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Category: Bollywood

  • The Good Road Controversy – Let Us Look At The Road Ahead !

    The recent nomination of Gujarati Film ‘The Good Road’ for the Oscars In Best Foreign Film Categry has created lot of controversy. It is all fire and rage against the movie.

    Let us look at the issues.

    1. Better Films Lost Out – The Ship Of Theseus And The LunchBox !

    Lot of people believe that films like ‘The LunchBox’ and ‘The Ship Of Theseus’ and ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ would have been better choices. I also agree that ‘The LunchBox’ and ‘The Ship Of Theseus’ could have worked better. But this happens every year.

    Year 2012 : Barfi was India’s nomination. Everyone felt that Paan Singh Tomar, Kahaani, Deool, The Dirty Picture were better films and could have better chances.

    Year 2010: Peepli Live was our choice. Udaan was definitely a better movie.

    Year 2007: Do you really think Eklavya was the best choice? Chak De India, Gandhi My Father, Guru or Dharm could have given more teeth to Indian representation.

    Year 2005: Paheli was the Indian choice in 2005. It was selected ahead of Parineeta, Swades, Page 3, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi. I would rooted Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi or Swades.

    My all time favorite – Jeans in 1998 !

    So it happens every year – nothing new.

    2. Wrong Depiction of Gujarati / Indian Culture

    As Vidya Balan said in The Dirty Picture, films are made for entertainment, entertainment and entertainment. Not all Oscar nominations are made only for social message.

    Also, The Good Road’s depiction of certain issues could be a reality which we may want to ignore. Did SlumDog Millionaire represent India correct? Does BA Pass represent India correctly?

    I understand that movies with universal message and human stories appeal to the Oscar jury. The Good Road has struck a chord with Indian jury – it might also strike a chord in foreign shores. Also, apart from the message, there are also the marketing and lobbying efforts that determine the Oscar victory.

    3. Political Angle

    No comments here !

    Overall, I think it was very sad to see the negative publicity around ‘The Good Road’. I believe that it is natural for ‘The LunchBox’ team to be disappointed. It is a great movie – one of the best movies in recent time. Even ‘The Ship Of Theseus’ is a class apart. Maybe they would have been great choices. But now that choice is made, let us stand behind it. Let us make it win !

    The bright side is that all these three movies are made by first time film-makers. It give us great hope. The Indian Cinema is lucky to have these gems. They have more movies left in them and this critical and commercial acclaim will only encourage them to take bigger risks.

    Second, NFDC produced ‘The Good Road’ and ‘The Lunchbox’. It represents another positive note. Kiran Rao picked up ‘The Ship Of Theseus’ and Karan Johar picked up ‘The LunchBox’ after the production. It means studios are willingness to support good cinema and give it a wider release. A great victory for all.

    So – Let us look a the road ahead. Let us support this movie. Let us help it win ! It is now India’s case !

  • Ship Of Theseus – The Finest Indian Movie !

    Intellectual & Visual Treat !!!
    India’s Oscar Nomination !!!
    The Film Of The Year !!!

    Watch It ! No Review – Just Watch It !

  • D-Day : Impressive Movie

    D-Day : Impressive Movie

    Nikhil Advani’s D-Day Is An Impressive Movie. The Movie Attempts To Be In The Same League As Zero Dark Thirty, Argo Etc. It Works Partly.

    The Plot Is About Getting Back India’s Most Wanted Criminal From A Neighbor Nation. The Indian Anger For Terrorist Act And Hunger For Getting Back The Criminal Is Exploited Well (Like The Wednesday). The Four Protagonists Have Their Stories, Which Is Built Up Well In The First Half. The First Half Ends With A Foiled Attempt. The Second Half Is Interesting Except For The Last 5 Minutes. The Movie Ends Predictably.

    Irrfan, Rishi Kapoor And Nasser Shine In The Movie. Irrfan Gives Another Power-House Performance. The Range Of Emotions Displayed By Him Is Phenomenal. Rishi Kapoor Is A Sheer Delight To Watch. The Lover-Boy Of Indian Cinema Is Shining As A Villain In His Second Innings. Agneepath Was Another Gem From Him. People Will Ask For Rishi-Ranbir Act Now !

