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Saturday, September 24, 2011
Mummy Punjabi Movie Review
Bodyguard Movie Review
Remember Salman from the days of 'Bandhan', 'Hum Aapke Hain Kaun', 'Hum Saath Saath Hai' etc. where he could do nothing wrong and was always there for his loved ones? Not just that as he spoke every word only after going through it in his mind and never once mouthed anything that could be offensive to anyone, be it the ones known or unknown to him. When the film begins, it seems like a regular love story in the making. Salman is hired by Kareena's father (Raj Babbar) to protect her from feudal enemies (Mahesh Manjrekar, Aditya Pancholi, Chetan Hansraj). Of course it is known from beginning till the end that this band-of-brothers would be beaten to the pulp and Salman won't allow a single scratch on Kareena's body. However beneath the exterior of this action packed setting, there is a delicate love story in the running that reminds one of the soft-hearted Salman that one saw once during the 90s. Off late due to his 'Dabangg', 'Wanted' and 'Ready' image, one expects him to throw smart one liners at every juncture and be his goofy best with ample funny antics at display. However he takes a turn which is quite pleasant to say the least. This means that even when he is following around Kareena in her college or trying to find the identity of the mysterious caller who is trying to woo him over the phone, one never sees him indulging into any buffoonery. Instead of focusing the film on Salman's screen presence and presenting him in a way his audience wants, writer-director Siddique lets the story do all the talking. For Kareena too it becomes a good enough platform to showcase her true calibre as an actor, especially after relatively much light hearted '3 Idiots' and 'Golmaal 3'. With 'Bodyguard', and especially during the second half of the film, she reiterates loud and clear all over again the reason why she has been ruling from the top for so long. Does the movie show a dip anywhere? Not really though one does feel during the first half of the film at least that there is quite some time being spent on the entire build up. Also, the mischief around mystery calls seems a little too simplistic considering neither Salman nor Kareena can be expected to get into such childish pranks. Also Kareena's initial annoyance with Salman seems a litte unjustified considering they had hardly met and the man was just doing his job. Moreover Salman's reference to Raj Babbar as 'Maalik' seems out of place in today's times. Technically the film is reasonably polished, especially during the action sequences though due to it's overall simplistic nature, 'Bodyguard' hasn't been presented as an overtly flamboyant experience. Songs have been placed well in the film though eventually it is the sound of Himesh Reshammiya's 'Teri Meri' stay on with you long after you are through watching the film, more so because it also forms the part of the background score. Amongst actors, while Salman and Kareena shine in their parts, the only other actor whom you actually take home is Hazel. Present in almost every scene with Kareena, she is much more than just her supporting buddy. Raj Babbar just passes muster while one wishes there was more of Pancholi. Mahesh Manjrekar is surprisingly out of place this time around and so is the case with Asrani and Sharat Saxena. Talking from commercial standpoint, word in the town is that 'Bodyguard' can' go wrong because of one major reason - 'Salman wave is on'. Oh yes, of course that's true. But then can just a wave be good enough for a film to sail through? Not really, because all said and done, it's an overall package that matters as well. In that context, 'Bodyguard' is pretty much a package deal in the offering. It has ample masala in it to keep Salman's core audience happy. But then it also has a soul to it that comes from Salman-Kareena love story. |
Speedy Singhs Movie Review
If you have seen the promos, there are no surprises in the film's storyline. A Canadian citizen with Indian roots, the character played by Vinay Virmani wants to pursue his dream of being an ice hockey player. His dad (Anupam Kher) doesn't hate sports but feels ice hockey will take him nowhere. However with help from his uncle (Gurpreet Guggi), coach (Rob Lowe) and a bunch of large hearted Sikh friends, he manages to rise up the ladder. There are challenges in the form of racism from opponent teams and mischievous relatives (Russell Peters) but with his girlfriend (Camilla Belle) alongside, he manages to defeat all adversities.
With a straight forward plot like this, what is of paramount importance is to ensure that the narrative is gripping enough. In this context, it is apparent that director Robert Lieberman has tried to balance his Western sensibilities with what Indian audience wants. The results are mixed with the story telling oscillating between some exciting, some not-so-exciting and a few ordinary moments.
So while the film does start off well with Vinay joining his friends in rising from an amateur to a professional team, at times you do feel that entire crowd of relatives around him are thrust upon to fit it all into crossover genre. Though one would have expected the film to take a one-dimensional route here i.e. a youngster striving to rise in the world of sports, there is a family drama angle added in which only ends up diverting viewer's attention.
