Movie Review: Boss is unpretentious in its effort to draw you in with humor, action and some trademark filmy drama

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty, Danny Denzongpa, Ronit Bose Roy, Shiv Pandit, Aditi Rao Hydari, Parikshit Sahni, Govind Namdev
Director: Anthony D'souza
Rating: ***1/2
 

What's it aboutA throwback to the 90's era with a modern day twist, Boss rides the wave of super successful films that have been tailor made to draw in the masses and regale them with puremaar dhaad and unadulterated entertainment. A genre that doesn't work for the young ones like Shahid Kapoor (Phata Poster Nikhla Hero) and Ranbir Kapoor (Besharam) but seems to work every time with the 40-plus gang of  Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar. 

Boss, a contract killer with a heart, whose life is as colorful as the linen jackets and shirts he sports. After being abandoned in his childhood by his ideological  father (Mithun Chakraborty) who is a believer in using non-violence to make justice prevail, he is adopted by Bigg Boss (Danny Denzongpa) who takes him under his wings. The twist in the tale comes when he reunites with his bother (Shiv Pandit) who is caught in a murky nexus between a rogue cop (Ronit Bose Roy) and a politician (Govind Namdev). The second half is where the action begins with Akshay Kumar in his element showing his peers that he is still the asli khiladi!

What's hotBoss is unpretentious in its effort to draw you in with humor, action and some trade mark filmy drama. But it stands out in its treatment in comparison with the crowd of wannabe pleasers seeking to use the same formula. The production values are high, attention has been made to every single frame ensuring the star of the film looks like a million bucks. Technically, too, there are moments of brilliance, be it the stylish hip-hop influenced title track, or the songs that are beautifully shot, or the action scenes that look like real street fights and not a showdown of vehicles being blown up; all of these elements come together in a cohesive way.

The ensemble is an interesting blend of senior actors Mithun and Parikshit Sahani who bring a sense of dignity to the characters with a mix of a fresh pairing of Shiv and Aditi. Background score is remarkable especially in the torture scenes with Ronit. Dialogues are razor sharp and written keeping the genre in mind. Despite the peripheral entities, one man who makes Bosswork is its lead actor - Akshay Kumar. Reminding us of why he's been such a star performer at the ticket window over the last two decades and more, Akshay looks like he was meant to play the part. Be it his introductory scene which sets the tone of the film, or the final hand to hand combat fight with Ronit, he stays true to form.

Shiv Pandit offers superb support and exudes the right amount of confidence. Ronit Roy as the menacing police officer is extraordinary and catches your attention from the very first frame. Both the Party all night and Har kisiko nahi milta tracks provide the right melody to the eclectic soundtrack.

What's notAkshay fans will have to be patient as he makes his entry a little late in the first half of the film. Even though the wait is worth it, there is a sense of uneasiness as we wait for Boss to make his grand entry. The flashback scenes with the child actors narrating the backstory seem a bit jarring and could have been better edited. Mithun and Parikshit Sahani's repartee is weak and some times unnecessary. Also the scene leading up to the big climax with Akshay and Mithun exchanging some emotional moments could have been written in an more unconventional way.

What to doA complete paisa vasool experience at the movies, Boss is an overdue treat for Akshay Kumar fans who have been waiting for him to return to his forte. A true mainstream entertainer in every sense, this Boss does pack a solid punch!

Film Review: An earnest attempt, War Chhod Na Yaar fails to sustain our interest in a weak second half

Cast:  Sharman Joshi, Soha Ali Khan, Jaaved Jafferi, Dalip Tahil, Mukul Dev
Director: Faraz Haider
Rating: **

What’s it about

A war story that tries to make light of a volatile situation on the LOC, the film sees Soha Ali Khan play a journalist who is sent to cover animosity between the Indian and Pakistani troops at the border. Not knowing what to expect she reaches her destination only to find that most of the soldiers and troops look at the ground reality in a very different way than the rest of the world. Using one liners, some political satire and humour, the film tries to create an atmosphere of camaraderie until the ruling parties of the two nations decide to toe a different line.

What’s hot

Haider uses every day conversation, issues that have been often debated and discussed on late night news hour shows, or often addressed in the kitchen of Indian homes to tell the story of the film. The friendship between the Indo-Pak soldiers seems easy and the characters don’t come off as plastic. Sharman Joshi excels in his role as the army captain while Javed Jafferi, his Pakistani counterpart, shows some real versatility.

What’s not

The film reaches a major road block in the second half where it seems like a headless chicken trying to cross the road.  Most of the conversation gets heavy and Soha’s character tends to get a bit annoying with her becoming a narrator rather than participant in the given scenario. Also one can’t get away from falling in the trap of getting preachy or wanting to send a message when it comes to an Indo-Pak film. Songs drag down the pace of the film instead of adding any entertainment value.

What to do

An earnest attempt, the film fails to sustain our interest in a weak second half.

Music Review of Deepika, Ranveer's 'Ram-Leela'

At an age when it maybe termed uncool in Bollywood's contemporary musical lexicon, Sanjay Leela Bhansali continues to embrace the traditional Hindi film music melodies as he does with 'Ang laga de and Dhoop'.

The next, 'Laal ishq', emanates the kind of purity we had heard in Guzaarish's 'Tera zikr hai' ­— the interlude is very similar to Saawariya's 'Mashallah.' Possibly this is the best song of the album — Arijit Singh is making it a habit to get the best tunes.

One of the perks of a Bhansali soundtrack is getting to hear Shail Hada's voice. Hada, who had sung Saawariya title sings 'Poore chand,' a song bathed in the kind of luminosity typical of Bhansali's deep, dark haunting melodies, with full-throttled clarity, poise and range.

Where a couple of songs — 'Ishqyaun dhishqyaun, Mor bani thangat kare' and 'Lahu munh lag gaya' suffer from is unimaginative arrangement.

It's too close to the authentic garba/ dandiya orchestra for its own good; and something like Amit Trivedi's contemporary twists done in Kai Po Che's Shubhaarambh would have done wonders.

Comparisons with 'Dhol baaje' from 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' are inevitable, and 'Nagada sang dhol' does sound similar in parts.

