Hotel Mumbai

“Fuck your prayers. That’s what started this shit.” One of the characters retorts to the head chef praying for his guests as they are escorted to a safer place. A hostage recites the Salat at gunpoint, hearing which the terrorist is not able to shoot her. Tourists and guests are being shot with a machine gun and their blood splatters like they were ripe tomatoes being thrown. The gruesome and tragic scenes are the closest you will get to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The film follows the close encounter, step by step, that happened on that dreadful night. And watching it in itself was terrifying and sorrowful; I can’t imagine what the 200 plus hostages must have gone through as they were rescued. The staff of the five stars hotel known for its service continued to treat their guests as Gods even under these dire circumstances. Almost half of the 35 staff lost their lives saving them.

The cinematography is so good that it brought back the images I watched on the television 10 years back. I remember the news channels covering the whole attack showing live visuals of the Hotel Taj Mahal from the Gateway of India. The progression of the film as the terrorists scan every inch of the hotel killing anyone in sight is tense and scary. This is a very different experience compared to, say, a horror film. There is something fatal, instinctive and depressing about it when human life seems so fragile at the gunpoint of extremists. The sets of the interiors of the Taj with the background score make the film so real, it’s as if you are in the hotel. 

 Dev Patel gives a great performance as he adds another jewel to his repertoire of work. But the rest of the cast including Nazanin Boniadi, Tilda Cobham Hervey, Anupam Kher and the boys who played terrorist,s match the high standards to make a consistent film of high intensity.

Rating – 4 / 5

                                                 

The Sky is Pink

The Sky is Pink is based on the true story of Aisha Choudhary who is terminally ill due to a condition called pulmonary fibrosis. The film is based on her life and the journey she and her family go through as they deal with the inevitable. Aisha's mother is a possessed woman who will do everything to keep her child alive as long as possible. She and her husband are ready to go to any length to see their child live and fulfill her tiniest wishes. The lives of the members of her family revolve around Aisha's condition as they struggle with their helplessness of not being able to do much.

This film is about the inevitable end we all face. It is also about the process of dealing with it. Not only for Aisha but also for her family as they come to terms with her early death. It's a very emotional story that expresses the feelings and complications of the family who are going to lose a member. The sentimental chaos and emotional roller coaster the audience experiences has to be attributed to the wonderful scenes created by the director that emotes the feelings of a mother, a father, and a brother.

Somewhere during the film, you may begin to think about your relationship with death or the reality of losing someone you love. The film is philosophical at many levels. The experience is close to one of the life and transformation courses some of us may have done. These courses talk about death to wake us up to the reality of the things that really matter to us. Priyanka Chopra fulfills the character so well that it is as if she is about to lose her daughter. She has mastered different emotions related to being a mother and a wife and portrayed them passionately. Farhan matches her as the husband who takes a backseat allowing the emotional mother to take over as she protects her dying child. Zair Wasim gives another subtle performance as Aisha who deals with her own death while watching her family suffer. Though the suffering can get insufferable at some point which can't be helped.

A different film which made me very emotional and made me think of what really matters. You come out of the hall feeling enlightened. I guess Shonali Bose has achieved her purpose.

Rating - 3.8 / 5

War

Of superheroes, exciting visuals, superb stunts, and awesome action, War is our very own modern era James Bond film with two bonds. These superheroes can do anything and everything and put all mythological characters to shame. Jump off from moving planes, jump onto moving planes, ride racing bikes on sharp mountain curves and come blazing out in racing cars from ships that are bombed. You get more than you can imagine. The movie begins with a protege idolizing a defense war hero and trying hard to win his heart. The expressions and the scenes are as if they are capturing a gay love story unfold. I was just waiting to see a wet juicy smooch to happen between Kabir (Hritik Roshan) and Khalid (Tiger Shroff) as they share several deep gazes and close exchanges between them. But alas, this was a film of action and superheroes and one can only dare to imagine such scenarios.

The film has a good cast, a great plot, great fighting scenes, and entertaining action shots. This was the first Tiger Shroff film I watched because I was never convinced of his acting skills. And I was right because that guy just cannot emote. But I must say that he is Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, and Patrick Swayze all combined in one Indian performer. He has extraordinary fighting action and dancing skills and superb reflex movements that make him a perfect choice for a film like War. He has definitely carved a niche for himself and I look forward to many more action scenes from him. If only he can put as much passion in his acting and dancing skills he would do really well. Yes, dancing too, He lacks emotion and passion in his dancing which is very robotic and programmed.

