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Tuesday, 29 June 2010 02:50 |
It's time for the modern-day version of 'Ramayana' to unfold this Friday, exactly two weeks after 'Mahabharata'. The very thought of watching an epic in the present-day milieu only enhances the curiosity for the film. And if the present-day adaptation of 'Ramayana' is helmed by a master storyteller [Mani Ratnam], the moviegoer should, and must expect the moon. Nothing less would suffice. After all, a Mani Ratnam film is not merely an experience, it's an event!
Mani Ratnam, who has penned the screenplay of RAAVAN, models his characters on the lines of 'Ramayana':
An upright cop, the punisher, the law/Lord Rama [Vikram];
His doting wife/Goddess Sita [Aishwarya Rai Bachchan];
The lieutenant he befriends in the forest/Hanuman [Govinda];
His confidante/Lakshmana [Nikhil Dwivedi];
The antagonist's sister, who triggers off the war/Surpanakha [Priyamani]
And, of course, the antagonist, the Robinhood turned Raavan who kidnaps the top cop's wife and keeps her in his custody, in his Lanka/Raavan [Abhishek Bachchan].
Mani Ratnam has also included the part where Goddess Sita was banished from the kingdom of Ayodhya due to the gossip of kingdom folk. It was agni pariksha then, but in the film, the husband [Vikram] asks the wife [Aishwarya] for a polygraph test to prove her chastity/fidelity. At the same time, RAAVAN brings back memories of a movie that, coincidentally, had a similar storyline -- JUNGLE [Ramgopal Varma].
You've come to expect scintillating visuals in the master film-maker's films and RAAVAN is no exception. But RAAVAN falters in narrating the story with dexterity. In fact, this one's a game of see-saw, with a dull and lifeless first hour, an absorbing second half and a weak, lacklustre climax.
Final word? RAAVAN comes with the baggage of humungous expectations, mainly for the one name attached to it: Mani Ratnam. Even though comparisons with the genius film-maker's earlier accomplishments like MOUNA RAAGAM, NAYAGAN, AGNI NAKSHATRAM, GEETHANJALI, ANJALI, ROJA, BOMBAY and GURU are sacrilegious since all belong to diverse genres, RAAVAN is nowhere close to those epics. The benchmarks only get higher and higher every time Mani Ratnam makes a film and RAAVAN, unfortunately, is a step down. Sorry, several steps down!
Dev [Vikram] falls in love with Ragini [Aishwarya Rai Bachchan], a spunky classical dancer who is as unconventional as him. They get married and he takes up his new post in Lal Maati, a small town in northern India. A town where the world of law is not the police, but Beera [Abhishek Bachchan], a tribal who has, over the years, shifted the power equation of the place from the ruling to the have-nots of the area.
Dev knows that the key to bringing order to any place is not to vanquish the big fish; in this case -- Beera. In one stroke Dev manages to rip open Beera's world and set in motion a change of event which will claim lives. Beera, injured but enraged, hits back, starting a battle that draws Dev, Beera and Ragini into the jungle. The forest becomes the battleground. The battle between good and evil, between Dev and Beera, between Ram and Raavan.
Mani Ratnam's adaptation of 'Ramayana' begins with the wife getting kidnapped and her husband launching a massive hunt to track down his wife and nail Raavan aka Beera. The reason why Beera takes this extreme step is revealed much, much later, towards the post-interval portions, which means that Mani Ratnam follows the nonlinear pattern to narrate his story.
Let's talk about the factors that pull this film down. First and foremost, when you've a title like RAAVAN, the demon king, who couldn't be vanquished by Gods, demons or spirits, you expect Raavan aka Beera to be equally powerful, who could send a chill down your spine, who spells terror and fear. But, in RAAVAN, Beera comes across as a psycho. The streak of madness in his character makes a mockery of the character itself.
Also, his makeup and also the shabby avtaars of his family/henchmen is not something that makes them looks menacing. In fact, it makes the entire gang look repulsive.
Even the finale leaves a lot to be desired. Ideally, the film should've ended after the fight on the bridge, but the entire track thereafter seems like an add-on, which is forced into the screenplay. Ash having a change of heart for Abhishek is equally unpalatable and makes you wonder, how and when did she develop such strong feelings/emotions for Beera? The writing is flawed, no two opinions on that!
