Bollywood Gossips

LATEST PICS

2007-01-08T06:05:00.000-08:00

SCHOLAR

2007-01-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

A friend asks sardar how was ur exam?Sardar: It was ok but i couldnt answer past tense of THINK. I thought,thought & finally i wrote 'THUNK'.

FAMOUS DIALOGUES

2006-12-28T05:28:00.000-08:00

Jo har kar jet te hai use BAZIGAR kahete hai! jo jet kar harte hai use jadogar kahate hai OUR jo jan buj ke harte hai use dildar kahete hai! khubsoorat si hawa chal jaati hai, jab teri surat saamne aati hai, ye aankhen khud-b-khud jhuk jaati hain, jab teri ankhen meri aankhon se takraati hain Pyar ek khoobsurat ehsaas hai jo hamari zindagi mein ek hawa ke jhonke ki tarah aata hai aur hamari zindagi ka rom rom uski khushboo se mahek uthta hai.

TOP TEN-ALL TIME

2006-12-28T05:22:00.000-08:00

TOP TEN: Top 10 All Time Movies
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai **** Karan Johar 1998
Dil To Pagal Hai Yash Chopra 1997
Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge **** Yash Chopra 1995
Hum Aapke Hai Kaun **** Sooraj Barjatya 1994
Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai **** Rakesh Roshan 2000
Maine Pyar Kiya **** Tarachand Barjatya 1989
Sholay Not Avaiable 1980
Deewar Gulshan Rai 1975
Mughal-E-Azam K. Asif 1960
Mother India **** Mehboob Khan 1957
Top ten dialogues in Hindi movies
10. Kuttay, Kameenay mai tujhe jaan se maar doonga
(Dog, Poor charactered person, I will kill you from your life)
9. Mai tumhara ehasaan zindagi bhar nahin bhuloonga / bhuloongi
(I will never forget your favours)
8. Itnay paisay tum kahan se laaye?
(From where did you get so much money?)
7. Main tumharay bina mar jaa-oongi.
(Without you, death shall be the only thing to come to me)
6. Main tera khoon pee jaaonga! (I will drink your blood)
5. Yeh anyay hai bhagwan. (This is unfair, O God)
4. Bataoo, heeray kahan hai. (Tell where the diamonds are)
3. Tum may-re liye mar chuke ho. (You have died for me)
2. Puliss meray peechay lagi hui hai.
(Can I use your bathroom)
1. Mai tumharay bachhe ki maa ban-nay waali hoon!
(I will be the mother of your children)

I SEE YOU-Exclusive Preview

2006-12-28T05:02:00.000-08:00

Actor-producer Arjun Rampal and wife Mehr Rampal are excellent hosts and this came to the fore yet again as the good looking couple hosted a private screening of their first film I SEE YOU on Wednesday night [27th December] at the plush Yash Raj Studios in Andheri.

Abhishek-Aishwarya-----MARRIED?

2006-12-28T04:52:00.000-08:00

Abhishek, Aishwarya perform special pujas in Varanasi. Bollywood stars Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai kept rumours of their impending marriage alive Monday by performing rituals done only by married couples in two major temples of the city.

I HOPE PEOPLE WILL ACCEPT ME IN MY COMEBACK FILM

2006-12-26T08:16:00.000-08:00

A mother of two now, Madhuri Dixit is excited at the prospect of returning to the silver screen after five years and says she chose Yash Chopra's banner for the occasion..

Kabul Express-REVIEW

2006-12-26T07:54:00.001-08:00

Film: "Kabul Express"Cast: Arshad Warsi, John Abraham, Salman Shahid, Hanif Hum Ghum and Linda ArsenioDirector: Kabir KhanRatings: ***
First thing first - director Kabir Khan's directorial debut will not appeal to those looking for candyfloss kind of entertainment. But one should see it for its absorbing intricacies and intelligent narration. It is a thought-provoking film. "Kabul Express" is a socio-political comment on the post 9/11 war ravaged Afghanistan. The director has deftly used his experience and expertise to put out the tragic situation in the country abandoned by its staunch supporter Pakistan after the attack on the US. As the film progresses one can see a beautiful country reduced to ruins, disappearing human civilisation and vegetation and haunting silence, which is often disturbed by gunshots. One needs courage to make a hard-hitting film like this and kudos to Kabir for treading an untrodden path.The film is about the journey of two Indian journalists - Jai Kapoor (Arshad Warsi) and Suhel Khan (John Abraham) - in war-torn Afghanistan for an exclusive interview with a Taliban. Just few days after landing in the disturbed terrains of Afghanistan they are taken hostage by Imran Khan (Salman Shahid), a Taliban, who is trying to escape to Pakistan to save his life. Imran is a Pakistani soldier, who becomes a victim of the political nexus between his native country and the US. On their way Jai and Suhel bump into an American photojournalist Jessica Beckham (Linda Arsenio), who also becomes Imran's captive! And Khyber, an Afghan, who is Jai and Suhel's guide and translator, drives all of them to Pakistan border in his Toyota jeep called Kabul Express.But Khyber and Imran cannot see eye to eye on the Taliban phenomenon, and through their views the director brings forth the controversies surrounding the formation of the Taliban and its effect on the country. The film takes a critical look at the Islamist fundamentalist movement, which ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 until 2001, and faulty US policies exploiting developing nations.Most shocking revelation in the film was the Taliban's treatment of women. Most of them are widows. Taliban does not permit women to work and, therefore, all the widows are forced to beg for food and shelter. The film, however, has lighter moments too. The conversations among Jai, Suhel, Imraan and Khyber (Hanif Hum Ghum) make one laugh heartily. Their rigid views on cricketers Kapil Dev and Imran Khan, actress Madhuri Dixit, and Uncle Sam's country are quite amusing. Jai and Imran's one-liners are hilarious. The director has full control over the narration and not even once he deviates.However, there is one flaw in the film. Despite all the violence and prejudices and intolerance, "Kabul Express" turns out to be a soft film focusing mainly on emotions. Kabir stresses on the fact that it is the socio-political situations that force people to pick up arm and turn into terrorists.Performance wise, Arshad is the show stealer. He effortlessly slips under his character. Hanif and Salman are impeccable and often moving. John is a misfit and looks out of sync and Linda Arsenio does not have much to do. But her presence certainly adds glamour to an otherwise dry drama.Some of the scenes are gripping. For instance when Imran goes to meet his daughter but cultural restrictions forbid him from expressing his emotions for his daughter. Also when he reaches the Pakistan border to escape death but ironically is shot down by his own countrymen."Kabul Express" interweaves stories of different individuals put together by unfavourable circumstances into a relationship, which is moving as well as revealing. A must watch.

SANTA-BANTA SPECIAL

2006-12-26T07:45:00.000-08:00

One day a Sardarji talking with his friend.......Sardarji: We have to learn Telugu within 6 months or we will not be able to communicate with my child. Friend: Is it! Why?Sardarji: We have adopted a telugu child and it willstart to speak after 6 months.

Dog Works

2006-12-13T06:54:00.000-08:00

One day, a company posted a notice saying that they needed a employee that is good with typing, good with computers, and is bilingual. The next day, a dog wanders in. As a joke, the secretary took the dog into her boss' office and said, "sir, this dog is here for the job." "Ok, um... mr. dog are you good with typing." The dog jumps onto the computer and types a perfect letter "ok, sir. now you need to be good with computers." The dog jumps back on the computer and makes a perfect spread sheet "ok" said the boss "sorry but u have to be bilingual The dog walks up to him and says, "Meow."

