Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai - Music Review

Read more! Cast :: Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Kangna Ranaut, Prachi Desai

Despite the name Pritam staring from the credit details of Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai, you are not overtly enthused about what the music would have to offer. Despite the that most Luthria films (Kachhe Dhaage, No. 9211) have boasted of good music, you are not really sure if there would be something similar this time around. Despite the fact that Emraan Hashmi and good music go hand in hand, you wonder whether the good run will continue with Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai. There is a singular reason for that. The film belongs to gangster genre which, on paper, leaves very minimal scope for a popular soundtrack. At maximum a song or two goes on to become a chartbuster, as has been evidenced in Company (Khallas) and Shoot Out At Lokhandwala (Ganpat). However, something with lends wholesome popular appeal doesn't quite appear to be on cards. Well, the speculations go out of the window as Pritam along with Irshad Kamil, Nilesh Mishra and Amitabh Bhattacharya prove otherwise and come up with a soundtrack which surprises and entertains.

It's trademark Pritam in the very opening notes of 'Pee Hoto Ki Sargam' which has an 'alaap' going in the background before Mohit Chauhan arrives on scene. A beautiful that has chorus adding on that additional zing to the proceedings, 'Pee Loon' is a loveable track that boasts of some poetic lyrics by Irshad Kamil. With a slight sufi touch to it, 'Peen Loon' is the kind of track that Imtiaz Ali would have loved to grab with both hands. In fact if 'mukhda' is a great kick start, 'antara' is even better as Mohit Chauhan gets the boyish charm of Emraan translated through his voice. A good kick start and a winner all the way, the song also arrives in a enjoyable 'remix version' and in the process keeps Emraan's hit record intact.

Set in the 70s, 'Tum Jo Aaye' is a quintessential Bollywood track where Tulsi Kumar leads from the front. Even though Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is also roped in for the song, he arrives only two minutes into the song. Yes, Tulsi does fine in giving the song a kick start but Rahat's entry brings an altogether different dimension to this song which has elements of 'qawalli' to it. Also, despite the fact that the song is set in the 70s, Pritam doesn't make it sound like a caricature and keeps it true to its theme. Written by Irshad Kamil, this song also arrives in a 'reprise version' by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and it is tough not to play it on in a repeat version. Yet another winner in the album.

Remember ' O My ' from Apna Desh? The song is presented in its new avtar with Irshad Kamil rechristening it as 'Parda'. While the basic essence of 'Monica' is kept intact, Pritam brings in a new flavour to it by doing his own bit. Rather than a straight forward 'remix version', 'Parda' is presented as an altogether new song especially during the 'antara' part. Sung by Sunidhi Chauhan, Anupam and Rana, this song stays totally glued to the cabaret tracks of the late 60s/early 70s and should definitely make for a very good impact on screen as a part of the narrative.

The song that is timeless though and doesn't just belong to the 70s or the current times is 'I Am In Love'. If 'Pee Loon' reminded one of Imtiaz Ali films, 'I Am In Love' is the kind of track that follows Anurag Basu template. If Life In A Metro is your poison, rest assured Milan Luthria has inspired Pritam good enough to make a melodious track like 'I Am In Love'. A song which you just wish could be played in loop for hours at stretch; it is yet another instance of an 'antara' turning out to be even better than 'mukhda'. Also, Nilesh Mishra brings in a new combination of words despite the song being titled plain and simple 'I Am In Love'.

The song arrives thrice in the album with backup vocals by Dominique and while the solo version by relatively new entrant Karthik is good, it is K.K.'s version that takes the song to a different high altogether. The experience matters here and so does the composer-singer combination which results in yet another song which will definitely find popularity, especially amongst youth. Also, rest assured, the song will find a definite inclusion in all the 'love compilation' albums in months to come. The 'dance version' further adds variety and also justifies the confidence that the makers had in bringing this song multiple times in the album.

'Babu Rao Mast Hai' - Now any college goer will hear these lyrics and would immediately imply what it is trying to say. However, to the credit of the team here (lyricist: Amitabh Bhattacharya, singer: Mika), there isn't anything risqué about the song until and unless someone truly runs his imagination wild and reads between the words. Yes, it is spicy, mischievous and edgy. However, it is more about the escapades of a gangster rather than his love for women and wine which makes it stand apart from 'Ganpat' or 'Khallas'. It takes a couple of listening to grasp the tune but once that happens, it hooks on to you. Given Emraan Hashmi's on-screen image, that of someone who has a naughty streak to him, 'Babu Rao' can find good patronage coming for itself.

Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai throws a surprise, a mighty pleasant one at that. There is no average song in the album as all range from good to very good. Also, there are definite chartbusters like 'Pee Loon Hoto Ki Sargam', 'I Am In Love' and 'Baburao'. In addition, 'Tum Jo Aaye' and 'Parda' add further value to the film's music, hence making it a complete album. Once the initial inhibition about the album offering only gangster score settles down and the fact emerges that there are quite a few love songs on the offing as well, Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai should enjoy a long innings ahead.

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Sunday, June 20, 2010

Khatta Meetha - Music Review

Read more! Cast :: Akshay Kumar, Trisha Krishnan, Rajpal Yadav, Johnny Lever

Honestly, the expectations are kept in check while playing on the score of Khatta Meetha; reason being that the film is not a musical per se. Still, the fact which is kept in mind is that comic outings by Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar in recent past (De Dana Dan, Bhool Bhulaiya) have actually led to at least a song or two turning out to be huge. Also with Pritam at the helm of affairs, you do expect something good coming out eventually at the least. Still, what you are prepared to listen eventually is some instant coffee score that would manage to work for the time being with anything more only turning out to be an added bonus.

First to come is the much publicised track 'Nana Chi Taang' which has a Marathi base it. With a Western base to it, this one turns out to be a catchy fusion number which doesn't take much time to register. Also, it is good to see Kunal Ganjawala coming up with something worthwhile for quite some time. Off late the singer hasn't been able to get many chartbusters running for him but 'Nana Chi Taang' could well be that number which will do good for him as well as the film.

Written by Irshad Kamil, this fun number (which also arrives in a 'remix version' later) picturised on the lead pair of the film also sees a rap portion written and sung By U.R.L. who does a rather good job here. In fact on closer hearing, the song's beginning and beats do come close to A.R. Rahman's 'Premika Ne Pyar Se' from Prabhu Deva's Humse Hai Muqabla. However, one chooses to believe that this could be a mere coincidence because there is just a brief hint to the chartbuster from the mid-90s.

As expected, there is some amount of softness that sets in with 'Sajde' following next. From the combination of Pritam and Irshad Kamil, you do expect a melodious romantic outing. This is what you get when KK and Sunidhi Chauhan come together for 'Sajde' which seems to be a good continuation to 'U & I - Sab Rishte Naate' [De Dana Dan]. A love song which could have utilised by Pritam in any film that had a quintessential love story setting to it, 'Sajde' actually makes one instantly imagine Katrina Kaif lip synching to this one. Call it the Sunidhi Chauhan effect but the fact remains that one can't miss the reference here. With Trisha on the scene, one does expect a beautiful outing here, what with KK also doing well with his vocals here. One does wonder though if a soft number like this really warranted a 'remix version' here. Thankfully, the spirit of the song remains intact even in this version and it doesn't get mauled due to any excessive beats.

Newcomer Shani brings in a guest composition in the form of 'Bullshit' which is written and sung by Shehzad Roy. Based on the theme of certain politicians coming up with their false promises that equate to 'bullshit', the song has a thematic appeal to it and sees a mix of Hindi and English lyrics. Catchy beats ensure that despite a serious theme, the song does well in carrying forward the narrative. Though the song isn't designed to last for months at stretch, 'Bullshit' should do well for the situation in the film. Also, the song has a certain Priyan touch to it, something which is apparent in the way the song is written and composed.

Finally arrives 'Aila Re Aila' which instantly reminds of 'Ganpat' from Apna Sapna Money Money which was again composed by Pritam himself. Highly energetic, this Daler Mehndi sung track is the most addictive of all in the album and has the potential to find its reach across the length and breadth of the country. Full of life, high on beats, easy on lips and catchy enough to burn the dance floor, 'Aila Re Aila' could find itself being played across processions and festivities. Written by Nitin Raikwar, this number also sees Kalpana Patowary giving good company to Daler Mehndi who is pretty much in high spirits while being behind the mike. No wonder, the song finds a deserving 'remix version' for itself.

As one presumed, Khatta Meetha has an instant coffee soundtrack that shouldn't take much time to settle down. There may not be anything outstanding presented by Pritam in the album but there isn't anything bad enough to be rejected either. Every song works well within the space it arrives in the album (and expectedly in the film's narrative) and would ensure that the narrative of the film never gets stagnated. While 'Aila Re Aila' and 'Nana Chi Taang' should find immediate attention, 'Sajde' could do well in the long run.


