Gully Boy : Film Review

GullyBoy is a Rap/HipHop Musical. In country where every film is a musical, that GullyBoy still manages to own that stamp is a testament to the quality of music in the movie, how integral to the plot line it is and how it moves the story along. The story of GullyBoy is essentially the story of the underdog - abd as with all such stories, you know the protagonist is going to triumph over his circumstance and emerge victorious. What essentially sets GullyBoy apart is the world the film is set in : We are more used to seeing the Alps of Switzerland in our films and the trials and tribulations of the ultra-rich than the grittiness abd the darkness in the lives of those that live on the fringes of our lives. The limited ambitions, the life of playing with the law, the dead end road ahead that everybody believes you should have based on your address- Music emerging from these gritty environs is raw, and it hits a chord. The form of music : Rap and Hio Hop are relatively new to the Indian mainstream audience, and GullyBoy ensures we walk away being fans of this genre of music. Ranveer and Alia , the lead couple are predictably good- these are both good actors who know how to get under the skin of a character. Obviously as the title character, Ranveer has much more to do. From a tentative young boy who listens to music to escape his circumstance, a boy who is more a passive observer in his own life, to somebody who gets the courage to stand up for his mother and then for his dreams, Ranveer plays Murad with a vulnerability and sensitivity, that is still rare to see in a main-stream star. Alia’s character as the neurotic but supportive girlfriend has screentime, but little to do in terms of movie the story forward. However it is her milieu - middle to upper middle class muslim family - conservative enough to require a headscarf abd yet modern enough to educate their daughter to be a doctor that I found fascinating and oh so real. I have knows girls like Safina personally and their Hunger to build something of their lives, even when the environment isn’t entirely supportive is something I have experienced and admired. Both Murad and Safina’s characters live in a cage of their current circumstance - but both don’t believe their circumstance defines them - they dream of different lives and are determined - as Ranveer says to ‘change their reality so it matches their dreams’. This is what connects them inspite of their different economic backgrounds. The movie however belongs to the vast array of spectacular supporting characters - the friend who is a carjacker, the rapper who teaches Ranveer to rap, the father who marries again and who believes Murad should be focussed on reality not dreaming of a life that has no future..these characters add the texture to the story and make it worth watching. Overall, this film deserves a 4/5
Disclaimer : The one odd friend has cursed me as they watched the film after reading my review but hated the movie because they couldn’t handle the Hip-Hop. READ THE REVIEW : The first line says it’s a HIP-HOP Musical : 18 tracks to be precise. Would you watch ‘Dhoni’ the film, if you dislike cricket and hate Dhoni ?’ Same rule applies here.

Manikarnika Film Review

#ManikarnikaReview
This review is a week late, and truth be told, it almost never got written, as I almost never saw the film. The controversy around Kangana’s incendiary comments and the mud slinging on all sides that have come to define the lady kept me away from the hall. Besides, what is new to see in a story we all know so well. ? 
Ajit decided he wanted to watch the film and so we all went. The first pleasant surprise that 8 days on, the movie hall was still relatively packed.....which removed my initial apprehensions. Post Bahubali, Bollywood filmmaker’s are all jumping on the Indian Mythology/History marries superhero films format. Manikarnika falls squarely in that genre, adding an extra level of predictability by depicting a story we all think we know ‘woh Khoob ladi mardani’ . This is a very hard film to pull off and it is to Kangana’s credit that the film is eminently watchable, inspire of being completely predictable. Female superhero’s are still a novelty outside of the Marvel and DC universe, so it is still fascinating to see Kangana pull off looking deeply credible in an incredulous role. Remember that women doing superhero roles walk a much tighter fine line : they need to look appealing and feminine even as they portray warrior like characters. In addition, they lack the benefit of physicality that their Male counterparts enjoy : they cannot bulk up and look muscular, so have fewer tools at their disposal to be superhero-like : facial expressions, dialogue, body stances. And I personally thought Kangana pulls it all off really really well. Yes the war scenes lack the grandeur of a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, or of Bahubali, and honestly the last 20-25 minutes are a bit of a drag, but all in all, Kangana had the star power, acting finesse and screen presence to keep me glued to watching her, and my inner feminist danced with joy listening to her rousing dialogue and see her mobilise her kingdom. Yes the film is all about Kangana without much role or screen time to the supporting cast, but isn’t that how it is in any film where the protagonist is larger than life ?. As I walked out of the hall, what stayed with me was the striking similarity between Kangana the actor and the role she has portrayed with outstanding finesse : a lone warrior taking on the powers that be, who are out to get her, to defeat her and see her fall. Fall she did in the movie, and fall she might too in real life , but nobody will be left in doubt that this lady is a fighter. I give the movie a 3 : totally worth your popcorn once. See it if you like Kangana and like superhero films, you won’t be disappointed.
PS. A special word for the stunning costumes.

