tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35074230814024874552024-03-20T06:38:06.011-07:00Movie Reviews | Trailer Reviews | Opinion posts | CritiqueSharing reviews and opinions about feature films, short films and many other mediums of mainstream entertainment. Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-767707615564480582018-02-05T18:18:00.000-08:002018-02-19T08:04:51.063-08:00Call me by your name, a love story!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>This is a critique of the movie "Call me by your name". It has a few plot details that may be spoilers, if you have not seen the movie. </i></div>
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On the same weekend when my city of birth, Mumbai, was observing the Annual LGBT Pride, I happened to watch "Call me by your name". Interesting coincidince: while the pride represents the struggle for a legal, dignified status for the gay community of my motherland India, the film is the <br />
epitome of mainstream celebration of the acknowledgement, awareness and acceptance at a global level. While I was convincing my buddies on watching this movie, a new American friend, corrected me that I mustn't call it a "Gay" love story, but a love story. Touché!<br />
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<a href="https://cdnx.travelgayasia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/queer-azaadi-mumbai-gay-pride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="720" height="160" src="https://cdnx.travelgayasia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/queer-azaadi-mumbai-gay-pride.jpg" width="320" /></a>Heteronormativity is either the curse of ignorance or a scared man's camouflage. This intrinsic need to outrightly dismiss any alternative viewpoint on intimate matters of sexuality today is as absurd as those who once laughed at the thought of the earth being a sphere. Simply put, human history is replete with examples of natural things, that were discovered, acknowledge, accepted and then respected, much, much later. While the evolution of human body has been scientifically documented, that our mind remains a continuum, as well as a debate- scholastic at times and ridiculous at others.<br />
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<i>CMBYN </i>is indeed the mainstream celebration of love, that is misunderstood sometimes even by those in it. It is up in the league of <i>Brokeback Mountain</i> and <i>Milk, </i>each having excelled in the cinematic representation of<i> </i>the trials, tribulations and even triumphs of the LGBT community.<br />
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For the uninitiated, I will just add a lines bullets from the movie's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_Me_by_Your_Name_(film)#Reception" target="_blank">Wikipedia page</a>:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">..it received a ten-minute </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_ovation" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Standing ovation">standing ovation</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> at its New York Film Festival screening at the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Tully_Hall" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Alice Tully Hall">Alice Tully Hall</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, the longest recorded in the festival's history.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> On </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Review_aggregator" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Review aggregator">review aggregator</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotten_Tomatoes" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Rotten Tomatoes">Rotten Tomatoes</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, the film has an approval rating of 96% based on 251 reviews, with an average rating of 8.8/10. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> It was the best-reviewed limited release and second best-reviewed romance film of 2017 on the site.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> As of February 1, 2018, it is Rotten Tomatoes' best-reviewed romance film,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; white-space: nowrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">the second best-reviewed drama film,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> and the fifth best-reviewed film overall, based on its adjusted score.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></blockquote>
Clearly, there is nothing to add to the already well reviewed, well received, and somehow not-so-well-nominated-at-the-oscar-awards film. But I can not help but think of the film, its relevance to a country like India and to the audiences that have embraced it with such love.<br />
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<i>CMBYN</i> is a simple narrative of two seemingly simple but deeply complex, conflicted individuals who couldn't be more different and more similar at the same time. One, an archaeologist, looking for history in remains, the other a musician looking for new interpretations of classics. One in the prime of his adult youth, the other barely legal. One is seemingly conflicted by his own sexual awakening and the other resolved to not act upon his impulses. But both genuine, drawn to each other and when they come together, inseparable.<br />
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Set in the Italian summer of 1983, this film not only is a snapshot of that time in history and the struggles of self acceptance for an American, (who one could assume today, is entitled to far more, thanks to their progressive laws and open gay culture), but also a peek into the personal journey of the two characters and their reactions to what they discover. From shy advances and indirect proposals to obvious indications and bold moves - their journey and its risqué quality makes for engrossing viewing at best and a humble provocation of the mind at least. Why must gay men fear being seen? Why must two gay men, consenting, still have to worry about the society at large?<br />
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Heteronormativity.<br />
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It is the success of our times as much as it is the success of the medium that the audience questions: What about Elio and Oliver's feeling was so absurd or unnatural after all? The normalcy of their courtship, camaraderie and chemistry, irrespective of their gender, is at the heart of the film's pure portrayal of first love. The contrast between the vivid day shots of exterior and the monochromatic intimate moments elevate the chemistry as well as the sexual tension of the protagonists alike. The music, and the silence, both lend the film its emotional contours. I particularly thought the placement, use and lyrics of<i> mystery of love </i>was remarkable.<br />
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Eliot and Oliver's homoerotic journey goes through its ebbs and flows and crosses every line there is to cross for the orthodox, but not for the humans who can feel the universality of their raw emotions. And when Elio's parents encourage them to even take a holiday together, one thinks has indeed struck gold. But has Oliver made peace with himself? Is he still guilty of somehow having corrupted Elio?<br />
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To me, the film's biggest success is the audience's collective anxiety when the phone rings. Even if all the characters have not, the audience surely has awakened to the normalcy, innocence and purity of love between Elio and Oliver, in this beautiful <strike>gay</strike> love story.<br />
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-20155627298501195202018-01-28T10:36:00.001-08:002018-01-31T10:26:38.719-08:00Where is the salt, Mister Bhansali? | Padmaavat Movie Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Spoiler alert! More than a movie review, this is a critique and has several plot details that you may want to avoid if you would so choose.</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Let us all agree that at some point in a good movie, content should take over the form. No, it's not fair to say <i>Padmaavat</i> lacks story. In fact, there is a fairly detailed story with a couple of side plots too. But the film maker continues to wow us with his trademark visual wizardry where story somehow is on the back burner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s almost like Sanjay Leela Bhansali assumes that his audience cares more about slow mo sequences like that of a king being dressed for war by his (unblinking) wife than about characters, background and context. This kind of narcissistic commitment to treatment puts this potentially masterful director in the same league as Rohit Shetty (who thinks audiences only want to see cars topple) or David Dhawan (who loves cheap thrills) or Abbas-Mastan (who’re all about WTF twists and turns in the plot). I almost wonder if Bhansali now treads dangerously close to Ram Gopal Verma (who after initial breakthrough success was stuck in his “unique” vision that often only he gets!). </span></div>
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<a href="https://cdn.pinkvilla.com/files/styles/contentpreview/public/shahid-kapoor-cryptic-message.jpg?itok=c6HsimAe" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="599" height="200" src="https://cdn.pinkvilla.com/files/styles/contentpreview/public/shahid-kapoor-cryptic-message.jpg?itok=c6HsimAe" width="195" /></a><a href="https://www.indianspice.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/RamLeela12Nov002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="620" height="145" src="https://www.indianspice.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/RamLeela12Nov002.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #454545;">The other thing I must call out, is his repetition of himself. Grandeur apart, several moments seem like they’ve been borrowed from his own previous outings. The </span><i style="color: #454545;">Jhoomar</i><span style="color: #454545;"> raising scene between Shahid and Deepika reminiscent of </span><i style="color: #454545;">Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam</i><span style="color: #454545;">, </span><i style="color: #454545;">holi</i><span style="color: #454545;"> crowd shots of </span><i style="color: #454545;">RamLeela</i><span style="color: #454545;">, and the shut-the-door climax of </span><i style="color: #454545;">Devdas</i><span style="color: #454545;">. Not to mention, the bare-chested, low-waisted looks make Shahid come across having a Ranveer-fanboy moment from Ram Leela. Ranveer has his own Deepika-fanboy moment trying to do with a flaming torch what Deepika did incense in <i>Ang Laga de re</i>. Clearly, SLB has a limited vocabulary and seems unwilling to learn or explore more. Or simply, doesn't care. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #454545;">No, this is not a terrible film (and way way WAY above Bhansali’s own low benchmark </span><i style="color: #454545;">Saawariya</i><span style="color: #454545;">), but certainly a dumbing down of the audience’s perceived appetite for entertainment. What hurts is he that he chooses to undermine the very same educated and progressive Indian fans and movie buffs who stood by him and his crew through the entire controversy. Like all we care about is a well done <i>Ghoomar</i> and a well lit j<i>hoomar</i>. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now you see it, now you don't: Deepika's CGI covered midriff.</td></tr>
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Of course the <i>ghoomar</i> is great (even with CGI covered midriff) and the <i>jhoomar,</i> and the sets, and the costumes, and the jewelry are top grade; and dare I say that even royals would lust over this stuff. Let’s not go for historic accuracy here, I don’t think SLB cared to be historically precise in visuals. He cared to wow us. That is a fair creative liberty, and wowed we are. But even a home chef can tell you that good presentation cannot save an ambitious dish that lacks the right amount of salt. <b>Where is the salt, mister Bhansali? </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A quick take while in the topic of history, I want to add my voice to the several others who are confused as to why they were worried about the film damaging rajput pride. Perhaps all they wanted to stop from being shown, was how the Rajputs lost to the shrewd, cunning, selfish Khilji. Despite having several chances of finishing things off. Why, you may wonder? <i>Rajputi Aan, baan, shaan,</i> spin-a-yarn. Survival was not an instinct Rajputs prioritized over their righteous ego and playing by rules. That message is not relevant today. Neither is the regressive patriarchy. One knows for sure that it Rani Padmavati had her way, Rajputs would have had a prouder story to narrate. Instead all the pride in this film is showcased in showcase punch lines about rajput valor. So many “aha” moments with theatrical dialogues and it feels like the movie is making disclaimers after disclaimers in spite of the opening credits that began with disclaimer after disclaimer. I’m really sorry SLB and team went through the ordeal in recent past and I’m also really sorry Rani Padmavati and all those hundreds of women went through that ordeal in history. </span></div>
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<a href="https://living-las-vegas.com/content/uploads/Guzaarish-300x401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://living-las-vegas.com/content/uploads/Guzaarish-300x401.jpg" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The other thing Bhansali is usually accurate at, is the crackling chemistry between his lead actors. Remember HDDCS, or <i>Guzaarish</i>. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And staying with the current cast, RaamLeela - even the bizzare SMS language syntax worked thanks to the Deepika-Ranveer chemistry. But in <i>Padmaavat</i>, the chemistry is literally mute. Shahid and Deepika spend precious minutes saying nothing. I imagine it went like this : Action > Stare (Don’t blink, I said, don’t blink) > Cut! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Speaking of cuts, Shahid struts his stuff. As an equalist, why is objectifying a Rajput king okay, just because he is a man. Why wasn’t Shahid's torso covered with a CGI vest after protest!? How come no corny sena caught this. He has lines after lines and poses after poses until finally we learn that the big poser is the big loser. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ranveer excels as <i>Khilji</i> except the grotesque <i>Khalibali</i> song.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then there is Deepika, who (without having to be reminded 76578 times in the film) is truly, <i>Nayaab </i>(precious). This <i>unibrow-vati</i> is divine and unlike Shahid has super expressive eyes. And <i>Ghoomar</i>, as hated as it might be by some people, could easily be one of the toughest choreographies that a leading lady has had to pull off. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And of course, there is Ranveer. This man is a chameleon. He becomes anything he wants. I was shell shocked when he transformed into a Marathi speaking <i>Bajirao</i> after being shell shocked he could keep his shirt on in an entire film and tone it down for <i>Lootera</i>. And now, with Khilji he has firmly placed himself in the list of all time greats - actors who can both act and draw audiences (and some people find attractive). Khilji is dark, cruel, cunning and full of flaws. Ranveer owns every second of every scene he is part of. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But while on Khilji, I want to put it on record that the </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">khalibali</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> song is the worst thing that has happened to Bollywood since </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">tatad tatad</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. Me during that entire song: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lastly: the jauhar scene. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Am I supposed to feel proud about 100s of women self immolating? This in spite of the figure head, the leading lady, having almost won them the war a few times! But couldn’t because she’s a lady. And was constantly stopped by a man who chose pride and honor over logic. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I wonder if honor killing should not be glamourised, why should honor mass suicide be elated as a matter of pride? What really was it? Here is what it definitely was : a fine display of the 2018 Jauhar collection of red lehngas and jewelry and Deepika's surprisingly blonde tresses. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What with the slomo and then the super slomo sashaying around and walk on the runway choreography - which many would say is a gracious treatment of this subject. But there in lies my problem. Should this really be shown as a gracious moment for today’s audiences? What the climax wasn’t was a truthful deception of the act of choosing to jump in fire. Glorification of pride cannot look like glorification of the act. With due respect to sentiments, I can not get over the pain of the moment. Unfortunately the only “pain” you feel in the climax, is that for Khilji who couldn’t be see Padmavati even once. Sad. I DID NOT like the climax. Mainly because of the treatment. It’s just not relevant in today’s time. You’re not only in disagreement with the sentiment but also can not digest the happiness with which this was done. While even if it may have happened in the past, the lack of a single shriek of fear or a drop of tear makes this a divine fantasy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At best, Padmaavat is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ode to himself and how he can try to blind you with form and presentation. Sorry sir, not this time!</span></div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-7385021598135256532017-11-16T18:38:00.000-08:002018-01-30T17:27:41.926-08:00Step out of your Khidkee | Khidkee Short Film Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xBXwseTZLKT4REr-KwWLPHOtTFEOrdFnd7COWkIM5wE0tT0RS2Pxj7oQpwQXJtnZUCLlpDFbAAhcTEQR8STmUcRYs7EYveYaNCZ8TEu9y_nOZ532b69IoeMO6xde5r2DezwBkfmAk37M/s1600/khidkee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1131" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xBXwseTZLKT4REr-KwWLPHOtTFEOrdFnd7COWkIM5wE0tT0RS2Pxj7oQpwQXJtnZUCLlpDFbAAhcTEQR8STmUcRYs7EYveYaNCZ8TEu9y_nOZ532b69IoeMO6xde5r2DezwBkfmAk37M/s400/khidkee.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
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Still frames, pensive silences and two open windows constitute the soul of <i>Khidkee</i>, a masterful short film by Mumbai based director, Rohan Kanawade.<br />
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If you have lived in a crowded city, you are very familiar with spaces that are not exactly private - homes that awkwardly peek into one another, offering enough glimpses to spark your imagination about the people who might live there, but never enough to offer any insight - personal or real. This voyeuristic side of Mumbai's urban middle class lifestyle builds <i>Khidkee's</i> tense narrative that teases, and tempts the characters and audience alike.<br />
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Who are these men that visit her so often? Why does a scruffy young man drink all day? What are silhouettes telling you and what are they hiding? The characters yearn and the audience learns.<br />
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As a viewer, you hear both sides of the story and wish you could step in and clarify, or help. The tension, the anxiety, the uneasiness, engulfs you to a very potent climax ably held together with sharp editing and ambient music that build to the crescendo.<br />
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Actors Veena Nair and Lalit Prabhakar lend credible performances to their very real and relatable characters, and Abhay Kulkarni does a terrific job in a difficult role.<br />
