Showing posts with label Kareena Kapoor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kareena Kapoor. Show all posts

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Golmaal 3 - Movie Review

Read more! Cast :: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Kunal Khemu, Mithun Chakraborty

Brand GOLMAAL is back again. Its equity continues to soar upwards. Naturally, every film of this franchise carries the burden of humungous expectations. Touted as India's first-ever trilogy, GOLMAAL 3 [G-3], the third installment of GOLMAAL and GOLMAAL RETURNS, promises to mesmerize, tickle your funny bone and entertain moviegoers of all ages. G-3 promises to be bigger, better, funnier and far more entertaining and amusing than the first two parts.

There's a flipside of having a thriving brand. No matter how hard you try, comparisons with the earlier parts are inevitable. The question everyone's keen to ask is, does it supersede the forerunners in terms of entertainment? The best thing about G-3 is that it lives up to its undertaking of amusing you from the word go, till the very culmination. From inception to conclusion, save for a few lax moments, G-3 is high on fun and entertainment quotient.

By now one is well versed with Rohit Shetty's funda: Come, have a blast at the movies. Frankly, there's no word called 'logic' in Shetty's cinematic dictionary and the moviegoer too has attuned himself/herself to Shetty's high-on-entertainment laughathons. I've often said that comedy is serious business and a director attempting one has to walk a tightrope. But Shetty has mastered the art by now and G-3 proves that when it comes to entertainers, he's amongst the best in the business.

G-3 rocks! It may not go down in history as the best side-splitting entertainer ever made, but it should go down in history as the first trilogy that would pass the audience test with flying colors. G-3 raises the bar for G-4, what say Mr. Shetty?

G-3 highlights the story of hatred between two bunch of siblings. Ajay Devgn [Gopal] lives with his brother Shreyas Talpade [Laxman], mother Ratna Pathak Shah [Geeta aka Guddi] and best friend Kareena Kapoor [Daboo]. Their world collides with another trio, Arshad Warsi [Madhav], Tusshar Kapoor [Lucky] and Kunal Khemu [Laxman].

Arshad, Tusshar and Kunal's father Mithun Chakraborty [Pritam] and Ajay and Shreyas' mother Ratna Pathak Shah decide to rekindle their relationship and with Kareena's persuasion even get married. But there's a problem: The kids detest each other. To complicate matters further, there's a thief Johnny Lever [Puppy] and his henchmen [Vrajesh Hirjee and Sanjay Mishra] and a necklace that's hidden somewhere.

Two things. One, before watching G-3, I had felt that focusing on eight main characters would lead to chaos only as there would be no scope for character development. But I was proven completely wrong because each character is well etched out and by the time the movie concludes, you don't feel that the show belongs to 'x', while 'y' was sidelined. The movie belongs to everyone!

Two, it's said that G-3 is inspired by Basu Chatterjee's KHATTA MEETHA [1978; starring Ashok Kumar and Pearl Padamsee], Umesh Mehra's HAMARE TUMHARE [1979; starring Sanjeev Kumar and Raakhee] and the Hollywood film YOURS, MINE AND OURS [1968], wherein an elderly couple, having their own kids, decide to live under one roof. Rohit Shetty and his team of writers [screenplay: Yunus Sajawal; script consultant: Robin Bhatt] may be inspired by these films, but they have given G-3 a completely different flavor and dimension altogether. The writing, I wish to forewarn, defies logic, sense and reason, therefore one has to go with the flow. It has a skeletal plot, but is packed with jokes, jibes, pranks and of course, stunts/action [Rohit Shetty's movies are incomplete without cars being blown to smithereens].

The casting of Johnny Lever as the absentminded and scatterbrained thief is a master stroke. The writing, execution and portrayal of this part must've been an arduous task, but what comes across on screen is remarkable. In fact, this track would work wonders with the audience, especially those who swear by the Johnny Lever brand of humour. Johnny's sequence on the water scooter, to cite an instance, is sure to bring the house down. Besides the sequences involving Johnny Lever, I'd like to single out yet another sequence that shows the siblings threatening each other. It's a sequence without words but a super background score [Sanjoy Chowdhury], with the siblings trying to threaten one another with every possible thing in the house - be it a cactus plant or a rose, be it a tomato or a pumpkin, while their parents [Mithun and Ratna] watch HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN on TV. Also, Kareena's pet dog called Facebook trying to get the bone out of Mithun's pocket is bizarre, but will be loved by the hoi polloi. Prepare to laugh your guts out in the above-mentioned scenes.

Any hiccups? The climax could have been a little more imaginative. It follows the trademark Priyadarshan style of getting together the entire cast, including supporting actors to villain sidekicks, for the finale. No issues with that, but a more innovative and ingenious finale would have only proven the icing on the cake.