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Thursday, June 17, 2010

Raavan - Movie Review

Read more! Cast :: Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Vikram, Govinda, Manisha Koirala, Ravi Kishan, Nikhil Dwivedi, Tejaswini Kolhapure

Here comes the biggest release of Indian film industry and it’s really a greatest show as Manirathnam would definitely never let any down now. We have interesting excerpts of review for Manirathnam’s upcoming film ‘Raavan’ slated to hit screens tomorrow. This isn’t a full-fledged review as we don’t want to reveal the complete status and break down your expectation levels.

Firstly, it’s all about Vikram, who just overshadows everyone over the screens in spite of Abhishek Bacchan donning the lead character. May be Aishwarya Rai was good at certain levels and the films that established her in a completely amazing manner were few. You can easily point them out like ‘Iruvar’, ‘Guru’ and ‘Jodha Akbar’. Undoubtedly, the actress sweeps out every films and establishes her in a newer way.

The film revolves around three characters: Beera (Abhishek Bachchan), Ragini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) and Dev Pratap Sharma (Vikram).

Despites every conflict of opposition, Dev – a righteous cop and Raghini – a classical dancer get married. Soon they move together to the deep-rooted region of Lal Maati, a rural town in North India. This place has no regards for the police and court law, but in the hands of Beera (Abhishek Bacchan). Being a man with his own principles and handling the issues down his way (partially based on Maoist groups), he has no problems until Dev Pratap Sharma enters his way. On a mission to put an end to Beera’s realms, Dev tears the things down as it leads to unexpected twists with shocking and surprising turns.

Broken down in spirits as his happiness is completely lost through his close blood relation, it’s turn for him to retaliate. It is just as you expected as Beera kidnaps Raghini only to find the justice in his own way.

But then, things are completely gonna be different as the journey that upholds in second hour with more characters involved in this drama will surely entertain you with a different dimension.

We have a small notice for the audiences, who have decided to watch the film. Before watching it, do not expect Manirathnam to go by the customary features.

At the end, there will nothing define as who was wrong and who was right? It is just as it happened with Akira Kurusowa’s. The ultimate decision about the right judgment lies in the hands of no one, but you. Might be for the situation, there may be few debates popping up sooner after the show is over as few people may advocate for Beera, while others Raghini and Dev.

Unlike other films, it’s best to make few points on the technical aspects. This is outstanding and you could have guessed it just with the list of the technicians. First of all, Manirathnam’s ability to shoot major portion of the film besides, inner and nearby locations of waters has to be appreciation. The backdrops of locations maybe different, but the continuities have been strictly followed as audiences may not feel the difference anywhere.

In fact, the story’s proceedings are mostly happening over there. You would not have found any sequences related to an unexpected character proposing the ladylove in water. Yes, the scene where Abhishek Bachchan expresses his love for Aishwarya between the waters is simply superb and for sure there are possibilities of audiences keeping quiet with shock or may freak out raising for applauses.

For the performance, Abhishek Bachchan is exposed in a completely different manner from Manirathnam’s previous films Yuva and Guru. Try to grasp on his performance of Aishwarya Rai, the victim trying to attack him and yet he reciprocates with a different gesture. But the man who steals the show is South Indian actor Chiyaan Vikram. He is fit and more perfect and this one does not look like debut film in Hindi. He is so well versed with dialogues. His introduction is not as formal as it happens with his previous Tamil films.

When it comes to dialogues, Aishwarya Rai gets more footage just as she emotes well wedged between confusions on finalizing her life’s way.

The supporting actors like Ravi Kissan and Priyamani (one of the important characters in this film) have done the best performances. But some of the conversations pertaining between every character look like a stage play. Vikram’s body language speaks more than his dialogues while Govinda has got far away from those clownery acts. Every character has its own definitions and conclusions as director Manirathnam does justice to the roles he has designed.

More than songs, the background score by A.R. Rahman will surely receive more welcome as the musician has well performed enhancing the breathtaking shots of Santhosh Sivan. But it’s weird to see that Manirathnam’s ‘GURU’ climax shot of freeze-and-frame is used at more sequence. For exemplification, the ‘KATA KATA’ has similar shot that causes a sort of pain in the neck. It could have been done even without it. Sreekar Prasad’s editing is crisp as before as he doesn’t try anything new. But the best of all picturing is 'BEHNE DE' that has everything superb - music, camera, lyrics and performing levels of actors.

