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Ek Tha Tiger (2012)
Why Salman's euphoria bubble is about to burst!!
By-Apoorv Sharma
During my school days at Mount Carmel,Una(H.P.),I read a story called MADHULIKA in 9th standard by JAI SHANKAR PRASAD .The story began the line (The love for your country is bigger than your love for an individual). Unfortunately ,Salman Khan & company are hell bent to reverse this message.For them,if you love someone, Let the nation be secondary .Ironically,this Message is being Propagated by them on 15th august, the day when we are supposed to acknowledge the selfless sacrifices of our leaders,.SAD!!
While some film directors tell us-HAMARI FILM DEKHNI HAI TO DIMAG GHAR CHHOD KE AAYEIN(Leave your brains at home when you come to watch our film),Our SALLU BHAI,Y.R.F & KABEER KHAN are actually adamant to force us burn our cerebrum.
So how does the plot begin??Our Sallu Bhai plays a RAW agent who goes to nab a Professor in Ireland whom RAW suspects is involved in anti- national activities.However,Zoya (Katrina Kaif) turns up and our BHAI is distracted from the mission.Then he discovers that madam is ISI agent.Bhai shoots her & The lights come on as it is interval time .Half the atrocities are already inflicted upon you.More to come,in greater degrees. Second half,the same routine twist that BHAI's feelings towards madam weighed more than his duties towards nation & he didn't shoot Zoya.Love blossoms & standard cat mouse chase sequences follow.What happens in the end will fetch you no Bet money from my side as its as easy to guess as MIHIR's RE ENTRY in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.
Now after our bhai supposedly shoots Zoya,the mission is over!!! (wait,didn't I tell you in beginning that he was in Ireland to nab some Professor.Yes!!The plot ends there abruptly & Our BHAI switches mission at his own free will like Indian women switch from Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyara Pyara & Uttran in the 10 PM slot.Is TIGER there for Professor or Zoya,Mr.Kabeer Khan? Now our Bhai also has the courage & power to stop an electrified tram using his coat thus giving SPIDERMAN 2's PETER PARKER a run for his money.If that's the idea of funny & spoof,God bless our souls!The methodology Sallu Bhai uses to portray a RAW agent can actually lead to shortage of ALPREX in medical stores since real RAW agents would actually need them in dozens after watching EK THA TIGER!! Since its an action-adventure-thriller,aren't we supposed to root for Salman like we did for MATT DAMON in BOURNE series? In fact,this agent TIGER engages more in buffoonery than in tactics.Such is our Bhai's charisma in RAW that all other agents seem to have the I.Q. of Rohit Mehra from KOI MIL GAYA (Read-Ranvir Shorey in EK THA TIGER).
Now lets switch to the acting department since the story (if its there) has so big plot holes that you can easily drive a truck through it.Katrina Kaif looks gorgeous as ever but her equation with ACTING is similar to the equation that exists between MANISH TEWARY & RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD on Arnab Goswami's show.As far as our Heavily Puffed SALLU Bhai is concerned,he carries a single expression on his face throughout & continues sleepwalking .I really wanted to engage in wolf whistles when ZOYA-TIGER escape from intelligence forces,or when TIGER & ZOYA negate the threat of goons in a Havana subway.But the energy levels of TIGER are so-so THAKELA(lacklustre) that a snail with win a 100 Metre race if it competes with Salman.May be TIGER needed to swallow some TIGER BISCUITS on the sets to boost his energy levels.
There were several fight sequences shown in the beginning in short measures which the audience expects would form a story later & would culminate into a great story
OOPS!!EXPECTATIONS TOO HIGH!!For this,Crane/SCARECROW from THE DARK KNIGHT RISES would ask you-Death or Exile?or Heath Ledger/Joker from DARK KNIGHT would say--- ah ha ha & I thought BODYGUARD was BAD!
ZOYA says"-Ab tumhari Shaadi ki umar ho gayi hai!!" If bhai continues this way soon everyone will say"AB TUMAHRE GHAR BAITHNE KI UMAR HO GAYI HAI"! YRF & Kabeer Khan are nothing more than parasites in the pond thriving on the superstar's current euphoria .They think anything they show will fetch money.I'm no big an admirer of Salman but I rooted for him as RADHEY BHAIYA in TERE NAAM or as PREMS in the extended versions of marriage ceremony DVD's in Sooraj Barjatya films..But here SALMAN KHAN stoops lower further to tell the audience-"Teri (AKAL) ki Keh ke Loonga"!
Are those times over?If I don't ,atleast Loyal Salman Fans deserve better.Hats off to them for their love.But doesn't the superstar need to give them something better?They deserve it.TRY TO At least ACT MAN!!