On the other hand what still makes one sit through the film comfortably are the performances and the easy-to-eyes persona of Vinay. The youngster does quite well in fact and acts with very good confidence. He has a very likeable screen presence and though he has started with a film which has sports as its genre, he can very well fit into romantic genre in films to come. He doesn't go overboard even in dramatic sequences and gets able help from Anupam Kher who comes up with yet another convincing act.
Another actor who stands out is Rob Lowe. As a coach with a humane side to him, he is quite natural and his experience in working on quite a few mainstream Hollywood films shows. Russell Peters would be liked by those who are familiar with his stand-up acts though how one wishes he had actually come up with a few scenes which were out and out riotous. Camilla looks good but gets minimal scope. On the other hand Akshay's cameo comes at just the right juncture in the film and contributes to the film moving forward.
What does further contribute to the film are the songs that play on and off as a part of the film's background score. However the one that takes the cake is 'Shera Di Kaum' that plays during the end credits roll. A chartbuster track already, this along with the ice hockey encounter in the climax are two of the major reasons why one doesn't really mind watching 'Speedy Singhs' till it's very end.
There aren't many films based on sports that are attempted in Bollywood. In this context it is a rare occasion to see a film belonging to similar genre getting a good widespread release. This despite the fact that a) It is an Indo-Canadian collaboration, b) It is an English film dubbed in Hindi, c) It features an absolute newcomer and d) It talks about a sports unknown to majority of moviegoers in India - 'Ice Hockey'. Keeping these factors in mind, 'Speedy Singhs' at least makes an attempt to find visibility.
Mausam - Mammoth disappointment
As per the makers, 'Mausam' tries to bring in an old world charm into the proceedings. Just to jog audience's memory though, even Raj Kanwar directed 'Sadiyaan' [Ever heard of that? It was Luv Sinha's debut vehicle] had attempted that some time back and the results were miserable. Well, 'Mausam' isn't any better and that by itself is a terrible piece of news.
Frankly, this is one film for no season whatsoever. It turns out to be such a pointless experience that you start wondering even before the interval card flashes that whether there would be any respite whatsoever. The movie meanders aimlessly, moves from one country to another, adds on to boredom with every passing chapter and eventually reaches a climax which, by the way, doesn't even make an announcement around its arrival. Sad, in fact utterly shocking, because despite low expectations, this isn't the deal that one was looking for from 'Mausam'.
Shahid, a naughty young man from a small town in Punjab, is waiting for his appointment in IAF. He sees Sonam Kapoor, a Kashmiri refugee, and it is 'pehli nazar mein pyaar'. Unspoken love brings them together but the world around them tears them apart. Their journey of hide and seek stretches for a decade and even as other riots and global attacks threaten to distance them forever, eventually they end up being united.
Now all of this could still have been tolerable had the episodes being woven with some interesting moments. What one gets to see is one boring scene after another that just dilutes whatever little impact that could have been made. In fact the most drastic of them all, and something that happens within the first half of the film itself, are the series of events that unfold on Scotland. As one understands by this time that it is going to be an exercise in futility, what happens from this point can't be comprehended at all.
Now that's a disappointment because the film actually started off nicely. No, it didn't quite give one a feel of an epic in the making but still a few light hearted scenes, all involving Shahid, were presented well. In fact the actor too comes across as a mixed bag. While he is totally convincing and quite endearing as a villager, his stiff persona once he becomes an IAF officer makes one believe that he has done much better in films like 'Kaminey', 'Jab We Met' or for that matter, even 'Kismat Konnection'. No, he doesn't act badly but given the parameters in which he has to perform, the outcome isn't satisfying. Ditto for Sonam who is again trapped in a 'Saawariya' kind of subtle situation and makes one miss the glamour that has come to be associated with her of late.
What takes the cake, a bitter one at that though, is the climax. Shahid saves Sonam in the riots. Then he saves a white horse. Then he saves a child. All when one of his arms is not functioning. So far, so okay. Chalta hai, Hindi picture hai. But then in the morning after, Shahid and Sonam reflect on their past. 'Kucch tumne khoya, kucch maine' - are the golden words mouthed. And lo, the two unite, not leaving the child behind who is now homeless. This isn't all because there is another fourth character that joins the family. It's the white horse!
