Lootera : by Vikramaditya Motwane

A year long hiatus has bought me back to my passion.. & there is surely no better film bollywood has seen in a long time than ..

Motwane's Lootera !

The year is 1953 , Bengal , zamindari is at its peak in India. Pakhi , the feisty daughter of an ageing aristocrat is a girl so vulnerable in her demeanour. She is longing for independence as shown by her secret driving chores.

In comes , Varun seeking help from the zamindar for excavation at the land owned by him representing the archaeological society.

He is articulate , charming yet focused on the job in hand. Pakhi & Varun collide in a brewing chemistry when he takes shelter as a house guest.

She gets her wings and a reason to wake up every morning. The protagonists irresistibly get drawn into each other with sheer innocence and old world charm. Pakhi dreams of writing at her Dalhousie house and converting her stories into words. Varun has the desire to paint a masterpiece someday.

The director has done a marvellous job of keeping the exchanges between Varun & Pakhi understated with binge of silence.

Second half of the film , takes a turn which compels the audience to take the girl and the boys' journey to its destination. Motwane opts for stark muted backdrop of Dalhousie which blends with the mood of the screenplay at this juncture.

The detailing in this film takes it to a level of poetry in motion. Cinematography by Shetty is spell binding capturing the colour of Bengal and the sombre landscapes of Dalhousie. The sets , the colour , the curtains , the dialogues , vintage vehicles are just so 1950's pitch perfect.

Performances .. The maturity is so hard to fathom , is beyond their age. Both these actors have been hard core commercial typecasts , and Motwane has moulded them with sheer brilliance

Sonakhi as Pakhi is craving , vulnerable , feisty , brittle & bitter
Ranveer as Varun is street smart , charming , practical , mature & intense.

Supporting cast is noteworthy too with Adil as the tough cop & Vikrant as Dev inspired cheeky friend.Music & Background score elevates this film to Cloud 9 - Amit Trivedi & Amitabh Bhattacharya are truly wizards. My favourites - Zinda & Ankahee.

Motwane's second outing - Respect! - O.Henry would be proud!
A Cinematic Masterpiece!

Rating : 4.5/5.0

Cocktail : by Homi Adajania

Cocktail is a story of 3 individuals living together in the City of London

Veronica played by Deepika Padukone

Meera played by Diana Penty

Gautan played by Saif Ali Khan

Statutory Warning !

Pritam's Music

&

Deepika's Hot Quotient

will spin your head in a FRENZY .. this is enough FIZZ in a Cocktail for me

thought it may taste the same as encountered in the past.

Runs out of steam : 2nd Half!

Absolutely Smoking : 1st Half!

Miss Padukone .. Ahem! Ahem! 

Die hard dreamer w.e.f  - NOW!

 

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Gangs of Wasseypur : by Anurag Kashyap

'Teri Keh Ke Loonga' - says Sardar Khan with malevolence and pain in his eyes seeking vengeance from the lynchpin of Wasseypur- Ramadhir Singh.

Gangs of Wasseypur is an Indian mafia setup in the small town of Wasseypur - part of Dhanbad city. The coal mafia is deep rooted with a cut throat rivalry between the Qureshis & Khans.

The film spans across the early 1940's to the present day context in 2004. Sardar Khan's father is killed when the Ramadhir learns about his ambitions of ruling the coal mines syndicate.

Sardar Khan's shaves his head swearing not grow his hair back till the objective is complete.He rises to become the most feared ganglord with the only aim of finishing Ramamdhir and his empire.

Manoj Bajpai , a superlative actor enacts Sardar Khan with so much spitefullness yet being innocent charming husband. His allurement spells a cast on the women in his life  - wife ( Nagma ) and bahar-wali (Durga) played with enduring gusto by Richa Chadda and Reemma Sen respectively.

The hilarity is the main ingredient of a serious plotline which would have become another Godfather - Sarkar mash up. The dialogues are remarkable with nuances bringing the house down!

