Solo: A Star Wars Story (English) Review

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A little over four decades ago, in 1977, the first film in the epic Star Wars saga (that would extend over years to come) released with the release of A NEW HOPE. Now after nine films in the saga, we see the release of a spin off story line that brings fans in touch with the origins of one of the most loved characters Han Solo. But will this new age space western do justice to the mammoth legend of Han Solo or will it like so many other spin off/ origin satires falter, is the question of the hour.

SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY follows the escapades of Han Solo before he became the legend. Starting off from the early days, the film depicts the squalor that Solo came from that was ruled by the tyrannical Lady Proxima and his constant schemes and efforts to pay his way out. Besides this like most of the films in the saga, this one too features a budding love story angle between Solo and Qi’ra. But will the two young romantics find a way out of the hell hole or will they fall prey to the Empire’s growing power is what forms the rest of the film.

Starting off one must bear in mind that the happenings in SOLO are dated before the rebellion came into being. In fact the film goes on to depict the rise of the Empire into a force to reckon with. While at the same time laying the base upon which the legend of Han Solo is built. If that wasn’t enough, through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his mighty future co-pilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes.

First things first, with director Ron Howard at the helm of the film, one expects nothing less than a visual spectacle. Known for films like APOLLO 13, A BEAUTIFUL MIND and more recently RUSH and INFERNO, Howard brings with him, expectations of a space western film on epic proportions. However, unlike Howard’s previous cinematic outings, SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY offers little scope for sweeping cinematic visuals. Despite this, when given the chance to depict a world that has been ravaged by time, Howard works his magic with aplomb. Going into SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY, viewers are already aware of the fact that it will feature some of the high points of Han’s life that eventually made him the smuggler with a heart of gold, unfortunately this exact premise hampers the entire telling of what could become an epic due to the limited scope to explore unknown avenues, a detail upon which most of the film in the Star Wars franchise that thrived. But despite this, Howard has managed to pull together an enjoyable film that sadly looks like a series of highlight from a character’s life.

Coming to the performances, Alden Ehrenreich is no Harrison Ford, but he does manage to do a commendable job with the role of Han Solo. Joonas Suotamo as the lovable Chewbacca and Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian are sorely underused. Despite having prominent roles in the film, both their characters (though only supporting roles) appear to be greatly under developed and half baked. One wishes that both Chewbacca and Lando were given more meatier chunks to explore the entire depth of their characters. But it is the roles of Woody Harrelson as Beckett and Emilia Clarke as Qi’ra that come across the most dejecting. In fact, both good actors in their own right fall flat with a narrative that focuses on Solo alone. While one wishes that these two were used more to their full potential being a Han Solo film, they are relegated to the shadows serving only as waypoints to take the story forward.

However, the biggest drawback of SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY is the writing and the narrative, with most of the suspense lost, the makers have had to rely heavily on the epic tale of Solo to develop a narrative that does justice to his character. Sadly, this does not suffice. Instead the film comes across as a rather poor attempt at developing a new story line to encash on an epic saga that has neared the end of its money making heydays. Simply put, with an underwhelming story and weak narrative SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY is devoid of that charm and charisma that have over the years endeared the epic of STAR WARS to so many fans.

Even the background score of the film, unlike most Howard directorial seems greatly underused. With a fall back to the now legendary Star Wars theme every now and then, this new venture offers very little to the viewers. But it isn’t all downhill. Though limited, the action and race sequences are well shot and choreographed but one wishes there were more. The CGI too though done well could have been so much better had the story line of the film given room to develop a bit more.

On the whole, SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY leaves you with a somewhat empty feeling. With nothing new to tell in the story and very little scope to deviate from the past, the film becomes just another run of the mill cinematic outings that is developed to cash grab the last bits of money from a fading franchise. At the box office, with the John Abraham starrer Parmanu releasing alongside the film, SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY might just face a hard time raking in the numbers.

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Bhoomi Review: https://hungama.pc.cdn.bitgravity.com/Alexa/Review-English/review_eng_762461.mp3 - Bollywood Hungama

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Post the shocking Nirbhaya gang rape in 2012, a major section of the society has begun to see the problems faced by women more seriously and in a new light. It has also led to Bollywood making multiple films on this subject. PINK, MAATR and MOM dealt with this growing menace in recent times and now Sanjay Dutt choses this hard-hitting topic for his comeback film, BHOOMI. So does this film turn out to be an entertaining one or does it fail, let’s analyse.

Arun (Sanjay Dutt) is a widower based in Agra who has single-handedly raised his daughter Bhoomi (Aditi Rao Hydari). An eligible boy Neeraj (Sidhant Gupta) gets interested in Bhoomi and she too falls for him. Arun is happy with this union. However, Vishal (Puru Chibber) from her neighbourhood loves her too. He asks her out few days before the wedding. An enraged Bhoomi slaps him. Vishal narrates about his ordeal to his cousin, the evil Dhauli (Sharad Kelkar). He instigates him to kidnap Bhoomi and then rape her. Vishal goes ahead and does it. But not just him, as even Dhauli and his henchmen Ghulam (Veer Aryan) rape Bhoomi. Arun’s world comes crashing down when he learns about it. How he hits back and avenges Bhoomi’s rape is what the rest of the film is all about.

The story written by Sandeep Singh has been done to death multiple times in Bollywood and has no novelty. Raaj Shaandiliyaa’s screenplay comes across as clichéd and dated. BHOOMI suffers from two major problems. Firstly, it comes too late in the day. Audiences have already seen KAABIL, MAATR and MOM which were also similar films dealing with rape and revenge. Hence the impact of BHOOMI gets diluted. Secondly, the film takes too long to really get into the revenge drama zone. The narrative is so slow, dragged and boring that nothing happens until the last 20 minutes when Arun finally starts taking revenge.

However Raaj Shaandiliyaa’s dialogues create the necessary impact, though only at few places. Interestingly, the film has dialogues about women empowerment, progressive thoughts, women safety etc, but it shows violence against women through the major part of the runtime.

Omung Kumar’s direction is very weak. He has used all the Bollywood clichés and made the film extremely violent. Everyone is corrupt and the society is full of hypocrites in this story. Three scenes however are very well executed – when Sanjay Dutt gets new shoes for Aditi, the courtroom scene where Dutt gives a hard hitting speech and when Sanjay Dutt informs about the punishment for rape in different countries of the world to one of the victims.

Coming to performances, Sanjay Dutt is brilliant and his emotions look genuine. He looks convincing as a helpless father and also powerful when he takes revenge in the final scenes. The way his eyes do all the talking in the police station scene is seen to be believed. Aditi Rao Hydari is good in her part and her portrayal of a rape survivor is very impactful. You genuinely feel for her in the film. Sharad Kelkar is the best out of all the villains. He looks very convincing. Riddhi Sen (Jeetu) delivers an effective performance and he has a crucial part in the film. Veer Aryan (Ghulam) gets little scope but does fine. Puru Chibber is quite nice as the rapist as well as the helpless target of Arun. Shekhar Suman (Taj) is wasted. Sidhant Gupta does well in his cameo.

Sachin-Jigar’s music is weak and has no scope. ‘Will You Marry Me’, played during opening credits, is the only one that works. ‘Jai Mata Di’ played in the climax enhances impact. The Sunny Leone item song ‘Trippy Trippy’ looks forced and is badly placed. Ismail Darbar’s background score is strong.