No preachy modes here, but followers –BE A FOLLOWER BUT DON"T TURN A BLIND EYE! Anyways,the bubble is already showing cracks and time is not far away if trends continue when we'll actually take the Word "THA" in EK THA TIGER a little more seriously. My rating for EK THA TIGER-1/5 or 2/10
Thank you readers for giving time to this article.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM-always welcomed!
-Apoorv Sharma
Mod (2011)
Splendid 1st half followed by a little monotonous 2nd half,still worth watching!
Its really unfortunate to see a film being valued solely on the basis of its box office performance rather than its merit in India.Its because of this thing that useless films like ready ,force or Bodyguard rake in the moolah while films like Mod just fade in the pages of time. Now I'm not saying that Mod is a fantastic film but definitely way better than the useless films mentioned above.
Ayesha Takia runs a watch repair shop in a south Indian hill station where Rannvijay Singh comes everyday to get his watch repaired.He introduces himself as her classmate in school.As expected,Love blossoms but there comes a turn when Takia begins to doubt Singh as to who he is.Then what happens??watch the film. First the positive positive things-
With plastic emotions reigning in the movies today,this one offers a welcome break.There are some splendid tender moments between Takia & Singh & even Takia & Yadav.(e.g. she won't let Yadav enter home drunk but would serve him tea in the morning).The tuning between Takia & Tanve Azmi is very heart warming.The characters are close to life & seem real.
The music is nothing to cheer about but the song "Tu hi Tu" makes a fine hearing.The top notch Cinematography makes this small town Down south India a character in the film & adds to cinematic value & experience.
Now some negatives-The film plunges downwards once the MOD(turn-which in this case means twist) is revealed.The film gets monotonous in 2nd half & drags.Nagesh seems to lose the plot & the film's grip on the viewer looses.The choice of lead(Rannvijay) could have been better.Despite his best efforts,he fails to pull off a complex character.While Takia shines in her role,Rannvijay 's performance leaves a lot to be desired.The performance of both Azmi & Yadav is fabulous.
Despite all these flaws,Mod isn't completely unwatchable.It has its moments with Nagesh getting back to what he really stands for.The signs are positive & maybe,we'll see a Dor or an Iqbal soon!!
Mausam (2011)
Mausam --Unfortunately isn't awesome!!
Pankaj Kapur is 1 of those people in the industry who have played almost every kind of role with perfection-be it the commoner Mussadi of office- office or Liaqat of Roja.From Tarneja in the evergreen classic Jaane bhi do yaaron to the menacing Abbaji of Maqbool,he has played every role with sincerity & has always provided quality entertainment. With Mausam,he goes behind the camera & directs his 1st film.When people like him assume directorial responsibility,expectations assume gigantic proportions.So did it turn out to be a great film.With a grief in my heart ,I would have to disagree.Its no more than an average affair. The story begins in a small village called MALLUKOT where a fun loving Harry(Shahid) falls in love with A kashmiri girl(Sonam).However,unexpected circumstances leads to their separation only to meet in Scotland a few years later.(Shahid,by the time is serving in IAF while Sonam has become a ballet dancer).Again circumstances lead to their separation only to be searching each other till the end.
The initial 45 minutes of the film are like a whiff of fresh air where a carefree village life is depicted in a realistic,heart warming way.Its really wonderful to see such tender romantic moments between Harry & Aayat which automatically melt your heart like butter.But the real problem begins when the story shifts to Scotland.The film loses its steam & drags on continuously for 3 hours.The logic is thrown out of window & film presents the monotony of deja vu(meeting & separation again & again & again).
One more problem in the film (which is unpardonable considering a person like Pankaj Kapur is at the helm of affairs) is Factual errors.The Punjab Roadways bus model shown in 1992 didn't exist then.It came much later.Moreover,we see a Whirlpool refrigerator cover in the film in the year 1992(The company entered Indian market in 1995).Such errors take away the appeal & seriousness of the film.
The director saddles this film's narrative with some important events like 1992 Babri demolition,1999 Kargil infiltration,11th September to Ahmedabad riots,which don't actually appeal.The intention was noble but execution isn't upto the mark.
In this world of multi genre films,(Action comedy like Singham or Rom Coms),Pankaj Kapur sticks to a single genre of romance which doesn't connect with audience somehow.Moreover,Shahid being a pilot in the IAF,it provided ample opportunity to Pankaj Kapur to explore some fine action sequences of aerial combat,but its just a little more than "BLINK & YOU MISS" sequence!The director takes himself too seriously-which ultimately works against the film.
Shahid Kapur's performance as the village brat Harry is fantastic but somehow misses the mark in his Air force avatar.His appearance seems misfit for this.Sonam Kapoor needs to take some acting lessons,she just misses to portray this complex character well.While Anupam Kher is wasted in a thankless role,Supriya Pathak plays her part with great deal of precision.