Relying more on treatment than content, G-3 has the by-now-famous stamp of Rohit Shetty all over it. The director gets ample help from writer Yunus Sajawal and dialogue writers Farhad-Sajid and Bunty Rathore [additional dialogues]. The screenplay doesn't give you time to think, while the dialogues are truly funny at most times. As the third installment in the GOLMAAL series, G-3 has a lot to live up to and so does the soundtrack [Pritam]. 'Golmaal' is fun, while 'Ale' moves at a feverish pace. Cinematography [Dudley] is perfect, while the action scenes [Jai Singh Nijjar] are exciting.

Like I pointed out earlier, every actor in the film contributes his/her bit in making this fun ride enjoyable. Yet, I'd like to single out Ajay, who goes for a grungy makeover. The rugged style, diamond ear studs, tattoos and cropped hair suits the hyper character that he portrays. He's excellent. Another well-written character is of Kareena, who fits in so well with the boys. She looks every bit the tomboy she is expected to be. She's matchless. Tusshar gives a brand new dimension to the character he has learnt so well to portray. He is sure to have the audience in splits with his class act. I'd also like to single out the emotional sequence, which Tusshar performs with gusto. Arshad oozes sufficient confidence to carry off the role, while Shreyas and Kunal are wonderful as well.

Mithun Chakraborty and Ratna Pathak Shah are genuinely lovable, while Johnny Lever is simply fantastic. Ditto for his henchmen, enacted by Vrajesh Hirjee and Sanjay Mishra. Mukesh Tiwari, Murli Sharma, Vijay Patkar, Viju Khote and Ashwini Kalsekar lend very good support. Prem Chopra is superb in a cameo.

On the whole, GOLMAAL 3 is an ideal fun ride with thrice the enjoyment and gratification, thrice the magic and thrice the hilarity. Go on, have a blast and make this Diwali thrice more entertaining for you. An out-and-out entertainer, it's sure to light up the celebratory festive mood.

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Friday, October 8, 2010

Golmaal 3 - Music Review

Read more! Cast :: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Kunal Khemu, Mithun Chakraborty

Fun. That's in one word to describe the expectation that one has from the music of Golmaal 3. Films coming form the house of Rohit Shetty have time and again celebrated life and are aimed at youth. Whether it is Golmaal, Golmaal 2, All The Best or Sunday, music in each of these films has been vibrant with no single dull moment. This is what one expects from Golmaal 3 as well that has composer Pritam and lyricist Kumaar coming together. With the film being third in the series, one expects double the fun this time around, if not the triple.

It's time for some 'Golmaal' all over again as K.K., Anouska Manchanda and Monali Thakur come together for a high on energy title track. The beginning is exactly on the same line as what one would have expected here, which means that the sound of ' Golmaal Golmaal' is heard all over again. The 'remix version' ensures though that there is a lot of spunk ready to be exploited on the dance floor.

Next to come is a song about togetherness, 'Apna Har Din', which is all set to be picturised on the entire principal cast of Golmaal 3. A fun number with a touch of carnival mood to it, ' Apna Har Din' (which also arrives in a 'remix version') has a 70s style composition with Shaan and Anouska Manchanda sounding genuinely happy while crooning this one. However, the overall impact that the song creates is that of being a situational number.

'Ale' sounds better though and goes full throttle in getting the club mood on. In fact after listening to it a couple of times, one does tend to remember the kind of beats and rhythm that one had heard in the title song of Tum Miley. The song is good but not the kind that makes one stand up and hail it as the next huge chartbuster. A foot tapping track nevertheless with youth written all over it, this Neeraj Sridhar and Antara Mitra sung number is about a bunch of friends who have paved their own path and don't care much about the outside world.

Surprisingly, the best song of the album comes at the very end. One expects at least one massive chartbuster from Pritam in each of his albums. In Golmaal 3, it is 'Desi Kali' which has all in it to rock the charts in its arrival. A smash hit from the word go, 'Desi Kali' has the kind of beats and rhythm that ensure that you get a hang of the song in the very first listening. With Neeraj Sridhar and Sunidhi Chauhan coming together for this song, they ensure that this one turns out to be one of the more popular songs in the offing. Deservingly, there is a 'remix version' of this club track as well which brings on some more spice in the album.

Last to arrive are a couple of songs from Disco Dancer - 'Disco Dancer' and 'Yaad Aa Raha Hain'. Since the film features Mithun Chakravorty in an important role, inclusion of these two songs does not come as a surprise. None of the two songs are presented as-is though and have been re-arranged slightly to go well with the contemporary times. While Bappi Lahiri sings 'Disco Dancer', it is Sudesh Bhosle who comes behind the mike for 'Yaad Aa Raha Hain'.

Golmaal 3 has a chartbuster in the form of 'Desi Kali' with instant recall value coming from title track 'Golmaal' as well. The other two tracks - 'Apna Har Din' and 'Ale' add on to the situational appeal as well. As expected, the music of Golmaal 3 is a fun ride that should go well with racy visuals, which is the hallmark of Rohit Shetty cinema.