Hrithik has pumped a lot more oomph in his performance with a strange way of delivering dialogues. Its as if he is trying on some new accent. He is his usual perfect stylish self in is action sequences and dancing. The film could have been much better if they had not dragged it onto an epic that makes Mahabharat look shorter. By the end of it, I was exhausted and in pain. The connecting stories and flashbacks just don't stop! You finally wonder if it is going to have an end, I gave up towards the end and walked out of the last 10 or 15 minutes. It would just not stop! Is Siddharth Anand trying to settle some past tussle with Ekta Kapoor? He could have easily reduced the duration by half an hour at least! Easily. Such a tragedy. A great plot, great cast, great locales, and action scenes all ruined because the director overplayed the hell out of it.

Rating  - 3 / 5

Mission Mangal

A tribute to a great achievement of the Indian Space Program Mangalyaan, Mission Mangal is inspired by the true event of launching India’s first satellite into the orbit of planet Mars. The Indian scientists led mostly by women were able to achieve this feat in the first attempt which no other country has been able to do in the world. It is a laudable and proud moment to celebrate on Independence Day.

The film depicts all the events, trials, tribulations and struggles leading up to the successful and stellar launch of the satellite into the Mars orbit. Faced by hurdles that seemed to make the mission impossible, this film inspires pride watching a team of scientists making the impossible possible. Women scientists turn the tables using everyday household conservation techniques and wastage prevention methods. Techniques that are not only scientific but also cost-saving allowing the mission to succeed at minimal costs.

A great story made into a film for the Indian audience by adding in all the ingredients required to satisfy the Indian palate Mission Mangal will make its audience emotional. It has all the dishes with every spice that we Indians savor in our grand thali. Western scientific supremacy bullying Indian patriotic fervour adds the required pungent flavor. A wholesome character of Tara Shinde is played by Vidya Balan; that of the quintessential working Indian woman inspiring people at home and work. Tapsee, Nitya, Sonakshi, and Kirti give simple and elegant performances. Akshay Kumar is a complete waste of a cast. He does not have much of a role and feels useless.

The film overplays the emotional aspect of the great achievement making it too long. It could have been shorter and more work could have been done on showing the scientific part of the mission. A greater engagement on how the scientists faced scientific and execution hurdles instead of indulging in their personal lives would have been apt. It is a celebratory and tributary film for the Mars mission.

Rating – 3.5 / 5

Batla House

 Batla House is based on the Batla House Encounter which took place on 19^th Sep 2009, in the Jamia Nagar area of New Delhi. In this particular encounter, members of the terrorist group, Indian Mujahideen (IM) were killed and arrested by the Delhi Police after getting intelligence reports of the presence of terrorists responsible for the bomb blasts that occurred in Delhi a few days back in the area.

Tactically released on the nation’s independence day, the film has gained significant attention attracting a good crowd at the cinemas. The experience was that of a documentary specially made for the independence day, to be shown on a national channel to evoke a sense of patriotism and nationalism. It definitely has not gone down well as a commercial film but the impact can’t be felt because, like I said, it was released on the independence day. Or maybe that’s what the makers had in their mind. That only makes it worse because it falls in neither of the categories. The narrative is very poor and patchy. The entire film actually plays out in the final half hour or so. Most of the film focuses or tries to focus on the public outrage and false accusations that the officers had to face after the encounter.

This story has so many layers of a complex democratic system involving religion, media and popular politics playing out in a very serious matter of terrorism. It goes to show how complicated the judicial procedure is and how difficult it is for justice to prevail. A lot could have been done with a story like that but the inadequate script writing and story-telling make the entire effort passionless and redundant.

An already emotionless and static John Abraham is seen to be more so as he fails to emote the emotions of the police officer fighting hard for his country suffering from terror attacks. The rest of the characters lack seriousness and purpose. But yes, I felt that it was the national Independence day and that made the film somewhat enjoyable.