The climax sequence involving a horse,a ferris wheel & a child with Shahid's "heroics" is unintentionally funny & serves as a final nail in the coffin.
One thing has to be admitted that while most film makers today find an easy way of plagiarizing hit foreign films,Pankaj Kapur tries to rekindle the old age romance which had been overshadowed by plastic emotions portrayed in movies today.There is honesty in its music(Rabba main to is a very nice song,so is saj dhaj & ik tu hi),the way the film is made with devotion & passion.The only sad part remains that it doesn't click.But Pankaj Kapur has lot to learn as a director,he has shown flashes of brilliance in this film,& I'm pretty confident that when he makes his next film,it 'll be as awesome as he is.
Ugly Aur Pagli (2008)
That is how we kill the classic!!
well,to start off,I say--
TO COPY SOME1'S LITERARY WORK WITHOUT PERMISSION IS A CRIME(PLAGIARISM),BUT TO COPY IT PATHETICALLY IS A SIN"!!
Another famous proverb in Hindi says--NAKAL BHI AKAL KE SAATH BAJTI HAI (It requires brains to copy well)
To start off,this film is a scene-to-scene,dialogue-to-dialogue rip of Yeopgijeogin geunyeo(2001).Now why do Hindi film makers have to copy foreign/regional films,is what I fail to comprehend.Its simply because of the fact that they fail to invest in the core of any film,that is a story.They pick up a hit plot & plagiarize it.I would appreciate this practice if a copyright licence is obtained.(even though BUM BUM BOLE wasn't well made,yet it was an official remake of Children of heaven(Iranian movie))
Anyways,coming back to Ugly aur Ugly...oops,I mean Ugly aur Pagli,its 1 contrived effort which infuriates you through its awkwardness.The director simply copies the scenes without even making the slightest attempt to modify them according to Indian tastes.oh I'm sorry,he does actually,like changing the location of shoe exchange scene from college campus to beach.the amusement park scene from the original shifts to a roof top & Left foot-right foot game scene is shot in a mall.
More importantly,the director misses the undertones which are most beautifully depicted in the 2001 Korean movie.Why does Tae Hyun Cha(Gyeon Woo/Kyun Woo) stand upon the yellow line in metro station??(watch the film)).Why does The Girl(Gianna Jun)ask Tae Hyun Cha whether he can swim??(watch the movie).Now you can plagiarize scenes but not the undertones & emotions thus leaving the viewer irritated as Ugly aur Pagli is devoid of such artistry.May be the director of Mallika-Shorey starrer himself failed to comprehend the deep meanings,undertones & layers of emotions conveyed.He just re shot the scenes without much thought process involved.May be he needs to watch Yeopgijeogin geunyeo again (& again & again & again........)to realize what blunder he has made.He just touches the topic superficially without understanding how multi layered the Korean movie was.Even the Unintentionally comic scripts Gianna Jun wrote in the film conveyed a lot about her state of mind(which is disclosed in the climax in a subtle way,I won't tell).
Neither could Mallika match the brilliance of Gianna in this bizarre role nor could Shorey generate sympathy for himself as Tae Hyun Cha's innocence does.(even though Shorey is a fine actor but script is so flawed,his attempt fails)
Background score helps melodramatic scenes portray better.In Ugly aur Pagli,the music & background score score nothing(though Talli song is a saving grace).While in 2001 korean film,the Piano pieces used as background score are
in perfect sync with the mood of the film,thus carrying forward the narrative.The song "I BELIEVE",whenever played,moves you.(especially when Hyun Cha sits on escalator stairs helplessly at metro station with Gianna Jun searching him).
The comedy scenes in ugly aur pagli are boring & evoke no interest whatsoever.In fact,so poorly executed,you will feel boredom in all those scenes.
In the end,after reading this review,you all might be saying that I've drawn a lot of parallels between the 2 films,but can't help it.Its just like Watching a shawshank redemption or a dark knight on pirated disc having watched it on BLU RAY earlier!!
Trust me,neither is this Ugly & Pagli watchable nor the English remake(2008)(Though Cuthbert is a fine actress).Watch this innocent romcom in korean instead & fall the Love!!
Remember the Titans (2000)
love the person not his race!!All are equal in eyes of God!
Being an Indian,I often read about racist attacks on Indians in Australia.So its quite easy for me to relate to this topic.
Remember the titans,based upon a true story,deals with the gap that exists between blacks & whites in American society.
Coach Boone(Washington),a black,is entrusted with the task to coach a high school team.Not only has he to work upon improving the performance of the team but also look to bridge the gap between the players of black & white race.He also faces social problems owing to his race.
