An end to the bad-luck with movies..2012 and Paa...

Finally, my uneventful binge watching boring movies ended with ‘2012’ and ‘Paa’.

2012 is a big, splashy and loud movie, more exhilarating that anything I had experience before. The movie portrays the year 2012 as the end of the world. For some, the story would be an example of idiocy, but it can be seen as a possible future outcome of happenings like solar storms, global warming, etc.

The problem with the movie is that it straight away jumps into the core issue without a build-up. It uses an ancient Mayan prophecy to establish the doomsday scenario. With some complains that it is a preposterous film, there's enough cheese here to satisfy the wildest of action movie buffs. Massive explosions, colossal waves, flipping cars, tumbling trains, cracking and drowning cities improbable escapes, mammoth sized arcs, it’s all there. It’s irresistibly entertaining.

But Paa, for me, is the star of the year. Yet another blockbuster from the Big B, it is a simple film told in the most simplistic manner.

Auro is a 13-year old progeria patient, a disease which causes accelerated ageing. Defying his looks of a 65-year-old, Auro is the same naughty 12-year old boy, who runs around, asks for piggybacks and plays in puddle. Auro has completely percolated down into Amitabh; it is only the vulnerability of the character that touches you, not the trademark baritone voice of Amitabh. It is indeed a casting masterstroke. Vidya Balan plays single-mum Vidya, who raises Auro with some help from her mother, after dumping her selfish boyfriend in college, when he suggests an abortion. Amol (Abhishek Bachchan) is not ready for marriage; he is keen to follow his father into politics. Years later, Amol, who is now a Member of Parliament, accidentally meets Auro at a school event, both oblivious to the fact that they are father and son.

Contrary to what the film’s marketing conveys, Paa is actually a mother-son story. The first half of Paa unfolds breezily, with witty dialogue and clever scenes. Even in delicate scenes, the obvious pitfalls have been avoided, that come with stories about characters suffering from grim conditions.

The only problem in the movie is an embarrassingly scripted tiff between the politician Amol and the media. Other than this, the excellent prosthetic make-up, dazzling cinematography and shooting score make Paa and easy, enjoyable watch. The movie clearly establishes how Indian film industry is trying to push the boundaries to a different level. Amitabh surely is going to bag awards for his brilliance in ‘Paa’.

Theatre vs Cinema..Brief Candle...

There has been a great change in people’s way of entertainment. To my mind, today most people prefer going to cinema or clubbing than spending a weekend watching a theatre. I can’t say that I am a theatre goer, but I am very much fascinated by the live performances and appreciate their talent a lot. I believe, the only thing that can popularize dramatic art is our passion for acting alive, our passion for pondering over our feelings and life problems, which theatre actors can make us do playing this or that character just before your eyes. It's a great experience to feel vividness and energy of actors who act for a limited audience. Theatre will be inferior to movies (in terms of its popularity) as long as we are not accustomed to experience the greatest feeling of being involved into the storm of emotions shared by the public in the auditorium.

Nevertheless after a long wait, I watched a play in Prithvi Theatre Mumbai. The last time I went there, I failed to get a ticket. But this time I reached well in time.

I witnessed the ‘Brief Candle’, a play directed by Lillete Dubey, starring well-known artists like Suchitra Pillai, Joy Sengupta, Amar Talwar, Zafar Karachiwala, Satchit Puranik and Manasi Parekh. The story goes like...

Avedna is a hospital and hospice for cancer and the terminally ill. The founders have requested for a cultural event on founder's day. Dr. Dave, Shanti and some of the terminally ill patients feel that a play written by an inmate who died of Aids related cancer will be an ideal choice. The play is a farce with some extremely funny situations revolving around a hotel room near the airport. As they rehearse the play, the actors discover similarities between themselves and the characters they are playing. It is clear that the dead playwright is speaking to them. The metaphor of arrivals and departures for life and death leaves them with a reflection of their own struggles and needs.

It is a poignant, tale that is also humorous and moving.

Awful Movie Spree continues..Tum Mile and Kurbaan...