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Thursday, September 2, 2010

We Are Family - Movie Review

Read more! Cast :: Arjun Rampal, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor

WE ARE FAMILY is the official adaptation of Chris Columbus' STEPMOM [1998] and lots of us have already watched this Julia Roberts - Susan Sarandon starrer. Even otherwise, the story of a woman, diagnosed with a terminal illness, entrusting her kids to the 'other woman' before she does the final salute, gives the feeling of deja vu. But WE ARE FAMILY is not a tear-jerker. Sure, it has dollops of emotions, but also integrates the light moments wonderfully in those 12 reels.

In the good old days, in the 1960s and 1970s specifically, well-made family films struck an instant chord with viewers across the spectrum. But with the changing times, the quantum of well-made socials made a rapid decline. WE ARE FAMILY belongs to the Rajshri gharaana and tells the story of a family facing two life-changing developments: The woman of the house is diagnosed with a terminal illness and two, there's a stepmom on the scene. A difficult subject to handle, without doubt.

But debutant director Siddharth P. Malhotra surprises you constantly. Casting the best available talent for two pivotal parts and doing complete justice to their roles is tough. Very tough. But the ease with which he handles the tense moments between the women and also the emotional finale shows he has learnt his lessons well from his peers.

WE ARE FAMILY is for the family. It is well acted, deftly written, entertaining and broadly appealing drama. Watch it with someone you love!

Maya [Kajol] is the perfect mother. Her life revolves around her three children, Aleya [Aanchal Munjal], Ankush [Nominath Ginsberg] and Anjali [Diya Sonecha]. Despite being divorced from her husband Aman [Arjun Rampal], Maya has ensured that everything runs smoothly in her house, under her watch, and that they continue to remain a happyfamily unit.

When Aman introduces his girlfriend, Shreya [Kareena Kapoor], a career-oriented woman, the situation takes an unexpected turn. However, Maya is diagnosed with aterminal illness and circumstances bring the two women under the same roof. Can two mothers make a home?

With a plot like this, you expect WE ARE FAMILY to be an out-and-out serious outing. However, the film has its serious moments, but the director ensures that it doesn't come across as a gloomy and serious fare. In fact, the generous dose of light moments in the narrative keeps the drama fluid. There's an inherent sensitivity that the director brings in, which keeps you involved for most parts.

On the flip side, the film tends to stagnate in the middle of the second hour. One expects the story to move forward, but there's not much movement here [thankfully, the film picks up wonderfully towards the penultimate reels]. Also, the music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is a complete letdown. You feel it all the more because Dharma is synonymous with excellent music. The only redeeming track in the enterprise is 'Let's Rock', which is high on energy. S-E-L need to reinvent themselves by experimenting a little more.

Director Siddharth P. Malhotra handles the dramatic portions best. The tense moments between Kajol and Kareena, the confrontation between the two and also the cold stares that they exchange time and again have been captured very well. The gradual transformation in Kajol's looks, from striking and energetic to pale and morose, is also well projected. The finale is the best part of the enterprise and can be best described in one word: Outstanding. However, like I pointed out earlier, the writing could've been tighter towards the second hour.

Mohanan's cinematography is eye-catching and the locales of Australia only enhance the look of the film. Niranjan Iyengar's dialogue are decent at places, but a few lines are amazingly real. The background score [Raju Singh] is first-rate.

WE ARE FAMILY gives the two popular actresses an opportunity to sink their teeth into strongly drawn, juicy, challenging and interesting female roles that move beyond the normal stereotypes. The scene stealer is, without doubt, Kajol. She expresses the gamut of emotions brilliantly and speaks a million words even when silent. This is yet another incredible performance from an actor par excellence. Kareena excels yet again and her sequences with the kids are a delight. In fact, casting Kareena as the stepmom is just right, since she's the only actor who can stand up to Kajol in high-voltage scenes and that's because Kareena is a powerful actor herself. Arjun continues to surprise. ROCK ON, HOUSE FULL, RAAJNEETI and nowWE ARE FAMILY indicates the growth of this actor. He handles the emotional moments well too. The kids - all three of them - are superb. In fact, the casting of the kids [done by Shanoo Sharma] is an ace.

On the whole, WE ARE FAMILY is a perfect family film with a good mix of emotions and humour. Plus, a brilliant climax, which will ensure that the film grows with a strong word of mouth. The last film which came close to being afamily outing was PAA. Before that, the only quintessential family film was BAGHBAN. WE ARE FAMILY is the kind of film that should work instantly with ladies and when ladies watch such films, they bring their spouses and children along. Recommended!

Download We Are Family MP3 Songs
01 - Ankhon Mein Neendein@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
02 - Dil Khol Ke Let's Rock@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
03 - Reham O Karam@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
04 - Hamesha & Forever@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
05 - Sun le Dua Yeh Aasman (Theme Slow Version)@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
06 - We Are Family (Theme)@review-of-movies.blogspot.com

01 - Ankhon Mein Neendein@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
02 - Dil Khol Ke Let's Rock@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
03 - Reham O Karam@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
04 - Hamesha & Forever@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
05 - Sun le Dua Yeh Aasman (Theme Slow Version)@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
06 - We Are Family (Theme)@review-of-movies.blogspot.com

Watch We Are Family Videos


Monday, August 2, 2010

We Are Family - Music Review

Read more! Cast :: Arjun Rampal, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor

Another much awaited album from the stable of Karan Johar. Another wonderful listen from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. Oh, did I forget Jailhouse rock?

