Om Shanti Om - Film Review

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Shreyas Talpade, Deepika Padukone,
Arjun Rampal, and Malaika Arora Khan, Director: Farah Khan

This movie first takes us back to the seventies and  focuses on Om (Shah Rukh Khan). This is the time when he meets Shanti (Dipika Padukone ), the love of his life but shortly thereafter suffers an untimely demise.

Om is immediately reincarnated and the story flash forwards to the present day.

Haunted by memories of his past life and his true love, Om attempts to solve the mystery of his death, and also reunite with Shanti, the love of his past life.

Om Shanti Om is said to be inspired by the Hollywood movie, Chances Are, where a man is reincarnated and instantaneously attempts to find the wife from his previous life.

Om Shanti Om has over 30 well known Bollywood stars including Salman Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Kajol, Sanjay Dutt, Priyanka Chopra, Preity Zinta and Saif Ali Khan putting in a guest appearance for a special song and dance sequence in the film, a concept recently used by Farah’s brother, Sajid Khan in the opening number of his film, Heyy Babyy.

Farah Khan’s husband, Shirish Kunder (director of Jaan E Mann) is in charge of Om Shanti om’s editing. He was previously involved in the same department for Farah’s debut movie, Main Hoon Na.

Om Shanti Om features Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role and introduces Deepika Padukone as his love interest.

The supporting cast includes Arjun Rampal (recently seen in the film Don) and Shreyas Talpade.

 

Farah Khan’s husband, Shirish Kunder (director of Jaan E Mann) is in charge of Om Shanti om’s editing. He was previously involved in the same department for Farah’s debut movie, Main Hoon Na.

Om Shanti Om features Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role and introduces Deepika Padukone as his love interest.

The supporting cast includes Arjun Rampal (recently seen in the film Don) and Shreyas Talpade.

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Saawariya - Film Review

Posted on November 10th, 2007 in Saawariya - Film Review, Movie Review, Hindi film by bollywood

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Beghum Para, Zohra Sehgal, Salman Khan;

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali; Rating: *****

This work of art doesn’t have the in-your-face flamboyance of ‘Devdas’ or ‘Black’ where almost every shot reached a crescendo, every passion peaked like a mid-summer sun, and every movement denoted drama. But ‘Saawariya’ is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s most tender ode to love yet.

Taking Fyodor Dostoevsky’s minuscule play ‘White Nights’, Bhansali has built huge but unimposing emotions classified by dollops of awe-inspiring studio-erected architecture that represents feelings rather than physical forms.

This is the director’s most subtle and mellow creation.

Prakash Kapadia’s dialogues let Ranbir’s character of Ranbir Raj speak in a language that is modern and yet timelessly lovelorn.

The plot, if one may call it that, is a story of unrequited love told in shades of blue. Bhansali’s narrative spins its sensuous web around chance encounters in and around a square set in a timeless land where clocks chime to the rhythm of a besotted heart and neon signs straight out of a bright Broadway pay cheeky homage to Bollywood’s past, including Raj Kapoor, of course.

Ranbir Raj sings and performs at a club called Raj’s Bar when he isn’t chasing the enigmatic Sakina (Sonam Kapoor) across an arched bridge that symbolises the end of hope and the beginning of love.

Sakina, if you must know, is on an eternal wait. A stranger (Salman Khan) walked into her home and life, walked out and promised to return. The lacuna between longing and fulfilment is filled by a young man who dances, sings, makes faces, writes love letters, protects Sakina from the rain, but alas, cannot protect himself from the heartbreak that awaits him under the bridge.

You can see reflections of Raj Kapoor’s persona from ‘Sri 420′ and ‘Chhalia’ in Ranbir’s acting in ‘Saawariya’. And his relationship with his outwardly harsh landlady — played by the gloriously spirited Zohra Sehgal — is a wonderful recreation of the bond between Raj Kapoor and Lalita Pawar in “Anari”.

Ranbir’s acting is a dangerously extravagant and bravura performance that could’ve toppled over under the weight of the character’s inherent exhibitionism. But with his director’s help, Ranbir succeeds.