There are some emotional criteria involving Abhishek Bachchan and Priyamani and their heart-binding scenes at certain portions will attract the audiences of all centres.

On the whole, Raavan is a great movie at Indian standards that will be regarded as the best flicks of contemporary period.

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Saturday, June 12, 2010

Lamhaa - Music Review

Read more! Cast :: Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu, Kunal Kapoor, Anupam Kher

Lamhaa is an upcoming Hindi movie of Bollywood based on Kashmir. Lamhaa music is composed by Mithoon. It is the much awaited Hindi movie directed by Rahul Dholakia.

Sanjay Dutt’s long pending Lamhaa is finally about to release. Lamhaa’s music will be out soon too. And my guess is, it will be worth waiting for. After a long gap, Mithoon is coming back with Lamhaa and this time he’s coming up with almost all new singers, for him that is.

This time Mithoon’s album is going to feature Rahman’s old favorite Chinmayee in at least two songs while in one of the songs she will be singing with Mika Singh. Another song in the album is given to Palash Sen of Euphoria while he also brings pop-singer Arun Daga for a song. Besides all these singers, Mithoon will be singing himself for the album too.

“Zameen-O-Aasma” song of Lamhaa Hindi music is sung by Kshitij Tarey. The song begins with slow-paced music. Lyric of the song appears from the background. It is the classical song of the movie.

“Rehmat Zara” is another slow-paced song of Lamhaa. It is sung by Mithoon & Mohd Irfan. Soon, the song turns into “Jhankar” and band music. Lyric of the song is as faster as its music.

“Saajnaa” song of Lamhaa album is sung by Mika & Chinmayi. The song also tunes on slow-paced piano music. Mika has introduced a very different voice in this song. It is one of the best soundtracks of Lamhaa album.

“Main Kaun Hoon” song of Lamha music is sung by Palash Sen. It is another slow-paced soundtrack of Lamhaa album. Lyric of the song is incredible. It is a situational song of the movie. The song has introduced the best music also.

“Salaam Zindagi” song begins with kids voices. The song is sung by Arun Daga & Mohd Irfan. It is an inspirational soundtrack of Lamhaa music. The song is dedicated to the life. The soundtrack has introduced the best lyric. It has quite different music and lyric from other soundtracks of Lamhaa album. Lyric of the song is really melodious. It is my favourite song of Lamhaa album.

“Madno” song of Lamhaa music is sung by Kshitij Tarey & Chinmayi. The song also begins with poetic lyric. The soundtrack has slow-paced music. The song has romantic essence. I love the song much.

Overall, Lamhaa music has introduced the best soundtracks. However, all songs tune on the same music. Despite it, “Salaam Zindagi” and “Madno” is the best soundtrack of Lamhaa music. Mithoon has really tired to give something new to the listeners with Lamhaa music.

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Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Milenge Milenge - Music Review

Read more! Cast :: Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Aarti Chhabria, Satish Shah

It is rather strange that despite names like Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Himesh Reshammiya and Satish Kaushik involved in Milenge Milenge, you are a little wary about what the music of the film has to offer. Reason being that the elapsed time between the creation of these compositions and now, which accounts to almost half a decade. But then once you jog your memory, you realise that it was 5-7 years back when Himesh Reshammiya had come up with some unforgettable songs in films like Tere Naam, Aitraaz and Humraaz. Due to that very reason, you play on Milenge Milenge to check out if the old world charm prevails once again as the composer pairs up with his long standing lyricist Sameer.

What one gets to hear at the very beginning of the album though is the song 'Kuch To Baaki Hai' which has been composed very recently. This is one song where lyrics hold far more weight than composition and singing because of its topical appeal as well as the fact that it merges real and reel life. The world is aware about Shahid-Kareena break up and since the movie too deals with a break up and then the ultimate reunion, lyrics like 'Sab Khatm Hoke Bhi Tere Mere Darmiyaan Kuch To Baaki Hai' couldn't have been timed better. Add to that the fact that Himesh Reshammiya composes and sings with his heart truly in and you have a chartbuster song up your sleeve.

If there was ever a song that made an instant impact, 'Kuch To Baaki Hai' will find it's place right up there. Despite its sad theme, the song entertains and as does it's 'bright mix' which has Vineet Singh coming up with an interesting vocal percussion. There is also another 'remix version' and one doesn't mind the repetition at all due to the song's catchy appeal.