We are Family starts with SEL at their romantic best, as they come up with a typical romantic Aankhon mein neendein sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Shreya Ghoshal along with Shankar Mahadevan. Irshad Kamil does no breakthrough to lyrics but adds a few beautiful touches to his words here and there. Lovable. A song for the long run.

If you haven’t heard the album yet, reduce the volume a bit before the second song starts. As Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy-KJo-Sid make Kajol kill Elvis with Dil Khol ke let’s rock, it’s clear that the song is definitely not the best thing for a music lover, but the song is certainly a tongue-sticker. Taking the video into account, I’d say Anushka does a wonderful job at being carefree while Akriti is good as a support and singer. The rocker Suraj Jagan sings this one also really well, though the negative point of the same is that he doesn’t sound casual unlike Anushka. Last word, you are anyway not likely to love it the first time, and if you’re an Elvis fan, there is no way at all. But even after all this, the song is going to be a hit, a superhit. After all, it’s Elvis’ music, and recreated by none less than SEL.

Next is the Best. Vishal Dadlani and Shankar Mahadevan come together for a wonderful Reham-O-Karam and the song just rocks. Reham-O-Karam starts with a casual solo rendering by Shankar and then suddenly it all gets rocking. From the on Vishal and Shankar sing Irshad Kamil’s lyrics to the wonderful tune of SEL and it’s Magik. Oops, magic.

Next song happens to be Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal’s Hamesha and Forever, which is kind of typical with nothing new but just some sweetness that both Sonu and Shreya have in plenty. A soft, slow number that will stick itself with the story of the movie and will keep walking at its own pace. Another one for long runs, but ma take some time to take off. As the name says, Hamesha and Forever.

The last song of the album is Sun le dua yeh aasmaan. The song is pretty slow, even from Karan and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s standards and Shreya Ghoshal does a good and pretty tough job as she moves the song alone. As a matter of fact, it’s almost a theme.

The end of the album is, of course, with a theme and this time Karan keeps the privilege for the trio again after MNIK where he had given the theme alone to Strings. It’s a typical, what do I say.

Overall, We Are Family is a predictably good and sweet album from Karan Johar and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. Believe me I’m keeping Karan first because that matters more here. And yes, all the three words (predictable-sweet-good) don’t fit with JailHouse Rock. Still, I’m humming it.

Download MP3 Songs
01 - Ankhon Mein Neendein@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
02 - Dil Khol Ke Let's Rock@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
03 - Reham O Karam@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
04 - Hamesha & Forever@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
05 - Sun le Dua Yeh Aasman (Theme Slow Version)@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
06 - We Are Family (Theme)@review-of-movies.blogspot.com

01 - Ankhon Mein Neendein@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
02 - Dil Khol Ke Let's Rock@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
03 - Reham O Karam@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
04 - Hamesha & Forever@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
05 - Sun le Dua Yeh Aasman (Theme Slow Version)@review-of-movies.blogspot.com
06 - We Are Family (Theme)@review-of-movies.blogspot.com

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Friday, July 9, 2010

Milenge Milenge - Movie Review

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

The lead pair of the film is isolated for years and suddenly wants to find each other frantically without having any contact details of the other. Had there been a similar scenario in the current context they could have effortlessly found out each other through social networking websites. In that sense, this film delayed by almost half a decade appears unbelievable.

Amit (Shahid Kapoor) and Priya (Kareena Kapoor) meet at a Youth festival in Bangkok. The attraction is instant and they spend days together cavorting around Bangkok City together. At the end of the festival when they are preparing to come back to Delhi, Amit loses Priya’s trust and she decides to end the relationship. Amit tries to regain her trust by telling her that are destined to be together and Priya decides that if it is fate that they should be together, they will find each other Delhi again, Although both do not know each other’s whereabouts in Delhi.

Years go by and both of them are about to be married, but each still has this nagging feeling that the other was his/her one true love. Of course fate conspires to bring them back together (after about a dozen very interesting near misses) as they each simultaneously undertake one last attempt to find one another just before they get married to someone else.

So is all of life pre determined, even who our soul mate is? That's the theme explored in Milenge Milenge , a delightful fairytale of a romantic comedy that makes you fall in love all over again

This time Satish Kaushik doesn’t seek inspiration from his regular South territory but opts to remake the Hollywood film Serendipity (2001). The continuous attempts of the couple to find each other in the second half also reminds of Boney Kapoor’s earlier film Sirf Tum .

Both Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor are earnest and their chemistry is credible. But why do every other character artist from Satish Shah to Delnaz Paul end up hamming. Panini Rajkumar (Rajkumar’s younger son) is plastic personified. Aarti Chhabria and Sarfaraz Khan lack screen presence.

