Every once in a while comes a film which lacks complete sense of good filmmaking but still entertains you for the reasons its not meant to. OUATIM is right there. Punchlines, randomness and some more punchlines is all that this film offers.
A masala fare this one, is it worth your weekend watch?
Not for the intelligent watcher, score one for the mindless...
Set in the 70's, the film deals with the formative years of the Mumbai underworld, loosely based on the lives of Haji Mastan and Dawood Ibrahim. After fate brings him to the city of dreams, Sultan(Ajay Devgn) grows up to become an ace smuggler albeit one with a heart of gold. He helps the needy and doesn't believe in violence. Enter his protégé Shoaib(Emraan Hashmi), son of a cop whose only goal is to effect complete control of the city. Following on Sultans footsteps, he eventually realises that their two ideologies cannot survive together, hence one must go.(How fresh?)
Also thrown in for the commercial angle are their love interests, starlet Rehana(Kangna Ranaut)for Sultan & girl next door Mumtaz(Prachi Desai)for Shoaib.
The film begins on a firm footing and has an impactful start, but as we move on, the film starts loosing its bearing as the narrative slowly slips away into sleep mode. The love angle is overstretched and filmi one-liners dominate the order of play.
It soon takes the mould of countless other Bollywood-gangster films with excess attitude and no soul.
The background score is an interesting lift of Rock-n-rolla and is heard every 3 min. Even then, it suits the tone of the film.
Rajat Aroraa is the man behind the words and writes some corny dialogues like, "Is sheher ko chalane ke liye do log chahiye, baki sab pandu vanvaas jayenge".
The films shoddy screenplay reminds you of Kanti Shah's cult classic Gunda. Scene to scene only by way of one-liners makes it a hilarious watch.
From the cast, Ajay Devgn is top notch as the restrained and mature smuggler. He plays the role perfectly and Emraan Hashmi pales in comparison. He hams his way through the film making Randeep Hooda's below par performance look good.
Director Milan Luthria fails yet again, though this movie might have a large audience. Amongst the masses, one expects whistles galore on the masala overdose and mediocre music.
To sum it up, OATIM is a film right out of the 70's(literally and figuratively). One could have expected this one to do a silver jubilee back in the day but unfortunately, it doesn't matc1h up to the quality of cinema available today. Watch it if you must, or enjoy yourself making fun of it, its a JOY !!!
Rating: 2.5/5
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Udaan - Review
After generating excitement on its entry into Cannes, Udaan quietly hits the screens this week with hardly any fanfare. Being co-produced by Anurag Kashyap, one surely expects a lot. Does it deliver?
Absolutely. This one is bang on target.
Udaan takes you into the life of Rohan(Rajat Barmecha), a boarding school student who hasn't met his authoritarian father Bhairav(Ronit Roy) in 8 years. He gets expelled for watching a B-Grade flick "Kanti Shah ke Angoor" and returns to the small town of Jamshedpur only to find himself a step-brother he was unaware of. The film deals with the father-son conflict as Rohan is an aspiring writer while Bhairav wants him to join the business. Bhairav is a no-nonsense individual devoid of emotions. Also in the fray is Rohan's caring uncle Jimmy(Ram Kapoor) whose ideologies greatly differ from his brother's. How the relations play out and change their lives is what the story is all about
The film is a beautiful concoction of emotions as you laugh in one frame and are moved in the other. Full credit for this goes to the writers Anurag Kashyap-Vikramaditya Motwane. Whether the funny college scenes or angry confrontations, each scene is etched beautifully. A little trimming and this could be a masterpiece.
The music by Amit Trivedi is stellar, lending a great vibe to the film, adding depth to the overall experience. After Dev.D he delivers another winner.
The performances too are terrific thanks to the clear-cut characters. Standing tall to take the honours is Ronit Roy. A complete knockout performance by him leaves you astounded. Rajat the lead also gives a sincere & restrained debut performance. Child actor Aayan Boradia leaves you speechless by the way he emotes.
But my favourite, and I am sure most would agree, is Manjot Singh(last seen as the young sikh in Oye lucky lucky Oye). In a small role, he leaves a lasting impression and makes you laugh in every frame he is in. A fine actor, one wishes he had more screen-time.
Debutant director Vikramaditya.M trumps an ace. Poignant and genuine, he weaves the story intricately, throwing in various characters that remain with you well after you leave the theater. One waits for more work from him.
At the end, Udaan is a sensitive ride that all must experience. A tad bit heavy on emotions, it will not disappoint you. Tough competition from Lamhaa/Inception might hamper the box office efforts of this work of art.
Rating: 4/5
Absolutely. This one is bang on target.