The emotions that run across the gossamer frames of this fragilely structured play-on-celluloid are woven with the delicacy that one associates with Kashmiri carpets.

Ironically, though requiring more attention than all his earlier works, ‘Saawariya’ is Bhansali’s simplest story to date. The age-old boy-meets-girl format has been taken to the plane of purest expressionism.

The enchanting encounters shown in the film furnish the slim but haunting plot with the feeling of a play where the characters forget they are on stage.

The film’s consciously created staginess is its biggest virtue. It lends an otherworldly quality to the frames. The wispy characters may or may not exist outside the prostitute-narrator Rani Mukerji’s playful mind.

Maybe she’s making up this beautiful tale of one-sided love and perhaps the boy-man she took under her wings is just a figment of her imagination.

The disarming delicacy with which art directors Omang and Vinita Kumar and cinematographer Ravi Chandran have built the blue foundations of the film’s ravishingly romantic imagination lifts Dostoevsky’s play to the sphere of poetry.

Monty Sharma’s soul-stirring music adds an entirely new dimension to the story of waiting and suffering.

As expected from a Bhansali creation, the film is bathed in visuals that overpower the senses. The sequence where Sonam runs across a gauntlet of perpendicularly hung carpets beating a dust storm out of their beautiful fabric is a moment of sensual eruption.

In ‘Saawariya’, Sonam does not know what or whom she is running from or what she will run into. She is Nutan in “Bandini”, Aishwarya in “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” and Waheeda Rehman in “Pyasa”.

‘Saawariya’ is like a dream where the characters themselves live in a dream world. Escape from this world is akin to death. No one dies in Bhansali’s majestic make-belief world and nothing wilts. Not even love when it is taken away from the boy who loves to entertain the unhappy girl in distress.

The film’s consciously created staginess is its biggest virtue. It lends an otherworldly quality to the frames. The wispy characters may or may not exist outside the prostitute-narrator Rani Mukerji’s playful mind.

Maybe she’s making up this beautiful tale of one-sided love and perhaps the boy-man she took under her wings is just a figment of her imagination.

The disarming delicacy with which art directors Omang and Vinita Kumar and cinematographer Ravi Chandran have built the blue foundations of the film’s ravishingly romantic imagination lifts Dostoevsky’s play to the sphere of poetry.

Monty Sharma’s soul-stirring music adds an entirely new dimension to the story of waiting and suffering.

As expected from a Bhansali creation, the film is bathed in visuals that overpower the senses. The sequence where Sonam runs across a gauntlet of perpendicularly hung carpets beating a dust storm out of their beautiful fabric is a moment of sensual eruption.

In ‘Saawariya’, Sonam does not know what or whom she is running from or what she will run into. She is Nutan in “Bandini”, Aishwarya in “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” and Waheeda Rehman in “Pyasa”.

‘Saawariya’ is like a dream where the characters themselves live in a dream world. Escape from this world is akin to death. No one dies in Bhansali’s majestic make-belief world and nothing wilts. Not even love when it is taken away from the boy who loves to entertain the unhappy girl in distress.

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‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa

Posted on October 12th, 2007 in Bhool Bhulaiyaa Review, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Bollywood Review, Bollywood film Review by bollywood

Hold on! The moment someone mentions ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’, images of a comic caper conjure up in front of your eyes. After all, accomplished storyteller Priyadarshan has successfully delivered laughathons in the past that made the viewer go ha-ha-hee-hee-ho-ho.

But ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’, a remake of the Malayalam hit ‘Manichitrathazhu’, is a complete departure from Priyan’s films. How, did you ask? Here’s why… There’s comedy, but in minimal doses. There’re songs, but only when the situations warrant. In ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’, it’s all about suspense and spirits. It’s eerie and [certain] portions of the film are not for the faint hearted.

A good looking film with superior performances and a stunning suspense,’Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ is not the usual run-of-the-mill fare. It would be interesting to see how the viewer reacts to the film.