On the plus side, the track, which starts from Nikhil's kidnap to the entire flashback portion, is attention grabbing. The factors that prompt Beera to spell havoc in Dev's life are apt, although Beera's sister's portions, while narrating the atrocities committed on her, aren't easy to comprehend in entirety. What was she trying to say, frankly? Yet, the impact of the flashback portions is worth noting.
The fight on the bridge -- between Abhishek and Vikram -- is astounding. One hasn't watched something like this on the Hindi screen yet, I'm sure. In fact, the execution of each and every stunt [Shyam Kaushal, Peter Hein] is exceptional. Every Mani Ratnam film is embellished with stunning visuals and RAAVAN boasts of mind-boggling visuals as well. Shooting the film at tough locales isn't easy and Santosh Sivan and V. Manikandan's vision creates magic on screen. Every frame is worth admiring and applauding.
A.R. Rahman's music is excellent and the visual appeal only enhances the impact. I'd like to single out 'Behne De' and 'Thok De Killi', two tracks that I'd like to hum even after the show has concluded. In fact, the latter is very energetic in terms of choreography. Vijay Krishna Acharya's dialogue hit you like a sharp object at times, which is in sync with the mood of the film.
I've admired Abhishek's work in Mani Ratnam's earlier films YUVA and GURU, but despite putting his best foot forward, for some strange, inexplicable reason, Abhishek doesn't look convincing for the part. Also, the dialogue delivered by him aren't coherent at times. Aishwarya is wonderful, looking ethereal and enacting her part with conviction. Vikram is first-rate, although the role isn't substantial enough. Govinda fails to create any impact whatsoever. Amongst the plethora of actors, Nikhil Dwivedi [a revelation; very good], Ravi Kishan [nice] and Priyamani [perfect] stand out.
On the whole, RAAVAN is a king-sized disappointment, in terms of content. From the business point of view, a Mani Ratnam film might ensure a healthy opening [at plexes mainly], but the weak script on one hand and the heavy price tag on the other will make RAAVAN see red.
Source: http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/review/14148/index.html
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Tuesday, 29 June 2010 02:50 |
Partho Ghosh has made some interesting movies in the past. 100 DAYS, AGNI SAKSHI and DALAAL are three films I recollect instantly. But his new film EK SECOND... JO ZINDAGI BADAL DE makes you squirm in your seat. Films like 100 DAYS and AGNI SAKSHI specifically have recall value only because they had the courage to narrate interesting stories on celluloid. EK SECOND... JO ZINDAGI BADAL DE has an interesting thought, but is saddled with a lousy screenplay, while Partho's execution of the material is archaic.
Inspired by the Gwyneth Paltrow starrer SLIDING DOORS [1998], EK SECOND... JO ZINDAGI BADAL DE just doesn't work!
EK SECOND... JO ZINDAGI BADAL DE tells the story of a couple - Moammar Rana, an author and Manisha Koirala, his beloved. Moammar is a casanova, who two times Manisha with Nikita Anand, who, we are told, was his first girlfriend. What happens when Manisha misses a train by a fraction of a second? Two stories - the first involving Moammar, Manisha and Nikita and the second involving Jackie, Manisha and Roza - run concurrently thereafter.
Nothing works in this film, except, to some extent, the musical score, which is also strictly okay. Despite experienced names, the performances of actors are below ordinary. Manisha has lost the charm. Jackie looks completely lost. Pakistani actor Moammar Rana, seen earlier in DOBARA in a brief role, comes up with standard expressions. Nikita Anand exposes her curves uninhibitedly and is quite effective. Roza sizzles in the dance number, but has no acting talent. Suniel is awkward.
On the whole, EK SECOND... JO ZINDAGI BADAL DE is a poor show.
Source: http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/review/13861/index.html
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Thursday, 27 May 2010 22:29 |
The bigger the budget... the bigger the names... the bigger the hype, hoopla and razzmatazz... the bigger the expectations from the film. KITES has some of the biggest names in the business - Rakesh Roshan, Anurag Basu and Hrithik Roshan, to name a few - and the film, therefore, carries this gargantuan responsibility on its shoulders. It has to soar higher than the hits delivered by this trio. Anything less will just not do!
The million dollar question is, does KITES fly high? Let me hit the nail on the head: The film has some terrific moments and of course, Hrithik Roshan's star power to cast a spell, but it has plenty of low moments. In fact, KITES could've been a cult film, but its writing relies too heavily on clichés and formulaic stuff and that, frankly, throws a spanner.