Rating – 3 / 5

Judgemental hai kya

People with a mental disorder are said to have extraordinary intelligence or talents that are prodigal. I guess nature is trying to strike a balance by making them socially unacceptable so that in their solitude they can exploit their gifts to cause great achievements and breakthroughs. Judgemental hai kya brings forth a character with a mental disorder called psychosis in which the individual has no control over their imagination, and loses control over reality. Kangana Ranaut as Bobby is in her element again as she is the queen of this particular character; that of the psychologically ill, society rejected, tortured soul. No one can challenge her mastery over the craft which she has honed to perfection since she started her career. This time too she gives a good performance. But there was a lack of connection between her character with the whole narrative. The director has done a brilliant job by delving deep into the psyche of the psychosis patient. He has tried to give us a taste of the experience that the sufferer is going through. We get it. But at some point it becomes repetitive and I, for example, felt a bit anxious while going through the depth of the disease sometime during the middle of the second half.

As Keshav played by Rajkumar Rao keeps bumping into Bobby and a mystery remains to be solved, the film occurs in a trance induced by a psychotropic drug. With the psychotic behavior, fluorescent colors and strange obsessions; the film jumps in and out of reality, spending most of the time in the mind of the psychotic patient. The mystery getting solved in that mind creates chaos, which is different, interesting and appreciated, but not satisfying. It's as if there is something lacking and incomplete. Raj Kumar Rao's performance further accentuates the incompleteness if the whole experience making it rather dry and superficial. A great idea and story that seriously lacks execution.

Rating - 2.75 / 5  

Super 30

Some Indian brands are famous in the world for their impeccability. The TAJ MAHAL, YOGA, Spirituality, Alphonso, Basmati and many more. Amongst them, one name stands really tall for innovation and intelligence. IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) commands great respect and value all over the world. And every young Indian wants the name as a part of their introduction. Being an engineering student, I was always awestruck by the name and its products. Arguably it attracts the most intelligent people in India and the world and many achievers are from the institutes.  Super 30 is based on the life of Anand Kumar, founder of the IIT Coaching institute of the same name, based out of Patna. Bihar. The institute has been lauded all over the world for its teaching methods and achievements. And yet again India’s wild wild west does not stop to amaze with its shocking and awesome stories.

Anand Kumar an IIT coach is inspired to train underprivileged and poor students capable of cracking the IIT JEE for free. The coaching industry known for its lucrative business has the powerful deeply invested and involved. Thus, we have the same old UP- Bihar’s gunda gardi stopping Anand from achieving a great feat as it will rob them off their money-making schemes. Also, the great Indian divide between the rich English speaking and the poor non-English speaking play out in a passionate and emotional film. The two and half hours take us through the pathos of the underprivileged in India and their struggle to get inspired and compete for the unachievable. The protagonist, a mathematics genius, transforms from a celebrity coach in the money-minting IIT coaching industry to an inspired coach giving his poverty struck pupils the most needed ingredient for success. Belief! The scene where Hindi speaking students play a drama in English to overcome their fear of the language and the people who speak the language was interesting. Also using science to beat thugs and goons was something never done before goes to show the filmmakers kept up with the theme of innovation and invention.

Hrithik Roshan gives an outstanding performance as Anand Kumar and has shed his demigod beauty and star aura to evolve as a common Bihari. His hindi and his accent stand out as distinctly as his avatar as a mathematical prodigy. The writing is as good as the production though it tends to derail sometimes. The bunch of kids give great performances and many have acting potential.

It is sad that in our country the public servants and law makers are the biggest criminals. Another perplexing reality of our great country. This film has to be a part  of your weekend plan.

Rating : -   4 / 5

Article 15

There is no dearth of Hindi films about the oppressive dictators of UP-Bihar who wield powers greater than the Gods. Treating villagers and other common folks worse than livestock and shooting at will, these tyrants have their own laws forcing the local administration to become their dogs. Anubhav Sinha has a subtle melancholic style as he portrays India’s wild wild west in his perspective giving it a different flavor. In Article 15, he brings forth the most astonishing fact about our great country that the western world is still perplexed about. And the protagonist who seems to be a high breed of the desi-western union takes on the system in the avatar of a police inspector in remote UP.

This time the tyrants are not playing in your face making your blood boil. But a more social and political scenario plays out making the story subtle yet impactful. The interesting fact about this film is that there are no polarities, the quintessential good, and bad guy, but the effects of these polarities in our social milieu are dealt with by an outsider who is completely unaware of its existence. Also, the oppressed aren’t completely helpless and defeated, but rather are causing an uproar and a revolution making the experience real and candid. The many characters in supporting roles control and drive the film mimicking reality which always has many shades of grey given the complexity of our society. Sayani Gupta, Kumud Mishra, and Manoj Pahwa fuel the story in a subtle way. Ayushman Khurana’s performance is consistent with the personality of the film.