But there’s a flip side too! Those expecting a laughathon from the Priyan - Akki combo would be caught unaware. Two factors that can’t be ignored are its length [it tends to get taxing in the second hour] and the placement of the chartbusting track ‘Hare Krishna Hare Ram’ [in the end credits].

From America to his hometown in the interiors of India, it was a long journey indeed for Siddharth [Shiney Ahuja]. But nothing could match the mind-boggling journey that now lay in front of him. For, it was a journey into an astounding maze in which each step meant mystery, discovery, surprise, shock and revelation.

With open arms, his large extended family welcomes the U.S.-based Siddharth and his newly-wed wife Avni [Vidya Balan], when they come home. But what the family resists is Siddharth’s insistence on staying in his royal ancestral mansion during his stay. His uncle Badrinarayan Chaturvedi [Manoj Joshi] particularly has no qualms about voicing his displeasure. For, it was that very mansion that held in its realm a deadly secret that had repeatedly destroyed the family for generations.

The scientifically inclined Siddharth pays no heed and starts staying at the palatial mansion with Avni, who is equally modern in her thinking… But, soon enough, the couple is forced to rethink their decision. Unforeseen happenings, mysterious elements, horrific indications and life-threatening incidents swarm their path. Suddenly, it becomes a situation that urgently had to be dealt with before it got too late.

Siddharth instinctively finds the solution in his dynamic Doctor-friend Aditya [Akshay Kumar]. When Dr. Aditya finds his way into the mansion, he is a man on a mission. He just had to find the cause of all the upheaval before the effects caused more harm than could be imagined. Where did the answer lie?

You can’t overlook the fact that ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ is an extremely well-shot film. Right from the production design to the styling of the film to its overall look,’Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ is a visually attractive film.

Priyan spells out the genre at the very start itself, when Paresh Rawal visits the haunted ancestral home and an eerie calm welcomes him. The mystery only deepens in the first hour and with the introduction of Akshay’s character in the narrative [a bit late entry, though!], things only get better. Expectedly, you look forward to an exhilarating second hour.

Although the screenplay isn’t too convincing in the latter half, you have to admit that the suspense does come as a jolt. The flashback that follows is equally interesting. But what ensues thereafter isn’t as convincing. Actually, the length is also to blame in this hour. One strongly feels that the story should’ve concluded when Akshay solves the mystery.

You also await, with bated breath, the chartbusting song that’s taken the nation by storm to make an entry. And when it eventually does arrive [in the end credits], it doesn’t make the impact that it should’ve.

‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ is glossy, stylish and well executed, technically speaking. But Priyan treads a difficult path. As mentioned at the outset, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ is not the atypical fare with laughs and more laughs. Here, Priyan opts for horror, not humor and that may have its share of advocates and adversaries.

Music composer Pritam is in top form this time around. ‘Hare Krishna Hare Ram’ is splendid, while ‘Zindagi Ka Safar’ comes easy on the lips. The flashback song is excellent in terms of choreography. Cinematography [Thiru] is excellent. Production design [Sabu Cyril] is topnotch.

Akshay enacts his part with effortless ease. A role with comic shades comes easy to him and he’s on familiar ground in ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’. Vidya is splendid, especially in the second hour. Shiney gets scope initially, but is sidelined the moment Akshay arrives. Amisha Patel is efficient in a substantial role.

Paresh Rawal and Rasika Joshi are first-rate. Rajpal Yadav manages a few laughs in a brief role. Manoj Joshi is very much with the character. He performs well. Vikram Gokhale doesn’t work because his role comes across as an unwanted track. Asrani is fair. Vineeth and Tareena Patel are average.

On the whole, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ has two solid factors going in its favor — the Priyadarshan - Akshay combo and the chartbusting ‘Hare Krishna Hare Ram’ track — which have resulted in tremendous hype. Although the reactions to the film will vary, the Idd period coupled with the two factors will ensure a terrific start for the film, in turn making it a profitable venture for its investors.