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Rohan Kanawade's success lies rousing the curiousity of the audience and making them wonder what if... and as the credits roll you will find yourself asking, how many such loaded perceptions you may have had in your life.<br />
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Step out of your <i>Khidkee.</i> There is a lot, you don't know!<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Update: Khidkee is screening in the Indian competition section of the Mumbai International Film Festival #MIFF on Thursday, February 01, 2018. </span></i><br />
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<b>Watch the trailer here:</b><br />
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-36635597526846423592017-04-30T15:59:00.002-07:002018-01-30T17:28:17.394-08:00Baahubali 2 - the tale of a promising second date! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">You've been there. A wonderful first date. An experience you want to relive again and again. You think it can't get better and the date ends with the line, let's meet again. Soon. And then the wait begins. Waiting for Bahubali 2 has been like waiting for that date. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">As I waited, I relived the film many times. My eyes sparkled every time I remembered the larger than life waterfall, the breathtaking visuals, the sheer opulence. Will the second film be just as great? Will it have the same level of music, action and drama? Will it make me want to whistle, woot and scream, "Jai Mahishmati!" </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The second film, much like the second date, in my opinion, was weighed down by the greatness of the first one. Yes, in a single word, this is no comparison to the first film. So unlike the first date, I haven't come back feeling I've found something special. And in a way, I'm glad there's no part 3. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Don't get me wrong! Let's call a spade a spade: the graphics, production and quality in most departments easily surpasses the average Indian commercial cinema benchmark. And of course, it's not a waste of your money. The tragedy however, is that it was meant to continue a rather brilliant franchise. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">While, the first film was not a flawless outing, it was almost there and clearly a new benchmark for everyone in the Indian commercial movie market. There was a sense of daring drraminess in the vision, a clever plot line and a screenplay that built up to an amazing climatic pause : why did katappa kill bahubali. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">In doing so, not only did the director build expectations, but he also built memorable characters - the righteous Bahubali, and his ambitious replica of son, the almost-winner-but-loser Bhallaldev, the strong and loyal Kattappa, the tactful, staunch and strong figurehead Shivgami- to name a few. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">So when you went for B2, you expected not only the movie, but also these characters. And oh, the disappointment! The story telling which was the strength of the first one, takes somewhat of a backseat as the plot wants you to see the tale of Bahubali falling in love with Devsena. It's borderline cute alright, but Katappa who I had loved and respected is almost jarring in his second fiddle first half that sees the actor ham and overact. Katappa, shut-up pa!</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The plot of a cunning, sore lose trying to vindicate is clever and hinges on one thing alone : Shivgami's dumbness. She's not dumb! At least in the first part, she wasn't. In this one, she's almost a reactive woman, waiting to be manipulated. The sharpness and astute thinking she had has jumped off the CGI waterfall and she's all but an angry aunty to say the most. Devsana, emerges as the firebrand female character in this one whose beauty is matched by her bravery. Her sharp tongue compliments her royal arrogance and she is a treat! But here's the thing: nothing is even brand new here. Oh, yes, there is a ship/space-ship song, (but ain't no blue butterflies from the dheevara song.) Sigh. But all that does lead to kahani mein twist interval moment. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The second half builds up to a war and it doesn't disappoint. Visually of course, it's a lot of wow moments. We learn about the twists that made Katappa do what he did and then see the rise of the new bahubali. But something about both the bahubali: what the director owes to CGI, the warrior hero owes to the flexibility of Pine trees. Ok pine, sorry! :P </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">But back to calling a spade a spade, it's not a bad film. Watch it for its amusement, grandeur and wow moments. You won't be disappointed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The problem you see, the first date was awesome. Have you ever wondered that if the second date was in fact the first time you met, you wouldn't feel so bad. But thank god, this wasn't actually a date. I can still watch Bahubali: the beginning. Again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">3 Stars. Sorry. </span></div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-79480203569482651782016-10-30T00:48:00.006-07:002018-01-30T17:28:33.970-08:00Ae dil hai mushkil - nothing new, nothing terrible.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">(Spoiler alert.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Presenting the ae dil hai mushkil story loop:</span></div>
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<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Boy meets girl </span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Boy loves girl </span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Girl doesn't love boy </span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Boy demands love </span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Girl Denies</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Go back to step one</span></li>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext";">In the NRI (private jet owning NRI) world that Karan Johar weaves his stories in, there is little novelty in the content. "Pya dosti hai!", cooed a caricatured character Mrs. Briganza in the directors debut </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext-italic"; font-style: italic;">Kuch Kuch Hota hai</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext";">. And here we are two decades and a handful of similar movies by the director later: the lead characters of Ae dil hai mushkil alizeh (Anushka Sharma) and Ayan (Ranbir Kapoor) argue exactly the same line, in a non caricature mode. That is perhaps the director's real personal achievement and growth on his own bio data - that while the subject hasn't changed , the intensity, passion, lust and love has all become more mature. It's not about cheerleaders going "rahul aur anjali ka jhagda" but middle fingers being shown to a bride. And </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext-italic"; font-style: italic;">tujhe yaad na meri aai</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext";">, becomes the break up song. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">What works like a charm is the casting and performance of the lead trio. Ranbir kapoor is a canvas of expressions and can literally emote every punctuation mark in the script. His ability to convey his yearning and longing even without speaking is topclass. Anushka as Alizeh is the quintessential happy go lucky girl and she does adequately well for us to believe her choices. The first half sees the two make us fall in love with their chemistry. We like Ranbir, assume love is the natural next step. Because, you know, pyar dosti hai. Right? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Wrong. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Pyar complicated hai. Pyar ex hai. Pyar future hai. Pyar shaayra hai. Enter poetess Saba, Aishwarya Rai in the second half after two failed attempts of the ADHM loop mentioned above. Single handedly, she and her character elevate the grace, beauty and poetic quotient of the film. The same, unfortunately can not be said about the pace and grip of the movie. The second half suffers from the "what's the point syndrome". This is where </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-italic"; font-style: italic;">kuch kuch hota hai</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> meets Rockstar and suddenly it is about Ayan discovering pain and poetry while behaving like a hurt eccentric lover who can neither get or get over his love for his best friend. Even surprise cameo of SRK only adds to the already slowing momentum. (In contrast, the highlight of the first half is the Lisa Haydon cameo that has the </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-italic"; font-style: italic;">vatavaran</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> in splits. Damn, I love her!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">So after a few failed attempts at the ADHM loop, pyar complicated hota hai takes a climatic refuge in the line "pyar cancer ki tarah failta hai". Errrr what.. Let's just say that, the last act is the weakest. Almost in a way trying to somehow end the loop. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">To me the key problem with ADHM is that the characters while all very intense (non caricature) still are not well rounded. While saba's past is a mystery, Ali's now in now out mode from the film (as well as Alizeh's life), leavea you wondering why he does what he does. Why, even the lead pairs depth is undiscovered except their perspective on friendship and love. Their blink N miss family backgrounds are conspicuous in their absence. The melancholy of character is a "given" and not something the audience discovers (or expected to care about). That is why the drama towards the end seems more induced than natural. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">I don't think this is a great movie. It's certainly good enough up there among the top 5 movies of the year so far. The music and performances are worth your spend on the movie ticket - and dare I say, Aishwarya's beauty on celluloid is worth the pop corn! A super entertaining first half. A somewhat stretched second half and an awkward climax that sticks out in an otherwise above average film, Ae dil hai mushkil is a good one time watch. </span></div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-23008640871006167872016-10-30T00:48:00.000-07:002016-10-30T04:29:13.343-07:00Ae dil hai mushkil - nothing new, nothing terrible.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">(Spoiler alert.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"></span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Presenting the ae dil hai mushkil story loop:</span></div>
<ol>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Boy meets girl </span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Boy loves girl </span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Girl doesn't love boy </span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Boy demands love </span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Girl Denies</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Go back to step one</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext";">In the NRI (private jet owning NRI) world that Karan Johar weaves his stories in, there is little novelty in the content. "Pya dosti hai!", cooed a caricatured character Mrs. Briganza in the directors debut </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext-italic"; font-style: italic;">Kuch Kuch Hota hai</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext";">. And here we are two decades and a handful of similar movies by the director later: the lead characters of Ae dil hai mushkil alizeh (Anushka Sharma) and Ayan (Ranbir Kapoor) argue exactly the same line, in a non caricature mode. That is perhaps the director's real personal achievement and growth on his own bio data - that while the subject hasn't changed , the intensity, passion, lust and love has all become more mature. It's not about cheerleaders going "rahul aur anjali ka jhagda" but middle fingers being shown to a bride. And </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext-italic"; font-style: italic;">tujhe yaad na meri aai</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext";">, becomes the break up song. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">What works like a charm is the casting and performance of the lead trio. Ranbir kapoor is a canvas of expressions and can literally emote every punctuation mark in the script. His ability to convey his yearning and longing even without speaking is topclass. Anushka as Alizeh is the quintessential happy go lucky girl and she does adequately well for us to believe her choices. The first half sees the two make us fall in love with their chemistry. We like Ranbir, assume love is the natural next step. Because, you know, pyar dosti hai. Right? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Wrong. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Pyar complicated hai. Pyar ex hai. Pyar future hai. Pyar shaayra hai. Enter poetess Saba, Aishwarya Rai in the second half after two failed attempts of the ADHM loop mentioned above. Single handedly, she and her character elevate the grace, beauty and poetic quotient of the film. The same, unfortunately can not be said about the pace and grip of the movie. The second half suffers from the "what's the point syndrome". This is where </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-italic"; font-style: italic;">kuch kuch hota hai</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> meets Rockstar and suddenly it is about Ayan discovering pain and poetry while behaving like a hurt eccentric lover who can neither get or get over his love for his best friend. Even surprise cameo of SRK only adds to the already slowing momentum. (In contrast, the highlight of the first half is the Lisa Haydon cameo that has the </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-italic"; font-style: italic;">vatavaran</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> in splits. Damn, I love her!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">So after a few failed attempts at the ADHM loop, pyar complicated hota hai takes a climatic refuge in the line "pyar cancer ki tarah failta hai". Errrr what.. Let's just say that, the last act is the weakest. Almost in a way trying to somehow end the loop. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">To me the key problem with ADHM is that the characters while all very intense (non caricature) still are not well rounded. While saba's past is a mystery, Ali's now in now out mode from the film (as well as Alizeh's life), leavea you wondering why he does what he does. Why, even the lead pairs depth is undiscovered except their perspective on friendship and love. Their blink N miss family backgrounds are conspicuous in their absence. The melancholy of character is a "given" and not something the audience discovers (or expected to care about). That is why the drama towards the end seems more induced than natural. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">I don't think this is a great movie. It's certainly good enough up there among the top 5 movies of the year so far. The music and performances are worth your spend on the movie ticket - and dare I say, Aishwarya's beauty on celluloid is worth the pop corn! A super entertaining first half. A somewhat stretched second half and an awkward climax that sticks out in an otherwise above average film, Ae dil hai mushkil is a good one time watch. </span></div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-83067677009304920232016-05-07T07:07:00.001-07:002018-01-30T17:28:45.754-08:00Sairat - adorable yet heartbreaking, shaking, shocking.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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So I am no expert on Marathi movies. Haven't seen many classics to be sure of my cinematic references, but like everyone else, can tell a good film from a bad film. In the past few years I've loved a number of Marathi movies. My favorites have been <i>Balak Palak, Jogwa, Natrang, Mumbai-pune-Mumbai; </i>and more recently <i>Katyar kaaljat ghusali </i>and <i>Court</i>. By that list, you probably know that I don't follow the industry so closely, but whenever a movie gets critical or mass acclaimed, I end up wanting to watch it. </div>
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<i>Sairat</i> - had acclaim from both masses and critics. Why last weekend I couldn't reach the box office to get tickets for another Hindi movie in time simply because the queue for this movie so long! So there, I was geared to watch what will unfold. </div>
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With very little background I went in and what I experienced is so diverse that a small post wouldn't do justice. So a blogpost it is: <i>Sairat</i> navigates from a satire on rural Maharashtra to a cute teenage romance to a torrid love story and eventually to a heartbreaking drama - all in one movie. No mean feat. </div>
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Not having seen enough Marathi cinema it is tough to conclude if the story is singularly unique, but there are certainly some Bollywood parallels one could draw. We've seen parts of the story here and there in other films, but the <i>gaavran</i> cocktail is an original mix. And it's soul is its lead pair. </div>
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Newcomers Akash Thosar and Rinku Rajguru are the key reason this movie is as impactful as it is. As the goody boy <i>Parshya</i> and the fiesty <i>Archi</i>, the duo own the celluloid with their chemistry. It's <i>QSQT</i> meets <i>Omkara</i>, if you may, and their naive romance contrasts almost incredulously with the caste drama that is conspicuous even if it isn't uttered much in their bubbling romance in the first half. </div>
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Smartly directed by Nagraj Manjule, the film makes you love the lead pair and you find yourself struggling with them. Your heart goes out to them for every triumph, trials or trebulations they face, however big, small or outright brutal. It's like a fairytale suddenly becomes a reality show with guns and goons. As if the couple lives in two spaces in time simultaneously - one where they can't take eyes off each other, Can't imagine a moment without each other and where they mean the world to eachother. Another, where they can't stand anything about each other, let alone the dumpy circumstances that they've been forced into, and the overbearing world has diminished their love story. They believe in the first but are constantly living the second. Even as the heroine makes obvious mistakes, you can't help but see her Naive heart that wants to believe that there will be a happy ending. </div>
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Without giving away much and delving into the details, It is safe to say makes you question why our society is the way it is? Why is a couple's love the centre stage of a whole village? Why can't we let people be and let them love who they wish to? And eventually what did the society really achieve by interfering in what was pure, genuine and unadulterated. </div>
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Perhaps the success of the film is that these questions apply in contexts way beyond just the plot of this film, which heavily draws on caste. But the same can be said about the other divides that exist in our society over class, status and even gender. Sairat is a heartbreaking realisation that love isn't all you need to survive. Acceptance of your love is more important than your love itself. </div>
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The cinematic highlight is probably the final sequence that in my view could single handedly be responsible for its acclaim. It's understated and bold at the same time. Innocent and explicit at the same time. Hours later, the visuals still won't leave my mind. </div>