The experience is not one that will have a major impact on you as most of the films of this genre tend to. But it definitely holds you as it deals with the pressing issue of casteism and it’s ripple effects.

Rating - 3 / 5 

Kalank

Just one word. DRAMA ! And a lot more DRAMAAA.

The makers of this film probably lacked loads of drama in their lives that we Indians cannot live without. From the first moment to the last this film is an exaggerated overdose of drama. Each frame is a dramatized painting showing off Indian artistry. Large palaces and picturesque locales of just independant India celebrating the architecture and ornamented pillars and interiors. The costumes are as dramatic as the acting of the characters. Madhurii Dixit’s drapes cover three to four flights of stairs and are longer than the longest dialogue in the entire film. Her dance act was disappointing. She looks old and fragile lacking grace and energy. The protagonist is a cocky armsmith whose big pecs and large nipples heave as he plays out his pathetic life winging about his illegitimacy. The characters are not completely defined; only Alia has a somewhat sensible presence, that too due to the part she plays. The writing is deficient and half-hearted.

The story is somewhat okay but not relatable. The story of post independence partition is made irrelevant and disconnected. Every scene and dialogue has no background and build-up making the story haphazard. The over the top frames at some level become ridiculous and comical. The director has tried too hard to make the cinematography and art direction perfect, but does not have anything else happening inside that. Basically the film is a collection of paintings and would have had a better effect if it was just that, displayed in an art exhibition. The only thing I liked about the film is the title song ‘Kalank’. Also the costumes look beautiful. If you are a dramatic person or love drama, which Indians do, then you may, and a big MAY, survive the film.

Rating – 2.5 / 5

Made in Heaven

It closes on a note about New Delhi and hopes and wishes for the old, young, poor & rich in the metropolis. I sigh on the closing acknowledgement after binge watching 9 episodes; laughing, sobbing and wanting more, over a period of two days. This is the first and hopefully not the last series I have binge watched.

Our dark side is seductive. It attracts, consumes and finishes us. Most of us would happily get finished enjoying the pleasures that the dark side bestows upon us. And this time she is wearing diamonds, is styled in haute couture, sips exotic champagne, speaks in classy accents and is blessed with majesty and blue blood. Underneath the pomp and grandeur are hidden claws that are slowly taking position. If you notice the smile you will see the glint of deadly incisor. And we dare not enter its mind for it has committed, is committing or is about to commit sins satan would be surprised of.

This is the evil everyone wants to see and be in awe of. Under the glitter and bling secrets of deceit lie, the all absorbing ambitions and hidden desires are fulfilled at any and all costs. The gossip, the hushed secrets, the eaves dropped juicy bits is all everyone is interested in. And why not ? It lures and hypnotizes their darkness into pleasures of lust and desire.

Made In Heaven is pleasure personified. Zoya and Reema tell tales of the Indian elite weddings by uncovering their masks. The high society redefine classiness through their hypocrisy and ugly truths driven by selfish schemes and dark secrets. In this narrative they have beautifully woven the issues of feminism and for the first time, homosexuality, in a real yet sensitive way. The series is especially laudable for normalizing and at the same time sensitizing the world of gay men. For the first time,  a gay man is one of the protagonist and his life and sexuality take centre stage as that of any straight man, as he suffers the bigotry of a chauvinistic society. Every gay man can completely or partially relate to this character for never has it been so holistically and importantly been portrayed on an Indian screen.

As the leads unite two souls they bring down stereotype and injustice and make way for whats right and just. But the possessions and lusts from their own lives have to go too.Money and power gives way to women’s rights and equality. Prejudice and homophobia are fought with a war cry for liberation and freedom. Arjun gives a realistic and heart-rending performance with no airs of acting or stardom. Subhita lives up to her character’s gorgeousness and silent intensity; her big beautiful eyes and pouting lips can seduce the devil himself.  Brilliant art direction and simple yet extraordinary script give this series a unique persona of itself. The South Delhi pomp and snobbishness compliment the soul of the series making it highly entertaining and ravishing. Love the title score !

Rating – 4.5 / 5

GULLY BOY

Explosive. Erupting. For the first time I experienced a film whose direction, tempo, narrative and feel move so closely with the character. Its like a coiled spring being wound up really really tightly is suddenly let go and BOOM ! There is an explosion and you feel like you are thrown into space from earth. The first half of this film is really slow, subdued and uneventful. You almost write it down as another story of an underdog making it big and yawwwnnn. Havent we had enough of the singing superstars and sports wonders. But then the second half is like a canon being fired. And you are wondering wtf happened !?