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Chhodon Na Yaar

Posted on October 7th, 2007 in Chhodon Na Yaar, Bollywood Review, Bollywood film Review by bollywood

Cast: Jimmy Sheirgill, Kim Sharma, Cabaret Legs Mahek
Director: Dilip Virendra Sood
Rating: *1/2

This is a week of very pertinent titles. Chhodon Naa Yaar is right. Forget about it, sit at home and watch the ceiling fan whirr or the alley cat purr. Anything but this strange adaptation of The Blairwitch Project, the docudrama in which eerie events were caught on camera, deaths went unexplained and the outcome was a cult, horror video movie blown up into the big screen format.

So there you are in a Himachal Pradeshi Blairwitch, directed by Dilip Sood, who’s determined not to make you feel good. Three very grown-up college kids (Jimmy Sheirgill and Co) don’t want to make their first film on child labour. Begging your pardon, but what’s wrong with that?
They pooh-pooh such a theme and take off to videograph a pahadi jungle where a poojari makes Kathakali eyes, his assistant beats the drum as if he were Subhash Ghai and straw effigies of naked figures dangle in the air. Despair.

Through those aaaaiee-scream-curdling scenes you’re informed that a girl in a T-shirt was gang-raped. Now, she’s gonna eat everyone alive, with nothing but salt and pepper.
Oddly, the poojari and drummer are spared. Sheirgill’s Rohit Bal look-alike friend dies. Ditto another buddy who speaks in Jat dialect while his dad drinks Patiala pegs of whisky, and looks manically frisky.

For that cabaret interlewd, Mahek shakes a leg (two actually), Kim Sharma sings amidst handloom umbrellas (why can’t someone give her a decent role, yaar?), and Sheirgill waits patiently for the movie to end. Miracle: it does.

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Dil, Dosti etc.

Posted on October 7th, 2007 in Dil, Dosti etc., Bollywood Review, Bollywood film Review, Hindi film by bollywood

Cast: Shreyas Talpade, Imaad Shah, Nikita Anand
Direction: Manish Tiwary
Rating: **

Mr Talpade is Mr College Election Candidate (political type you know). Mr Shah is a rich man’s son who believes in sex, sex, sex, sex, sex with a bidi-smoking prostitute (see what Sharmila Tagore left to Indian cinema with Mausam!).. as well as a coquettish school girl called Kintu Mintu Parantu or some such.

Then there’s Miss Anand, a wanna-ramp supermodel who keeps going into shady hostel rooms to demonstrate that she is no danger of being considered an actress. By the way, mention must be made of Smriti Mishra, the aforecited bidiwalli who babbles about nothing worth babbling about.. And last as well as the least, there’s Feroze Gujral who is sure to win some award or the other for being the Worst Item Girl of the Millennium. Khallas! What was she thinking about?

And Dil Dosti Etc is also about first-time director Manish Tiwary who means well, but doesn’t do well. Contrived as a growing-up age low-budgeter, this one’s a snore fest littered with so much crude dialogue that your ears burn till you want to call a fire brigade.

Talpade is passable, Shah looks like a pomfret out of water and you, my dear friends, will be bored with a Capital B. So why the two stars then? Only for the storyline which is drawn from the seamier side of campus life. It may all be very real but quality cinema it isn’t.

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Cash- Film Review

Posted on August 7th, 2007 in Cash, Movie Review, Bollywood Review, Bollywood film Review, Hindi film by bollywood

Cash evidently believes in brevity. A Little Less Conversation, as the King sang. Except in this film, the next line is cruelly paraphrased to: A Little Bore Action.

We’re perfectly fine with senseless action movies. I put my feet up and completely grooved to Anubhav Sinha’s last effort, Dus. Sure, it’s a loopy ride, but we aren’t looking for logic if the rollercoaster’s fast enough. It’s a genre Bollywood largely overlooks, and if it doesn’t make sense, who cares? Neither does Die Hard.

So this review isn’t a tirade against plot holes or item numbers — we’re more than used to overlooking both. We’re not even going to assess the bloopers. It’s just that this time the action — which frequently flipflops into amateurish animation — leaves you distinctively sleepy. The stunts are strictly okay, at best. And that just isn’t done.

In essence, there are three diamonds, and six people — capering around fancy sounding international airports — out to get them. Fair enough. So let’s have a fun and fast little heist shooter, shall we? Um, not quite.