Arthur Zurawski’s cinematography is very good. Vanita Omung Kumar’s production design is authentic and rustic. Jayesh Shikharkhane’s editing is disappointing. The 135 minute long film should have been trimmed by 15-20 minutes to create the necessary impact. Javed-Aejaz’s action is too gory and might put off the family audiences.

On the whole, BHOOMI comes across as a decent entertainer with power packed performance by Sanjay Dutt. At the box office, it will have to compete with other releases for its share of footfalls.

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Judwaa 2 Review - Bollywood Hungama

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The tastes of the audiences have evolved quite a lot since the last few years but still, most of the viewers don’t mind an illogical but entertaining masala comic caper. JUDWAA 2 is one such film that is unabashedly catering to ‘leave-your-brains-behind’ sort of cinema. So does it manage to raise laughs or fails in its endeavour, lets analyse.

JUDWAA 2 deals with the fun adventures of twin brothers separated at birth. Rajiv Malhotra (Sachin Khedekar) meets the evil Charles (Zakir Hussain) in the flight and helps the authorities in getting him arrested. At the same time, Rajiv’s wife Ankita (Prachee Shah Paandya) gives birth to twins. Charles gets arrested in the hospital where Ankita had her delivery and he runs away with one of the twins. Rajiv and Ankita presume that child to be dead due to certain circumstances and they move to London with their other son. This son, Prem (Varun Dhawan), grows up as a shy and docile person who can be easily bullied. His brother Raja (Varun Dhawan) grows up in Mumbai’s Versova and is the opposite of Prem – he is outgoing, brash and bullying him is next to impossible. However, Raja falls in trouble when he fights with Alex (Vivan Bhatena) and injures him badly. Alex is incidentally the son of Charles and is also quite villainous. Raja and his sidekick Nandu (Rajpal Yadav) escape to London as a result. In the flight, he meets Alishka (Jacqueline Fernandez) and both fall for each other. Prem on the other hand starts dating Samaira (Taapsee Pannu) who learns music from him. But strange things start happening to both Prem and Raja as soon as the latter lands in London. The twins suffer from a peculiar problem – if one feels pain, the other shall also experience the same feeling and both even replicate each other’s actions, depending on distance. Both go through a series of hilarious incidents as a result. What happens next and how the madness unfolds is what the rest of the film is all about.

JUDWAA 2 is a reboot of the original JUDWAA and those who have seen the original would know what to expect. However, the makers have tweaked certain portions and moreover, setting up the story in London has given the film a fresh and grand touch. The initial portions involving the twins getting separated and how Raja gets saved from the oncoming train is well executed. The entry of Raja is whistle worthy and his antics add to the fun. The entry of Samaira and Alishka also take the film to a new level. However, the film gets a bit sexist and some of the scenes like the butt slapping sequences and Prem forcefully kissing Samaira might be seen as crass by a certain section of audiences. Also, Prem even smooching his to be mother in law (Upasna Singh) comes across as a funny sequence but again, it will evoked mixed and even extreme reactions. On the positive side – the film has some hilarious scenes as well that bring the house down. The sequence with Pappu Passport (Johnny Lever), Raja creating a scene at the London airport, Prem’s various meetings with Dr Lulla (Ali Asgar), the bathtub sequence etc., are very funny. Raja using his modus operandi of narrating a sad story followed by his phone ringing is devoid of logic but makes for a fun watch despite getting repetitive. But there are also few scenes that don’t work. Post-interval, it becomes tedious to see Prem and Raja being held up as a result of mistaken identity. But thankfully, the climax is where the film picks up.

The film’s story is a no-brainer but works for the intended audience. Yunus Sajawal’s screenplay is effective and entertaining. But it could have been better and a lot more imaginative in certain places, especially in the second half. Farhad-Sajid’s dialogues are one of the highpoints. The duo is known for playing with words very well and has taken several films to great heights. JUDWAA 2 is no exception.

David Dhawan’s direction is simple and uncomplicated despite handling a plot related to mistaken identities. However, at some places, he lets the somewhat flawed script take over and doesn’t do much with his direction to salvage the situation. Also, the original JUDWAA was much better and at places, even slightly more logical. But JUDWAA 2 is an all-out illogical fare and at places, it falters. Moreover, there are too many characters and it’s bewildering to see the way he has handled the characters of Charles and Inspector Dhillon (Pavan Raj Malhotra) towards the end.

Varun Dhawan as expected delivers a terrific performance. The actor is in top form and the manner in which he ups the entertainment quotient with his quirks and dance moves is seen to be believed. He reminds one of Salman Khan and Govinda of the 90s and the frenzy they created. In today’s times, Varun Dhawan is the only actor who’s doing such roles on screen and that’s a very big plus for him and for the film as well. Jacqueline Fernandez looks extremely gorgeous and performance-wise, she is fine. Taapsee Pannu however looks a bit out of place. She is not that glamorous and moreover, she seems to be in the PINK mode, talking like her character from that film. Vivan Bhatena looks dashing and does well in a supporting role. Sachin Khedekar and Prachee Shah Paandya are decent. Rajpal Yadav is hilarious and brings the house down in certain scenes. Upasna Singh goes overboard. Ali Asgar also is a bit over the top but it works for his character. Pavan Raj Malhotra has an interesting character but is not utilized well after a point. Anupam Kher is first-rate but Atul Parchure is strictly okay. Manoj Pahwa (Sharafat Ali) fails to raise laughs but Johny Lever is very funny. Rajat Rawail and Farhad (jewellery shop salesman) are okay while Vikas Verma (Rocky) gets no scope. Salman Khan is cool in his cameo. Though the writer should have tried being a little more imaginative for his cameo scene.

The music of the film is good but not great. The songs from original JUDWAA are the ones that work well – ‘Chalti Hai Kya’ and ‘Oonchi Hai Building’. From the new songs, ‘Suno Ganpati Bappa Morya’ works to an extent while ‘Aa To Sahii’ is forgettable. Sandeep Shirodkar’s background score however is very entertaining. The cunning tune used in the scenes of Charles will keep circling in one’s mind for some time for sure.

Ganesh Acharya and Bosco Martis’s choreography is eye-catching and one of the highlights of the film. Ayananka Bose’s cinematography is satisfactory. ANL Arasu’s action is massy and not too gory which works for this kind of a film. Ritesh Soni’s editing is simple and Rajat Poddar’s production design is very grand and rich and gives the film a great look. The costumes are also quite lovely, especially the ones worn by Jacqueline Fernandez and Taapsee Pannu.

On the whole, JUDWAA 2, despite all the goofs, flaws and clichés, comes across as a decent paisa-vasool entertainer. At the box office, it has the potential to keep the cinegoers happy as it is quite massy and audiences have been deprived of quality content since a long time.

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Chef Review - Bollywood Hungama

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There’s a foodie hidden in all of us. Hence, films based on food can work big time with the audiences. In the past, SALAAM NAMASTE, CHEENI KUM and LUV SHUV TEY CHICKEN KHURANA too dealt with food as the subject and impressed the viewers. CHEF, as the title suggests is a ‘food film’ of sorts and what’s more, it also speaks about the challenges faced by parents and children that is a burning and a very relatable topic. So does CHEF impress or does it fail to entertain the audiences, let’s analyse.