Engeyum Eppodhum Movie Review
Bouquet to debutant filmmaker Saravanan for etching out a film that speaks about feelings of people and the value of every single life. With handful of characters, the director has come out with a flick that is filled with fun, joy, tears and other human emotions.
What begins as a journey in a bus takes twists and turns, and when we think all is well that ends well, a shocking incident happens. But hold on! There is no preachy stuff as Saravanan manages to lace the message with lighter moments in the film.
For many of us road mishaps mean just numbers - the number of people perished in such accidents. Rarely we get to see the colourful life the victims enjoyed without knowing that death is coming close to them.
'Engeyum Eppodhum' attempts to take a closer look at such people. In a nutshell, it is the story of two couples who end up romancing in contrasting manner. They happen to meet at one point where a tragedy strikes in their lives.
Coming to the story, two buses coming on opposite direction crash at each other on the National Highway in Villupuram. Tragic scenes follow. Meanwhile, a flashback unfolds and the life of a lover couple is narrated.
Amudha (Ananya), an engineering passout comes to Chennai from a village in Tiruchy for an interview. Situation leads her to take the help of a stranger Goutham (Sarva) to locate the company. Initially she is reluctant, but slowly gets acquanited and starts admiring him.
Meanwhile, there is another romance in the form of Kadhiresan (Jai) and Manimegalai (Anjali). A soft-spoken good-hearted Kadhiresan falls for a young nurse Manimegalai, who is out-spoken and lives life her own way.
After completing the interview, Amudha returns to Tiruchy but her thoughts revolve around Goutham. Goutham too wants to see her and express his love. Amudha comes to Chennai in search of her lover. At the same time, Goutham decides to go to Tiruchy to hold the hands of Amudha.
Meanwhile, Kadhiresan and Manimekalai get along well and after a series of interesting events in their romance, they decide to go to a village near Tiruchy to meet Kadhiresan's parents. Gautam, Kadhiresan and Manimekalai boards a bus to Tiruchy, while Amudha takes a bus from Tiruchy to Chennai. Near Villupuram, the buses collide. What happens then forms the climax.
Sarva as a suave city youth fits the bill well. His cool and casual expressions are adequate for the role. Ananya as an innocent bubbly rustic girl who comes to city is impressive. Anjali as a out-spoken and straightforward girl in love with Jai is tailor-made for the character.
Watch out for Jai. He as an innocent youth is the scene-stealer. He does his best in the role. The actor manages to leave an impression with his performance.
All the characters are well-written and neatly conceived by the director. They resemble close to real-life. The narration keeps one engaged all through. The contrasting love, loss, gain and sorrow are beautifully portrayed.
R Velraj's cinematography and catchy background score of debutant Sathya add solidity to the proceedings. All said, 'Engeyum Eppodhum' is a whiff of fresh air in Tamil cinema. Saravanan has certainly made his mentor A R Murugadoss, who has produced this film along with Fox Star Studios, proud.
Vandhaan Vendraan Movie Review
Expectations are on a feverish pitch as Jiiva's 'Vandhaan Vendraan' hit the screens this week-end. For, it comes after a huge hit in 'Ko' and a serious outing in 'Rowthiram' for Jiiva.
As expected he has opted for a different genre - a romantic entertainer laced with action. Director Kannan, who proved his mettle in 'Jayamkondan' and 'Kanden Kadhalai', has managed to utilize the new-found image of Jiiva to the optimum.
The movie has romance, action and humour, but it proceeds at a leisurely pace. Looks like the mixing of these ingredients in a commercial format has marred the show.
Arjun (Jiiva) is a boxer, who has a mission to accomplish. He comes to Mumbai to fulfill that. He meets a dreaded but suave don Ramana (Nandha). He slowly gets acquainted with him. As events unfold, he opens about his romance with Anjali (Taapsee) to him.
Anjali's father, a rich businessman, is killed in a shoot-out and Ramana is the reason for it. Anjali informs Arjun that she is ready to marry him provided he ensures Ramana surrenders to the police for his crime. What follows is a twist in the tale which paves way for a drama.
It's Jiiva all the way. As a lover boy, as a bratty youth and a serious youngster - he combines everything with elegance in the role. His screen presence is the movie's backbone.
Taapsee has come a long way from 'Aadukalam'. She is chirpy and bubbly. Santhanam provides big relief. His one-liners are catchy. Nandha steals the scene with his subtle performance. However, the love scenes between Jiiva and Taapsee are ordinary and lack conviction.
