Why the hell does Rakesh have a ‘Y’ in the middle of his name? This numerology jazz is not doing any good to him. There is no doubt that his work in Delhi 6 is of an inferior class. People would go to the theatres with a comparison at the back of their heads. The comparison with RDB!! I have a problem with that! A ‘Rang De Basanti’ is not made every day! It was almost like a flawless film. Delhi6 is not as superior as RDB but this does not mean that the movie is worth zilch.
Delhi 6 is a movie that has social, religious, political and moral significance. It shows that man can turn into a devil in the name of religion. It shows that there is a demon in every one of us, lying dormant. Loath, rage, greed and adversity can awaken this demon. It shows the good n bad, ugly n beautiful and light n dark of our society. It is not a kind of film that we Indians are accustomed to. It is not Masala to please your taste buds but it is soup that is good for your health.
Rakeyyyyyyyysh creates a gorgeous palette with vibrant colours, sounds and characters. The movie is a multifaceted collage of the Old Delhi and its people. It is a movie which has a lot of messages - A mad fakir urges everyone to look in the mirror, there’s a mandir vs masjid message, Masakalli’s freedom message, kala bandar turns out to have a message at the end of the movie.
Camerawork is magical which showcases the terraces, various monuments, gallis and courtyard houses (havelis) of the walled city. Music and lyrics just flow with the film. AR Rahman's remarkable (best) work adds to the pluses of the film. 'Masakalli', 'Rehna Tu', 'Yeh Dilli Hai', 'Maula', 'Genda Phool' are all outstanding numbers. Genda phool and Masakalli are choreographed beautifully. Prasoon Joshi's lyrics perfectly complement the maestro's melodies. Even the background score is scintillating. Dialogues are sharp and sink with the mood of the film. The humour is light and enjoyable.
Abhishek Bachchan's performance as an NRI is natural and likeable. Sonam Kapoor looks charming and is perfect for the role of Bittu. Waheeda Rehman has little to do but looks graceful performs her part beautifully. Each of the others like Vijay Raaz (brilliant as an obnoxious cop), Rishi Kapoor Om Puri, Pawan Malhotra, Divya Dutta deliver commendable performances is impeccable as always.
So what is Delhi 6 basically about?? I am sure that even Rakeyyyyysh can’t answer this question. It has countless different subjects- caste, backwardness, superstition, untouchability, communal issues and the perfidy of priests, cops and lawmakers. Its obscure storyline works against it.
Editing was the biggest loophole in the film. The film is directed very well in parts but scenes just don’t gel together. The tale is not seamless. There is confusion and turmoil, with many stories overlapping. It veers abruptly from light mood to dark and violent tones of Delhi. Vague concept and a bumpy storytelling method are the other two weaknesses of this film. At places the film seems to be meandering. The climax is disappointing! It is utter absurd! The needless Amitabh Bachchan scene was ludicrous.
Nevertheless, Delhi 6 is a brave and ambitious film! The characters from the heart of Dilli are the real heroes of the film and keep you engaged in their lives. I would give Delhi 6 a three on five for Rakeyyyyysh’s courageous and innovative filmmaking, even though it’s not as great as his previous flick! Thanks to lose plot, editing and screenplay.
________ASHIM___________
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Dev D by Nikhil
Link: www.devdthefilm.com/
Verdict: Path-breaking.
Cool!: There is only one word to describe this modern-day adaptation of Devdas by Anurag Kashyap. Radical. And it primarily needs to be applauded for breaking the typical stereotypes in Indian Cinema that have bored us for so long. Thus in the movie, we find the so called hero lusting after the heroine with no emotional attachment for most part of the film, the girl herself carrying a bed to the open fields for obvious reasons, a kind of language unheard of before in mainstream cinema and not to forget an absolute absence of an independent villianous character. And the best part is, to find the movie doing well and being appreciated inspite of all being so unconventional. I had seen the film on the first day, and my first reaction was "yeh idhar nahin chalegi". But the response has been phenomenally positive and that has left me pleasantly surprised.
Anurag Kashyap deserves all the adulation for his phenomenal vision, guts to be so experimental and innovative, and last but not the least, for not going the abstract 'No Smoking' way here. Abhay Deol has once again shown he's a far shot from his relatives (the other deols!) in terms of acting as he puts in an exceptional performance for the role, he warrants true appreciation for his role of the mercurial, possesive and egoistic junkie.