The supporting actors revolving around the main protagonist Bajpai completes one of the most virtuoso ensemble cast seen in a decade of hindi cinema -

• Ramadhir Singh -  played by Tigmanshu Dhulia  

          (Director of Sahib, Bibi & Paan Singh Tomar!!)

• Sardar Khan's father  - played by Jaideep Alahwat
• Sardar Khan's youngest son -  played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui

         (Inspector in Kahaani , Bandit in Tomar!)

• Sardar Khan's wife - played by Richa Chadda

          (Dolly from Oye Lucky Lucky Oye!)

• Sardar Khan's guardian - played by Piyush Mishra

Anurag Kashyap's films always had the music inherent to the plotline & Sneha Khanwalker as a composer has done a mind blowing job of moving the narrative a level up -  Track in particular - 'Keh Ke Loongaa'

Bajpai's is the performance of the year by far , Wasseypur scores on its crudeness & mirthfullness!

Badland was never so good!

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Paan Singh Tomar : by Tigmanshu Dhulia

Paan Singh Tomar .. A biopic on the life of seven time national steeplechase champion.

Paan Singh represented India at a national level and at the Asian Games, Tokyo.

No one but Irffan Khan could play a character of such courage , principles and conduct.

The film starts with a news reporter seeking an interview from the most feared dacoit of Chambal.

As the story unfolds in a flashback , we are given peek into the life of an army man who had only one objective to have a full diet. He picks up athletics as a means for a healthy diet & in turn excels in 3000 m steeplechase.

He wins gold medal at the national event 7 times in a row but fails to perform at Tokyo as he is not able to adjust to the new footwear in time.

Irffan is absolutely deep into the skin of Paan Singh , right from his dialect to his demeanour. Circumstances force Paan Singh to settle a feud at his village and take law in his hands.

Technically , the screenplay is taut and the seriousness of the storyline is laced with witty humour.

The scenes between Paan Singh and his wife played by Mahie Gill are sweet and romantic bringing the humour side of the feared dacoit.

Paan Singh without Irrfan would not have been a film so admirable. Mr Dhulia , the director is slowly and steadily getting his due with his filmography boasting of Haasil , Sahib , Bibi aur Gangster too.

Irffan as an actor in my viewpoint is virtuoso! Period.

”Beehad mein to baaghi rehte hain, Parliament mein daaku.”


Rating : 4.0/5.0

Vicky Donor : by Shoojit Sircar

Vicky Donor marks the debutants in queue - Ayushmann Khurrana , Yami Gautam as the lead pair and John Abraham as the producer.

Veteran actor , Annu Kapoor gets a meaty role this time around and the director Shoojit Sircar's second outing after critically acclaimed Yahaan....

The trailers looked appealing at the outset for me , had very little expectations , though the taboo theme was interesting.

Vicky , played by Ayushmann is a 'vella' young guy who is totally dependent on her mother's income from a beauty parlour. Dolly plays his mother , a widow supporting her mother in law and Vicky.

The repartee between Mrs Arora and Biji is one of the high points of the film. Kamlesh Gill performs Biji , full of life and modern to the core , Mrs Arora , a hardworking mother , carrying heart on her sleeve.

Enter , Dr. Chadda , played by ever skillful Annu Kapoor. He is a renowned infertility specialist doctor , who has wealth of experience in sperm donation.

His clinic faces the heat from the clients in providing the best quality sperm - Sportsmen , Actors, Businessmen & Models.

The first half of the film is riding on the tongue in the cheek humour and witticism between Vicky and Dr. Chaddha. The doctor eyes huge clientele for his clinic as soon as he discovers the 'Aryan' putra sperm count of Vicky

Yami Gautam plays a Bengali banker and Vicky's love interest. The romantic track brings freshness to the fore and the pair does a fabulous job. She is beauty personified and is a competent actress for a debutant.

Rolling on the Floor Moments :

1. Chaddha convincing Vicky for the deed
2. Biji & Mrs Arora whisky tet-e-tet
3. Marriage meeting between the Arora & Roy family
4. Chaddha interviewing his clients.

