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Tag: Bollywood

  • Amar Singh Chamkila: Outstanding Diljit Dosanjh In A Triumphant Imtiaz Ali Musical

    Amar Singh Chamkila: Outstanding Diljit Dosanjh In A Triumphant Imtiaz Ali Musical

    Amar Singh Chamkila: Outstanding Diljit Dosanjh In A Triumphant Imtiaz Ali Musical

    Amar Singh Chamkila Is An Amazing Electrifying Live Street Concert – Mastila, Rasila, Chamkila

    Jis wajah se chamka woh, uss wajah se tapka woh’

    Imtiaz Ali Mojo is back!

    Amar Singh Chamkila is the biopic of the legendary and popular singer Chamkila, who rose to fame with his raunchy double entendre songs and was shot down at the age of 27 years in Mehsampur. Born as Dhani Ram Sandila, Chamkila is a Dalit Chamar who wins everyone’s heart with his music but faces threats from religious groups as well as militants. Popularly known as the ‘Elvis of Punjab’, he lives and dies for his art and beliefs.

    Diljit Dosanjh is the perfect fit and he gives a stellar performance. He is sincere, authentic and he internalizes Amar Singh Chamkila to win our hearts. From flawless mannerisms to energetic songs to passionate emotions – he aces the Chamkila character. Being a singer, he brings life to the songs – all of which are performed live.

    Parineeti Chopra and the ensemble cast provide a great support. A R Rahman’s music and Irshad Kamil’s lyrics provide the perfect magic to the movie – an important accomplishment as the movie is full of original Chamkila songs. While Ishq Mitaye, Vida Karo, Tu Kya Jane and Baaja are great, Naram Kaaljia is an absolute fun statement!

    Imtiaz Ali creates a wonderful and nostalgically beautiful narrative. He is confident and it shows in the creative mix of flashbacks, real video footage, original pictures, graphic style animation and multiple story tellers. I loved the on screen dance of phrases and lyrics whenever Chamkila songs came to life – though it some created distraction. Imtiaz is in his top firm. ‘

    One of the strong points of the movie is avoidance of airbrushing and whitewashing Chamkila’s story – His mistakes as well as pragmatic choices are showcased. Even the greed of the near and dear ones is not hidden. Yes, his first marriage was conveniently defocused.

    Amar Singh Chamkila – A must watch Imtiaz Ali – Rahman earthy folk musical!

  • Bramayugam: Macabre Mammootty’s Masterclass In Marvellous Horror Folklore

    Bramayugam: Macabre Mammootty’s Masterclass In Marvellous Horror Folklore

    Bramayugam: Macabre Mammootty’s Masterclass In Marvellous Horror Folklore

    After a terrific performance In Kaathal – The Core, Mammootty outdoes himself in a pure evil avatar in a black and white gem Bramayugam. His ghoulish laughter, terrifying presence, deep voice and authoritative mannerism are simply brilliant! 

    The 17th century film revolves around a dilapidated mansion in middle of a jungle. Kodumon Potty (Mammootty) is the owner of this mysterious eerie place and stays there with his servant. One day, an escaping slave Thevan lands up at the mansion for food and survival and Potty welcomes him. Thevan is happy initially but soon the secrets unfold and he is unable to escape. 

    The movie is a strong commentary on the class, social divide and the nature of power. Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. 

    Watch the movie for Mammootyy’s mind-blowing acting, technical finesse and excellent treatment. The black and white movie gives the chills! 

    And yes, Tumbadd still remains one of the best movies of all time!

    #bramayugam #bramayugamreview #mammootty #sonyliv #indiancinema #movies #newreleases #horror #thriller #bollywood

  • Murder Mubarak: Social Satire Meets Ensemble Whodunnit

    Murder Mubarak: Social Satire Meets Ensemble Whodunnit

    Murder Mubarak: Social Satire Meets Ensemble Whodunnit

    A murder of the gym trainer Leo at a posh Delhi club opens a can of worms. Everyone is a suspect where the dark secrets of Delhi High Society Club patrons are at stake. A charming outsider ACP Bhavani Singh investigates the case in Agastha Christie’s desi Poirot style.

    The best part of the movie is the ensemble cast and loyalty to Anuja Chauhan’s brilliant writing and class satire.