From here on, the music belongs to the era gone by. Are there any reasons to complain? Not at all as what one gets to hear is Alka Yagnik, the singer who was once a force to reckon with and today has been picking up assignments very sparsely. She leads from the front as she gets into a happy outing with the title song 'Milenge Milenge'. A stage song which has Kareena Kapoor swaying to the melody, it also features Jayesh Gandhi, who was once a regular with Reshammiya, giving vocals for Shahid Kapoor. A song about hope when it comes to meeting your someone special at least once more in life, 'Milenge Milenge' has a certain sweetness to it which is exemplified further due to Alka's vocals. The song also sees a repeat version for itself with Himesh Reshammiya taking centre stage and Shreya Ghoshal giving him support. This time around, the proceedings become far more sober as Reshammiya goes low key in his rendition.

What follows next is as an even slower track, 'Tum Chain Ho', for which Reshammiya summons Sonu Nigam to do the job. Remember the kind of soft love songs that the composer used to compose for Salman Khan many years back? 'Tum Chain Ho' belongs to the same category and though it does take time to catch the melody here, it does linger on after a while. If you have liked the kind of songs that Sonu had sung in his non-film albums like 'Deewana', 'Jaan' and 'Yaad' then you would pick this one too from the shelves. A love song where Alka Yagnik gives good company to Sonu, it also sees an unplugged version by Vineet Singh which actually turns out to be a surprise package. This version is the one which can actually be played in loop and enjoyed for hours at stretch.

The song which turns out to be a definite winner though is 'Ishq Ki Galli' which takes one back to the kind of songs that Dharmesh Darshan-Suneel Darshan-Nadeem Shravan used to have in the films during the late 90s and early 2000s. If you have loved that genre of music where 'qawallis' from the aforementioned combination used to entice audience in thousands, especially from interiors, then 'Ishq Ki Galli' is the one for you. Add to that the fact that it is Rahat Fateh Ali Khan who leads from the front and it is hard to imagine this song not reaching out to its target audience. An immensely catchy number with love as the central element of the proceedings, 'Ishq Ki Gali' sees good support coming from Jayesh Gandhi and later finds a good 'remix version' for itself which actually manages to get the feet tapping.

Lastly comes an Alka Yagnik solo, 'Hare Kanch Ki Chuddiyan'. With references to 'Mehendi', 'Radha' and 'Shyam', this one truly belongs to the earlier part of the current decade and at maximum makes one recollect the kind of music which was composed back then. Rest assured, if released during that time period, it would have done reasonably well. However, despite the sweetness and innocence that Alka Yagnik brings in her voice, the song is just about passable.

Milenge Milenge gives a little more than what one may have expected out of this album. Thankfully for the makers, the music hasn't lost its edge over the years and has the potential in it to entertain audience from the current generation as well. Himesh Reshammiya has created tunes which belong to the heartland of the country and hasn't gone ballistic on Western influences. In fact there is a certain Indian feel which is prevalent throughout the score of Milenge Milenge which would help audiences, especially the ones which may not necessarily belong to the metropolitan cities, to identify with the score. Add to that the fact there is bound to be immense craze around the coming together of Shahid-Kareena which would be further complimented by an intense promotional campaign and there could well be a surprise winner round the corner.


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Thursday, June 3, 2010

Raajneeti - Movie Review

Read more! Cast :: Nana Patekar, Ajay Devgan, Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Manoj Bajpai,Naseeruddin Shah, Arjun Rampal

Prakash Jha's RAAJNEETI talks of warring cousins, dynastic rule and electoral politics of the Hindi heartland, besides the vicious and horrifying games some people play to attain power.

RAAJNEETI is a human drama, a complex game that people indulge in to achieve power and how this greed envelopes them and transforms them into ruthless and conniving humans. It takes time for the story to sink in, but slowly and steadily, you get sucked into a world that's dark, dangerous and demonish. The attire may be white, but the deeds are grey or black.

RAAJNEETI is not only 'Mahabharata', but also 'Godfather'. Despite knowing 'Mahabharata' or 'Godfather', one is not able to presume what games the present-day Pandavas and Kauravas would play in RAAJNEETI. In fact, the story alters constantly, unravelling in a serpentine manner and speed... so much so that you don't know what's gonna happen next. It keeps you awed at the constant turn of events. Clearly, unpredictability is the biggest strength of RAAJNEETI. Yet, this is not a documentary, tetchy or preachy film. This one not only entertains, but also enlightens.