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The film runs close to 3 hours and you wonder if it could've been tighter?.. I say, yes. That is possibly the only critique along with the somewhat familiar moments in the initial part of the film. </div>
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It would be unfair to end the review without mentioning the musical duo Ajay-Atul, who alongside creating some great melodies have also made the lives of gully DJs easy by giving them the go-to-street-dance-song of the season. Make way to Zing zing zingaat- super catchy beats. The other songs too make a good impact. </div>
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Overall, I am lost between wether I adore the film or am shocked with the eventual message. There were times in the film I felt I want to watch it again and in the end I didn't know if I can ever go through such a celluloid heartbreak again. Definitely a very good film that will first make you fall in love and then want to wonder if there is such a thing as living in love or is it just stuff of fairy tales. I'll end by sharing what my friend said to me when I still had a grim face long after the movie - , "Get over it, it's just a movie!" </div>
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Bravo team Sairat! </div>
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4 stars </div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-56171545749903532872016-04-03T03:23:00.001-07:002018-01-30T17:29:00.927-08:00Ki and Ka - Romcom gone dramatically average!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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So in the incredibly awesome <i>Jab We Met</i>, a phoney station master opines, "<i>Zindagi ek rail ki patri hai. Ek inch ka bend, aur meelon ki doori..</i>" Funny, but apt. And <i>Ki and Ka </i>visually keeps reminding us of how relationships are like train journeys.. Two tracks that must support a huge vehicle called marriage. Two tracks that are separate yet act as one.. A great thought and a nice premise to make a film on. </div>
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<i>Ki and Ka</i> - if not completely novel, is certainly a full blown attempt at role reversals. A guy runs the house so his wife can follow her career aspirations. That's a great idea and that's the best thing about the film. The rest is somewhat incidental and an almost diametrically opposite version of age old stereotypes, that end up making the caricatures - except with genders reversed. <i>Ki and Ka </i>is lost between trying to make a strong point about gender roles one hand and trying to still be funny (and almost gimmicky) on the other. Eventually it is a romcom that decides to get dramatic and in the end delivers averagely on both counts. </div>
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Everything about the boy meets girl (or shall we say girl meets guy), is uncoventional. And even as the Kabir (ka - Arjun Kapoor) reminds his new interest Kia (ki- Kareena Kapoor) that he is not gay, he is very clear that he wants to make a home, and not get into a career of any sort. As much as he wants to sound feminist, it is hard to ignore that it really seems Ka's personal choice and it seems to work mainly because his Ki is fine with it. What with the man insisting on wearing a mangalsutra and all.. To each his own.</div>
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And after the film has set its tone, there's not of a plot in the first half. Yes, we meet his chauvinist father and her progressive mother - again both extreme opposites. One asks the son to check his genitals to reassure his manliness and the other confirms if the daughter has had sex with her husband-to-be to ensure all' a well before marriage. The supposed slice of life treatment ends up served as episodes of one situation after the other. All in all the first half seems like a feel-good romcom, something that director R Balki excelled in with his debut <i>Cheeni Kum</i>. </div>
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<i>Ki and Ka t</i>akes a dramatic turn in the second half and treads along the gender reversed <i>Abhimaan</i> track - the yesteryears classic on the shifting balance of ego and self worth in a married couple. That the resolution for <i>Ki and Ka</i> should come from the real life couple - Amitabh and Jaya Bachan playing themselves in an endearing cameo, is another feel good moment in the largely easygoing experience that this movie is. The conflicts, the resolutions and everything in between has a sense of ease, which dare I say, shows somewhat lack of imagination. </div>
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All in all, it's a film that starts with, thrives on and ends with a few preachy mini monologues on gender roles. That said, the film is not boring and the monologues are relevant. It's kudos to the team of actors who make these caricatures somewhat relatable. </div>
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Arjun Kapoor pulls off the high heeled act with high testosterone and credible sensitivity. Kudos to casting and the actor for accepting a role that makes the message even more strong. He's not the quintessential metrosexual. He's rugged and all brawn and yet a homemaker at heart. Kareena is effervescent as the ambitious yet boisterous Kia, and she is particularly great in the second half when her character starts to feel insecure and ego gets the better of her. </div>
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The music by maestro Ilayaraja doesn't have the signature timelessness except for the <i>Ji huzoori</i> track, which has some fine lyrics too by Sayeed Quadri. Technically the film seems average but the art direction of the film is special in that it creates a fantasy like home of <i>Ki and Ka</i>, perhaps a fitting metaphor that a couple like this is just as impossible to find in real as a house like that. And I don't know if the print in the auditorium I saw was bad, but the editing seemed choppy. </div>
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In the end, I think you won't regret watching <i>Ki and Ka</i>, but you won't regret missing it either. 2.5 stars. If you spend between 150 and 200 bucks you won't complain :-) </div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-44193892885451799612016-03-19T22:07:00.001-07:002018-02-01T15:03:39.610-08:00Kapoor & Sons : Refreshingly dysfunctional!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After <i>Piku</i> and <i>Dil Dhadakne Do</i>, now <i>Kapoor & Sons </i>cements the fact that dysfunctional families have arrived in our mainstream cinema. This is far from sugar coated <i>Hum Aapke Hai kaun, </i>where gaudily dressed bunch of men n women are plotting how to camouflage shoes in a box of sweets. Here an angry wife literally throws biscuits on her husband because she can't stand the thought of him being with another woman - she's not shy or subtle about her rage in a so called family gathering. That this should come from the same banner who once famously told us, "it's all about loving your family", is a fitting testimony to how far Bollywood has come within a few decades. Bravo! (Alternate title: <i>Hum Aapke kyu hain</i>?)<br />
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Rishi Kapoor, the eldest Kapoor is the grandfather admittedly awaiting his death, why, even rehearsing it. He has but only one small last wish. He wants his family to be photographed and to read, Kapoor & sons, since 1921. But nothing is simple when each of the Kapoor clan is a complex whirlpool of baggages, complexes and vulnerabilities. None extreme, but each potentially heartbreaking. Stuff that can totally break the already strained family ties. </div>
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Ratna Pathak Shah and Rajat Kapoor are the Kapoor parents, who can't have a conversation without fighting. Be it over a breakfast table, or instructing a plumber - each must prove the other incapable. Why? Perhaps even they can't tell anymore. </div>
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Siddhart Malhotra and Fawad khan are the Kapoor sons who you can tell were great friends in childhood. But sibling rivalry - some genuine, some self induced, has forced them apart. Both in separate corners of the world, both writers - one struggling because of the other. </div>
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So when the motley bunch comes together to fulfill the grandfathers request, there is tension galore in the humble abode. Add to the mix a chirpy Alia Bhatt, whose drunk escapade leads to a triangle between the brothers. </div>
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The film thrives on chemistry and the lack of it and the cast is in perfect sync. They're the family next door. Smiling, trying to party, trying to be nice in public but constantly on the edge. A family that has come together after 5 years, has a lot share, a lot to hide and a lot that can't/shouldn't be hidden anymore. Affairs, alternative lifestyle choices, vulnerabilities that have snowballed into complexes, and even a promiscuous night out with a local hottie. So much is in the unsaid that you can empathise with each of the flawed character. </div>
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It's an unconventional family drama that deals with mature subplots with sensitivity that is rare to Bollywood. Again, that this comes from a banner that thrived on sexual stereotypes, that one must praise this heartfelt attempt to portray a real character - the core of the film, who is scared, tired and yet, strong and independent. Fawad Khan takes the cake with a solid rendition as Rahul, the perfect (?) son - a character with subtle nuances. His delicate yet potent conversations with his mother, brother and father in the second half are tear jerkers. Hardly a dry eye in the auditorium. </div>
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The rest of the cast, is just as good. An almost perfect ensemble. Alia is a delight, Ratna Pathak Shah and Rajat Kapoor sink into their characters with effortless ease as ever, and an almost unrecognisable Rishi Kapoor is a sweetheart of a grandfather, full of life even as he awaits death. Watch him excitedly talk of his lust for the semiclad Mandakini of <i>Ram Teri Ganga maili</i> - hilarious. Sidharth Malhotra, while mostly credible is yet to pass with flying colours from the Karan Johar school of acting. He'll be there soon. So near. </div>
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Director Shakun Batra with co writer Ayesha Devitre Dhillon deserve credit for making the most sensitive family drama of recent times. There's no melodrama and nothing incredulous either. It's an art to capture real conversations without sounding too mundane on one hand and loud or garish on the other. The writer and director walk the thin line with expert finesse. Extra extra extra brownie points for the scene with the plumber where each character takes centre stage and stamps their authority, including the plumber ;). </div>
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It's such a good film. Watch it. Warning: you're bound to remember your brother, mother, father, grandfather through the film so keep the tissues and calling cards ready. :-) </div>
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4 star. I spent 300 bucks on the ticket. I think the money deserves it. </div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-40129230704784028512016-02-21T05:31:00.001-08:002018-02-01T15:04:41.289-08:00Neerja - Amazing, Important!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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When I walked out of the theatre, moved and somewhat speechless, my friend added, "It's almost like we don't know our real life heroes." That's what makes a film like <i>Neerja</i> both amazing and important. Amazing because as a film, it is a worthy gripping story that keeps your attention and hope held until the very end. </div>
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And important, because it is a humble reminder to Bollywood that there is so much content that we haven't even thought about. Stories like that of Neerja must be told!</div>
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In times like today, where nationalism and patriotism (and dare I say jingoism) is the name of the game, Neerja's heroism is a shining beacon of duty, courage and most importantly, humanity. It's a story that not just the youth, but even some of our leaders must look to draw from. </div>
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Back to the film itself: It must be said that the story is the winner here. It would take special talent to not make a good film on this subject. But director Ram Madhvani does more than justice to the subject and handles the taut script with imaginative direction. What we see outside the flight is somehow more important than what we see happen inside. Neerja is really a story of a worried mother and her brave daughter. </div>
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Running between two timelines that draw parallels between Neerja's disturbing past personal life and unfortunately present predicament, <i>Neerja</i> is a triumph in the writing department. Bravo <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Saiwyn Quadras! </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> The film doesn't take time to get to the point but still manages to give you peeps into the person behind the hero - full of vulnerabilities, likes and dislike. That she was just another 23 year old is what makes her story even more inspiring. </span></div>
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On the technical side, the clever unsteady camera work (<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mitesh Mirchandani) a</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">nd the potent background music are the secret ingredients behind the lurking sense of doom and despair that haunts the passengers in the flight and the family at home waiting by the phone to hear something. (Can you imagine not having live updates in today's world. I can't think how I would survive a situation of family crisis without being "connected".) The razor sharp editing (</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Monisha R Baldawa</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">) adds to the nervous momentum. </span></div>
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And finally the performances: Sonam Kapoor brings Neerja to life and shows considerable improvement from her previous works. She doesn't let the script Down. The actors who play the terrorists (esp. Jim Sarbh as Khalil) hit all the right notes, as do the other members of the family. But (in an obvious outcome), the film <i>Neerja</i> really belongs to her mother played on screen by the veteran Shabana Azmi. </div>
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Everyone will find a little bit of his or her mother in Azmi's portrayal. She is singularly responsible for all the wet eyes (almost all) in the auditorium. Just like Nana Patekar with Natsamrat, here is another veteran who shows how to own the celluloid. Ever sigh she heaves and every tremble of her sad face makes you want to hope no mother ever goes through what she did. </div>
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In the end, you come out thinking how life is so cruel to some. Why would Neerja, who saved so many lives not be given a chance. And the blogger in me thinks, why doesn't Bollywood give real stories a chance. The film, like the protagonist, rises to the occasion. And how! </div>
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Every year on our Republic Day, the President presents awards for bravery. Neerja won one. Thanks to this movie, we know her story. Here's hoping bravehearts like director Madhvani continue to use the medium for entertainment that is also empowering, moving and inspiring. Bravo team Neerja. </div>
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4.5 stars </div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-64301623625270471962015-12-23T20:53:00.001-08:002018-02-01T15:05:05.268-08:00Bajirao Mastani - an epic SLB spectacle!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Bhansali ne Bajirao pe film banayi hai;</i></div>
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<i>Documentary Nahi! </i></div>
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I want to start my review with those lines simply to act as a disclaimer (much like the movie) to confirm that my views are of this movie as a movie and not as a piece of historic documentation of a much loved and respected character or a review of how well the film recreates the details of an era, which even historians agree isn't well documented. So then.. </div>
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Everyone has a weakness and mine is mainstream Bollywood.. Every time a big budget multi starrer is in the making, I'm busy following up on it and eagerly awaiting the release. Add to it an A-list cast, appetising promos and interesting music, and I can't wait any more. Obviously, I was looking forward to Bajirao Mastani - a magnum opus by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who is arguably the most gifted visualiser of our times - love them or hate them, you can't ignore that with every movie Bhansali has made, he has created unforgettable images. And who doesn't like watching a beautiful frame. From Nandini's inflamed shawl to Paro chasing a closing gate to Michelle McNally predicting snow to The drops of water teasing an immobile Ethan Mascarenhas' pastal abode - these are Bollywoods gems in a treasure of rare visual treats. </div>
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So there I was queueing up to watch this movie and after the much elaborate disclaimer, the movie takes off with a brisk pace: But did it have more than visuals? Did it deliver beyond the Bhansali template? Did the actors create unforgettable characters? Mostly, yes. </div>
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So The film gets through the wars and political conflicts to set up the meeting between the titular characters. Both valiant Warriors are awestruck of one another, but Mastani is clearly more deeply in love than Bajirao - and she's also the more expressive and daring one. And then there is Bajirao's first wife Kashibai- the quintessential <i>rajgharana bahu, peshwinbai</i>, who between decorating rangolis, fluttering saffron flags and lighting lamps, is mostly waiting for her warrior husband to return home. Shy but playful, she is the films only "unflawed" character. We also meet <i>maa saheb</i>, who is an astute matriarch who neither approves frivolous liberties nor lets her guard down on the kingdom. Why, even a <i>palki</i> entering the <i>Wada</i> can't miss her eagle eyes. You can only imagine her fury when her son wants to bring home a Muslim second wife. </div>
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These prime characters form the crux of the material that transforms into 2 hour 45 minutes of entertaining drama on celluloid in signature Bhansali treatment. Yes, entertaining and yes, drama (not melodrama). Kudos must be given to SLB for not going overboard with heavy dialogues and keeping confrontations sharp and thought provoking. I especially liked all confrontations between maa saheb and mastani- both outwitting each other in a war of words. </div>
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The other win in the film is the visuals - sets that are raw yet opulent and graphics that are credible yet imaginative. It's a great big screen experience. </div>
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And then we come to performances. Ranveer is such a hardworker. And it is shows. In the recent past he has played seemingly simple characters with nuanced finesse but with Bajirao, he takes a difficult character head on. He succeeds in getting the mannerisms and body language mostly right and does let you read his love, pain, guilt and attempts even without words at times. If anyone ever had questions if he had arrived in the big league, this act is a resounding yes. That doesn't mean there isn't the occasional slip or drop in engagement. While we are on Bajirao let me say this: Personally, the one part I didn't like in the movie was the Malhari song, which for some reason seemed more <i>Dabanng</i> and less Bajirao. No, I don't care that he danced but I care that he did that dance. Not as Bajirao but as any King or warrior. </div>