After watching three bad movies on my last stay here in Mumbai, spanning Acid Factory, Surrogates and Blue, my awful movie spree continued with Tum Mile and Kurbaan. Tum Mile was absolutely pathetic, while Kurbaan at least gave me some return for my money.

Trapped in the deluge of 26 July, 2005, carefully navigating around half-submerged vehicles and dodging death on the flooded streets of Mumbai, Tum Mile is intended as an emotional drama about how a life-changing event makes Emraan Hashmi and Soha Ali Khan realise that they've always loved each other.

The problem is there's not enough drama in the screenplay to begin with. The first half of Tum Mile is spent setting up the relationship between Emraan and Soha, who play Akshay and Sanjana, a struggling artist and a successful journalist in Cape Town. Over the course of an hour we watch as they meet, fall in love, squabble, and ultimately part ways. Post-intermission, the action shifts to Mumbai where the couple is reunited years after calling off their relationship. With a convoluted story, poor photography and special effects, and uninspired leads, Tum Mile put a hummable show.

The other flick ‘Kurbaan’, noticeably, is set on the same plot of ‘NewYork’. However, it has been a more compelling and convincing version. With a credible performances from its leads and a comprehensive screenplay, the plot holes in the film are overlooked.

Avantika (Kareena Kapoor) teaches at the university and falls in love with colleague Ehsaan Khan (Saif Ali Khan). The duo marries and shifts to New York City. There Avantika becomes witness to some terrorist operations in her neighbourhood headed by a Muslim fundamentalist (Om Puri). Soon she realizes that she is a pawn to a huge conspiracy. She secretly seeks help from a television reporter Riyaaz (Vivek Oberoi) who attempts to infiltrate the terrorist outfit to foil their big plan.

The flaw with Kurbaan, however, is that it can't decide if it wants to be a serious film addressing a burning issue, or a commercial potboiler set against the backdrop of terrorism. Kurbaan starts as a love story, swiftly changes identity to a social film and keeps the viewer engaged throughout with its thriller treatment. Sensibly the romance is kept short and succinct without losing out on the chemistry of the characters. Once the terrorist activity comes to forefront, the love story is given a backseat as the story intends to highlight and discuss serious issues related to global terrorism.

Amidst all this, Kurbaan is a one-time watch, which you can’t remember later, but can’t regret either.

Movie Review - All The Best...

At last, a breather amidst a gamot of bogus movies. All the best is undoubtedly the most entertaining film amongst the 2009 Diwali releases.

Tucked away beneath some pointless songs and overblown action scenes, this is a silly yet surprisingly enjoyable tale of misunderstandings and mistaken identities. The story involves two buddies (Fardeen Khan and Ajay Devgan) who owe an awful lot of money to a local don, but have no means to raise it. Fardeen lies to his elder brother Sanjay Dutt about him being married so as to get more pocket money. Renting out the bungalow to get money was the only option, but Sanjay Dutt suddenly shows up unannounced at the wrong time, leaving Fardeen and Ajay trapped in a mess. Mughda Ghodse and Bipasha Basu, do not strike out as much, but add a lot to the story of mistaken identities. The setup includes a bunch of madcap characters including a mute gangster who communicates by rattling a spoon inside a glass, a Malayali housemaid with a deep voice, a crackpot tenant who can't wait to move into his new house, and a tempo-driver who wants to unload the furniture in his vehicle so he can attend to his pregnant wife.

The maker has got it spot on in keeping the audience laughing with a clean movie, without resorting to below the belt humour and vulgar interludes. Ajay Devgan’s looks are a little cynical, but he showcases his improved comic timing and towers above the rest. Sanjay Dutt adds in with a top form and entertains. Johnny Level and Sanjay Mishra have made the proceedings funnier, with witty one-liners and hilarious sequences keeping the audience trapped.

There is nothing new in this movie when it comes to novelty, but the background score and the performances truly tune well with the storyline. The choreography and cinematography is elegant and pleasant. Thought not very different, it sure is effective.