The whole story unfolds, acts out in the later half and rises like a phoenix. So far this is the best film of this year. Brilliant screenplay and direction, though I felt that the dharavi slum gig was a bit too much. It felt perpetual and rubbed in. But the whole rap art and exceptionally lyricized songs were original and new. We know the origins of rap and how it emerged as an art form for black americans as a means of expression. Relating that to the suppressed, lower income class youth forced into a mold set by family, community and society is intelligent.

That was about the film and now for the second part. Alia Bhatt ! She deserves a separate discussion. She adds a new almost exclusive dimension to the film with a startling striking performance. A sharp tongued, physically aggressive, ultra possessive "hateli" girl is unforgettable.  My readers know I feel she is an extraordinary actor but here she blew my mind away. Right from the beginning she is like a live wire literally holding together the first part where you are about to give up. Another underdog and bomb which keeps exploding throughout her love story unlike the main character who is ticking till the second half. Like many of Bollywood actors Ranveer too is a performer whose acting seems almost the same in every film. He might be playing different roles but the essence of his acting is quite repetitive. This was the first film where he has a different presence. He gives a unique performance which is very different from his work before. Siddhant Chaturvedi has a sexy swag full of attitude and class. He kills it bro !!

The whole mumbaiyya lingo with the bhai and chhote is music to the ears. There are many one liners which I don’t recollect but every dialogue amongst the dharavi friends is like a rhyme of a poem.

Tu nanga hi tho ayah hai kya ghanta leke jayega ? Don’t miss this one.

Rating – 4 / 5

Ek ladki ko dekha tho aisa laga

Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge achieved a cult status and is still playing in Maratha Mandir. And rightly so because it blended family emotions with acceptance of love which sent a very positive message and touched a cord with the emotional indian heart. And boy, has that formula been used again and again ? There is a web series based on gay love. There too the maker has used the same formula. And yes, somehow it works. Most of the times if not always. Why ? Because it is a nice way to soften the blow. It upholds our values of treating our parents like God and undying love for the family.

A very similar plot is seen in this film too. A larger than life punjabi family with dollops of ghee laden emotions and tandoori passion. But in all that concoction one forgets the film, the story. Homosexuality, love between two women in itself is a complex and poignant issue. Mixing it up with an indian family melodrama made the whole film indigestible. Was the director too scared to put the issue out in the public domain ? So he covered it with ghee and makhan.

The oppression of the homosexual person as a child and while growing up could have taken center stage instead of indulging so much into the punjabi drama. The role of Rajkumar Rao is ambiguous. The story and plot is boring and distracted without a central theme. It hence fails to connect with the audience and send out the message it intends to. The second half is a relief and has some substance to it. Sonam Kapoor too has a pale and dead performance, keeping up with the film. Indian society has a long way to go in accepting the LGBTQ and films like these could dull the current of the movement.

Rating - 2.5 / 5 

Thackeray

Thackeray is a celebration of the great Marathi godfather Balasaheb Thackeray. The film has been shown in incidents, marking his achievements and his deeds for the Marathi people. It is patriotic in its tone and a puller for all Maharashtrians. The ideologies of Bal Thackeray have been portrayed strongly stressing on his sense of equality and fairness. Of course his work of discovering Marathi identity for Maharastrians and fueling it to fight for rights cannot be denied. Among the cheering and hooting audience one could feel the strong vibes of Maratha passion.

His stand that every person born in Maharashtra irrespective of his roots, is a Marathi and has the first right to the state and its resources goes on to show his ideology and values. Several instances of enforcing the right against the wrong people were facing, showing his godfather status is a good reason for all Maharashtrians, and Marathis, especially to watch this film.

But then the film has a documentary feel to it with not too much of passion and fire. Shiv Sena is a strong right wing aggressive ideology and the film could have held a more 'in your face' tone instead of the meager depiction of events. Nawazuddin has done a perfect imitation of Balasaheb as the silent and singular, orator and leader. Not a film that has to be watched but as a south indian born n raised in Maharashtra I still enjoyed watching the film for its almost jingoistic connect. Released on an opportune occasion it completes your Republic Day.

Rating : 3 / 5

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