Shootout At Wadala Movie Review

Shootout At Wadala Movie Review: Watch out John's incredible act

Cast: Anil Kapoor, John Abraham, Kangana Ranaut, Manoj Bajpayee, Sonu Sood and Tusshar Kapoor
Direction: Sanjay Gupta
Genre: Crime

Movie Review: Sanjay Gupta's Shootout At Wadala largely draws inspiration from journalist-author S Hussain Zaidi's Dongri to Dubai-6 decades of the Mumbai mafia. But the maker takes the cinematic liberty of changing the material at hand to make his film and characters more engaging. Or should we say largely entertaining.

15 minutes into the film you know Gupta means business as knives gash, guns explode, blood flows, actors mouth expletives galore and items girl gyrate shamelessly.

SAW has two protagonists—Manya Surve( John Abraham) a bright college student from the 70s, who finds himself inexorably drawn into a vortex of crime. The other leading man is Aafaque Bagraan(Anil Kapoor) a trigger-happy cop who wants to clean up the streets of the maximum city.

As the police and the criminals play the regular usual cat and mouse game; the screenplay introduces the viewer to endless gangsters and their girls. There's Vidya( Kangana Ranaut), Manya's love-interest, Sheikh Munir(Tusshar Kapoor), Gyanchod (Siddhanth Kapoor) and a couple of more hoodlums who are his henchmen. And you have their deadly opponents—the Haksar brothers, Zubair ( Manoj Bajpayee) and Dilawar(Sonu Sood). Manya and Zubair wrest to take over the Mumbai mafia. Quite naturally the opposing gangs bay for one another's blood. And in true Bollywood style, the slaying is interrupted only with the swaying; so you have three item songs lined up. The first item has adult star, Sunny Leone, whose song—Laila teri Le Legi is alone worth the price of a ticket. This Canadian-Indian girl is such an object of desire; she makes other dance girls pale in comparison.

The other selling point of the film is Milap Zaveri's dialogue. Many of the lines are claptraps. But be warned, there's a liberal peppering of filthy lingo that will make you cringe. The performances are largely A-grade. Manoj tops the list. And though he's a Mafioso, his demeanour will get the maidens to melt. Sonu who plays Dilawar, succeeds in spreading menace and speaks eloquently with his eyes.

John is the one with the maximum screen time. From vulnerable to invincible, from a testosterone wonder to a believable actor, Manya is his career's best act. Tusshar is earnest and effective. Kangana may not have the item song benefit but she has recall value as the anguished gangster's moll.

John is the one with the maximum screen time. From vulnerable to invincible, from a testosterone wonder to a believable actor, Manya is his career's best act. Tusshar is earnest and effective. Kangana may not have the item song benefit but she has recall value as the anguished gangster's moll.

Siddhant Kapoor, son of baddie Shakti Kapoor is also a young talent to watch out for.

Anil Kapoor does his encounter specialist act with elan. He's supported ably by Ronit Roy, Mahesh Manjrekar and Jackie Shroff who puts in a guest appearance as the police chief.

SAW ultimately belongs to Gupta, who stays true to the genre and makes a welcome return to the credible lot of Bollywood directors.

Players Movie Review

Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Bipasha Basu, Bobby Deol, Omi Vaidya, Sonam Kapoor, Vinod Khanna, Sikander Kher, Johnny Lever
Direction: Abbas Mustan
Genre: Thriller

Story: In 1915 Romania sent its pure gold collection worth a zillion crores to Russia for safe deposit. Russia of course chose to never give it back. But now good bilateral terms between the two countries means Russia is sending all that gold back to Romania. How? Just the way it came -- by train. That simple? Not really especially when there are some well trained players out there whose mission is to get that gold....

Movie Review: From its very original version in 1969, with its classic cast of Michael Caine, Noel Coward and Benny Hill to the much later 2003 version with Donald Sutherland, Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron and other stalwarts, the Italian Job has been entertaining its viewers as amongst Hollywood's most fascinating thriller films which involve a simple plot of stealing gold worth $35 million from the canals of Venice to LA. The transfer is supposed to take place over a high Alpine pass that hasn't been disturbed since the time of Hannibal and the fact that it all gets messed up due to human error and modern technology only makes humans to turn out more puny than they seem. Natural laws are after all always supreme, never to be challenged. But ah! for human greed... Can you expect something like this from our desi Players, a supposedly Indian vision of the Italian Job?

Charlie ( Abhishek Bachchan) is the catalyst behind the mission to steal gold worth crores for himself and his role model Victor Dada ( Vinod Khanna). Naturally then, Dada, the bad man in jail repenting for his earlier sins, helps Charlie form a team of the world's best players. Once the team is in place, the deadline is 10 odd minutes to steal the gold from a moving train. This leads to a series of events where traitors and loyals are revealed creating mayhem in the hurriedly patched up team. While Bilal ( Sikander Kher) as the explosive expert and Rony ( Bobby Deol) as the illusionist make a brief cameo, it is Johnny Lever as the auto expert and Sunny ( Omi Vaidya) as the makeup expert who do manage to tickle the funny bone with their usual antics. On the other hand, Abhishek once again reprises the character of Dhoom he seems to have perfected while Bipasha goes glam as in Race. She doesn't mind bad company as long as it takes her to the pinnacle of material success. Sonam Kapoor (Naina) joins the team in the second half (though she is there in bits and piece in the first half). She wants to meet Neil since he is the one who killed her dad. That's where she puts her hacking knowledge and her body/looks to use since she is the only one Neil has not met before. But eventually, it is Neil Nitin Mukesh (Spider), the ultimate no-strings-attached man, wild gambler at heart with a twist in the soul and tango in the feet, who slam dances his way away as the ultimate crook. Music by Pritam is good while it lasts. Some editing sorely needed, visual imagery quite polished, and the look as usual is of new age Bollywood.

But would you go out for a DVD of Players and put it in that cherished section of your home video corner saying: Hundred movies to see before you die! All you brave Indian filmmakers, do pick up classics, but first, get a bit classic yourself and learn about cult film making which is so much different from commercial cinema. You'll find the difference. Your Bollywood ventures end up like cold cuts - stylishly done - are so different from piping hot goulash.

Bollywood Movie 'Mere Brother Ki Dulhan' Review

Cast: Imran Khan, Katrina Kaif

Director: Ali Abbas Zafar

Despite its over-familiar premise, 'Mere Brother Ki Dulhan' packs a light tone and some easy laughs, before the weight from all its clichés causes it to topple over like a house of cards.

Kush (played by Imran Khan) is an assistant director in Bollywood films, whose London-based brother Luv (played by Tere Bin Laden's Ali Zafar) assigns him the job of finding him a suitable bride when he breaks up with his long-term girlfriend. With his mother by his side, Kush visits the homes of a half-dozen prospective brides – each a worse stereotype than the last – before they zero in on Katrina Kaif's character Dimple, the seemingly perfect daughter of a Delhi diplomat.