Watch it only if you are just interested to see Kareena when the term size zero wasn’t coined. Else Milenge Milenge doesn’t score much above zero.

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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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01-Kuch_To_Baaki_Hai@review-of-movies.blogspot.com


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Friday, December 25, 2009

3 Idiots - Movie Review

Read more! Cast :: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, R Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Boman Irani , Sahastrabudhhe, Mona Singh, Parikshit Sahani, Javed Jaffrey.

Life is all about listening to your heart and chasing your dreams. That's the essence of 3 IDIOTS, directed by the supremely talented Rajkumar Hirani. Let me come to the point right away. There are films and there are more films. And then there's 3IDIOTS.

Come to think of it, 3 IDIOTS carries a huge 'burden' on its shoulders: The 'burden' of humungous expectations. And it's not without reasons...

# 3 IDIOTS is Aamir's next release after the record-breaker GHAJINI.

# 3 IDIOTS is Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra's third film together, after MUNNABHAI MBBS and LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI, landmark films.

# Three actors from the path-breaking RANG DE BASANTI team - Aamir, Madhavan and Sharman - team up yet again. Plus, Aamir's teaming up with Hirani. It couldn't get bigger!

3 IDIOTS is over-hyped and that could be dangerous for any film since it's the expectations which kill a film if the content doesn't match up to the hype. In this case, all izz well!

Now let's demystify the myths...
3 IDIOTS is not about idiots or nincompoops. It's about three engineering students who believe in 'I'll Do It On my Terms' and that's what the three characters achieve in life and that's what Hirani, Chopra, Aamir eventually achieve at the end of themovie. Making a movie on their terms! .

One more thing! You cannot draw parallels with any other film, past or present, successful or unsuccessful. And though people may draw parallels with GHAJINI or the MUNNABHAI series, it would be sacrilege to do so. 3IDIOTS [based on a novel 'FivePoint Someone' by Chetan Bhagat] doesn't tilt, it stands tall.

Here's yet another illusion: 3 IDIOTS belongs to Aamir Khan. Yes, it does, but also to R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Boman Irani, Kareena Kapoor and Omi, the entrant in Hindi movies, who delivers an equally sterling performance. The film would be incomplete without any of these characters.

To cut a long story short, all you'd like to say about the film is, All izz very, very, very, very, very well. Watch this film to know what it means!

Two friends [R. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi] embark on a quest for a lost buddy. As they make their way through the perilous landscape [Shimla, Manali, Ladakh], another journey begins: their inner journey through memory lane and the story of their friend - the irrepressible free-thinker Rancho [Aamir Khan], who, in his unique way, touched and changed their lives.

It's a story of their hostel days that swings between Rancho's romance with the spirited Pia [Kareena Kapoor] and his clash with and oppressive mentor, Viru Sahastrabudhhe [Boman Irani]. And then one day, suddenly, Rancho vanishes...

Who was he? Where did he come from? Why did he leave? The friend who influenced and inspired them to think creatively and independently, even as the conformist world called them threeidiots. Where is the original idiot now?

Hirani is a genius and that has been proved twice in the past. He proves it for the third time with 3 IDIOTS. Screenplay writers Hirani and Abhijat Joshi and screenplay associate Vidhu Vinod Chopra narrate a story that's straight out of life. A story that each one of us can relate to or identify with.

Very often, we've read news-reports of students committing suicides because they've to live up to the family's pressure/expectations. This film depicts it at the very start, when a student commits suicide. But the issue doesn't end there, for 3IDIOTS raises a pertinent question: Was it suicide or murder?

Hirani balances the rough and smooth incidents in their lives beautifully. The sequences in the campus, right from the ragging sequence at the start, to Omi's speech when the word 'chamatkaar' is changed to 'balatkaar' [superb; will bring the house down], to the trio getting caught in an embarrassing situation at the reception of Kareena's sister [Mona Singh], to the dinner sequence at Sharman's house, to Kareena and Aamir driving Sharman's seriously ill father on their bike to the hospital... the funny moments would make your jaws ache.

The interval point is a shocker. The point at which the first half ends will leave you stunned. Now what was that? Kahani mein twist!

The mystery is solved soon after the intermission ends and a new journey begins. That's one of the USPs of the film. Just when you think that the story would be solved, a new story begins. Of course, the pace dips slightly in its second hour, especially during the delivery sequence of Mona [which may appear filmy to a few], but the immediate sequence, when the baby boy is born and also the subsequent sequence between Boman and Aamir bringthe film back on track. The culmination to the film is novel and yes, it's a master stroke from the writing point of view!

Every person behind the camera gives his/her best to the film. Hirani and Joshi's screenplay is the mainstay of the film. If you fondly recall 'Gandhigiri' from their previous film LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI, you'd have a new phrase to chew on this time: 'All Izz Well'. Muraleedharan C.K.'s cinematography is awesome. Note the aerial view at the very start, when Madhavan and Sharman begin the journey to Shimla or the picture perfect look of Ladakh... the DoP does a magnificent job.