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Priyanka excels in a small yet powerful role and gets the accent and body language of a <i>Peshwin</i> woman perfect. This movie will be for her what Shakespeare In Love was to Judie Dench - an 8 minute role that won her all awards. Speaking of doing more in less screen time, Tanvi Azmi builds an intimidating presence. Every time she is in the frame, a sense of authority lurks and her unyielding faith and astute beliefs are a nightmare for any outlier. Even as she momentarily laughs at her own helplessness, you know she's not broken yet. And never will be. </div>
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Which leaves us to talk of Mastani - the lady with a golden touch - Deepika. Since <i>cocktail</i>, I'm not sure she put one foot wrong ever. Mastani is a gutsy woman who wants to write her own Destiny - and yet constantly a teardrop is waiting to shed from those enigmatic eyes. The legends of mastani's beauty are aptly recreated in the movie and she is grace and valour personified. Deepika even gets her Kathak and Urdu right. And in the end she wins your heart for her yearning for love and acceptance of her love. Mastani asks but never begs, she questions but never commands, she longs but never gives up. Deepika makes Mastani unforgettable. </div>
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A word must be said about the songs and choreography. Other than <i>Malhari</i> I'm a fan of how the songs are shot. <i>Deewani Mastani</i>, is a new benchmark, even for Bhansali. <i>Pinga</i>, even with it questionable premise and true Bollywood execution is going to become a legend in itself for whatever reasons. I find it boisterous and cute and very very fun - and those gals dance their history off - Like there was no yesterday and no tomorrow. </div>
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Overall the film is an operatic entertainer and worth a watch for its visual achievements and performances. And although not underlined enough, there is a message that is relevant even today - that love is like a prayer, you don't need to seek permission to pray. <i>Ibaadat ke liye Ijaazat ki zaroorat nahi. </i>Watch<i> </i>it as just a movie, and you'll find it engaging, mesmerising and magical. </div>
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Remember<i>: Bajirao ne mastani se mohobbat ki hai; ayyashi Nahi.. Aur </i><i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Bhansali ne Bajirao pe film banayi hai; </i><i style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Documentary Nahi! </i></div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-40024710247836394872015-06-05T23:25:00.005-07:002018-02-01T15:05:29.131-08:00Dil Dhadakne Do.. Paise bachne do! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701961); font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Remember the diabetically sweet family in a Rajshree film which brimmed with motherly, fatherly, brotherly, sisterly, inlawsly (outlawsly) TRUE love. And even the dog has extra sensory powers? Dil Dhadakne Do is THE OPPOSITE. It's all about hating your parents - kabhi sad kabhi glum - sab kuch locha hai... You get the drift? It's a mildly humorous tale of a family that has put image above feelings. </span><br />
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Meet the Mehras - family of four, where the parents - Kamal and Neelam (Anil Kapoor and Shefali Shah( hide their marital displeasure behind make up . Their kids ayesha and kabir (Priyanka and Ranveer) are mostly playing their part in facade that their parents have constructed - one lie at a time. While one parent hides an eating disorder the other must pop anti anxiety pills to live through parties and meetings alike. <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This is one dysfunctional rich family - the business empire is collapsing, the daughter wants a divorce, the son doesn't know what he wants and the dog has no extra sensory powers! Shame. </span></div>
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As fakely successful marriage reaches its 40 year milestone and the filthy rich family invites close family and friends and prospective investors (read prospective <i>samdhis</i>) to a 10 day cruise. An all expenses paid fake celebration. A shallow party where no one is a true friend. Where only the siblings trust each other in the middle of the sea - stuck in a cruise where they must Co exist and confront their issues. </div>
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The film is a mockery of the upper middle class - who underneath their branded clothes and page 3 air kisses, are a regressive bunch of insecure men and women. A son is the obvious successor for the family business even if the daughter is more capable. It is easy to disown a daughter if she utters the idea of divorce, but a sons empty threats can change your mind. </div>
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Yes there is too much evil on board this cruise. But there's also love - first time lovers, ex lovers, lovers Who's families are rivals. Its a hotchpotch of urban characters constantly hiding their real emotions while harbouring deep passions within. Love is in the sea and the cruise is a melting pot of many a plots.. </div>
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To its credit, it must be said that the nearly 3 hour family drama does not feel as lengthy. It's an easy watch with not much <i>shor sharaba</i>. There is plenty of subtle humour and good acting that keeps the ship afloat. But in the end, that is really it on the plus side.. This is not a refined thorough entertainer or a deeply moving story or a Romedy and you can't help but wonder if you're watching a daily soap on the big screen. The climax is so bizarre and over the top that suddenly you wonder if the genre was comedy. </div>
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In terms of Performance, Shefali and Anil Kapoor get the most well written parts and carry it off with expert finish. Shefali we've missed you on the big screen - welcome back. And then there is Ranveer and Priyanka who shine in their parts. Priyanka especially rocks with her body language in scenes where she doesn't even have lines. Farhan and Anushka are thanklessly adequate in their roles which are, well, thankless. </div>
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The other major undoing for this Zoya Akhtar movie is its music. Very average. Very non soul. It is a crime to compare but the movie is terrible follow up on the director's previous outing - the timeless Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and even Luck by chance. It is a sorry realisation that a great cast, and a dream team could only deliver a barely average ride at the movies.. :(</div>
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2 stars. </div>
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Chuck dil dhadakne do, paise Bachne do. </div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-30115647151191080382015-05-11T11:11:00.002-07:002018-02-01T15:05:47.377-08:00Piku puts the fun in dysfunctional, but dies a constipated death! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In one of the opening scenes of the movie, <i>Piku</i> snubs her father’s irrational fears
of dying a bowel death by saying, “No one has ever died of constipation.” Unfortunately,
the same can’t be said about the movie. This one surely is death by
Constipation. </div>
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No, not bad at all, in fact it has an original, interesting
premise – an irate, widowed, old man Bhaskar (<i>Bhashkor </i>essayed by Amitabh) lives in his own world on his own
terms. He is that verbose vociferous vintage caricature who thinks he knows it
all and wants to control everyone/everything around him, but there is one thing
that literally escapes him – his bowel movements. I am personally not a fan of
potty humor, but let’s face it – it is an interesting premise for the film to
start with. </div>
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And with actors like Amitabh Bachhan, Deepika Padukone and
Irrfan Khan in the mix, you can only expect this to be really entertaining. </div>
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<i>Piku</i> is a slice-of-life story of an eccentric father and his empathetic daughter, who invite
you to their shitty, “shitless” world – where the father cannot complete a
sentence without mentioning his potty troubles and the daughter constantly finds
her personal life is a case of “shit has hit the fan” – thanks to her interfering
father’s questionable possessiveness that is a pain to endure. </div>
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So there’s Bhaskar for whom his bowel troubles are the
center of his universe and there is <i>Piku</i>
who is forced to revolve around her father.. It’s a dizzy rollercoaster and their
everyday arguments are simply mountains
of a molehill. The father-daugther equation is a rare portrayal or earthy
discomforts, and everyday dysfunction that every family has. Be it complaining
about missing salt, or that gossiping an aunt and her affairs, or dramatic family
drama over dinner. This is what makes the film watchable and endearing – its realistic
take on a typical Bengali family, who love their language, their music and
their food. </div>
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Once you are over the atmosphere and characters of the
movie, the film, much like the audience, starts looking for a purpose – because
really, constipation can’t be the sole topic of the movie. So we are told there
is an ancestral house in Calcutta, which Piku wants to sell and Bhashkor doesn’t.
But the old twat will have it his way – he MUST GO to Calcutta, MUST travel by
road, AND they MUST carry his commode chair! (When you reach Calcutta, you realize
that he is owner and only he can authorize the sale, so then why MUST he visit,
beats me. Anyway..)</div>
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The driver of this juggernaut duo is Rana Chaudhary (Irrfan
Khan) – the owner of a taxi company where no one wants to be Piku’s chauffeur –
infamous for her temper and demanding ways. Also accompanying them is Piku’s
house help – who among other things has to make a shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh sound so
that the hypochondriac patriarch can pee. Brimming with trademark quirks this (fl)awesome
foursome is on a roadtrip that the audience can’t wait to experience. </div>
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So when it’s the interval and the journey jolts to a stop in
the middle of a highway, you are wondering exactly how this group will survive
the journey both - with and without each other. You know that together, the
father and daughter can somehow put the ‘fun’ in dysfunctional - like that
moment in the taxi when out of nowhere they start humming a duet and end in a
warm repartee. You simply can’t wait for the film to take off in the second
half. </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
However, the promising premise is not only its highlight but
also its only high point, as the movie fails to tie ends and make a solid
finish. Post interval, the characters (much like the movie itself) wander around
Calcutta – in an attempt to make sense of the plots of their lives. So we meet Pikus
uncle and aunty, who bring more flavor, banter and fights to the dinner tables,
but again with no real movement to the story. There is also a romantic angle between
Rana and Piku that never really takes center stage – and the film is so commode
centric, that this subplot seems somewhat forced. Not to mention, the chemistry
is missing. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The real chemistry of the movie between the father and daughter
eventually comes to a slow tragic end. Clearly, Amitabh has loved playing this
character – his body language brimming with that annoying, overconfident, overbearing
presence of a know-it-all. While Maushumi and Irrfan are delightful in their
rather small roles, it is Deepika who surprises you once again by matching
Bachhan in their verbal duels. As the unashamed, unflinching, yet vulnerable <i>Piku</i> she makes you empathize with her
every time she compromises. If there were doubts, this movie is a thundering
reaffirmation that she has DEFINITELY arrived! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is therefore, with a very heavy heart that I must say,
this movie let me down. I don’t know if it was an overkill of the constipation
conversations, or the lack of pace and twists in the plot, but somehow the sum
of all great performances still translated into a very average movie. There may
not be too many films better that this, this year, but the real undoing is that
there seemed to be so much potential and such great performance, that you wish
it delivered a knockout blow, which it so does not! </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like Bhashkor declares after one his bowel attempts you say rather
unamusedly Okay, but not <i>satisphactory</i>!”</div>
</div>
Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-9080932290247122752015-04-26T23:58:00.002-07:002015-04-27T01:43:29.794-07:00#KThanksBye - Contemporary, original, effective. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
#KThanksBye</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Directed by: </b>Abhishek Thapar
& Mozzaika </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Artists: </b>Tanvi Hegde, Aditi Venkateshwar, Maitreyee Joshi,
Amruta Dhramkamble, Divesh Idnani, Abhishek Thapar, Salsa</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you, like me, are the average Punekar/Pune-ite, who
wonders why we don’t have enough contemporary art shows and theatre activities,
then you must read this! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Pune has held the reputation of being the creative
and cultural capital of the state, but I keep wondering where are the performances? (And I mean
beyond traditional shows and regional theatre) Other than the occasional big
banner (big ticket) English plays that visit pune hardly witnesses original
creative efforts. Well, as I just discovered, <b>it’s right here, right now! <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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For long, I have been scanning “book my show” to look for theatre/drama events in Pune in English/Hindi - and I mean original
content that is neither amateur not plagiarized. So this weekend, I was
pleasantly surprised to stumble upon a series of new dance/drama events on the city’s
landscape– <i>Sanjog, Rajhansa, Trayyantra,</i> #kthanksbye, <i>Simorgh, Nidravathwam,</i> Songs of Love.. It
didn’t take me long to uncover that these seemingly unrelated performances,
belong to one family. Pune, in fact, is hosting <b>“Prayatna Film and Dance festival”</b> organized by <b>Hrishikesh’s Centre for Contemporary Dance,
Pune</b>. (24-28 April 2015)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So finally, when I got myself tickets to one of the events #KThanksBye
– (on Sunday evening, at Pt Jawaharlal Nehru auditorium) and travelled the
length of the city to reach the venue, I only hoped that I would not be let
down. Little did I know that my journey back home will be one with a number of
thoughts and questions? And of course, beaming with pride that Pune rocks! <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Starting off with a creative security announcement, styled
like aircrew, a motley bunch of dancers began to deliver what was a very thoughtful
ensemble of contemporary dance acts, woven in monologues, interactive games and
even a small skit.As they warn you, the content is adult, graphic but all you need is take a few deep breaths and think.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I am not an authority on contemporary dance, or dance in
general, but it doesn’t take an expert to tell that this was a very
professional effort, very well crafted and delivered with a lot of attention to
detail. So instead of speaking much on the art itself, I will focus on the
content, which was the backbone of the evening.. Kudos to the directors, (Abhishek
Thapar & Mozzaika) who touched very relevant topics and wove them into the contemporary
form on stage to deliver a message without being preachy, or authoritative. But
instead ask questions, and leave the audience thinking:</div>
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</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">is</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">naach</i><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">the same as dance</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Does tradition hinder creativity, and that in turn hinders expression?</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">What are identities but traps created by societies, which while trying to judge us, retrict our boundaries of acceptance?</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">And more..</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span>In one sequence, you see clothes being flung at a woman who's
covering herself in a sheet, perhaps out of shame as if being dumped in a pit of guilt that the society wants
her to suffocate under. Watch her find her way out of the mess, like a river
finds its way out to traverse its course, come what may. It is her body, it is
her expression, it is her bra, if she wants to unhook it, it is her choice, her
consent.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In another sequence, we see a child watch her parents engage
in a violent exchange, only to be silenced, but her shadow falls on the couple
and figuratively their shadows continue to fall on her. In a sequence preceded
by a game of Chinese whispers, the performer, a trained kathak dancer, first respectfully
ties her ghungroo, performs traditionally and slowly transforms into contemporary
movements – to ask why a contrast exists – is it simply her ghungroo that limit
her from doing something new? Or is it the boundaries we have set around what
is traditionally acceptable for dance and dancer. </div>
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<br /></div>
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My favourite sequence remains the one where a woman trapped
inside a cocoon like outfit, unfurls into a butterfly of sorts and mesmerises
the audience with her grace. Abundantly beautiful and dancing like a dream, the
performer is so gifted that you wonder why one would ever cocoon such talent
and restrict her from flying. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I have tried unsuccessfully to attend this group’s previous activities a few times,
and I can now confirm, that the loss was mine. I do think a festival like this is Pune’s
answer to the questionable lack of originality and depth in content. It is a
shame to imagine that we may have to wait another year to experience such
brilliance, but from what I read on their website, it appears they have a
number of shows other than the event that happen. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In his closing remarks, the curator of the festival,
Hrishikesh Pawar, said his objective was to look at how the group and his
efforts are positioned in the field of dance, in the city and the state, in
general. Going by what I saw, I think this is a <b>very promising, talented and
deserving group</b> – which can easily<b> reinstate the city’s reputation as the cultural capital </b>of the
state. Only, <b>the new culture</b>, which respects the tradition, perfects the
technique and finds a more unique, contemporary forms of </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
expression!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Bravo! </div>
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<br /></div>
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PS: The festival is on for another two days. If you are in
Pune, try and catch the acts on Monday and Tuesday. </div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
</div>
Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-30964367521251997822015-04-22T05:44:00.000-07:002015-07-03T04:05:40.188-07:00Margarita with a straw - a perspective!<meta property="og:title" content="Connected Buildings at Work | Lunch with Honeywell"/>
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<br /></div>
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If you are into cocktails, you know Margarita is hardly ever
served with a straw, but who is to say you can’t have it with a straw? Who sets
these standards of normality? What is normality? When life throws a lemon out
at you, make lemonade? That might be the “normal adage” but don’t doubt that
you might as well slice wedges of that lemon to spunk up your cocktail – have it
with a straw, if you may. The magic, after all, is in the concoction - not the goblet,
glass or straw. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t think the highlight of “Margarita with a straw” is
that it is the story of a patient of cerebral palsy. Neither is it her unusual journey
of discovering her sexuality.. I think the biggest achievement is how “normal”
the story is. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Sex and handicap have so far both been terribly
misunderstood and/or misrepresented in our movies (and perhaps our society). Let’s recall what
Bollywood has us believe mostly: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Handicap in bollywood – a good human being, who is tragically
handicapped and the big bad word is mean to this person for no fault of
his/her. Poor he/she lives a life of suffering and sympathy is the least you
can give him/her.</li>
<li>Sexuality in bollywood – (usually means homosexuality) and
is the butt of all jokes (pun intended). So a gay angle in mainstream Bollywood
is usually intended to provide comic relief (?) and almost always is
physical comedy – to evoke laughter over dressing or mannerism. At best, it
titillates homophobia (remember kantaben!).</li>
</ul>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>"Margarita with a straw" is a slap-on-your-face impolite
departure from both these stereotypes. </b>It is in the end a story of a girl with
her unique flaws (and I don’t mean her physical flaws), and how she handles her
life on her terms. Yes, her disability is a factor, but who in this world is
perfect. And then again, who is perfectly happy. Aren’t we all but a group of mutually
exclusive and collectively exhaustive list of flaws? </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But then who are we to call anything a flaw. Perhaps <b>there
are no flaws, simply facts</b> - which we all accept and get on with life. So what
would a mother do, if she found her child was challenged physically? Brood? Perhaps
momentarily. But, Brood forever? Nope. She will take it in her stride and do
what she must to make sure the child does not feel the pinch. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So welcome to Laila’s (essayed remarkably by Kalki) life – different,
but raised normal - A girl whose dreams do
not show any signs of the struggle that her mortar skills do. A musician,
composer and writer, in her late teens, who <i>Skypes</i>
and <i>messengers </i>with her boycrush,
even writes him a song in his languages, only to get her heart broken. But she
is a today’s educated girl – who can dabble between software, men and even porn,
at her will and has no shame asking a <i>desi dukaandar </i>for a <i>vibrator</i>. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With crushes and sexcapades behind her, her story takes a defining
turn when she is accepted in New York University. A lot changes for her and for
her <i>Aai</i> (the ravishing, refreshing,
rare, Revathi) in the Big Apple. For starters, Aai no longer needs to carry a
manual ramp in her non-cosy van, for the developed country is equipped to give
her daughter the wings she never imagined. But old habits die hard – in her
brief stay in New York she still shadows her daughter without her knowledge only
to make sure she is fine. As a confident, yet worried mother returns to India,
the brave, yet newly independent daughter stays on to pursue her dreams and
live her life. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While academic flight is underplayed, it is the unfurling of
Laila’s innerself, that forms the crux of MWAS. When she meets Khanum from
Pakistan (Sayani Gupta) in New York, you can sense sparks flying. Make way for
Hindi cinema’s most unconventional coupling - one a patient of cerebral palsy and other with
no eyesight. Both women. Chemistry crackles and couple starts to live together.
But is Laila sure of herself? Is she as committed as her partner? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the last leg of the story, the couple of New York arrive in
Delhi to make a few announcements. Attempts are made, and Aai, misunderstands
bi for <i>baai </i>– and can only empathise that all women are but <i>baais </i>at home –
dealing with chores day in and day out. A determined Laila makes it but obvious in the next attempt but has little chance to converse. For beneath the fighter exterior, Aai is
losing her battle against cancer. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The protagonists real battles are finally not about her
physicality or her sexuality, they are about her family, her infidelity, her
personal choices. Does she tell her partner the truth? Does she choose
convenience over companionship? Career over family?<br />
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Margarita with a straw is more than a film, it is a
perspective. Sexuality is not a situation, it is a fact. If you accept that
your child has cerebral palsy, why not accept a child who discovers he/she is gay/bisexual? Cerebral palsy
can not be cured, but as a parent (and society) you can try and make the
environment more conducive to help the person lead a normal life. Is it a lot
to expect the same for a person with uncommon sexuality? For everything that is
uncommon is not unnatural. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To say so much about this film is to mean without saying that
it excels in all departments, and superlatively so in performances. Revathi’s
portrayal of Aai is as real as it can get – angry, loving, caring, sometimes doting and nosey, she is the
typical Indian mother, an epitome of affection. Both Sayani Gupta and Kuljeet
Singh (as Laila’s father) deliver memorable characters for what they bring to
the screen.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But the movie belongs to Kalki Kochlin – who makes Laila
very three dimensional, very believable. She works effectively to nail the body
language and voice without ever making Laila a caricature. You can see her inner
struggle flash on her face and can feel for her everytime she struggles to move
or to communicate or make a decision. This is
definitely a performance of an international standard. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kudos to director & writer Shonali Bose, who not only
breaks stereotypes but sets a new benchmark of sorts. She has more than pushed
the envelope in Bollywood. MWAS is a bold, daring, refreshing and very
important film. It breaks conventions and asks you accept what you mustn’t question,
and love without conditions. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do not have fixations of what is right, what is
acceptable or what is normal. And the next time you have a Margarita, (or even a filter
coffee for that matter), remember you can also have it with a straw ;-) </div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
</div>
</div>Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-30032448099355289792015-03-17T09:04:00.001-07:002015-03-17T23:13:08.900-07:00NH10 - The Bold and the Ugly.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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NH10 makes you cringe. </div>
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<br /></div>
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It reminds you that it is not safe for woman to be on the
roads alone in Delhi suburbia. It strikes a fear that roads to hinterland getaways
feel like less of a haven and more hell. And above all, it brings to cinema the idea that there
exists an extremely regressive cult, where honor is above blood relations. and “karna zaroori tha” is reason enough for Honor killing, even if it's your own child. Take these brutal realities and soak it in
realistic portrayal, and what you have in the end is a film so shocking, so
disturbing that makes you hope and pray that this parallel universe exists
only in cinema. It is so true, that I am surprised the film is not banned yet!! (Sarcasm) <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We all know those posts on Facebook where people share their treachery,
or say they have some illness or share something disturbing and you are lost
whether you should hit the “like” button. Because you clearly didn’t like what
you saw and yet you want to acknowledge that you have noticed it - and just say something. Ditto with
NH10. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think NH10 could be the beginning of asking how much is
too much. Was it too violent to be entertaining? Or was it not meant to “entertain”
in general. (Sidenote: Glad that our movies have moved to these times when this movie wasn't classified as a "art film" and didn't die a unnoticed birth/death). </div>
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<br /></div>
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By no means is this a bad film, but I would NOT recommend it
to anyone who doesn’t want to see raw brutal action – no, there is no gore, but
if direction is a visual medium, kudos to the director for making you cringe
without too many close-ups of the brutality. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anushka Sharma and Neel Bhoopalam play the quintessential cosmopolitan
couple – smooching in an elevator, chatting on messengers even when they are
in the same room, juggling between
friends, party and Work. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She is a feminist (stretched too far to be working on female hygiene products), she smokes, strikes back at sexist comments and wants to erase
abuses in washrooms, (even those that are not hurled at her). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
He is the typical egotist charmer, who cant even be told he is on the
wrong road, forget be slapped in the middle of the road. He might not so much as skip a late night party to take his wife to her
office for an emergency, but makes sure he buys her a gun for self defence and
make up for all the bad times by booking a “private villa” somewhere in the
hinterland. </div>
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So then, armed with recent trivial (?) trauma, love and a gun, they set off for what is supposedly a birthday weekend for the Protagonist. What follows on NH10 is a crazy
turn of events and it isn’t long before the couple is in the middle of a
nightmare – who could imagine that a seemingly random street fight would end in honor
killing. From being innocent travelers, to concerned citizen to eventually
being unfortunate victims, the couple would have hoped they never wanted to
leave the city. </div>
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With a runtime of just under 2 hours, NH10 is a gripping
watch. With adept cinematography, brisk editing and just the right amount of
background music, the director manages create an eerie, haunting atmosphere
that is almost like an invisible character in the narrative. The film is also
backed by stunning performances, especially by the support cast (villains) who make you hate
them from the very first time they appear on screen. Dipti Naval does justice to
a tricky cameo. While Bhoopalam does well in the little that has less to do, the
film is somewhat of a showreel for Anushka’s dramatic performance. Having almost only played unidimensional characters so far in her career, NH10 is the first time we see
Anushka shed her bubbly girl next door image and be rough and brutal. Her characters journey gives the actor a canvas to
portray her acting acumen, which she does reasonably well. Although it seems as if she put bit too much effort at places. </div>
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But for me, the film's real winner is the smartly woven story and a screenplay that keeps you at the edge of your seat. While the disturbing
violence makes you cringe, the interesting twists in the story keep you hopeful
that somehow, something might finally come to the protagonists rescue. </div>
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It is a scenario so unfortunate that you find yourself
rooting for the protagonists guilty triumphs in the end – when she herself becomes
a murderer. Just like ill minded crime lurks right outside posh metropolitan
city like Delhi, a deadly murderer can be camouflaged by sophisticated looks.
NH10 is a story of how a good human being can’t help but everything bad, when pushed
to the unthinkable extreme. </div>
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It's raw, blunt and scary. Thank god it’s just a movie. Or is
it?</div>
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I don’t think I personally can ever watch this movie again.
But thank God I saw it once – it is not to be missed for the sheer audacity
with which it discomforts you. </div>
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3.5 stars</div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-12340625687336429592014-02-21T20:46:00.002-08:002014-02-21T21:15:34.035-08:00Highway: No way! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For a really long time in the movie, Veera and Bhaati, played by Alia Bhatt and Randeep Hooda, are clueless of what is happening to them and where they are heading. Ditto audience! You're caught in a journey of two characters -somewhat joined by destiny and mostly forced together by Bollywood sensibilities. Their contradicting backgrounds are an obvious Bollywood pretext. And so we learn that as different as they may appear, they are victims of a troubled past and somehow not so different in how lonely and insecure they both are in their respective presents. Not the first time we heard that, but exploring the idea of being trapped in your own house and feeling liberated as a kidnappee might be a first, a Bollywood first. Yet, in the end the movie is not a very wholesome experience. It is easily Imitiaz Ali's most experimental work and most definitely his least impressive.<br />
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Over the past decade, Imitiaz Ali's work has been rife with endearing characters enabling a potent ensemble. Remember the man from hotel decent in JWM or the music producer from Rockstar or Love aaj kals fun ensemble; this time the storytelling focuses on (and relies on) two characters and ends up being just a series of monologues spread across moments of travel and silence.<br />
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Perhaps comparing Ali's work to his own is a bad start, as would be comparing Rahman's soundtrack to his previous work. But even without those comparisons the film is an anticlimax of sorts.<br />
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So a bride to be just sneaks out a day before her wedding to catch some fresh air and ends up being kidnapped by a not so motley bunch of goons. With an accent thicker than his mustache, we see an intimidating Hooda, nailing the character of Bhaati who is resolved to kidnap, for that's the only thing he does. Over a few days, Alia struggles to come to terms with being kidnapped, then feels secure with strangers to the effect of not eloping when she easily can; and finally true to Bollywood sentiments, decides to "spend some more time" with her uncharacteristic hero.<br />
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Perhaps the only master stroke in story telling is how imtiaz manages to keep the chemistry broadly platonic. The intimate cuddle is as suggestive as it is real and it makes you want to believe that there is something special there, without calling it physical attraction or even love. As the scenery changes from the lonely hinterlands of Rajasthan in the first half to the serene peaceful and romantic escapes of the second half, the characters have come to terms with their differences and just want to live for some more time, before a more obvious climax interrupts their cinematic journey. The strongest point of the movie has to be the breathtaking cinematography - an awe inspiring montage for incredible India!<br />
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In terms of acting, the pick of the two is Randeep Hooda, who manages to gain your sympathy when he cries or makes you smile when he smiles, which is rare for the resolute self that he plays. Alia was offered a role of her life, but can't hide her inexperience in handling a very nuanced character. Interestingly, her best moments are when she has no dialogues and she has quite a few of them. Watch her cry against the truck window or giggle n choke undecidedly against a gushing stream of mountain water. She has promise and potential, but ends up over or under emoting when it matters. In a screenplay that thrives on monologues, she fails to take the dialogues head on.<br />
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Undoubtedly the movie has it's moments. But they are few and for between. For a really promising idea, the film is an Imitiaz Ali experiment gone awkwardly wrong.<br />
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2 stars<br />
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-84988724694035757772013-12-22T22:48:00.004-08:002013-12-24T00:54:50.821-08:00Dhoom 3.. Magic + Aamir = Mediocre?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I will watch this movie only because of Aamir
khan", a friend of mine told me, as we
merrily discussed the dhoom 3 weekend. I am sure thousands of Indians echoed that sentiment. With his choices and his devotion to
every choice he makes, the audience, his fans and critics have learnt to expect
a certain brand of perfection when it comes to Aamir khan! So you buy your ticket, pick your
popcorn and wait. The ads, promos and previews end and the movie begins. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNS8aA-dmB3xwwnlYaCgvlCzZill8VzfB6x6R0DQb96hmFvZebHHs1dQupCNWq5CQ4b3-IPt_1uOuNeLWMk4XfHU0tF_PtC5WyDwk_WO2d7W8FvWYt6N6E7STaKMdNihYq9JKmR38I7_zF/s1600/Aamir-Dhoom-3-First-look.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNS8aA-dmB3xwwnlYaCgvlCzZill8VzfB6x6R0DQb96hmFvZebHHs1dQupCNWq5CQ4b3-IPt_1uOuNeLWMk4XfHU0tF_PtC5WyDwk_WO2d7W8FvWYt6N6E7STaKMdNihYq9JKmR38I7_zF/s320/Aamir-Dhoom-3-First-look.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the first 10 odd minutes of the movie, Aamir is set
to impress you, without uttering a single word. First with action, and then his
tap dance. Kudos to this guy, who at this accomplished stage of his career,
still tries to impress you. It is this very quality that earns him respect and
keeps him on the edge of negative criticism. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dance, for example, was never aamir's strength and as
hard as he tries, he doesn't manage to unlearn his native 90s swagger n
stances. Tap dance, contemporary, hip hop. Why!?!?! That brings us to action -
Aamir does a ghajini act again, (or the director picks a few tricks from that
movie) and makes sure the focus is on the chiseled body. And then again, the
dhoom franchise is that of chase sequences. Bikes, cars, motor boats, concept
vehicles - Aamir doesn't get to "express" or "act" but it
is the choreography (action) that is awe inspiring. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">True to its franchise, the movie takes a wafer thin plot
(with a dramatic interval twist) and infuses a whole lot of style and super slo
mo action moments, sprinkles in an item Number with an arm candy. In the end,
the line between good and bad is as blurred as the films overall impression. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So there's a great Indian circus in Chicago (more like
Chicagos got Indian talent) which is bankrupt and the bank simply does the
right thing by asking it to shut down. But no, it's not such a simple thing.