2 Feb 2019, 20:32

Uri Film Review

I am truly conflicted about URI the movie on a couple of accounts. On the one hand, it is a very good film that has a lot going for it. On the other hand, the corruption of the medium of movies to portray the not-so subtle propaganda about the current government, as also the blurred line between fact and fiction in a film that is supposed to be 'based on true events', is something I am struggling to come to terms with. So lets separate the two and deal with them separately. There are a few plot spoilers below, so you want to stop reading here, if you care for the element of surprise in a film. 
As a film, Uri is truly a good watch. Based broadly on a one line factual premise of a retaliatory surgical strike conducted by India across the POC in September 2016, the movie is built around a fictional protagonist (Vicky Kaushal) and his journey as leader of the squad that accomplishes the mission. There are several things going for the movie : Vicky Kaushal is just a treat to watch: he brings emotional depth, passion, and strength in equal measure and makes you care for him and root for him. The portrayal of the matter of fact patriotism in Armed Forces families : where every male in the family - the father, the son, the son-in law- all choose to serve the nation, irrespective of the deeply difficult way of life and the obvious risks involved is something that moved me personally. These are people who breathe India in their every breath and do not expect accolades for it. And each of us civilians needs to recognise and be infinitely grateful for this.The army scenes are authentic looking and that adds significantly to the credibility of the film. Finally, the absence of a romantic track between Vicky and either of the two women - who are also shown to be competent professionals is honestly refreshing. The downsides of the film are the predictable screenplay : you know - based on the flow of the story - who is going to die, and who is going to emerge victorious. And while the personal angle to why Vicky chooses to participate in the surgical strike adds drama and emotion to the film, it also -in my mind - reduces the 'purity of intent' for the protagonist - he is not there to just protect his country, but also to avenge the death of a loved one. Overall, as a film, this one is a few notches below Raazi and deserves a 3.5/5. 
Now onto the complicated questions surrounding the film- these are important to address as the other film running in theatres right now is "The Accidental PM' - which - without watching, one can assume is a propaganda film against the opposition. Also I have heard of a film on Modi being greenlighted recently. Those films are obvious in their propaganda so, one ends up deciding upfront whether to consume those films or not. In Uri - the propaganda is more subtle, but it is there. The PM is shown as having a key role in ensuring Vicky doesnt leave the army, and the message throughout is not only that Modi is a competent leader but that this is a 'New India' : more 'assertive', more 'masculine' if you may. It is important to remember that so many military operations remain permanently covert - and rightly so - and hence, to say that India is more 'assertive' now, because publicity is being thrown on one military event now, is a false comparison. Then there is the whole idea that this 'New India' where this assertive masculinity is the norm, is actually a good thing. The entire Hindutva philosophy gains its strength from this, and I know several people whose primary motive to support the ruling party emerges from this deep, visceral sense of 'We are an aggresive assertive people and finally, there is a party that channels that.' Let me clarify, this masculine paradigm is absolutely in tune with the context of the specific situation shown in the movie, but tying a rightful military retaliation to a subtext of a 'New India' is propaganda. Period. Having said that, the claps the movie recieved in the hall indicates that -those of us who think that a military movie should not be a propaganda vehicle for the government in a election year are a minority. 
Finally the bit of parsing fact from fiction in a movie that is supposedly based on a true story. From whatever research I could find - this movie is essentially a mostly fictional account of a 4 line news article. Yes the writer researched the Surgical strike, but due to obvious reasons of military confidentiality, has fictionalised much of it. The primary characters are all entirely fictional, their motivations are fictional, the build up is fictional, how the operation was conducted is mostly fictional, and ofcourse the role of politicians is fictional too. Now this wouldnt be a problem if this was presented to us a fictional story (say like the Hritik film Lakshya was - which used the background of Kargill to tell a fictional tale) , but it does become problematic if it is sold to us as 'based on a true story'. 
If you consider all the above, the movie then gets a 2.5/5 - one star taken away for the misleading intent.