For me , the dialogues never crossed the line , it was always on the EDGE!  

Best line from the film was the explanation by Dr Chaddha on the science of donation prevalent since the times of Mahabharat.  ~ The sauciness is brimming here!

Vicky played by Ayushmaan puts him in one of most promising talent around , his transition from small to big screen is silken!

His lingo in the film is so 'CHANDIGARH' , fuddu pan at its best ;)

Music is very pleasing to the ear and comes at the right portions of the movie. Paani Da is my personal favourite ~  composed , written and sung by Ayushmann!!!

Exceptional script on a forbidden path .. Kudos to the director & the writing team.

This Sperm trully hits the Bullseye!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Kahaani : by Sujoy Ghosh

Vidya is the flavor of the season .. back 2 back releases post The Dirty Picture , she is here in a Durga avatar!

Kahaani , directed by under achieved Sujoy Ghosh (a la' duds like Alladin) , was looking delicious as soon as the promos hit the marquee.

The thriller genre in Indian context have been far and few , but this one really packs a punch.

A pregnant Vidya Bagchi , lands in Kolkatta , ironically a City of Joy party to her sorrow. She is in pursuit of her missing husband  , Arnab.

She lodges a complaint at a local police station. Rana Singh played brilliantly by a Bengali actor Parambrata , a coy policeman who is her support in the quest.

The mystery unfolds at NDC - workplace of Arnab which holds the key and is the heart of  lies & deceit. Vidya and Rana move from one clue to another , with a edge of the seat tenacity.

The introduction of a contract killer , Bob Biswas , in the scheme of things played by Bengali Actor , Saswata , intrigues the audience to the hilt.

The IB official - Khan played like a virtuoso by Nawazuddin Siddiqui is an alter ego of Rana , a stern man of can-do-anything-to-wipe-of-criminals ideals.

The suspense unfolds reel by reel , and I was truly madly deeply immersed into the high octane drama.

Interval is at a god smacking moment in the film and makes me wonder the screenplay is simply superlative.

As it moves along in the second half , the audience is still in a dilema and has no answers to the questions posed by the naarative - Who is Arnab ? Where has he vanished? Who is Milind ? What is the conspiracy at NDC ?

The climax - One of the best yet debatable culminations in Hindi cinema , Mr. Ghosh made me smile once I went out of the dark room , gauging what had just hit me!

The screenplay is extraordinary , the music is apt by Vishal-Shekhar and the cinematography is top draw , Kolkatta never seen before!

Performances - Vidya Balan was always the most versatile we had in business , but she has the power to pull a solo cash jackpot with ease!

Kahaani - Hitchcockeneyed - in your face intoxicating thriller!

Rating : 4.5/5.0

The Dirty Picture : by Milan Luthria

The Dirty Picture .. ever since the trailer hit the marquee .. eyeballs started rolling!

       Vidya of all the actresses has pushed the envelope , removing the veil.

       

Unabashed , Luscious , Dauntless , 'Silk'

Words , Sharp , Wit , Ungenerous , 'Emraan'

Lewd , Cocky , Narcissistic , Superstar , 'Naseer'

Loser , Writer , Timid , Weak-Kneed , 'Tushhar'

 Titilating , Hooking screenplay

Parody of the 80's

Saucy dialogues par excellence

'Filmein sirf teen cheezon ke wajah se chalti hain, entertainment, entertainment, entertainment..aur main entertainment hoon' 

Balan , buxom (hero)ine is back and how!  With gusto!

Ooh la la ..  Surrender to her talent!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Rockstar : by Imtiaz Ali

Rockstar is the latest offering from the very talented young turk by the name of Imtiaz Ali who is just 3 films old.

Ranbir plays Janardhan Jhakar, a wag who transforms into a forbidden and splenetic Rockstar, rechristened as Jordan.

Nargis plays Jhakhar's love interest who makes her debut with this film is half Pakistani , half Czech model.