Kush, who had met Dimple five years ago while in college, remembers her as the rebellious rocker who was taken away by the cops when she staged an impromptu concert for thousands. Still a free-spirited livewire, Dimple is looking to settle down now, and Kush and his family thinks she'll be perfect for Luv.

Directed by first-timer Ali Abbas Zafar, 'Mere Brother Ki Dulhan' starts off breezily, with enough comic moments to keep you engaged. There's an amusing scene in which Dimple subjects Luv to a Koffee With Karan-style rapidfire interview on Skype, and another sequence in which she distracts Kush while riding pillion on his scooter. But it's when the film introduces its conflict at intermission point that everything begins to go downhill.

The tiring and predictable second half is basically a string of elaborate set-ups to call off the marriage. Given that it's a Yash Raj Films' production, you shouldn't be surprised by all the self-referencing to previous in-house hits. Say hello also to every wedding-movie cliché like best friends and mentally challenged siblings who help the hero win his girl, extended families who bond over jalebis and bhaang, and the jealous ex who shows up just in time to stake her claim.

'Mere Brother Ki Dulhan' is redeemed to a large extent by the charismatic presence of Katrina Kaif, who is easily the star of this show. Offering an uninhibited and winning performance as the mad but endearing Dimple, she makes you forget many of the film's flaws. Imran Khan brings that boyish charm to his part, playing your next-door nice-guy with unmistakable sincerity; he makes Kush a hero to root for. Now if only they could muster up some sizzling chemistry! Ali Zafar, on the other hand, hams it up like there's no tomorrow, and fails on account of trying too hard.

The film doesn't always work because it relies too heavily on silly stereotypes and clichés, and because you can see exactly where it's going from the moment you settle into your seat. I'm going with two out of five for director Ali Abbas Zafar's 'Mere Brother Ki Dulhan'. Aside from a few enjoyable moments, this film recycles so much that you've already seen before.

Rating: 2 / 5

'Singham' Bollywood Movie Review

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Kajal Aggarwal, Prakash Raj

Director: Rohit Shetty

A few minutes into 'Singham', Ajay Devgan emerges from a holy lake, dressed only in a red dhoti and flaunting his pumped-up physique. He walks into camera in slow motion, his torso still wet, that six-pack visible from as far as the Moon.

This 80s-style actioner sees Devgan star as Bajirao 'Singham', an upright cop in a small village on the outskirts of Goa who dispenses his own unique brand of justice, which includes leaping in the air and landing a hard whack on the head of a local eve-teaser, or using his belt to wallop the living daylights out of the villain's henchmen. His nemesis in the film is an evil Mafioso and corrupt politician Jaykant Shikre, played by the superb Prakash Raj who delivers a deliciously over-the-top performance marked by clap-trap lines and hyperactive dialogue delivery.

The flimsy plot involves the cop's tireless crusade against corruption, which sees him clashing with seniors in the establishment who're determined to get him off Shikre's back. There's an obligatory romantic track between Devgan's character and newcomer Kaajal Aggarwal, but the film's strength lies in the combustible chemistry between Devgan and Raj.

Despite some nifty action sequences - including one in which Devgan plucks a bad guy out of a car as it hurtles over his head - 'Singham' wears you out over the course of its 2 hours and 30 minutes running time because it all seems so darned familiar. In Devgan's character, director Rohit Shetty offers his own take on the Angry Young Man, and even throws in a reference to that iconic "don't-sit-until-you've-been-asked-to-sit" scene from Amitabh Bachchan's 'Zanjeer'. But alas 'Singham' doesn't have the smarts of a Salim-Javed script. It offers a routine 'why-most-cops-are-corrupt' subplot, and comes loaded with such corny lines as "Meri zaroorat kam hai, issliye mere zameer mein dum hai!"

Remake of the 2010 Tamil blockbuster of the same name, 'Singham' has occasional bursts of comedy (both puerile and genuinely funny), but it's never quite as entertaining as the similarly intentioned 'Dabangg'.

'Singham' isn't an unwatchable film, but how many times can you watch bad guys being whipped with a belt? Or heads being pummeled by a bare fist? There is such a thing as overkill, after all. I'm going with two out of five for director Rohit Shetty's 'Singham'. I suspect it's going to make a load of money; I only wish it was a better film. Ajay Devgan fans won't be disappointed.

Rating: 2/5

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Bollywood Movie Review

Film: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar, Katrina Kaif, Kalki
Rating: *** ½

The three friends are sitting in a bar, slightly drunk, after a night of revelry. One of them starts talking about the peculiar tune that accompanied the Doordarshan logo before the 9 o'clock news. This is followed by a session of out-of-tune humming. "I feel like I'm in school," says the stickler-for-perfection, workaholic Arjun (Roshan), "and the vacations are coming to an end."

The other two, Imran (Akhtar) and Kabir (Deol), look back amazed. This was the guy who was reluctant to go on holiday in the first place. Married to his profession, stuck to his phone, Arjun carried a laptop to the road trip in Spain so he could keep in touch with "clients". Carrying deep resentment against his friend (Imran), dealing with a break up, and driven by a single-point agenda - to make enough money so he can retire at 40 - Arjun is a somewhat different person towards the end of the trip.

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD) is not everyone's cup of tea. It trudges along at a leisurely pace, does not have a 'story' to boast of, and relies on moments more than their sum total. It's more of an experience, if I can say so, than a storytelling exercise. And you'll enjoy it if you have the stomach for it. I did.

On the other hand, the pace (or the lack of it) may irritate those who like things to "happen" in films. Zoya, as in her debut Luck By Chance, adopts an understated approach, letting her characters connect on their own rather than thrusting them on audiences. The nicely done title sequence, showing the three friends going about packing before embarking on the trip, brings out more about the characters than the dialogues they speak.

Call it inspiration, or mere co-incidence, but ZNMD reminded me a lot of Sofia Coppola's Somewhere, about a mercurial actor bonding with his daughter on a vacation. The story telling technique was similar; so was the tempo, and the beauty lay in little moments shared between father-daughter over, say, breakfast where not much was spoken.

In ZNMD too, the best sequences are those that have no, or very little, dialogue. Like Arjun breaking down after having explored the underwater world of corals and sea animals in spite of a fear of drowning. Or the scene showing the three friends skydiving. This one's a long sequence, starting with Imran's trepidation before jumping off, to the point all three friends touch down. Along the way you share the fear, then thrill, then ecstasy the three friends are shown to be experiencing.

Kabir's issues are not on the surface either. He's the most affable of the three, with the least baggage probably, and extremely friendly. But he won't discuss his love life even with two of his oldest buddies. Grown men don't talk about personal things. Kabir's no different.

Read 'Harry Potter' finale review here

ZNMD doesn't resort to the usual backslapping you associate buddy films with. The similarity to the banner's earlier Dil Chahta Hai begins with it being about three friends and ends with the unexplained affluence of characters in both films. In the Akhtar world, it seems, everyone's rich. A decade ago, dashing off to Goa on an impulse seemed like a 'not-very-middle-class' thing to do, while not many Indians would be able to afford a three week bachelor trip to Spain unless they're well-off.

