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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 Balak Palak, Jogwa, Natrang, Mumbai-pune-Mumbai; and more recently Katyar kaaljat ghusali and Court . 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.  Sairat - 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.  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: Sairat navigates from a satire on rural Maharashtra to a cute teena...

So in the incredibly awesome Jab We Met , a phoney station master opines, " Zindagi ek rail ki patri hai. Ek inch ka bend, aur meelon ki doori.. "  Funny, but apt. And Ki and Ka 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.  Ki and Ka - 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. Ki and Ka 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 romc...

After Piku and Dil Dhadakne Do , now Kapoor & Sons cements the fact that dysfunctional families have arrived in our mainstream cinema. This is far from sugar coated Hum Aapke Hai kaun, 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: Hum Aapke kyu hain ?) 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 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 Neerja 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.  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! 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.  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 d...

Bhansali ne Bajirao pe film banayi hai; Documentary Nahi!  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..  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 d...

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.  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.  This is one dysfunctional rich family - the business empire is collapsing, the daughter wants a divorce, the son doesn't know what he wants...

In one of the opening scenes of the movie, Piku 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. No, not bad at all, in fact it has an original, interesting premise – an irate, widowed, old man Bhaskar ( Bhashkor 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. And with actors like Amitabh Bachhan, Deepika Padukone and Irrfan Khan in the mix, you can only expect this to be really entertaining. Piku is a slice-of-life story of an eccentric father and his empathetic daughter, who invite y...