Jakhar is in love with music and needs to feel the pain for becoming a superlative musician as advised by his confidante , Khatana played impressively by Kumud Mishra.

The initial film moments bring a smile to your face as JJ tries woo Heer(Nargis) and stalks her to get attention.

Imtiaz Ali , the director has showed great sense of maturity and depth in dealing with a complex relationship paradigm between JJ and Heer. There are no simple answers to the  passion and love for each other inspite of Heer getting married and moving to Prague.

The second half  meanders though with the affair in European heartland and makes way for an open ended yet poignant finale.

Nargis is ordinary and her diction and performance left a lot to be desired. A special tribute to the original rockstar in Shammi ji portraying a shehnai virtuoso.

The abutment of Ranbir's portrayal of Jordan in the post interval reels with his goofiness in the first half proves what mettle this actor is made of !!

He has left his contemporaries far behind in the race . It’s a gripping performance – from Janardan’s edginess and non confidence to Jordan’s volatile self! – Ranbir has absolutely nailed it! 

Sadda Haq , an anthem as we speak , would not be the same without Ranbir making the track his own on stage. He literally wraps in Mohit Chauhan's crackerjack renditions all along, convincing me of Jordan's pain!

A.R. Rahman is now a nifty musician , an untouchable force who is the backbone of this cinematic experience. The way his notes showcase the unpredictability yet innocence of Jordan , the brash Rockstar deserves an ovation -  Sadda Haq , Jo Bhi Main , Nadaan Parinde are my picks.

Morrison & Cobain make way for an Indian version to root for , a true blue hysteria inducing Rocker!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Ra.One : by Anubhav Sinha

Random Access version One  - Ra.One is an ambitious venture from the creative den of Superstar SRK.

Directed by Anubhav Sinha ( a la' Dus, Cash and Tum Bin fame) , it is the most expensive film made in Indian film history (Rs 175 Crore)

All said and done , Ra.One is a mixed bag with its share of moments , appealing the most to the hardcore gamers of the world & kids.

Shekhar (SRK) is a gaming employee for Barron industries. His son Prateek (played by Armaan) finds his father uncool and chicken hearted.

Prateek is embarrassed by Shekar's attempts to woo him and his antics fall flat. Kareena plays Shekhar's wife Sonia who is writing a thesis on swear words ( what crudeness!? ) and is a housewife.

Shekhar sets out to develop a unique game where the villain is near unconquerable! - christened Ra.One (played by Arjun Rampal)

The good guy is named G.One (SRK). The trials of the game go well , with subsequent uncomforming behaviour with the motion sensor body suits. Ra.One starts to control the game and in a bid to destroy Lucifer (Prateek's gaming handle) , comes out of the box !!

The film boasts of state of art VFX and there is no doubt on the technical achievement here. Some noteworthy sequences include :

1. London Car Chase
2. CST Terminal Wreckage
3. Ra.One & G.One showdown at the car parking lot
4. Re-construction of the G-One and Ra-One from the lego like blocks!

Kareena lends the ooomph factor and she has never looked as gorgeous as Sonia in this flick. The corny-cheesy chemistry between SRK and herself is in a bad taste and falsifies all claims for this to be a kiddo genre.

Rampal plays the title role with menace and also gets the best lines in the movie.

Chammak Challo lights up the celluloid , one heck of a catchy song!  ALAS , the choreography by Hegde is insipid.

Screenplay of the film should have been more taut with the showdown between the good-evil halted by tacky dialogues , non humorous anecdotes , cheap thrills (Sanjay , PC & 3 Lee Girls).

SRK's insecurities as the King Khan comes to the fore with an attempt to pack in everything possible. A superhero flick should be true to the genre instead of being a masala potpourri.

We wish for a Romantic Avatar next time than an Blue Eyed Cyborg ..

Rehash of T2 , Iron Man & Jackie Chan flicks ..
Saving grace Kareena & VFX ..
High Reaching and Power Loving pursuit .. G.One with the Wind!