Another Item Girl

2006-12-13T06:50:00.001-08:00

Another Indian supermodel - Sheetal Mallar, is turning to an item girl. She make her debut in a forthcoming project with none other than her colleague and model-truned-actor Dino Morea. So, be ready for another hot number

Guru

2006-12-13T06:38:00.000-08:00

Guru Starcast: Abhishek Bachchan,Aishwarya Rai,Madhavan,Vidya Balan Director: Mani Ratnam Music: Language: Hindi Media Reports: Guru is a forthcoming Hindi film to be directed by Mani Ratnam. It stars Abhishek Bachchan opposite Aishwarya Rai and Ma

Music Review

2006-12-07T07:26:00.001-08:00

Kabul Express
PB Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Public Rating (by 83 unique users): 5.74
Music: Raghav Sachar and Julius Packiam (Guest)
Lyrics: Aditya Dhar, Swaratmika Mishra, and Vijay Kumar
Singers: Raghav Sachar, Shubha Mudgal, Sunidhi Chauhan, and K.K.
Guru
PB Rating: 8.0 out of 10
Public Rating (by 826 unique users): 8.1
Music: A.R. Rahman
Lyrics: Gulzar
Singers: Shreya Ghoshal, Uday Mazumdar, A.R. Rahman, Chinmayee, Murtaza Khan, Qadir Khan, Bappi Lahiri, Chitra, Ranvi, Saloni, Boney, Jaidev, Maryem Toller, Keerthi, Hariharan, Alka yagnik, Aslam Mohammed, Udit Narayan, Madhushree, Swetha Bhargavee, and Madras Choral Group
Baabul
PB Rating: 8.0 out of 10
Public Rating (by 262 unique users): 5.05
Music: Aadesh Shrivastava
Lyrics: Sameer
Singers: Sonu Nigam, Kunal Ganjawala, Sudesh Bhonsle, Shreya Ghoshal, Alka Yagnik, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Richa Sharma, Jagjit Singh, Vishal, Aadesh Shrivastava, Ranjit Barot, Kailesh Kher, and Amitabh Bachchan
Dhoom 2
PB Rating: 7.0 out of 10
Public Rating (by 1374 unique users): 8.49
Music: Pritam
Lyrics: Sameer
Singers: Sunidhi Chauhan, Sonu Nigam, K.K., Alisha Chinoy, Vishal Dadlani, Dominique Cerejo, Sukhbir, Soham Chakrabarty, Jolly Mukherjee, Mahalaxmi Iyer, Suzanne, and Bipasha Basu
Umrao Jaan (New)
PB Rating: 8.5 out of 10
Public Rating (by 1448 unique users): 8.85
Music: Anu Malik
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Singers: Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam, Richa Sharma, Anmol Malik, and Javed Akhtar

Jaan-E-Mann
PB Rating: 8.5 out of 10
Public Rating (by 885 unique users): 6.2
Music: Anu Malik
Lyrics: Gulzar
Singers: Sonu Nigam, Sadhna Sargam, Sukhwinder Singh, Kunal Ganjawala, Sunidhi Chauhan, Adnan Sami, Earl D’Souza, Suzanne D’Mello, Krishna, Rahul Vaidya, Amit Sana, Monali Thakur and Prajakta Shukre
Zindaggi Rocks
PB Rating: 7.0 out of 10
Public Rating (by 357 unique users): 3.61
Music: Anu Malik
Lyrics: Mudassar Aziz and Sayeed Quadri
Singers: Sunidhi Chauhan, Zubeen Garg, Javed Ali, Tulsi Kumar, Anushka Manchandani and Krishna
Don - The Chase Begins Again
PB Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Public Rating (by 1270 unique users): 3.48
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Midival Punditz (Guest)
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Singers: Shaan, Udit Narayan, Sonu Nigam, Shankar Mahadevan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Mahalaxmi Iyer, Alisha Chinoy, and Shah Rukh Khan
Woh Lamhe
PB Rating: 8.0 out of 10
Public Rating (by 335 unique users): 7.04
Music: Pritam and Roop Kumar Rathod
Lyrics: Sayeed Quadri, Neelesh Mishra, and Shakeel Aazmi
Singers: Glenn John, James, Jawad Ahmad, K.K., Kunal Ganjawala, and Shreya Ghoshal
Aap Ki Khatir
PB Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Public Rating (by 221 unique users): 6.64
Music: Himesh Reshammiya
Lyrics: Sameer
Singers: Himesh Reshammiya, Alisha Chinoy, K.K, Jaspinder Narula, Kailash Kher Shaan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Kunal Ganjawala and Himani

Top 10 Films of this Week - December 07th 2006

2006-12-07T07:13:00.000-08:00

#10
Woh Lamhe
PB Rating: 6.0 out of 10
Public Rating (by 233 unique users): 5.67
Producer: Vishesh Films
Director: Mohit Suri
Starring: Shiney Ahuja, Kangna Ranaut, Purab Kohli
#9
Pyaar Ke Side Effects
PB Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Public Rating (by 247 unique users): 5.35
Producer: Pritish Nandy Communications Ltd
Director: Saket Chaudhary
Starring: Rahul Bose, Mallika Sherawat, Ranveer Shourey, Sophie Chaudhary
#8
Khosla Ka Ghosla
PB Rating: 8.0 out of 10
Public Rating (by 272 unique users): 6.45
Producer: Savita Raj Hiremath & Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Dibakar Banerjee
Starring: Anupam Kher, Parvin Dabbas, Ranvir Sheorey, Boman Irani, Tara Sharma, Navin Nischol
#7
Jaan-E-Mann
PB Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Public Rating (by 1489 unique users): 5.68
Producer: Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment
Director: Shirish Kunder
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, Preity Zinta, Anupam Kher, Aman Varma, and Soni Razdan
#6
Don - The Chase Begins Again
PB Rating: 7.0 out of 10
Public Rating (by 2310 unique users): 5.7
Producer: Ritesh Sidhwani / Excel Entertainment
Director: Farhan Akhtar
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Arjun Rampal, Ishaa Koppikar, Kareena Kapoor, Om Puri, Boman Irani, and Chunky Pandey

#5
Krrish
PB Rating: 8.0 out of 10
Public Rating (by 2611 unique users): 8.03
Producer: Rakesh Roshan
Director: Rakesh Roshan
Starring: Hrithik Roshan, Rekha, Priyanka Chopra, Naseeruddin Shah, Sharat Saxena, Maninee Mishra
#4
Dhoom 2
PB Rating: 7.0 out of 10
Public Rating (by 1164 unique users): 7.62
Producer: Yash Raj Films
Director: Sanjay Gadhvi
Starring: Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, Uday Chopra, Aishwarya Rai, Bipasha Basu, and Rimi Sen
#3
Dor
PB Rating: 8.5 out of 10
Public Rating (by 323 unique users): 6.58
Producer: Elahe Hiptoola
Director: Nagesh Kukunoor
Starring: Ayesha Takia, Gul Panag, Shreyas Talpade, Girish Karnad
#2
Omkara
PB Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Public Rating (by 844 unique users): 6.67
Producer: Kumar Mangat
Director: Vishal Bharadwaj
Starring: Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Kareena Kapoor, Konkona Sen Sharma, Naseeruddin Shah
And the No.1 Recommended Film of this Week is:
#1
Lage Raho Munnabhai
PB Rating: 9.0 out of 10
Public Rating (by 1568 unique users): 8.26
Producer: Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Starring: Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Vidya Balan, Boman Irani, Dia Mirza, Jimmy Shergill (S.A)

> Jokes > Santa Banta > engagement ring

2006-12-05T05:28:00.000-08:00

Engagement ring The Sardarni asked her lover, Santa Singh Santa Darling, if we get engaged will you give me a ring? Sure replied Santa What's your phone number?

Sardarji proposes to a woman.

2006-12-04T09:15:00.000-08:00

Sardarji proposes to a woman. She says yes if you bring me a pair of crocodile boots. He sets off to Africa and disappears. Finally a search is being made, they find him hunting crocodiles and watch him killing a hugeone. He walks over the reptile, checks its legs and angrily exclaims "71st and *AGAIN* barefeet!"

Jokes > Santa Banta > dead or alive

2006-12-04T09:01:00.000-08:00

Once Santa Singh, the psychiatrist, met a friend and exclaimed, "I heard you are dead." But you see I'm alive, smiled the friend. Impossible, said Santa Singh. The man who told me is much more reliable than you.

Salaam-E-Ishq: A Tribute to Love

2006-12-04T08:40:00.001-08:00

BABUL-EXCLUSIVE

2006-12-04T08:14:00.000-08:00

2006-12-04T06:54:00.000-08:00

Rakhi Sawant tarnishing item girl image

2006-12-04T06:41:00.000-08:00

New Delhi, New item girl Sambhavna Seth, who featured with actor Upen Patel in the hit song "Aashiqui mein teri" in "36 China Town", blames Rakhi Sawant for tarnishing the image of all item girls.
"I don't think Rakhi Sawant is hot at all. And whatever liking audience has for her, she has ruined it herself. Moreover, she has made things worse for others. Now people have the same opinion about all item girls," Sambhavna, who was in the capital, told IANS.She added: "Exposing to a certain limit is fine if it adds glamour."But Sambhavna doesn't feel item numbers add obscenity to films."This is where we face a problem. Whenever the media talks to us, this is the first question we are asked. I feel item numbers relax the audience. They entertain and make the situation lighter."No matter how naughty Sambhavna appears on screen, she is quite reserved on sets."I am very professional on the sets. I have to be careful because of the kind of clothes I wear. In fact, I am a very strict person."Sambhavna has quite a few films in her kitty - "Quafila", "Anth", "Pappu Paas Ho Gaya", "Koi Hai Aas Paas", "Ek Hasina Ek Deewana", "Rivaaz" and "Karan". Apart from these, she will also appear in an untitled album by T-Series

Ramp model Prashant replaces Mohit in 'Sholay'

2006-12-04T06:38:00.000-08:00

Mumbai, Bollywood filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, who recently dropped Mohit Ahlawat from his film "Sholay", has roped in ramp model Prashant Raj to play Jai, the role made famous by Amitabh Bachchan in the original.
Mohit was one of the first actors to be cast for the remake of "Sholay", Varma now feels he doesn't suit the role. Prashant was a regular visitor at Varma's production company and the director accidentally discovered the hidden potential of the wannabe actor. He cast Prashant in the role without wasting any time.