Shantanu Moitra's music may sound plain ordinary to ears, but when viewed on screen, the score is just perfect. 'Give Me Some Sunshine', 'All Is Well', 'Zoobie Doobie' are three tracks that would grow on you after you've watchedthe film . The choreography of 'All Izz Well' [Avit Dias] and 'Zoobie Doobie' [Bosco-Caesar] are eye-catching. The background score [Sanjay Wandrekar , Atul Raninga, Shantanu Moitra] is right.

3 IDIOTS belongs to everyone. But, yes, there's no denying that Aamir makes you forget all his past achievements as you watch the amazing actor play Rancho. To state that this ranks amongst his finest works would be an understatement. Madhavan is incredible, especially in the sequence when he explains hispoint of view to his father [Pareekshit Sahani]. Sharman is outstanding from start to end. This was a difficult role to portray and only an actor of calibre could've pulled it off. Boman is superb as the vicious head of the institute. The scenes between Aamir and Boman are extra-ordinary and it's a treat to watch these two powerful actors clash on the big screen, without getting overdramatic. Boman's appearance, mannerisms and dialogue delivery are exemplary.

The length of Kareena's role may not be as much as Aamir, Madhavan and Sharman, but she registers a strong impact nonetheless. Omi is excellent and the viewers are sure to love his acidic tongue and gestures in themovie. Mona Singh doesn't get much scope. Jaaved Jaffery is competent. Pareekshit Sahani is decent.

On the whole, 3 IDIOTS easily ranks amongst Aamir, Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra's finest films. Do yourself and your family a favour: Watch 3IDIOTS. It's emotional, it's entertaining, it's enlightening. The film has tremendous youth appeal and feel-good factor to work in a big way.


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Thursday, November 19, 2009

Kurbaan - Movie Review

Read more! Cast :: Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Sunil Shetty, Dia Mirza, Om Puri, Kirron Kher.

Post 9/11, there's anger, distrust, suspicion, discomfort all around. Not a day passes when you don't hear of terrorists killing civilians in the name of religion.

Many storytellers have, in the past, narrated stories about terrorists and their evil and wicked plans. But let me state one thing categorically. You haven't watched a more profound, a more thought-provoking, a more dramatic story on this subject before KURBAAN. It's not just the most powerful film to come out of Dharma Productions, it's the most powerful film to come out of the Hindi film industry this year, thus far.

KURBAAN tries to penetrate into the psyche of not just the terrorist, but also someone who has been a helpless spectator all this while. This film is sure to spark off discussions and debates, although it must also be noted that it doesn't take sides or gets preachy.

Rensil D'Silva has chosen a burning issue for his directorial debut, which is a complete departure from Karan Johar's earlier films. For some inexplicable reasons, parallels are being drawn with FANAA and NEW YORK , but the fact remains that barring the backdrop of terrorism, there's no similarity with those films.

One often felt that certain films are beyond box-office. Movies are not meant to merely entertain, but enlighten and educate as well. They need to prick your conscience and in the process, make an attempt to make this world a better place. KURBAAN does just that and for this very reason, it deserves a double thumbs up.

Final word? Drop everything else you're doing to watch KURBAAN. Movies like these need to be made, encouraged and lauded.

Avantika (Kareena Kapoor) is a teacher at a university in Delhi. She has come back from New York where she teaches, because her father (Aakash Khurana) has suffered a heart attack. During this period, she meets a Professor called Ehsaan Khan (Saif Ali Khan). Soon, they begin seeing each other and love blossoms.

A few months later, Avantika receives a call from her university in New York, asking her to come back. Avantika breaks the news to Ehsaan. He, in turn, tells her he doesn't mind coming to the States with her. But first they need to get married.

Soon after the marriage, they leave to start a new life in New York. They buy a house in an Indian neighbourhood and move in. Just as they are setting up home, their conservative Muslim neighbours invite them over for dinner. The next morning, Salma (Nauheed Cyrusi), one of the women Avantika met the night before at the dinner, visits her under the pretext of gifting her sweets.

When Avantika invites her in, Salma tells her that she is in grave danger. Nothing is what it seems. Salma pleads with Avantika to help her. What follows next is a series of incidents that sucks Avantika into a vortex of danger and intrigue. As her life spirals out of control, Avantika realizes that she is a pawn in a huge game.

KURBAAN has two stories running concurrently - the love story between Saif and Kareena and the story of Islamic terrorists. Rensil sets the stage in the initial 15 minutes itself, after which there's a twist in the tale every 15-20 minutes, which catches you completely unaware. Rensil doesn't borrow from the past, which makes the proceedings thoroughly captivating.

The highpoint is the 35-minute climax, which leaves you spellbound. The culmination to the story shakes you completely, largely because it's pragmatic and has been executed most logically as well. In fact, filming the climax at the various underground tube stations must've been the toughest challenge for the director.