    Arjun Rampal Is His Usual Self. Shruti Has Two Releases – D-Day Showcases Her In A Very Different Role From Ramaiya. Huma Qureshi, Chandan Roy Sanyal Give Good Support.

    The Song Alvida Is A Visual Delight. Nikhil Advani Redeems Himself. We Forgive Him For Chandni Chowk To China. The Movie’s Length Is A Problem.

    D-Day Is A Good Movie. Worth A Watch !

  • Bhaag Milkha Bhaag – Worth A Watch !

    Bhaag Milkha Bhaag – Worth A Watch !

    Rakesh Om Prakash Mehra’s Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is a dramatic Bollywood experience with moments of magic. It is an inspirational tale of the Flying Sikh Milkha Singh. Farhan Akhar has given a towering performance in a career best role.

    Everyone knows that the movie is the story of a popular athlete and hence there are set expectations. The challenge is to present a large than life aura of the star yet remain authentic. Rakesh Mehra’s partially succeeds in achieving the difficult balance but he could have done better for sure. The film’s length of 3 hours plus clearly expresses his struggle.

    The film is the journey of Mlikha Singh as he conquers the world. His unhealed wounds of partition, his growing up years, his incomplete love story, his rise as an athlete, his brief flirtation and his pursuit of world record is beautifully captured. Milkha’s early years represent the idyllic life in beautiful village in the pre-partition days. The move to India is painful but he adapts to the environment and grows into a lawless mischief. His relationship with sister is touching. The entry of love in his life inspires him to become responsible and amend his life. The salvation is in an army job where the glass of milk incentivizes him for a running career. His talent leads him to the glories inspite of the petty jealousies, setbacks and brief deviations. Milkha runs with fresh wounds after an attack by competitor and breaks the national record. He breaks the 400 m world record with his sheer persistence and passion. The movie ends with a typical India and Pakistan competition.

    There are two heroes of the movie: Prasoon Joshi and Farhan Akhtar. Prasoon’s lyrics are pure magic. The songs really touch your heart. He seems to be a worthy successor to Gulzar style of poetry. He has even written the story, screenplay and dialogues for the movie. Farhan Akhtar plays the character with pure conviction and his hard work clearly shows. He has not only build his muscles but only reconstructed himself with the movie. He is going to busy in the awards season. Divya Dutta is brilliant as always and Rebecca Breeds is charming. Sonam has nothing to do in the movie. Pawan Malhotra, Prakash Raj, Yograj Singh, K K Raina are all brilliant in supporting the main cast.

    BMB_1

    Inspite of its flaws, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is a good movie. The movie is a lesson in pursuit of excellence. If the movie even inspires a few Indians to take sports seriously and live life with determination and will power, it will have ensured its place in the history.

    Bhaag Milkha Bhaag – A Good Watch !

  • Raanjhanaa : Epic Love Saga Wins !

    Raanjhanaa : Epic Love Saga Wins !

    Love is in the Bollywood air ! After Aashiqui 2 and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Raanjhanaa brings a different love story with a twist.

    Aanand Rai’s Tanu Weds Manu was an impressive outing. I was looking forward to Raanjhanaa and A R Rahman’s music. I was very curious to see Dhanush – can he pull off a full fledged Bollywood movie based in Benares? I was pleasantly surprised. Raanjhanaa is one of the best movies of 2013 inspite its melodramatic second half.

    Raanjhanaa is an epic love story where a passionate lover meets innocent beauty. The boy is an ardent devotee of his love while the girl is at her casual best. The first half keeps us hooked with engaging plot, great acting, nice music and beautifully captured Benares (different from traditional images we see on TV). Dialogues are earthy, witty and impeccably placed. Consider this one : Pyaar na hua, UPSC ka imtihan ho gaya. Dus saal se paas hi nahi ho raha.

    The movie gets diluted in the second half due to the political plot and confused direction. If Raanjhaana had continued its first half tone, it could have been better. I know Rai had a great challenge for second half, but the current chosen second half’s melodrama diluted the impact.