CHEF is the story of a father who connects with his son during a fun gastronomical trip across India. Roshan Kalra (Saif Ali Khan) is a chef in New York. He is divorced and his son Armaan (Svar Kamble) stays with his mother Radha Menon (Padmapriya Janakiraman) in Cochin. Due to his work commitments, Roshan finds it difficult to come down to Cochin and spend time with Armaan. Roshan also has a high temper and one day he punches a customer who complains about his cooking. Roshan is fired from his job and he uses this opportunity to come to Cochin. He does the much needed bonding with his son. When the times comes to go back to New York, Roshan is offered an opportunity to run a food truck or rather a ‘food bus’ by Radha’s close friend Biju (Milind Soman). Roshan decides to take the truck from Cochin to Delhi and give the people of his hometown a gastronomical treat. Armaan also joins him along with his protégé Nuzroon (Chandan Roy Sanyal). What happens next forms the rest of the film.

CHEF is based on the much-loved Hollywood film by the same name, made by Jon Favreau. But as the trailers have already made it clear, the Hindi version is not a scene-by-scene remake and several changes have been done, probably to suit the Indian audiences. The story penned by Ritesh Shah, Suresh Nair and Raja Krishna Menon is simple and decent. Ritesh Shah, Suresh Nair and Raja Krishna Menon’s screenplay is effective with nice dollops of humour.

CHEF starts on a slow note. Roshan’s two minute long childhood portion is lovely but the New York sequence is very dry. The portions involving Roshan’s outburst in front of the customer and later in the kitchen seem unconvincing. Also, Roshan’s conversation with Vinnie (Sobhita Dhulipala) in his apartment doesn’t really engage. Thankfully, the film picks up when Roshan arrives in India and meets his son and ex-wife. Roshan teasing Armaan over his crush and Roshan-Armaan’s trip to Delhi and Amritsar are well-executed. The Father-son relationship is the highpoint of the movie. Also, Roshan’s jealousy for Biju is funny. The second half is when the road trip begins also puts a smile on your face. CHEF being in the ‘food porn’ zone, several scenes are sure to water your mouth though one expected to see more food visuals in this film.  There are several scenes which happen very conveniently – the manner in which people throng to Roshan’s food bus and the way it becomes famous seem illogical.

Ritesh Shah’s dialogues however are witty and straight out of life. Raja Krishna Menon’s direction is fine and doesn’t do much to elevate the impact. It works in a way as the film remains a simple fare from start to finish but at the same time, one wishes at some places if the film could have made a stronger emotional impact. This is especially true in the climax scene involving Roshan running through the peak-hour traffic.

Saif Ali Khan delivers a marvellous performance and impresses thoroughly with his trademark humour. Even in the emotional and confrontational sequences, he shines. Interestingly, he takes a dig at himself in the film and it’s really funny and unexpected. Svar Kamble is highly impressive and has some crucial scenes. He performs ably and his bonding with Saif looks quite real. Padmapriya Janakiraman looks stunning and delivers a very real and restrained performance. She ensures that she makes an impact in this father-son saga. Chandan Roy Sanyal delivers a very adorable performance but gets limited scope to showcase his acting talent. Milind Soman as always looks great and delivers a competent performance. Dinesh P Nair (Alex, the driver) is hilarious and his looks and character leave a huge mark. Sobhita Dhulipala is wasted. Ram Gopal Bajaj is quite nice in a small role. Raghu Dixit has a nice cameo in the film as well.

Raghu Dixit’s music goes well with the mood of the film. ‘Shugal Laga Le’ is like the anthem of the film. ‘Banjara’ has the exhilarating feel. ‘Tere Mere’ doesn’t make an impact while ‘Darmiyaan’ is very well presented. Raghu Dixit’s background score is foot tapping. Priya Seth’s cinematography is lovely and delectable, especially the food scenes. But even the locales of Kerala and Amritsar are captured beautifully. Also Shiv Kumar Panicker’s editing is satisfactory. Anuradha Shetty’s production design is very nice especially her work on the food bus.

On the whole, CHEF is a feel good cerebral entertainer that charms you with its simplicity. At the box office, it should appeal to the target group of multiplex audience that appreciates discerning cinema. The film has the potential to grow with a good word of mouth.

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Blade Runner 2049 (English) Review

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Over the recent couple of months or rather years, we have been seeing a rise in the number of old classics being remade with the latest technology. But are these recreations worth their while or are they just an eye candy is a pertinent question. This week we see the release of yet another film, BLADE RUNNER 2049, from the days gone by getting new life breathed into it. But will this recreation work at the box office or will it like so many others before it, be lost is the question of the hour.

The film starts off by setting the premise by depicting a world in 2049 that has been ravaged by humanity. After the development of humanoid artificial intelligence that has begun to become sentient a new generation of human- robot hybrids are developed which follow commands. From them a certain segment is categorized as Blade Runners whose sole purpose is to hunt down and ‘retire’ the older models. The story of BLADE RUNNER follows a young blade runner’s discovery of a long-buried secret leads him to track down former blade runner Rick Deckard, who’s been missing for thirty years. Will he uncover the truth behind his being or will he become yet another scrapped bot in an endless war is what makes the rest of the film.

Like most post-apocalyptic films, BLADE RUNNER 2049 too relies heavily on visuals that convey the desperate fate humanity finds itself in. However, what works for the film apart from the visuals is a marvellous sound track that coupled together transports the viewer into the world of 2049. Though a bit slow in parts, the director of the film Denis Villeneuve does manage to keep you in your seat with well-timed action sequences. Besides this, Villeneuve also manages to give each character that is introduced, a plausible backstory while at the same time taking the film forward without spending precious minutes on explanations. Interestingly, despite being a bleak science- fiction film, BLADE RUNNER 2049 turns out to be quite unlike other films that have focused on racking up the body count. Instead the film focusses more on the story of the characters while simultaneously margining actions, drama, and emotion together all set against a grim backdrop.

Since the original BLADE RUNNER developed by Ridley Scott was a masterpiece for its time, the biggest question that comes to mind is will Denis Villeneuve, despite his past performance behind the camera in films like SICARIO, be able to pull off Scott’s dystopian world? However, once the film starts, these doubts vanish like the foliage that is all but gone. In fact Villeneuve’s vision of BLADE RUNNER 2049 is startlingly well made. Though, here credit needs to be awarded to the brilliant director of photography Roger Deakins, who has done a stellar job of bringing to life Scott’s vision. However, it wasn’t only Villeneuve and Deakins combination that makes BLADE RUNNER riveting. Adding a thrilling suspense element is the background score developed by the musical genius Hans Zimmer. From the first chord itself, the viewer is unsettled by the score that coupled with the visuals goes a long way in defining the film. Like the title track in WONDER WOMAN and for that matter Zimmer’s previous score for DUNKIRK, the audiences are kept on the edge of their seats.