Rating : 3.0/5.0

Bodyguard : by Siddique

Salman Khan , an enigma is here with another insipid dish.

B  - Body Abs Show

O - Ostentatious

D - Dimwit & Dumb

Y - Yawn!

G - Good Ol' Himesh , imitator

U -USP , Kareena , Nah!

A - Action par excellence

R - Ringtone Sing Song

D -  Drab

Lousy cinema at its peak!

Rating : 1.0/5.0

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara : by Zoya Akhtar

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is the second film from the ever so talented Zoya Akhtar who proved her worth in Luck by Chance.

It is a story about a bachelor trip planned by Imran (Farhan Akhtar) in celebration of his close friend Kabir (Abhay Deol) getting married soon.

The trio is complete with Arjun (Hrithik) and they set off to Spain for an adventure of a lifetime!

The ensemble cast also includes Katrina Kaif who plays a diving instructor in the film. There is Kalki Koechlin who plays Kabir' fiance.


Spain , truly a beautiful spectacle , captured magnificently by the cinematographer , Carlos Catalan.

The anecdotes from Farhan Akhtar had me in splits , the restraint and composure from Hrithik gave me goosebumps , the loyalty and indecisiveness of Abhay had me tense.

This is what makes ZNMD special , because the characters are so real and the audience is able to identify with each of them.

The friends take on the adventure sports chosen by the other one after another. The interval had tinge of masala when Kalki lands up in Spain to check on her hubby!

Notable Sequences:

1. Sky Diving gave me goosebumps
2. Bull Race at the climax was thrilling
3. Deep Sea Diving had me in fantasy world
4. The road trip chit chat , fights , humour & BAGWATI!
5. Japanese client conference & the  pink phone gift to Hrithik!
6. Gamesmanship between Farhan & Hrithik
7.Cameo by Naseer saab reinforces my belief of him being the greatest character artists in India

One of the high points of the film are the wonderful words of wisdom in the form of poems which have been seamlessly connected with the screenplay.

Farhan's voice over gives an utmost justice Javed Saab's expression!
Dialogues written by Farhan are magical!
Direction by Zoya with heart warming nuances took my breath away!

Akhtar clan is truly madly deeply talented!

Bollywood's Bucket of Life!  .. Go for it , take the bull by its horns!

Rating : 4.0 / 5.0

Delhi Belly : by Abhinay Deo

So Aamir Khan Production is back with Delhi Belly for audiences to relish! and admire his knack of narrating stories ..

Ummm ..Errr .... Huhh Oh!  Are you sure this is 'A'  Bollywood Film . ?!

Delhi Belly is a story of three roomates played by Imran Khan , Vir Das and Kunnal Roy.

They are so under obligation and dilapidated state , with no rent to pay.

Tashi(Imran) is in a relationship with Sonia played by Shehnaaz but he in turn is besotted by journalist Menaka played by Poorna.

Arup (Vir) is stuck in a hopeless cartoonist job and is dumped by his girlfriend too.

Nitin is a lazy dimwit with knack of eating crap roadside stuff , causing the ever famous Delhi diarrhoea.

A Gangster played by Vijay Raaz is eager to receive the diamonds package which is to be delivered by Sonia. In the midst of all confusion , Nitin's stool samples reaches the gangster and the diamonds are at the doctor's clinic.


** Disclaimer : A Word of Caution **

• The language used in the film is boorish and filthy to say the least , yet comical.

• The content in the film is gross , which is not everybody's cup of tea.

A side splitting comedy of errors and disorientation follows which had me in an uncontrollable riot !

Notable Sequences :-

1. Vijay Raaz receives the stool samples and the exclamation!
2. Nitin empties the Orange juice cartons to the utter disgust of Arup
3. The Jewellery Shop heist!
4. Nitin's photo - operation
5. Vijay Raaz entering Vladmir's room using a service guy's help ..
6. The Hotel Room Shootout
7. Roommates interrogation by Vijay Raaz for the diamonds before the roof falls!