The film moves sluggishly, pausing and slowing down to introduce its motley crew of insignificant crooks, with names like Uncle and Doctor. Each character is mentioned, zoomed into, and turned into a rough cartoon — which looks better than the original, for sure, with bizarrely recoloured hair. So Riteish Deshmukh suddenly goes bright blonde. This happens a half dozen times as the plotless film continues to unravel.

We wait, schooled by many a heist film (or ripoff), for the set-up to end. Basically, we should meet the gang, know the heist, and have a little bit of backstory, all before the end of Act I. In Cash, the introductions bewilderingly go on and on past the interval, after which a climax is haphazardly slapped onto the film. Oops.

The debris from this disastrous film — not to be confused with a disaster film — will most affect the actors. Ajay Omkara Devgan turns into modern-day Shekhar Suman, all bicepped and unbuttoned and awfully wooden — sigh, what price an actor pays for jumping from a helicopter. Diya Mirza’s  completely wasted, as is Riteish, who’ll feel the maximum impact from this turkey. Finding a foothold as an interesting actor, this overwritten dialogue sees him falter, bad.

A still from CashConversely, Esha Deol, Zayed Khan and Suniel Shetty, of course, are lucky to be cast in anything. And Shamita Shetty actually does well in the film, keeping a straight face and showing off her abs without looking ridiculous.

And a big grouse: the prettiest member of the crew is conspicuously absent from the opening credits; and the most talented actors in the film — a maitre’d, an airplane passenger — are kept away from the promos. Reprioritise, dude.

Is the film a rip-off? It’s hard to imagine, considering there really isn’t the remotest stab at a cohesive story. And while that was the case with Dhoom: 2, the wow-factor was slick enough. Here we stifle a yawn.

There is the occasional smart moment — radio controlled airplanes, a man with a ‘blurry’ face — but the scenes are stretched out, made overlong. In an attempt to milk a scene’s potential, the film constantly overstays its welcome.

Cash could have been a ride — if only they paid half as much attention to the script as they did to the title song.

Rating:

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Cash

Posted on August 7th, 2007 in Cash, Bollywood Review, Bollywood film Review by bollywood

Cash evidently believes in brevity. A Little Less Conversation, as the King sang. Except in this film, the next line is cruelly paraphrased to: A Little Bore Action.

We’re perfectly fine with senseless action movies. I put my feet up and completely grooved to Anubhav Sinha’s last effort, Dus. Sure, it’s a loopy ride, but we aren’t looking for logic if the rollercoaster’s fast enough. It’s a genre Bollywood largely overlooks, and if it doesn’t make sense, who cares? Neither does Die Hard.

So this review isn’t a tirade against plot holes or item numbers — we’re more than used to overlooking both. We’re not even going to assess the bloopers. It’s just that this time the action — which frequently flipflops into amateurish animation — leaves you distinctively sleepy. The stunts are strictly okay, at best. And that just isn’t done.

In essence, there are three diamonds, and six people — capering around fancy sounding international airports — out to get them. Fair enough. So let’s have a fun and fast little heist shooter, shall we? Um, not quite.

The film moves sluggishly, pausing and slowing down to introduce its motley crew of insignificant crooks, with names like Uncle and Doctor. Each character is mentioned, zoomed into, and turned into a rough cartoon — which looks better than the original, for sure, with bizarrely recoloured hair. So Riteish Deshmukh suddenly goes bright blonde. This happens a half dozen times as the plotless film continues to unravel.

We wait, schooled by many a heist film (or ripoff), for the set-up to end. Basically, we should meet the gang, know the heist, and have a little bit of backstory, all before the end of Act I. In Cash, the introductions bewilderingly go on and on past the interval, after which a climax is haphazardly slapped onto the film. Oops.

The debris from this disastrous film — not to be confused with a disaster film — will most affect the actors. Ajay Omkara Devgan turns into modern-day Shekhar Suman, all bicepped and unbuttoned and awfully wooden — sigh, what price an actor pays for jumping from a helicopter. Diya Mirza’s  completely wasted, as is Riteish, who’ll feel the maximum impact from this turkey. Finding a foothold as an interesting actor, this overwritten dialogue sees him falter, bad.