Coming to the performances, the entire cast seems to have put their best foot forward. Starting with Ryan Gosling, on whose character the entire film revolves, has done a brilliant job of portraying agent ‘K’. His lacklustre expressions towards conventional environments that would elicit a response go a long way in setting the baseline for a character that is expected to be detached and emotionless. From there, Gosling does well as he takes viewers on a journey of discovery as he begins to feel emotions. Similarly, Harrison Ford who has over the years featured on celluloid as iconic characters be it Han Solo or Indiana Jones, has done some of his best work in this film. In fact Ford’s performance as Deckard, in the small yet vital role in BLADE RUNNER 2049, can easily be termed as one of his best. Doing equally good job is the villainous duo of Jared Leto as Neander Wallace, the evil head of a corporation that heads the new world order, and Sylvia Hoeks as Neander’s hit-woman Luv. While Leto doesn’t have much screen time, his presence is felt through Hoeks as she goes about her business executing orders from her superior. Also doing an impressive job is Ana de Armas as Joi, K’s artificial girlfriend. Though her role doesn’t appear to be much, while at the same time reminding viewers of Alicia Vikander in EX MACHINA, she does a great job of grounding agent K and giving him a side that makes him human.

On the whole, while director Denis Villeneuve will certainly be getting a standing ovation for BLADE RUNNER 2049, it must be noted that unlike most others who would have preferred on making a reboot, Villeneuve picks up where the previous film left off with aplomb. Call it a science – fiction or character based film, both of which will still hold true, the film turns out to be an engrossing mix of stellar visuals coupled with a riveting background score that keeps the viewers glued to their seats. However, given the limited release that BLADE RUNNER 2049 gets in India, the film won’t be able to post impressive numbers at the box office.

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Secret Superstar Review - Bollywood Hungama

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It’s 2017, yet it’s not uncommon to see that many don’t have the liberty to pursue the dream of their choice. SECRET SUPERSTAR, helmed by first-time director Advait Chandan, tells one such extra-ordinary story and emphasizes that exceptional talent can’t be hidden or suppressed – it’s bound to come to the fore some day.

An Aamir Khan production is special. Recall the films the reputed production house has produced over the years. The expectations from SECRET SUPERSTAR are obviously sky-high. Does it live up to those expectations? Does Advait deliver as a storyteller? Let’s get to the point right away: SECRET SUPERSTAR is one of the finest films of the year, no two opinions about it.

SECRET SUPERSTAR narrates the story of an aspiring singer who faces roadblocks in fulfilling her dream. Insia [Zaira Wasim] is a school-going girl based in Vadodara. She has a lovely voice and dreams of being a top singer. Her mother Najma [Meher Vij] supports Insia’s dream, but her father Farookh [Raj Arjun] is thoroughly against the idea due to his conservative mindset. He tries everything – from force to destroying Insia’s guitar – to stop her from fulfilling her dreams. She, however, remains adamant.

Insia takes to the internet and posts videos of her singing. Wearing a burkha, she makes sure only her eyes are visible in order to keep her identity concealed. She’s taken by surprise when her videos go viral. Enter Shakti Kumar [Aamir Khan], a brash, lecherous but successful music composer. Insia gets a chance to meet Shakti. What happens next forms the rest of the story.

To start with, SECRET SUPERSTAR hits the right notes. The goings-on make you laugh and also leave you moist-eyed in certain scenes. In fact, you go through varied emotions in those 2.30 hours. In today’s times, when there’s a demand from certain sections of audiences to have fast-paced films with a runtime of less than 2 hours or 2 hours, SECRET SUPERSTAR neither moves too swiftly nor drags – the pace is just perfect.

The characters are neatly introduced and the storyteller remains faithful to the material. Certain moments stay with you even after the culmination of the movie: The presence of the father shakes you up and one can feel the tension… The penultimate 20-25 minutes are outstanding and give you goosebumps… Also, one of the high-points of the movie is the focus on the mother-daughter relationship… The friendship bond between Zaira and Tirth, her school friend, is very cute.

Advait handles the subject with utmost sensitivity. Not only does the film mirror the conservative attitude that exists in our society, but also makes a comment on women empowerment. The screenplay is uncomplicated, while the dialogue are simple and conversational.

Any glitches? Not really, except that the middle of the second hour could’ve been tighter. That’s it!

Zaira wins you over with a heartfelt act. She’s in splendid form in SECRET SUPERSTAR. It is surely a worthy follow up to her sparkling act in DANGAL. Her emotional outburst before the climax of the movie or the speech towards the final moments prove that she’s a powerhouse of talent. Aamir is the catalyst in Zaira’s journey and he enacts the of over the top, loud and brash character flawlessly. He lets Zaira shine as he relegates himself to the background. Yet, it must be mentioned, only he could’ve essayed the character with such aplomb.

Meher is terrific and her performance is one of the key reasons why the character stands out. Raj Arjun is tremendous. Tirth has an important character and he is utmost natural. Farrukh Jaffer [Badi Appa] is superb in a significant role. Kabir Sajid [as Insia’s brother Guddu] is adorable.

The soundtrack [Amit Trivedi] is soothing and gels wonderfully with the genre of the film. ‘Main Kaun Hoon’ is the best of the lot, while ‘Meri Pyaari Ammi’ is lovely. Cinematography [Anil Mehta] is first-rate.

On the whole, SECRET SUPERSTAR is a complete package: refreshing plot, water-tight screenplay, exceptional performances and soulful soundtrack. Strongly recommended!

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Golmaal Again Review - Bollywood Hungama

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While there have been a lot of comedy films in Bollywood, horror comedy as a genre is rarely explored in Bollywood. BHOOL BHULAIYAA was one such rare attempt and it was loved big time. In recent times, GREAT GRAND MASTI also dealt with horror but it was more of a sex comedy than exactly a horror comedy. TUTAK TUTAK TUTIYA on the other hand never found awareness due to bad marketing campaign and as expected, sank without a trace. Now makers of GOLMAAL AGAIN take up the challenge of giving the audience a combo of laughs and terror. So does it give the audience a great time? Or does it fail to impress? Let’s analyse

GOLMAAL AGAIN is the story of five friends who encounter strange occurrences when they visit their orphanage. Gopal (Ajay Devgn), Madhav (Arshad Warsi), Lucky (Tusshar Kapoor), Laxman Prasad Apte (Shreyas Talpade) and Laxman Sharma (Kunal Kemmu) are orphans who grew up in an orphanage owned by Jamnadas (Uday Tikekar). As kids, they were close to each other but then they became rivals. Gopal and Laxman Prasad Apte separated while Madhav, Lucky and Laxman Sharma went their own way. When they all grew up, they start working with land sharks and their job revolved around getting the plots vacated. This also created further friction among them. But when they learn that Jamnadas has passed away, they decide to iron out their differences and go together to the orphanage to pay their respects. They stay at Colonel Chouhan’s (Sachin Khedekar) bungalow located right next to Jamnadas Orphanage, where their childhood friend Anna (Tabu) is also residing. Anna has a special power – she can communicate with the dead. At the Colonel’s bungalow, Gopal gets attracted to the caretaker Damini (Parineeti Chopra). Meanwhile, Vasu Reddy (Prakash Raj), a builder and a close friend of Jamnadas announces that Jamnadas gave away the land to him where the orphanage is situated. He also says that he has decided to shift the kids at Bengaluru where he’ll provide them with better facilities. Gopal is ghost-fearing person and he starts to see the spirit of Jamnadas’s dead daughter (Ashwini Kalsekar). However, the truth is something else and when the five friends find out, it shocks them like never before. What is that truth and what happens next forms the rest of the film.

