Movie Review: Guru

Foreword	A Mani Ratnam Film is always considered special because of the impressive track record the man possesses The trailors of the movie were interesting. Though the music of the film wasn't the best. But RDB had also picked up only after the release of the film That the film is a biography of Reliance founder Dhirubhai Ambani raised the inquisitive quotient several notches
Watched it	In a place they called a theater (It was a junkyard) :-(
Bottomline	To pull off a narrative that demonstrates the rise of an illiterate village boy from a zero to hero is immensely challenging (More so, when you fit everything within three hours). And Mani Ratnam passes the challenge with great elan. That Guru Kant Desai (Gurubhai) lingers in your mind after you walk out of the movie hall is a victory for the makers of the film. The characterization and the look of the film is beautiful. Mani Ratnam touch is evident in more places than one - More so in songs e.g. "Barso Re" The big question while watching the film was: Will it raise the bar during the climax to evoke emotions that touch the right cord and inspire? That it does in style. The finale is very well penned and executed. The background score is excellent. Dialogues are first rate. Screenplay good. Editing left a lot to be desired. In an otherwise evenly and well paced movie, there are sections that drag. The song "Ek Lo Ek Muft" after the interval is bound to make audiences sleep. Build up to certain important scenes takes longer than expected. Vidya Balan was forcefully inducted into the film and the portions between her and Madhavan were candidates for the scissor A.R. Rahman is human. He delivers a package that is below his standards. No where close to RDB. Better music would have surely helped. In spite of Guru being a very good film, it leaves you with a it-could-have-been-even-better feeling. That might be part because of the reputation preceding the director's reputation.
Peformances	Abhishek Bachchan is stupendous(10 on 10). His portrayal of Guru Kant Desai should garner a flat A from all quarters. Easily his bestest performance till date. AB carries the film on his shoulders and does it brilliantly. His look is perfect for the film - Having put on 11 kgs just for this reason. (And that perhaps is the reason for his ordinary look in D2). Dialogues have been delivered with conviction and realism. Aishwarya Rai plays the role of his wife in the film (limited to the film for now at least). Surprisingly, she does not look ethereally beautiful. Surprisingly, her performance is first rate - Emoting with her presence and mannerisms. Surprisingly, she gets a substantial role in the film that otherwise is a pure AB film. So, a triple plus for Rai. Mithun Chakraborty is very good. Madhavan excels in a smallish role (The character could have been better used). Vidya Balan, thrust into the film without a reason, was ok. Support cast is good.
Recommendation	Go get your tickets NOW!
Expectation	****
Rating	****

Movie Review: Kabul Express

The Reviewer	Liked the trailors - Appeared to be an aberration from the standard Bollywood potboilers Doesn't consider anything other than the Yashraj banner going in favor of this flick (New Director, No earth shattering cast) Liked the music of the film
Watched it	In a Theatre
Bottomline	The message in the film is good. Inspite of being a slow paced narrative, it does not appear to be a drag - 1hr 45min. The locales in Kabul are captured quite well. (Could have been even better) The comical sequences that are present right from the start to the end are a very welcome aspect of the film. The absence of this might have made the film as drab as a soulless documentary. Dialogues are very well written. (Specially the Coke-Pepsi, Madhuri Dixit-USA, People universally liking cricket-John's closeup, etc.) The background score is very good. The music (OST of the film) is also pretty neat. Though the film only has the Kabul Fiza number playing with the credits. Background score is pretty decent. Screenplay is good. Script decent. Inspite of this being a very good attempt by Yashraj in doing something that isn't their domain (Non lovey-dovey war ravaged heroineless film based on a true subject), the film lacks the punch. There could have been sequences that could have been heart wrenching - One's that standout are when the Mujahids are killing the Talibs, When Imran Khan's daughter lifts her burkha to show her face to her father, and a few more. Room could have been created for the role of the American Journalist to have more meaning (Characterization not the best). Screenplay and Cinematography cannot be compared to Hollywood flicks. Expected a lot more deft in these areas.
Peformances	This film rests on the shoulder of two men - Arshad Warsi and Salman Shahid. Both are daringly different for a film of this genre - Specially the portions when the two interact - Superb! Hanif Hum Ghum (Mujahid - Khyber) is more than decent. John Abraham appears to be listless and clueless. The American Journalist Linda Arsenio is barely present in the film.
Recommendation	Watch it - And I would recommend watching it on a big screen.
Expectation	** 1/2
Rating	A bit under ***