But that apart, the issues the three men deal with in ZNMD are slightly more complex than those faced by Akash, Sid and Sameer in DCH. The latter was about clueless youth fresh-out-college and trying to find their feet in the real world, while ZNMD is about men on the cusp of a mid-life crisis.

Along with cinematographer Carlos Catalan, Zoya makes the film a visual treat, letting the sights and sounds of Spain do more than just provide a scenic backdrop. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is hummable, while Javed Akhtar's lyrics deserve special mention. 'Khwabon ke parindey' is an absolute joy to listen to for Akhtar's magical words and Alyssa Mendonsa's soulful rendition.

Farhan Akhtar infuses the script with witty dialogues, keeping some good ones for his own character. But after a point, Farhan does grate on your nerves only because a more charming, truly funny actor could have worked wonders. He can direct, he can write even better, but as actor Farhan is strictly ho-hum. If I would have to go on a road trip with any of the three guys, I would want to drop him from the group first.

Hrithik, on the other hand, performs a role diametrically opposite to the one you expect to see him in. He is no 'hero'; just a regular guy dealing with issues any thirty year old could be faced with. He's extremely restrained and lovable.

As the girl who acts as the catalyst for Arjun's transformation, Katrina is wonderfully charming as Laila. I have never liked Katrina before in a film as much as in ZNMD. Call it inspired casting, but she just fits to the T. Kalki is very real as Kabir's possessive fiancee; she'll remind you of similar women you may have come across at some point or the other.

Abhay impresses the most, bringing a lot of himself to Kabir's character, keeping things subtle but managing to stand out among the three. The beauty of the casting is that it's a mainstream set-up, but without the trappings of a regular Hindi film.

The real hero, for me, is Zoya Akhtar. ZNMD may not be the best thing to happen to our movies, but it's a lot better than many multistarrer films we see week after week. It has the stars yes, the locales, the budget etc. But, more importantly, it has soul.

Review: Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap is uber cool

Raja Sen says that Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap is not a particularly well-crafted film but none of that matters as Amitabh Bachchan [ Images ] makes it work. Post YOUR reviews here!

'Amitabh Bachchan is a superhero.' I used to believe that, growing up. Comicbooks called Supremo said he was, and I gladly bought into the idea of this man who acted in movies by day and went off to rescue kidnapped younglings by night. It only worked because it was Bachchan, of course.

When we watched Hindi movies on video cassettes, Dad would fast-forward the songs while Mom would avenge herself by skipping through the protracted fight sequences. Except when it was Amitabh, because watching that man kick people is an electrifying experience. Filmmakers agreed, repeating the kick thrice, in rapid succession. He'd punch an extra in the gut, and because of how intensely he contorted his face into a focussed grimace, the dhishoom would resonate into reality. But you know all that already.

When we first see Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap, he's leaning on the rails of an escalator. There's a swagger-like quality to the way he slouches, like a casually lazy leopard in no rush to prove himself, or like Dev Anand [ Images ] a couple of decades ago: an old legend somehow carrying off a canary yellow scarf. Oops. That O-word. Bachchan's character despises being called old with Obelix-ian indignation, spurring him to go ahead and roar. And nobody, but nobody, roars like him.

Puri Jagannath's film is not a particularly well-crafted one. The story is threadbare, the scenes disjointed and abrupt, and poor Raveena Tandon [ Images ] is made to contort her face for almost a full minute. None of that matters. This isn't a masala film, it's a full-blown exploitation flick, and all that makes it work is the man under the spotlight. The extras can't stop smiling, almost as if Bachchan told them a knock-knock joke before the cameras started rolling, and they're all just basking in the grand silliness of this film. As are we.
Plot? Please. Amitabh Bachchan is a retired gangster freshly back in Mumbai [ Images ], and his triggerfingers are itchy. That's all that counts.

There's a cop, an ex-wife, a groupie, assorted mafioso, the cop's girl, a nosy landlady, a bizarrely brutal father, yadda yadda yadda. It's all utterly unnecessary, except to give the viewer a mild respite from Bachchan-gazing.

I'm not a subscriber to that larger-than-life school of cinema bequeathed to us from the South. Ghajini [ Images ], Wanted, Dabanng, Ready. All of it's been mostly painful, but they have centered around leading men thoroughly enjoying themselves, and people paying to watch that. Aamir Khan [ Images ] kicking a door down, Salman Khan [ Images ] with a moustache. All of that fades in comparison to Bachchan doing a greatest-hits medley in this film: a fight here, a wink there, a little bit of storytelling in that voice, and even the twist. I stand converted. He's the man, and he's plain Rajniffic.

Sonu Sood [ Images ], obviously cast because of his uncanny resemblance to the young Amitabh, is a solid actor but here, even playing a tough cop, is made to sigh and sob too much. Clearly there was only room for one alpha male in this corral. Prakash Raj [ Images ] is the primary baddie, while the ever-amusing Makarand Deshpande finds himself a lovely existential moment at the film's climax. There are a couple of young girls, but this film isn't about the young as much as it is about the timeless: Raveena Tandon still looks like a million bucks and is quite adorable as a starry-eyed Bachchanista, and the immaculate Hema Malini [ Images ] even makes this film's name sound beautiful.

There are a few beautiful Amit-Hema moments, highlighted with one where he nonchalantly discusses their backstory: about how they first saw each other at a traffic light, with him in a police jeep and her in an autorickshaw, her hands heavy with grocery bags and his bound in cuffs. A formerly married couple, they bump into each other, he upsets her, and she walks away sobbing, but turns around. Shamelessly the Naseeb title track plays in the background, and we cheer, for old screen romances are worth rooting for. The steel cage may have been replaced by a coffee shop at a mall, but the song remains the same.

As does the dude. Daddy clearly knows best, and Bachchan -- who even surreally lipsyncs to his son rapping about chicks -- is in such fine fettle that it's hard to not look past the circumstances and fall for his grin. Angelina Jolie [ Images ] might have shown us how to bend a bullet in Wanted, but when the Big B [ Images ] does it, you want to wolf-whistle. His clothes are screamingly loud but very hip. Asked if he'd like tea or coffee, Bachchan sneers. "Tea and coffee don't go well with soda," he explains. Ha. I'm going to go out on a limb and declare full-blown fandom for this character, who well and truly deserves a franchise. He might be a complete throwback, but this is a Hero. Next time they might consider pausing before he enters the screen to write BAAP in massive letters, though.

In the title song with that ridiculously groovy 'action-Jackson' loop, Bachchan sings about his past, saying he's split as many heads as he's broken hearts. It's a line worth dwelling on, considering he was the first icon to straddle all genres, from action to comedy to romantic drama, with unanimous success. It's been a staggering career, and the fact that he's nearly 70 and rocking a Harley Davidson is just awesome enough to make this film more than the guilty pleasure it is.

Aviator sunglasses aren't the wisest thing to wear when shooting with a sniper rifle in the glaring sun. But who cares when they're that damned cool?