The camera work, especially at certain places, is astonishing, so are the graphics and the colours used in the movie. The music is remarkable as well; with hardly many dialogues in the film, its the audio score that tells half the story. I personally loved the huge sountrack, especially the punjabi numbers!
Yawn!: I have this notion that a movie that I truly enjoy leaves me with this strange sense of satisfaction when it's over, and well, in case of DevD though I was overtly impressed, the feeling was somewhere incomplete. And I would blame two portions of the film for it. Firstly, the moment of realization for Abhay at the end is way too sudden and inconsequential to lead towards the shown transformation, it just somewhere seems a very unlikely change for his stubborn character to go through. The second half of the film is way too long and dragged as well. Secondly, the chemistry between Dev and Paro didn't click to me somehow, their contact with each other seemed just too little and physical to justify any kind of prolonged attachment (even infatuation), as per me. My expectations were more, but that doesn't take away the fact that there are still enough positives in the film to appreciate. So go for it, just one warning.. you'll feel like having alcohol half-way through it.
Verdict: Path-breaking.
Cool!: There is only one word to describe this modern-day adaptation of Devdas by Anurag Kashyap. Radical. And it primarily needs to be applauded for breaking the typical stereotypes in Indian Cinema that have bored us for so long. Thus in the movie, we find the so called hero lusting after the heroine with no emotional attachment for most part of the film, the girl herself carrying a bed to the open fields for obvious reasons, a kind of language unheard of before in mainstream cinema and not to forget an absolute absence of an independent villianous character. And the best part is, to find the movie doing well and being appreciated inspite of all being so unconventional. I had seen the film on the first day, and my first reaction was "yeh idhar nahin chalegi". But the response has been phenomenally positive and that has left me pleasantly surprised.
Anurag Kashyap deserves all the adulation for his phenomenal vision, guts to be so experimental and innovative, and last but not the least, for not going the abstract 'No Smoking' way here. Abhay Deol has once again shown he's a far shot from his relatives (the other deols!) in terms of acting as he puts in an exceptional performance for the role, he warrants true appreciation for his role of the mercurial, possesive and egoistic junkie.
The camera work, especially at certain places, is astonishing, so are the graphics and the colours used in the movie. The music is remarkable as well; with hardly many dialogues in the film, its the audio score that tells half the story. I personally loved the huge sountrack, especially the punjabi numbers!
Yawn!: I have this notion that a movie that I truly enjoy leaves me with this strange sense of satisfaction when it's over, and well, in case of DevD though I was overtly impressed, the feeling was somewhere incomplete. And I would blame two portions of the film for it. Firstly, the moment of realization for Abhay at the end is way too sudden and inconsequential to lead towards the shown transformation, it just somewhere seems a very unlikely change for his stubborn character to go through. The second half of the film is way too long and dragged as well. Secondly, the chemistry between Dev and Paro didn't click to me somehow, their contact with each other seemed just too little and physical to justify any kind of prolonged attachment (even infatuation), as per me. My expectations were more, but that doesn't take away the fact that there are still enough positives in the film to appreciate. So go for it, just one warning.. you'll feel like having alcohol half-way through it.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Dev D by Ashim
Devdas’s pain, agony and alcohol is clichéd!!! Devadas indulging in sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll is the last thing you’d expect but Anurag Kashyap fantasized it and stimulated it with style, substance and attitude! To start with, the perfect word to describe the film is ‘avant-garde ’. It is utterly unconventional! Call it daring or radical!
It defies conventional love and delicate romance. Can you imagine a conventional hero asking his childhood sweetheart over a long distance telephone call, “Paro, do you touch yourself?” Never has the childhood sweetheart photographed herself nude and e-mailed it to her love in London. Never has Dev warned Paro “Kaat loonga,” and neither has Paro retorted “Noch loongi.” Their relationship is not hopelessly emotional but kinkily beautiful.