There is no dearth of mad cap stuff , the 'F' word  ,  left right center , smacking right in your face crudeness & toilet humour galore!

The crisp editing and the music uplifts the film. Ram Sampath has truly arrived with tracks like 'Bhaag DK' ,  'I Hate You' and 'Sweety'.

Performances:  All three guys are exceptional and girls are just Ok , but Vijay Raaz takes the cherry on top!

Delhi Belly is a shocking , footloose comic caper smudged with good shit!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

7 Khoon Maaf : by Vishal Bhardwaj

7 Khoon Maaf is black comedy from VB's production house.

VB is known for non-run-of-the-mill cinema

Priyanka Chopra is known for her multi role acting histrionics

7 Murders of her cold, masochism , additive , polygamist , greedy , jealous hubby.

Unique , ain't it ... but truly speaking predictable & drag!

Chopra will be all over the awards next year

Though she cannot save a sinking ship

Maafi from VB .. Darling!

Rating : 2.0/5.0

Yeh Saali Zindagi : by Sudhir Mishra

Sudhir Mishra is known to break the mould of Indian movies right from 'Is Raat Ki Subah Nahi' to 'Hazaaron Khwahishein' ...

The film title in fact caught my attention and seeing the ensemble was an icing on the cake.

With not much expectation , Yeh Saali Zindagi sprung a big surprise.

It is story of literally 'falling' in love and the redemption!

Chitrangda Singh plays Preeti who is caught in a mess over the kidnapping of the future son-in-law of a powerful minister whom she is in love.

Irfan is a small time money launderer who is in love Preeti and his unconditional feelings catches him a whirlpool of crime and deceit.

The film has a parallel track involving Arunoday Singh who plays a young gangster  and wife played by Aditi Rao. The chemistry between the young talents generates sparks & is noteworthy.

Irffan Khan is a veteran now with wide array of character roles , his humour in diversity is an absolute revelation.

Chitrangda is all pretty and talented and the new bunch show a lot of promise. Special mention to Saurabh Shukla and his jugalbandi with Irffan.

Music is pleasing to the ears , songs like Kaise Kahen and the title track. The climax of the movie is truly expect the unexpected..

Yeh Saali Zindagi , hard hitting cinema at its best .. salute to a thriller genre!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Dhobi Ghat : by Kiran Rao

Kiran Rao , makes her debut with an arty script with her husband Aamir at the helm of his acting prime and business acumen.

Dhobi Ghat is purely experimental cinema and a change for typical Hindi Film Milieu.

The film has primarily 5 characters :-

• Arun , the painter played by Aamir
• Shai , the banker played by Monica
• Munna , the dhobi played by Prateik
• Yasmin , the homemaker played by Kriti
• City Mumbai , played by the cinemascope

Its an interesting mix of people which creates magic on and off screen time of 90 minutes.

Moments which are noteworthy :-

1. Munna visits Shai's home for a cup of tea.
2. Shocking home video revelation of Yasmin which leaves Arun dazed.
3. Shai and Arun's vulnerable vibes
4. Munna's silence love for Shai and his modelling ambitions
5. Heart warming Climax

Dhobi Ghat will not appeal to all , as its slow and sluggish yet captures the essence of Mumbai beautifully.
Kudos to the cinematography of movie , picking the nuances of the city of dreams.

Special mention to the background score given by the renowned 2 Time Oscar Winner Gustavo.

Prateik is the next big thing and he had shown the spark in Jaane Tu... earlier. Monica has a photogenic quality about her and Kriti seems to be a natural. Aamir was the most disappoinitng of the lot.


Kiran's attempt is applause worthy but not everybody's cup of tea.


Rating : 3.0/5.0

Udaan : by Vikramaditya Motwane

Udaan , a film I was longing to see since its release. The world was going ga-ga over Inception from Nolan , and a movie in our den was getting critical acclaim but no box office luck.

Udaan , a film of chasing your dreams and living each day to attain it.

Udaan is about a 17 year old Rohan who is expelled from his boarding school , caught red-handed by the warden watching sleaze in a theater outside the campus.