A still from CashConversely, Esha Deol, Zayed Khan and Suniel Shetty, of course, are lucky to be cast in anything. And Shamita Shetty actually does well in the film, keeping a straight face and showing off her abs without looking ridiculous.

And a big grouse: the prettiest member of the crew is conspicuously absent from the opening credits; and the most talented actors in the film — a maitre’d, an airplane passenger — are kept away from the promos. Reprioritise, dude.

Is the film a rip-off? It’s hard to imagine, considering there really isn’t the remotest stab at a cohesive story. And while that was the case with Dhoom: 2, the wow-factor was slick enough. Here we stifle a yawn.

There is the occasional smart moment — radio controlled airplanes, a man with a ‘blurry’ face — but the scenes are stretched out, made overlong. In an attempt to milk a scene’s potential, the film constantly overstays its welcome.

Cash could have been a ride — if only they paid half as much attention to the script as they did to the title song.

Rating:

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Gandhi, My Father Review

Posted on August 3rd, 2007 in Gandhi, My Father, Movie Review, Bollywood Review, Bollywood film Review, Hindi film by bollywood

Movie Rating:

The inspiring life of Mahatma Gandhi is contrasted with that of his troubled son in this biographical drama

Darth Vader, Margaret Thatcher and Bryan Ferry - all three are very public sufferers of embarrassing offspring syndrome. As any number of glossy gossip magazines show us, it can be hell living in the shadow of a famous parent, though were Mahatma Gandhi around today it’s tough to imagine him making too many ‘Heat’ magazine covers as he launches his new cellulite-busting dance video

THE TITLE ‘Mahatma’ to Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi was bestowed on to him by none other then the great Noble laureate Rabindranath Tagore. He is also called the ‘Father of the Nation’, again a title conferred on him by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and recently the United Nations has also declared his birthday, the 2nd of October to be observed as International Day of Non-violence.

Mahatma Gandhi has been revered like God in India. Believed to be an ardent follower of secularism, how many of us are aware about the fact that Gandhi had disowned his eldest son Hiralal Gandhi.

Gandhi, My Father tells the great man’s story largely through the eyes of his wayward son, Harilal (Khanna). Kicking off at a Bombay hospital with a heavily bearded Harilal in a ropey old state, much of the would-be epic is relayed through flashback, starting with Gandhi Sr (Jariwala) voicing grave misgivings about Harilal’s marriage to Gulab (Chawla) while his own wife, Kasturba (Shah), grumpily works a string-controlled watering can-based shower over her spouse’s head in the film’s only attempt at humour.
Mohandas K Gandhi is soon at work as a lawyer in South Africa, where he requests his son’s presence. In no time the duo are up to all manner of non-violent, anti-oppression antics. And here is where the rot sets in between father and son, with the Mahatma telling his son to forget dreams of studying law in England and instead voluntarily trot off to prison in the name of the greater good.
Understandably Harilal’s none too impressed with this idea and spends the remainder of his life flitting between shady business deals, many of them trading on his father’s name, converting to various religions, possibly in an effort to annoy dad, and hitting the bottle.

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Partner - Movie Review

It makes you laugh now and then, but it falls short of being a laugh riot. David Dhawan’s movie Partner works because Govinda shows traces of his old comic self once again.One would be stupid to expect some sense out of a David Dhawan flick. He is the man who can give a humorous twist to hogwash. His brand of comedy is strictly slapstick, and pretty enjoyable at that. And ‘Partner’, his comeback film after a gap of one-and-a-half years, does carry a good dose of comedy. But it is certainly not among Dhawan’s best works.

Director David Dhawan known for his laughton’s is back after a hiatus of 2 years with Partner starring Govinda, Salman Khan, Lara Dutta and Katrina Kaif. But is his new outing as rip-roaringly funny as his previous works?