Though Devdas is a static tale, Kashyap has rendered it in breathtaking manner and made it irresistibly dynamic. Abhay gives a dazzling performance! He is an unconventional hero and so is the movie. Perfect choice for the role I feel. He is a complete natural in playing the arrogant and spoilt Punjabi lad. The two girls perform brilliantly, look charming and have played their parts with confidence in their first film. Music is phenomenal! ‘Emotional atyachar’, ‘nayan tarse’ and ‘pardesi’ are incredible numbers!!! Every song is unique in its own way and together they make the movie a hell of a ride!! The camerawork is top notch, specially the ‘pardesi’ song!
Nothing is perfect and not even this film. At some point, post interval, the movie seems a li’l dragged. The over two and a half hour running time feels far too long than it actually should have been. The thing between Dev and Paro can easily be termed as infatuation and not love. So, you do not connect with Dev emotionally. You don’t feel bad for him. So, those expecting touching romantic moments, should stay away.
Overall, Dev D is a fantabulous experience! It is a cult film and might not appeal to the masses. It is like ‘Ale’ or ‘Old monk rum’. You either can’t stand it or you love it completely! As far as I am concerned, I am still in Trans and don’t even wanna get out of it!!!
It defies conventional love and delicate romance. Can you imagine a conventional hero asking his childhood sweetheart over a long distance telephone call, “Paro, do you touch yourself?” Never has the childhood sweetheart photographed herself nude and e-mailed it to her love in London. Never has Dev warned Paro “Kaat loonga,” and neither has Paro retorted “Noch loongi.” Their relationship is not hopelessly emotional but kinkily beautiful.
Though Devdas is a static tale, Kashyap has rendered it in breathtaking manner and made it irresistibly dynamic. Abhay gives a dazzling performance! He is an unconventional hero and so is the movie. Perfect choice for the role I feel. He is a complete natural in playing the arrogant and spoilt Punjabi lad. The two girls perform brilliantly, look charming and have played their parts with confidence in their first film. Music is phenomenal! ‘Emotional atyachar’, ‘nayan tarse’ and ‘pardesi’ are incredible numbers!!! Every song is unique in its own way and together they make the movie a hell of a ride!! The camerawork is top notch, specially the ‘pardesi’ song!
Nothing is perfect and not even this film. At some point, post interval, the movie seems a li’l dragged. The over two and a half hour running time feels far too long than it actually should have been. The thing between Dev and Paro can easily be termed as infatuation and not love. So, you do not connect with Dev emotionally. You don’t feel bad for him. So, those expecting touching romantic moments, should stay away.
Overall, Dev D is a fantabulous experience! It is a cult film and might not appeal to the masses. It is like ‘Ale’ or ‘Old monk rum’. You either can’t stand it or you love it completely! As far as I am concerned, I am still in Trans and don’t even wanna get out of it!!!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Luck By Chance by Ashim
Sorry I am late!!! I am late to watch DevD, which I shall watch this Tuesday and shall post the review by Wednesday. As far as ‘Luck-By Chance’ goes, I think one should just feel ‘lucky’ if you get a ticket of ‘Luck by chance’ because it is surely a ticket to die for!!! What a film! It is a movie you can blindly recommend. It is strong both in style and content, and unlike most films of late, doesn’t slothfully compensate one for the other. Zoya cajoles outstanding performances from every actor in the movie.
Film does not show or reveal the under belly of ‘Bollywood’!! Instead it is behind the scene quirks of our glamorous phillum industry. Being Bollywood buff is enough to make you applaud, laugh and grin. It pictures the good, the bad and the ugly side of the industry and yet keeps your love intact for it. Also it makes you understand and sympathize with the characters in LUCK BY CHANCE.
The protagonists Farhan and Konkona are both top notch!! The movie revolves around them and they do complete justice to their roles. Farhan plays a character of aspirant actor who’s got a burning ambition to be successful. Konkona tries to do whatever it takes, to make it big. The hallmark scene would be when Farhan talks to Konkona when she is grieving over her failure. Hats off to remarkable dialogues by papa Akhtar!! Not only in this particular scene but his dialogues touch your heart. Be it philosophy or extremely witty one-liners.
Other significant scenes are Sourabh Shukla’s ham, Rishi Kapoor breaking down, Farhan charming the gorgeous Dimple Kapadia, Hritik’s in his car (where he is shown to be different from common people), Dimple’s Recalling her yester years, Hritik and K. Jo’s discussion, Farhan’s trick to make the opponent over confident, Shahrukh Khan’s conversation with Farhan and last scene with Konkona which moves you!
