Jagga Jasoos

This film is as idiotic as it’s name. It is directionless, headless, clueless, meaningless, senseless and moronic. One may categorize it as a fantasy film, but even fantasies have a story and structure. Musical ? Maybe but what's the story ? This film lacks basic order. One cannot understand what the film is actually about. Is it about a boy with a disability ? Is it about a man uncovering a heinous international crime ? Is it just a comedy which doesn’t have to make any sense ? One ends up being constipated with all that’s happening in the film. A girl is narrating stories about her boyfriend to children. Suddenly the boyfriend is solving crimes as he stutters. Then his father is solving an international mafia crime. I could not get a grip till the end.Jumping through running trains, dodging bombs and riding ostriches are the ideas to make you laugh.  Anurag Basu became too ambitious and cocky trying to satisfy his whims. It turned out to be 3 hours of nonsense. At this rate Ranbir is going to lose his repute as an actor. One can never expect much from Katrina. DO NOT WATCH.

Rating – 0/5

MOM

Mom is one of those films which get nominated in many categories and maybe win an award for one. It’s a great story with interesting narrative and fresh cinematography. The detailing of emotions of the main characters is meticulous and praiseworthy.  Sridevi stands tall and magnificent as a protagonist. Such is her brilliance that her presence can almost be taken for granted. Her performance is subtle and natural yet poised and important. A lot of work has been done on the cinematography and it is evident. The frames and movements on the celluloid make this film very unique. The director has tried to give an international appeal to the quality of the film. The story is interesting and the narrative is unique with slight gaps here and there. The brutality of rape can never be expressed completely through performing art, yet the film conveys and communicates it powerfully. If only the same tone had been conducted into the rest of the story, the film could have been a masterpiece. I don’t get what Akshay Khanna is doing in the film exactly.

The first half of the film is not for the faint hearted. I would advise you to be strong. There is respite in the second half, but also a bit of disappointment. Hats off to the young actress, Sajal Ali, who delivers a great performance with confidence and ease. Nawazuddin makes his presence felt as always, with a role that fuels the story. A good film after a couple of months is always welcome.

Rating – 3.75

Bahubali 2 - The Conclusion

Humongous, gargantuan, gigantic and enormous, everything about this film is massive.  Every frame shines from the golden ornaments, the golden throne and golden palaces. The opulence and magnanimity of flourishing Indian empires will overwhelm your vision just as the spectacular visuals of grand elephants, flying soldiers and the limitless strength all the living beings possess in this film. The royal characters are stronger than all the Greek gods put together wielding all weapons one can imagine. Beautiful strong women are as deadly and beautiful and can put the likes of Andromeda and Aphrodite to shame. A story of succession and heirdom spanning three generations this film is as heavy in its narrative and script as in the sets and visual effects. The 7 feet tall, muscular heroes stopping and fighting huge elephants, dislocating large monuments and clashing in duals vibrated the seats we were sitting on and shook the walls of the cinema hall. The characters are well played out by each of the actors doing complete justice to the aura of the film. Ramya Krishnan’s majestic presence and big eyes kept up with the royal court in her palace, while Anushka Shetty’s beauty is magnetic and mesmerizing. 

The whole experience has the classic south indian nature to it giving a very unique and different experience from Bollywood. On the flip side it’s a heavy dose of all the above. Its like this wedding you go to which is grand and opulent and has a spread of rich, greasy and heavy cuisine. Do we like the food ? OH yes ! But it leaves you feeling lethargic and immovable .I had a heavy feeling in my head for a few hours and a good night’s sleep helped me get over the hangover of the dinosaur that is Bahubali 2. A bit too much and unnecessary exaggeration of everything, I would recommend this film if you can handle overdoses.

BEGUM JAAN

I am not sure if it would be right to say that Begum Jaan is Bollywood’s answer to Game of Thrones, because the brutality against women and savagery of suffering is  so overdone that it surpasses normal film watching. A Facebook friend claimed that the film is not for the faint hearted, well I would say it’s a bit difficult even on the strong hearted. Set in the era of partition of India and Pakistan, Begum Jaan is a story of a woman who defies the government against relocating her residence which falls on the line of partition. Begum Jaan happens to run a brothel in the outskirts of a certain town in the Punjab region. The director has tried to showcase the deep psychological and emotional suffering of prostitutes, which becomes far more savage with the incidence of partition and eviction of Begum Jaan and her brothel. So the deep suffering of the women working as prostitutes and their stature in society is further brutalized by their conviction to fight against authorities in not moving out of their property. The use of language and words typical to an Indian brothel is done in abundance and pomp with Vidya Balan delivering sharp lines in whore lingo, copiously. If that was not enough, there is free use of blood, death, fire and physical violence which will probably kill the faint hearted and leave others deeply disturbed. 

