Paranormal Activity - Review

After creating a stir worldwide, 15000$ creation Paranormal Activity finally hits the Indian screens. After grossing 100 million plus worldwide, does this film live up to the hype?
NO

Following the footsteps of The Blair witch project, PA is a film shot completely on the handycam. It deals with the life of a young couple, Micah & Katie and the mysterious happenings faced by them. They believe there is a ghost in the house & the story takes us through three horrific weeks of their lives.
The film is completely shot in the house itself & almost no background sound.

Let's get one fact straight. The movie does not Thrill or spook. There are exactly 5 minutes of scenes that classify as unnerving. 75% of the film is extremely boring & nothing really happens till the last 15 minutes.

Of the actors Katie Featherson is great in her role as the freaked out girlfriend. Micah Sloat as the boyfriend is strictly ok & the psychiatrist is just comical, especially in the the scene where the he goes away because he is scared of angering the "ghost".

The director Oren Peli attempts something interesting but fails miserably. There are parts of the film that build up the anxiety but just fall flat at the end of it. The screenplay is weak & parts of the first half are redundant.
The question is as to how this film has generated such revenues. Marketing pundits are calling it the most profitable film ever made....I call it marketing genius.

I would request you not to watch this mockery of a film. I went to the theater with the intention to get petrified, but came out making elaborate plans to shoot the makers. If films like The Exorcist, The Ring or even RGV's Bhoot worked for you, this won't.
Though, you will be truly horrified when you realize that your hard earned money has vanished, never to return again.

Note: This film has 3 different versions, but the one playing in cinemas across India is worthy of the review above.

Rating: 1/5

Sherlock Holmes - Review

Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective is back, in a revamped new avatar, courtesy Guy Ritchie. Known for his slick movie-making efforts, does this film create the magic of Snatch & Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels?

Let’s say Ritchie delivers a decorously interesting fare to savour.

Set in the late 1800’s, Ace detective Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr) & his partner Dr.Watson (Jude Law) have just solved a case involving black magic practitioner Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong). After sentencing him to his grave, they are taken by surprise when he comes back, with sinister plans of ruling the world. A series of deaths follow & the detective duo end up unravelling this mystery with the help of Sherlock’s old muse, Irene Adler (Rachel Adams).

One thing is certain, Guy Ritchie has definitely changed ones perception of Sherlock Holmes. He has taken the classic hat wearing, pipe smoking detective & turned him into a goofy, alcohol drinking, bare-knuckle brawler.

The first half of the film is interesting, especially two action sequences, right out of the directors unique action style. Towards the second half, the movie gets a tad bit boring, but picks up pace towards the end, closing the loose ends.

Of the performances, Robert Downey Jr is fantastic. The movie is all about him & he pulls of this brawny Sherlock with panache. He is well supported by an underplayed Jude Law & sexy yet mysterious Rachel Adams. The repartee between Robert & Jude is brilliant & fun to watch. Mark Strong has a small yet impactful role.

All in all, even though it’s not the best film out there, it’s definitely worth a watch. If you like Robert Downey Jr or Guy Ritchie cinema, this one’s a good watch. Don’t expect too much & be entertained by this comical action film.



P.S - The film looks all set for a sequel with its open ended finish.

Rating: 3/5

3 Idiots - Review

It's Christmas time again which means only one thing.....an Aamir Khan release. This time he joins hands with Raju Hirani of Munnabhai fame who attempts to showcase the lives of 3 engineering students. Is it Santa or is it the Grinch??
3 Idiots & Aamir Khan = Sheer Brilliance

The movie begins with two friends Farhan Qureshi (Madhavan) & Raju Rastogi (Sharman Joshi) setting out to find their friend Rancho (Aamir Khan). Through this adventure we delve into their past, where these 3 students were roommates at a prestigious engineering college. Rancho was different from the rest; he wanted to learn & didn't fancy the existing education system. The dean (Boman Irani) hated his guts & disliked the 3 idiots. As the story unravels, it deals with the pressure students face as well as parental force on rubbishing their child's dreams.
Post their graduation, Rancho disappears & the movie moves into the future, with his friends looking for him. There is also an alternate love angle between Pia (Kareena Kapoor), the deans daughter & Rancho.

The first half of the film is absolutely marvelous. It has you in splits, especially the scene with Raju's poor parents & Omi's s (classmate) function speech.
The second half has a lot more emotional play as well as a very filmi touch to it.

Although the story of the film is not the best, it is the execution by Hirani that takes the cake. He crafts each scene beautifully & is backed by great performances by all the actors. This is definitely his best work so far, surpassing the Munnabhai series.
The music of the film is strictly ok but the songs are woven seamlessly into the film, making it work.