'Ram chahe Leela', is the contemporary song of the album, that has words like 'dono ke love mein duniya ka kya kaam.' Sung by Bhoomi Trivedi, it is a racy number that is possibly the supposed item song to be featured on a top female star.

'Tattad tattad' mostly takes shape around its infectious hookline, and does little with the rest.

Aditya Narayan does all the right things but ends up sounding like Udit Narayan Junior.

Much like his last film and his first outing as a music director 'Guzaarish,' Ram Leela is the kind of an album that lingers on.

'Chennai Express' review: This vehicle is worth being onboard for once!

If watching vehicle chase sequences, cars being blown up in the air and muscled goons is your film genre of choice, then you would know that we could be talking about Rohit Shetty of the ‘Golmaal’ series fame. This time Rohit Shetty, one of the heavily critiqued film makers of the current crop for his directorial ways, has come up with Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone starrer 'Chennai Express'.

Quite obviously, this unique combo of Shetty and Khan is enough to make one curious about their product. But once you go for it, you won’t regret watching ‘Chennai Express’, as you would have been after watching ‘Golmaal 2’ and ‘Golmaal 3’.

The journey on-screen begins with Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan back with one of his favourite screen names) on way from Mumbai to join his friends in Goa for a vacation. But at his foster grandmother’s behest, he reluctantly agrees to go to Rameshwaram to immerse the ashes of his dead grandfather. He boards Chennai Express but all his plans are foiled by a Tamilian damsel in distress – the runaway Meena – daughter of Komban village’s don Dugeshwara – who runs into Rahul accidentally while being chased by four of her brothers. Now as the story unfolds, it is revealed that Meena’s father wants her to get married against her wishes, and Rahul is supposed to be the girl’s knight in shining armour. The rest of the story is a riot of hilarious, romantic and action sequences with some interesting drama peppered and pickled in.

The Tamilian don and his henchmen (with hacking knives in hand) are shown in their full glory; as are the exotic locations down South. Seriously, cinematographer Dudley has an eye for capturing the Southern landscape in its abundance, and the breathtaking locations that one would see in ‘Chennai Express’ are going to make nature lovers fall in love with the lower reaches of the Indian subcontinent.

Crowd puller Shah Rukh Khan, in his act throughout the film, is zany, charming and at times flinching. On the other side, Deepika’s character exudes shades of rebellion, warmth and commitment. Her Hindi with Tamil accents sounds easy on the ears, convincing and humour inducing. Together the pair’s camaraderie on the celluloid results in funny situations and makes their chemistry more compelling.

The music of the film by composer duo Vishal-Shekhar boasts of a couple of good tracks like ‘Titli’ and ‘1 2 3 4 Get On The Dance Floor’. When played on the 70mm, the background number ‘Chennai Express’ ups the excitement level. But songs like ‘Kashmir Main Tu Kanyakumari’ could have been skipped. If we think from the film maker’s perspective, the so-called unwanted songs we are talking about would have been added with the idea of putting more depth to the romance angle of the film.

One of the downsides of ‘Chennai Express’ is its predictability. As the story moves forward, the guessing game becomes easier, thereby revealing the climax of the movie. Second, like any of the previous Rohit Shetty’s films, this one too is nothing really out-of-the box or one that can qualify for awards. It is Shah Rukh Khan’s act that makes the film substantial and keeps one hooked.

That said, if you ignore the few clichés (the repetition of ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge’ scenes and the lines that we have heard SRK speaking in his popular films), the lack of punch in the script and even the high predictability factor, then you are onboard for a fun ride with ‘Chennai Express’!

Movie Review: B.A. Pass is Sullen, Sultry, Seductive and Strong!

Starring Shilpa Shukla, Shadab Kamal

Directed by Ajay Bahl

Rating: * * * *

Somewhere towards the end of the protagonist Mukesh's descent into a self-created hell, we see him standing shamelessly at the roadside soliciting sex, being picked up by three drunken burly men.

A little later Shadab Kamal sobs in the bathroom blood dripping to his feet in a trail of tell-tale brutality.

The intense implicit violence that underlines this sequence reminded me of a similar process of sexual debasement under-taken by Mark Wahlberg in Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights.

That was a film about the porn industry in the 1970s. B.A.Pass is set in presentday Delhi. Paharganj, to be more precise.Bustling with sights sounds smells of doom and despair it is a gripping story of a young financially-challenged man's journey into a world of prostitution. We could say, we've never seen this before. And we would be as close to the truth as this film tries to get.


The taut screenplay by Ritesh Shah never allows room for superfluous moments.We follow Mukesh's descent into a life of compromised morality with an absence of condemnation and censure. Mukesh's environment and his circumstances as a displaced orphan are not exploited to generate pathos.


No one in this film allows us to feel sorry for the derelict lives. The characters fit into the film's wretched karma with disturbing inevitability, as though everyone we see in this motion picture was pre-ordained to suffer and fade away By the time we arrive at the finishing line, we know the protagonist has exhausted all his options.

It is the end of the road for the film's achingly young gigolo-protagonist. Hard choices have to be made at this pen-ultimate juncture. As we watch the talented Shabab Kamal lay bare his character's soul we are suddenly reminded of how far we've come in his 95-minute journey from innocence and anxiety to despair and doom.


Debutant director Ajay Bahl puts forward a little gem of story which radiates the colours of life's most grim and harsh reality. There are so many young dreams dying every day in the metropolises. As one struggler in Bolywood once told me, `I came to Mumbai to kick ass. Instead I ended to licking ass.`

To envision the withering away of innocent aspirations in the merciless light of reality without a shred of selfpitying melodrama is not an easy task.

Bahl does it with great confidence and sensitivity.That he has personally done the film's cinematography is such a beautiful circumstance for the film. I doubt another cameraman could capture those places in these troubled charaters' lives that Bahl captures with such force and vitality.


Moving fluently from the tender to the brutal, Bahl portrays the underbelly of Delhi with telling truthfulness. There are no false notes in this tale of seduction and debasement. What gripped me right away were the pssages of screaming silences. 

B A Pass italicizes the character's askew lived by bathing them in silence. The soundtrack (composed by Alokananda Dasgupta, daughter of filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta) is aptly minimal austere and unsparing.


The sex is suitably cold and detached.When the young virgin-boy hero arrives in the bored housewife's home for the first time, she wastes no time in getting him to lie down on the sofa clambering over him briskly and unbuckling his trousers. 