Guzaarish - Movie Review

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Monikangana Dutta, Suhel Seth, Shernaz Patel and others

Screenplay-Music Director-Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Producer: Sanjay Leela Bhansali-UTV

Rating: ***

Background
Sanjay Leela Bhansali has made films like 'Khamoshi – The Musical', 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam', 'Devdas' and 'Black' before. His last attempt at the box office – 'Saawariya' was a disaster. He has a lot to prove with this film.

Storyline
Mercy killing or 'Project Euthanasia' is what Ethan Mascarenhas (Hrithik Roshan) demands. Ethan is a magnificent magician... He has the world under his thumb. He holds his audiences spellbound every time he performs. But one fine day one of his best friends does a foul play leading to a mishap and Ethan's bed ridden, never to be able to move on his own.

But his love for life does the magic as he turns into an RJ and solves the problems of all his listeners by giving them a mantra – that life is beautiful – go and enjoy it. He also gives away all the mantras of magic to his best friend's son, forgetting his evil deed.

But then one day, he feels that he wants to end his life and gets his listeners involved... He wants an audience poll on whether or not he should die with dignity of his own free will. The story also has an impression of undying love that the nurse Sofia (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) nurtures under her pious bosom.

He then engages a lawyer Devyani Dutta (Shernaz Patel) who is also his best friend. But she is unable to procure mercy killing that he so desires.

Sofia who looks after Ethan is happy as she does not support the idea but when the mother and doctor also agree to it then Sofia extends her support too for the mercy killing.

Is Ethan able to get the desired death or not? Will Ash get a divorce from her husband under the domestic violence act? Will she disclose her love for Ethan and finally will she turn to be Mrs Mascarenhas? All this form the crux of the story.

The making
Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has a way of narrating stories. He has a thought process that is out of the box. 'Guzaarish' is about a lot of pain. It translates the agony and the emotions that tug at the heartstrings of the viewer. Every sequence in the film is handled with utmost care and the intricacies have been portrayed delicately. Sanjay's mantra 'love for life and love perhaps keeps the world going' – will surely touch the hearts of one and all.

Music by Sanjay Leela Bhansali has its own charm. A classy music may not pep the ears of the masses, but the classes love it. Excellent cinematography will surely be liked by one and all. Editing is almost up to the mark, but the editor needed to push the director into chopping the last few minutes leading to a better climax.

Performances
Hrithik Roshan, the protagonist Ethan Mascarenhas, has performed this unusual character brilliantly. His expressions manage to translate the pain on screen. Certainly his outstanding performance deserves a pat on his back. Aishwarya's effortless performance with ample brilliance brings life into the character. Monikangana Dutta is good as long as she is blowing off the candles. Others are decent.

Recommendation
Go watch the wonders of Sanjay Leela Bhansali this weekend.

ACTION REPLAYY MOVIE REVIEW

Bollywood Movie Action Replayy Review

Producer: Blockbuster Entertainment, Hari Om Entertainment, PVR Pictures
Director: Vipul Shah
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Aishwarya Rai, Aditya Roy Kapoor
Music: Pritam
Lyrics: Irshad Kamil
Genre: Comedy
Recommended Audience: General
Film Released on: 05 November 2010

As the lights dimmed in the cinema hall, I wondered how would Action Replayy be like. On the one hand, there’s a director like Vipul Shah who has had three back to back successes as a director – Aankhen, Waqt - The Race Against Time, and Namastey London; and a mixed London Dreams.

On the other hand, there’s Akshay Kumar, whose last couple of films have been disasters at the box office, namely Chandni Chowk to China, 8x10 Tasveer, and more recently, Khatta Meetha. But most of us movie buffs do know that Vipul Shah has always concocted a success formula with Kumar, even as producer, with his presentation of Anees Bazmee’s Singh Is Kinng also clicking at the ticket window. Now, Shah is back, and devises an unusual pairing of Kumar with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, in a movie that promises entertainment, comedy and outstanding performances. With the music of the film doing very well and promotion being rock solid, does this Diwali entertainer succeed in winning the hearts of the audience?

Based on Shobhana Desai’s Gujarati play Action Replay, with very light traces of the 1985 Hollywood success Back to the Future, the movie is about Bunty (Aditya Roy Kapoor), who lives a disillusioned existence as a son of two parents – Kishen (Akshay Kumar) and Mala (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) – who constantly squabble as a result of an arranged marriage which didn’t work out. This is why he keeps running from Tanya’s (Sudeepa Singh) repeated marriage proposals. One fine day – the day before his parents’ marriage anniversary – she takes him to her grandfather, Anthony Gonsalves’ (Randhir Kapoor) laboratory to convince him about their marriage, which is where Bunty discovers the time machine. After a severe spat between Kishen and Mala, Bunty runs back to the laboratory and steals the machine, going all the way back to 1975, with a mission to make his parents fall in love. Does he succeed?

Every movie needs a good story and screenplay, and this one has it all. With a well-penned story by Suresh Nair and Aatish Kapadia (also the writer of Waqt - The Race Against Time and the writer-director of Khichdi: The Movie), who has also supported Vipul Shah in the screenplay department, the movie’s narrative moves at a consistent pace – neither fast, nor slow – and the storytelling is pretty grounded for most of the first half. The comedy isn’t over the top, and ends up generating a bountiful dose of laughs. Kapadia’s dialogues are witty and creative. Direction by Vipul Shah is as usual, excellent. It’s a shame that his last sincere attempt at executing London Dreams was supported by an inconsistent screenplay, but this time, he’s back in form. As good as he is at handling the comic moments, he deftly executes the emotional scenes as well.

Technically, the movie tries to get it all right. The movie boasts of terrific production design, with art direction and set design by Aparna Raina and Anisha Gulati respectively. Be it the whole seventies look of Mumbai, or the laboratory, or even the set design for the Holi song – ‘Chhan Ke Mohalla’ – the movie gets it right. Cinematography by Sejal Shah is decent with tightly executed composition of shots, and the camerawork is smooth, supporting Shah’s visual support well. Amitabh Shukla’s edit is really good; especially to the shots in songs like ‘O Bekhabar’ and ‘Zor Ka Jhatka’.

Motion Graphics for the opening and closing titles are very impressive. The opening titles deserve special praise for setting a base to the thematic element of the film. Action by Allan Amin suits the theme. Visual effects are decent, but could have worked on a bit more. Sound design and audio post-production has been interestingly executed. The punch sounds as Kumar does his epic Eastwood-meets-Bollywood fight to save Yadav make the scene hilarious and literally transport you to the seventies, making for a decent spoof that’s not loud at all. The background score by Salim and Sulaiman bowl you over, and help in enhancing the varied set of emotions in the film. The music by Pritam is massy and the visuals totally support the songs produced; the notable ones being ‘I’m Dog Gone Crazy’, ‘Zor Ka Jhatka’, ‘O Bekhabar’, and ‘Chhan Ke Mohalla’.