Thaman's music is nice to listen to. A couple of songs are foot-tapping. PG Muthiah captures Mumbai fresh through his lens.
Mankatha Movie Review
The headline says it all. In 'Mankatha', Ajith pulls it off with his impeccable style and excellent performance, which is aptly supported by a racy script and brilliant execution by director Venkat Prabhu and his team.
If cricket was the USP of 'Chennai 28', the director's first film, 'Mankatha' is also based on the sport but with a difference. It is all about betting, money and the men behind it.
Ajith has appropriately chosen to do 'Mankatha' as his 50th film. It is a movie that has everything his fans would want. He shakes his legs vigorously, evokes laughter, does pulsating stunt sequences and utters catchy one-liners (with some of them going mute).
The first-half belongs to Venkat Prabhu where he shows sparks of 'Saroja' and 'Goa', while the latter part is totally dominated by Ajith. As a merciless baddie behind money, Ajith oozes venom in his eyes. His body language and dialogue delivery compliments it very much. Though the movie has over a dozen characters, it's Ajith all the way. With his remarkable screen presence, he is at his coolest best.
Coming to the story, 'Mankatha' revolves around a suspended cop Vinayak Mahadevan (Ajith) in Maharashtra police. He leads a happy life with his lover Sanjana (Trisha), daughter of an influential local goon Arumuga Chettiyar (Jayaprakash).
Vinayak is a man who dares to do anything for money. But a fun-loving person, he lives his life in his own way.
A suicide by a police officer investigating the betting mafia involved in Indian Premier League (IPL) hogs headlines. Assistant Commissioner of Police Prithvi (Arjun) takes charge to end betting scandal in the sport.
Meanwhile, Arumuga Chettiyar comes to know that a sum of Rs 500 crore betting money for the finals of the IPL is coming to Mumbai. He uses his nexus with underworld in Mumbai and tries to route it through his recreation centre.
Sumanth (Vaibhav) is Arumuga Chettiyar's protege. He hatches a conspiracy to take away the money in the company of a police officer Ganesh (Ashwin). They are joined by Mahanth (Mahanth), who runs a bar in Mumbai and Prem (Premgi Amaran), a fun-loving IIT pass out.
Coming to know of their plans, Vinayak steps in. He promises to help the team members and divide the booty between them. They even succeed in taking away the money and decide to wait for an appropriate time to share the fortune.
In the meantime, a shocked Arumuga Chettiyar begins his hunt for the treasure and every move of him is closely followed by Prithvi. All hell breaks loose from here.
Cheers to Ajith. The man after a long gap gets a role where he can perform with variety (Watch out for the scene where he demands Arjun to finish off Vaibhav). He is at his best and his salt and pepper look is catchy and attractive.
As a suave cop, a dreaded don or a adorable lover, he leaves his charm on screen. His uttering of one-liners to Arjun evokes applause. His imitating Premgi in few scenes brings the roof down in laughter.
Arjun lives up to his Action King tag. He adds variety on screen and is cool and consummate as a police officer.
Trisha appears in a few scenes besides a song and disappears. Andrea as Arjun's wife, Lakahmi Rai as call girl and Anjali in the role of Vaibhav's wife play blink-and-miss roles. Jayaprakash gets to play a decent part in the film. At places he reminds one of Kamal Haasan's role in 'Nayakan'. Vaibhav gets a meaty character and he utilises the opportunity.
Both Ganesh and Mahanth are tailor-made for the roles, while Premgi is at his best in the film. He takes off from where he left in 'Goa'. At ease in coming out with comical one-liners, his admiration for Ajith is visible on screen.
Watch out for good cinematography in such an action-packed film. Sakthi Saravanan has given a fresh colour to it. It's Yuvan Shankar Raja's mass tunes that elevates the mood. Accompanied by Karthik Raja, Bhavadharini and Premgi Amaran, he has shown difference in background score too (especially in the godown-fight scene in the second half)..
While editing by Praveen K L and N B Srikanth makes the film racy (doubly so in the second half), Vasuki Baskar's costumes fit well the 'Thala' and others. Stunts (courtesy Selva) are another highlight of 'Mankatha'
Give due credit to Venkat Prabhu, the director who seems to have given a film that sits well on Ajith. He understood Ajith's strength and played it well. Who said he can only direct laughathons? With 'Mankatha', he has graduated to go higher places.
On the whole, it's job well done by Venkat Prabhu, producer Dhayanidhi Alagiri and other members of the team.