    Pankaj Tripathi is back in action and is effective – just another day for him at the office. Sanjay Kapoor is brilliant and continues his Merry Christmas form as a royal Rannvijay Singh – tipping 20 rupees but packing food to cover his dilapidated ruined status. Karisma Kapoor is equally magical as a former diva and B-grade movie star of C-grade movies. Vijay Varma and Dimple Kapadia are not given due justice and feel wasted – their arc should have been stronger. Sara Ali Khan tries up to keep things moving but she has a long way to go. A lot more characters like Tisca Chopra add colour to the proceedings though in a very fleeting manner.

    The Delhi class divide is beautifully portrayed. “Poor people should die young!” announces Tisca Chopra or the fact that two trainers from Arunachal and Karnataka are called twins. Smart writing exists – ACP Bhavani says “It’s easy to be branded anti-national these days!”

    The movie sticks to its genre and the secretive layers get unveiled gradually to keep us hooked. Though the movie could have done with sharper editing and crisper execution.

    This is no ‘Knives Out’ nor Homi’s own ‘Being Cyrus!’

    Watch it once for Pankaj Tripathi and Idiosyncrasies of Delhi Gentry!

  • Bhakshak: Bhumi’s Stellar Performance In A Hard-Hitting Expose! But Who Cares?

    Bhakshak: Bhumi’s Stellar Performance In A Hard-Hitting Expose! But Who Cares?

    Bhakshak: Bhumi’s Stellar Performance In A Hard-Hitting Expose! But Who Cares?

    Based on the horrific Muzzafarpur shelter home case that rocked the nation in 2018, Bhakshak is a gripping tale of a fearless small town journalist Vaishali. She follows a tip of horrific crimes and painful realities of a shelter home and pursues it relentlessly. The politicians, corrupt cops, bureaucrats and ’system’ live up to their cliche of blocking justice, abusing power and being partners in crime but Vaishali manages to release the victimised girls and ensure justice. 

    Bhumi Pednekar gives a solid performance with her driven and empathetic approach – Afwaah, Bheed and now Bhakshak. Sanjay Mishra as her cameraman and Aditya Srivastava as the criminal perpetrator give a praise worthy performance. 

    The screenplay is solid but editing and writing could be crisper. Clear loopholes and gaps exist but the overall honest intentions overshadow them. 

    The biggest challenge for the movie is the lack of interest and audience fatigue – who cares about child abuse, sexual torture, rape, and murder crime in shelter homes of Bihar? As Bhumi asks: “Doosro ke dard mein dukhi hona bhool gaye hain kya?” Scrolling continues… 

    #bollywood #netflix #netflixindia #moviereview #ott #newreleases #bhakshak #bhakshakreview #cinema #hindimovie

  • Shri Ram & Bollywood

    Shri Ram & Bollywood

    The great Indian epics Ramayana and Mahabharata have inspired several Hindi movies, regional movies, TV serials and even Hollywood movies (Think Matrix).

    As we gear up for one of the most important events of the great Indian nation, let us recap how Ramayana has influenced our screens.

    Quick points:

    1. As noted in my PhD thesis, ‘Ram Leela’ plays have been an integral part of our entertainment history. The early films were dominated by religious and mythological stories, littered with special effects and relating tales based on the great Hindu epics, ‘The Mahabharata’ and ‘The Ramayan’.

    2. Lanka Dahan – One of India’s first superhits: The 1917 movie on Ramayan by Father Of Indian Cinema, Shri Dadasaheb Phalke, was a cult hit. The shows ran every hour from 7 am to midnight making it one of the most watched movies of the early Indian Cinema. Shri Phalke was inspired to make the movie after watching ‘The Life Of Christ’ and felt a strong urge to tell the Indian mythological gem.

    3. Seeta: The first significant talkie was Debaki Bose’s Seeta where Prithviraj Kapoor played Ram and Durga Khote was Seeta. Another movie of same time was Ram Janma.

    4. Ram Rajya: Vikram Bhatt’s grandfather Vijay Bhatt made couple of movies on Ramayana – Bharat Milap and Ram Rajya. Both were super hits.

    5. Ram Rajya was one of the only two-three movies that Mahatma Gandhi watched in his lifetime. Gandhi started using the word Ram Rajya as a welfare benign state.

    6. Sampoorna Ramayana: The classic of the 60s is still one of the popular movies for legendary epic.

    7. Bajrangbali: Lord’s biggest bhakt Shri Hanuman takes centre stage in the movie. Dara Singh is Hanuman in this epic. Mahabali Hanuman, Hanuman Paatal Vijay & Shri Ram Bhakta Hanuman are other representations of Shri Hanuman.