Like every other bollywood movie, ‘All The Best’ also left some loopholes, but when you watching an ensemble piece like this, such blunders can be overlooked. And reviewing the other movies that have released at the same time, I sure know that this movie is going a long way. All the Best!

Movie Review - Blue...

Third movie in a week, but the consequence was no better than what I had with the other two. Blue has been washed up and deserves to go down deep, failing the expectations it had built with the promos and the cast.

This movie has been claimed by media reports, to be the most expensive Hindi film ever made, with a very strong host of stars including Akshay Kumar, Lara Dutta, Katrina Kaif, Sanjay Dutt, a guest appearance by pop star Kylie Minogue; and also the crew members like composer AR Rahman.

But what is the end result of all this money and talent? An incredibly daft underwater thriller.

The plot essentially involves a coveted treasure, but the way it has been put into the story is lethargic. Akshay Kumar is rich, but obsessed with finding the treasure lying in a sunken ship called Lady in Blue. Sanjay Dutt, who is considered the only person in the world to unearth the treasure, is reluctant to even talk about the ship or the treasure. So Akshay puts up a plan around Zyed Khan (Sanjay Dutt’s brother) to get Sanjay in for finding the treasure. Lara Dutta is into the movie probably as an Eye-tonic, and there was no need to Katrina at all.

In the absence of a sane screenplay, we are subjected to some burnout action sequences and bike chases (those who have seen Torque, would notice the extremely close resemblance of the scenes). For most part of the movie, nobody goes near the ship, but when they eventually do, they find the treasure with such ease, that you wonder why nobody else did it before them.

The dialogues are juvenile and with a low IQ. The casualness in the conversations fails to induce depth to the cinema. And the so-called suspense about Akshay Kumar’s gray shade in the role can be easily anticipated and judged in the beginning itself.

For those who still want to watch the movie, should stay tune for – an astonishing cinematography at the beautiful location of Bahamas; the serene beaches and authentic aquatic life; dazzling and sexy Lara Dutta in the first half of the movie, and some nice songs to keep you awake. And of course, the bike lovers would love the Ducati.

Two different genres of movies on the weekend...

Last weekend, I saw two movies: Acid Factory (in Hindi) and The Surrogates (in English). I cannot give a detailed review of the two, since they are not worth the effort. But I consider it my duty that others should not be subjected to the same trauma which I underwent in those hours in the movie hall.

'Acid Factory' was a home production for me, produced by Mumbai Mantra (Media & Entertainment arm of Mahindra Group). The secret to this action thriller is a whole lot of gas. No offences meant, but actually the story showcased the chaos and confusion amongst the characters, who suffer from temporary amnesia after a gas leakage in a factory. An under-cover cop operation, a friend’s betrayal, a kidnapping, a villain with a sexy chick – how can this drag try and posture itself as a wannabe thriller? Even with a strong enough cast with likes of Irfan Khan, Manoj Bajpai and Diya Mirza, and the surrounding location as Capetown, the movie seems to be economically made with most part of the movie shot inside the factory. Meanwhile, a hundred chases happen, cars get blown up, and people get killed. The ending gets wrapped up all too abruptly even delicately hinting at a sequel. I would say that the plot was good, but the cinematography and the overall movie could have been made better. Some might call it a suffocating psychological thriller at its core. But I find it a better attempt than saying ‘Sorry Bhai’.

In case of ‘The Surrogates’, it can be only the use of human emotions, some cool technology and Bruce Willis that can save this film from simply being a compilation of similarly themed “Too much technology” lessons. Some science fiction films take us to different worlds or alternate realities, or offer visions of the future. In each of these new worlds, certain new rules apply. In this future world, humans can strap themselves into a chair, plug themselves into a bunch of sensors and have complete control of an artificial being, including movement, speech and senses. It depicts what can happen in the future with such surrogates –what was to help and aid the disabled, ends up even crippling people because of over reliance on surrogates – become human being again. But the movie is too small and rushed, taking a toll on people to understand what’s happening. And the film leaves behind too many unanswered questions in its quest to drive the action forward.