But when we talk about 3 idiots, one man shines, Aamir Khan. He makes you believe he that he is the 22 year old quirky, yet lovable Rancho. Every frame he is a part of shows the sheer talent & versatility of this actor. He is undoubtedly the best actor of his generation.
He is supported by spirited performances from Sharman Joshi & Madhavan as well as a great job by half-foreign student Omi. Kareena Kapoor plays her part well. Boman Irani too shines in his role as the grumpy dean.

All in all, 3 Idiots is the perfect Christmas release. It is a complete entertainer & definitely one of the best films of the year. With the hype & holiday weekend, this film will surely set the box office blazing.
Aamir Khan, take a bow, for you have done it again. Outstanding.
Do yourself a favour & book your tickets now.

Critical: 4/5
Commercial: 4.5/5

Rocket Singh Salesman of the Year - Review

With hardly any promotion or marketing efforts, what would get people to Pocket this Rocket?
1. Yashraj (almost lost credibility now)
2. Flavour of the season Ranbir Kapoor &
3. Director Shimit Amin (100% track record)
So is this combo deal worth your while?
It is....

From the first frame, RSSOTY has a very simple believable feel; far away from the glossy fields & snowy caps Yashraj is famous for.

It is the story of Harpreet Singh Bedi (Ranbir Kapoor). Just about scraping through his graduation, he decides to take up the job of a salesman at a company selling computers. He finds it hard to get his bearings in the company because he refuses to bend the rules & play the game. Being noble & honest, Harpreet realises that his idealogies are not followed by others hence he decides to start his own company. He tags along with himself other colleagues from the office & embarks on a journey to reach to the top. Along the way, he stumbles, rises & eventually is met with an interesting end.

Rocket Singh does have many script flaws. How does one run a company while working at another? How does one manage to get orders without an office address?
Regardless of all this & more, the beauty of the film lies in it's simplicity & of course, its performances.

Ranbir Kapoor is no more the next big thing....he has arrived. He delivers a stupendous performance, his best to date & can be compared to the big names in the business today. He carries this film single-handedly & deserves the tag superstar.
Along with him his boss Puri pitches in a memorable performance & is supported by porn crazed maintenance guy D.Santosh, sideburned team lead Naveen Kaushik as well as loud & brash receptionist Gauhar Khan. Cute newcomer Shahzahn Padamsee is non-existent.

Director Shimit Amin works & falters both. While the film is well made & has a great feel, it could definitely be trimmed a bit. While the screenplay/dialogues by Jaideep Sahani are well written, the duo don't quite create the magic of Chak De. The humour in the film is dry but it brings a smile to your face. The climax is a tad bit filmy & should have been better written.

At the end of it, Rocket Singh is a film with soul. It does tend to preach a bit but still works for most of it. It makes you like Harpreet Singh & see the life of a salesman.
As the review is a bit late, the box office results are already out....sadly, the rocket didn't launch.
I still recommend you to catch Rocket Singh, a one time watch for sure.

Critical: 3.5/5
Commercial: 2/5

Paa - Review

No, this is not Benjamin Button.
Paa is about Progeria, about relations, about awareness & above all, about Auro. Does it manage to impress?
While the movie might be just above average, its a dazzling performance by Auro that shall be remembered for times to come.

The story involves 12 year old Auro (Amitabh Bachchan) who has progeria, a rare condition that causes accelerated physical growth, hence making a mentally 12 year old child look like he's 70. His life revolves around his doctor mother Vidya (Vidya Balan) & his school friends. Visionary MP Amol Arte (Abhishek Bachchan) is his father, but neither know the relation, as Amol had parted ways with Vidya years ago.
The film delves with Auro's everyday life on one side & Amole's political ideologies & want to make a difference on the other. An incident makes them cross paths & Paa is about how they change each others lives.

First & foremost, the narrative of the film is extremely weak. It is poorly scripted & the political angle is blown out of proportion. The film tends to drag & gets preachy very often.
Secondly, the editing of the film disappoints & the camera work too, leaves a lot to be desired.
Director R.Balki, who impressed with Cheeni Kum falters. The movie impacts not because of him, but because of the actors.
Of the songs, maestro Illayaraja takes 1 song & spins multiple versions of the same.

But Paa is only about one man Amitabh Bachchan. AB delivers a stupendous performance, making him the heart of this film He makes you forget that it is him & creates a different world around Auro. After 40 years, this is a first for him, surely a feather in his cap. Take a bow Big.B.
Of the othersAbhishek Bachchan gives a very good performance. Vidya Balan looks beautiful & this movie can be considered as her best work yet. Paresh Rawal in his short role is fantastic & child actor Pratik is brilliant.