Most educated, dignified men brought up in environments which respect women, will think twice before touching a woman again. We understand brutality and violence against women is severe but this film creates an ugly and unbearable face of the whole issue that is deeply depressing. Vidya Balan’s talent lost its charm due to the narrative and storyline and the vicious one liners. Yes, maybe somewhere there is a certain sense of retribution to the issue of rape and molestation but if the expression and presentation too loose their dignity then it is almost abusive of the cause. Overdone, excessive and mentally penalizing, this film left me giddy and sombre.

Rating:  3/5

Badri Ki Dulhaniya

CUTE IN CAPITALS…. ENTERTAINMENT full on…. A joke in almost every line, this film will make your heart MELT. The actors, the direction, the story, the songs and everything else is just too cute. Its got the right amount of Bollywood masala to make a savory dish that will lift your heart and make you sing. In following the trail of success led by the epic Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, this is another love story involving the families and the inherent drama that comes with it. I was feeling unwell before I went for this film but am feeling happy and warm as I write this review after just having watched it. I had high expectations of this film after watching the trailer and the film lived upto it. The story and the actors are almost the same as in the other dulhaniya film, but the dialogues and the narrative are different and special. There is the usual drama in the second half but the first half is so much fun that it's hangover will pull you through the second half. Alia and Varun share an exceptional and special chemistry and I hope they make the most of it giving us many more humptys badris and their dulhaniyas.  Varun has established himself as the quintessential Bollywood hero and Alia compliments his cuteness with her natural presence on the silver screen. Shashank Khaitan had a clear and sharp vision for this film to be all entertainment and it clearly beats Humpty Sharma ki Dulhaniya  in that aspect. After many serious films with world class direction, this film is like a dance in a barath with fun and frolic. You are a fool if you miss this one.

As a serious film watcher I request my readers not to talk on phone during the film or converse loudly in the theatre. It’s very disturbing for the audience and very indecent.

Rating - 4/5

Rangoon

If you can imagine a pile of garbage perfumed with wonderful smelling scents, wrapped up in decorated paper and satin ribbons, that’s what Rangoon is. Jumbled with too many useless things and messy, the pile of garbage is full of waste. Waste of time, waste of money, waste of creativity, imagination and efforts of talented actors. But there is a small ray of hope through all the stinking crap. The ray if followed leads to Shahid Kapoor sporting a suave army look and swagger and intense performance. The rest is self-consuming destructive sinking sand. The story, background, narrative, cinematography, costume, music and even the characters are an utter failure. First half was an extension of the preview and second half opened up a can of worms, insects, maggots and the like. The white man speaking Hindi with a foreign accent (cannot categorize it as British or German or French or some god forsaken language) was like the maggots that are produced if the pile of garbage is left undisposed. Kangana Ranaut has fallen from the moon into the deepest pit of garbage for her performance is frivolous, disconnected and fractured. It is not her fault for the script was miserable but her fault was that she chose to do this film. Same goes with Saif Ali Khan whose role as a Parsi film biggie is convincing but there was no depth in his character. All in all this pile of garbage should be disposed of fast and swift. Three hours and 250 bucks later , the stench is unbearable. 

Rating - 1 / 5

MOONLIGHT

An intense and emotional treat, Moonlight is a rare film which speaks volumes without many dialogues. It is an institution of strong yet unexpressed emotions conveyed non verbally. The intensity of the main character’s emotions has been outdone by three extraordinary actors Trevante, Ashton and Alex. The brilliance of the direction lies in the consistency of this intensity in three different performers to give the film a soul and completeness that can only be felt and not heard. The film showcases brilliant editing and cinematography. Each frame is unique and shot at angles that make it artistic and beautiful. The script writer is a master of emotions to be able to communicate it this well. The feelings of pain, suffering longing detachment and the craving for love and attachment, all have been conveyed through the lead’s eyes. The minimalistic but poignant statements of the lead will ring through your mind long after watching this film. If you enjoy silences between words and the intensity that comes with it, do not miss this one. It’s an experience.