The flipside? None, actually. The naysayers may point out that the subject material is 'heavy', 'serious' and 'dry', but you ought to know that when you adapt 'Mahabharata' in the current milieu, you can't expect 'item songs' and 'slapdash humour and mimicry', for God's sake. These naysayers may also state that the running time is a no-no in today's times, but let's not forget that even 3 hours is too short a duration for a good film and vice-versa, even an hour is too lengthy for a terrible film. RAAJNEETI is a genuinely good product, so you definitely don't mind its length. But one thing is for sure: RAAJNEETI doesn't cater to an audience that keeps its brains at home while watching a film. You need to be alert while watching this one.

Prakash Jha, the persona, is known for qualitative cinema and RAAJNEETI, his new offering, stands tall on the list. Cinema is all about narrating interesting stories on celluloid and for that very reason, RAAJNEETI deserves distinction marks. Of course, the massive star cast and the sparkling performances are the icing on the cake.

Bhaskar Sanyal [Naseruddin Shah], the fire-brand leftist leader, is feared for his single-handed ability to challenge the most powerful of leaders. Until one private mistake of his hurtled him into a self-imposed exile.

Cut to the present day. Prithvi [Arjun Rampal] is the heir to a powerful political legacy and impatient to seize the top position. But his cousin, Veerendra [Manoj Bajpayee], proves his biggest political opponent. He's a man who believes he was born to rule and who will now stop at absolutely nothing to claw his way back to the top.

Cornered by family and political colleagues, Veerendra plays a new game: He picks up Sooraj [Ajay Devgn], a youngster with anger in his heart and leadership on his mind. Sooraj doesn't know the secret behind his identity, which, of course, is revealed much, much later.

Prithvi's brother Samar [Ranbir Kapoor] is an 'outsider', with no political aspirations, but he gets sucked into the battle-ravaged arena of family rivalry. Only to turn into a master of the craft of political warfare. Indu [Katrina Kaif], daughter of a wealthy industrialist, is also caught in this web. Last but not the least, there's Brij Gopal [Nana Patekar], who plays the role of mentor and guide to Prithvi and Samar as the battle gets bloodier by the day.

It requires courage to assemble a mammoth, ensemble cast, pick a story that does justice to each character and give the film the feel of an epic. Also, you ought to have comprehensive knowledge of the subject material - politics, in this case. And for all these and more Prakash Jha deserves all the praise possible. He knows the territory like the back of his hand, having observed the political culture very closely. Like I said at the outset, every character in RAAJNEETI is grey or black, not squeaky clean at all.

At an edited length of almost 3 hours, RAAJNEETI keeps the viewers glued to the goings-on for start to end. Anjum Rajabali and Prakash Jha's screenplay brings to the fore the ugly face of democracy most realistically and convincingly. The constant twists-n-turns in the story, the characters who change colours faster than chameleons and the blood-bath they indulge in are the highpoints of this film. In fact, there are sequences that merit brownie points, but it wouldn't be ethical to reveal them here since that would rob the fun while watching the film.

If the screenplay is watertight, the dialogue are equally remarkable. Every line is soaked in acid and only enhances the impact of several sequences. There's no scope for music in the film and the songs, including the hugely popular 'Mora Piya', are interspersed briefly in the narrative. Cinematography is top notch. RAAJNEETI is not an easy film to shoot, given the fact that there are more than 3 or 4 actors in every frame, besides a massive crowd of course.

To slot RAAJNEETI as a multi-starrer film would be erroneous. It's a multi-actor film and every actor delivers a sparkling performance. The film has some of the biggest names in the business, but the ones who stand out are Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun Rampal and Manoj Bajpayee. Ranbir surprises you with every film. Here's an actor who can give the best in the business sleepless nights. Arjun is a revelation and what a terrific performance he pitches in. He's like an untamed lion. Manoj delivers his career-best performance. He plays the evil part superbly.

Ajay Devgn is sidelined in the second hour, but you need to give it to the actor for accepting and enacting his part with complete conviction. Nana Patekar is brilliant. He utters the most acidic lines with a smile, which only an actor of calibre could've achieved. Actually, you can't imagine anyone else in this role. Katrina Kaif is first-rate. The sincerity and earnestness shows in every sequence. She sheds her glam doll image and transforms into an actor with this film. Naseeruddin Shah, in a brief role, does well. Sarah is good.

On the whole, RAAJNEETI makes a sweeping impact. A truly admirable effort, this brilliant film is not to be missed.

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