NDTV TIES UP WITH KARAN JOHAR

2006-12-03T06:15:00.001-08:00

In the News
click for larger view
New Delhi Television (NDTV) Ltd is launching a new general entertainment channel in July 200, by tying up with filmmaker Karan Johar. Johar, who will be on the Board of NDTV Entertainment, will work on the content of the channel along with being a host of other shows for NDTV Entertainment. He will help originate concepts and new programming ideas for the channel.

Johar's Dharma Productions will exclusively produce shows for the new channel. Both Johar and Dharma Productions have produced major blockbusters such as 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum', 'Kal Ho Na Ho' and 'Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna', and they are expected to bring a lot of Bollywood glamour to the channel.
click for larger view
NDTV chairman Dr Prannoy Roy is very excited about this tie-up. He adds, "This is our first initiative towards this entertainment channel. Karan is constantly breaking new ground in quality and transforming Indian movies to world-class standards. We know he will now help us to redefine and set new benchmarks in entertainment television." Johar says, "For me, this partnership is not just a professional association, it's a family bonding and I believe in the power of the family.
click for larger view
What a family can do together no individual can do on his own. This family is going to be at a TV screen near you, creating all the celebration possible." Meanwhile, Johar also revealed his plans to make an animation film for the Indian audience. "It will be an animation film with songs, emotions and everything that the Indian audience will enjoy. I plan to start the film by next year," he has said

Pyaar Ke Side Effects

2006-12-03T05:52:00.000-08:00

Film: "Pyaar Ke Side Effects"Starring: Rahul Bose, Mallika Sherawat, Ranveer ShoreyDirector: Saket ChaudharyRating: ** 1/2Once in a while, a film makes you smile. Not because of what it strives to be. But for its sheer sassiness and temerity.Going into the new-age movie mantra of urban relationships, "Pyaar Ke Side Effects" (PKSE) comes up with a winsome twosome who love some, lose some...and emerge from the battle of the sexes healed and....quite wholesome!Sid, that's Rahul Bose, meets Trisha aka Mallika Sherawat, in extremely trying circumstances. She's trying to escape an undesirable marriage (to a stuffed shirt played by Jas Arora). Sid is trying...just trying. Being a DJ at 30 is like being a teenager at 40. A bit bewildering yet constantly engaging in its blizzard of bacchanalia thanks to dialogue writer Victor Acharya for words that ring true and still sound like catch lines on the bumper sticker of sports car. "PKSE" is possibly that one Hindi romantic comedy, which could equal Hollywood's 'Harry-meets-Sally' formula portraying the man-sharp-woman-sharper gender skirmish. Debutant director Saket Chaudhary sees the battle of the sexes entirely from the male viewpoint. Whether it's Sid with Trisha, or Sid's brother-in-law (Aamir Bashir) struggling to keep his moody wife from swooping down on him at the smallest pretext, this slick flick knows the rope-trick of keeping relationships afloat in today's times of stress and competitiveness. Some of the sequences, designed to elicit laughter, get there bang-on. It's been a while since a romantic liaison got you giggling, and not just because the repartees are so sassy but because the love pair is so endearing in their state of despair.Check out the fluster and bluster of Sid's first love-making sequence when she leaves him in a state of cute coitus interruptus...or that hilarious narration by Sid's brother-in-law where the poor guy tells Sid about his spousal fight the night before.Like Sujoy Ghosh's "Jhankar Beats", a film to which "PKSE" bears a moody resemblance, the narrative weaves in and out of suburban mores without getting judgemental about the people who move in and out of relationships, not knowing why they got into it or out of it. Sid's encounter with his fiancée's tyrannical father (Sharat Saxena) may outwardly remind you of "Meet The Parents". But seen within the larger picture, Saket Choudhary has scripted an urban legend that is slave to no ready reference point.The narrative is manoeuvred by a vivacious impulse, navigating the destiny of the central couple's affair through a series of funny and intelligent encounters. Finally the effectuality of the romantic comedy depends on the chemistry between the lead pair. The tried-and-tested Rahul Bose re-invents his considerable comic talents to play a man more cornered than conned by love. Sid would rather watch a cricket match than discuss love with his girlfriend. But shhhhh! Rahul Bose is delectably in tune with his character's befuddlement, often capturing the game-show spirit of the man-woman battle with an intuitive insouciance.Mallika is a delightful surprise. Fully clothed (thank god!), she's a temptress and a virgin, a tease and an ingénue all at once. Where was this side of the actress hidden so far?The supporting cast, especially Ranveer Shorey, adds considerably to the fluid charm of the central romance.Manoj Soni's camera lets the lovers be on Omang Kumar's ritzy but credible sets. Editor Hemal Kothari cuts into the guffaws with a tongue-in-cheek flourish. Specially effective is Rahul's constant talking into the camera, a Brechtian device recently used by Akshaye Khanna in "Aap Ki Khatir". Has Bollywood rediscovered Brecht?Or are we reading too much into the psycho-babble of a man who needs to share his fears about the fair sex with us?

Lage Raho Munnabhai

2006-12-03T03:02:00.000-08:00

It's all a chemical 'locha' (aberration). Munnabhai meets Mahatma Gandhi and they get along like a house on fire. The prophetic leader from the past has a blast as he tells Munna (Sanjay Dutt) how to deal with an avaricious builder (Boman Irani) and other problems in life. It looks like Circuit (Arshad Warsi) has competition this time. Even as he remains fiercely loyal to his mentor Munna, the latter shifts his attention to the lovely Radio Jockey Jahanvi and Mahatma Gandhi. The father of the nation keeps appearing in Munna's daytime reverie to advise the benign gangster on love, life and other vagaries of being human. Munna and Circuit, arguably cinema's most adorable and roguish reformists since Laurel and Hardy, go about the business of generating humour out of the pathos of human conditions. The sequences, all fiercely path breaking, have us in splits. Watch the love-lorn Munnabhai answer a Gandhian quiz on a phone-in radio quiz with the help of kidnapped professors... it's one of the most comically animated sequences seen in movies of the new millennium.To look at "Lage Raho Munnabhai" as a 'serious comedy' is to seriously undermine the motivations and impact of the series.Playing the street-smart ruffians with cool hearts, Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi bring a chirpy enchantment to their roles. Their parts have hefty hearts, but there's more. There's also innocence and a desire to make the world a better place.Although some of the music and jokes are derived from the first film, this time Hirani takes the duo further down the road of moralistic mirth to create what can easily be deemed the most significant satire in Indian cinema since "Munnabhai MBBS".Munna and Mahatma Gandhi make an interesting combination. While outwardly the two seem as disparate in time and personality as Sanjay Dutt and his father Sunil Dutt, both are in essence all heart and no guile.The Munna-Mahatma dialogues sparkle with satirical wisdom, thanks in no small part to Dutt and Dilip Prabhavalkar (who plays Gandhiji with tongue-in-cheek conviction). The dialogues by Hirani and Abhijeet Joshi constantly probe the moral and social system of the nation without getting hysterical on homilies. The film makes light of national issues without trivialising the cult of conscience."Lage Raho Munnabhai" is a parable on love and companionship. Whether it's Munnabhai's bonding with his faithful companion Circuit, or Munna courting his ladylove (Vidya Balan) and Gandhism, the narrative dodges false notes by remaining sincere to the characters.Every actor gets a chance to be special in this enriching take on non-violent protests. Sanjay Dutt proves yet again that he has shaped into a fine performer who can mingle poignancy with satire the way Raj Kapoor did in films like "Shri 420" and "Awara", or like Sunil Dutt did in "Milan" and "Meherbaan".But Warsi manages to steal some scenes from Dutt... That's how effective he is! Surely he's one of the finest young actors today. Vidya Balan is gloriously glamorous and likeable though she could have toned down those expressions of coyness.However, some emotional moments, like those between Jimmy Shergil and his screen-father Parikshit Sahni or the flamboyant wedding finale starring Diya Mirza, do not have the impact one thought they would.Though a wee short of tears, "Lage Raho Munnabhai" goes a long way in creating an endearing parable on the importance of being earnest in a world of growing duplicity.The narrative is so heart-warming and the characters so full of human kindness, that you wait for the plot to be weighed down by excessive self-importance. The fall never happens. "Lage Raho Munnabhai" remains true to its characters till the end. One of Munna's favourite words is 'daring'. It must also be Raj Kumar Hirani's favourite as he dares to dream of Gandhian peace in a world of extravagant cynicism and rancour.When the aggressive Munna turns his other cheek, you actually wonder if Gandhian values still have a place in our hearts.They most certainly do have a place in Hirani's art.