GOLMAAL AGAIN is drastically different from the previous GOLMAAL films, not just because of the horror element. There’s a lot more drama and emotional moments than what one would expect. However, it works more or less although few sequences lack punch, especially in the second hour. The first half is 1.30 hours long and neatly incorporates comedy, madness and also the horror bit. One of the highpoints of the film is how Gopal, Laxman and Lucky get possessed and start speaking like Nana Patekar. It’s sure to bring the house down! Also hilarious is the sequence where the five friends fight over samosa. But the best is reserved for the intermission point – the film reaches on a high in this sequence! The second half however gets a bit serious although Pandu’s (Vrajesh Hirjee) sequence provides laughs. The climax is well helmed but audiences might have reservations since they must have ventured into the theatre expecting an out and out comic caper.

Rohit Shetty‘s story is interesting and a bit complicated thanks to so many characters. But it’s put together well. Yunus Sajawal’s screenplay does justice to this complex storyline. The horror is such that it won’t scare the hell out of viewers. At the same time, it’s not even amateur. A nice balance is maintained and that’s definitely praiseworthy. Few sequences however are taken from the previous GOLMAAL films, especially GOLMAAL 3. A section of audience however might not like that as the jokes get repetitive. Farhad-Sajid’s dialogues are hilarious and provide laughter. But shockingly, at a few places, they fall flat. This is especially in the beginning portions of Babli (Sanjay Mishra). Rohit Shetty’s direction is interesting and it’s good to see him trying to attempt something different. Notice the flashback sequence in the second half when a prominent character is killed and it’s depicted in black and white. Also, the sequence where Lucky, Madhav and the two Laxmans are reading the diary while Gopal is out there fighting the baddies. These sequences are executed very well and it shows that Rohit has evolved.

Ajay Devgn delivers a fine performance and it works, although it’s not something that he has not done before. He’s quite good in the dramatic portions in the second half. Parineeti Chopra has a crucial character and from the first sequence itself, there’s an element of mystery surrounding her character that adds to the fun. She looks beautiful and does a good job. Arshad Warsi is quite nice in his wicked avatar. Tusshar Kapoor impresses a lot with his mute act and also, as said above, he takes the cake in the scene where he gets possessed. Shreyas Talpade leaves a mark thanks to his lisp which contributes to laughter at several places. Kunal Kemmu gets a bit lost in the crowd but nevertheless, gets a chance to show his worth. Tabu is restrained and underplays her part very well. Neil Nitin Mukesh is too good in the negative part. It suits him well. Prakash Raj plays the baddie nicely but his comic timing is brilliant. The sequence where he dances like a madman will be loved for sure. Johny Lever too gives a performance that would provide entertainment. His speech during Jamnadas’s ‘tervi’ is hilarious. Sanjay Mishra is funny but only at places. Vrajesh Hirjee repeats his act and is fair. Mukesh Tiwari, Ashwini Kalsekar, Murli Sharma, Sachin Khedekar, Uday Tikekar and Vijay Patkar are good in their cameo appearances.

The music of the film is strictly average. The Title Track is exciting and same goes for ‘Maine Tujhko Dekha’. ‘Hum Nahi Sudhrenge’ is decent while ‘Itna Sannata Kyun Hai’ is played during end credits. Amar Mohile’s background score is exhilarating especially in the post-interval scenes. Bunty Nagi’s editing is nothing special. Jomon T John’s cinematography is satisfactory. Sunil Rodrigues’s action and Rohit Shetty’s action design is appealing although it’s not novel. One has seen it before in Rohit’s own films. Also, the trademark cars toppling and explosion sequences are missing. Swapnil Bhalerao, Tajamul Shaikh and Madhur Madhavan’s production design is very nicely done and noticeable. N Y VFXwaala’s visual effects are rich.

On the whole GOLMAAL AGAIN is an ideal fun ride which delivers ample entertainment quotient without any logic. An out-and-out entertainer, it’s sure to light up the celebratory festive mood. At the box office, the movie has all it takes to emerge as a sure-fire hit although the real test of the film will begin post Monday.

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Jia Aur Jia Review - Bollywood Hungama

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Road trip has been a favourite genre for filmmakers across the Bollywood and our Bollywood makers are no exception. But in our films, it’s usually the guys (ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA, DIL CHAHTA HAI) that are travelling or a group (PIKU, YEH JAWAANI HAI DEEWANI, DIL DHADAKNE DO), or in some cases only the hero and the heroine (JAB WE MET, TAMASHA) that are going around and making merry. We have never a female road trip film, though QUEEN was a story of a girl but it can’t really come under the road trip genre. Howard Rosemeyer attempts to make the first female road trip film of Bollywood. So does it entertain and motivate viewers to pack their bags and go on a holiday or does it highly disappoint? Let’s analyse.

JIA AUR JIA is the story of two girls with the same name but contrasting personalities. Jia Venkatraman (Richa Chadha) is a banker who’s demure, serious and running from a troubled past. Jia Garewal (Kalki Koechlin) on the other hand is carefree and free-spirited. They sign up for a trip to Sweden and get each other as tour partners. Jia Venkatraman ran a successful company but she was ousted from there thanks to the devious plans of Arvind Jaisingh (Sudhanshu Pandey) with whom she was romantically involved. Jia Venkatraman turns suicidal and her purpose of the Sweden trip is to end her life. Unknown to Jia Venkatraman, Jia Garewal might seem happy go lucky but even she is hiding a painful truth. What is that truth and how it changes the life of Jia Venkatraman forms the rest of the film.

JIA AUR JIA’s introductory sequence is interesting. But the film falls immediately after that. The airplane sequence where Jia Garewal manages to secure a business class seat is supposed to be funny but fails to raise laughs. And this issue continues right till the end – except a dialogue or two, nothing is hilarious. The writing is terrible with too many unconvincing sequences. It’s bewildering how Vasu (Arsalan Goni) agrees to marry Jia Garewal despite knowing the truth. Not even once does audience feel it’s believable as the character is just not developed properly. One expects the finale at least to be sensible. But alas, the climax is maddening and senseless.

Mudassar Aziz’s story is poor and unexciting. It’s shocking that JIA AUR JIA is written by the same person who wrote and directed HAPPY BHAG JAYEGI. Farahjaan Sheikh’s screenplay is very weak and difficult to digest. Mudassar Aziz’s dialogues are average and sadly most of them are not used well in the film. Howard Rosemeyer’s direction is amateur and he fails in all departments. He is not able to keep the editing in check – scenes and background score start and end haphazardly. Even the sound and dubbing is not uniform and this is something that even a layman will realise.

Kalki Koechlin is the only one who seems interested in giving a credible performance. She does look fake as a person who is fully filmy but as compared to other actors in the film, she is the best. Richa Chadha is a fine actress but doesn’t seem to be in form. She looks disinterested and her constant sobbing doesn’t work for her character much. Arslan Goni’s performance suffers due to weak characterization. Sudhanshu Pandey and Zarina Wahab (Jia Garewal’s mother) get no scope.