The seduction is swift and businesslike. 

The sex sometimes ugly never satisfying.When a woman is caught with a gigolo her husband rapes her doogie-style in front of the toy-boy to let the wife and her lover know who wears the pants in the house even when its is down to his ankles.

The film is mostly populated by unlikable loathsome people. And yet in their selfish manoeuvres they willynilly end up being part of a plot that keeps the audience involved till the very end.


A part of the film's riveting charm originates from the authentic faces that populate Bahl's nation of damnation. These are real people living out of authentic homes that exist beyond the director's domain of 'action' and 'cut'.

While the supporting cast of unknown faces (barring Deepti Naval who shows up in a sad moment) extends a hand of sturdy believability it is the dynamics shared between Shilpa Shukla as the housewife espousing a secret life of sexual indulgence, and newcomer Shadab Kamal as a casualty of rampant promiscuousness, who provide a centre to this melancholic ode to a life of fringe fatal benefits.


Shilpa, seen in a strong performance earlier in Chak De doesn't let us come near her character's insecurities. She plays the fornicating housewife with stoic candour. 

Shadab Kamal's character is gauche and flummoxed to begin with but quickly begins to grasp the importance of being sexual empowered. Shadab is a discovery.And Dibyendu Bhattacharya as the chess- playing vagabond raises some 'grave' issues.The cemetery never seemed less asymmetrical.


B A Pass is a stark and brutal saga of seduction and betrayal. It is that unusual work of cinema which explores the darkest depths of the human consciousness without losing sight of the light that underscores life.

It would be erroneous to treat this film as only a serious noire effort. It is that, yes. But it's also a film that makes an impact in unexpectedly blithe ways, creeping up into our conscience when we least expect an intrusion and lodging itself cosily in a corner.

Movie Review: Poonam Pandey's 'Nasha' is miserable!!

Cast: Poonam Pandey, Shivam and Lots of Sex (In C Grade Ishtyle)

Directed by: Amit Sex-ena (Oops! Sorry please) Amit Saxena

Review by: Faisal Saif

Ratings: *

Many of us during our early college/school life have bunked the lectures and went to see some soft porn playing at a nearest cinemas in "Morning Shows". I am trying to take you in a Flash-Back because Poonam Pandey's Nasha falls exactly in those films category.

Director Amit Saxena who debuted with Bipasha Basu's Jism in 2003, Directs this film. But after watching Nasha, I assure you that you might start to hate Jism too. 

Nasha is a story of Sex and Obsession where Shivam an 18 year old boy falls in love with a woman Poonam Pandey who is in her 25 (Which she obviously doesn't look). Later Shivam starts fantasizing her sexually. The love which later turns into hopeless sexual fantasies. 


Trust me, Poonam Pandey as an actress is very bad and awful. Despite of her 'Publicity-Hungry' striptease stunts and challenges, She couldn't give a single decent expression in any of the love making scenes from the film. 

She made herself a 'Wannabe' brand of Kim Kardashian but after Nasha, I don't think you want to see her in acting again. New boy Shivam acted well. In fact this was the only cast which went perfectly well. Rest of the characters were boring. 


I have no clue what went wrong with Amit Saxena's brain when he chose this film to make. Or may be it was Poonam Pandey's heavy obsession? How come a talented director like Amit Saxena make this? 

The story which could have been handled tactfully, Leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Camera work and Production Values are just alright. Music is good but doesn't help the film in it's proceedings. 


If you are planning to watch Nasha for your personal reasons (Which obviously you know well where i am hinting at), Kindly check your DVD library for some nice international titles. I have heard nowadays even Spanish porn makers makes amazing films on such issues. . Ahem! Ahem!! (No offense to anyone please). 


And if you are looking for something Indian? Search the Torrents because Nasha sucks big time!

Review : Isaaq

Neither Prateik nor Amyra have the right spark to play these roles; their pairing seems odd as they hardly have any chemistry on screen.

Film: Issaq

Cast: Prateik Babbar, Amyra Dastur, Evelyn Sharma, Makarand Deshpande

Director: Manish Tewary

Rating: *1/2

What’s it about

A desi adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Issaq is set against the backdrop of Benares is a love story of Rahul Mishra (Prateik Babbar) and Bachhi Kashyap (Amyra Dastur).

Both belong to warring families with burly moustached men who believe in the law of the gun. The first half introduces us to a plethora of characters and sub plots that have minimal importance to the main story.

Rahul and Bacchi do the rehearsed routine of courtship and indulge in lot of phone calls, silly banter, calling each other names and awkward kisses! Prashant Narayan’s track as the rebel leader who wants ownership of the sandpits owned by the families is included merely to raise the bloodshed on screen.

What’s hot

Ravi Kissen emerges as the sole survivor of this epic mess! Despite a cliché ridden character, he manages to infuse enough fire in his role to make the right noise. Similarly Rajeshwari Sachdev too impresses in her role as the seductress who changes the game towards the end.

What’s not

When supporting characters impress you more than the lead pair, there is a reason to worry. Neither Prateik nor Amyra have the right spark to play these roles. Their pairing seems odd as they hardly have any chemistry on screen.

Most of the dramatic scenes fall flat because the actors fail to engage you with their craft. Tewary adds too much in too little time for us to grasp. It feels like nothing but a travesty of the original work in every sense.

What to do

Issaq will challenge your patience and drown you in your own misery!

Music Review: Poonam Pandey’s 'Nasha' songs entice you slowly!