Think of how many lives this will affect- TWO!! (Okay, three, wink wink). It's
a dramatic Bollywood moment, and the circus owner/lead magician is also an
emotional dad who can't take the moment and shoots himself in the head. His 7-8
year old son who witnesses this is convinced that the bank is the culprit here
and vows to put an end to the bank! He is all set to avenge this all by himself
(or is he?). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The boy grows into a 6-pack strutting dude, who is all
set to reopen the circus, cast the hottest desi gal in town and fulfill his
dad's dream (what was the dream btw). In his free time, he's building concept
bikes that'll aide him loot different branches of the same bank. Why Abhishek
and Uday land in the USA to solve this case, is as much mystery to me as to why
Katrina signed this film. May be answer to both those questions is: What else
to do! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unlike it's previous outings, a few things just don't
work this time. Music, is the biggest let down. None of the numbers, NONE of
them rock. The choreography of the magic number is good but nothing you haven't
seen better versions of in reality shows. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Abhishek-Uday comedy track is too overdone and simply
blah. At some point it feels like even the two actors are bored of this part
and are on the "fake it till you make it" mode. It's not funny, to
say the least. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's no chemistry whatsoever in the lead pair (dhoom 2
worked on another level, simply because of the lead pair's chemistry,
remember). Forget chemistry, the one tender moment of the film also seems so
forced and awkward. Something's awe fully wrong with the casting here. They
don't work well together. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everyone knew this was a hero's movie, Aamir's movie,
from start to end. Aamir is given enough to play with and goes about like a
child in a toy store. Obviously great. But, is this his best performance? Not
even close. Is this even the years best performance by a lead actor? Not even
close. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well.. critical acclaim hardly matters to commercial
viability. And so, In an industry where chennai express and krish 3 will go down as the years most
successful films, this film surely "deserves" to be a superhit for
it's surely better than those films.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the end though, this is a forgettable 1-time watch. Everyone enjoys the occasional adrenelin rush, but even hiccups can last longer
than the memories of this film. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2.5 stars</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-72344029001796730562013-09-02T22:47:00.002-07:002013-09-03T03:00:34.676-07:00The price one pays to become Steve Jobs?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My brother gifted me a 2<sup>nd</sup> generation video iPod
back in 2006. That was my first brush with an Apple product. That was such a
turning point. “You’ve tasted blood”, mocked a friend of mine, “and this is a
point of no return.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He was so right. 7 years and 3 more apple products later, I
find myself using these products as if they were a “natural extension of
myself” – much like what Jobs envisioned his products to be. So much so, that
without knowing anything about Steve Jobs, I was a fan of the person behind the
product. I was in awe of a man whose attention to detail and quest for
perfection, changed the way the world functioned. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He pushed the enveloped, created products that create a new
market, new secondary matter of applications accessories – millions of dollars,
countless jobs! And as much as I believed that it was never a one-man-army, it
was somehow believable that Jobs was the fountainhead of that vision. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When Steve Jobs passed away in 2011, I was engulfed in a
sense of remorse – as if someone close to me had died. As if someone who cared
about me was no more. Ironically, I hardly even knew the person. Apart from his
dramatic product-launch presentations and press clippings, I hadn’t read and
heard a word about this man. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcebtQpGDGA_5AdCPNR9qB7asw1mlK_su0dwa4l6scLKL45vcEWTQmJJn17QhYH2LffNtfmHFTXMWjKlnCmnE_qua8UO2FHXfLTUwUwhfyjzKjcUFkSMuwgCWms7JmKxRuh_91ejcqeMm/s1600/Steve-Jobs-dates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcebtQpGDGA_5AdCPNR9qB7asw1mlK_su0dwa4l6scLKL45vcEWTQmJJn17QhYH2LffNtfmHFTXMWjKlnCmnE_qua8UO2FHXfLTUwUwhfyjzKjcUFkSMuwgCWms7JmKxRuh_91ejcqeMm/s320/Steve-Jobs-dates.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So when I went in to watch “Jobs”- the movie, I went in
hoping to see a person full of insight, full of passion and someone so content
with creating concepts and products which revolutionized the worlds. Purely on
the basis of what I saw in the movie, I came back far too uninspired by Steve
Jobs as a person.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He cared too much about his product to care about the people
involved in its making. He sought a certain perfection that only he could
envision. Not that he didn’t compliment his friends, not that he wasn’t enough
appreciative, but his imagination continuously overpowered the projected outcome.
“What is the next paradigm shift” seemed to always over power “what about the
people in my life”?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Right from abandoning his girlfriend when she announced her
pregnancy, to sacking his relatively inefficient friend, to letting go of the
one man who stood with him for his vision in the initial years, Jobs simply didn’t
care. Was it a failure in trusting people? Did he assume that such worldly
ties, would stop his meteoric rise? Or was he simply all about the product?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Clearly, he wasn’t about the profit. While he always knew
how to price his products and command a premium, it was in fact his attention to
details and perseverant strides to achieve a better user experience, even if it
was a cost that lead him to some of his failures – the first macintosh, for example. He wasn’t shy
of admitting he was going for costlier options, but his reason (as unpopular as
they would sound) were solid and were for the customer’s benefit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He was simply following a vision for perfection – much like
following the rainbow in the hope of finding a pot of gold. Did he really find
it? Did becoming the “Worlds most valuable company” fulfill his dream? I wonder…
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Even if it did, my question is, what is the price one pays
to become a Steve Jobs? To lose friends, to not be connected with family, to be
mocked at for his apparent arrogance – are those the qualities that I am
willing to live to with to be at the helm of a respected company?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I don’t know the answer and I suddenly find myself
questioning if I respect the product as much anymore. If I knew so much of
Steve Jobs, would I have cared to shed a tear at his death? And then why only Steve
Jobs, what about all the celebrities whose work is the only connection we have
to their personality. Is Meryl Streep really the Devil who wears Prada? Is Amitabh Bachhan really
a super citizen thanks to his social messages delivered in a credible tone or
just a super star? Rajni really (K)cant do everything. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While their work is exemplary and inspiring, the people
behind it might be just an imperfect as their audience. A bit like a bubble that
burst, Jobs is a movie that reminded me that only a product can be perfect –
people are invariably full of imperfections.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And Apple, is after all flawlessly executed vision of a man,
who had his own tragic flaws. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Rest in Peace, Steve Jobs. </span></div>
</div>
Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-90653113935014065782013-07-12T21:37:00.001-07:002013-07-12T21:49:03.422-07:00The unending run of Farhan Akhtar.. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is one long movie!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: medium;">Now, Mr. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra… I understand this is “inspired”
by a true story.. I also agree that Milkha’s story is truly inspiring, so why
did I come out of the theater 3+ hours later feeling not really inspired?</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: medium;">The movie begins with a tragedy.. We are told that Milkha Singh
who was the favorite to win the 400m mens event at the Rome Olympics in 1960,
unfortunately looked behind and gave away his lead in the final.. losing the
bronze in a photo-finish As he turns, we are shown blurry ghosts of his past..
This isn’t the first time he has heard the titular cry “</span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.5pt;">Bhaag Milkha Bhaag</i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: medium;">”.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: medium;">His first tragedy was the trauma surrounding partition. He grew up
to be robber of sorts, fell for a girl who wouldn't marry a goon. He joined
army to “become someone”. Harsh training, bullying and 2 fantastic coaches
later, he has the coveted “</span><st1:country-region style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.5pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region u2:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: medium;">”
blazer. So when he goes to seek marital alliance of the girl he oh-so-loved,
he’s told she’s already married. Another tragedy.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.5pt;">He finds himself awestruck, lovestruck/lust-struck with a gori, in
his first Olympic appearance. However much he slaps himself staring at the
mirror, he is not to forgive or forget this tragedy. That triggers a dedicated
effort to break the 400m world record and the stage is set for Olympics 1960.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.5pt;">We are somehow narrated, that the baggage of the past lead to the
catastrophic loss that lead to public outrage and self denial – both an
inseparable reality for Milkha Singh. First thing first: As someone who gets
tired of running from my building to the main gate (my 400 meter run once a
week may be, when I am late to meet a colleague) – I feel dwarfed by Milkha
Singh. As someone who went to gym 2 times and felt it was too taxing, I feel
dwarfed by Farhan Akhtar, who has literally chiseled himself with a sculpting
knife to look this fit for this role.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.5pt;">So let me just stop and not get dwarfed by the personalities, and
just talk about my experience with the movie as a movie.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.5pt;">So there are moments, there is great music (the kind that makes me
wonder why we don’t hear more of the talented Shankar Ehsaan Loy trio), there
is a little bit of everything and yet the whole is not greater than the sum of
its parts.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.5pt;">If anything, the screenplay is over-thought and the movie
over-directed (if you know what I mean). While the premise was great, the story
was simple and neat, the presentation simply overpowers the message, which was
essentially a heartfelt, individual struggle. The director (and writer) is too
busy making it a non-linear film that has associative links to the three
timelines of the movie, that none of the three timelines really create an
impact. The director’s re-use of sepia tone for the past and speed blurs is so
Rang-de-basanti-isque that I was partly wishing I was watching that movie,
instead.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.5pt;">Of the three, the timeline of Milkha’s childhood creates the most
impactf. Personal lives affected by partition are portrayed with raw fervor and
the images of violence are stirring and scary. There is nothing very unique
about his young adulthood – for cinema, at least. The boy meets girl sequences,
the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>chori</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>sequence and some random tomfoolery –
all simply giving us another facet of the Milkha Singh personality, but doing
nothing really to the movie itself. I honestly feel, that this timeline
could’ve been chopped off to a large extent to make the film somewhat smaller.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.5pt;">But then it is a biopic. Or is it? For the director puts in enough
commercial masala (save for an item number THANK GOD) to convince us this is
just another bollywood film. And I think that is where the film falters – in
trying to make up its mind on being entertaining, accurate and yet slick and
punchy, the subtle emotions of Milkha are lost.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: medium;">Farhan Akhtar submits himself to physically transforming himself into
Milkha Singh. He looks every bit an athlete and perhaps outdoes the fitness
levels of a professional athlete, and gets a runners body-language pitch
perfect, even tries a Punjabi accent, but still somehow remains a Farhan Akhtar
and doesn't become a Milkha Singh– his emotional moments, comic timings and
dialogue deliovery are distinctively Farhan Akhtar, and not of the character he
embodies. So as much as I am proud of what he has done to look and be the part,
I am conscious I never forgot it was him. Which is not uncommon in bollywood, I
have learnt. Like a Shahrukh is a Shahruk and a Salman is a Salman in every
film. But I honestly don’t think the makers and the actor (who both represent a
promising body of work) set those to be their benchmark.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.5pt;">Pawan Singh as the army coach and Prakash Raj as the accented
trainer are the only supporting cast that leave a mark. Oh, and Divya Dutta
hams (like it was a 50’s movie and not a movie set in the 50’s) and Sonam
Kapoor I am told took 11 rupees for the movie (that girl is so overpaid!).</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.5pt;">Everything said and done, this is NOT a BADmovie. It is long, it
is entertaining in parts and has inspiring moments. If you are a Farhan Akhtar
fan, you MUST watch it. If you are into biopics, you MAY like it, if you go in expecting
some Rang de Basanti class of entertainment, just rent the RDB DVD, this one
will do nothing to you.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.5pt;">2.5 Stars. If it wasn’t for Farhan’s hardwork and the stellar
soundtrack, there wouldn’t be much to write home about.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-49872163674504378222013-06-22T23:44:00.001-07:002013-06-25T01:40:13.206-07:00Raanjhana, hua mai tera!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">There were at least two moments in the movie where I
had goosebumps. Without giving away any spoiler, the commonality in those two
moments was the combination of a terrific performance heralded to another level
by a soundtrack that speaks for the film. Needless to say, a lot of
credit goes to the makers - the director and the writers for creating
such moment(s). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">Raanjhana is pushed from good to great because of the
acting, writing and music. In what is a complete relief, the characters don't
fall prey to Bollywood climax identity crisis which I held as a tragic weakness
of yeh jawani..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">Here are it's merits in random order: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">The performance of the protagonist- Dhanush, after
Ranveer Singh, is a great example that Bollywood does once in a while, look
beyond looks and give rank outsiders so much as a "chance". To
dhanush's favor is his body of work, kolaveri fame (and of course the rajnikant
connection). But unlike Ranveer, Dhanush can boast of no six pack. No dimples.