The script is slow yet perfect!! The story couldn’t have been told better! Shankar Ehsaan Loy could have surely done better. The best part is that Hritik, Amir, Shahrukh and tons of other stars are not just there for the star value but they lend spice to the film and go in sync with the script!! Just don’t miss this joyride!!
______ASHIM______
Film does not show or reveal the under belly of ‘Bollywood’!! Instead it is behind the scene quirks of our glamorous phillum industry. Being Bollywood buff is enough to make you applaud, laugh and grin. It pictures the good, the bad and the ugly side of the industry and yet keeps your love intact for it. Also it makes you understand and sympathize with the characters in LUCK BY CHANCE.
The protagonists Farhan and Konkona are both top notch!! The movie revolves around them and they do complete justice to their roles. Farhan plays a character of aspirant actor who’s got a burning ambition to be successful. Konkona tries to do whatever it takes, to make it big. The hallmark scene would be when Farhan talks to Konkona when she is grieving over her failure. Hats off to remarkable dialogues by papa Akhtar!! Not only in this particular scene but his dialogues touch your heart. Be it philosophy or extremely witty one-liners.
Other significant scenes are Sourabh Shukla’s ham, Rishi Kapoor breaking down, Farhan charming the gorgeous Dimple Kapadia, Hritik’s in his car (where he is shown to be different from common people), Dimple’s Recalling her yester years, Hritik and K. Jo’s discussion, Farhan’s trick to make the opponent over confident, Shahrukh Khan’s conversation with Farhan and last scene with Konkona which moves you!
The script is slow yet perfect!! The story couldn’t have been told better! Shankar Ehsaan Loy could have surely done better. The best part is that Hritik, Amir, Shahrukh and tons of other stars are not just there for the star value but they lend spice to the film and go in sync with the script!! Just don’t miss this joyride!!
______ASHIM______
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Luck By Chance by Nikhil
Link: http://www.excelmovies.com/app/webroot/microsite/lbc/
Verdict: Impressive. Refreshing.
Cool!: Well, the most impressive aspect of this film as per me, is something found with extreme rariety in Indian films, and that's subtlety. Whether its the confident, ambitious character of farhan (you never find him saying "mein aasman ko chuna chahta hun") or the grey shades to his character (you don't find him throwing his mom and dad out of his house). Similarly, whether its the depiction of the extreme competition in the fame-driven stream of films, the eccentric nuances of a creative field, the games played by those on the top in the business, or the frustration of those not being able to make it; it has all been beautifully underplayed. The fact that I personally loved the most was that the film doesn't even have a climax; and why.. because isn't that the way things happen in reality?! There is no sudden change in the background score when we realize the biggest things in our lives, and that's exactly how it has been depicted. With no character shown as out-right good or bad, it becomes far easier to relate to them. All of them have been shown as having varying levels of grey shades, making small, at times subconscious, manipulations to reach out to their desires; even the topmost stars.. and it makes them all seem human and believable. Though very similar to the kind of films Madhur Bhandarkar makes, Luck By Chance is markedly different, and that reflects the intelligence and sensitivity of the director.
The actors raise the bar of the film. Farhan carries his flirtatious charisma with extreme ease; Rishi Kapoor is simply brilliant, quipped with the best dialogues in the movie, he manages to create the most lovable character in the movie with Juhi pleasantly tagging along; Dimple Kapadia is in a tailor-made role, extremely convincing as the strong, confident and manipulative mom of a startlet, played by Isha Sharvani, who does a decent job herself as the dumb, spoilt, star child. The actors in smaller roles do a brilliant job as well, lifting the overall standard of the film.
The movie's music is less popular than probably what it should be, with a few very soulful tracks; a usual fare with Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's effort. Rather than the well-publicized 'Baawre', I personally enjoyed 'Yeh Zindagi bhi' and 'O Rahi Re' the most.
Go for Luck By Chance if you want something other than the regular, in-your-face, masala Indian cinema. It's totally recommended.
Yawn!: Though I dont want to sit and think about elements to bad-mouth in this film that I thoroughly enjoyed, but if I have to, it has to be Konkana's performance. She has been typecast into a kind of character that she has already played in every second film. Though decent enough, there is nothing unique or refreshing about her performance.
