Saturday, September 20, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Movie Review : C Kkompany
C Kkompany (comedy)
Cast: Tusshar Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Raima Sen
Direction: Sachin Yardi
THREE losers -- Tusshar Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Rajpal Yadav -- form a fictitious underworld gang to solve their personal problems. But soon, the gang ends up as the popular trouble-shooter for the aam aadmi who tries to solve his paani, bijli , pension problems by appealing to the Counterfeit Kkompany.
Munnabhai, anyone? Only, this one is such a pale-pale attempt to create a desi Robin Hood, it almost makes you cry. Actually, this one's hardly a film. Instead, it's more like a promo for Balaji Inc, where all the big and small stars from Ekta Kapoor's factory keep parading up and down, for no reason at all. And if that's not enough, there's the czarina herself trying her hand at emoting. Bad job.
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Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Movie Review : Mukhbir
Mukhbir (drama)
Cast: Sameer Dattani, Raima Sen, Om Puri
Direction: Mani Shankar
SHADES of The Departed , did we say? Well, Sameer Dattani does a Leonardo Di Caprio here as he infiltrates a terrorist gang to help the assiduous cop (Om Puri) nab them before their bombs go boom.
The film does have its moments, specially when the hapless young infiltrator is forced to prove his loyalty in some nerve-wracking sequences. Rahul Dev essays the role of the terrorist with credible menace, but it is Om Puri who walks away with the applause as the cop who tries to clean up the system, even though he knows it's a deadly game.
Eventually however, it is the multiplicity of plots and subplots that act as a dampener and transform the film into a somewhat rambling investigation into the state's counter-terrorism programmes.
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Monday, September 1, 2008
Movie Review : Rock On
Rock On (drama)
Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Prachi Desai, Arjun Rampal, Purab Kohli, Luke Kenny
Direction: Abhishek Kapoor
IF you really want to see how Bollywood has matured and come of age, then here's the perfect litmus test. For Rock On is a film that not only breaks new ground in terms of its subject matter -- now when has desi movielore ever tackled something akin to Hollywood's That Thing You Do -- it creates a whole new EQ (emotional quotient) for mainstream cinema. Of course, there is the great passion reminiscent of Dil Chahta Hai , but here, there is a poise and a restraint that portrays the friendship between four rock musicians, with all its ups and downs. The bonds are strong, but there are the dark sides too, like rivalry, physical violence, the fear of failure....Yet, no one hollers, no one screams and ever so often, you feel a tug at your heart.
The film traces the relationship between the four buddies from college days until their stagnant thirties, when the band has been disbanded due to interpersonal rivalries and the foursome has drifted apart. The lead crooner, Farhan Akhtar is an investment banker who has stuffed away the memorabilia of the past in the attic of his well-ordered house. The lead guitarist, Arjun Rampal, is a miserable man, echoing the anguish of an artiste who cannot go commercial, even if his family struggles with bread and butter concerns. Purab Kohli, the kick-ass drummer, is now selling jewellery in his father's store, while Luke Kenny is literally dying of frustration, strumming tunes for Anu Malik. It's left to Prachi Desai, Akhtar's lonely young wife, to forge a reunion and bring the band together for a final concert that almost takes your breath away and has you cheering, as you did in Chak De and Lagaan .
Surprisingly, everything falls in place in this refreshing, new film. Farhan Akhtar's vocals are absolutely fundoo, even as the foursome pitch in perfectly orchestrated performances. If you actually had to choose, then the vote would go for Arjun Rampal who displays a newfound maturity and looks absolutely groovy with his windblown hair and his guitar-strumming stance. Farhan Akhtar too is a surprise package, delivering a well nuanced portrayal of a rock star-turned-boring-yuppie. The girls, Prachi, Koel and Shahana, are riveting too.
But finally, it's the message of the film that makes it a winner. Follow your dreams and life will literally be on song!
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