Movie Review: Dhoom 2

The Reviewer	Quite liked the original Dhoom Found the trailors of D2 to be super stylish Considered this to be a casting coup of sorts - Two stars who would be vying for The Superstar status that would soon be relinquished by the Badshah Khan cast as chor and police - Aaaah! That's interesting!
Watched it	In a Theatre
Bottomline	The Film works - It's slick, stylish n sexy. The heist sequences are very well done. The begining sequence in Namibia deserves special mention. Comparable to Bond movies - No need to use brains. Mr. A enthralls. Story is not non-existent as many people claim. That said, it's not the strong point of the movie either. Liberal garnishing of comical portions thanks to Ali Bhai. Quite likable for most parts. Background score is pretty decent. Screenplay is good. Script decent. Editing could have been better. Two sequences between HR and AR ought to be edited big time - The Basketball and the Gun Exchange. Perhaps, romance shouldn't be given so much space in such kind of a film. Music is plain ordinary (Pritam Sir - Flicking music works just fine - No need to be original :-)) and lots of songs. Dialogues are not the best in the world. Some James Bondish lines would have done the film a world of good.
Peformances	If you wanted to see a clash of the titans (AB and HR), forget it!! It just doesn't exist. Hrithik's presence is sooo super strong that he relegates AB Jr. and ethereal Ash to nowhere. AB looks clumsy - Had a feeling he used to wake up in the morning and forcefully dragged into the shoot. ACP Jai Dikshit needs a makeover. D3 beckons!! Hrithik Roshan is the Ace of Spades. Makes a statement - A real strong one at that - Probably the first time he shines like Kohinoor without Papa dear at the helm. Aishwarya Rai is pretty good (Her entry is an hour into the film). Uday Chopra is good (Definitely a lot better than AB). Bipasha is just about passable.
Recommendation	Oh ya - Go watch it - This one's a Paisa Vasool!
Expectation	*** and a bit
Rating	*** and a bit

Movie Review: Deadline 24 Ghante

The Reviewer	Had no inkling about this film till the time it was released Greatly likes the entire cast of the film Had got good reviews about the film (Source: indiafm)
Watched it	At Home on a DVD
Bottomline	It's a short film (Around 1 hr 45 mins) - No Songs An attempt to deliver a message. An issue which has always been talked about but seldom portrayed on celluloid Pace is sluggish almost throughout That the film is made on a shoestring budget is very evident Screenplay, Script and Dialogues could have been much better Background Score (if it exists) is a shame
Peformances	Irfan Khan and Konkona excel. Very original and Real. Rajat Kapoor is passable. Sandhya Mridul doesn't have too much scope.
Recommendation	Should watch it at home on a DVD - It's a refreshing change
Expectation	***
Rating	**1/2

Movie Review: Jaan-E-Mann

The Reviewer	Liked the music of the film Found the trailors interesting Likes the lead cast in the film Did expect a good product from the team (many of whom delivered the entertaining Mujhse Shaadi Karogi)
Watched it	At home on a DVD
Bottomline	The locales and picturization was pretty neat and grand The story just did not exist. Cannot comprehend the going-ons in the first hour of the film Long, Harrowing, Stressful and Tiring (2 hrs 50 mins) The songs keep coming in one after another and have dialogue intercuts in an attempt to move the narrative forward with them – A failed attempt All in all – A colossal waste of resource. Wonder how the makers had the audacity to take on Farhan with such an ordinary product! (Not that Don was completely up to the mark – But still …)
Peformances	Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar really save the day – They are fairly decent. Preity Zinta does not get too much to show (acting wise J). Anupam Kher is quite irritating. Rest of the cast don’t deserve space or mention
Recommendation	Not Recommended
The Reviewer Expected this Film to Get	***
And Rates it as	*