Performance-wise, the movie hits bullseye with the casting. I’d like to start off with Aditya Roy Kapoor, who has given a fantabulous performance. This film will take him places, and his rise is inevitable. Akshay Kumar is usually the loudmouth nutcracker or the filthy rich over-excited person who’s usually on a sugar rush. But this time, he’s managed to restrain himself, by becoming an uncomely geek who needs a lot of change in presentation; and how! The best part about his collaborations with Shah is that despite having enough slice of comic timing, he manages to get a variety of roles. Even with his last Namastey London, he played a crushed lover to perfection. Here too, he has done very well, and has brought out a different side of him in a spew of repetitive roles in which the only time he strived to be different was in Blue.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan looks like she’s on a roll! The tomboy role suits her to the T, and post her performance and the imminent success of Enthiran/Robot, it looks like this one’s taken the cake. Neha Dhupia is decent and does the seventies sharmilee act with ease, without making the spoof look loud. Sudeepa Singh is decent in her short role. Randhir Kapoor looks comfortable with his role; in fact with it good to see him on screen. Om Puri and Kirron Kher are hilarious and they handle their roles, however caricature-like, powerfully, which makes it difficult for us to ignore them. Rajpal Yadav is okay – in fact, he’s not funny here, as there are lods of other performers who get the comic timing better off than him. Rannvijay Singh is efficient.

What doesn’t work here then? The first half is a tad slow, and quite a few inches of the pre-intermission reels try to develop the character. But no sooner than Kapoor’s character gets transported into the seventies, the laughs, the drama and the fun starts, the movie becomes a ride. The climax too could have been written differently, though there’s nothing wrong with the present climax anyway. Other than that, the minuses are difficult to find.

Overall, the movie turns out to be a highly enjoyable romantic comedy with top-notch performances and terrific execution. Akshay Kumar is finally back with a bang in this potentially successful collaboration with Shah. Worth the watch!
Akshay Kumar Profile
Aishwarya Rai  Profile
AISHWARYA RAI Childhood, Teenage And Marriage Photos

'Dabangg' - A Complete Review

Bollywood Movie 'Dabangg' Review

Salman Khan's much-awaited movie, 'Dabangg' hit the theatres across the world today. As usual, Salman is fantastic in the movie and there is no doubt that 'Dabangg' lived up to the expectations of his fans.

The fans and critics have given thumbs up to 'Dabangg'. Salman will be relieved man that 'Dabangg' is all set to leave a big impression at the box office.

The film has generated much curiosity across the country. Salman fans have lined up at cinema halls and theatres since this morning to see their star rocking in 'Dabangg'.

'Dabangg' is based on rustic language, actions, the lead character’s love-hate relationship with his step-father and half-brother, have been nicely presented. Of course, Bollywood film will appear dull void of masala, thus, Dabangg is an old wine but packed in a brand new bottle, with Salman Khan.

The story revolves around (Salman) Chulbul aka Robinhood Pandey, a cop in Lalganj, Uttar Pradesh, who gives criminals hell but ensures he stands to personally gain from it. Simply, he is a fearless but corrupt police officer with unorthodox working methods in a lawless land.

The character Chulbul has gone through a bitter childhood. He lives with his step-father after his father passed away. His mother [Dimple Kapadia] married Prajapati Pandey [Vinod Khanna]. Together, they had a son Makhanchan [Arbaaz Khan].

Audiences may be aware of the fact of step-father or step-mother, so this is natural for Chulbul to make detachment with them and but he is completely attached to his mother. Afterward, the attitude towards his steps was changed because of his mother.

The life gets turned after Rajo [Sonakshi Sinha] came into the cop's life. Chulbul starts to see life more positively with human emotions and sentiments and realizes the value of a family. But the climax to be best watched in the theatres to get involved into the movie.

The movie 'Dabangg' boasts of sweet and dancing songs portraying Malaika Arora Khan, though It is difficult to manage music in an action film. But Sajid-Wajid have come up with a melodious score with the title track, 'Tere mast mast do nain' and 'Munni Badnaam Hui' are being played everywhere.

Debutante director-writer Abhinav Kashyap has combined elements with a Bollywood flavor to make it more enjoyable and justifying the title of the move 'Dabangg' (Fearless). Mahesh Limaye's cinematography looks perfect accompanying the dialogues. Especially one dialogue, 'Itne chhed karunga' delivered by Salman is fantastic.

Finally Sonakshi Sinha looks fresh, acts so confidently that the pair's difference in age will never make a full stop for doing movies together again. She has brought all the freshness into the movie with her acting skill. Like Amitabh Bachchan in the character Vijay, Shah Rukh Khan in Raj, Salman Khan is fir into the name Chulbul Pandey with an absolute delight.

'Dabangg' Cast & Crew

 Director/ Writer: Abhinav Kashyap

Cast: Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Sonu Sood, Arbaaz Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Vinod Khanna

Our Rating: ***1/2
Salman Khan Profile
Sonakshi Sinha Profile

I Hate Luv Storys Review

BOLLYWOOD MOVIE I HATE LUV STORYS REVIEW

You will not hate this love story, a spoof on ace director Karan Johar from his own production house. Hats off to Karan for daring to produce a film that makes fun of his kind of cinema. Samir Soni steps into his shoes with great ease in the film.

Director Punit Malhotra takes a pot shot at everything - designer sets, boy meets girl sagas, actresses singing in chiffon saris in the Alps - that made directors like Karan, Aditya Chopra and Kunal Kohli a name to reckon with in the industry.

In terms of content, nothing is new. But the treatment is fresh, the backdrop is interesting and it's fun watching the romance brew between the lead pair Simran and Jay on the sets of a movie. Yes, the film is about the making of a love story where Simran works as an art designer and Jay as an assistant to highly successful director Vir Kapoor (Samir), known for his candy floss romantic sagas.

Imran Khan as Jay Dhingra and Sonam Kapoor as Simran fit the bill quite perfectly.

First time director Punit Malhotra proves his mettle by narrating a predictable story in such an interesting manner that you are hooked till the end.

A romantic by heart, Simran is contented with life. She is engaged to banker Raj, played by Sammir Dattani, and loves her job. But her life turns topsy turvy when the weird but funny, bratty but lovable Jay walks into her life as her assistant.

They have nothing in common. While Simran is highly disciplined, organised, professional and takes her work seriously, Jay is laid back and always late on the sets.

Yes, opposites attract here too, and they eventually fall in love.

The first half is pacy and director infuses enough energy in this otherwise predictable love story. But some scenes in the second half drag.

Another flaw in the film is that Imran is given too many dialogues to speak, but then he delivers them with just the right expressions. He suits the role of a spoilt brat perfectly and keeps tickling your funny bone. Especially when he breaks down like a girl while talking to his mom (Anju Mahendru) on phone.

Editing could have been better, but never mind.

In sum, the witty dialogues, on screen chemistry of the lead pair and performances of the supporting cast - Kavin Dave, Bruna Abdullah Aamir Ali and Pooja Ghai - make it a good watch.

Sonam may not have hits in her kitty so far, but this film should change things. In every scene, she complements Imran.

In terms of music, Vishal-Shekhar's pacy numbers add zing to the narrative and background music adds a nice flavour to this predictable love story.