Nasha music review; Music Director: Sangeet-Siddharth; Singers: Anirudh, Monali Thakur, Shaan, Anusha Mani, Akshay Deodhar, Sukriti Kakkar, Prakriti Kakkar, Sangeet, Siddharth; Rating *** The music of Amit Saxena-directed erotic movie Nasha has six tracks. In contrast to the film's theme, the songs are romantic and soothing. Music directors Sangeet and Siddharth's compositions will surprise listeners in a pleasant manner. The first song is "Tera nasha". Sung by Anirudh, it gradually gains in tempo without losing its smoothness. Anirudh has sung it in a very peaceful and cool tone. Although it might not be perfect in rhythm, the singer's surreal voice makes it a good song. There is no use of heavy music or too many instruments - only the guitar takes the lead. Next is "Laila", which has Monali Thakur behind the mike. A very sweet song, it is not an item number. While the track talks about the sensuality of a character, there is no heavy beats or 'dhinchak' feel to it. Monali scores well as she sings with a tinge of youthful ardour, giving it a vibrant feel. The whistling bit in the end is fun to hear. The male version of the song has been done by Sangeet and Siddharth and it is much softer. Singers Shaan and Anusha Mali come together to croon "Besharam". The lyrics are in layman's language and the track can very well attract the young college-going crowd because of its fresh and youthful appeal. The singers' voices complement each other. "Goti song" is a perfect combination of fun, uselessness and naughtiness and listeners may wonder about its purpose. Sung by Akshay Deodhar, Sukriti Kakkar and Prakriti Kakkar, it suddenly picks up pace and becomes a group song. The lyrics do get a little naughty, but at the same time they are funny and quirky. "Nasha Mix", the last track, is the only one with considerably fast beats. Being a mix, it has fast beats and punk in it. Sangeet Haldipur's voice adds a kind of romanticism to the song. The six tracks of Poonam Pandey’s "Nasha" do not have anything erotic. Rather the music is sweet, simple and has a very calm undertone. Of course, one cannot vouch for the videos of the songs, but the audio definitely is good and soothing in its own respect.

Movie review: Sixteen!

Cast: Izabelle Liete, Mehak Manwani, Wamiqa Gabbi, Highphill Mathew, Keith Sequeira

Director: Raj Purohit

The Indian Express rating: ***

Sometimes you go in with zero advance knowledge of the film, and it surprises you. Sixteen does exactly that, giving you a bunch of mostly well-to-do Delhi-based 16 year olds, and their brand of confused, teenage angst, observed with a fair degree of sharpness and humour.

These are young people in 4G mode, constantly on their cell-phones, exploring their sexual selves, living parallel lives in school and at home, trying to make sense of the world around them. Tanisha (Gabbi) lives with her youthful, single aunt, and looks upon a slightly older man (Sequeira) who has moved in as a tenant with a clear-eyed amusement. "Arre, uncle hai", she tells her pals, but the film takes us to an interesting place between Mehek and the said "uncle". Nidhi (Manwani) is her papa's darling and likes to take it slow, not wanting to be pushed into 'non-virgin-hood', just because her pushy boyfriend can't wait. Anu (Liete) comes from a home which doesn't really give her a familial, comforting cushion, leaving her to fend for herself. And Ashwin (Mathew) comes from a slightly less well-off background, with a father who wants him to breach the IAS wall, regardless of the cost to his son.

While the film does stretch, and becomes slightly stagey in places (Ashwin's track that takes him away from Delhi after a tragedy, and dumps him in a place where crime is his only recourse, fumbles), most of Sixteen seems true to its subjects, and subject. The girls are especially well-drawn, getting better lines and situations than the boys/men. And the lines seem true to life. This is pretty much how the young are: slangy, smart-alecky and uncaring of authority, though you do wonder if the young female of a certain privileged metro background should be comfortable slinging about the word 'b---c'. Or is it just an address, not invective?

'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' A Rare Sports Film From Bollywood

Biopics are fast gaining popularity in Hindi movies and several conscientious film-makers are attempting movies based on the life events of iconic and distinguished personalities. THE LEGEND OF BHAGAT SINGH and BOSE: THE FORGOTTEN HERO won immense critical acclaim... PAAN SINGH TOMAR not only won critical and commercial success, but fetched the most prestigious honor as well -- National Award... THE DIRTY PICTURE, on the life and times of an actress, too made waves... Another biopic on a sportsperson, Mary Kom, is currently taking shape… Biopics on gangsters have been attempted in the recent past... A biopic on the life of legendary singer Kishore Kumar is on the cards, while the one on the 19th century artist, Raja Ravi Varma [RANG RASIYA], is already complete. Expect many more in days to come. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's biopic BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG, based on the life of legendary athlete Milkha Singh, the country's national treasure, is now ready for viewing.

A handful of films sprint that extra mile beyond providing meager entertainment to its spectators. BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG is one such cinematic experience. However, director Mehra and writer Prasoon Joshi encompass pertinent episodes/chapters from the icon's life and create a film that makes you salute the sportsperson, besides evoking the spirit of nationalism in the spectator.

BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG chronicles the life of Indian sprinter Milkha Singh from his childhood to achieving the iconic standing. The film takes you back in time when Milkha lost his family members during the partition and his rise to the celebrated status without any prescribed guidance or monetary backing. The film also encapsulates his attachment to his sister [Divya Dutta] and the woman he gave his heart to [Sonam Kapoor]. Also depicted in this 3-hour+ film are the conquests, the lows, the rise to splendor and distinction, the skilful attainment...

The supremely talented director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and the proficient writer Prasoon Joshi amass the varied occurrences from the phenomenon's life, although the focus is clearly on the documentation of Milkha's illustrious career, his uphill struggle, impediments, apprehensions and eventual triumph. Besides staying true to Milkha's life and conquests, Mehra and Joshi interweave a spellbinding screenplay that doesn't limit it to being a mere sports-based film. In fact, the writer comes up with an incredible script that keeps you hooked from commencement to conclusion. There are a number of sequences that make you moist eyed, besides leaving an indelible impression. The sharp edit [P.S. Bharathi] and the electrifying background score further elevate the film to an exceptional level.

There's no denying that Mehra has a ear for superior melody and the soundtrack of RANG DE BASANTI and DELHI 6 bear testimony to the fact. However, this time, Mehra opts for Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. This one's a plot-motivated movie; consequently, the songs cater more to the situations than creating a sound-rich album. Binod Pradhan's cinematography is of international grade. He captures every beat, every tone, every nuance with mastery.

Hindi movies offer infrequent opportunities to actors to depict iconic and inspirational characters and Farhan gets the opportunity of portraying the most demanding role of his career so early in his acting vocation. Over the past few years, Farhan has progressively evolved into a superior actor, but he outshines himself -- and also the spectator's expectations -- with BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG. Farhan delivers an enchanting performance as the Flying Sikh, leaving the spectator awe-stuck in several sequences. His brilliant portrayal and meticulous interpretation of the character is sure to win him colossal admiration, approbation and respect from all quarters.