No color. In an industry that has broken looks into measured checklist of abs,
dimples, height and weight, it is shocking that someone like Dhanush even got a
break. So what does Dhanush have? Simple - Talent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">He brings to Bollywood what is the essence of
successful commercial Tamil cinema - a heroic performance. He embraces the
character so well that Kundan makes you laugh, smile, gasp in shock, stunned in
disbelief with effortless ease. He exceeds superlative in playing the simpleton
who is playful, sometimes stupid, but always, unashamedly, in love. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">He emotes so well that even ordinary dialogues
would've been enough for him to nail his expressions. But Dhanush is
handed a script so taut and dialogues so apt that the concoction hits you like
a tequila shot. Or a banarasi paan, eh? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">And those witty lines come handy for the able
supporting cast. First with tanu weds manu n now raanjhana, the director
impresses in creating an ensemble cast that win your heart with their honesty
and perspective. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">Swara Bhaskar, in particular, deserves a pat on her
back to bringing bindiya to life on screen. She is a sweetheart and your heart
will go out for her flirting, seduction and yearning alike. </span></div>
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<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">The writing is a winner. The second half is arguably
over-written and seems to unnecessarily elaborate the many sub plots, but as it
turns out, it is those details that makes the climax kind-of believable.
Albeit, the connections in the plot rely on the </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">(in)famous Bollywood creative liberty - read
"don't ask too many whys". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">In general, the movie is fast paced and the
predictable twists and turns in the first half make way for some surprising
action in the second half. The end in particular has expert writing finesse
that steers the movie clear of an otherwise ordinary end. It helps that the
director brought to table an editor and cinematographer who make the screenplay
look crisp n beautiful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">The music - Rahman at his best. Here's an artist with
a fresh canvas, colors and imagination who has set off on a colorful journey.
Rahman fills every corner of the celluloid canvas with Rich detail. He weaves
magic with the tracks, the bgm and even moments of silence. In perhaps a first
for bollywood, the movie ends with "music by a r Rahman" instead of
"directed by Rai" - respect well deserved. With aise na dekho, he
sparks the old debate whether he keeps the best song of the film for his voice
or it becomes the best song since he gave it his voice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">If I must find another flaw in the film, it is the in
the leading lady. Even if sonam delivers the performance of her life so far,
she doesn't do enough justice to layered character of zoya. Amid sparks of
brilliance, she is mostly average and sometimes simply off mark. Chin up gal,
it didn't help that you were paired opposite a star who is just too natural.
sympathies there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">So while the first half is predictable, and the second
half is a slight information overdose, it still works, because here is a
director who knew what he was working with and placed enough punches, enough
music, enough Dhanush, to make it a fun watch. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">I will give 4 stars. It's not to miss and well worth
your movie ticket n pop corn. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-22467682804125645272013-06-03T00:55:00.001-07:002013-06-03T00:58:59.530-07:00Why Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani is just good not great!.. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 18pt;">You
may identify with this: the cricket team you supported needed 36 runs </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 18pt;">to win
</span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 18pt;">in the last over. </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 18pt;">A very
capable batsman was on strike. </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 18pt;">The first 5 balls went for </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 18pt;">sixes </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 18pt;">and on the last ball </span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 18pt;">he hits a </span><span style="line-height: 24px;">desperate</span><span style="line-height: 18pt;"> shot and loses the wicket</span></span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 18pt;">. There is not as much
disappointment </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 18pt;">as there is </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 18pt;">sheer sympathy that a team tried so hard, was so close to victory, </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 18pt;">and
yet </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 18pt;">somehow
just missed the mark! You will remember it as a great match which they sadly didn't manage to win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Well
that's </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">how </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I feel </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">after watching <i>Y</i></span><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">eh </span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">J</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">awani </span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">H</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ai </span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">D</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">eewani</span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. A
film that is almost flawless and yet missing there is something missing </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and it
falls short of being </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">a great modern love story.. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLLXNo1_YkjQFCsqilE_jdWMj5T9lu4-DP_rYmPeoBAZ7Hpy1mmzTRw9mZdInV9qWybot08WirdMDzehcMB3JspW1cUyDMNDw-XSur2rVb1W_qQy_o7VIqzcLBQHGMngI7TzMnuUzxiRM/s1600/ye-jawani-hai-deewani2_350_021913012040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLLXNo1_YkjQFCsqilE_jdWMj5T9lu4-DP_rYmPeoBAZ7Hpy1mmzTRw9mZdInV9qWybot08WirdMDzehcMB3JspW1cUyDMNDw-XSur2rVb1W_qQy_o7VIqzcLBQHGMngI7TzMnuUzxiRM/s320/ye-jawani-hai-deewani2_350_021913012040.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">No.
There is nothing unacceptable about a predictable end. Rarely does a love story
end in a tragedy - at least in mainstream Bollywood. Be it </span><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DDLJ</span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, </span><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">J</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ab </span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">W</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">e </span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">M</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">et</span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> or the more recent </span><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cocktail</span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, were we really surprised the movies ended the way they did</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">?</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> It was always the
process that made it a good watch. Ditto yeh jawani..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What works</span></b><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">! </span></b><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></b><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Refreshing plot </span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">- the conflicts in this
film are drama-free and yet enough dramatic. There's no <i>babuji</i> or caste divide that keeps the couple. It's just them. Their
mutual respect of each others</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> lifestyle and an understanding that sometimes despite the irresistible
sparks that fly, it is better to not start something that may never have a
future. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For me
the winning moment in the film was when the characters confess they love each
other but simply agree it</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">s not going to work out. (what a movie it would have been, if they ended
the movie there). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">More
than harping on love or lust, the movie harps on connections, crushes and </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">camaraderie</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. My personal favorite is
the edgy friendship between the two male leads - who resist confrontations for
they both know they're not perfect. Or right. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Music song n dance </span></b><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> - </span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">First ABCD, then aashiqui 2 and not this. If we needed any proof that
well used song and dance are at the root of a blockbuster in Bollywood, </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2013
has doled out three glaring examples</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. And with a lead pair </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">like this one, </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">which can top perfect beats with crackling chemistry, all you need it </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">some </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">foot tapping music. The
music rocks and the dances are well choreographed n performed. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cameos</span></b><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- </span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Without going away from
the previous comment, it needn't be said that the original dancing diva of
Bollywood simply stuns in her item number. Madhuri </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dixit </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">doesn't get the best track
of the album to dance on, but when did she need more than a smile to disarm the
audience? She lifts the song (and the movie) by her sheer presence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There
are other cameos too that lift the movie. Farooq </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">S</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">heikh as a father desparate to understand (and be understood by)
his son or a Kunal Roy kapoor in his signature </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">buffoon</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> template, work like magic
on celluloid. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Performances</span></b><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> - </span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Superlative. Each one of
them. Ranbir </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Kapoor </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">is effortless. Aditya </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Roy Kapur </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">and </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">K</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">alki are top class. But to me the revelation is Deepika </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Padukone
</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">who handles the tricky
scenes in climax with depth that I frankly didn't expect of her. She is now
clearly a more complete leading actor who delivers beyond glamo</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">u</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">r and charisma to
celluloid. This is her best work so far! </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">reminds me</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> that Ranbir needs to find something more challenging to surprise us.
After </span><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">R</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ocket </span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">S</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ingh</span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">,</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <i>R</i></span><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ockstar</span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> and </span><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">B</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">arfi</span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, this is too easy a role
for him to essay and not very different from what we </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">have
already seen of </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">him in
</span><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">W</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ake </span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">U</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">p Sid</span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> or </span><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">B</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">achna Ae </span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">H</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">aseeno</span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">! Doesn't mean he isn't
good, but so what? <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What doesn't work</span></b><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></b><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> (Spoiler alert)</span></b><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The need to create
moments</span></b><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> - </span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Somehow (and I wonder if
it is an inheritance from the Karan Johar banner/brand of film making) the film
maker seems too involved in creating "cinematic" moments. Some work.
Some seem forcibly interjected. </span><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The
train boarding scene for example</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So when </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">S</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">hah </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">R</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ukh </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Khan </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">held out a hand to a very late </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">K</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ajol in </span><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DDLJ </span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">it evoked cheers, but here
our lady </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">P</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">adukone is well in time on the station. There</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">s enough time for banter,
to introduce herself to the hero, to the other characters and yet she must
"have a moment" and board a running train</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> while
Ranbir hold out his hand</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. Duh babe! She's a doctor trying to act blonde. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There
are other such attempts that dont seem to connect well enough and range between
silly and pointless. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Easy escapes</span></b><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> - </span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As much as I loved that
the conflicts in the movie were intrinsic to the characters, it's almost a damp
squib that their resolution is more convenient than convincing. The lopsided
narrative only cares for us to see </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">R</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">anbir</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">s </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">perspective</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, while the </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">film actually starts with Deepika’s </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">point</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">of</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">view? <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Surprising
how someone as hot </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">s Deepika remained (uncomplicatedly) single in those 8 years of
separation. Especially after she</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">had th</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ose</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> moments </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">o</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">f discov</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ering her own fun side, of love, life </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">and longing. She's just
conveniently available. </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The director teases you with another cameo, but
quickly shoves it under the carpet at the risk of “complicating” the story
towards the end. </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There
is no baggage or barometer of her life - except that she and </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">R</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">anbir have different
points of view. That's it - otherwise we know nothing of her new self, 8 years
later. </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the one hand, she comes across happily single and
on the other she jumps at Ranbir’s offer to marry. </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And so
we are expected to understand that "suddenly" ranbir, who doesn't
give (more than) a f*** , has fallen for Deepika. That he's possessive of her.
And that she'll take it when he'll say he's changed. Too easy, eh? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">*** </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Perhaps
a more credible end would've made this movie a great movie. Brings me back to
my favourite question pertinent of today's Bollywood - how much is too much?
How much reality reduces the commercial viability of the movie? Why must near
flawless </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">characterizations must fall pray to twists in the </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">plot </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">trying
</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">to please everybody. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Like
missing the</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> winning six</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> on the last ball of the innings</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> the film falls just short of being great. </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I laud the effort but feel </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">sorry for the team that
tried really hard</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> and fell short of being brilliant</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. Kudos. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But
<i>battameez dil</i> needed a little more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-15194723793030770722013-05-13T11:37:00.000-07:002013-05-13T11:38:25.508-07:00Dibakar Banerjee is the “Star” of Bombay Talkies.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I don’t understand why “Bombay Talkies” is hailed as a
celebration of 100 years of Indian cinema when it strictly has short stories by Bollywood
directors. How great it would have been to see regional short films with
subtitles and truly celebrate the diversity that exists even within Indian
Cinema? Perhaps the producers didn’t want to completely risk the film’s
commercial potential – an innately “bollywood” trait. Sigh. </div>
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Having said that, the films do not pay “tribute” to 100 years
of Bollywood either, but present the new face of bollywood with a subtle
reference to cinema (or its influence) in each story. Take this - Karan Johar’s
direction come “out of the closet” – Now that's a first for bollywood and a A-list
director. </div>
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For me Johar’s “Ajeeb Daastan..” and Zoya Akhtar’s “Sheila
ki Jawani” are equal as the third best films of the lot; lead closely by Anurag
Kashyap’s “Murabba”. While each of these films achieve a standard above the
Bollywood median, it is Dibakar
Banerjee’s “Star” that is by far the best film of the lot for me, by a HUGE
margin. (I do not remember the last time when 20 minutes of cinema has worked
for me at so many levels!) </div>
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Have you read Satyajit Ray’s Short story “Patol Babu”? It is
the short story that Dibaker Banerjee has adapted into the ~20 minute short
film in Bombay Talkies, titled “Star”. </div>
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Dibakar takes the essence of the short story and reinvents
it with riveting details. Patol Babu becomes Purandar. It takes you a long time
to realize he has been an unsuccessful actor – something that Ray’s short story
starts with. Dibakar instead, lets the audience watch his struggle. We see an
insomniac man reminded by his alarms that he longer needs to pretend that he is
peacefully asleep. Life must now resume. </div>
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We meet Anjali, the emu, we meet his neighbours who cant
mock enough at his failures. We see his sick daughter who isn’t amused with his
stories anymore. We also see him reach a tad bit late and lose a job as a
watchman – (which he graciously (?) lets go). </div>
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Dibaker does not let us sympathise with the character but
simply shows us a slice of his life. So when he is picked from the crowd to
play an extra-role at a crowded movie location, or when he hopefully unfolds
the paper to read his dialogue, the audience is simply laughing at the
simpleton. Amused at what fate offered him today, just another day.</div>
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But it isn’t just another day. This isn’t just another
nameless cameo in a film. Certainly not a meaningless one – for there is
nothing meaningless in theatre, in films or in life. </div>
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Purandar almost gives up on the role that only requires him
to say “Ae!” on colliding absent mindedly with the lead actor, he walks away
when a voice stops him and asks him, “Not enough, this dialogue for you, eh?”</div>
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It is only after we see him in dialogue with a ghost (from
his past), we learn that Purandar is a failed actor, who failed to struggle,
who waited for something bigger to come by. When his tragic flaw is exposed,
the audience is torn between the melancholy of his failures and the opportunity
and hope of the present. Will he be the underdog? Will he find himself? (Not to
forget that in his brief role as the ghost from the past, we rediscover Sadashiv
Amrapurkar, who finds himself in the most dignified 5 minutes on celluloid of
his career – a great actor, who never got his due amid all the villains he
played.) But the film belongs to Nawazudin’s Purandar. </div>
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The audience is left to see what transpires of Purandar. New
found hope, improvisations, make-up – he is suddenly a “performer”. While the
renowned actor needs a few takes for the perfect shot, Purandar is a
single-shot wonder. It’s a take!</div>
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But what happens to him after the shot? Poor he may be, but he
doesn’t wait for his payment, for he has found something far more precious.</div>
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Could the drums beat any faster on his way back home? Could
he fly home? He is in a trance, enthused, possessed by the idea of appreciation
- a rediscovery. Like someone with a fading memory suddenly remembered
something special. Like you found something that you had lost hope of finding. </div>
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The last few minutes of the film are filled with silence and
expressions – a simple flute plays and lets you watch the performance after the
performance. Infectious spirit of Purandar lights up the room, brings smiles.