    8. Luv Kush: Jeetendra & Jaya Prada starrer focusses on the Lord Ram’s two sons after the Lord sends Sitaji to exile

    9. Ramayana – The Legend Of Prince Rama: The India-Japanese anime movie has been a favourite with the 90s kids.

    10. AdiPurush: One of the most disastrous movies of recent times which was criticised across the board for damaging our holy imagery of Ramayana and the crass treatment.

    Similarly, several regional movies are inspired by Ramayana and the legendary NTR’s work is very prominent.

    The epic Ramayana has influenced the Indian cinema in other indirect representations:

    1. Hum Saath Saath Hain: Trust Rajshri to give us a perfect family values packed entertainment. This is the most popular replication of Ramayana in a modern context. Shobhana Samarth’s grandson Mohnish is the Ram like figure in the movie. Incidentally, Shobhana Samarth was Sita in Bharat Milap (She is Nutan’s mother and Kajol’s grandmother).

    2. Raavan: Maestro Mani Ratnam gives the perspective of Raavan in Abhishek – Aishwarya movie starrer.

    3. Baahubali & RRR have episodic influence of Ramayana. Even Ram Teri Ganga Maili as well!

    4. Ram Setu, Rudraksha are other movies linked to Ramayana.

    5. Hey Ram is not about Ram, it’s about Gandhi.

    6. The message of ‘Victory of Good Over Evil’ has been central to the innumerable movies.

    Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayana remains the most popular and Ramayana – a cult whose telecast timing stopped the nation. Its repeat telecast broke records in Covid times.

    Shri Rama has remained in Indian consciousness since ancient times and Indian Cinema has continued to revisit Shri Ramayana and bring it in the main discourse in multiple ways. The trend will continue…

  • The Annual Bollywood Review – 2023

    The Annual Bollywood Review – 2023

    The Annual Bollywood Review – 2023

    The Quick Summary:

    1. Bollywood Bounces Back: After Being Challenged By The Southern Spice, Bollywood Regained Its Chutzpah – On All Fronts. The Purple Patch Was Reflected In People Presence At Theatres, Single-Screen, Multiplex & Digital Screenings & Of Course, Profits. Bollywood Was In Conversation Throughout The Year – Pathan’s Deepika Bikini, Animal’s Jamaal Kudu, Misogyny & Violence, Jawan’s Impact, Gadar 2’s Success, Rocky Rani’s Kiss, 12th Fail’s Warmth.

    2. Santa SRK Shines: Badshah SRK Set The Stage With The YRF Spyverse Actioner Pathan, Scaled Success With Southern Style Jawan & Balanced The Mega Run With Hirani’s Dunki. SRK’s Impeccable Market Sense Showed In His Reinvention As An Action Hero To Be Relevant To Today’s Audience. And His Twitter Rizz.

    3. Entertainment With Progressive Messages: Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, SRK’s Jawan Or Hirani’s Dunki – The Mainstream Bollywood Packaged Entertainment With Socially Relevant Themes & Messages. Ranveer’s Dance & Lingerie Shopping Act With Citizen Khan’s Voting Gyan & Farmer Suicide Angle In Jawan Resonated Impactfully. Make No Mistake – Karan Johar’s Rocky Rani’s Influence Will Show In Days To Come.

    4. Sunshine Success: Everything Worked At Bollywood This Year.

    Pathan Worked

    Jawan Worked

    Gadar 2 Worked

    Animal Worked

    The Kerala Story Worked

    Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar Worked

    OMG2 Worked

    Tiger 3 Worked

    Sequels Like Gadar 2, Dream Girl 2, Tiger 3 Worked. Original Work Like Jawan, Animal, Dunki Worked.

    5. Cinematic Excellence Persists: Among The Business Boom & Cacophony Of Success, Gems Like 12th Fail, Pokhar, Bheed, Three Of Us Also Bloomed.

    6. Beautiful Co-Existence: People Were Back In Theatres. Movies Like 12th Fail And Gadar 2 Continued For Months. Direct OTT Releases Became More Common & Certain Movies Found Their Ideal Audience In Digital Streaming. Everyone’s Happy With The Arrangement.

    7. Southern Movies Are Becoming Mainstream: Jailer, Leo, Salaar & PS2 Showed There Is A Growing Audience For Southern Movies In The North As Well.