What's noteworthy is the effort the actor has invested in looking the part. Right from his chiseled, athletic physique, the hair, the body language et al, Farhan has pushed himself beyond limits to illustrate the eminent and renowned character of Milkha Singh with precision. He leaves you astonished at varied stages and you can't help but admire the hard slog, passion, commitment and earnestness of the actor. This is an unblemished, memorable performance that should find a strong nomination in the year's best performances.

Milkha learnt some of life's most crucial and critical tutorials from his senior, portrayed luminously by Pawan Malhotra. He inculcated valor and determination in Milkha to encounter the uphill struggles in life and I genuinely believe that any amount of admiration will not do adequate justice to the extraordinary depiction of this character by Pawan Malhotra. Cricketer Yuvraj Singh's actor-father Yograj Singh, who has been an integral part of several films in the past, excels as Farhan's coach. He is simply incredible here. Prakash Raj, cast in a positive role, is in fine form too.

Sonam puts her best foot forward as well. Although the character is brief, she shines in those pertinent moments nonetheless. Australian actress Rebecca Breeds has a pivotal part and the chemistry she shares with Farhan is super. Divya Dutta is simply outstanding as Farhan's sister. An extraordinary actor, she handles the demanding part with flourish.

British actor Art Malik seems most appropriate in the role of Farhan's father. Dalip Tahil [as Pandit Nehru], K.K. Raina [as Mr Wadhwa], Nawab Shah [as Coach Javed], Meesha Shafi [as Perizaad], Dev Gill [as Abdul Khaliq] and Shanta Kumar [as Gen. Ayub Khan] are wonderful in their respective parts. Jabtej Singh, as the young Milkha, is superb.

On the whole, BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG is sure to win accolades, admiration, respect and esteem, besides emerging as a champ. Reserve the applause for Milkha Singh and the team behind BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG. Give it a standing ovation!

- Taran Adarsh

Movie Review: Don't miss 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' at any cost!!

Starring Farhan Akhtar, Sonam Kapoor, Rebecca Breeds, Divya Dutta, Prakash Raj, Pavan Malhotra

Witten by Prasoon Joshi

Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

Rating: * * * * *

History is created in several ways. One of them is cinema. And if Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Bhaag Milkha Bhaag seems like a near-flawless homage to the flying spirit of India's greatest runner it is partly because the story, so nimbly woven into a pastiche of drama emotion humour and pathos by Prasoon Joshi, is in no hurry to keep pace with the on-screen Milkha's breathless sprint.

The story of super-sprinter Milkha Singh unfolds in this exceptional bio-pic at its own volition. There's no effort here `to tell a story`, to create an impression or to whip up a dramatic storm to captivate audiences. The synergy in the storytelling seems subliminal. 

Still, we the audience, fed week after week on mediocrity masquerading as cinema, are riveted to the story Milkha Singh for over 3 hours of playing-time? 


How come? ! Well, to begin with it is Milkha Singh's own powerful life as India's superstar sportsperson that sweeps us into the bio-pic. Milkha was so poor he couldn't afford running shoes, and when he got them he didn't know how to run in them. When milk was offered in the army in exchange of running practice he grabbed it (the run and the milk) with both hands. 

A victim of India's brutal Partition, Milkha's story was waiting to be told. Thankfully no one before Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra saw cinematic potential in Milkha's story. 

If Milkha's story had to be told, the storyteller had to be a master craftsman, and one who doesn't waste space in self-congratulatory flourishes. Rakeysh Ompraksh Mehra reins in the drama. 


With immense help from Prasoon Joshi, Mehra harnesses Milkha's life-story into an experience that is Pure Cinema and yet undiluted and uncompromised by the mandatory often silly illogical and idiotic semantics of mainstream commercial cinema.

The absolutely seamless editing (by P. Bharathi) is impressive. The film is very stylishly cut. But not at the cost of losing the saadgi, the innate ascetism of the sportsman-hero. 

And yes, there are songs, heart-gamboling songs composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. But they are so effortlessly woven into Milkha's saga we don't see them as `song breaks`. 

We see them as expressions of that innocent joy which springs out of Mehra's Milkha like milk from a cow's unconditionally nurturing udder. 


And yes, this is as good a time as any to tell you, Farhan Akhtar dances the Bhangra as well as any Punjabi. Actually, he doesn't dance. He just flows with the rhythm. I've never seen any actor dance with such rhapsodic abundance. Neither have I seen any actor run like Farhan. 

I don't know how fast Milka ran. But Farhan's Milkha doesn't fake it for even a second. When he runs, he really runs. When he stumbles and takes a fall we flinch and wince in our seats. Method acting? Farhan as Milkha takes us beyond that. 

His body-language and emotion-expression as Milkha is so pitch-perfect (pun intended) we forget this is not the real Milkha in front of our eyes. Not since Balraj Sahni in Garam Hawa have we seen an actor vanish so effortlessly into his character. This is as real as it gets. 


Farhan doesn't 'play' Milkha. The actor occupies Milkha, mind body and soul. There are episodes in this astonishingly well-structured bio-pic where Farhan's oneness with Milkha equals Ben Kingsley's empathy with Mahatma Gandhi. 

In one sequence after a night of binging with a pretty Australian girl (Rebecca Breeds, pretty and amiable) Farhan stands in front of the mirror and slaps himself for messing up on the field.

Each slap makes us flinch. These are not faked slaps. Farhan takes Milkha's pain embarrassment and self-abnegation on his chin. 


Mehra's is not a simple sports-to-glory tale like Chariots Of Fire. This is not just a film about a sportsperson who brought untold glory to our country. 

As told by Mehra Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is the story of an individual's journey from nullity to pinnacles of success in a world where politics and violence are constant reminders of how little an individual's aspirations matter in the larger often murkier scheme. 


To compare it with Paan Singh Tomar would be akin to comparing the voices of Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle. 

In Prasoon Joshi's interpretation of Milkha's amazing success-story, yearning is the cornerstone to achievement.

In 1947 when India became two nations we see little Milkha (Jabtej Singh, endearing) run for his life to escape the savage butchery that snatches away almost his entire family. (Only his dear sister, played wonderfully by Divya Dutt) remains. This is the Sholay massacre without a Gabbar to rationalize the evil. As we see it, Milkha never stopped running since the trauma of Partition.