#UriReview #FilmReviews

13 Jan 2019, 13:11

Simba Movie Review

There is a pitch and pace to a masala potboiler, that makes it worth watching, inspite of that often repeated storyline and a screenplay full of predictable cliches. It is extremely hard to get that shrill pitch and breakneck pace just right, which is why, more often than not, these masala potboilers fall flat. Luckily, Simmba manages, for the most part, both to get the pitch and pace just right, atleast for the 1st half. The 2nd half flags due to the inevitable injection of drama, and truth be told, the court drama is a tad boring and not very watchable. Luckily, it occupies only some parts of the 2nd half. 
Ranveer has claimed that his dream was to be a main stream Hindi film Hero, devoid of pretense, and doing what bollywood, but in recent times, Tollywood films, do best. He owns Simmba like few actors can, making you laugh, whistle, sing and dance with him, and reinventing this oft-told genre with his own personal stamp. He occupies every single frame and does it with a whistle inducing panache that is truly praiseworthy. Sara Ali Khan, is completely expendable in the film and the film might have been more taut and more watchable, without her track. Overall, go and watch if you like the Rohit Shetty brand of films, esp the ones now monopolised by the heroes of southern films like Vijay and Surya. I like that sort of film, so I give SIMMBA a 3/5.
#MovieReview #SIMMBAREVIEW

29 Dec 2018, 23:02

Mulk : Movie Review

'Mulk' is a politically correct movie -that caters to, as my right leaning friends would say 'The liberal elites.' Set in soul of Hindu India -Benaras - its ticks all the right boxes : Muslim family well integrated in a Hindu majority neighbourhood, hindu daughter-in-law well loved in Muslim household, encounter cop who is a muslim. Using this background, it tries to take on head on the common themes against muslims, one hears in drawing rooms , whatsapp chats and in 'morchas' across the country : that 'they' all owe allegience to pakistan, that every muslim with a beard is an extremist, that 'they' are not well educated and have too many children, because, ofcourse, 'they' are allowed too many wives. 

Noble though its intent may be, a subtle polarising topic is dealt with the subtlety and finesse of a sledgehammer. With over half the film a pure court room drama with long drawn monologues, the screenplay is rather lazy. And by trying to make too many point, the premise it is trying to prove : that just because of a few fringe elements, all muslims cannot be banded as terrorists is somewhat lost. 

In fact by showing ONLY the protagonist (Rishi Kapoor) and his family as good inclusive muslims (every other muslim except the muslim cop is shown to sympathize with the terrorist cause ), it in some ways, does the opposite of what it sets out to do. What is shown really well though is how quickly decades long relationships fray when religion comes in the way, and how often, families of terrorists are the biggest victims. 

Overall a 2.5. This was a great topic to make a movie on and it has some very fine actors donning the key roles. However, a lazy screenplay killed a potentially great movie. This is still a one time watch for the politically minded as it attempts to deal with one of the major issues that polarises people today.

Sanju: Movie Review

Raj Kumar Hirani is arguably one of India’s most powerful filmmakers. Hardly prolific, he has made only 5 films (including Sanju) in the last 15-17 years, each of them blockbusters. All his movies have a decidedly moral core, communicated with warmth and humor. It was therefore, a little bit surprising that he would risk his squeaky clean reputation to put his weight behind a decidedly grey protagonist –Sanjay Dutt. 
The primary material for the film, as revealed by Hirani in an interview – is a series of audio recordings of Sanjay’s Dutt’s life – anecdotes narrated by Sanjay himself to Raju and his writing partner Abhijat. This, plus the fact that Raju must have felt the need to respect Sanjay’s confidence in him, means that the movie, while not giving Sanjay a free pass (Sanjy is shown as badly behaved, violent, callous, womanizing and thin skinned ) is still a kind, humane take on Sanjay’s life, One that presents his side of his story, his perspective, where all his actions even if not pardonable, are certainly shown to be understandable. 

While the decision to make a movie, and therefore, in many ways glamorize, a life full of poor choices is questionable, it cannot be denied, that ‘Sanju’ the movie is absolutely incredible, one that leaves you laughing, crying, and going along with Sanju for the ride. 

There were many things about the movie that truly impressed me. First, the clean unmessy script that focuses on only two events from Dutt’s life keeps the firm engaging, meaty, and yet – clean. Second, the decision to use fictional amalgamations of people, instead of cluttering the story with too many characters, is a bit of a gamble in a biography as it can detract from the story’s authenticity, but here it really sharpens the screenplay. Winnie (Anushka Sharma)’s character trajectory from skepticism to disbelief, to reluctance, to curiosity and eventually to empathy represents not just Hirani and Abhijat’s own spirit, but also that of the lay person- us.’ Zubin – the bad friend who leads Sanjay astray – is a physical repsentation of all the bad company Sanjay was known to keep, and Kamli – a combination of all his good friends who stood by Sanjay Dutt during his tough times. Ruby again is an amalgamation of several of the women he dated and treated badly. Third, relationship between Sunil and Sanjay Dutt is truly the back-bone of the movie, and in many ways, this movie seems like an ode of gratitude from an errant son to his stellar father. Seen from Sanju’s eyes, Sunil Dutt represents both the bar he finds himself falling short of again and again, and the seal of validation he constantly seeks. It is a complex nuanced relationship, one that for me is the highlight of the film. Finally, Ranbir Kapoor as Sanjay Dutt, is probably one of the the finest movie performances by any actor – Indian or international – that one has seen in recent memory. Ranbir transforms himself so so completely, - we have to keep reminding ourself this is not Sanjay playing himself!!. 