Movie Release Dates

2006-12-03T02:51:00.000-08:00

The below-mentioned release dates have been given by the producers and distributors of these films. At times, the films get postponed for various reasons, hence the list is updated every week. (Note: Movie names listed in alphabetical order) November 24, 2006- Dhoom 2 December 1, 2006- With Love... Tumhara December 8, 2006- Anwar - Baabul - Game December 15, 2006- Aryan - Unbreakable - Dil Se Pooch… Kidhar Jaana Hai - Kabul Express - Zamaanat December 22, 2006- Bhagam Bhag - Gumnaam - The Unknown December29,2006ISeeU December 2006- Jackpot - The Money Game January 5, 2007- Chatri Chor - Risk January 12, 2007- Good Boy Bad Boy - Guru January 19, 2007- Nanhe Jaisalmer - Traffic Signal January 24, 2007- Salaam-E-Ishq: A Tribute To Love January 26, 2007- Fool & Final - Sarhad Paar January 2007- Jahan Jaaeyega Hamen Paaeyega - Kaafila - Mr. Khujli - Parzania - Sanam Teri Kasam - Tara Rum Pum - To The London Calling February 2, 2007- mp3 - Mera Pehla Pehla Pyaar February 9, 2007- Eklavya - The Royal Guard - Kaise Kahe... February 16, 2007- Namastey London - Red - Shakalaka Boom Boom February 23, 2007- Cash - Metro February 2007- Ru Ba Ru March 9, 2007- Hat Trick March 23, 2007- The Namesake March 2007- Hum Laakh Chhupayein Pyaar ... Magar - Pachas Lakh April 13, 2007- Fear April 2007- Mr. Fraud June 2007- Aap Ka Surroor - The Moviee - My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves October 12, 2007- Akbar Jodha December 2007- Goal

Simplicity of middle class was basis of 'Vivah': Barjatya

2006-12-03T02:46:00.000-08:00

Mumbai, Despite bad reviews from critics, Soorja Barjatya's "Vivah" is doing well at the box office and the director feels vindicated that audiences, especially the middle class, have liked his film on the sanctity of marriage.
"I was prepared for the flak. My audience is the hardcore middle class - my son's tuition teacher, my maid, not South Mumbai residents," Barjatya told IANS in an interview."Throughout its making I was told these kind of films don't work, that the times have changed and the moral values are no longer the same. But I'm so happy to see that our traditional values still exist."He says that the simplicity of middle class was the basis of Shahid Kapur and Amrita Rao starrer "Vivah"."The film is actually based on a newspaper story that my father read 17 years back. The incident about a man who stood by his wife seemed to signify the simplicity of our middleclass. That became the basis of 'Vivah'."This time I removed all the big sets from my earlier films, and shot on real locations. In this film there are no wedding festivities and functions. That's why I called it 'Vivah' and not 'Shaadi'."Excerpts from the interview:Q: What prompted you to put "Vivah" on the Internet?A: Whenever I'd ask my friends in distant European countries if they had seen my films they'd complain they had no access to them. It was then that I decided we needed some way to reach to audiences who have no access to Rajshri films in theatres.It's my cousin Rajat who has handled the release of "Vivah" on the Internet. It's not just a way of increasing the reach of my film it's also a good way of stopping piracy.Q: Were the reviews hurtful?A: Every director likes his film to be praised. But if you look at my films even "Hum Aapke Hain Koun" was panned by the critics. I was prepared for the flak. My audience is the hardcore middleclass - my son's tuition teacher, my maidservant, not the South Mumbai residents.Q: Even Karan Johar is your biggest fan.A; It's his greatness to say that. But the response to "Vivah" has been amazing. During a tour of north India we were chased my motor-bikers from Faridabad to the Haryana border. A lady in Kanpur told me "Vivah" was her love story. I never had people coming to me with this kind of response for my last film "Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon".Q: What was the lesson that you learnt through "Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon"?A: There was a great turmoil within me. My self-confidence was shaken. My father stood by my convictions. I realised every director has to do what he believes in. "Vivah" took me back to my roots. Throughout its making I was told this kind of films don't work, that the times have changed and the moral values are no longer the same. But I'm so happy to see that our traditional values still exist.Q: Were Shahid Kapur and Amrita Rao your only choices?A: Looking back, I can't think of any other two actors in the two roles. When I started planning "Vivah", I thought of two newcomers. But thank god I changed my mind. Shahid, Amrita and I have shared every moment of "Vivah". Their personalities are totally different from what they are in "Vivah". They just surrendered to my vision.Q: A lot of people find the Shahid-Amrita romance to be exceedingly noble.A: "Vivah" is actually based on a newspaper story that my father read 17 years back. The incident about a man, who stood by his wife, seemed to signify the simplicity of our middleclass. That became the basis of "Vivah". This time I removed all the big sets from my earlier films, and shot on real locations. In this film there are no wedding festivities and functions. That's why I called it "Vivah" and not "Shaadi".Q: These aren't elements that the multiplex audience would normally relate to?A: Audiences today are intelligent enough to go by the sincerity of the director's sensibility. If I was to unnecessarily glamorise a girl from Mathura, then I'd have been gone. Believability is most crucial. So many people tell me "Vivah" takes them back to a life they had once known. After watching the film Pamela Chopraji (director Yash Chopra's wife) told me something beautiful. 'I wish life remained an engagement and nothing else'.Q: When Rajshri Productions went through a low, what did you realise about the industry?A: They gave us many chances to bounce back. Three of our productions including "Uff...Kya Jadoo Mohabbat Hai" didn't work primarily because they moved away from what you call our formula. Our first step towards recovering lost ground was the TV serial "Woh Rehne Wali Mehlon Ki". That's where we decided we needed to keep the spirit of nobility alive. We didn't want a soap where characters slipped up in their morality. It was a time for us to re-learn. Q: Are you as noble as your characters?A: (Laughs) I don't know. But in our films we've to give hope. If you see my family we're all there for each other. Till the age of 10, I didn't know who was my real father. That's how closely-knit we are. An elderly gentleman who had to go through an open-heart surgery in four days came to know there was a trial show for a Rajshri film he insisted on seeing it. After "Vivah", he came up to me and said, 'Soorajji I want to live now.' That was my biggest moment of triumph.Q: What next? A sequel to "Vivah" with Salman Khan in the lead?A: (Laughs) Right now I'm just too relieved about the response to "Vivah". I want to read Hindi literature, travel across the world to decide what I want to do next. As for Salman, he'll always be special to our banner. But Shahid has also given a 100 percent of himself, like Salman bhai. All the questions that he had about an arranged marriage were turned to the film's advantage. Shahid's Prem is as good as Salman's. As Shahid acted I could see Salman return.Q: Would "Vivah" have worked with Salman?A: Oh, equally. Except for the age. Salman and I are both 40-plus now. Asking him to play a 23-year-old would have been unrealistic. But for Shahid to perform with such conviction is amazing. When Shahid's father Pankaj Kapur said he connected with "Vivah", I felt so happy. As for Amrita she surrendered her soul to "Vivah".Q: What thoughts now?A: Relieved and happy.