Not going into details,the story plainly tells the true account of how these players come together leaving behind their differences & excel in the competition.Their unity,not only wins matches for them,but also millions of hearts!!
The entire star cast does a good job but Denzel Washington is phenomenal here.His aggression,expressions & dialogue delivery is spot on.
I also felt that the second half of the movie is a little tedious but Washington's performance keeps the movie in the right sync.
Seldom do movies come,which not only entertain us,but also teach us some values & lessons.This movie is just 1 amongst those!!!
Just watch it!!
Yeopgijeogin geunyeo (2001)
And I thought only Hollywood movies are the best!!Glad it proved me wrong!
After watching the movie--"The girl next door",I had developed a crush-- a crush on the charming Elisha Cuthbert.So I decided to search for her other films as well.I came across this film-My sassy girl(2008).As I was about to watch the film,my cousin told me to watch the original movie instead of this one.I had never seen any Korean movie before this,so I was a bit skeptical.But when I saw it ,I really enjoyed every moment of it.
I'll not disclose any story or plot here because that will spoil your fun...so I'll enlist a few points about the movie---
1.The leading pair is one of the cutest ever seen on screen.Thats what Chemistry between characters is!!
2.Innocent & honest effort.
3.Some real hilarious moments in 1st half coupled with a brilliant emotional 2nd half.
4.The leading female protagonist does full justice to her role & so does Gyeon woo(the boy)
I later saw the American version of the film which falls flat before this one.A Bollywood version is also there but its a real disaster...........
watch the Korean version for some real good fun!!
Wake Up Sid (2009)
Like a whiff of fresh air........
Bollywood has traditionally been known for providing cinema with "screen play of convenience",poorly drafted or half baked stories & senseless drams.Now how is this movie different from the rest- 1.The treatment is pretty novel.
2.There are no plastic emotions here,every thing seems pretty much connected with our daily lives.This thing deserves a special mention as this movie comes from the banner of Karan Johar,the man known for his glossy films with synthetic/plastic emotions.So,he deserves special brownie points for undertaking such a project.
3.The feel fresh approach and the pace at which the film moves is the high light of the film.
The acting is top notch.Ranbir,Konkana,Supriya Pathak & Anupam Kher all perform exceptionally well.
The music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is situational and strikes a chord with the viewer.The title song and Iktara(composed by Amit Trivedi) stand out.The back ground score also deserves a special mention.The cinematography is soothing to the eyes and the direction is superb.
The scenes like the Ranbir's spat with his parents,or when Ranbir & Konkana spend a night gazing at the stars or even when Ranbir meets his father in his office are handled with utmost sincerity and maturity.The romantic aspect or the bonding between Konkana & Ranbir is very genuine and heart warming.
Bollywood,through films like these ,is taking giant strides towards excellence.Well done Ayan Mukherji & Karan Johar.....
Final verdict-9/10
Welcome to Sajjanpur (2008)
welcome to a feel good movie.......
Shyam Benegal is a great storyteller..........he has really given us nice movies in the past.After a long time,he has come back into comedy genre.So did he deliver? The ans. is yes!!It is a good good movie.The movie is about a village named Sajjanpur and tells the stories of various residents of the village.Shreys Talpade ,being amongst the few literate people in the village,writes letter for the people.The characters are explained from his perspective. The beauty of the movie is its simplicity. The people,the locations & the series of events happening are quite interesting.You can easily identify with characters if you are well versed with the rural environment. Some of the scenes are really heart warming. The cinematography is quite good.A special mention has to be given to the music which is quite soothing.Performances from Talpade,Ravi Kissan & Yashpal Sharma stand out.Divya Dutta & Ila Arun are also quite effective.Needless to say the direction is compelling. The beauty of the movie is its sarcastic humor.It takes a dig on various social evils (like Ila Arun-Divya Dutta incident) and village level political conspiracies in a humorous way. Go for this movie if you really want to see some feel good cinema..........
What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
beautiful movie............Johnny Depp was brilliant
This movie,to say the least ,is fantastic.......... I saw this movie when I had nothing else to do but I must admit,I liked it a lot...A lot of people have commented on the brilliance of Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie but seriously,its Depp's performance that won my heart.Sheer brilliance.The movie is all about his life,his love,complications & the way he deals with it...Johnny Depp delivers a very natural & graceful performance.Top notch.Even in the scene when Depp hits his retarded brother Leonardo,I had sympathy for Depp rather than hatred.Leonardo also justifies his role.The pace,however,is a little slow,but that is really the beauty of the film.The background score deserves a special mention,it was really good.....So,if you really want to enjoy some good cinema,go for it.......