Overall, a great movie worth one watch, but one that should be watched keeping in mind that the protagonist is not a victim, but a privileged movie star kid who made bad choices was rightfully punished for it. As a movie, as a story, Sanju deserves a 4/5, but Raju Hirani might have damaged his squeaky reputation somewhat, by choosing, as his subject, Sanjay Dutt.

Raazi : Film Review

Raazi Movie Review 
First off a confession. I am biased towards movies with strong female protagonists. So those not sharing my bias should deduct a few points off my rating !! 
Raazi is a fictionalised and dramatised account of a true premise - A Kashmiri girl gets married into a Pakistani Army family in order to spy for India and she provides crucial intelligence which helps India win the 1971 war against Pakistan. 
There are several things going for Raazi : the premise / plot line itself is fascinating, almost incredulous, proving yet again that life indeed is stranger than fiction. Unlike in Hollywood, There have been very few movies made about India’s surveillance and intelligence - ones that show the brilliance, the courage and the patriotism of Indian spies- that in itself makes this movie unique. There is that almost pitch perfect mix of being a spy thriller along with being a human story about vulnerable people- there are no superhero’s and there are no villains. Then there is treatment of characters - each one lovingly etched out , without resorting to caricature. There is subtle patriotism - patriotism is a given here - no fancy dialogues or long monologues. The director also avoids falling into the usual Bollywood trap of depicting Pakistanis as evil or stupid - these are all warm caring patriotic men and women Finally there is the sensitive depiction of the cost espionage extracts - in terms of not just innocent unsuspecting lives, but the lasting damage it leaves on the psyche of those doing the spying. But what makes the movie so damn brilliant is it’s casting - Alia bhat is so good as Sehmat - she sucks you into her character and you are sitting at the edge of your seat, biting your nails and praying she doesn’t get caught - and taking her emotional journeys with her. But a film like this is made by its character actors - be it Vicky Kaushal as her husband, Jaideep Ahlawat as the spy who trains Alia, Rajit Kapoor as the father who puts up his daughter to spy for India or Arif Zakaria - the faithful servant of the Pakistani family, the casting is absolutely perfect. This is a movie you walk out of, not just feeling super proud to be an Indian , but also really small and grateful - there are thousands of spies - anonymous soldiers who put their lives at risk every single day - and who can never get recognised or awarded for the work they do - so that people like us can wake up, go to work, eat in restaurants, go watch a film and speak our minds. Our freedom is possible, because these people willingly give up theirs. Salute to them! Rating 4.5/5!

Omerta : Film Review

There is a scene in Omerta, where the protagonist, Omar Sayeed Sheikh is shown beheading Daniel Pearl - the Wall Street Journalist abducted and killed in Karachi, in 2002. It is a chilling scene- with the focus entirely on Omar(Rajkumar Rao)'s face, with him going about the operation like a surgeon at an operating table - clinical, focussed, unemotional. You hear the knife at work, over a laborious few seconds, cutting through, what you presume is flesh, and you flinch, and then you hear a sound of a guzzling, flowing fluid. You flinch again, knowing fully well what it is. At the end of the scene, Omar wipes his specs off and has a smile that indicates a job well accomplished. This is one of the most hair raising scenes in Hindi film in recent times, and try as I may, it stays with me almost 18 hours later. There is only one problem with this scene though – it is fictional. 

Omerta (Italian for ‘code of silence amongst criminals’) is a movie about the rise and criminal works of Omar Sayeed Sheikh. Who is Omar, you might ask. I did – for sure. Some news reports suggest that the kidnapper of Daniel Pearl may have had a hand in a bunch of terrorist activities from the Kandahar highjacking, to 9/11 to the Parliament attacks in India. However, hard evidence implicates him in two events-the kidnapping of British and American tourists in Delhi in 1994 and the kidnapping of Daniel Pearl. Some funding for one of the 9/11 Hijackers has been traced to Omar, and a couple of calls post 26/11 to Indian agencies, have been pinned on him, but around his involvement in the other nefarious deeds, there is only Omerta (silence). Why a director takes fascination for a subject is always his creative prerogative, but to make a film based on a real person, on whom real material available is at best slim, is walking a very slippery slope. Now, Hansal Mehta and Rajkumar Rao know how to create riveting big screen films that deal with dark topics, So Omerta is not boring, and one is glued to the film, in spite its patchy screenplay or its documentary style story telling – with real news excerpts interspersed with the story. 
This is where my problem with the movie lies. It’s style of story-telling, its need to stick to ‘facts’ available on Wikipedia, make one believe that the movie is based on facts. However, the truth is that the movie is a mix of fact and fiction. Since most people wont separate fact from fiction, you walk away with a slightly distorted picture about not just Omar Sheikh, but Islam in general. 

