Friday, October 14, 2011

MERA BROTHER KI DULHAN or BODYGUARD?







Both films pulled audiences to the ticketsale counters. Both offer solid and modern entertainment this autumn season.





Mere Brother ki Dulhan is a youthful and pacey tale of the search for the perfect modern day liberated bride, incarnated by Laila (Katrina Kaif) who lives to drink and have fun. It is utterly refreshing to see Katrina Kaif as a full-out rebel, even though her acting still requires developing her individual style more as she somehow often seems to emulate other successful actresses of yesterday and today... She is however very commendable in her role and, as a woman, I have to salute her for not being stick thin but still looking fresh and beautiful. Who wants to be size zero, I say indeed? 

Thursday, September 29, 2011

MAUSAM Stolen Moments of Romance

"Mausam"... When I heard the title of Pankaj Kapoor's maiden film, it brought back memories of Mhd. Rafi's "Aaj mausam bada beimaan hai" and therefore images of traditional romantic movies...
Mausam is a love story spanning the four seasons of its hero and heroine's lives: Harry, a Hindu Punjabi boy, and Aayat, a Muslim Kashmiri girl. The first season is that of their encounter as teenagers in a small village of Punjab. As the two fall in love and the audience watches them grow their lives enter season two. The drama and pain of separation makes their love grow deeper as they mature in season three and finally season four sees both lovers come together.

At a time when most male star actors are working on appearing as young as possible and oozing their sex appeal, 6-pack abs, and stunts in action films, Mausam brings back the innocence of youthful romance with Shahid Kapoor who has stepped from being promising to stunningly talented, whether he is conveying naughtiness, reservation or the pain of a lost love.

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Thursday, September 1, 2011

AARAKSHAN: Watch with Reservations

Prakash Jha's new film, Aarakshan, touches upon the controversial subject of caste and has done so in such a straightforward way, according to three Indian states (Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh) that they have banned its screening, fearing that it might spark bouts of communal violence. Other measures taken in order to ensure safety in relation to the film, have included providing special protection in certain movie theaters where Aarakshan is being screened, as well as protecting the film's well-known actors.

Aarakshan's setting is in a school in which Amitabh Bachchan, the principal, must face the delicate issue of   caste-based quotas. The controversy started once the first look of the film was launched. However, even if the film does indeed allude to Aarakshan at some point in the beginning of the story, the rest of the script is less concerned by it as it develops into a critique of education in India.

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Sunday, July 17, 2011

ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA -The Ultimate Road Trip




Zoya Akhtar knocks it out of the park with her second film. This fresh and full-of-life movie has breathed new zindagi into Hindi cinema much like Dil Chahta Hai did back in 2001. This delicious adventure takes place in Spain and was beautifully filmed in additional locations such as Egypt and India.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

DELHI BELLY: I rate you [like I love you]









'Delhi Belly' might not be doing the due rounds of Nepali cinemas but it sure has traveled to other exotic destinations! Paris and its quintessential commuting work routine had me a bit dizzy this week until - lo and behold - I discovered a silent film release that would force me to unwind... As I scroll through Internet cinema timings at the local French café I come upon the word "Delhi" on my screen... I wonder if a cinema is scheduling an art-house movie about India but immediately see the word "Belly" on the side. I squint. "Delhi" plus "Belly"?! A suburban cinema in Paris is showing a film I never imagined I could watch on the big screen! Abhinay Deo's 'Delhi Belly' has crashed Paris and has me scrambling to the nearest subway station! Cinema hall, here we come!


As I reach the cinema, nine huge posters announce Hollywood fare and my wallet's target is nowhere to be seen. I stand in queue and ask the cashier for a ticket to watch 'Delhi Belly'. The cashier begs my pardon and for a second I ask myself if I should have pinched myself when I saw the film announced on the Internet. I repeat the name of the film and the cashier looks through the list of films currently showing before actually realizing that a film called 'Delhi Belly' is scheduled. I pay my ticket and hurry to find all seats empty, but thankfully, a few minutes later a small audience starts trickling in. We are a handful of foreigners sitting with a merry group of NRIs, carrying packaged samosas and all. The place suddenly feels like home.


Rewind a couple of years earlier. Of all three films Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao's production house was preparing since 2008, 'Delhi Belly' has been the closest to my heart and the expectation to see it never waned even after a box-office smashing '3 Idiots' or a subtle 'Dhobi Ghat'. I had not seen 'Delhi Belly' but yet knew it would be my favorite film of all three. Now is the chance to see if my expectations were correct.

Sitting in that Paris cinema, the small audience gets the feeling we are members of some exclusive clique. A bunch of connoisseurs ready to savour a treat that is only meant for the duly initiated...

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