    A R Rahman is wonderful – each song is a beauty. Whether it is Tum Tak or Title Song or Tu Mun Shudi – Rahman take forward the Rockstar form and balances it with Benares times. Abhay Deol is his usual self and is rooted in his character. Swara Bhaskar is a strong and a real emerging talent. She had excelled in Rai’s earlier outing Tanu Weds Manu as well. Sonam Kapoor is at her best in the movie. She really transforms her throughout out the movie and this can be considered her strongest performance to the date. But the real winner is Dhanush. Dhanush wins you over with his passion and persistence. You really root for him. You want him. Every slap of Sonam brings you closer to Dhanush.

    Dhanush rules the screen. He owns the movie. Though he received 1/3rd of Abhay Deol’s compensation, he hits the ultimate jackpot. He proved that Kolaveri Di is not his only claim to fame. He has the talent. Can he break the South Jinx? Can he surprise us again ? We are waiting !

    The new Bollywood is a great place. Again and again it is proving that what really matters is talent and hard work. When they shine, looks really take a back seat. Irfan. Nawazuddin. Dhanush. It is exciting phase for Bollywood.

    Raanjhanaa – Recommended !

  • Bollywood : 2013 H1 Review

    Bollywood : 2013 H1 Review

    Its Half Time of 2013. Bollywood Has Had A Mixed Journey.

    The content and treatment continues to win. The new talent is getting better results and traditional stars are being challenged. Good times for Bollywood continue!

    Top Movies So Far:
    1. Raanjhanaa – Genuine Love Story With Twist. Straight From The Heart. Special Touch. Rahman Music. Sonam. Benaras. Dhanush Surprises And Wins The Show Hands Down! (Separate Review Coming)
    2. Kai Po Che – Excellent Adaption, Magical Moments, Sushant Is A Revelation, Maanjha !!!!
    3. Special 26 – Cool Thriller, Acting Power, Smart Drama, Nice Heist Movie
    4. Aashiqui 2 – Romance. Drama. Passion. Music. Aashiqui Triumps Again. Aditya – Shraddha Are Good Discoveries.
    5. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani – The Ranbir Kapoor Show. Ranbir-Deepika Overpower Ayan Stamp. Moments of Wake Up Sid With Karan Johar Factory Take This To 180 Crores.

    Honorable Mentions:
    1. Jolly LLB – Good Screenplay. Nice Acting. Satire Works. Saurabh Won !
    2. Bombay Talkies – 100 Years of Cinema Deserved Better !
    3. ABCD – Any Body Can Dance – Raw Dance Power. New Talent On Rise.
    4. Inkaar – Concept was great, execution tacky !
    5. Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola
    6. Table No. 21
    7. Race 2 – Got Numbers. Nothing Special.
    8. Murder 3
    9. Ghanchakkar
    10. Fukrey

    The Dud Of The Year:
    Himmatwala

    Which movies you loved?

    Special26_Poster

  • Amitabh Bachchan PhD Scholarship !

    Amitabh Bachchan PhD Scholarship !

    Australia’s La Trobe University is rolling out a new scholarship named after the Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan. The scholarship is meant for PhD students, and the student who receives this award would be called a ‘Shri Amitabh Bachchan scholar’. It will be given to Indians opting to study any subject relevant to India, including media, philosophy and films. The four-year scholarship will be worth $25,000.

    The University will also honor Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan next month with the La Trobe University Global Citizenship Award.

  • Bollywood’s Best Movies of 2012

    Bollywood’s Best Movies of 2012

    The Year-End time is a time to look back the best of 2012. 2012 was a year that saw more Bollywood movies hitting the ‘100-Crore Club’, better movies where ‘commerce met creativity’ and overall emphasis on ‘quality over quantity’.