Movie Review: Khosla Ka Ghosla

The Reviewer	Found the concept of a film on land infiltration interesting Considers Boman Irani as super actor and watched the film primarily for him
Watched it	At home on a DVD
Bottomline	Interesting Story that never loses its grip on the viewer Length of the movie is perfect for its kind (A bit over 2 hrs) Brilliant depiction of a very serious problem that is rampant in Northern parts of the country There are no songs to interfere with the speed of the narrative Characterization is fairly real – Close to life
Peformances	Boman Irani is the hero – He effortlessly gets into the skin of the character. Anupam Kher is top rate – But, it’s the kind of role one would expect Kher to perform flawlessly anyways. Ranvir Shorey as Bunty is entertaining. Parvin Dabas as Cherry is a revelation. Navin Nischol is good in a relatively small role. Tara Sharma – The only blemish in an otherwise perfect cast – She has to work on her dialogue delivery (Makes me wonder on how she keeps getting films inspite of ….)
Recommendation	Highly Recommended
The Reviewer Expected this Film to Get	**1/2
And Rates it as	*** and a bit

Movie Review: Don

The Reviewer	Considers Farhan Akhtar as one of the finest directors in Hindi Films Believes that Dil Chahta Hai is a piece of art Did like Lakshya but expected more out of it Does not remember the original Don (Has seen it as a kid though)
Watched it	In a Theatre
Bottomline	The Story was interesting with constant twists and turns (Fairly Complicated) Very very fast paced for most parts Styling was outstanding – Though still not 100% James Bond levels (Could have used Ferraris rather than Mercs) Ending was left open (Perhaps for a sequel) Music is passable – Background score is good for most segments – Some segments left scope for improvement Punchlines have been taken straight from the original Don – Could have been better off using original punchlines Lots of sequences appear to be lifted straight out of Hollywood flicks
Peformances	Shahrukh Khan is ordinary once again (after KANK). Priyanka Chopra is passable. Boman Irani is good. Isha Koppikar hardly has scope to perform – But falls short even in those portions. Arjun Rampal is strictly ok.
Recommendation	Should watch it once – For Farhan, For the Styling and For the Story
Expectation	****
Rating	***

Movie Review: Woh Lamhe

The Reviewer	Takes this as just another film from the Mahesh Bhatt camp Believes that the linking of this film with Parveen Babi and Mahesh Bhatt’s relationship might just be a publicity stunt
Watched it	At home on a DVD
Bottomline	This film is like a typical Mahesh Bhatt film (Dark and Slow but with some story moving on) Story line is good Music is very good Climax is decent Pace is a bit off
Peformances	Kangana Ranaut impresses again. But, she would need to work on her voice and dialogue delivery if she has to grow further. Shiney Ahuja shines. Rest everyone is ok.
Recommendation	Can watch it if you want to (Nothing that you would miss by giving this film a miss)
The Reviewer Expected this Film to Get	**
And Rates it as	**

Movie Review: Dor

The Reviewer	Expects a lot from Kukunoor Didn’t consider to be Iqbaal very special Considers Hyderabad Blues and Teen Deewarein has his best works till date
Watched it	At home on a DVD
Bottomline	This film is a director’s dream Has a paper thin story line – Need to watch the film see what a strong story teller Kukunoor can be The treatment – Specially the locales and the cinematography is top class Climax is gutsy (Dialogue free) Background score is brilliant Pace is a bit slow (But that suits the movie)
Peformances	Ayesha Takia looks stunningly good without make up. None of the performances are outstanding but the film’s treatment compensates. But, Talpade impresses in a short and sweet role.
Recommendation	Definitely Recommended
The Reviewer Expected this Film to Get	***
And Rates it as	*** and a bit