For instance: Was Omar a British National? Yes. Did the Mullah of his family’s mosque in UK consider him a ‘Son of God’ because he was a Jihadi? – there is no evidence to support that. Did Omar plan and execute the kidnapping of Daniel Pearl? Yes. Did he personally slaughter him? No. In fact, there is now evidence that this gruesome act was done by an Arabic jihadi now in American custody. Because available, usable material on Omar is so slim, the director tries to fill in the gaps by dramatising one line news articles and by mixing fact and fiction. I had other issues with the film – for example, every Muslim shown in the film is either a tacit or active supporter of Islamic terror. Not only is this a very dangerous, broad brushstroke- in this specific case, it is also factually incorrect.

Omar’s primary claim to global infamy was the planning and execution of Daniel Pearl’s kidnapping. That topic however has been filmed several times already and for those with an interest in that topic, I recommend a documentary I stumbled upon – ‘The Journalist and the Jihadi’, which has a voice-over by Christiane Amanpour and one that plots the life trajectory of both Daniel Pearl and Omar Sheikh beautifully. Much more balanced, watchable and fact-based. Omerta, however, is a film one can wait to watch on Netflix or TV. Rajkumar Rao is riveting to watch, no doubt, but in spite of Hansal Mehta’s best efforts, the screenplay is patchy, and much more importantly, misleading. Rating 1.5/5

Bahubali 2 Movie Review

S.S. Rajamouli is a very very brave man. He wrote a story in a 2 part format, a story with every cinematic cliche built into it. Then he dared to make the primary version in a regional language and only dubbed it in Hindi. He then took his own sweet time to release part 2 - almost 2 years after part 1, taking for granted that the auidence wouldnt lose interest jn the story. Finally, he went ahead and released the movie at a time no movie producer or director wpuld dare to do so because of IPL. So, after the long long wait, you might want to know the answer to the eternal question - no, not katappa ne bahubali ko kyon maara: that you will have to watch the movie to find out, but is the movie worth its price of entry i.e. paisa vasool ? It totally is! Mounted on a mega canvas, bahubali 2 keeps you hooked through every cinematic twist and turn, much like bahubali 1. Howver, if you have missed Bahubali 1, you need to see it to unde4stand the film. Overall the movie isva cinematic treat - a big screen must watch for cine-lovers.

October : Movie Review

October is a subtle ‘love’ story that defies the parameters of mainstream film. Paced languidly,with a haunting background score, but no songs, the movie by successful collaborators Juhi Chaturvedi and Shoojit Sarkar, is one of few where it is really the writing, the screenplay and the direction that take centre stage. The film has several Facets : the relationship that has no name - between the protagonists - Dan and Shioli, the maturing / coming of age of Dan from a childish immature man-child, to a serious responsible adult; the beautiful relationship that gets formed between Dan and Shioli’s mother in the crucible of hardship, the by turns understanding and exasperation of friends when one of their buddies decides to to get on a random trip none of them understands. The theme of the film - that life is unpredictable and one never knows why or how some people decide to stand by you, and come into your life as a blessing is one I have personal experience with. That love/friendship can be truly pure and be devoid of agenda is also something I have had the good fortune of experiencing. The other deeply personal element for me was the depiction of a modern Tamil Brahmin family - the subtle cultural nuances - the idea that children need to focus and study no matter the external environment, , the mom a prof at IIT, the hyper achievebjng conscientious child (shioli) - are all deep rooted tambrahm values (disclaimer - other cultures might profess the same values too, but in this context, my familiarity with the tambrahm ethos made me appreciate the movie more) These are depicted without resorting to caricature or accents and I loved that. The only note slightly off tune in this otherwise pitch-perfect film, is Varun Dhawan as Dan. Varun tries very hard to do justice to this tough role, but his lack of conviction about Dan the character slips through and you never quite believe that Varun could be this character Dan - whose devotion to a girl who never professed love for him, but whom he finds himself unable to let go of. A Ranbir or a Shahid would’ve been better choices to play this part. I like this movie enough to be able to see it a 2nd time - so a 3.5/5 from me. Warning : This is a realistic , multiplex film. ( in the family of Lunch Box etc) - don’t let Varun Dhawan’s presence fool you otherwise.