The 'run' as a metaphor of life's expedient circumstances, runs through the narrative. Mehra's storytelling moves into crucial episodes in Milkha's life unannounced. The brilliant unsparing editor P Bharathi follows no predictable pattern. Yet, the editing is not selfconsciously elusive and mystifying as it was Anurag Basu's Barfi. 

Happily the screen- time is as much taken up with Milkha's record-breaking achievements on the field, as it is with vignettes from his personal life.


There is a robust heartwarming romance between Milkha and the vessel-friendly kudi Biro (Sonam Kapoor, looking prettier than ever). Writer Joshi and director Mehra invest inexpressible warmth in the protagonist's courtship scenes. We've seen this kind of love blossom on Punjab's soil before. But it it still feels special and unique. 

Farhan does the rest. 


He gets tremendous support from other actors, specially Divya Dutta who is incomparably sincere as Milkha's supportive sister. Don't miss the sequence between the siblings where Milkha makes his sister wear his sports blazer. It wets eyes while transporting us into the Milkha innerworld. 

Pavan Malhotra as Milkha's coach is as usual, first-rate. Really, this actor should be doing a lot more work! 


But then, Indian filmmakers seldom have the vision and insight that Mehra invests into almost every moment of this unforgettable tale. There are no exaggerated dramatic flourishes here, no playing to the galleries. 

Unlike other period films in recent times which have conveniently and lazily resorted to antiques, artifacts and vintage songs, 1950s in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag simply and effortlessly emerges from the character and his milieu. 


Binod Pradhan's camera glides across Milkha's inner and outer world searching for a meeting point between the two worlds through visuals that suggest a comfortable kinship between feelings and their geopolitical counter-point. We often see Milkha on screen in situations where his emotional world is manifested in the interaction with the people around him. 

Binod Pradhan's cinematography tells it like it is. There is a complex design to the seeming simplicity of this saga of a simple Sikh who would guzzle two cans of ghee on challenge and run to the winning post on feet mauled by jealous rivals. 


Who said life could ever be easy for those who aspire to fly higher than the rest? The beautiful irony of Milkha Singh's life that this consummate bio-pic captures so ably, is that he really didn't aspire to anything. He ran simply because he had to. 

The rest, as they say, is history. Rakeysh Mehra looks at this life of stunning serendipity with tremendous warmth, hope and longing. 

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is the kind of cinema that doesn't tempt us to share the protagonist's life with any false hopes. We the audience are driven into a desperate urge to share Milkha's life not only because he ran fast but because he wasn't afraid to stumble, falter and fall. 


Ironically this film on Milkha rarely slips up, if ever. 

At one point in an under-punctuated flashback we hear Milkha confide in his sweetheart that he would like the government to declare a national holiday in his honour. 


I recommend a national holiday for the entire nation to go and see Run Milkha Run. It makes the other recent high-profile acclaimed films look hopelessly inadequate.

PoliceGiri Movie Review

Director: KS Ravikumar

Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Prakash Raj and Prachi Desai


Deputy Commissioner of Police Rudra Aditya Devraj (Sanjay Dutt) comes into this South Indian town called Nagapuram and takes up cudgels against the reigning don Nagori Subramaniam (Prakash Raj). The don has the top policemen and politicians in his pocket but somehow Rudra manages to outwit and outpunch him. He also finds time to woo and marry a pretty girl Sehar (Prachi Desai), whose only contribution to the film is to be the eye candy.

Policegiri is supposedly a remake of Vikram starrer Saamy (2003). That film allegedly started a trend of tough cop films down South. It’s a remake which has come a decade too late as all its punches have already been seen in films like Wanted, Rowdy Rathore and Singham. Ten years ago, Sanjay Dutt was lean, mean and agile and had a definite sex appeal. Now, he looks middle-aged. As a die-hard fan of Baba I cringed every time he had those romantic moments onscreen with Prachi Desai. Because you could see he wasn’t comfortable. And this was the actor, mind you, whose bare-bodied act in the item number Baarish ka bahana hai from Yalgaar is more talked about than Nagma's jhatkas.

He was slightly better in action scenes. Slightly, because he does retain some of his screen presence. Slightly, because the action scenes were so silly and over-the-top that even Jackie Chan wouldn’t have given them a measure of plausibility.

What Dutt is good at is when he stops taking his character seriously and lets go. His comic timing is still impeccable and his stand-off scenes with the villain Prakash Raj are the saving grace of the film. Prakash Raj is too brilliant an actor to play the patented villain in all these action flicks. He should stop doing it before he gets burnt out. He does seem to be having the time of his life and his comic punches do manage to instil some life in the film but that shouldn’t be the case, right. If all that the viewer gets to look forward to are the villain’s wisecracks then there is something wrong with the film.

Yes, it’s all very massy and catering to the front benches. It might even do well in B and C centres and single screens, but it doesn’t leave the impact of a Dabangg or a Singham. I’m sure Sanjay Dutt doesn’t want such films as a part of his legacy. So for the love of god and movies, he should say no to such proposals in the future. He should stick to Gandhigiri and not policegiri.

POLICEGIRI Music Review

Policegiri Music Review

tus with films like 

The fight between the virtuous and wicked has been the staple diet of several Indian movies since eons. Although the trend of remaking South Indian films in Hindi was widespread in the 1980s, it got an impeGHAJINI [2008] and WANTED [2009] in the last decade. Now veteran producer T.P. Aggarwal joins the growing list of film-makers remaking a winning South Indian film. The film in question is the Tamil hit SAAMY, which was subsequently remade in Telugu [LAKSHMI NARASIMHA].

Although a remake, POLICEGIRI brings back memories of DABANGG [Salman Khan] and SINGHAM [Ajay Devgn]. Like the above named films, the protagonist in POLICEGIRI is a cop, delivers thunderous dialogue, bashes up scoundrels like we swat flies and takes on the [corrupt] opponent in the closing stages. No prizes for guessing who wins!