Udaan is about a strict & abusive father played by Ronit Roy who lives with a six year old boy , the half brother of Rohan.

Udaan is about the bonding between the 2 siblings and the cocoon created by their father , trapping them under his vigilance , his rules and his unfair ideals.

Udaan & its screenplay genius ...

• Rohan's plight on leaving the boarding school and missing his friends on the way back to his home.
• Father's indifference and anger on his son's notorious actions , quashing his 'to be a writer' ambitions.
• Rohan's outburst towards his father at his uncle's place.
• The undercurrent between Arjun and Rohan and their initial non-comfort.
• Face off between the father and son on his low engineering grades.
• Hospital sequences , where in Rohan impresses all with his writings
• An apology from the father and his unapologetic instructions to Rohan & Arjun.
• The early morning juggernaut , & its climatic photo finish.

and ... much much more ...

Udaan is simplistic cinema at its best with so much soul into the script , provin it yet again , writing is key to a film.

Udaan has seen the rising of Motwani , the talented director and Rajat Barmecha , the expressive young actor

Udaan , the Best Hindi Flick of 2010. Period.


Rating : 4.5/5.0

No One Killed Jessica : by Rajkumar Gupta

No One Killed Jessica is the real life account of the famous Jessica Lal case which saw closure April 2010 , after 11 years of unrelenting trial for Jessica's family.

The script is written by Rajkumar Gupta , critically acclaimed director of the film 'Aamir' , which he claims is partly facts partly fiction.

The year is 1999 , Jessica is bar tending at an elite Delhi party , where Manu Sharma , son of a Congress politician shots her dead on refusal to serve drinks.

Sabrina Lal played by a restraint Vidya Balan is all & shattered. She supports her family and sees herself in the web of dirty politics and power game.

On the flip side , Meera , feisty news reporter played chirpily by Rani Mukherjee , is least interested in the open & shut case and takes the end result for granted.

Manu is acquitted in 2006 , Sabrina is devastated , Meera has her foot in the mouth at justice being denied!

NDTV reporter takes the pledge to bring in support from the nation on the shocking verdict , leading to the reopening of the case. Intense public & media pressure lead to the subsequent life imprisonment of Manu.

It is a story of perseverance and faith in justice , proving the saying Good prevails over Evil.

Acting skills are on a display , leading the way are the two female actors , Rani and Vidya , both are laudable.

Rani is on a comeback trail and how , with a hard hitting performance. Vidya has scored a hatrick post Paa & Ishqiya. She plays Sabrina with lot of grit and vulnerability at the same time.

Music from Amit Trivedi is pleasing with the right mix of soothing number like Dua to head banging Dilli! .. He surprises us with every film from Dev D to Aisha.

No One Killed Jessica is an emotional roller coaster ride which gives a sense of triumph! ..

Worth a Watch!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Phas Gaye Re Obama : by Subhash Kapoor

Phas Gaye Re Obama .. an intriguing title for a film will always generate a certain kind of buzz.

I have tremendous respect for actors from theater , and the ensemble in this film boasts of stalwarts.

The backdrop of the movie is against the meltdown originating in US.

Om Shashtri played by Rajat is badly hit by global recession and is on the brink of bankruptcy.

He is on the verge losing his home in a failed attempt to pay the mortgage.

With the goal of accumulating money to save himself and his family , Om travels to his ancestral home in India in a bid to sell it off.

The comedy of error follows with small time village goons capturing a supposedly pot of gold ( NRI , Om Shashtri ).

The performances from the ensemble is unexcelled. Manu Rishi brings the house down with his so un-english punches. Rajat is as usual effective & Amol Gupte is one notch up from Kaminey.

The film belongs to Sanjay Mishra who plays "Bhai Saab" , the leader of the goons gang. He is confused yet tyrant and sinks his teeth into the role.

The screenplay takes off in the second hour , laughter galore, crackling dialogues & consistently engaging!