15 Apr 2018, 23:19

S Durga : Film Review

S Durga (Malayalam)is a film with many messages : that the status of a woman - and if she is fair game - depends on who she is with, at what time, where she is from and if her relationship is perceived to be kosher or not. It deals with contemporary themes of misogyny, xenophobia, bigotry, and the dichotomy in Indian society between the status of a regular woman vs a goddess. A short, taut, road film that deals with a young couple eloping (somewhere in Kerala) and seeking help from a bunch of hooligans enroute, it has you gripping your seat from start to finish. The movie, aptly conveys that molestation can take many forms, in our patriarchal, puritanical society, The movie is tense to watch, and leaves you thinking well after you leave. S Durga is firmly arthouse fare - and those seeking any hint of mainstream entertainment will be firmly disappointed. I walked away with mixed feelings about the movie, mostly because for a film that aims to be very very realistic, the plot had too many holes- I couldn’t understand why the eloping couple hadn’t planned their transport for eloping upfront, and why, inspite of their continued reservations, they kept going back to the same set of hooligans to help them get away. 2.5/5.

8 Apr 2018, 14:27

Raid : Film Review

‘Raid’ loosely based on a real income tax raid conducted in 1981, is a gripping potboiler, that manages to add drama to something as dry and boring as an income tax raid. Ajay Devgan’s forte, besides raunchy ensemble comedies, is playing angry brooding righteous characters - the quintessential ‘hero’ - though one more relatable and real than the ones played by Salman Khan. Ajay’s Amey Patnaik is in the same mould, brooding, larger than life, bound to his duty, protecting his team even as his own life is threatened and throwing verbal punches that make you want to whistle. Saurabh Shukla ‘s ‘Tauji’ - the antagonist- has all the qualities of a great villain - heft, calm demeanour and killer dialogues. Tauji is a prototypical villain, seen dozens of time before, therefore, it takes a really fine actor like Shukla to infuse newness into a stereotype. I really liked the movie - bcoz let’s face - don’t we all wish more severely corrupt people were made to pay for their crimes, and more honest officers had the guts to stand up to power. That sense of scadenfreude is so attractive to watch - the movie is running housefull during a traditionally low period for movie releases ( exam and all that ). 
What intrigued me more about this movie though - is that if political meddling can delay the release about a movie about fictional characters ( Padmaavat ), how come a movie about real IT officer anc a real politician went through without any delays ? . I guess the answer lies in the fact the politician in question is a Congress MLA! . The use of Indira Gandhi and a finance minister to show that corruption in the Congress goes all the way to top ( even though they are only shown as gently dissuading Devgun) might have been a ploy to reinforce the perception of congress with corruption. Also by mixing fact with fiction in a tale based on ‘true stories’, one will never know if Indira Gandhi or her finance minister made any calls to halt the real IT raid of a state level MLA. This was the pre-coalition era, so it seems unlikely that one MLA would have had the power to threaten to bring down a government. Also the violence shown is for cinematic effect only. A quick read about the real raid shows that it was actually peaceful. 
Would this movie have seen a release if the politician in question was a BJP MLA? Maybe we will have to wait for a non-BJP govt in the centre to see some of their misdemeanours on screen.

18 Mar 2018, 22:21

Born a crime : Book Review

‘Born a crime’ by Trevor Noah is a page turning memoir about the early life and times of one of the world’s fastest rising comedians. By turns sad, funny, scary and at most times just jaw droppingly fantastical, the book offers a glimpse into life in black South Africa, into apartheid and into the incredibly lonely childhood that Noah has had - as a mixed racial child in a country where racial mixing was prohibited. Noah has lived his whole life being the outsider, a position that no doubt gives him a unique outsiders perspective on almost everything, but one that makes him obviously emotionally very lonely. The book is also a tribute to the almost unbelievably strong woman that his mother is - a woman who saw her only purpose to be opening Trevor’s mind to limitless possibility, at a time when such dreams were not just within the realm of possibility. ‘Born a crime’ is clearly just the first of many books Trevor will pen and I can’t wait to read them all, just as I am hooked to his stand-up acts. A must read.

CRD Movie Review

CRD is a beautiful beautiful film by my friend and neighbour Kranti Kanadé. A film shot entirely in Pune and about famous theatre competition - Purushottam Karandak - the film is apparently about a conflict between A theatre director and his pupil. But as the film progresses and reaches its climax, you realise that the film is really about the protagonist's inner conflicts - as you leave the hall, you are still left talking about the movie and connecting all the dots and with a desire to run back and watch the movie again and talk about it and ruminate about it. This is the kind of film that stays with you long after you've watched it. Unpredictable, funny, dark and squeamish, this is a wondrous film for movie auteurs and film lovers. Catch it before it vanishes from the movie halls.