Guru

2006-12-02T05:13:00.000-08:00

Coming together of Mani Ratnam and A.R.Rahman is always special. Whether it is their first ever special 'Roja' or 'Dil Se' followed by 'Yuva', the music has always been spellbinding and something special. Add to the team a legend by the name of Gulzar and you can hardly settle for anything less than exceptional. No wonder, the desire is to be just all ears as soon as one lays hands on the album. Is it really Shreya Ghoshal singing the song? That's what you question yourself and recheck the album credits as soon as she begins her crooning of 'Barso Re'. Her voice sounds completely different from what we have been used to hearing since her 'Devdas' and 'Jism' days and though she has seldom disappointed over the years, with 'Barso Re' she scales new heights altogether as she goes completely carefree in her rendition of this 'rain-coming' song that is as different from 'Ghanan Ghanan' [Lagaan] as the setting of 'Lagaan' was different from that of 'Rang De Basanti'! Uday Mazumdar is heard for just a line or two in the middle of this song, which belongs to Shreya all the way. Gulzar's lyrics continue to be poetic-n-entertaining as well while the arrangements deserve special mention since they keep the song's momentum on a lively pace with the beats along with the sound of 'na na re' making 'Barso Re' a treat to hear.
Write your own music review of GuruIf you have been craving to hear something new all this while then 'Tere Bina' is the one for you. What makes the song special is A.R. Rahman coming behind the mike to sing a full-fledged number with regulars like Murtaza Qadir providing the background vocals. A love song with a 'big' difference due to the way the entire song has been paced and arranged, it is an amazing fusion of sufi and Indian classical mix that makes 'Tere Bina' a new hearing experience altogether. There is a rural India feel to the entire composition, which also reflects in the lyrics and takes you to a dream journey. The journey is only made much more authentic with arrival of Chinmayee who has a considerable role to play in the second half of the song. Unlike numerous Rahman numbers that take their own time to catch up with a listener, this one gets you hooked on right away and makes you wait for rest of the songs to come. Rural mood continues with 'Ek Lo Ek Muft', which turns out to be a huge speed breaker after two absolutely awesome numbers. A song picking up it's theme from 'Buy one get one free' schemes that are prevalent in the consumer market, 'Ek Lo' is a situational number that just doesn't appeal audio-wise. Though Ratnam's picturisation may bring some spark to this song that seems like a fun outing on screen, what is surprising is Bappi Lahiri being hardly THE Bappi Lahiri that one had expected behind the mike. He croons for a man who is drunk and though he does well in creating that right mood, it still sets one thinking about the entire thought process of choosing him ahead of any other singer! Chitra joins in later and she too sounds completely different from the way she has been heard over the years. Tanvi, Saloni, Boney and Jaidev provide background vocals support. The song moves on a leisurely pace with minimal music instruments and has a South Indian style of composing and arrangements written all over it. Thankfully the album is back on track with 'Mayaa Mayya' that has a strong Middle East flavor to it. The song is unlike any other composition that one may have ever heard in a mainstream Hindi film and Rahman's special touch only makes it irresistible. Mayyam Toller is the singer roped in especially for this number that is touted to be Mallika Sherawat's item song in the film. The song has a strong undertone of sensuality that flows at a lovely pace throughout its duration. Chinmayee and Keerthi only help in giving the song an exquisite feel that makes 'Mayya Mayya' a true world song. An absolutely original number that has some excellent programming and additional arrangements by Ranjit Barot, it moves to an expansive musical drive towards the last couple of minutes. Also notable is the way Rahman fuses the Middle East flavor with the Gujarati folk music in the end to demonstrate his class once again. A grand number that should look only better when seen on video! Alka Yagnik singing for Rahman does sound like a unique combination and with Hariharan around; there are expectations of an altogether new experience with 'Ay Hairathe'. For a very short while, there is a distinct sound of 'Aage Bhi Jaane Na Tu' from 'Waqt' that is soon forgotten as soon as Rahman and Aslam Mohammad begin the song with their intoxicating humming. Hariharan arrives on the scene soon to get into his 'ghazal' singing mode and add on to an overall classy feel of the song. This is not one of those typical love songs that one is used to hearing and enters a different terrain altogether. Though there is doubt about the song getting into the popularity zone, purists may find it exciting due to it being an unconventional composition while boasting of trademark Gulzar poetry. After number of interesting and some unconventional tunes, 'Baazi Laga' comes as a real surprise since it hardly sounds like a Rahman composition by any means. Though the arrangements along with some additional programming by Ranjit Barot try to give the song a carnival feel, this situational number about money and playing gambles has an 80s tune which doesn't come close to Rahman's class; well at least at the beginning. Later into the song the orchestra and the arrangements save the day by enabling the song to maintain its fast pace. Madhushree has very little role to play in this song that has Swetha and Bhargavee as the background singers and though Rahman's touch starts becoming apparent towards the end, the overall impact is still not of the kind that would make the track to be one of the most in-demand! One is transported to the world of operas and Broadways with 'Jaage Hain' that has a magical orchestra as its USP! Though the number is too classy to find every person on the street humming the tune aloud, for those who want their music to be heard closely with lots of finer nuances to be caught, 'Jaage Hain' comes as a gift. Once Chitra sets the pace for this situational track about taking rest for a while and anticipating a new tomorrow, it is left to Rahman and his team of musicians to grip the listener with some subtle yet highly impacting orchestra. Later Rahman himself comes behind the mike and does some great rendition while going from ultra mild to high pitch and in the process Madras Chorale Group too joins the proceedings to take the track towards an all time high finale. Classy...simply classy! Rahman fans only have their hands full with later when they get to hear some of his best tracks like 'Rang De Basanti' [Rang De Basanti], 'Ghanan Ghanan' [Lagaan], 'Hum Hai Iss Pal Yahan' [Kisna], 'Dheeme Dheeme' [Zubeidaa] and 'Yeh Rishta' [Meenakshi] that have been added on as a bonus. In the end, 'Guru' leaves quite a classy impression. On one side there are some lovable songs like 'Barso Re', 'Bin Tere' and 'Mayya' while on the other side there is a track like 'Jaage Hain'. Though 'Ay Hairathe' would invite mixed response, 'Ek Lo Ek Muft and 'Baazi Laga' would have to depend a lot on the way they are presented on screen. Now coming to a question on whether the album would turn out to be more popular than 'Rang De Basanti'? Well, it all depends upon how the film fares at the box office. While the music of RDB was good too, it grew enormously with the film's release followed by a terrific response it garnered at the box office. In case of 'Guru' too the songs are of the kind that may not become a craze of the nation within a fortnight of the album's release but have all the valid reasons to become further popular if the film hits the bull's eye!

Unns

2006-12-02T05:05:00.000-08:00

Unns

2006-12-02T04:59:00.000-08:00

Certain stories are way ahead of times to gel with the Indian sensibilities. There's nothing wrong with them as such, but it's difficult to absorb such themes by the traditional audiences. UNNS is one such story!UNNS is a story narrated by Natasha [Juhi Babbar] about her close friend Ria [Rituparna Sengupta], who gets married to Rahul [Sanjay Kapoor] on a rebound. Rahul, an ideal husband, truly loves his wife. Unfortunately, Ria is unable to reciprocate Rahul's love in the same way as he does.Ria's first love, Rishi [Sudhanshu Pande], is a advertising tycoon who she really loved once upon a time. Rishi too loved her, but they could not get married.Succumbing to her consciences, Ria deliberately starts picking up fights with Rahul and one day tells him that she has decided to end the marriage. Rahul is shattered. Natasha's boyfriend Sameer [Aman Verma], a lawyer, helps Ria. Natasha understands that Ria cannot get a better husband than Rahul and discourages her from divorce. But Ria is adamant.Rahul, a product of a broken family and the one who probably nursed a desire to keep his family always happy, wants to save his marriage. Natasha stands against her own boyfriend Sameer as well as Ria and helps Rahul in this process.
Write your own movie review of UnnsBesides a theme that's difficult to digest, there's one prime reason why UNNS doesn't catch your attention: The screenplay is far from gripping. Be it Sudhanshu's characterization or the courtroom sequences, the film could've done with a taut screenplay.Bhupendra Gupta's direction is average. The conflict between the characters is not fully developed and hence, the impact is missing. Music [Sujeet Shetty] too is dull. Cinematography [Ishwar Bidri] is first-rate.Juhi Babbar stands the tallest as far as acting is concerned. She delivers a polished performance. Sanjay Kapoor is able. Rituparna Sengupta does a fair job. Sudhanshu Pande looks lost. Aman Verma tends to go over the top.On the whole, UNNS has limited chances due to a not-too-convincing plotline. At the box-office, it has dim chances!
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Rehguzar

2006-12-02T04:52:00.000-08:00

What may sound interesting on paper, may not necessarily look as appealing on celluloid. That's one of the vital reasons why REHGUZAR suffers. Here's another reason, but this has nothing to do with its content: It has been released with as good as zilch hype. Obviously, it stands no chance at the ticket window!REHGUZAR depicts the life of laborers in the Middle East. The helpless labor class, which arrives from different countries to Gulf, dream of a rosy life there. But most of the expatriates have to work very hard to make their mark.Engineer Rahul [Jimmy Shergill] comes to Dubai with dreams in his eyes. He falls in love with Neha [Saloni Aswani], the daughter of a rich Indian businessman [Rajiv Verma]. Rahul leaves his present job and tries his hand at various jobs. Finally, he gets a job in Rajiv Verma's firm, but he's unaware that he is Neha's father. How he wins, loses and eventually wins various battles of life, forms the crux of the story.REHGUZAR could've mirrored the hardships of life in Gulf convincingly. But director Faruq Masudi's execution of the subject is sub-standard and therefore, the drama fails to strike a chord. The film does boast of a few interesting sequences, but they aren't enough, frankly! Besides, the film moves at a lazy pace, which leads to boredom.
Write your own movie review of RehguzarAadesh Shrivastava's music is another sore point. The songs just don't work. Cinematography could've been better. The locales of Dubai haven't been captured dexterously by the lensman.Jimmy Shergill pitches in an earnest performance. But no actor can rise beyond a lackluster script. Saloni is strictly okay. Vrajesh Hirjee and Rakesh Bedi contribute to the humorous moments. Rajiv Verma is as usual.On the whole, REHGUZAR is a poor show. At the box-office, will prove to be an also-ran!