    For Annual Bollywood Reviews Since 2012 & Movie Reviews  – Refer To www.ashokkarania.com

    The Top Movies Of 2023:

    1. 12th Fail: The Power Of Dreams. Vikrant Massey’s Emotional & Earnest Showcase Of The Gruesome IPS Journey Won Hearts.  A Sleeper Hit. One Of The Best Movies. The Strong Content, Excellent Screenplay & Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Directorial Treatment Wins The Day. VVC Beats Protege Rajkumar Hirani (Dunki). Special Marks For Vikas Divyakriti’s Inclusion & Great Adaptation Of Anurag Pathak’s Book.

    2. Jawan: SRK’s Massy Bollywood Masala Entertainer For The Political Bharat!  Farmer Suicides To Medical System To Voting – Shining SRK Showcase It All. Deepika, Vijay Sethupathi, Nayanthara & Sania Shine In The Highest Grosser Of The Year.

    3. Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani: The Karan Johar ‘Its About Loving Your Family’ Get A Socio-Liberal Makeover! Dharmendra & Songs Steal The Show Amidst An Ensemble Cast Of Bollywood’s Top Talent Including Alia & Ranveer.

    4. Sirf EK Bandaa Kaafi Hai: A Manoj Bajpayee Masterclass Where Shiv Bhakt Leads From The Front. A Stellar Court Room Drama Based On The Real-Life Trial & Conviction Of Asaram Bapu!

    5. Three Of Us: A Simple & Moving Tale Of A Dementia Patient’s Revisiting Of Childhood Places, People & Memories. Shefali Shah, Jaideep Ahlawat & Swanand Kirkere Are Terrific In A Tale Of Memory, Friendship & Love. The Gentle, Tranquil, Sensitive Film Is A Soul Sister Of Oscar Favorite Past Lives

    6. Bheed: An Experiential Portrayal Of The Largest Migration Of Modern Time. All Shades Of Emotion In The Black And White Saga.

    7. Dunki: Rajkumar Hirani’s Take On The  Illegal Immigration Practice Spiced With Smart Humour & Humanity

    8. 8 AM Metro: A Heart-Warming Tale Of Two Strangers Striking An Unique Relationship. Slow Burn Movie Of Honest Emotions.

    9. Afwaah: A Political Thriller Of Modern Times – Showcasing The Impact Of Social Media On Gullible Public!

    10. OMG2: Pankaj Tripathi Shines In A Movie On The Important Topic Of Sex Education.

    Honorable Mentions:

    1. Khufiya

    2. Kathal

    3. Jaane Jaan

    4. Pathan

    5. Pokhar Ke Dunu Paar

    6. Ghoomer

    7. Satya Prem Ki Katha

    8. Gulmohar

    9. Goldfish

    10. Joram

    The Commercial Success Stories Of 2023:

    1. Jawan

    2. Animal

    3. Pathan

    4. Gadar 2

    5. Salaar

    6. Jailer

    7. Leo

    8. Tiger 3

    9. Rocky Rani Ki Prem Kahaani

    10. PS2

    The Forgetful Movies Of 2023:

    1. Tejas – Kangana’s All Time Flops Continue….

    2. Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan – Family Productions Of Salman Khan

    3. AdiPurush – The Perfect Spoiler Of Ram On Celluloid

    4. Ganapath

    5. Selfiee

    And Many Movies Were Neither Here Or There: U Turn, Gumraah, Kuttey, Bloody Daddy, Tiku Weds Sheru Etc.

    Bollywood Persona Of 2023:

    Alia Bhatt Is The Betaaj Badshah (Undisputed Queen) Of Bollywood & Clearly The Most Influential Achiever But The Person Who Moved The Needle & Transformed Identity To Catalyze & Energize Bollyoowd Was The King Khan – Shah Rukh Khan!  

    Lots of Web Series & Short Movies Are Also Enriching The Bollywood & Entertainment Space – But They Are Out Of Scope For This Current Review.

    What’s Your Take? What You Loved? Hated?

  • Kho Gaye Hùm Kahan: The Insta Movie Of The Goldfish Generation

    Kho Gaye Hùm Kahan: The Insta Movie Of The Goldfish Generation

    Friendship. Ambition. Romance. Heartbreak. Situationship. Adulting. Personal Demons. Coming Of Age. All In The Digital World.

    A story of three buddies Ahana, Imaad and Neil – who face different challenges of life behind the happy shining mobile screens. Smart business marketer Ahana’s boyfriend has broken up with her, Gym instructor Neil is trying to rise above his sub-par existence and Stand-up comic and Tinder addict Imaad has intimacy and trust issues.