Udaan takes you into the life of Rohan(Rajat Barmecha), a boarding school student who hasn't met his authoritarian father Bhairav(Ronit Roy) in 8 years. He gets expelled for watching a B-Grade flick "Kanti Shah ke Angoor" and returns to the small town of Jamshedpur only to find himself a step-brother he was unaware of. The film deals with the father-son conflict as Rohan is an aspiring writer while Bhairav wants him to join the business. Bhairav is a no-nonsense individual devoid of emotions. Also in the fray is Rohan's caring uncle Jimmy(Ram Kapoor) whose ideologies greatly differ from his brother's. How the relations play out and change their lives is what the story is all about
The film is a beautiful concoction of emotions as you laugh in one frame and are moved in the other. Full credit for this goes to the writers Anurag Kashyap-Vikramaditya Motwane. Whether the funny college scenes or angry confrontations, each scene is etched beautifully. A little trimming and this could be a masterpiece.
The music by Amit Trivedi is stellar, lending a great vibe to the film, adding depth to the overall experience. After Dev.D he delivers another winner.
The performances too are terrific thanks to the clear-cut characters. Standing tall to take the honours is Ronit Roy. A complete knockout performance by him leaves you astounded. Rajat the lead also gives a sincere & restrained debut performance. Child actor Aayan Boradia leaves you speechless by the way he emotes.
But my favourite, and I am sure most would agree, is Manjot Singh(last seen as the young sikh in Oye lucky lucky Oye). In a small role, he leaves a lasting impression and makes you laugh in every frame he is in. A fine actor, one wishes he had more screen-time.
Debutant director Vikramaditya.M trumps an ace. Poignant and genuine, he weaves the story intricately, throwing in various characters that remain with you well after you leave the theater. One waits for more work from him.
At the end, Udaan is a sensitive ride that all must experience. A tad bit heavy on emotions, it will not disappoint you. Tough competition from Lamhaa/Inception might hamper the box office efforts of this work of art.
Rating: 4/5
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Lamhaa - Review
National award winner Rahul Dholakia (read:Parzania) returns for his second venture with an ensemble cast boasting of Sanjay Dutt, Anupam Kher and Bipasha Basu. Does this film do more than umpteen other Kashmir-Terrorism related projects?
While the premise might sound similar, this one is a Gritty, Hard-hitting, non-gloss affair.
After the Islamic Terrorists drove out the Hindu pandits from the Kashmir valley in 1988-89, there had been unrest there for 20 years owing to the lack of safety of the locals. The military intelligence got a whiff of a huge operation in the planning, one that would shake the country to its roots. They send in Vikram(Sanjay Dutt) under a secret alias to investigate the matter. He encounters Haji(Anupam Kher) a top separatist leader, his firebrand protege Aziza(Bipasha)and a young leader Aatif(Kunaal Kapoor)who wants to go against all odds to have an election in the valley.
The story deals with how Vikram tracks down the operation and with the help of Aziza, tries to avert a disaster.
From the onset, the film has a strikingly dark,eerie feel to it, which goes very well with the theme. Being extensively shot in Kashmir, it also lends a level of authenticity.
The first half of the film is a bit patchy. While it starts off on a perfect note, the narrative slows down considerably, but the second half is power packed and keeps you gripped.
The camerawork by James Fowlds is simply brilliant. Fresh & into-the-action, it gives a very Bourne like feel and is a joy to experience. The music too is superb, albeit a little forced into the narrative. Production designer Wasiq Khan & background score by Sanjoy Chowdhury also deserve a mention.
Of the performances, Bipasha Basu springs a surprise in a portrayal which could easily be classified as her career best. She emotes magically and her low-makeup look is perfect. Sanjay Dutt has a tremendous screen presence and lends his vintage panache to the character. Anupam Kher is spot on as always. Mahesh Manjerekar impresses in a fleeting cameo.
Director Rahul Dholakia serves a decent dish. He executes an age old idea with style and realism. Tightening the script a bit more would do wonders.
All in all, Lamhaa is an endearing watch that might not work for all. It is not your run-of-the-mill Sanju baba film, but a serious political-thriller that has its moments. Definitely a one time watch.
Rating: 3.5/5
While the premise might sound similar, this one is a Gritty, Hard-hitting, non-gloss affair.
After the Islamic Terrorists drove out the Hindu pandits from the Kashmir valley in 1988-89, there had been unrest there for 20 years owing to the lack of safety of the locals. The military intelligence got a whiff of a huge operation in the planning, one that would shake the country to its roots. They send in Vikram(Sanjay Dutt) under a secret alias to investigate the matter. He encounters Haji(Anupam Kher) a top separatist leader, his firebrand protege Aziza(Bipasha)and a young leader Aatif(Kunaal Kapoor)who wants to go against all odds to have an election in the valley.
The story deals with how Vikram tracks down the operation and with the help of Aziza, tries to avert a disaster.
From the onset, the film has a strikingly dark,eerie feel to it, which goes very well with the theme. Being extensively shot in Kashmir, it also lends a level of authenticity.
The first half of the film is a bit patchy. While it starts off on a perfect note, the narrative slows down considerably, but the second half is power packed and keeps you gripped.
The camerawork by James Fowlds is simply brilliant. Fresh & into-the-action, it gives a very Bourne like feel and is a joy to experience. The music too is superb, albeit a little forced into the narrative. Production designer Wasiq Khan & background score by Sanjoy Chowdhury also deserve a mention.