And again, many people might not be able to digest a film without a climax, though personally I loved the depiction in the chosen manner.
Verdict: Impressive. Refreshing.
Cool!: Well, the most impressive aspect of this film as per me, is something found with extreme rariety in Indian films, and that's subtlety. Whether its the confident, ambitious character of farhan (you never find him saying "mein aasman ko chuna chahta hun") or the grey shades to his character (you don't find him throwing his mom and dad out of his house). Similarly, whether its the depiction of the extreme competition in the fame-driven stream of films, the eccentric nuances of a creative field, the games played by those on the top in the business, or the frustration of those not being able to make it; it has all been beautifully underplayed. The fact that I personally loved the most was that the film doesn't even have a climax; and why.. because isn't that the way things happen in reality?! There is no sudden change in the background score when we realize the biggest things in our lives, and that's exactly how it has been depicted. With no character shown as out-right good or bad, it becomes far easier to relate to them. All of them have been shown as having varying levels of grey shades, making small, at times subconscious, manipulations to reach out to their desires; even the topmost stars.. and it makes them all seem human and believable. Though very similar to the kind of films Madhur Bhandarkar makes, Luck By Chance is markedly different, and that reflects the intelligence and sensitivity of the director.
The actors raise the bar of the film. Farhan carries his flirtatious charisma with extreme ease; Rishi Kapoor is simply brilliant, quipped with the best dialogues in the movie, he manages to create the most lovable character in the movie with Juhi pleasantly tagging along; Dimple Kapadia is in a tailor-made role, extremely convincing as the strong, confident and manipulative mom of a startlet, played by Isha Sharvani, who does a decent job herself as the dumb, spoilt, star child. The actors in smaller roles do a brilliant job as well, lifting the overall standard of the film.
The movie's music is less popular than probably what it should be, with a few very soulful tracks; a usual fare with Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's effort. Rather than the well-publicized 'Baawre', I personally enjoyed 'Yeh Zindagi bhi' and 'O Rahi Re' the most.
Go for Luck By Chance if you want something other than the regular, in-your-face, masala Indian cinema. It's totally recommended.
Yawn!: Though I dont want to sit and think about elements to bad-mouth in this film that I thoroughly enjoyed, but if I have to, it has to be Konkana's performance. She has been typecast into a kind of character that she has already played in every second film. Though decent enough, there is nothing unique or refreshing about her performance.
And again, many people might not be able to digest a film without a climax, though personally I loved the depiction in the chosen manner.
Chandni Chowk to China by Nikhil
Link: http://www.cc2c-thefilm.com/
Verdict: @#$!!^*%#!#@
Yawn!: To be honest, I don't have the right to write a review for this film right now because I haven't seen the film in entirety as yet. But the truth is, I dont even intend to! and that says it all. A half an hour into movie, that led me to watch Akshay Kumar reaching the stratosphere courtesy the leg-work of a bihari-accented Mithun, a chinese villian that killed his slaves with a flying hat, a heroine who could presumably fly, some horrible action sequences which were supposedly meant to be funny, cliched jokes over chinese people and their language, and not to forget Akshay Kumar referring to the heroine as a 'aloo parantha' not a 'sada parantha' in a bid to compliment her; I realized I had better things to do with my time. You could do too. Stay Away.
Cool!: Actually, whatever I could see in the half hour of the film has been detailed out in the previous section.
Verdict: @#$!!^*%#!#@
Yawn!: To be honest, I don't have the right to write a review for this film right now because I haven't seen the film in entirety as yet. But the truth is, I dont even intend to! and that says it all. A half an hour into movie, that led me to watch Akshay Kumar reaching the stratosphere courtesy the leg-work of a bihari-accented Mithun, a chinese villian that killed his slaves with a flying hat, a heroine who could presumably fly, some horrible action sequences which were supposedly meant to be funny, cliched jokes over chinese people and their language, and not to forget Akshay Kumar referring to the heroine as a 'aloo parantha' not a 'sada parantha' in a bid to compliment her; I realized I had better things to do with my time. You could do too. Stay Away.
Cool!: Actually, whatever I could see in the half hour of the film has been detailed out in the previous section.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