I Hate Luv Storys proves that one can make good film without lavish sets, foreign locales and mega budgets. In short, a commendable effort by the first time director.

You may not be a great fan of candy floss cinema, but do watch I Hate Luv Storys... it's refreshing.

MILENGE MILENGE CAST&CREW, STILLS, VIDEOS, REVIEW, NEWS

BOLLYWOOD MOVIE MILENGE MILENGE CAST&CREW, STILLS, VIDEOS, REVIEW, NEWS

Release Date: Jul 9 2010
BOLLYWOOD MOVIE MILENGE MILENGE CREW
Director: Satish Kaushik
Producer: Boney Kapoor
Music Director: Himesh Reshammiya
Singers
Alka Yagnik
Jayesh Gandhi
Himesh Reshammiya
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
Sonu Nigam
Suzanne D Mello
Shreya Ghoshal

MILENGE MILENGE CAST
Shahid Kapoor as Amit
Kareena Kapoor as Priya
Aarti Chhabria
Delnaaz Paul as Honey
Satish Shah
Kiron Kher
Himani Shivpuri
Satish Kaushik
Sarfaraz Khan

MILENGE MILENGE PHOTO GALLERY,STILLS

BOLLYWOOD MOVIE 'MILENGE MILENGE' VIDEOS


Kuch To Baaki Hai [song trailer] - Milenge Milenge
The super popular Jab We Met pair is going to hit the screen together again! Apparently this movie was supposed to release long back, in-fact mush before Jab We Met. Due to several reasons Milenge Milenge was post-pounded. And now the ex-lovers Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor are back with this movie. If the grapevine is to believed, their break-up was one of the reasons of the movies abrupt halt. The two actors sometime back have said to have completed the dubbing separately. Planned to be a 2005 release, Milenge Milenge will now hit the screens this December. The movie revolves around boy and girl. Both falls in love but realization dawns on both that they are poles apart to each other.BOLLYWOOD NOVIE 'MILENGE MILENGE ' REVIEW
Satish Kaushik's Milenge Milenge has Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapur in lead. The movie is produced by Boney Kapoor.

Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? Bollywood Movie is entertaining

FIRST CUT: Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? is entertaining
It's all about loving your elderly guests

Warner Bros production Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? is based on Sharad Joshi's novel Tum Kab Jaoge Atithi. While going to watch this film, do remember that it is not a madhouse comedy like Priyadarshan's or David Dhawan's. It takes you there slowly and subtly, bringing home the message.

Puneet (Ajay Devgan) is a scriptwriter who's landed a big film project. He has an interior designer wife, Munmun (Konkona Sen Sharma) and a little son.

Life is pretty much routine for them until a relative arrives one day from Gorakhpur, calling himself Chachaji (Paresh Rawal). While friends and neighbours are irritated with guests at home, Puneet and Munmun actually welcome their new arrival.

But right from the moment he enters the building complex, Chachaji causes havoc with his old-fashioned and some very weird and annoying ways. Soon, Puneet and Munmun start looking for ways to get rid of him, but to no avail. This old worldly and simple uncle just doesn't seem to get the hint.

The first half of the film goes in establishing all this, and does a pretty good job of it. There are twists and turns in the second half, all tackled with the help of comic situations.

What scores is that the film does not have slapstick or in-your-face comedy. It is just about loving and accepting your guest, the way he or she is - taking the good things from them and ignoring the bad. However, thefilm does not say whether one should accept and endure guests who are not relatives of the hosts. That could be a different story altogether.

Paresh Rawal is the rockstar in Atithi.... Here is one character actor for whom people flock to the box office.

It looks like Ajay Devgan would continue his successful spree after 2009's All the Best, although London Dreams didn't do that well. The actor is in full form in the scene where he confesses he wouldn't even have tolerated his dad as a guest for more than four days, and that his son would do the same.

Konkona Sen Sharma is a natural as the modern, working wife, mother and daughter-in-law. She looks pretty, too, and adds a freshness to the film.

It's an exciting week for Satish Kaushik, with two films releasing on the same day. He convincingly plays the film producer in Atithi..., as well as the mechanic in Studio18's Road, Movie. The beginning of a good year for the lovable 'Calendar' from Mr. India - who is more successful as an actor than a director.

Writer-director Ashwani Dheer's Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? almost reminds you of Karan Johar's 'It's all about loving your family' punch in his films - although in the message, not the treatment. But Atithi... is a good eye-opener for today's youngsters who lead a fast life just like Puneet and Munmun, and have no time even for parents. And never does thefilm get boring or sermonic.

But remember, it's not a laugh riot, but displays comedy with the help of dialogues, situations, and parodies (like Beedi Jalailey becomes prayer song Jyoti Jalailey).

Verdict: All in all, Atithi... is a family film, and seems like a best bet this week to watch with one's family, as compared to the other films.

Rating: Good.

Karthik Calling Karthik Bollywood Movie Review

Have you ever received a call from yourself? Is it possible in the first place? There are several theories doing the rounds about the two Karthiks in this movie. So what is it? Is Karthik hallucinating? Does he have a double role? Or a split personality? For most parts of the film, you actually buy the explanation that Karthik does receive calls from, well, Karthik.

Let's accept the fact that a concept like this instinctively generates curiosity in the film. But the real test is to make the story work in those 2 hours. Also - this is vital - the identity of the caller should come as a jolt when the film concludes. Karthik Calling Karthik works in parts, but during the penultimate part, when the story shifts from Mumbai to Kerala, the sand castle, so beautifully built by debutante director Vijay Lalwani, gets washed away.

One doesn't want to challenge the behavioural patterns of a person with a certain disorder, but when it comes to the big screen, when you are narrating a story on celluloid, you need to do a lot of spoon-feeding and make it look convincing. In this case, unfortunately, the finale is just not convincing and therefore, acts as a spoilsport.

Meet Karthik [Farhan Akhtar], an introvert by nature and shy by choice. Karthik suffers with huge confidence issues and is miserable at his average job that yields less than average results. His boss [Ram Kapoor] treats him like dirt. Shonali [Deepika Padukone], his colleague, who he secretly loves, doesn't even know that he exists. Karthik is a loser. He knows it. He accepts it.

Suddenly, one night, the phone rings. And Karthik speaks to someone he never thought he would. He speaks to a man who also claims to be Karthik. The man on the phone says he's here to change Karthik's life. Karthik accepts the phone in his life and soon it becomes his guide, his mentor, his friend, his guardian.

Karthik Calling Karthik is a love story as also a suspense fare that teases your mind. Any love story works if the chemistry and also the moments between the on-screen lovers looks real and the chemistry between Farhan and Deepika works well.

Correspondingly, a suspense film works if the viewer keeps guessing what the culmination to the story would be. The mystery only deepens when not only Karthik, but also his girlfriend and psychiatrist are engulfed in this storm. All hell breaks loose when Karthik's life goes upside down and Karthik is back to square one. But from this point onwards, the graph of the film only goes downwards.

Debutante director Vijay Lalwani knows his job well, but he's letdown by his own writing. The second hour not only looks stretched [two songs flow one after the other, with the story coming to a grinding halt], but the pace also gets excruciatingly slow at this juncture. The climax, as mentioned earlier, is a complete downer.