I don't even wish to forewarn my readers about the essence of POLICEGIRI, since, I presume, most of you must've guessed it by now thanks to its high octane promos. Sure, it relies on the tried-tested-trusted recipe from commencement to conclusion, but I do wish to add that the packaging is polished, with a new brand ambassador endorsing this masalathon. But the unfortunate part is, haven't we visited similar themes in the past? What novelty does it offer?

Rudra [Sanjay Dutt] is a tough Deputy Commissioner of Police of a town. His mission is to clean up the town from gangsters and make sure that the public live in peace. Rudra adopts a new policy of adjusting with the local goons so that he can serve the people in an effective way. How he gets even with Nagori [Prakash Raj], a corrupt politician, forms the crux of the story.

Much like the iconic Chulbul Pandey in DABANGG, Rudra in POLICEGIRI is the present-day Robinhood, with a heart of gold. The cop here is *not* pristine white, but grey. He is *not* conscientious either, but accepts bribes and payoffs [of course, he offers an explanation and even produces receipts subsequently!], also calls himself a goon… as a matter of fact, he uses the law to his advantage. But the problem with the film is that it appears more of a collage of skillfully-filmed action sequences than anything else. The premise is archaic and the director relies too heavily on action to take the story forward. In fact, constituents like romance and comedy look forced in the scheme of things.

Director K.S. Ravikumar, who has a plethora of successful films in South, garnishes the film with features that the masses take pleasure in. The conflict between good and evil is riveting too and so is the pacing [rapid], but with not much newness on platter, the film comes across as the usual cop versus politician fight. The soundtrack is strictly okay, with 'Robinhood' [before the climax] having a catchy tune and energetic choreography. Action, one of the high points of the enterprise, is slick and the dash of Southern masala makes it all the more palatable. Dialogue are aimed at the masses and will be greeted with whistles and applause from fans of desi masala movies, especially those delivered by Sanju.

Sanju is absolutely at home in this out-to-please-the-junta character. In addition, it's the kind of role that the fans take to instantly and Sanju plays the game well. The antagonist, enacted by Prakash Raj, is equally buoyant. He tends to go slightly overboard at times, but it's a job well done by this proficient actor. Prachi Desai looks appealing, but doesn't get much to do.

Om Puri goes over the top. Manoj Joshi is as usual. Rajpal Yadav and Rajat Rawail's comedy track doesn't evoke mirth. Ehsaan Khan and Kishori Shahane Vij [as Prachi's parents] get limited scope. Mukesh Tiwari, Raju Mavani and Murli Sharma are passable.

On the whole, POLICEGIRI is aimed at the single screen audience mainly.

Source : Bollyood Hungama.com

Review By : Taran Adarsh

Lootera Movie Review

Lootera Review

Rating

Did you ever anticipate Vikramaditya Motwane to put together a period film with mainstream actors, after attempting the brilliant slice-of-life drama UDAAN? Nope, not me at least... But maverick film-makers, by and large, tend to drop a bombshell by opting for a contrasting theme in their ensuing movie. The question is, will Motwane ship yet another dazzling nugget in his subsequent outing? Let's find out...

LOOTERA is inspired by American author O. Henry's short story 'The Last Leaf'. Let's set the record straight by stating that Motwane hasn't adapted the story in its entirety. He has made modifications, of course... the most vital one being injecting the protagonist's character [Ranveer Singh] in the plot, which did not exist in the story. For those not acquainted with the story, it's about this dying girl who watches the leaves fall from a plant outside the windowpane and believes that the day the last leaf falls, she too would pass away.

LOOTERA is a captivating tale that reverberates with emotions and passion and encapsulates the highs and lows of a stormy relationship magnificently. Penned with utmost sensitivity and crafted delicately and thoughtfully, the film is akin to a beautiful painting on celluloid!

1953. West Bengal. Varun [Ranveer Singh] arrives in Manikpur, faking himself as an archaeologist. The intention is to steal an ancient idol from the local zamindar. He impresses the zamindar and his family, especially his daughter Pakhi [Sonakshi Sinha], who finds herself drawn towards him.

Soon, Varun and Pakhi are involved in a passionate relationship, but Varun does a volte face and disappears with the idol a day before their engagement. When truth dawns upon Pakhi's father, he suffers a stroke and passes away. Pakhi decides to move on, determined to forget Varun. She arrives in Dalhousie, but as destiny would have it, Varun walks into her life again...

The premise of LOOTERA may bring back memories of several films. But it's the mood, the ambience, the treatment that lures you into the world of Varun and Pakhi. The old world charm of Bengal and Dalhousie only enhances the impact, while the varied twists in the tale catch you absolutely unaware, especially when one is guessing about what course the storyline would take after a major twist during the interval point.

LOOTERA bears the look of a classic. The visuals, the shade palette, the objet d'art, the milieu, the apparel... even the way the characters communicate at an unhurried, easygoing pace and share emotions takes you back to the bygone era.

UDAAN gestured the initiation of an accomplished storyteller's journey and LOOTERA cements it. In years to come, Motwane may emerge as the frontrunner thanks to the plot/s he chooses to narrate and most significantly, the brilliance with which he narrates it. The sparkling chemistry between the actors, the atmospherics, the storytelling... LOOTERA is a demanding film to make, but the director warrants colossal admiration for jubilantly narrating a tale that settles in your heart... and moistens your eyes at varied junctures.

Of course, the narrative unravels at an unhurried pace, but let's not forget that this one has an old-world charm that cannot be rushed. The moments and pauses are to be enjoyed in a film like this!

Every frame of LOOTERA exudes sensuality, partly because the chemistry between the on-screen lovers -- Ranveer and Sonakshi -- is scorching. The fervor and passion the two actors emanate on screen, while living those characters, leaves you awe-struck. LOOTERA is further embellished with dialogue that corresponds so delightfully with the premise. The lines are dreamy, romantic and acidic, as per the situation. The contribution by the DoP is equally pertinent, with the frames appearing to be a painting in motion.

The evaluation would be imperfect without highlighting Amit Trivedi's contribution to the motion picture. The soundtrack is seeped in melody and mirrors the era that the director illustrates on celluloid. True to the concept, Trivedi takes you back to the long-gone period with his melodies.