On the flip side, KURBAAN caters more to the intelligentsia or the thinking viewer and might not be lapped up whole-heartedly by those who survive on the staple diet of masala fares.

Some of the finest technicians in the business are associated with KURBAAN. Hemant Chaturvedi's cinematography is super. The film bears an international look all through. Salim-Sulaiman's music is well integrated in the narrative. At least two tracks merit a mention - 'Shukran Allah' and 'Ali Maula'. Anurag Kashyap and Niranjan Iyengar's dialogue are superb. The lines enhance the impact of several sequences. Thrills are, again, in sync with the mood of the film.

KURBAAN is embellished with superlative performances. Saif is extra-ordinary in a role that only proves his versatility once again. If he won your heart with a winning performance in LOVE AAJ KAL a few months ago, you need to watch this supremely talented actor underplay his part so beautifully in KURBAAN. As for Kareena, KURBAAN reiterates one fact yet again: She's the best in the business. No two opinions on that! Watch her get those emotional sequences right, it's incredible. Here's a performance that truly merits the highest praise and admiration, besides fetching her awards and accolades.

Vivek Oberoi is fantastic. Matching Saif and Kareena at every step, KURBAAN should be the turning point in Vivek's career. It's a difficult role to portray and only an actor with a wide range could've portrayed this part so effectively. Om Puri is top notch and so is Kirron Kher. Kirron is marvellous, especially in the penultimate scene. Dia Mirza, Nauheed Cyrusi and Kulbhushan Kharbanda lend credibility to their brief roles.

On the whole, KURBAAN is the most powerful film to come out of the Hindi film industry in 2009, so far. The film has a captivating plot, gripping screenplay, super performances and a climax that shakes you up completely. Watching this movie should be on top of your agenda this week.

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Kurbaan - 01 - Shukran Allah @review-of-movies.blogspot.com
Kurbaan - 02 - Dua @review-of-movies.blogspot.com
Kurbaan - 03 - Ali Maula @review-of-movies.blogspot.com
Kurbaan - 04 - Rasiya @review-of-movies.blogspot.com
Kurbaan - 05 - Kurbaan Hua @review-of-movies.blogspot.com
Kurbaan - 06 - Ali Maula Remix @review-of-movies.blogspot.com


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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

3 Idiots - Music Review

Read more! Cast :: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, R Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Boman Irani , Sahastrabudhhe, Mona Singh, Parikshit Sahani, Javed Jaffrey.

3 Idiots. One of the most awaited movies of the year. Its music is finally out. When a team like Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani and Amir Khan is involved we can surely expect something different as far as music is concerned. Music of 3 Idiots is composed by none other than Shantanu Moitra famous for his light, straight-from-the-heart melodious tunes. Moitra has taken heavily from Ravindra Sangeet. Anyway, moving on with the review, Lyrics of 3 idiots have been penned by Swanand Kirkire famous for his "Mann Ye Bawra" lyrics. Kirkire’s writing is as fresh as morning dew and for a movie like 3 idiots the words chosen by him are very apt, young audience can connect to the songs very well.

The music itself is delivered by the underrated Shantanu Moitra, a gifted composer who has been the firm choice for Vidu Vinod Chopra ever since Moitra produced the exceptional, career defining and widely acclaimed soundtrack for Parineeta (2005). Lyricist Swanand Kirkire has been partnering Moitra for most of his career and has proved a stalwart companion. But “3 Idiots” presents a unique challenge for them in that the music is likely to feature more as situational / background amidst the laughter and comedy scenes.

So here we go, album has 5 original songs and 2 remixes.

All Izz Well – Album opens up with ‘All Izz Well’. A very energetic number sung by Sonu Nigam, Swanand Kirkire and Shaan. The whistle in the song makes it more fun to listen. Lyrics are very catchy and the song is likable upon the very first listening itself. It has a remix version also.

Zoobi Doobi – A soft romantic number with a kind of liveliness that appeals to you despite the normal tune. Sonu Nigam & Shreya Ghoshal are once again great behind the mic. The only let down in this song are the average lyrics. This song also has a remix version.

Behti Hawa Sa Thha Wo – Sung by Shaan and Shantanu Moitra himself, this is a situational song(sung for Amir Khan’s character Rancho). A typical soft Shaan number, surely will be liked by all. Use of flute adds feathers to the melodious tune.

Give me some sunshine – Perhaps the best song of the album. This song has been sung by Suraj Jagan but the highlight of the song is the commentary by Sharman Joshi. A very, very fresh song. Listen to it as soon as you can for no words can describe the beauty of this masterpiece.

Jaane Nahin Denge Tujhe – Sung by Sonu Nigam this intense song is yet another jewel of this crown. The song kind of grows on you upon many hearings. Give it 3-4 listenings at least if you don't like the song initially. I'm sure you will like it.

Tracks 6 and 7 are "Zoobi Doobi Remix" and "Aal Izz Well Remix" respectively. Both are remixed well by DJ Amyth and Darshan. But the original compositions are still the best!