Of the performances, Bipasha Basu springs a surprise in a portrayal which could easily be classified as her career best. She emotes magically and her low-makeup look is perfect. Sanjay Dutt has a tremendous screen presence and lends his vintage panache to the character. Anupam Kher is spot on as always. Mahesh Manjerekar impresses in a fleeting cameo.
Director Rahul Dholakia serves a decent dish. He executes an age old idea with style and realism. Tightening the script a bit more would do wonders.
All in all, Lamhaa is an endearing watch that might not work for all. It is not your run-of-the-mill Sanju baba film, but a serious political-thriller that has its moments. Definitely a one time watch.
Rating: 3.5/5
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Inception - Review
Not that this film needs an introduction, but for those unaware:
Memento, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, INCEPTION.
Master craftsman Chirstopher Nolan wields his baton with a captivating plot starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Touted to be one of the biggest releases this year, does this live up to Nolan's past work?
Convoluted, Intelligent and Intriguing, this one will literally blow your mind away...
Ace thief Dom Cobb(Leonardo DiCaprio) has a rare skill. He steals secrets from deep within the subconscious whilst one is dreaming, when the mind is at its most susceptible. Running from the law for this illicit skill, he gets one last chance at redemption when Saito(Ken Watanabe) offers him all he needs in favour of one last Corporate espionage mission in the form of Inception. The opposite of stealing a secret, Cobb & his team have to plant one. This fascinating task sets the story up for a thrilling ride which at the end, leaves you finding your own answers.
As the film begins, it leaves you a little fazed in the first 10-15 minutes, but as the story unfurls, things start falling into place. One thing is certain, one has to pay attention to every scene hence missing even a minute of the film hampers the experience.
The star as well as the villian of the film is the story. While an interesting concept,(borrowing some inspiration from the Matrix) the story increases in complexity trying to make you think and untangle the web. Even though it is extremely intelligent, it has its fair share of flaws, sometimes becoming overtly compound for its own good. I would not give away details, but this film will definitely fuel many a dinner discussion.
The cinematography + CG is brilliant with alluring shots of the cityscape being mind-controlled. The background score too lends a beautiful feel to the film.
The performances are top notch with Leo Dicaprio leading the way with great support from Ken Watanabe, Ellen Page and Marion Cotillard.
Director-Writer Christopher Nolan shines. To weave and portray such an intricate plot with panache deserves an applause. His storytelling keeps you gripped and builds up the film beautifully only to leave you a tad disappointed with the finale. While on par with his other work, this film is definitely his most ambitious project as he deals with multiple realms seamlessly.
To sum it up, Inception works on more than one level. This psychological thriller isn't for those looking for your average popcorn fare. Leave aside some minor flaws, I still recommend this film for all cinema lovers and Nolan fans alike.
Rating: 4/5
P.S - Being an IMAX ready film I suggest you watch this on IMAX for the immersive experience.
Memento, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, INCEPTION.
Master craftsman Chirstopher Nolan wields his baton with a captivating plot starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Touted to be one of the biggest releases this year, does this live up to Nolan's past work?
Convoluted, Intelligent and Intriguing, this one will literally blow your mind away...
Ace thief Dom Cobb(Leonardo DiCaprio) has a rare skill. He steals secrets from deep within the subconscious whilst one is dreaming, when the mind is at its most susceptible. Running from the law for this illicit skill, he gets one last chance at redemption when Saito(Ken Watanabe) offers him all he needs in favour of one last Corporate espionage mission in the form of Inception. The opposite of stealing a secret, Cobb & his team have to plant one. This fascinating task sets the story up for a thrilling ride which at the end, leaves you finding your own answers.
As the film begins, it leaves you a little fazed in the first 10-15 minutes, but as the story unfurls, things start falling into place. One thing is certain, one has to pay attention to every scene hence missing even a minute of the film hampers the experience.
The star as well as the villian of the film is the story. While an interesting concept,(borrowing some inspiration from the Matrix) the story increases in complexity trying to make you think and untangle the web. Even though it is extremely intelligent, it has its fair share of flaws, sometimes becoming overtly compound for its own good. I would not give away details, but this film will definitely fuel many a dinner discussion.
The cinematography + CG is brilliant with alluring shots of the cityscape being mind-controlled. The background score too lends a beautiful feel to the film.
The performances are top notch with Leo Dicaprio leading the way with great support from Ken Watanabe, Ellen Page and Marion Cotillard.
Director-Writer Christopher Nolan shines. To weave and portray such an intricate plot with panache deserves an applause. His storytelling keeps you gripped and builds up the film beautifully only to leave you a tad disappointed with the finale. While on par with his other work, this film is definitely his most ambitious project as he deals with multiple realms seamlessly.
To sum it up, Inception works on more than one level. This psychological thriller isn't for those looking for your average popcorn fare. Leave aside some minor flaws, I still recommend this film for all cinema lovers and Nolan fans alike.
Rating: 4/5
P.S - Being an IMAX ready film I suggest you watch this on IMAX for the immersive experience.
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