Movie Review: Pyar Ke Side Effects

The Reviewer	Does not like Mallika Sherawat Found the casting to be very interesting
Watched it	At home on a DVD
Bottomline	Film is passable – Quite Urban Story is nothing special but watchable none the same Characters are relatable Pace is a bit slow Music is ordinary
Peformances	Mallika Sherawat is not bad. Everyone (including Mallika) is ok.
Recommendation	Timepass Flick – Watch it at home on a lazy Sunday afternoon
The Reviewer Expected this Film to Get	**
And Rates it as	** and a bit

Movie Review: Lage Raho Munnabhai

The Reviewer	Love Munnabhai MBBS (Except for the Jadoo ki Jappi bit which was a bit overdone I think) Feels that making a sequel or a series is very difficult
Watched it	In a Theatre
Bottomline	Amazing film with universal appeal Simple story with great message To depict Gandhian philosophy in such a light hearted way was highly commendable Film is actually better than Munnabhai MBBS but is less funnier than the same Music could have been better
Peformances	Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Vidya Balan and Boman Irani are all A-Grade. Jimmy Shergill and Dia Mirza do not get too much scope to perform but impress none the same.
Recommendation	Cannot Miss
The Reviewer Expected this Film to Get	**1/2
And Rates it as	****1/2

Movie Review: Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna

The Reviewer	Likes Karan Johar movies Has no special like or dislike for King Khan SRK
Watched it	In a Theatre
Bottomline	Typical Karan Johar Film (Locales, costumes, photography, styling, etc. up to the mark) Lots of tears but liberal garnishing of lighter moments as well Story was urban and interesting Film was long and super dragged in the end Shahrukh Khan’s character a bit too negative – specially the way in which he deals with his kid Handling of certain sequences could have been a lot better Music not the best – But still good
Peformances	Shahrukh Khan disappoints – In a role that appeared tailor made for him, he hams and makes faces. Rani Mukherjee impresses. AB Jr. gives a brilliant performance. AB Sr. is good as always. Preity Zinta is passable. Kirron Kher is ok.
Recommendation	Highly Recommended (Only if you like KJ movies)
Expectation	**** and a bit
Rating	*** and a bit

Movie Review: Omkara

The Reviewer	Had got rave reviews about the film Didn’t quite like Maqbool Was intrigued by the trailors of the film where urban Saif was shown in a never seen before avtaar
Watched it	At home on a DVD
Bottomline	Deftly Executed – Othello films are not uncommon – This one stands out – The film is good to be sent to the Oscars this year The look of the film gets 100% marks Music complements the film perfectly Language is hard to understand – Needed subtitles to understand Pace is slow – But that was perhaps deliberate – Could have shortened the film by 15 odd minutes It's hard to survive the first 20 minutes of the film (When the story does not move and the language is a shock)
Peformances	Saif and Devgan stand out – Kokona and Kareena are good – Vivek Oberoi and Bipasha are passable – Naseruddin Shah doesn’t get scope.
Recommendation	Highly Recommended (Only if you are not looking for entertaining movies)
Expectation	***
Rating	*** and a bit

Movie Review: Golmaal

The Reviewer	Made an impromptu plan to watch this film because of the good reviews Expected Sharman Joshi and Arshad Warsi to entertain
Watched it	In a Theatre
Bottomline	This one’s sad. There’s nothing to write about.
Peformances	Such kind of movies don’t need performers. Tushaar Kapoor was the best. Ajay Devgan most ordinary. Paresh Rawal was irritating at times.
Recommendation	Abstinence Recommended
Expectation	**
Rating	*

Movie Review: Corporate

The Reviewer	Had loved Page 3 and Chandni Bar Was really looking forward to see what Bhandarkar does with Corporate
Watched it	At home on a DVD
Bottomline	Very Watchable Bhandarkar touch is distinct Music is ok Story is gripping (Having said that, the first half hour is not too rivetting) A bit too dragged – Editing could have been better
Peformances	Bipasha shows that she can act and does not need to show Jism. Rajat Kapoor is excellent. Raj Babbar passable. Kay Kay Menon does not get ample scope – But is top rate in whatever little he gets. Minissha Lamba and Sameer Dattani have a screen time of 5 minutes combined.
Recommendation	Highly Recommended
Expectation	***
Rating	***