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's musical score is an asset. The film has some lilting tunes. Cinematography [Sanu John Varughese] is perfect. Dialogues are simple mostly and at times, very witty.

This is Farhan Akhtar's third film as an actor and it must be said that he takes giant strides when it comes to acting. The story throws several challenges at him and fortunately, he emerges trumps in the most difficult moments. This is, by far, his best work.

Deepika Padukone looks bewitching and acts natural throughout. Ram Kapoor is fantastic. Why don't we see him so frequently on the big screen? Shifaali Shah is excellent. Vivan Bhatena is good. Tarana, Vipin Sharma and Yatin Karyekar are serviceable.

On the whole, Karthik Calling Karthik is a decent product with an unconvincing conclusion. Watch it for the wonderful performances of Farhan and Deepika, if you have to. Caters to the youth in metros mainly.

Pyaar Impossible Movie Review

Review : Pyaar Impossible

At one point in Pyaar Impossible, Alisha, a hottie played by Priyanka Chopra asks major geek Abhay, played by Uday Chopra, "Tumhe lagta hai ki log ek doosre ko sirf khoobsurti ki wajah se chahte hain?" That's really shallow.

She could have been talking about the film. Pyaar Impossible is one of those superbly shallow films that manages to offend you on every level - as a viewer, as a woman, as a mother. This Notting Hill-style rom-com is singularly charmless and absolutely impossible.

Pyaar Impossible is a vehicle for Uday Chopra who has also written and produced the film. Uday has cast himself as a lovable geek who recognises his limitations.

In one scene he even says, "Main koi prince charming toh nahin hun." Which is why the college queen Alisha is barely aware of his existence. He saves her life but she doesn't know what he looks like.

They meet seven years later in Singapore. She is now a divorced working mother - a fact she repeats again and again. And her six-year-old daughter Tanya is the most demonic child seen on screen since Damien terrorised us in The Omen.

Somehow, Abhay ends up as Tanya's nanny. In one of the script's many absurd moments, Alisha leaves her daughter with a male nanny whom she has never met.

Before you know it, Tanya is trying to set up her nanny with her mom. She has a sleep over at a friends house so mom and nanny can bond. The next day she even asks Abhay, "Give me the goss."

If this was my daughter, I would donate her to charity. Together Tanya and nanny also foil the rival, Varun, played by Dino Morea, who incidentally has also stolen's Abhay's revolutionary new software program.

If the plot description sounds convoluted, imagine what the film is like.

Director Jugal Hansraj stretches out this limp tale over two and a half hours. The film's message is just as garbled as the plot.

In one scene, Abhay demonstrates to Alisha that ugly people can't find love. So, he makes her unattractive and takes her to several bars. And she is so shocked to find that the boys aren't interested in her ugly avtaar that she starts to weep.

For most of the film though, Priyanka looks like a million bucks - it seems like Jugal and Uday have spent more time on her styling than the script. But for reasons unknown, she acts like a hyper teenager.

Uday plays the nerd with absolute sincerity but it's hard to summon up any affection for him. And Dino seems to have decided that expression is a waste of time. His face just stays blank.

Pyaar Impossible is depressingly dim-witted.

Rising to the big challenge

The Maa in Paa

Playing mom to a 13-year-old boy with a special condition wasn't easy for Vidya Balan. But she managed to pull it off, says harshikaa udasi

P laying a 20-something mother to a 60-something may not be a very regular idea, we reckon. But Vidya Balan has done it by taking the enviable position of yesteryear actresses Nirupa Roy, Rakhi and Waheeda Rehman, to count a few, who have played onscreen mothers to the legendary Amitabh Bachchan. “The first reaction when I heard out Balki narrating Paa was ‘Wow'! It was difficult to imagine and, honestly, I was quite apprehensive when he gave me the gist of the story,” says the actor.

There were a hundred niggling doubts, she explains. “Sometimes vanity takes over and I must confess I was worried about playing a mother, more so to a 13-year-old boy with a special condition. With a small child or infant, motherly instincts are naturally aroused when you cuddle the child, but with an older kid it's different. Then there was the thing about the kid being Mr. Amitabh Bachchan. One can't be unnatural with a child and pretend to share a comfort level. I thought with any other child I could raise my voice or pat him on the back with love. I wasn't sure if with a towering personality like his, both physically and metaphorically, I would be able to do it,” says Vidya.

But once Vidya's brother-in-law, also her biggest critic, convinced her about letting the actor's instinct score over every other apprehension, she wanted director Balki to give her a joint reading with her ‘son' in character to test the water. “When I came to the studio and saw Auro, there was no Mr. Bachchan there. And this was not just about make-up. His voice, his mannerisms and, of course, his look had totally changed,” she says. Needless to say, there was no joint reading. Vidya is full of praise for her director. “Balki should actually have been named conviction. He is effortless but very certain. On the sets there is no autocratic behaviour.

He has that special quality to make real life cinema while balancing it out fantastically with larger-than-life elements.” She is certain that her role as Vidya in Paa, a gynaecologist married to a politician, won't be stunted by the presence of the real life father-son duo, Amitabh and Abhishek. “If I had doubts about that, I wouldn't have accepted this role. I have no qualms about the size or the spotlight my role gets if I am sure of the story and what I am doing in the film,” she adds.

After Paa's release this week, Vidya will be seen in a diametrically opposite role of a ‘bad girl' next month in Ishqiya which is produced by Vishal Bharadwaj. She's expected to break her sweet damsel image with this film where her character has some intimate scenes and spews foul language. That must've been difficult for her? “Actually I've enjoyed playing a bad girl in the film,” she laughs. “She is a woman who knows her mind. As for what the character does, if as an actor I feel it is justified, then there's no big deal. This woman hails from a belt where foul language is normal speak; it isn't even seen as an aberration. In such a context, if I were to insist on good language it would seem out of place. The same goes for the intimate scenes I have done. They are essential to the script,” she explains. While she awaits her next big project in the New Year, Vidya is keeping her fingers crossed for what, she believes, are two of her most challenging roles till date.

Watch Paa Online Free Hindi Movie Full Video Trailer Review

Read paa Bollywood Movie Review. Cast And Crew

paa Bollywood Movie Review

In Bollywood, a lot of emphasise is given to clothing& accessories, like in case of movie named Paa by R Balakrishnan. In this movie Abhishek Bachchan is going to play a politician’s role, so in the major part of the movie, he is shown wearing white kurta-pajama just like the way politicians look like.
R Balakrishnan told “Paresh Rawal would play the role of father to Abhishek & Ab baby is playing role of a young politician whose thinking is very forward, he actually follows of Paresh Rawal’s footsteps.”
As typical politicians wear white kurta pajamas, so Abhishek have to mainly wear only these, so that clothing need to be clear, spotless & bright, for this the director had ordered 10pairs of similar lookingkurta-pajamas for Abhishek. But interesting news is this, that in the very last part of the movie, Abhishek would be seen with 30 costume changes!
It’s really an interesting angle in this movie, on the part of costumes, this would surely be the requirement of the movie because Abhishek told this.