While Ranveer and Sonakshi anchor the movie with supreme performances, even the ones in supporting parts leave an ineradicable impact. Ranveer has been entrusted with a complicated character so early in his career. Besides playing an intense lover, he plays a reticent and brooding character, something he hasn't explored in his earlier films. And Ranveer makes the most of it by making the character come alive. The character has disconcerting shades and it is imperative that he uses his eyes to leave a mark, which he does so at a variety of stages. He's simply fantastic!

Like Ranveer, Sonakshi too gets the most demanding role of her career thus far and what makes it even more complicated for the youngster is the fact that she has to shoulder the responsibility of hauling the film on her shoulders when Ranveer makes a brief exit, only to re-emerge after a point. Sonakshi is a revelation in LOOTERA; her performance is, beyond doubt, top notch. She glides into her part with such effortlessness that it catches you by complete surprise. She's magnificent!

Divya Dutta is super in a cameo. Vikrant Massey is first-rate. Shirin Guha is appropriate. Arif Zakaria is tremendous. Adil Hussain delivers a punch-packed performance. Barun Chanda, as Sonakshi's father, is brilliant.

On the whole, LOOTERA is an intrinsically earnest and profoundly heartwarming story that stays in your heart. An absolute must for those who love romantic films or are romantic at heart. This one's a cinematic gem!

Chennai Express Music Review

Chennai Express is the upcoming commercial caper from Rohit Shetty, his first collaboration with Shah Rukh Khan and Red Chillies Entertainment. The film also marks Deepika Padukone and Shah Rukh Khan’s second film together, since Padukone’s debut with Khan in Om Shanti Om 6 years ago.

Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani (Student of the Year and Ra.One), Red Chillies favourites, who previously composed for Shetty’s Golmaal in 2006 return as the music directors for Chennai Express while Amitabh Bhattacharya (Lootera) has been roped in to pen the 8-track soundtrack. Vocal talents featured in the album consist of Hamsika Iyer (‘Chammak Challo’ – Ra.One), Arjit Singh (‘Raabta’ – Agent Vinod), Sunidhi Chauhan (‘Sheela Ki Jawaani’ – Tees Maar Khan), Chinmayee (‘Tere Bina’ – Guru), Anusha Mani (Don 2 – Title Track), Neeti Mohan (‘Ishq Wala Love’ – Student of the Year), and S P Balasubrimaniyam (Look him up kids!) who returns to Bollywood after approximately 15 years. Also featured are Vishal Dadlani and Amitabh Bhattacharya as well as Mr Gopi Sunder, award winning Malayalam music director (for Anwar in 2010) who has previously collaborated with Vishal-Shekhar as a keyboard programmer.

Chennai Express arrives as a platform (read cinema) near you on 8 August 2013.

The album kick starts with One Two Three Four, an item number featuring prominent southern heroine, Priyamani (Raavan). It is a loud and energetic number that arguably makes a gross generalisation about dance tracks from South Indian cinema. That being said, it is composed in good humour (ala Mehmood style southern-ised Hindi tracks) and the hooks are undeniably infectious. The southern signature musical arrangements are a nice touch, and the lyrical interlude in Madhurai (or what research dictates to be Madhurai) set the song apart from others in the genre. Hamsika Iyer and Vishal Dadlani are at the helm of this uncharacteristically well-written item number and the gusto with which they render the song is palpable. However, the chorus line, “Booty Shake Booty Shake, Dapaankoothu Hardcore, Shoulder Hichik Michik, Body Hichik Michik, Gimme Gimme Some More’ borders on the amateurish.

Titli is one of the more sober tracks of album and a very beautiful one at that. The promos of the track have been making rounds on the airwaves and the track has already won audiences over so a review is arguably more or less moot. Regardless, Chinamayee and Gopi do a fantastic job rendering this soulful romantic duet, their fresh vocals a treat for sore ears. Musically, Vishal-Shekhar hit the spot. The traditional southern beginning with Tamil lyrics flows into a moderately paced melodious contemporary-esque number with impressive lyrics. The dup-step version of Titli is strictly okay.

Tera Raasta Chhodoon Na continues from where ‘Titli’ left off, in that it is easy on the ears but it also adopts a light and quick rhythm that distinguishes it from its predecessor. It is devoid of any reference to southern musical arrangements and lyrical interludes which is certainly refreshing. Amitabh heads the track, supported by Anusha Mani, both complimenting each other well. Further, it is well penned which makes the track more likeable.

Next is Kashmir Main Tu Kanyakumari which is quite a cute song to bob along to but at the end of the day it is relatively unremarkable. Arjit, Sunidhi and Neeti have been more of less wasted and the music almost seems to be a mediocre template superimposed upon the vocals. It may resonate differently once depicted onscreen but for now it will not be missed.

Ready Steady Po is a decently arranged techno track hinting at being a situational number or part of the background score but fails to impress either way.

The much awaited SP Balasubrimanium song, the title track, is likeable enough and it is definitely a delight to hear the veteran after a 15 year gap. Arguably, the composition is way beneath his stature but you would not be able to gage a hint of it from SPB’s enthusiastic and heartfelt rendition. Lyrically, the song features more English words than Hindi and Tamil. Though, Amitabh must be congratulated on aptly inserting the English words, the exercise does get tired rather quickly.  The track sounds tailor made for an Om-Shanti-Om-like closing credits and one imagines it will fare better if utilised as same. Other than that the track’s average at best.

Similar to remixed alternatives of tracks a few years ago, mash-ups are possibly becoming the new rage when it comes to album fillers. The Chennai Express mash-up is strictly speaking a clever jumble of the preceding tracks and saves you the trouble of listening to the more mediocre tracks of the album in their entirety without missing the good bits about them. However, it can come of as being a little loud and messy. Vishal-Shekhar’s previous mash-up for Student of the Year was flawless in comparison but arguably it was the sum of far better songs than this one.

In summary, the soundtrack of Chennai Express is not far from what you expect from a proclaimed commercial entertainer. It is loud, energetic, fun and promises same for its on-screen incarnations. That being said, Titli and Tera Raasta are clearly distinguishable from its roaring accompaniments and re-instate why Vishal-Shekhar are the go to composers, regardless of film genre, for this era. The remaining tracks, while not as impressive are not entirely dismissible, having decent entertainment value. All in all the music of Chennai Express is an average fare when one could have easily expected a lot more.

Our rating:

View Chennai Express All Songs Lyrics 

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