Kudos to another debutant director 'Subhash Kapoor' ... a serious talent in filmmaking!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Band Baaja Baaraat : by Maneesh Sharma

 

"Band Baaja Baarat" ... I had very little expectations from this flick coming from the stable of YRF.

With a new filmmaker at the helm , a not so good looking debutant and a novice actress.

God knows , what was in store!!

The film kickstarts with Shruti Kakkar played by Anushka Sharma has a dream of having her wedding planning setup in upmarket Delhi locality with a high turnover business.

She convinces her parents to pursue her dream and in the process meets Bitto Sharma , a haryanvi college dropout, good-for-nothing , notorious chap.

In an attempt to avoid going back to his village to pursue agriculture farming , he decides to join Shruti in her 

 b(us) iness , as typically pronounced by Bittoo.

The premise of the film is fresh and the pair look charming to the core.

The screenplay in the first hour is simply outstanding with the protagnanists moving slowly and steadily towards their dream of managing weddings in Delhi's Sainik Farms for the elite.

I must say , fell in love with apni Dilli all over again ... the nuances shown by the director are copybook Dilliwalla's.

The music just uplifts the mood of the film with chartbusters like "Ainvayi Ainvayi" sung by Salim himself.

The performances are exemplary particulary from Anushka who plays the ambitious mitthi churi Shruti Kakkar , a typical  Dilli  Punjab Wali from Janakpuri. She effortlessly plays the character to the 'T'.

The surprise package was Ranveer Singh , a dream start to his career. He brings a smile with his charm and wit. With no acting background , Ranveer Singh is knee-deep into Bitto Sharma and brings out the best in him!

Maneesh Sharma should be given due credit for coming up with a real to reel concept & it deserves an applause.

Fultoo Paisa Vasool!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Guzaarish : by Sanjay Leela Bhansali

 

Guzaarish , is a story set in Goa about a quadriplegia , Ethan Mascarenhas , one of the finest magicians of the time.

 The protagonist played by Hrithik Roshan , has dealt with his injury with great spirit and a will to live. He has his own radio show where the message of hope is shared with one and all.

Aishwarya plays Sophia , Ethan's caretaker for past 12 years , who with utmost dignity has been his shadow.

Ethan and Sophia share an inseparable unspoken love which is indeed beautiful and lively.

One fine day , Ethan urges to file a petition for euthanasia. His doctor Dr. Nayak, played ably by Suhel Seth and  lawyer friend Divyani played by Shernaz Patel are taken aback by his decision.

There in lies the crux of the plot where his sufferings and pain surrounding his paralyzed life is bought to light.

He shares a unique bond with each character which has been beautifully crafted around the magician's life.

Doctor : A human whose profession is to give life to people.

Lawyer  : A Friend and a well-wisher , who has seen the adversity of Ethan.

Nurse : A dignified worker , who has dedicated all her life towards the betterment of Ethan.

Mother : Heart wrenching emotions of a mother who wants to set her son free.

Lover : Sacrificial love of his muse and assistant

Disciple :  A Young , vibrant student of his idol's craft.

The film from the repertoire of Mr. Bhansali is extraordinary in the sense of trademark Anglo-Indian setup with artistic sets and high-emotional moments straight from the heart.

Screenplay moves along nicely with sweet moments intermingled with poignant scenes which connect with the plight of Ethan.

Mr Bhansali has composed his own music this time around, and what a splendid debut it is indeed.

Udi , Sau Gram Zindagi , Dhundli Dhundli , Chand ki Katori are mesmerizing!

Performances,  exemplary by Aishwarya , epitome of grace , poise and dignity!

Hrithik's best , his magical innocence and his pain juxtaposes!

Absolutely crackling bond between the two , tacit romance at its best.

Supporting cast gets a thumbs up and special mention goes to Aditya Roy Kapoor as the one of the upcoming actors to watch out for in the future!

I have a lump in my throat writing this and was teary eyed at the end of it all :(

A powerful film with a message which is heart felt to the extremity!

Rating : 4.5/5.0