The entire story of ‘Paa’ revolves around a 13-year-old boy, Auro (played by Amitabh Bachchan), who is inflicted with an extremely rare and progressive genetic defect. He suffers from a progeria-like syndrome, which causes accelerated ageing. Although emotionally and mentally Auro is a 13 year old boy in every aspect, his outward appearance makes him look 5 times older. But despite this condition, he is a very happy child, who is very attached with his family. His father Amol Arte (Abhisekh Bachchan), is a young, idealistic and very progressive politician and mother (Vidya Balan), a gynecologist. The entire movie deals with the emotional turmoil that Auro’s parents go through

‘Paa’ dwells on a unique father-son relationship, which has never been seen on-screen before. The manner in which the characters play the amazing and unique roles is really mind-blowing. The film deals with human emotions and sentiments at different levels, with the genetic ailment as the back-drop. How will Amol deal with such a difficult and sensitive issue? Will Auro ever be able to lead a normal and independent life? Learn the answer to all your queries by watching this amazing and heart-warming movie ‘Paa’, releasing on the 4th of December, 2009

Auro (Amitabh Bachchan) is an intelligent, witty 13 yr old boy with an extremely rare genetic defect that causes accelerated ageing.

He suffers from a progeria like syndrome. Mentally he is 13, very normal, but physically he looks 5 times older. In spite of his condition, Auro is a very happy boy. He lives with his mother Vidya (Vidya Balan), who is a gynaecologist.

Amol Arte (Abhishek Bachchan), is young, progressive and a full of ideals, politician. He is out to prove to the world that ‘politics’ is not a bad word. He is a man with a mission. Auro is Amol’s son.

Paa is a ‘rare’ story about a father-son, son-father relationship.

Auro (Amitabh Bachchan) is an intelligent, witty 13 yr old boy with an extremely rare genetic defect that causes accelerated ageing.

He suffers from a progeria like syndrome. Mentally he is 13, very normal, but physically he looks 5 times older. In spite of his condition, Auro is a very happy boy. He lives with his mother Vidya (Vidya Balan), who is a gynaecologist.

Amol Arte (Abhishek Bachchan), is young, progressive and a full of ideals, politician. He is out to prove to the world that ‘politics’ is not a bad word. He is a man with a mission. Auro is Amol’s son.

Paa is a ‘rare’ story about a father-son, son-father relationship.

Genre: Family, Drama
Director: R Balakrishnan
Producer: Sunil Manchanda
Banner: AB Corps
Music Director: Illaiyaraja
Star Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Paresh Rawal, Arundhati Naag

Release Date: December 4, 2009

Bollywood Movie ' Runway' Review

Runway (June 26, 2009)Review

Been there, seen that, moved on. RUNWAY doesn't have anything new to offer, it's a run of the mill action love story recited in the

The problem is, RUNWAY is handicapped by poor direction [Suniel - Praful]. Besides, the screenplay is too weak since the story wastes valuable time in ineffective emotions and scenes, whereas the encashable portions have been cut short. Especially the climax, which has been altered so severely that it gives an incomplete feeling. The beautiful locales of Mauritius too haven’t been explored completely.

Music by Shamir Tandon is dull, except the hit track 'Khuda Kay Liye', which is consistently repeated in the film.

Amarjeet is okay as an actor, but does well in action scenes. Tulip Joshi under-performs. Deepal Shaw is below average. Sharat Saxena has a minimal role. Shawar Ali puts on an act. Lucky Ali is adequate.

On the whole, RUNWAY is saddled with a weak script and therefore, has limited chances.

Bollywood Movie 'NEW YORK' Review

Bollywood Movie 'NEW YORK' Review

Rating: ****

Myth: New York is about 9/11.
Fact: It's not. But it reflects the mood that's prevalent across the globe, post 9/11. The world is divided today. No two opinions on that!

Myth: New York bears a striking similarity to KHUDA KAY LIYE.
Fact: Nope. KHUDA KAY LIYE and New York may belong to the same family, of an innocent person being picked up for questioning after the WTC catastrophe, but the similarities end there. In fact, KHUDA KAY LIYE and New York are as diverse as chalk and cheese.


New York, helmed by Kabir Khan, attempts to be as real as possible. A tale of friendship, with terrorism as the wallpaper, New York hits you like a ton of bricks at several points in the narrative. In fact, there was a possibility that New York may turn out to be a dry experience, a documentary perhaps, but the drama is so well structured and so gripping that you get sucked into the world of Sam, Omar and Maya from its inception.

New York is a triumph for Kabir Khan, who deserves distinction marks for handling the subject with remarkable maturity. Also, this film should be a turning point for John, Katrina and Neil. More on that later...


The verdict? New York is, without doubt, one of the finest films produced by this premier production house, Yash Raj. Grab a ticket today!

Omar (Neil Nitin Mukesh) has gone abroad for the first time in his life and soon enough, he begins to see and love America through the eyes of his American friends, Sam (John Abraham) and Maya (Katrina Kaif). But an incident changes the world round them.

At this point enters Agent Roshan (Irrfan), an FBI agent, who sets the ball rolling for a series of tumultuous events that turn the lives of these friends upside down.

New York affects you like no other Hindi film has done so far (on 9/11). In fact, there are portions that give you goose bumps, especially towards the second half of the film, when John recounts his past.

One of the reasons why New York works is because not once does Kabir Khan borrow from the past or tilt towards predictable stuff. You just can't guess what and where the story is headed and what the culmination would be.

The director and his team of writers establish the plot and characters beautifully, but the real action is reserved for the second half. The nightmarish experience that John undergoes is disturbing, but lifts the film several notches up.

But New York has its share of loose ends. The film dips in the second hour. It tends to gets lengthy before it reaches a powerful, brilliantly executed climax. Also, a few sequences only add to the length of the film, which could've been curtailed in the writing stage itself.

Director Kabir Khan picks up a real incident -- innocent civilians being suspected as terrorists, soon after 9/11 -- and weaves a brilliant tale around it. The screenplay is its biggest star, without a doubt. Given the fact that New York isn't one of those routine masala fares, Kabir has injected songs only when required. Cinematography is striking.

Now here's another surprise. John, Katrina and Neil, all actors, deliver their career-best performance. If the first half belongs to Neil, John takes over the second hour completely. John is superb when he recalls the past.

You can feel his pain, that effective is his performance. Also, note his expressions towards the end. This is a different John, for sure. Just one word for his performance -- fabulous!

Neil was remarkable in JOHNNY GADDAAR, but disappointed in AA DEKHEN ZARA. Fortunately, he's in top form this time around. Katrina gives you the biggest surprise.

Known for her glamour roles, Katrina proves that she can deliver if the director and writer offer her a role of substance. She's outstanding. In fact, people will see a new, different Katrina this time. Irrfan is, as always, first-rate.

On the whole, New York is amongst the finest films produced by Yash Raj. At the box office, there's no stopping this one. Go for it now!