    The movie gives a subtle nudge on the perils of fake social media crutches and embrace the no-filter reality with healthy relationships. The constant validation seeking behaviour is as addictive as drugs and causes emotional upheavals and mental health challenges. The non-preachy messages are powered with smart lines and sharp editing. The conversations seem very real and authentic. Special mention for the catchy music – English songs are apt and give the right vibe!

    The trio of Ananya Pandey, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Adarsh Gaurav are relatable and perform with effortless elan. Kalki adds depth to the movie – We might be more connected now but we are lonelier than ever.

    Zoya Akhtar & Team bounce back after The Archies!

    Kho Gaye Hum Kahan – Predictable. Relatable. Relevant. Easy Breezy. Like Insta – Smile, Like & Move On!

  • Dunki Review: Thought Provoking Cinema Spiced With Smart Humour & Humanity

    Dunki Review: Thought Provoking Cinema Spiced With Smart Humour & Humanity

    The First Words From The First Day First Show: Thought Provoking. Beautifully Simple Humour. Amazing Dialogues. Lovely Music. Emotional Roller Coaster. Humanity. Patriotism.

    The Rajkumar Hirani’s Midas Touch Ensures A Hat-Trick For Swades Shah Rukh Khan.

    The Perils, Costs & Empathetic Angles To Illegal Immigration Practice Is The Focus Of Rajkumar Hirani’s Dunki. The Movie Is A Triumph Over His Last Outing Sanju But Still Below Par Of 3 Idiots & PK.

    Shahrukh Is An Actor In His Chak De India Avatar, Not An Employee Of SRK Brand. Vicky Kaushal Continues His Purple Patch & Once Again Outshines The Main Lead In Parts – Like In Sanju Movie. Tapsee Has A Meaty Role & Shows A Strong Arc. Boman Irani & Supporting Cast Is Impressive.

    Smart & Sharp Dialogues. Soulful Music That Carries The Story Ahead. The Screenplay Could Have Been Better & Direction Is Superb. SRK Kurtas Make A Statement.

    A Complete Family Entertainer.

    Cinema Par Excellence.

    Dunki – A Must Watch.

  • Tiger3: Timepass Mission

    Tiger3: Timepass Mission

    Serial Kisser Emraan Hashmi’s Kisses. No

    Salman Bhai’s Shirtless Moment. No

    Foot Tapping Music. No

    Unique Story. No

    Noteworthy Performances. No

    Rejuvenated Bollywood. No

    Must Watch. No

    Tiger 3 – The usual glossy spy thriller with Hollywood style action and mind defying stunts. The usual Indo-Pak storyline with usual Salman-Katrina proceedings. Nothing new to inspire or engage beyond the Shahrukh Salman bromance!

    The Yashraj Spyverse runs the risk of being stale and predictable saga. Jawan was different from Pathaan and hence it worked! Time to rejuvenate! Time to get Alia!

  • Jawan Review: Citizen Khan’s Massy Bollywood Masala Entertainer For The Political Bharat!

    Jawan Review: Citizen Khan’s Massy Bollywood Masala Entertainer For The Political Bharat!

    Jawan Review: Citizen Khan’s Massy Bollywood Masala Entertainer For The Political Bharat!

    Whistles, song, dance, crazy fans, popcorn stockout, SRK fans going crazy – The SRK masala blockbuster rides the Great Indian Theatre takeover! I saw the movie in a big non-multiplex screen on the first day and public is hysterical at every SRK act – entry, dance, dialogues, action! The southern spice and Bollywood superstar create magic! 

    ‘Bete ko hath lagane se pehle, baap se baat kar’ gets the maximum applause. Aryan – ticked! 

    The fight against the corrupt system – spearheaded by an army officer and his jailer son. Farmer suicides, dilapidated medical system, faulty arms deals, environment harming factories politician-businessmen nexus, international collaboration – all the ingredients for our hero to fight the system and stand up for common man. 

    After a spectacular opening act, SRK sets the pace with fiery Robinhood acts with the Chak De type womaniya squad. Nayanthara and Deepika are effective and glamourous. Vijay Sethupathi is underutilised – a stronger villain was definitely needed! The little girl is too cute and Sanjay Dutt is forced. 

    The Hollywood matching action and thrills are highly engaging. The pace dips in the second half and music is forgettable – unusual for a SRK movie. A stronger edit and sharper dialogue writing would have lifted the movie even further. Though the final climax with its big sermon and action ensures a strong ending. 

    Watch the total paisa vasool Bollywood masala potboiler! SRK is having fun as an action hero after his romantic hero days. Pathaan scores over Jawan but let the audience decide!