Music is situational and might have worked if the film had some salt. ‘Nach Basanti’ is the best of the lot. ‘Na Shukre’ and ‘Na Jaa’ doesn’t work as both are relegated to the background and that too during some really bad sequences. Sameer Nichani’s background music is decent. Shakil Khan’s cinematography is very bad and the extreme close ups of actors is an eye sore. The film’s aim is also to attract tourists to Sweden. But even in that regard, the film fails due to bad cinematography. Even the stock footage is of inferior quality. Prashant S Rathore and Sandeep Kurup’s editing is juvenile. Shahid Aamir and Manali Jagtap’s costumes are however appealing.

On the whole, JIA AUR JIA is a poor show all the way laced with a very bad script and poor direction.  At the box office, it will be a failure.

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Thor: Ragnarok (English) Review - Bollywood Hungama

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Back in 2011, we saw the release of the film THOR featuring Chris Hemsworth as the God of Thunder, later in 2013 we saw him return in THE DARK WORLD and save the earth with assistance from his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Since then we have seen the God of Thunder return as a part of the Avengers series where he fought alongside earth’s mightiest warriors to defend the planet again from Ultron. Well, now we see him return to the big screen with the film THOR: RAGNAROK. But will the film which is the third in the series work as a ‘Marvel’ at the box office or will it like some of the other sequels fail to match up to the previous films. Let’s analyse.

First off, THOR: RAGNAROK starts off with the God of Thunder imprisoned on the other side of the universe. Here he finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his home world and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett). From here on the film follows Thor’s journey as he battles Hela with the assistance of his brother Loki and others. But will the Asgardian succeed in defeating the all-powerful Hela or will his world fall, is what makes up the rest of the film.

The film starts off with a monologue by Thor who is being held captive on an alien planet in chains. From here, the film introduces Surtur voiced by Clancy Brown who explains that he is the reckoning of Asgard. After learning this, Thor who has of late been plagued with visions of his home world being destroyed promptly goes ahead and vanquishes his foe. One done, Thor heads back to Asgard only to learn that Odin (Anthony Hopkins) isn’t really who he seems to be. Post learning this, he then sets out on a mission to find his father and restore Asgard back to its glory. Thor accompanied by Loki finds Odin only to be told that his time has come, and along with that Hela the goddess of death will be released from her prison. Hela, who was once Odin’s right hand grew too powerful and her thirst to acquire the throne of Asgard lead her to be imprisoned.

After Odin’s death, Thor and Loki come face to face with Hela, who proves to be too strong for them. In an attempt to flee back to Asgard via the bifrost, the two inadvertently offer Hela a ride back as well. While on the way back to Asgard, within the bifrost beam, a second skirmish breaks out which tosses Loki and Thor into the abyss. Fortunately, both of them land separately on the plant Sakaar. Here, Thor who lands much after Loki finds himself being held prisoner yet again, this time without the assistance of his hammer Molinor that was destroyed in the first fight with Hela. Sakaar, which is ruled by the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), is a planet of the rejects who live to witness the gladiatorial fights that are a regular feature. Thor who has shown potential as a warrior is pitted against the Grandmaster’s champion who happens to be the Hulk. Thrilled at seeing a familiar face, Thor tries his best to get the mindless brute to assist him in returning back to Asgard to defeat Hela. In the meantime back on Asgard, Hela reigns supreme as she lays waste to the entire Asgardian army while resurrecting her own army of the dead. What follows is a grand battle between Thor and Hela with Asgard as the prize.

Chris Hemsworth, who has reprised the role of Thor in the previous films as well, does a good job with the character. However, given the fact that unlike the previous films in the Thor series, RAGNAROK features a lot more colour combined with a fun comic elements that keep the proceedings peppy and fast. Tom Hiddleston as Loki is good in his part as the god of mischief; however it is Cate Blanchett as Hela who steals the show. Very rarely do you see a character developed with such power and menace that just the visual of her can make your hair stand. The last time a character like this was seen on screen, it was in The Dark Knight with Heath Ledger essaying the role of the Joker. Due credit goes to the writers of the film who have done a marvelous job of interweaving a back story for Hela into the film’s proceedings without diverging from the current track.

Another point to mention here is the background score that keeps up the tempo to match the on-screen visuals and the constant exchange of witty lines that makes the film a fun watch.

Coupled with the performances, the VFX team have done an equally brilliant job of bringing a fantasy world to life. From costumes to the massive explosions and the larger than life action sequences, the team has done a stellar and seamless job of merging live action with CGI.

On the whole, THOR: RAGNAROK that features witty one liners, sarcastic humour and plenty of action makes for a fun watch. Well timed comic sequences and well-choreographed action sequences aplenty make the film a perfect masala entertainer. At the Indian box office, THOR: RAGNAROK stands a good chance of posting impressive numbers given that it’s releasing on a big scale and in multiple languages.

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Ittefaq Review - Bollywood Hungama

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Whodunit and suspense is a loved genre across all sections of moviegoers. Bollywood however rarely churns out such films. Films like GUPT, KAUN, TALAASH, RACE etc. have been loved and had an intrigue value as these had the suspense element. Now ITTEFAQ, a remake of the 1969 film of the same name, is out and also promises some great suspense-laden entertainment. So does it shock the audiences or turns out to be a boring, predictable fare? Let’s analyse.

ITTEFAQ is the story of a two strangers who meet one night amidst killings and double crossings. Vikram Sethi (Sidharth Malhotra) is an acclaimed writer from London who is India for the launch of his third book. He goes to the hotel room post the event and finds that his wife Katherine (Kimberley McBeath) is no more. He calls the cops who try to frame him for the death. A paranoid Vikram runs away and takes refuge in the house of Maya (Sonakshi Sinha). When cops reach Maya’s residence, they realize that even her hubby Shekhar Sinha (Samir Sharma) is dead and Vikram is accused of murdering him. Dev Verma (Akshaye Khanna) is given the charge of investigating this high-profile case. Vikram maintains that he’s innocent and that he neither killed Katherine nor Shekhar. Meanwhile, Maya alleges that Vikram killed Shekhar. Dev is torn between the two versions of the story, and will not settle till he finds out what happened that night. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Abhay Chopra, Shreyas Jain and Nikhil Mehrotra’s story is inspired from the original ITTEFAQ but a lot of changes have been done. These changes however are quite weak and take the film down. Abhay Chopra, Shreyas Jain and Nikhil Mehrotra’s screenplay is okay and not engaging or gripping as required for a suspense, murder mystery.

ITTEFAQ starts on a thrilling note and the initial set up of the premise is intriguing. However, the film starts getting disappointing as it progresses further. The pace of the film is very slow. It’s just 107 minute long and yet, it gets boring and drags in the middle as nothing much is happening. Moreover, the film rests on a waferthin plot. There are only two suspects and hence the audience knows that one of them is indeed the culprit and therefore the identity of the culprit does not come across as a surprise. Ideally, there should be a lot more characters in a murder mystery so that one can never correctly guess the identity of the killer. That advantage is not there at all in ITTEFAQ. Moreover, it’s a dark film with no commercial aspects as well as songs. And most importantly, the film is riddled with huge loopholes and it’s shocking how these things got overlooked by the makers! The shoddy investigation done even by such an able police officer in the film is shocking.