KITES is visually stunning and makes a sweeping impact, but it totters in its writing department. The story bears an uncanny resemblance to K. Balachander's EK DUUJE KE LIYE, Tony Scott's REVENGE and Rakesh Roshan's very own KOYLA. Also, the story hardly moves in the first hour, but gets into the groove towards the second hour. Of course, you might grumble that the film gets very 'Bollywoodish' at times, but the negatives and blemishes get camouflaged, at times, by that one name that spells magic: Hrithik Roshan.
Final word? KITES will meet with diverse reactions, but the one unanimous thing that it will gather in abundance would be the immense praise for this matchless actor called Hrithik Roshan. He alone is worth the price of the ticket and more. Wish I could say that for the film in entirety!
In the harsh terrain of the Mexican desert, a wounded man is left for dead in the heat of the desert sun. This is J [Hrithik Roshan], once a street-smart, carefree, young guy and now a wanted man. The only thing that keeps him alive is the quest to find the love of his life, Natasha [Barbara Mori]. A woman, engaged to another man, but surely destined for J. A woman, who comes into his life like a bolt of lightning and changes it forever.
KITES is stylish and slick, filmed like any international film. In fact, I am dead sure, the intention is to go beyond the diaspora and cut across to an audience that still thinks that Bollywood is the usual song-n-dance routine merely. The film has an eclectic first hour, even though the pacing is sluggish and there's not much movement in the story. But the post-interval portions are erratic; it keep you hooked at places, it slips at times.
KITES is desi at heart, but also takes a few steps that might be considered risky by Bollywood standards. The leading lady speaks in Spanish and the makers have used sub-titles for people to comprehend. This, very frankly, might not go down too well with the traditional audiences. The second aspect that catches you completely unaware is the finale, which, though amazingly shot, will have its share of advocates and adversaries. Some may like it, while some may argue, not done!
But without revealing much, I admit that the end is not formulaic at all. Given the fact that Bollywood wants to play safe all the while, most storytellers tend to follow the tried and tested rules of the game, but the finale is truly emotional and befits a love story by all means.
Anurag Basu has proved his mettle in the past and although this may not be the most cohesive script he has worked on, there's no denying that KITES keeps you involved at places. Note the sequence when Hrithik sets his eyes on Barbara for the first time. Or the intro of Kangna's bro Nicholas Brown. Or the finale, of course.
But the writing could've been tighter. Kangna has a half-baked track. The culmination to Nicholas Brown's track looks convenient. There's no mention of Kabir Bedi - the most influential man - after a point. The couple's encounters with the American police look ludicrous. These weigh the film down, honestly.
Rajesh Roshan's music is strictly okay. The score isn't a patch on this combo's [Rakesh Roshan and Rajesh Roshan] earlier works. However, Salim-Sulaiman's background score compliments the style and composition of sequences and truly appears as an international score. Ayananka Bose's cinematography is splendid. The chase sequences are awe-inspiring, especially the one when car after car is smashed into smithereens.
Hrithik is unbeatable and that's the truth. Very few actors can rise above the script and Hrithik is one of them. He's the lifeline of this film. Barbara Mori looks perfect for her part, but appears slightly mature at places. Nonetheless, the chemistry between Hrithik and Barbara is electrifying. Kangna is wasted. Kabir Bedi does a decent job. Nicholas Brown, as Kangna's brother and Barbara's fiancé, is top notch and adds a lot of freshness to the film.
On the whole, KITES has style, visuals and Hrithik Roshan as its trump cards, but its content leaves a lot to be desired. The film has evoked tremendous curiosity, which will translate into great numbers in its initial week. The wide release, the number of shows at every cineplex and lack of any film opposition will help the film set new records initially, but the huge costs on the other hand will play a spoilsport. Source: http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/review/13871/index.html
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Thursday, 20 May 2010 02:41 |
Love, they say, makes the world go round. In this case, it makes a puny postmaster combat The Great Khali in an akhada, only because that's the precondition to win the hand of his beloved. Amusing, isn't it? No doubt, the thought is attention-grabbing, but by the time you reach the finale and watch the duel [Rajpal versus Khali], you're already exhausted and pooped.