Without doubt Moitra's soundtrack succeeds in adding immense value to the movie in terms of atmosphere and background support. It is fresh, authentic and real. But you have to say it also disappoints as a stand-alone soundtrack apart from a couple of songs (particularly Zoobi Doobi and "Give Me Some Sunshine"). To be fair to Shantanu, the scope was always going to be limited with such a theme as the one presented in 3 Idiots, let’s not forget the movie is an all out entertainer / laugh riot with a strong emphasis on friendship, humour and adventure so it was never going to be remembered for its music. Most of the songs aren’t even given a chance with shortened lengths thus limiting their potential for a lasting impression. Also ask yourself why there are only 5 original compositions here? Consequently, the soundtrack can and should only really be judged after seeing the movie. In fact the music portrays a serious undertone to the movie hitherto unknown to many fans. That's how intertwined it is with Vidu Vinod Chopra’s story of the 3 Idiots. There's more to the movie than meets the eye and the same can definitely be said for the music.

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3 Idiots - 01 - All Izz Well@review-of-movies.blogpost.com





Friday, October 16, 2009

Main Aur Mrs Khanna - Movie Review

Read more! Cast :: Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Sohail Khan, Bappi Lahiri, Preity Zinta.

Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna, directed by debutante Prem Soni, could've been an interesting story had the drama quotient been a bit stronger. What comes across is too simple and ordinary.

Actually, the problem lies in its writing. It wouldn't be erroneous to say that Prem Soni, the director is letdown by Prem Soni, the writer. The writing gyrates from interesting to ordinary to unconvincing and that bogs the film down. The inconsistency is evident all through.

Raina [Kareena Kapoor], Samir [Salman Khan] and Akash [Sohail Khan] are three people whose lives get entwined at an international airport. Samir has to decide whether he wants to stay in the same city "Melbourne" that gave him so much and then took away everything or fly away to a new city "Singapore", to a new life.

Raina has to decide whether her love and loyalty for her husband Samir, who left her to pursue success, is more justified than her faith and trust in her new-found friend, while Akash has to decide whether what he feels for a married woman is lust or true love and whether he's justified in trying to win her at all costs, even at the cost of her marriage.

Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna makes a promising start. The cracks in the relationship are evident when the husband starts facing problems on the professional front. He tries to re-locate to Singapore, but decides to send his wife to Delhi, to his parents' home. Convincing!

The wife decides to stay back in Melbourne and suddenly meets an 'angel' [Sohail Khan] and a friend's friend [Mahek Chahal], who gets her a job at the airport [within hours of meeting her] and a few scenes later, Mrs. Khanna shifts into a palatial mansion. How can she afford a palace-like home in Melbourne from the salary that she gets, while working in a shop at the airport? Not convincing!

The wife and angel become friends. The angel is well aware of her marital status, yet loves her dearly. The woman trusts him as a friend. Convincing!

The husband re-surfaces. He's now settled in Singapore, has even bought a house there, he returns to Melbourne to fetch his wife back. Complications arise when the marriage registration letter surfaces. Not convincing!

The question is, why didn't the wife confide in her husband about it? That she had to do it for the work permit? Of course, she states subsequently that she didn't want to complicate things further, but didn't she ever realise that the truth would be out sooner or later?

Also, when the husband is in Singapore, there's scant or zilch communication between the couple, which looks so unreal. There's just one sequence of the wife calling her husband, but the husband isn't responding to the call. Again, not convincing!

The ending is interesting, but the surprise appearance of Deepika Padukone looks forced in the script. Perhaps, it was incorporated so that Sohail doesn't come across as a loser. Strangely, Deepika's name is also Raina [also Kareena's name in the film] and she too was in a relationship with a Samir [also Salman's name], which looks fake.

Prem Soni has handled a few scenes well, but the writing is ineffectual. Dialogue, also by Prem, are wonderful at places. Sajid-Wajid's music is tuneful. 'Don't Say Alvida' and 'Rabba' are melodious compositions. The cinematography is striking. The locales of Melbourne give the film a perfect romantic setting.

Salman handles his part with maturity, but it's a Kareena show all the way. She is remarkable and delivers a winning performance yet again. Sohail contributes to some light moments. Yash Tonk is alright. Mahek Chahal is perfect. Nauheed Cyrusi doesn't get any scope.

The film has several star appearances: Deepika Padukone, Preity Zinta, Dino Morea and Bappil Lahiri.

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01 - Dont Say Alvida @review-of-movies.blogspot.com
02 - Happening @review-of-movies.blogspot.com
03 - Rabba @review-of-movies.blogspot.com
04 - Tum Ne Socha @review-of-movies.blogspot.com
05 - Mrs Khanna @review-of-movies.blogspot.com
06 - Don't Say Alvida (Sad) @review-of-movies.blogspot.com
07 - Happening (Remix) @review-of-movies.blogspot.com
08 - Dont Say Alvida (Remix) @review-of-movies.blogspot.com


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