Abhay Chopra, Shreyas Jain and Nikhil Mehrotra’s dialogues are interesting and witty in the first hour and that’s about it. In the later part of the film, there aren’t any interesting one-liners. Abhay Chopra’s direction is decent for a first-timer. But thanks to a flawed script, there’s not much he could have done to salvage the film. The climax of this film does shock but it comes too late in the day. As a result, it doesn’t startle you like it was intended to.

Talking of performances, Akshaye Khanna shines the most. He gets completely into his character and gives a tremendous performance. His dialogue delivery is spot on. What’s interesting is that he played an investigating officer in MOM as well earlier this year but one won’t be reminded of that film while watching him in ITTEFAQ. Sidharth Malhotra gives a good performance. He underplays his part very well and in several scenes, he raises the impact with his restrained performance. Sonakshi Sinha is fair and keeps her performance believable. Even in the scenes where she tries to seduce Vikram, she keeps her performance subtle and that works well. Samir Sharma doesn’t get much scope but is fine. Pavail Gulati (Chirag) looks dashing and leaves a mark in a small role. Kimberley McBeath gets no scope. Ajay Jadhav (Constable Tambe) is hilarious and brings the much needed humour in the film. He’ll surely be loved. Trupti Kamkar (Mrs. Kawatkar) overacts but it was the need of the character and it comes out well. Others like Vinay Sharma (Inspector Kadam), Himanshu Kohli (Inspector Gautam Kohli), Sujata Jog (Maid), Forensic analyst (Arpit Sharma), Sandhya (Sanyukta Timsina) and Sandhya’s father (Jitendra Shastri) are fair. Mandira Bedi (Gayatri Verma) is wasted.

ITTEFAQ is a songless film. But BT and John Stewart Eduri’s background score is in sync with the film’s theme. The slightly loud theme in the end works well.

Michal Sebastian Luka’s cinematography is very good. Nitin Baid’s editing should have been slicker, especially in the middle portions. Bindiya Chhabria and Narii’s production design is a bit theatrical when it comes to Maya’s residence. But it’s quite real in the police station scenes.

On the whole, ITTEFAQ is a weak show and doesn’t get the grammar of whodunit right. The film is devoid of entertainment value as well as the shock element. At the box office, it will fail to make a mark.

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Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana Review

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It’s a time when rooted stories based in small towns and the ‘real’ India is working big time. This year, films like SHUBH MANGAL SAAVDHAN and BAREILLY KI BARFI did very well and one of the reasons for their success is the realism rooted in their narratives. SHAADI MEIN ZAROOR AANA is also a content-driven rooted film that also balances by telling a love story as well as a dramatic, confrontational tale. So does it manage to entertain or fails to entice viewers? Let’s analyse.

SHAADI MEIN ZAROOR AANA is the story of a guy who avenges the humiliation he faced during his wedding day. Satyendra Mishra aka Sattu (Rajkummar Rao) is based in Lucknow and is about to join the excise department. His family decides to arrange his marriage with Aarti Shukla (Kriti Kharbanda). Aarti is a bit confused as she feels that marriage might come in the way of her ambitions. But she gels very well with Sattu who in turn falls for her. On the day of the marriage, Aarti’s sister Abha (Nayani Dixit) learns that Sattu’s mother won’t allow Aarti to work. On the other hand, the results of the PCS exam attempted by Aarti are out and she passes it successfully. Abha advises that she should run away from the marriage and excel professionally. Or else her in laws will destroy her life just like how Abha’s in laws destroyed Abha’s life. Aarti hence runs away. Sattu gets devastated. Five years later, Aarti becomes a sub registrar in Lucknow. One day suddenly she is accused of bribery to the tune of Rs 3 crores. The officer who investigates this case is none other than Sattu, who has now become deputy magistrate! He decides to take revenge from Aarti and make her pay for the humiliation he and his family faced five years ago. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

SHAADI MEIN ZAROOR AANA’s first half has issues but you let it pass as the goings on has genuinely some nice moments. The manner in which Sattu and Aarti fall for each other is cute. The entire dowry portion is well thought of. The dramatic sequence when Aarti runs away is dragging but makes for a decent watch. The second half also begins well but soon enough, the film goes downhill. One fails to understand how exactly do the makers want to present Sattu? Should the viewers sympathize with him for all the wrongdoings? Or should they hate him for the villainous and even lecherous way with which he tortures Aarti? The entire bribery investigation sequence ends on a dramatic note and one expects the film to end there. But the film drags for another 20-25 minutes. This portion is again needlessly lengthened and is highly predictable.

Kamal Pandey’s story is interesting but comes too late in the day. Maybe it is not intentionally done but the first half is very similar to the first hour of BADRINATH KI DULHANIA and the last 20 minutes are eerily similar to BAREILLY KI BARFI, which also starred Rajkummar Rao. Kamal Pandey’s screenplay is fine at few places but overall it’s quite a letdown. Kamal Pandey’s dialogues are simple and decent.

Ratnaa Sinha’s direction doesn’t make the desired impact. The film is unconvincing and silly at many points. Many scenes go on and on despite the fact that it’s clear what the maker wants to show in the beginning of the said scene itself.

Rajkummar Rao as always delivers a great performance. As the lover boy Sattu, he’s endearing and as the ruthless DM, he’s dashing and plays both the avatars brilliantly. Kriti Kharbanda does a much better job here than her previous Hindi releases. However her character keeps crying in the second half and after a point, it becomes too much. Govind Namdev (Aarti’s father) is fair. Vipin Sharma (Sattu’s maternal uncle) leaves a mark. Manoj Pahwa (Aarti’s uncle Jogi) is the best out of the supporting cast. Nayani Dixit comes next and dominates the pre interval portion. K K Raina (Sattu’s father Jugal Kishore Mishra) underplays his part nicely. Navni Parihar (Aarti’s mother) and the actors playing Aarti’s brother, Sattu’s mother, Sharad, Aarti’s junior and Pramod are fine.

Songs are disappointing. ‘Jogi’ and ‘Main Hoon Saath Tere’ are forgettable. ‘Tu Banja Gali Benaras Ki’ is the best song of the lot. ‘Pallo Latke’ is played in the end credits. Prasad Sashte’s background score is dramatic and tries to enhance the impact.

Suresh Beesaveni’s cinematography is satisfactory. Ballu Saluja’s editing is one of the biggest culprits. Pradip Singh and Arup Adhikari’s art direction is nothing great.

On the whole, SHAADI MEIN ZAROOR AANA rests on an interesting idea but the treatment is lacklustre. With lack of buzz, the film will have a tough time at the box office.

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Qarib Qarib Singlle Review - Bollywood Hungama

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The dynamics of relationships have undergone a change but it’s not reflected in most of our films. Tanuja Chandra takes up the challenge with QARIB QARIB SINGLLE and with this slice of life saga, she attempts to talk about the various facets of dating in today’s world. So does it connect with the viewers or fails in entertaining them? Let’s analyse.

QARIB QARIB SINGLLE is a story of two people who meet on a dating website and their journey across the country. Jaya (Parvathy Thiruvothu) is a 35 year old widow who feels a void in her life. She signs up on a dating website and meets a 40 year old poet Yogi (Irrfan Khan). He’s quirky, talkative and diametrically opposite to Jaya. But Jaya feels connected to him. Yogi claims that he has dated three girls in his life and they all miss him a lot still. Jaya tells him that he’s simply bragging. Yogi however remains adamant on his claims and tells her to join him in meeting them. Jaya refuses at first but then agrees. How this trip takes their relationship forward forms the rest of the film.