Half Girlfriend

Before I start my review of Half-Girlfriend, I need to get a few confessions out of the way..a) My dear friend Sangeeta Shahaney"s lovely daughter Anushka debuted as a playback singer and lyricist in this film- so hearing my friend's little girl was pretty overwhelming b) I am a sucker for love stories and they are my favorite genre of films to watch. Having said that, the film had garnered mostly bad reviews, and I am no CB fan, and dont really like Shraddha Kapoor and can just about tolerate Arjun Kapoor? so I went in to watch the film with really low expectations. In simple words - I really liked the film. Half Girlfriend the book was terrible, but - as with most of CB's books HG the film is a great, fun film to watch. Unlike the 'love stories' in recent times, which have turned out to be anything but, HG is a true blue love story. One that takes you along for the ride, makes you feel for couple, mediocre acting notwithstanding. Go watch the film if you are a sucker for love stories like I am. It is certainly worth one watch. Maybe a 4/5 is generous..but if Hindi medium was a 3 - ths certainlyi a more entertaining film.

Hindi Medium : Movie Review

हिन्दी Medium is a movie on a premise that has a lot of promise : The extent people will go to get their kids admitted to the right school. The story revolves around a wealthy but slightly uncouth, hindi speaking shop keeper and his wannabe sophesticate wife who is hell bent on getting their daughter admitted into one of Delhi' best schools - They must buy a house with the right address, cultivate the right friends, hire a snooty admissions consultsnt to train not only their cholf but them as well, hire a professionsl writet to fill out the form., hire a fashion stylist to turn out looking classy..and when they dont get through anyways, they find themselves eyeing an RTE seat for thr child. There is onlh one glitch..there is an investigation into fraud for RTEs and the school principal promisrs that every RTE application will be verified with a personal visit from the school. So after trying to fit in with the vassnt vihar crowd, irrfN and his wife must now gel with chawl dwellers! This is obviously s film that is meant to be 'multiplexy' - The chouce of actors, the lack of item numbers all point in that direction. But the film's treatment is very much like a mainstream masala fare. The story lacks nuance, as do the characters. The rich are all sgown as snooty, unfriendly and manipulative. The poor are happy, welcoming and with hearts of gold. Then there is the half baked attempt to sell RTE as a way to provide opportunity to poor kids, an attempt to talk about uplifting govt school, a small unnecessary romantic back story for irrfan's wife.... the movie tries to do too much which eventually robs the movie of its light heartednesd.. I give the movie 3/5..

Badrinath ki Dulhaniya Movie Review

There is a trend in main stream hindi cinema, to use the main stream format to talk about socially taboo topics without proselytising. Kapoor & Sons spoke about homosexuality in a serious way. Kahaani 2 dealt with child sexual abuse, Udta Punjab spoke about the drug issue in Punjab, Dear Zindagi brought into the mainstream, the use of psychological counselling and now Badrinath ki Dulhaniya deals with the dual topics about Dowry and a woman's desire/right to pursue her career after marriage. Set in the hard-core Hindi Belt of Jhansi and Kota- the movie is a hard core mainstream Masala movie - with Varun playing a moderately literate boy from a rich family who slowly transforms being the very emblem of patriarchy- to a man who is willing to stand up to his family and society for his wife's right to pursue her career and to oppose Dowry. Alia's movie choices this year seem to indicate that she takes her role as a youth icon seriously. She plays a young fiery girl with aspirations far beyond her reality. She is unwilling to conform to social norms, opposes Dowry, and is willing to do what it takes to pursue her dreams of being an air hostess. While the underlying theme of the movie has much going for it, the producers compulsions to reach a wider audience beyond the 'multiplexes, mean that the movie is stretched way beyond its desired length making it, in its second half- a major drag. The first half is zippy and fun, but the second half is slow and pretty boring. However Varun and Alia make for a really cute on screen pair, and are able to keep you watching inspite of a flawed second half. Overall a 3 /5

