Movie Review: Shaurya

Powered by: Chakpak.com	Shaurya

I hadn’t been to a movie theatre since mid February and was beginning to get withdrawal symptoms. I am so glad that I ended this sabbatical with Shaurya. For once I happily overlooked that the story is a straight lift of “A Few Good Men” and thoroughly enjoyed the drama adapted to the Indian context.
The story is about the Court Martial of an army officer accused of killing a fellow officer. He maintains a silence on his guilt or otherwise. Two friends in the JAG branch are transferred to the accused officer’s place of incarceration to take on the roles of the opposing counsels in the trial. What is supposed to be an open and shut case takes another dimension when a chirpy journalist, the forgettable Minnisha Lamba, introduces some doubts in the mind of the defence counsel, Rahul Bose. In a happy go lucky and devil may care life a sense of purpose is introduced. The movie is as much about the awakening of maturity of the dedicated to fun Mr Rahul Bose as about the ready to die for his convictions Mr Deepak Dobriyal who plays, ah what else, but a conscientious and a nationalist Muslim army officer. The evil that men do find a persona in the character of Brig Pratap who confuses every Muslim with the demon who had wiped out his family. KK does immense justice to this characterization with his usual professional competence. Deepak Dobriyal rides the movie with a searing intensity which flows from his glowing eyes. Javed Jaffery like me is at last beginning to look old but still, like me retains his sense of fun. He sizzled a bit in the beginning of the movie, a totally unnecessary dance number accompanying the not so sizzling Rosa of the Saif fame. It’s a bit tragic to see the could be Begum of Pataudi reduced to an item number.
The songs are forgettable, the background music is tremendous and the photography is good. It was great to watch shots of Patiala’s Mahindra College and the beauty of Manali which is supposed to be Kashmir in the movie.
A word again about the two principal players in the movie. I admire Rahul Bose on many counts. He lives life the way he wants to. Does movies, plays in the national Rugby team, stays single and remains fit. Deepak Dobriyal, for the uninformed is an Uttarakhandi and my parochial Uttarakhandi chhamak challo has decided that he is the real hero of the movie. So as of this evening my children have a new Mama. So what does this have to with the movie? I feel that both of them bring freshness to the cinema that at least I have been yearning for some time. Both are young and different and harbingers of a new era. Cheers and amen to that.

Powered by: Chakpak.com	Jodhaa Akbar

Movie Review:Jodha Akbar

After just about tolerating all the semi comical and amateurish stuff on television I had been expectantly waiting for a long time for an Indian movie maker to do justice to a historical/period movie. Jodha Akbar was a trifle disappointing but not a total disaster either. In today’s times when the attention span of the audience is progressively on the descendent holding interest for three and a half hours is no mean feat.

My disappointment as usual lies in the lack of direction of the story. The director is clearly confused on what he wants to present. It’s Akbar the conqueror at first and the reluctant lover next. Suddenly the statesman in him manifests amongst the angst of the ruled and secular dialogues are spewed forth. Where does that leave the pretty Jodha? Her character development is a little better. From a bride made out of political compulsions of her father to the Empress of Hindustan having an unbending will of her own, Aishwarya has conducted herself with élan. Her eyes flash a million expressions. The supposed love story and the impact it had on the Indian polity (as we are reminded at the end) remains half baked but interesting in patches.

It is inevitable that comparison with movies of similar genre be made and well, the good old ones like Mughal-e-Azam, Anarkali score higher in a lot many areas. For once the music of A R Rehman did not sound fetching except the song “Khwaza mere khwaza” which is a masterpiece of flawless performance and execution. Hritik’s sway to the beats of this song was synonymous with the devotion with which it has been sung by Rehman. One of his best, I reckon. Although Hritik looked fetching to the moony eyed girls in the hall, he lacks the gravitas and regal demeanor expected of a scion of the Mughal dynasty. But since he and Prithvi Raj Kapur potrayed different ages of Akbar a comparison would be unfair. However JA has been eminently successful in recreating the feel of the times it talks about. The photography is superb. The forts, desert, costumes and the princely splendor of Rajasthan has been captured with an expert’s eye for detail. Reportedly Neeta Lulla designed more than three thousand costumes for the movie. Her hard work shows and beautifully so. The battle scenes are good and gory but again no match for those of Mughal-e Azam. Gowariker missed a trick here. K Asif had hired the services of 63rd(or is it 61st) Cavalry for the war scenes. Computer graphics could have been a good substitute but they are atrociously expensive. However for the sheer scale of production and for the spectacle value I would rate the movie pretty high. Some of the scenes are unbelievably real especially where Hritik tames a wild elephant. The single combat at the climax, although a-la Troy is pretty engrossing and full of energy.