Purandar’s accomplished theatrics cajoles his daughter into a peaceful slumber.
Not much has changed in his life – but tonight Purandar will sleep in peace. </div>
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*** </div>
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In it’s structure, treatment, content and execution – the
director leaves no doubt that he is on top of his game. If god lies in the
details, this film is a temple – in cinematography, art, costume, dialogue
–this is a heartfelt effort – worthy of every superlative. Do not miss the emu
in the background of the ghost sequence, the patchy make-up of the ghost, and
so on.. </div>
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I am moved, inspired and in awe of Dibaker Banerjee’s Star –
way above the other three films in Bombay Talkies and a great piece to
celebrate 100 years of cinema – aptly bringing back some Satyajit Ray touch
back to the cinema – via Bollywood! </div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-52198754389709329212013-01-28T00:46:00.001-08:002013-05-12T23:04:50.566-07:00disgRACE 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Ok, we get it – brains are not what mainstream, big-budget,
bollywood movies are for. There might be something for every other organ, may
be, but brains, please leave them at the entrance. And try (unlike me) to
forget to pick it up when you leave the hall, when you come out of Race 2.. If
you do end up taking your brain back, you might end up ranting as follows:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Abbas Mustan are no Vishal Bhardwaj or Mani Ratnam. They
claim to direct commercial potboilers that intend to entertain. But whether they
entertain you intentionally or unintentionally is subjective. As for me, I
haven’t been entertained this much in the recent past. <b>I saw Aakash Vani just a day before, and I must confess, that the
questionably entertaining Akash Vaani was a better movie than Race too.. I mean
Race 2, too. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Yes.. It is a make believe world, but they would like you to
believe it is reality. Much like reality shows insisting they aren’t scripted.
Of course the film has concept cars and concept gadgets. Read this: Sis and
Bro (John and Dips) are Poker cheats like none others – They play sitting
next to one another. Deepika always wears glasses and has a mobile in her hand..
They have devised cheat playing cards that have sensors (what!!??) which get activated by “human
touch” – when everyone else on the table pick their cards, the sensors send a HD quality graphic signal to the insides of Deepikas sunglasses (again, what!!!??) – which she can read while she still has her glasses on, btw – and then the amazing senso-techno-wierdo-mobile technology helps her change the cards that her brother is holding, so
they can jointly loot the table. Holy Technocheats! Ripley’s effing believe it
or effing not!<o:p></o:p></div>
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That’s not it – there are concept cars – a car that when
launched in the air defies physics (and logic) and releases four (mind you FOUR) parachutes
that ensure a safe landing.. (you know, in the likely incident that you want to
open the aeroplane doors in mid air and dive the car in sky). Oh, did I mention
it is a swanky convertible! There is also a concept-gift-box, a
concept-engagement-ring and so on.. But I won't completely ruin it for you, if you
do end up watching it.. It is fun! Poor J K Rowling thought of wands and
charms, when in a Abbas Mustan movie, magic is a way of life for bloody
muggles. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In a stroke of revolutionary characterisation, Abbas Mustan
come up with what I want to call “concept people” Yeah.. No, do not get me
wrong, it is not film about a superhero – no robot, no superman – Abbas Mustan
are not a Shankar or Speilberg either. I think the phrase might be “Superdude”.
He doesn’t wear undies over his pants to
begin with. The tattoed muscle man – Saif – is a dude unlike any other.
Designer glasses, Jackets, Overcoats, umbrellas, watches, the styling can give
a supermodel a run for his money. But you know his super quality? He is like
Sumitra-kaaki from Devdas – <i>jo hamesha
mauke par pahunch jaati hai</i>! <o:p></o:p></div>
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He manages to reach anywhere he wants, anytime he wants. Be
it in the bathroom closet of naked man who he has figuratively royally f***ed
in the casino world. Or a taekwondo practice room of someone else’s sparsely
dressed girlfriend. “Are you flirting with me or complimenting me?” shes asks a
besotted stubbled dude (with a Kareena tattoed in his unassumingly flaunted
hands) “Both” he says.. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Are they kidding us
or fooling us, I ask. Both, I say!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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And while the superdude is mourning the death of his wife
and chasing down the man who blew his Ferrari, he has enough time and
motivation to sleep around with one girl, flirt around with another who claims
to be his sis-in-law.. Let me not talk much about John (If-abs-could-act)
Abraham – who make the aeroplane look like a better performer – at least it
twisted and turned. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The babes? Dressed in costumes with high slits and low necks
– Deepika is always ramping like she were in the pageant world – she is quite the Miss
India in the movie. Take this – she translates dollar value of the billion
dollar scams into rupees for the Indian audience – while it looks like she
would never have stepped on the Indian soil. Not to forget, the memorable speech in HINDI to a completely firang audience before she declares the floor (and her
costume) open for some party! And Jacquiline gives a memorable performance as a
girl who wore lingerie-like costumes throughout her life in any given situation.
In a plot filled with characterless characters these women are a shining beacon
of everything a girlfriend should not be. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There is also the insane cop turned businessman Anil Kapoor
who brings back old school comedy with his “Turkey ki tharki” assistant Ameesha
– who play Cherry (yes, there is the cherry popping joke in the film). Their fruitilicious
chemistry (?) is an ensemble of all fruit-innuendo jokes that would have been
going on whatsapp on a working day. But whatever you do, please don’t miss Anil
Kapoor dancing in the Allah duhai hai song.. He dances his ass off and how..
(and whyyyyyy!) Respect the artist, pity his choice of role. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Signature twists and tunrs – true to the original Race
franchise. <b>Warning –buy your pop corn in
time, if you step out of the hall for more than 2 minutes, the hero and
villains would have interchanged! </b>As if the misery wasn’t enough, the movie
ends with a promise for a potential sequel. Cant wait! <o:p></o:p></div>
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If you don’t know, the movie is running housefull at every
theatre near you. To me the most humbling part of the movie, was the interval,
where they screened the trailer of Himmatwala set to release in a few months. A
humble reminder that a stupider film might soon come and be a bigger hit. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Reminds me of the
famous lines of the Like Ego, the food critic from the movie Rattatouile – the
harsh reality is <span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> that “</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">in the grand
scheme of things, the</span> <em><b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal;">average piece of junk</span></b></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span>is
more meaningful than our </span><em><b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal;">criticism</span></b></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span>designating
it so.” </span>In his own words I have only one word to tell Sajid Khan
and/or Abbas mustan – Surprise me!<o:p></o:p></div>
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DisgRACE 2 <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507423081402487455.post-76385694760890632802012-12-28T02:14:00.002-08:002012-12-28T05:03:12.449-08:002012 Bollywood Summarised: Oh womaniya.. Aha Womaniya..!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let us not talk of box
office figures. Please. There’s a <i>khan-dani</i>
monopoly there. Let us also not talk about awards. (No offence to those
deceased and alive) but there is an oh-so-predictable formula to find <i>yash</i> at such events<i> </i>and win “<i>Awards of the year</i>”.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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<span style="background: white;">Let's shift focus to content. Let’s talk about
unforgettable cinematic moments that won’t leave us for a long long time. And
when I sit back and recall, 2012 looks like a year when a handful of women made
a huge amount of difference. These weren’t sporadic highlights in one stream of
cinema, but a consistent display of excellence in various streams. Here are
some such wow moments and the women behind them: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLDXipNifV1JN17Crm11Xe7PFuAekwGD6Pbb1R330qzxs9h2ywXluXG79qGLcZ5NlaK0NBwNnqp9Iq3b_pXK-hOMnKGxCZBrNsBi5Ypz1AlM5jfI_w-YzK1QFOFyVetVZ9SUI9beHIXLL/s1600/jhilmil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLDXipNifV1JN17Crm11Xe7PFuAekwGD6Pbb1R330qzxs9h2ywXluXG79qGLcZ5NlaK0NBwNnqp9Iq3b_pXK-hOMnKGxCZBrNsBi5Ypz1AlM5jfI_w-YzK1QFOFyVetVZ9SUI9beHIXLL/s200/jhilmil.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Women of bollywood 2012: </span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am not only talking about actors or
technicians alone. Even in terms of characters and portrayal of women this year
at the movies. Be it a gutsy real-nameless Mrs Baagchi of <i>Kahaani</i> or a earthy Shalini Sahay in <i>Shanghai</i>, they have had a more meaningful presence on screen than
in previous years. It is almost like script writers are beginning to unearth
the many layers that women can have. For starters, the characters seemed more human and not
caricatures. Needless to point out, that this year – after a really really long
time – the category for best actress might be more competitive than the best
actor. (But let us not talk of who may win awards, after all). But if an award was constituted for the most original portrayal of women in cinema it would be
this:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The drunk-but-not-sunk Mother-in-law and
daughter-in-law in Vicky donor</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">: </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYeNUMCxVpfzj1DC1OH0Q0Bw0bQjZzUrTW_1RcT8NJQ-NIv48Sn3u2MP8L_T4F6dYxpuavQLaWwgPNYkKlVnBnnlqDX3gc8pcnydwFP5PSU30pFkXZ4HVm4eMGCxpMy562Su3o8MWFo_l/s1600/vickydonor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYeNUMCxVpfzj1DC1OH0Q0Bw0bQjZzUrTW_1RcT8NJQ-NIv48Sn3u2MP8L_T4F6dYxpuavQLaWwgPNYkKlVnBnnlqDX3gc8pcnydwFP5PSU30pFkXZ4HVm4eMGCxpMy562Su3o8MWFo_l/s200/vickydonor.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Raw, rifely playful and unashamed, I cannot like their camaraderie
enough. “Aaj chhad nahi rahi hai”, says the widowed daughter in law. While the
sheer shock value of these scenes made them hilarious, the underlying winner is
the portrayal – so far, a woman drinking on screen meant one of two things - either a romantic fantasy
(remember Cognac <i>sharab nahi hoti</i> –
from Chandni) or just a sign of mental derangement arising mostly out of failed
relationships and leading to complete insanity. But two women (a <i>Saas-bahu</i> combo at it) simply chilling out in
their suburban semi-<i>pucca</i> home in <i>Dilli</i> while discussing their “problems”
is such a fresh portrayal. Of course, the actresses (especially Kamlesh Gill as
<i>Biji</i>) take all the credit for the
impact of the scenes.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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<b><span style="background: white;">Music</span></b><span style="background: white;"> - finally there is someone who can potentially change
the game, and it’s a woman! After Roja in 1992, which completely changed how
the audiences perceived what sound and music can do to cinema, we have another
"perspective". Unassumingly uncompromisingly and undeniably ORIGINAL.</span><br />
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<span style="background: white;">Make way for Sneha Khanwalkar – the music
director of Gangs of Wasseypur.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdS-Q3LuJ1doGhwLfCNOuCR4MbRAXTTNCyE7ON-Ei8cVyJ6BWtmfgF1CfY6SLDrYwlS_qYrvCc03xgcIt9_JORKSRLwRFhql0YLHWAiqkLuKx4mGsXoid_TVOrGb5uaqMSkKkxDakJd7z/s1600/sneha-khanwalkar-rc-1-51820121240471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdS-Q3LuJ1doGhwLfCNOuCR4MbRAXTTNCyE7ON-Ei8cVyJ6BWtmfgF1CfY6SLDrYwlS_qYrvCc03xgcIt9_JORKSRLwRFhql0YLHWAiqkLuKx4mGsXoid_TVOrGb5uaqMSkKkxDakJd7z/s200/sneha-khanwalkar-rc-1-51820121240471.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A fusion artist
Avant-garde, Sneha makes an impression by just being herself. It is not the usual
fusion - not the MTV coke studio fusion, not the world music Grammy kind of
fusion, hers is a fusion of sensibilities and sensitivities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Of course she had already
shown sparks of brilliance with “<i>Oye Lucky,
Lucky Oye</i>” or <i>LSD</i>, but with Gangs
of Wasseypur she went all out – like an artist armed with an idea, she paints
the canvas with both madness and method; and such detailing that you haven’t seen
before; an imagination unlike any of her contemporaries. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="background: white;">Mixing rustic voices with urbane messages with modern recording
techniques, adding a twist of bollywood or an occasional <i>bhojpuri tadka</i>, she makes a delightfully shocking cocktail that no can
resist. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Direction – </span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She isn’t the only female director to find success with her
debut film, or the first one. But she is probably the only woman to make a
movie about a woman as her first film and to find both critical and commercial
success. Gauri Shinde has emerged as a director to watch out for with her debut
film <i>English Vinglish</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I have praised it enough,
and still not enough. A deceptively simple story, executed with a mind that
doesn’t lose focus from movie’s soul, not overwhelmed by the pressure of
creating a comeback vehicle of the film’s leading star, <i>English Vinglish</i> brims with poise and confidence and quite simply makes
a point. She shares credit for the film in her own words with the editor of the
film – another woman, Hemanti Sarkar, who handles the climax with adept thought
– not letting it fall into a mundane linear end. Only one question for Shinde:
What next?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Vidya Balan – take a bow.
You made us believe in a Kahaani. When that kick was blown into your “pregnant”
womb towards the end of the movie, the whole theatre felt your pain. But your
remorseless eyes in the very next shot, began to give the audience a new story
and your eyes are such story tellers! Last year you were the Dirtiest of them all
and this year your motherly-mother-india-isque character in Kahaani, wins you
critical acclaim that can now conveniently be called the Vidya Balan niche. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Priyanka Chopra – ok, I
have to admit I have been on the fence about her performance in Barfi! I am
unable to classify if she was autistic or just mentally challenged, or if she
meant to portray one but ended up portraying the other, (simply out of lack of
subject matter expertise at my end). But if I just look at the movie and accept
that she played a Special girl Jhilmil, she completely makes Jhilmil endearing.
She gives Ranbir a run for his money for screen presence, without over doing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Saving the best for the
last, it is safe to say that any review of the best of 2012 cannot be complete
without mentioning the greatest comeback in Bollywood among women – Sridevi.
Sridevi’s Shashi Godbole, wins you over from Screen 1 and you end up cheering
every small success of the protagonist. Rarely comes a performance that defines
a movie where the actor and the character seem inseparable. (The last I can
remember is Kareena in Jab We Met) - It felt like no one else could have played
that role – let alone with such . <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ladies, you have wowed us
this year and left us craving for more. For a year where item numbers continued
to compete and yet substance wasn’t left far behind, I have only one last thing
to say: <b>Oh womaniya.. Aha womaniya.. !</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Kartikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09968007912577358791noreply@blogger.com0