Omkara

2006-12-02T04:50:00.000-08:00

Film: "Omkara"Starring: Ajay Devgan, Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Konkona SenSharma, Viveik Oberoi, Bipasha Basu, Naseeruddin ShahScript based on William Shakespeare's "Othello" by Vishal Bharadwaj, Robin Bhatt, Abhishek ChoubeyDirected by: Vishal BharadwajRating: ****In the brutal heartland of Uttar Pradesh lives a Shakespearean anti-hero called Omkara. He's the desi re-incarnation of Shakespeare'e "Othello".And he's everything that Shakespeare couldn't make him... not his fault, really. When the immortal playwright wrote his best-known tragedy he had no idea of the graver tragedy that awaited India's political heartland.Delving deep into the bowels of north Indian politics, Vishal Bharadwaj comes up with a gallery of virile characters who jump out of their literary antecedents and do a dance of crime-driven dynamics on the nozzle of their country-made guns.Omkara looks, feels and smells authentic. When gang wars break out on the rusty roads of a small town in Uttar Pradesh among Omkara, his mentor Bhaisaab (Naseeruddin Shah) and Omkara's two favourite disciples Kesu (Viveik Oberoi) and Langda Tyagi (Saif Ali Khan) and their opponents, you're no longer watching the characters, you're looking at a world where Shakespeare must sound like a spear that shakes.Besides the fact that he has cast superstars as characters, Vishal's biggest achievement is the irony that underlines the murky goings-on in the hellish political cauldron of the cow-belt: these are boorish guys driven by a literary background of which they are clueless.Shakespeare is as alien to Vishal's characters as a creative compromise would be to this filmmaker. Vishal hits you hard and long with his political parable. The most interesting exchanges among the characters are the ones that describe the dynamics of gender and politics in a world where laws are made to be broken.Into this anarchic wilderness, a tender love story creeps in. Omkara's uncharacteristic lapse into tenderness when he meets the fragile Dolly (Kareena Kapoor) is a subtle sly Desdemonian touch that makes us want to crave for much more.Vishal delivers. This is a film that is as picturesque as it is sensuous. If the scenes of gang war are in-your-face, the love scenes don't flinch away from the truth about these carnal creatures of the night who love and hate in equal measures.The 'Iago' factor from "Othello" is tapped to elicit a kind of de-frozen sentimentality in a milieu that shuns sentimentality and yet wallows in theatrical emotions.The characters live for the moment and die for a cause that no one really cares to study in depth. That's what makes the political dynamics of contemporary India so deliciously ironical."Omkara" milks that irony to Shakespearean advantage. The dialogues (written by the director) add sizeably to the grotesque but nonetheless grand stature of characters ensnared in their own web of crime, deceit and little or no punishment from any man-made law.The Omkara-Langda relationship is the film's pivot. Iago's Machiavellian jealousy in "Othello" is transposed into a state of stunning bedroom politics. Saif Ali Khan as the ruthlessly scheming cow-belt Iago is so authentic you wonder where all that evil comes from!The sweet urban dude is here transformed into a foul-tongued diabolic vermin with not a shred of shame or remorse.Have we seen a more vivid depiction of humanised evil? I can't recall a more loathsome creature of self-interest than Saif's Langda Tyagi. Ajay Devgan's Omkara is suitably subdued and malleable. He offsets Saif's evil with a kind of gullible machismo that goes well in his romantic overtures with Dolly (Kareena), or even his lovely moments of sibling bonding with Langda's wife Indu (Konkona). Devgan's Omkara is supple and obstinate at the same time. By the time Langda takes over his mind completely, his undying passion for his beloved is turned into a poisonous mass of self-destructive jealousy and tragedy.Bharadwaj controls the inter-relations with enormous skill. Every character exists through his or her bonding with his immediate surroundings. Every relationship is full-blooded and passionate. Every friendship and enmity crackles and hisses with serpentine intensity. Every roar of the gun is a battle-call."Omkara" is no ordinary work of art. It's a full-blown treatise on the politics of the human heart. Male and female bonding is paramount to Bharadwaj's plot. In his amazing understanding of both Shakespeare's tragic resonance and Uttar Pradesh's ruinous politics, the director is next to none.The cast and crew pitch in their might with pliable strength. The cinematography (Tassaduq Hussain) capturing the fading rusty browns of the state's alleys, the editing (Meghna Manchanda) cutting the shots with an arresting alacrity, and the sound (songs and background score by Vishal) mixing the pain and passion of hearts in fright... all add up to a film of remarkable fertility.Most of all, it's the stars who are caught in a light never seen before. From the newcomer Deepak Dobriyal who plays Kareena's jilted bridegroom to Naseeruddin Shah as Devgan's mentor... the actors are almost unrecognisable in their verbal and visual transformation. The plot simmers with the dynamic discontent generated by actors who know what they're doing.Devgan and Oberoi are first rate. But Khan in an author-backed role not just steals but also seals the show.Among the ladies Kareena's Desdemonia/Dolly is a bang-on epitome of inviolable innocence. Konkona's waif-life exuberance reminds you of the early Jaya Bhaduri. Bipasha Basu's two saucy item songs crackle and hiss with a hypnotic blend of the earthy and the unattainable.Nothing in this film is a prop. Except of course life, which stands mute testimony to the dance of death that these characters perform on a no-man's-land... or, shall we say, a know-man's land, since the director seems to know Shakespeare and Uttar Pradesh politics equally well.

Zindaggi Rocks

2006-12-02T04:48:00.000-08:00

Film: "Zindaggi Rocks"Starring: Sushmita Sen, Shiney Ahuja, Moushumi ChatterjeeDirector: Tanuja ChandraRating: ***"Zindaggi Rocks" is a film that surely rocks! Tanuja Chandra's "Dushman" and to some extent "Sangharsh" and "Sur" were incredibly sensitive films. After a long hiatus, the director returns to form with a film that's heartbreakingly real.Packed with a cluster of believable characters, "Zindaggi Rocks" showcases Sushmita Sen's awesome personality in the tailor-made role of the fabulous rockstar Kriya. A stage performer and a single mother, the role acquires a tangy flavour and an abiding character that only Sushmita knows to create."But have no fear," her 13-year old utterly endearing son Dhruv (Julian Burkhadt) mischievously tells the doctor who's interested in her. The mom isn't married ... nor is she an unwed mother. Kriya adopted Dhruv when he was all of two years. Dhruv's family comprises only of wacky women - mom Kriya, Kriya's mom (Moushumi Chatterjee) and her twin sister (Moushumi in a double role), a squeaky secretary (Kim Sharma) and an assistant (Ravi Gossain) who believes he's a cowboy.Into this mad house comes the hesitant Suraj Rihan (Shiney Ahuja), a doctor.The Sushmita-Shiney relationship grows in full of view of the hospital staff and the equally curious relatives of Kriya.Tanuja Chandra portrays the warmth at work, at play and within the defined comforts of domesticity with a deftness that you'd come across in the finest works of Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The director has constructed a film where the emotional control of the narrative is exceptional.The support provided by dialogue writer Mudassar Aziz is beyond substantial. The words, especially those spoken by Shiny Ahuja convey deep home truths with a throwaway casualness.You smile and you sob almost simultaneously as Kriya's life as a professional, a mother and a woman in love come together in a fluent and virile clasp.The film's deeper thrusts on life and death emerge effortlessly from the rhythms of the routine.The film has a charming ensemble of actors, instilling optimum conviction in the plot without losing their innate charm as stars of substantial longevity. As contrasting twin sisters, Moushumi Chatterjee comes into her own after ages. Shiney essays the character whose his eyes are filled with the pain of a tragedy that paints his past and threatens to colour his future in fine and sharp strokes.A special word for child actor Julian who plays Sushmita's son - the boy's winsome personality is so understated that you wonder if actors are made from their childhood.But it's Sushmita who captivates you as a working woman struggling to remain motivated as life serves her a huge blow. If in her musical numbers, she whips up a vigour that breaks your heart, in key emotional scenes she rips the screen apart with emotions that come straight from her guts. After "Chingari", Sushmita again pours a volcanic intensity into a role that would work with no other actor in the world.As for Sunidhi Chauhan's vocals - If Sushmita provides the body and soul to her part of a fiercely protective mother, Sunidhi is the voice that caresses the actress's soul! In a year that's cluttered with remarkable films, Tanuja Chandra has emerged with a work that lodges itself in your heart. But I wonder if it would have worked so well without the amazing Sushmita Sen!