The length of this film is a tad bit long & the film does tend to drift at times, moving into morality & unnecessary sermons. While it is not a tear-jerker, it has its emotional moments.

All in all, Paa is a film that rides on its performances. Take away Amitabh Bachchan & Paa would fall flat, face first. At the box office, the film doesn't look too promising, but the low budget would greatly help its cause.
If you want to watch a never-before-seen AB, do go for Paa.....but if you don't fancy him much, you can give Paa a miss.

Critical: 2.5/5
Commercial: 3/5

De Dana Dan - Review

It's Priyadarshan time once again. A mad caper filled with over-the-top slapstick humour coupled with the successful combo of Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal & Sunil Shetty. Does it work?
Not at all. It can be called a mind numbing experience.

De Dana Dan is a twisted story of how Nitin (Akshay Kumar), who is a servant/driver of mean & crude Archana Puran Singh is in love with rich girl Anjali (Katrina Kaif). Frustrated with his life, he attempts committing suicide & ends up meeting Ram (Suniel Shetty) who's life is equally miserable. They plot a plan to make money of Archana & end up getting caught up in a vortex of madness.
On a parallel plot, conman Harbans (Paresh Rawal) is looking to get his son (Chunkey Pandey) married off to whoever has the maximum dowry money & he too gets entangled in a web of lies & misunderstandings.
Ironically all the characters end up at one hotel & that's where the story unfolds, making it a maniacal adventure for all.

The film has a plethora of actors & can hardly be called an Akshay Kumar film. Additional characters include weird accented chinese gangster Asrani & sleazy as always Shakti Kapoor amongst a host of others.

The first half of this film is extremely boring & the narrative extremely weak, while the second half is haphazard & makes for the odd laugh here & there. The fault is in the screenplay itself which stretches & pulls beyond requirement. The film is painstakingly long & needs to be trimmed by atleast 30 min. The climax is absurd & pointless.

Priyadarshan's direction is nothing to write home about as he attempts this ominous task of weaving 15-20 characters into a single plot. Also, the movie has his typical style of filmmaking with the climax having each & every character in the film running behind each other.
The music is strictly OK & the good melodies are not included in the film.

Of the actors, Paresh Rawal has the meatiest role but doesn't impress. This can be considered as one of his weak performances. Akshay Kumar delivers his 5th turkey this year & has bid adieu to good cinema. Sunil Shetty just about manages. The female actors are hardly present. Shakti Kapoor is apt. Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav falter.

From the comedy house of Priyadarshan, this one's a rotten egg. Having done great work before, he doesn't manage to hold the audience & at best delivers a few laughs. At the box office, one doesn't see it going too far & I strongly recommend everyone NOT to watch this film.
Save time, Save money, Save sanity.

Critical: 1.5/5
Commercial: 2.5/5

Kurbaan - Review

From the house of Karan Johar, the much awaited & anticipated Kurbaan hits the screens today.....is it worth your money??
I think it makes the cut.

Kurbaan takes on topic of Islamic terrorism tackled by numerous Bollywood films (read: New York, Aamir, etc). It is the story of two professor's Avantika (Kareena Kapoor) & Ehsaan (Saif Ali Khan) who teach in New Delhi. They fall in love & owing to certain opportunities which come Avantika's way, they get married & shift base to New York.
Here they come across very orthodox Islamic neighbours & Avantika is spellbound when one of her neighbor's asks for help, telling her that her life is in peril. What follows next is a whirlwind of events that leave her aghast & turn her life completely around.

The film begins on a slow, romantic note but 20 minutes in, things start picking up. For most of it, the movie does grip you & provide for some edge-of-the-seat entertainment. Though the second half does falter at many points, the end impresses.
The screenplay is well written but the movie is a tad long. The camera work & action sequence are nothing out of the ordinary. The music of the film is great & the director maintains a perfect balance by not overloading the viewer with dance numbers.

The highlight of the film has to be it's performances. Kareena Kapoor looks great & delivers a stellar performance with a meaty role. Definitely one of the best female performances this year. Saif Ali Khan too puts up a brilliant display. Funny, Intense or Poignant, he emotes with ease. Vivek Oberoi is good & plays his part well. Om Puri & Kirron Kher support perfectly. Dia Mirza is a hit-n-miss.
First time Director Rensil D'silva does a good job at taking a done-to-death topic & adding some life to it. Only if the length was trimmed, the film would be much better.

All in all, the film has it highs n lows but finishes off with a great climax. It definitely has it's moments & is a good looking product. At the box office, one sees it doing decent business, though the A certificate wouldn't help its cause.
So go for Kurbaan without expecting much & let this decent entertainer play its part.

Critical: 3/5
Commercial: 3/5