Rangoon Movie Review

Rangoon, given its pedigree (Vishal Bharadwaj) and promise ( Kangana, Saif, Shahid) is a predictable average film. I have loved Vishal 's Shakespeare themed films in the past : Omkara and Haider , (I haven't watched maqbool), as also 'Kaminey'. Vishal's strengths usually lie in creating complex, nuanced , grey characters, who lend the stories both credibility and a touch of 'je ne sais quoi'. The other strength in his films was usually the unforgettable music. On both these counts , Rangoon fails to impress. Rangoon is a decidedly simpler, straight forward film : a traditional triangular love story set against the back drop of the 2nd world war. If you removed the Vishal Bharadwaj tag from the film, then by itself, the movie isn't bad, though like almost all hindi films, about 30 minutes too long. Both Saif and Shahid, have cardboard cut out characters. Saif's character was one that could have had an edgy part : as a movie producer on the side of the British, whom Julia initially loves, and who loves her back, one keeps expecting Saif to surprise us, with a twist in the tale, but that doesn't happen. Shahid, who plays a (Spoiler alert) passionate revolutionary is the moral anchor of the film- the reason for Kangana's evolution from a vacuous, superficial actress to somebody willing to risk her life for a cause.The movie however, is Kangana's story. She plays a world war 2 era actress whose life transforms during the course of the film. Her performance is pretty good, but given that she is in almost every frame of the film, fails to get us to care enough about her character or her love for Shahid. The chemistry between them is kind of 'thsnda' in spite of the intensely written screens. The screenplay itself is pretty well thought out and the intermingling of the romantic story with the background war story is done perfectly. The movie is also a very good looking film, overall. However, in the end, the place where the film failed for me was its inability to get me to invest in the characters, and in their emotions for each other. Overall. I'd rate the film 2.5/5. Watch it if you have nothing else to do.

Jolly LLB Movie Review

The premise of Jolly LLB 2 is no surprise : A good for nothing lawyer (or a has been, as in PINK, or Damini) takes up a fight for the underdog, against the system, with a predictable outcome. What makes the movie worth watching are the delightful dialogues and the quirk infused into some of the key characters, including Jolly. The first half is eminently watchable, managing to get a chuckle out of you ever so often. The 2nd half 's screenplay is sketchy - the writers make very little effort to make the court case gripping- which given that we are dealing with a courtroom drama - is unfortunate. However Akshay as a 'Kanpuria' 'scrappy street smart lawyer and Annu Kapur, as his wealthy counterpart manage to adequately hold your attention. The movie's scene stealer however is Saurabh Shukla, as the judge. He has the most quirk and I found him to be absolutely delightful. Huma Qureshi is too polished to convincingly pass off as the wife of a lower middle class lawyer's wife. She sticks out as a sore thumb in this otherwise fun tale. I loved several things about this movie : the seamless integration of hindu and muslims across all strata of society; the subtle message that there are good and bad people everywhere- and religion has nothing to do with it ; the subversive feminist messages peppered through the film - a cricket match of women in burkha and ghagras with their pot bellied men cheering them on, Jolly cooking and feeding his wife. Overall I wpuld rate Jolly LLB a 3/5. Totally worth one watch.

Dangal Film Review

Dangal was a film I went in to watch expecting to positively love : I love uplifting sport biographies, I love Aamir and then there was the added bonus of the feminism angle. What could go wrong ? Dangal is certainly a very very good film of and by itself- albeit pretty 'filmy'. However, by virtue of its genre, it does suffer from an inevitable sense of deja vu. As Trayi Ajit aptly pointed out 'every part of the story - more or less- was predictable right from the get go'. The training with limited resources, the empowering - but lets admit it, cliched- message of letting women dream and achieve big, the ineffective government sponsored coach, the inevitable losses and the eventual victory at the end..all of it feels like its been done before. I guess what makes the film worth a watch is how the characters make you care for them, inspite of the predictable story line. Yes, Aamir as the father with a dream is very good, and as is the norm with sport biographies, there is the inevitable physical transformation. But to me,it was the girls playing the characters Geeta and Babita, both as the little ones and the adult ones, that made the film a riveting watch. I enjoyed the first half because the cute as buttons little girls(especially Zaira Wasim, who play the young Geeta) are outstanding as they transform from playful, normal, naugthy girls reluctant to wrestle, to focussed sportswomen. The second half introduced me to the world of women's wrestling - and to my surprise, I discoverd that the I loved watching the sport. It does speak to how well the film is executed that inspite of knowing a very public outcome to the game, one still got goosebumps when the national anthem played at Geeta's Commonwealth gold medal win. I would certainly recommended watching Dangal - its a great film, even if predictable.

One thought that is bugging me : what message does making a film about a Commonwealth gold medalist send out ? Lets face it - getting a gold at the commonwealth is commendable, given the circumstance, but not the pinnacle of sport achievements, even by Indian standards. Did this particular story deserve a film..I wonder..and by making it, did the makers effectively rule out a film ever being made on Saakshi Malik, for instance..