Don Bollywood Movie Reviews

2006-11-26T04:29:00.000-08:00

Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Isha Koppiker, Boman Irani, Om Puri, Arjun Rampal
Director: Farhan Akhtar
Rating: * 1/2

"Don ko pakadna mushqil hi nahin, namumkin bhi hai". (It's not just difficult to catch Don, it's impossible).

You could say that again! Farhan Akhtar, who once made one of Indian cinema's path breakers "Dil Chahta Hai", slips into a gamine groove to recreate Salim-Javed's script from the original film of the same name.

Let's not play the blame game. But whosoever thought a slicker version of the clever 1978 script would work better when packaged in gallons of gloss has a vision that just stops short of being audacious.

This is a cheeky and chic homage to the earlier "Don". It goes to places the earlier film couldn't have dreamt of.

The film opens unnecessarily in Paris and quickly moves to Kuala Lumpur where the narrative stays put as Farhan tries to put across the story of Don, his doppelganger Vijay, the vendetta-oriented Roma (Priyanka Chopra) and Jasjeet (Arjun Rampal).

Priyanka fumes as though she had taken lessons in feminine fury from Zeenat Aman in the earlier "Don". Rampal frets and limps as though he had watched Pran in the original flick really hard.

And Shah Rukh is the twin-faced imp-cum-ogre - he snarls, sneers and taunts as he takes the role as away from Bachchan's role as humanly possible.

It isn't a performance. It's a bouquet of over-the-top expressions designed to showcase the star's ability to get the better of his character.

The narrative is very straight and razor-sharp. The confusion of identity is given a psychological twist in this re-interpreted tale of the good, the bad and the ugly.

Outwardly, this revisionist version of Chandra Barot's "Don" is slicker than anything Farhan or his chic ilk have ever attempted.

But at times you feel the slickness really gets to you. The film's outstanding topographical and technical detailing hampers the audiences' journey towards the characters.

There's not one emotionally moving sequence - neither when the sizzling Kamini (Kareena Kapoor) dances before Don to avenge her fiancé's murder nor when Roma (Priyanka) takes to martial arts and guns to avenge the death of her brother.

Coldness grips the heart of this stylish motion picture. Farhan deconstructs the clever tale of glorified-gangsterism. The neo-Don increases the glam-quotient in crime beyond anything we've seen in Hindi cinema. Makes you wonder what happened to the good old morality tale?

"Don" is dangerously revisionist in its tempting overview of good and evil. Some fight scenes are so heart-in-the-mouth that their sole aim seems to be making Shah Rukh romance the rugged Malaysian hinterland.

There's no sexual frisson between Shah Rukh and Priyanka. They combat one another intellectually and physically without getting too close for comfort.

But Kareena can drive audiences crazy in the brief number "Yeh mera dil" with her radiant presence.

The background score is minimalist and the sound design portrays silences with as much reverence as the screech of rubber on roads. But the elaborately choreographed songs and dances seem to be done in the spirit of doomed desperation.

And yes "Khai ke paan benarawas wala" which carried the original "Don" to another level of excitement, misses the point completely over here. No one can chew paan (betel leaf) and jive the way Bachchan did in the original.

Don't even look for that feeling here. Farhan Akhtar wants us to escape into a realm of repressed rage and ravishing violence. So where's the question of punishment?

Let's look at this way. The other Don was a rapid-fire morality tale. This one is a slow-burn amorality tale, spiced up with mellow aromatic scents and creates a mood that's distinctly and pungently futuristic.

Don gets full marks for packaging. So much so that the content defines itself through its sleek surface.

Umrao Jaan

2006-11-26T04:19:00.000-08:00

Film: Umrao Jaan
Cast: Shabana Azmi, Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan, Puru Raj Kumar, Suniel Shetty
Director: J.P. Dutta
Rating: ***1/2

In one of the countless visuals of stunning resonance, Aishwarya, playing the doomed and poetic tawaif (courtesan) Umrao Jaan Adaa, travels through a burning field of crops. "The crops have been reaped, now the fields are being burnt for good luck next year," explains a co-passenger.

That one gloriously revealing moment captures the sublime pathos that coloured the life and times of 19th century Lucknow's famed courtesan, who in her words is a "badnasibi ki misaal" (the classic example of misfortune).

We've seen Lucknow and Uttar Pradesh in several Hindi films ranging from Muzaffar Ali's "Umrao Jaan" to Chandan Arora's "Main Meri Patni Aur Woh". But the city and its surrounding topography have never looked more vivid.

Perched between the world within a kotha (brothel) and the outer world of growing deceit and betrayal, the story of little Ameeran's journey from her quaint and happy family life to the Kotha is mapped in lucid, flamboyant and sometimes muted colours of utter enchantment.

J.P. Dutta, along with cinematographer Aynanka Bose, takes us on a pilgrimage through Umrao's inner and outer landscape creating perfect visuals to portray her predicament as a 'fallen woman' forever rising above her destiny.

What lifts this "Umrao Jaan" far above the 1978 version is its sense of imminent historicity. While the original stopped just after the doomed woman returns to the comforting yet claustrophobic space of the kotha, Dutta's narrative moves forward, carving a socio-historical perspective for his protagonist in a Lucknow going through a bloody turmoil, as its cultural legitimacy is questioned and mocked by the British Raj.

The film's most memorable sequence is when the kotha's practical and yet emotional madame (Shabana Azmi) packs off her endangered girls and stays on in the brothel - a solitary figure standing over the looming architecture as a symbol of unaccompanied bravery.

Shabana's histrionics are awe-inspiring, comparable with her mother Shaukat's performance in the same role in Muzaffar Ali's film.

"Umrao Jaan" must not be allowed to be a victim of cynical readings. Its statement, comparing the woman's heart to a railway station, where any man can stop to while away time, has a resonance way beyond the time-zones Dutta creates within his lengthy but satisfying work of art.

The ambience of the kotha is superbly re-created by art director Bijon Dasgupta. But Vaibhavi Merchant's choreography lets down the courtesans' tale. It fails to evoke the sensuous grace that Rai is capable of. Too much of Javed Akhtar's evocative lyrics are expressed in hand movements.

There's a great deal of warmth in the crisscross of relationships that the screenplay creates. Umrao's rapport with her surrogate father in the brothel, played by Kulbhushan Kharbanda, is truly special.

Aishwarya imbues a sense of luminosity into Umrao's all-giving nature. As Umrao, she's remarkably vulnerable and gentle, trying to safeguard her interests emotionally rather than instinctively.

Her two key romantic sequences with Abhishek Bachchan convey a feeling of bridled anxiety but are felled by their inordinate length. They needed to be curtailed and streamlined. The same applies to the plethora of mujras (dance sequences) - all gracefully performed by the resplendent Rai, but monotonous for their frequency and genre-specificity.

Anu Malik's music and Alka Yagnik's singing go a long way in evoking the poetic tragedy of a woman who craves to break free from her destiny.

"Umrao Jaan" is remarkable for recreating the rhythms of a charming though lost culture through the pacy movements of the tawaif's feet, though the choreography does restrict the Aishwarya's swan-like agility.

The film also gives space to lesser-known actors like Puru Raj Kumar, who is splendid as Umrao's roguish in-house suitor at the kotha, and Divya Dutta melts your heart in the one important sequence that the script allows her.

Abhishek Bachchan, as the tormented, torn and yet restrained Nawab, is a portrait of bridled intensity. That little smirk in the corner of his mouth or that almost-invisible twinkle in his eye - these nuances show how much Bachchan junior has evolved.

For creating an "Umrao Jaan", who stays in our hearts, and for giving Aishwarya Rai yet another memorable role, J.P. Dutta must take a bow.

Vivah

2006-11-26T03:51:00.000-08:00

Film: "Vivah"
Cast: Shahid Kapur, Amrita Rao, Anupam Kher, Alok Nath, Seema Biswas, Samir Soni
Director: Sooraj Barjatya
Rating: ***

Sooraj Barjatya rectifies all the mistakes he made in his first two historic hits "Maine Pyar Kiya" and "Hum Aapke Hain Koun". The sweet coyness and almost-unbearable bonhomie of his earlier films are replaced by a far more fluent and fertile imagination in "Vivah" which nurtures Barjatya's idealistic, almost utopian view of a joint family.

Gone is the amateurish home-video feel to Barjatya's earlier familial epics. Yes, there's plenty of singing but blessedly little dancing in the long but satisfying drama of domesticated courtship.