First and foremost, when you hear a title like KUSHTI, you expect some astounding kushtis in the narrative, don't you? But barring a duel at the start and another towards the climax, the story focuses on the one-sided love story between Rajpal and Nargis [yawn inducing], the enmity between Om Puri and Sharat Saxena [cliched], the assorted characters in the village [straight out of Priyadarshan's sets] and a rival postmaster who creates chaos in Rajpal's life [boring].
KUSHTI is the story of a small village in Northern India where wrestling is a popular sport and an important wrestling match is held every year. Ever year, rivals Avtar Singh [Sharat Saxena] and Jiten Singh [Om Puri] try to beat each other in the wrestling match and gain the trusteeship of the village. Chander [Rajpal Yadav] plays the role of a village simpleton and a postmaster.
Avtar Singh has a daughter named Laadli [Nargis], with whom Chander is madly in love. To get her father's approval for their marriage, he was to first prove his prowess by wrestling with the seven-and-a-half feet tall The Great Khali. The condition set by Avtar Singh is Chander has to defeat Khali in the wrestling match.
KUSHTI has a watchable start and a fairly exciting duel in the end, but the [approx.] 1.40 hours in between play the spoilsport. The love story, which is the focal point of KUSHTI, is non-happening and therefore, the chemistry between Rajpal and Nargis is non-existent.
T.K. Rajeev Kumar's direction, like the script, offers no novelty absolutely. In fact, there's hardly anything in the movie to hold one's interest. Neither does the love story work, nor do the light moments bring a smile on your face. Dialogues [Manisha Korde] are well-worded at places.
Rajpal Yadav is getting typecast in similar roles. Nargis doesn't get scope. Om Puri and Sharat Saxena enact their parts well. Asrani is wasted. Manoj Joshi's impersonation of a popular politician is an eyesore. The Great Khali adds star value to the film, that's it!
On the whole, KUSHTI is a poor show. Source: http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/review/14302/index.html
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Raising a strong voice against the system, corrupt netas, dishonest cops, fraudulent land sharks and the corrupt practices in general has been a fav subject of dream merchants in Bollywood. Mehul Kumar's KRANTIVEER [Nana Patekar, Dimple Kapadia] is best remembered, among other things, for Nana's fiery performance and his outburst in the finale, when he's about to be hanged in public. I distinctly recall, the single screens [there weren't multiplexes then] reverberated with ceetees and taalis when Nana delivered those acidic lines.
KRANTIVEER - THE REVOLUTION remains faithful to the core issue. This time, it's Nana and Dimple's screen daughter Jahan who takes the onus of fighting the politicians, land sharks and corporate honchos who take the common man for a royal ride. That's not all, Jahan even 'awakens' a harassed housewife who is assaulted in full public view by her errant husband. Quite a hothead!
KRANTIVEER worked for various reasons, but a strong reason was it being amongst the early films to raise a voice against injustice and malpractices. Post KRANTIVEER, there has been a barrage of films that have followed a similar path. That's why KRANTIVEER - THE REVOLUTION, despite the right intentions, doesn't stand out. However, the provocative dialogue and the reference to 26/11 do catch your attention in its second half.
The young daughter of the man responsible for the last revolution, Pratap [Nana Patekar], is now wielding the power of media as a fearless journalist. Roshni has inherited not only the courage and sting of her legendary father, but also the spirited lingo and the indomitable style.
Roshni acts as a pivot of the revolution and gets along her determined neighbour Vishal [Sameer Aftab] and college mates Uday [Harsh Rajput] and Goldie [Aditya Singh Rajput]. The story takes all of them on a mission to rid the present society of the evils, a revolution for cleaning the system.
While the plotline is easy to guess, the execution of a few sequences do make a difference. Veteran Mehul Kumar handles the plot like a complete expert, more so towards the second hour, which has some engrossing moments. Sachin-Jigar's music is okay, with the birthday song being the pick of the lot.
Jahan delivers a fiery performance and remains true to her character. She does a wonderful job. Sameer Aftab is decent. Aditya and Harsh are okay. Govind Namdeo and Mukesh Tiwari enact their villainous parts with ease. Ashok Samarth stands out in the confrontation sequence after the interval. Farida Jalal [as Jahan's granny] is as usual. Hiten Paintal is competent. Aman Verma plays the lecherous corporate bigwig well. Ranjeet, Darshan Jariwala, Avtar Gill and Suhasini Mulay feature in brief roles.
On the whole, KRANTIVEER - THE REVOLUTION is an ordinary fare, which is for the hardcore masses.