Some howlers are there but they are inevitable I guess. Just imagine, a full house “Deewane-e Aam” is adjourned because Aishwarya decides to sing a bhajan to Lord Krishna in a voice loud enough to reverberate in the corridors where state business is being transacted. My wife, however, was pretty charitable saying “Bhai, who Raja hai. Kuchh bhi kar sakta hai”. Agreed but I cannot forgive the next. The king is seriously wounded and unconscious with the medicine men pronouncing the worst possible prognosis. The queen instead of holding his hand or assisting in medication goes in for divine intervention and sure enough the next morning he opens his eyes. Sigh, it will take some time for us to come out with a Benhur or a Cleopatra. But till then the likes of Jodha Akbar will do.

Movie Review: Mithya

Powered by: Chakpak.com	Mithya

This one is strictly for Multiplex movie types who are still caught between the erstwhile art and the nouvaeu experimental cinema. I admire Rajat Kapoor for having attempting this at all. But, but, but (Oh my buts, no pun intended) the movie begins and ends from nowhere to nowhere. Well that’s the feel I got. The story is there but not quite. The performances are great but from entirely unexpected quarters. The music is forgettable. The locales are fantastic. The photography is surrealistic at times but efficiently done. So like the movie where do I begin and where do I end this write up.
The words of the immortal James Douglas Morrison flashed through my mind while watching the movie and crystallized at its end.
“The program for this evening is not new
You’ve seen this entertainment through and through
You’ve seen your birth, your life and death
You might recall all the rest
Did you have a good life?
Enough to base a movie on?”
Apparently Rajat Kapoor thought so about his hero. This dark comedy is about an aspiring actor, brilliantly portrayed by Ranvir Shorey, emulating the countless wannabe heroes in the tinsel town of Mumbai. His idyllic struggle in the moviedom is rudely interrupted when he is becomes an unwilling witness to a murder attempt on an underworld don who, well, looks exactly like him. The don’s enemies devise a plan to takeover the business of reigning Don. So they kidnap our hero, terrorize him, threaten him, pay him and then train him to take the place of his look alike, who is then waylaid and shot. All the pieces are now in place or are they?
He settles down reasonably well in his new role and just when things seem to be going as per plan he falls down from a banister and loses his memory. I won’t play the spoiler and reveal the subsequent developments. The sudden twists and turns in the story keep the viewer interested but somehow one doesn’t quite find what one is looking for. Like I said, almost there but not quite.
The spectrum of human emotions has been explored quite cleverly. The character of Ranvir takes off from being a happy go lucky youth, to a contented family man, to a terror struck brutalized victim, to hopelessness and bewilderment with remarkable aplomb. Vinay Pathak walks through his role of a Mafiosi thug with consummate ease. Neha Dhupia, despite her rapidly expanding bottoms, was a pleasant surprise. Saurabh Shukla and Naseeruddin Shah were the two unexpected disappointments. The first was too loud and Mr Shah too quiet in a most insignificant role. Harsh Chhaya, as the dead don’s brother exuded the menace of a professional gangster.
Despite my reservations, my compliments must go to Rajat Kapoor for being there in frontline of the brave new movie makers. It is a fantastic effort and he can only get better. He has created a laudable mirage. Take what you can from it !