    Everyone has their own choice of the best movies. Here is my list of the best movies of 2012:

    1. Kahaani – Vidya Balan’s class act, superb direction, wonderful music, real Kolkata, best supporting cast !
    2. Vicky Donor – Script is king, wonderful debut, Paani Da, Annu Kapoor, saas-bahu pegs – victorious sperm !
    3. Paan Singh Tomar – Irrfan Khan, Tigmanshu’s wonderful direction, real movie, superlative performances
    4. Gangs Of Wasseypur – Ensemble cast, India’s Godfather Saga, true to earth movie, I Am A Hunter, Manoj & Nawaz & Women & Guns
    5. English Vinglish – Beautiful and simple story, Sridevi, movie with a heart !
    6. Shanghai – Emraan and Abhay’s class act, strong plot, Bharatmata Ki Jay !
    7. Oh My God – Paresh Rawal, Great Direction, wonderful plot, Modern Krishna, low on finesse but high on concept movie !
    8. Ek Main Aur Ek Tu – Sweet RomCom, Imran-Kareena Chemistry !
    9. Agneepath – Hard core commercial cinema, Hrithik, Rishi Kapoor’s villainous act, Sanjay Dutt – fusion of original and remix done in style
    10. Talaash / Barfi – Both were good movies. Both could have been greater movies !


    I also loved Ferrari Ki Sawaari. I wanted to include Life Of Pi – but it is an Hollywood movie.

    My list excludes Ek Tha Tiger Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Rowdy Rathore, Housefull 2, Dabangg 2, Son of Sardar – which are great movies as they have delivered the moolah to the industry – that same moolah helps the industry. No taking away anything from them – they are winners as well!

  • My Favorite Movie List

    Since my interest in Bollywood goes beyond being an avid movie-watcher, many friends and colleagues ask me for my favorite movies and my recommendations. Nothing special here, I am a normal passionate movie fan. The following are some of my favorite movies (I will keep updating it) – what are your favorite movies?

    Hindi – All Time Favorites:

    Anand
    Mother India
    Mughal E Azam
    Guide
    Amar Prem
    Abhimaan
    Silsila
    Andaz Apna Apna
    Swades
    Deewar
    Saaransh
    Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge
    Kabhi Haa Kabhi Naa
    Satya
    Manorama Six Feet Under
    Dev D
    Dil Chahta Hai
    Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi
    Munnabhai MBBS
    Hum Tum
    Taare Zameen Par
    3 Idiots

    Hindi – Recent Movies:
    Kahaani
    No One Killed Jessica
    Udaan
    Ab Tak Chappan
    Ek Haseena Thi
    Company
    Gulaal
    Tanu Weds Manu
    Pyaar Ka Punchnaama
    Rang De Basanti
    Chake De India
    Gangs of Wasseypur
    Paan Singh Tomar
    Vicky Donor
    English Vinglish

    English – All Time Favorites:
    Gandhi
    Citizen Cane
    Life Is Beautiful
    The Bridge On River Kwai
    The Bourne Series
    The Dark Knight
    The God Father
    Vertigo
    The Bicycle Thieves

    English – Recent Movies:
    The Help
    The Descendants
    Avatar
    Hugo
    The Girl And The Dragon Tattoo
    The Da Vinci Code
    Midnight In Paris
    The Contagion
    The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

    Marathi Movie:
    Shwaas

    Definitive Bollywood:
    Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham
    Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
    Maine Pyar Kiya
    Hum Aapke Hain Kaun
    Dil To Pagal Hai
    Devdas
    Aashiqui
    Taal
    Pardes
    Kal Ho Na Ho
    The Dirty Picture
    Om Shanti Om

  • July 7 2012 – 116 Years Of First Indian Movie Screening

    July 7, 1896 – The First Movie Screening In India Happened On This Day ! An advertisement appeared in the Times of India on July 7, 1896, inviting people to witness “the wonder of the world”. Lumiere Brothers’ showcased the six soundless short films at Bombay’s Watson Hotel on July 7, 1896. Unlike in the West, no one in the Indian audience ran out at the image of the train speeding towards them – the Indian viewers took the new experience as something already familiar to them.

    Then the film industry grew like there was no tomorrow ! Of course, the Indian Film Industry’s first home made production release of full-length indigenous silent feature film was Raja Harishchandra n 1913.