The simple charm of the boy-meets-girl story is laced with untold moments of absolute enchantment.

In his typical fashion, Barjatya weaves together special moments between the couple as they move in and out of the domestic flock. Thankfully the joint family is kept at a far more manageable level here than in his earlier movies.

There are no irksome broods of uncles and aunts who fill up screen space and the couple in love gets ample breathing space to let their mutual feelings grow in leisurely grace.

The old-world charm of an arranged marriage is depicted well by the lead pair (Shahid and Amrita) who go through the mellow motions of falling in love similar to the adventure of an unexplored journey.

The external detailing of a small dusty town near Delhi is done skilfully - the crowded gullies, urchins running after Prem's (Shahid) car when he visits his in-laws-to-be, the sweet seller's shop and the night-time bustle compounded by distant sounds of old Hindi film songs. Art director Sanjay Dhabade's work is excellent.

The director's sincerity of purpose shines through in every shot of the crowded but genial gully. Alok Nath has a perennial warm smile towards his surrogate daughter Poonam (Amrita) and Seema Biswas does the balancing act between a shrewd step-mom and a practical mother.

The enchanting relations between these characters, with a chirpy little sister (newcomer Amrita Prakash) thrown in for sisterly solidarity, are delightful.

But there's more here. Barjatya takes hold of all the strands of bustling emotions and harnesses it into a narrative that is polished and absorbing.

Every component of his vision holds together with remarkable fluency. The dialogues are in fluent but understandable Hindi and talk about values that seem to have been lost in the melee of ruthless ambitions in big cities.

The film takes us back to small pleasures like the bride and bridegroom's families sleeping on the floor, playing games together, their friendly banter and mutual respect.

But an unholy fire creates a crisis in the last half-hour. That's when Sooraj Barjatya shows effectually how much he has matured as a creative artist.

The sequence where Prem marries Poonam as she struggles between life and death in her hospital bed is an expression of the purest form of romance. The drama at the end is handled with tremendous care.

"Vivah" is about the sanctity of marriage and the importance of commitment between two individuals. Yes, the central romance is naively visualised. But the sneaked-in romantic moments between the to-be-married couple and their stubborn resistance to modern courtship games makes you crave for the idealism that Barjatya portrays.

There is no physical intimacy between the two beyond a touch and no e-mail or mobile connectivity.

"Vivah" is a delicately structured romance between a couple that decides to fall in love after their marriage has been decided by their parents. The supporting cast led by Anupam Kher and Alok Nath as loving and amicable fathers-in-law adds to the central romance.

The film predictably concludes with the marriage and the groom, on the wedding night, tells his new bride who suffers from burn injuries: "Come let me do your dressing."

Apna Sapna Money Money

2006-11-26T03:31:00.000-08:00

Film: "Apna Sapna Money Money"
Cast: Riteish Deshmukh, Celina Jaitley, Koena Mitra, Shreyas Talpade, Riya Sen, Anupam Kher, Rajpal Yadav
Director: Sangeeth Sivan
Rating: *

Looking at the bright side, this comedy is decidedly less vulgar and suggestive than director Sangeeth Sivan's earlier "Kya Kool Hain Hum". That, if one may say so, was the pits. Mercifully, there are no cat-humping jokes to boost the chuckle quotient in "Apna Sapna Money Money".

What the plot lacks in innovativeness, it makes up with a certain breathless momentum and crass candour that's meant to drive audiences into over-the-top gear. And never mind the finer sensitivities. At least the cats are left alone this time.

The story about a run for precious diamonds gives Riteish Deshmukh - a fine, if somewhat dull, actor - a chance to try out numerous get-ups, including a drag act that is dead on.

Riteish sinks his teeth into the job at hand with more than passing interest. Alas, the material provided to sustain his skills at role changing is so slim, you wonder which came first, the farce or the flair that he dares to air.

Anupam Kher and Rajpal Yadav provide a comic consistency to the proceedings that tend to get cock-eyed. Rajpal's take-off on Amitabh Bachchan from "Sarkar" would've been funny if it wasn't so put on.

To their credit, all the actors - male and female - have themselves a whale of a time. So much so that after a while you begin to feel guilty for casting a cynical eye on what's finally meant to be nothing but an innocuous farce fest. To that extent, "...Money Money" gives you your money's worth.

Especially rib tickling are the scenes where Riteish (constantly poker-faced and solemn in his satirical stabs) is wooed by Anupam. The twosome isn't quite Kamal Haasan-Amrish Puri in "Chachi 420", but does anyone really expect this farce to live up to any standards other than those set by "Masti", "Malaamal Weekly" and "Phir Hera Pheri"?

Just one word of advice for those who expect some laughs - your belly won't ache. Though going by the level of noise pollution, your ears sure will.

As for the stretched-out comic season that started with Indra Kumar's "Masti" two years ago.... its enough already!

Dhoom 2

2006-11-26T03:21:00.000-08:00

Film: "Dhoom 2"
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan, Bipasha Basu, Uday Chopra
Rating: ***

Clever ... very clever. That's the impression you come away with from this sumptuous package of gloss, glamour, glitter and oomph quotient.

If you've seen the first instalment of "Dhoom", you would know Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra carry forward their characters. And that's not an easy thing to do.

Abhishek is saddled with an aura of solemnity while everyone else has a rollicking time.

Make no mistake. "Dhoom 2" is about letting your hair down as far as it can go. The carnival-like atmosphere is carried all the way to Brazil where the sweaty tropical mood is imbibed into the characters as they play an ambivalent game of cat and mouse.

Yes, there are the law-enforcers and the law-breakers. But how do we tell them apart?

Certainly not by the glamour quotient, which is, applied to the antagonist Aryan (Hrithik) and his moll Sunehri (Aishwarya) far more intently than the cop-hero Jai (Abhishek) and his sidekick Ali (Uday Chopra).

And if you add Bipasha's double role to the heady brew, you've got a film that's the equivalent of a glossy calendar.

The film moves from Mumbai to Brazil in undulating movements and fuses furious action and svelte skin-show in a mix that leaves you dizzy.

Movies were never meant to be so heady, unsteady and ready to rock. Aishwarya's doll-like movements in the song "Crazy kiya re" drive one crazy indeed.

The fast-paced and superbly crafted moments of aerial and ground stunts are all centred on the one and only Hrithik. "Dhoom 2" is bigger, brighter, sexier and sassier than the earlier film.

Director Sanjay Gadhvi doesn't try to please the audience. A sense of renewed and engaging déjà vu is created by the film's own volition.

All the chutzpah and chirpy glamour from the first film is back with loads of oomph. The storytelling careens from the downright clownish courtship (Bipasha and Uday Chopra) to the outright passionate.

Aishwarya and Hrithik are arguably the best-looking couple Bollywood has ever seen. They look good and vibe so beautifully together.

The light falls just right on each actor. I can't think of one film since "Sholay" that has showcased a bunch of top-notch actors in a more flattering light. Bipasha's double role as a no-nonsense Mumbai cop and a sexy Brazilian girl is a little absurd.

Abhishek lends his solemn cop's role a kind of edgy intolerance that makes him just right to counter the "perfect thief" played by Hrithik Roshan.

The film belongs to Hrithik. What an actor, what a dancer, what a screen presence! In a vital love sequence with Aishwarya, Hrithik displays controlled inner and outer movements as the international thief who shows the desperate anxiety of a lover.

Hrithik implements the series of heists in a spirit of twinkle-eyed mischief. When the crime-caper turns into an intense love story, you marvel at the actor's ability of taking the plot from one level of engaging diversion to another without losing the rhythm pattern that governs the narration.

The film, however, never goes over the top in pursuit of stunts and thrills.

The Aishwarya-Hrithik chemistry puts the film's mood into a humane perspective. The two anti-socials look into each other's smouldering eyes, whisper about love, life and food to each other, play basketball together and even exchange an intense kiss.

At the end of it all, we're left gasping for breath. Hrithik, Aishwarya and the rest of the cast look bronzed and sweaty... the heat is a killer.

Of course there have been other more well thought-out capers. But has there ever been a caper as good-looking as "Dhoom 2"? Has Aishwarya ever looked and acted more authentically in any of her masala films? Has Hrithik ever given more substantial proof of his magnetic star power? Has Abhishek had a bigger chance to act in a film where's his male co-star gets the author-backed role?

The answer to all the questions is a big no.

"Dhoom 2" is a slick flick with stunts that flatter Hrithik's star presence, only to deceive the audience into believing it's all very easy.

This is a film that makes the big-screen spectacle look jovial and casual. The gruelling glamour of a stunt-driven drama has never been more fluently placed before us.