudeep's mother are perfect.

On the whole, PHOONK is a fascinating cinematic experience on a subject that's rarely tackled by the dream merchants in Bollywood: Black magic. The subject itself is the biggest star of the film, which would ensure a flying start at the box-office and in turn, prove a jackpot for its producers who've distributed the film themselves.