Movie Review: Halla Bol

Powered by: Chakpak.com	Halla Bol

The master of cliché Raj Kumar Santoshi makes a valiant effort to break out from the masala mode and all but falls flat on his face. My eternal complaint to Bollywood regarding good and original stories remains firmly in place. Here, our man, cashes in on the Jessica Lal episode and has tried to interpolate it with the tragic saga of Safdar Hashmi. Even the name of the movie has been inspired (groan) by the play being enacted by Hashmi when he was murdered.
Nevertheless there was enough potential to make a powerful political statement. Here is where you need a director with a strong political conviction and not just an ordinary movie maker. You will have to wait till the interval for the movie to develop any substance. The basic question of the untapped collective social conscience which the movie chooses to explore and explain remains unanswered. The elusive bird called social responsibility is sought but lost in the reams of wasted celluloid. A laudable cause but a lost effort. So who is responsible?
Ajay Devgun, for being the wooden and unlikely hero for a cause. He moves through the movie like a disinterested zombie. What the hell happened to him after Ganga Jal and Omkara??
Vidya Balan, for choosing to remain in doormat roles despite her huge talent and her atrocious sense of dressing. I can do far better shopping from my local Rehri Market.
The honourable exception, of course, is Pankaj Kapoor who as usual has turned in a powerhouse of a performance and will remain my only reason for recommending to anyone to watch the movie.
Sukhwinder Singh is one of my favourite singers but I am not sure he can deliver as a music director as well. Where the hell did he find this ten ring fingered over nourished overfed Sabri for rendering a horrible quawalli? None of the other songs do credit to his talent either.
Santoshi ought to contemplate retirement! Farcical and pretentious directors like him and of his ilk like Bhansali, Karan whatever should be dumped in the Arabian Sea. And arise Aameer Khan, the future belongs to you.

Movie Review:Taare Zameen Par

Powered by: Chakpak.com	Taare Zameen Par

Every time I saw a movie by Speilberg or Ridley Scott or the older classics of David Lean or William Wyler I asked myself why we did not have a comparable movie maker to show us the great big story. We have had pretenders like SL Bhansali stealing ideas and having delusions of grandeur and also Farah Khan cashing upon the greatness of the ordinary. At least FK did not boast of being original. Am I happy or am I ecstatic at learning that a new star director has evolved in Bollywood. Spielberg knows the child in every man and always brings out the deepest emotions in the most moving ways. Aamir Khan has finally done it for me and beautifully so.
The movie bursts forth with a magical collage of colors and the best of animation seen in Hindi cinema. You would love to see the titles. Of course it’s not for the first time you would be seeing the struggle of a dyslexic child, a caring and a supportive outsider and the eventual triumph. But the dream of every movie maker of carrying the audience with every rise and fall of emotions is effectively realized here. You want to reach out to comfort the distraught child and you soar with the happiness of his achievements. For me the movie once again brought to life the pains of growing up. The sudden shattering of a protected environment and to be thrown amongst strangers at a tender age is a trauma for any child. Standing alone and staring forlornly at the back of the vehicle carrying your mother away, bitter shedding of tears behind closed toilet doors and the all consuming sense of loneliness brought back memories from the deep recesses of my consciousness. I am not ashamed to admit that my tears flowed freely.
Darsheel Safary’s disarming innocence reflects in his eyes. The boy is a natural and has carried the movie on his small shoulders. Whether it’s his childish pranks or his discomfiture in the classroom or his lonely grief, he makes you believe in him. It’s what I would call an honest portrayal. Having said that a huge amount of credit should go to Aamir Khan the director for not cornering the lion’s share of footage for Aamir the actor. That’s what was required of a good director and he delivered. In fact he makes his first appearance just before the intermission.
The narrative is gripping and unrelenting. For an emotional movie there isn’t a single dull moment. Its storytelling at it’s best. The camera moves swiftly from one compelling image to another. Ordinary people and everyday images of the ordinary are beautifully juxtaposed with the curious journey of the child. The parents are who you find in almost every second household. The busy father who goes into a denial mode when confronted with his son’s handicap. The helpless mother who can only watch with dismay at her loved one. Aamir the actor excels again, this time as an art teacher who was dyslexic himself in his childhood. He recognizes Darsheel’s problem and from then on the story is how he finally succeeds in helping him overcome it. There are other lovable characters too. It seemed as if the teachers had jumped right out of my boarding school days. Anyone who has been to a public school would readily identify the English teacher who is always more English that the English themselves. Even the fake British accent has been copied to perfection.
Shankar, Ehsaan & Loy are only getting better. “Tujhe sab to pata hai meri Ma” is heart rending and soulfully depicts a child’s tortured mind. However what takes your breath away is the haunting background score. Aamir Khan is reported to be a perfectionist and he has more than proven it. This one ought to be a winner at the Oscars.