It makes you laugh now and then, but it falls short of being a laugh riot. David Dhawan’s movie Partner works because Govinda shows traces of his old comic self once again.One would be stupid to expect some sense out of a David Dhawan flick. He is the man who can give a humorous twist to hogwash. His brand of comedy is strictly slapstick, and pretty enjoyable at that. And ‘Partner’, his comeback film after a gap of one-and-a-half years, does carry a good dose of comedy. But it is certainly not among Dhawan’s best works.Prem (Salman Khan) is a dating consultant who calls himself the “Love guru”. One day he happens to meet Bhaskar (Govinda) who works as a financial advisor for Raichand industries and is in love with his boss and heiress Priya (Katrina Kaif). After a lot of persuasion, Prem agrees to help Bhaskar in getting his true love and in the process ends up falling in love with Naina (Lara Dutta), a gossip journalist.

The story is inspired by the 2005 movie Hitch (Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James) and is a laugh riot from beginning to end. The dialogues in the movie are simply sidesplitting and will have you rolling in your seats. The movie’s been shot in Mumbai and Phuket and has been captured pretty well on screen. The music by Sajid Wajid is pretty catchy especially the title song. The songs too have been picturised well.

Govinda completely steals the show in this movie. After playing second fiddle in Bhagam Bhag and Salaam-e-Ishq, he makes a great comeback in style. Salman Khan is as stylish as ever, but hams in a few scenes. The leading ladies Lara and Katrina Kaif complement them beautifully. Rajpal Yadav is funny in his take-off on Don. Suresh Menon is equally funny and gathers a few laughs. Child artiste Ali Haji acts well and looks very cute. The supporting cast consisting of Tiku Talsania, Ali Asgar, Aarti Chabbria, Deepshikha, Rajat Bedi and Dalip Tahil do their jobs well.

However the movie has its shares of flaws. The editing is badly messed up and some of the side comedy tracks like the Chota Don track (Rajpal Yadav) keep popping up and disappearing abruptly. Also the misunderstanding in the pre-climax was not at all required and is simply dragged on without rhyme or reason.

However the movie is a complete entertainer and gives the audience its money’s worth. But do leave your brains outside the theatre as it is a David Dhawan movie and is totally devoid of logic.

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Naqaab Review

Posted on July 19th, 2007 in Bollywood Review, Bollywood film Review, Hindi film, Naqaab Review, Naqaab by bollywood

 

Film: “Naqaab”; Director: Abbas-Mustan; Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Bobby Deol, Urvashi Sharma; Ratings: * 1/2

‘Naqaab’ breaks the promise of being the most thrilling love story of the year. With an interesting and unique theme, the movie fails to be captivating.

Two assistants in prison for the murder of their boss, Bobby Deol acts like schoolboys on a picnic which dilutes whatever impact the weak script manages to bring about. Vikas Kalantri and Vishal Malhotra, who find themselves behind bars, are trying to figure out what emotions to give the camera and in the bargain goof up the scene.

NAQAAB does not live up to the director duo Abbas-Mustan’s forte of making thrillers. The duo who have given hits like BAZIGAAR and DARAAR fail to revive the magic of HUMRAAZ, even though the cast still has Bobby Deol and Akshaye Khanna, the two stars of the last-named flick.

So what’s wrong? For starters, the script is very weak and that’s where the story ends. What unfolds next is struggling actor Akshaye Khanna and private detective Raj Zutshi’s handycam work that is being filmed as a reality movie. The only surprise element here is that both don’t know to what extent they are being used. Also, debutante Urvashi Sharma, who is engaged to millionaire Bobby Deol, knows not what her boyfriend is upto.
On the one hand there’s the ultra-hip super-cool Kiss-Miss Sophia (newcomer Urvashi) who lives in with Richie Rich Bobby Deol and romances the devil-may-care dude (Akahaye Khanna) and even runs away from her church wedding (a la Julia Roberts in “Runaway Bride”).

But get this contradiction. On the other hand when the clandestine couple Khanna and Urvashi break into a mela song, Abbas-Mustan (bless their suspenseful soul) does a quick dissolve with the camera to indicate to the audience that the song is a dream sequence

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