QARIB QARIB SINGLLE commences on a great note. The opening credits very well explain how lonely Jaya is. Jaya-Yogi’s first meeting is hilarious. The mischief that Yogi does with the lecherous men who had pinged Jaya on the dating app is sure to bring the house down. The real fun however begins when their trip commences and the various mishaps that happen on the way add to the fun. The Rishikesh episode is sweet and light. The Alwar episode has its moments but the film drags and the interest level drops. The interest however is revived in the Gangtok sequence.

Kamna Chandra’s story is extremely relatable as it talks about loneliness, need for relationship, dating apps etc. Also, the two main characters are well written which helps the film stand out. Tanuja Chandra and Gazal Dhaliwal’s screenplay is breezy and simple. The nuances and subtle hints are nicely inserted in the film. Gazal Dhaliwal’s dialogues are one of the highpoints of the film. Many one liners take the film on a high.

Tanuja Chandra’s direction is neat and the film is drastically different from the intense films that she has made in the past. She has handled the plot with maturity and sensitivity. This helps in giving the film a nice touch. At the same time, the film is very niche. The mainstream appeal is definitely missing. Also the film moves at a slow pace and the Alwar episode is a bit of a downer.

Irrfan Khan yet again delivers a spectacular performance. He is a pro when it comes to such quirky performances. Yet he ensures that you won’t be reminded of his similar previous performance. That’s no easy feat. Parvathy Thiruvothu is a powerhouse performer and steals the show. She is an unknown name in Bollywood as of now but after this film, she’ll surely be talked about. Brijendra Kala is funny in the cameo. Neha Dhupia (Anjali) is alright. Pushtiie Shakti (Radha) is impressive. Isha Sharvani (Gazal) is there for a one minute sequence and is alright. Siddharth Menon (Ashish) is quite good especially in his scenes with Yogi. Luke Kenny (Sidkong) is okay. Navneet Nishan and the actor playing the driver are good.

The songs sadly don’t make an impact. ‘Khatam Kahani’ is the most memorable. ‘Jaane De’ and ‘Tu Chale Toh’ are forgettable. The background score is subtle and effective. Eeshit Narain’s cinematography is breathtaking. The lensman has captured the locales of Rishikesh, Rajasthan and Gangtok beautifully. Chandan Arora’s editing is fair although few scenes are slightly stretched. Ravi Shrivastava’s production design is rich. Maria Tharakan and Kirti Kolwankar’s costumes are eye catching, especially the ones worn by Irrfan.

On the whole, QARIB QARIB SINGLLE is a feel good love story cum road trip film. Despite low buzz and not much of a mass appeal, the film leaves a smile on your face and has the potential for young and urban audiences.

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Tumhari Sulu Review - Bollywood Hungama

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Five years ago, Gauri Shinde in her directorial debut ENGLISH VINGLISH told a wonderful story of an enterprising housewife. What’s surprising is that there are millions of such women in India but very few films have been made on them. Suresh Triveni now takes up the challenge to talk about a housewife in TUMHARI SULU. But unlike ENGLISH VINGLISH, this one is more light-hearted and funny. So does it manage to touch audiences and make them smile or does it disappoint? Let’s analyse.

TUMHARI SULU is the story of an enterprising housewife who turns RJ with a late-night semi-adult radio show. Sulochana (Vidya Balan) is a homemaker in Mumbai and is happily married to Ashok (Manav Kaul) and also has a son, Pranav (Abhishek Sharrma). Sulochana has a strong desire to do something in life and not waste her time just serving her family. One day, she wins a pressure cooker on a radio show hosted by the popular RJ Albeli Anjali (Malishka Mendonsa). Sulochana goes to collect the cooker and happens to find out that the radio channel is looking for RJs. She approaches Maria (Neha Dhupia) who runs the radio station and tells her that she is interested. Maria gives her the late night slot and Sulochana is asked to run a semi-adult show. Sulochana starts working as an RJ and her show becomes a hit. How it leads to problems and madness in her life forms the rest of the film.

TUMHARI SULU commences beautifully and instantly sets the mood. The film is in the space of Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee cinema and that’s a plus point. However after the introduction of the principle characters, the pace and the interest levels drop. The first half is devoid of meat. It’s only when Sulu decides to turn RJ and auditions for it is when the film becomes interesting. The second half is better as Sulu successfully runs the late night show. The manner in which Sulu balances her home as well as her job is nicely depicted. Also the way Sulu gets judged and taunted by her sisters comes across as very real. However, the pace of the film is very slow and that really affects the impact. Moreover the sudden success of Sulu’s show looks a bit unreal. The 140 minute long film should have been 15-20 minutes shorter. The climax is ambiguous and should have been a bit simpler. However the final scene makes up for it.

Suresh Triveni’s story is simple and extremely relatable. Suresh Triveni’s screenplay is impressive in most scenes but gets a bit dragging in few sequences. Suresh Triveni’s dialogues are realistic and witty at places. Special mention should also go to Vijay Maurya’s additional screenplay and dialogues. Suresh Triveni’s direction is uncomplicated and that works a lot for the film. The setting, the characters and their problems are as real as it gets and hence majority of the moviegoers would be able to connect with the goings on. But on the flipside, he takes his own sweet time to build up the story in the initial hour. The same happens in the middle of the second half too.

Vidya Balan is the soul of the film and she takes the film to another level altogether. This is her most accomplished work after KAHAANI and is bound to impress one and all. As the happy go lucky housewife, she gets into the skin of her character and performs with perfection. Manav Kaul looks dashing and compliments Vidya very well. He gets to play an interesting character and comes out with flying colours. Neha Dhupia looks glamorous and performs very well. Vijay Maurya (Pankaj) is hilarious in the first hour. Though he doesn’t have much to do in the second half, he leaves a mark. Abhishek Sharrma is decent. Malishka Mendonsa is confident in a cameo. Ayushmann Khurrana appears in a scene and is endearing. Seema Taneja (Sulu’s sister Aradhana) and Sindhu Shekharan (Sulu’s sister Kalpabna) are very good. Sonel Singh (receptionist Girija) leaves a mark especially in her first scene. Santanu Ghatak (Sachin, Ashok’s new pace) gives a convincing performance. Bhumika Dube (Gym receptionist) is fair while Trupti Khamkar (Ola driver) gets to essay a wonderful character and is memorable.

Talking of songs, ‘Hawa Hawai 2.0’ stands out and is well picturised. The next best is ‘Ban Ja Rani’ which has a realistic and endearing feel. ‘Farrata’ looks a bit out of place especially the shots of guys B-boying. ‘Rafu’ is soulful but gets a bit lost.

Karan Kulkarni’s background score is novel and enhances the interest. Saurabh Goswami’s cinematography is neat and satisfactory. Dhara Jain’s production design is straight out of life and highly convincing. Shivkumar Panicker’s editing should have been slicker. Rick Roy’s costumes are very authentic, especially the sarees worn by Vidya Balan.

On the whole, TUMHARI SULU is a lovely, endearing tale though the long length and the slow pace of the film might play spoilsport.

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