Madari

A luke warm film on a rainy evening, Madari does not live upto the expectation of the buzz it created and the cheers it generated for Irrfan khan. A story where the kidnapper begins to like the victim and eventually the victim shows greater fondness for the kidnapper than his own father, Madari does not hit you in the face that the theme demands. The resentment and pain of a common man getting back to the system making them suffer just as much as he has suffered for his grave loss, the idea though borrowed does not produce the hypertension and ecstasy through the story. The emotions suffering and agony of a father whose life revolved around his son have been shown beautifully but the resentment and vengeance, being the centre force of the film, does not match the emotions. Irrfan Khan has a subdued melancholic nature through the film as his character reveals the century old rot of our country. Another courageous attempt at exposing the stench and filth of the decomposed garbage of our administrative system done up close and personal by holding the stakeholders at gun point. The desperation so conveyed goes to mirror the wrath of the public and is confirmed at the resounding cheers from the audience. Jimmy Shergil blends into the lukewarm tone of the film and fails to stand out in his performance; so do the rest of the pawns in the corrupt politic. A film that can be missed and waited to be watched on the tele. 

Udta Punjab - Review

NUMB ! One word that comes to my mind after watching Udta Punjab is NUMB ! When one gets stoned on drugs it leads to numbness of sensations. One loses track of reality, transporting oneself to another world of fantasy and dreams. But the person forgets that he lives in reality and his life in the real world is totally devastated as severely as the sensation of bliss in the fantasy world. Abhishek Chobey weaves a very real story of the young flying Punjabis in his powerfully written realistic web. If you have ever been high, at least on booze or bhang, if not on drugs; you will recall the state of being in trance. At the same time you feel a sense of chaos somewhere deep within. Mirroring this state of high in the events occurring in the characters of the film; the flying Punjabis experience a state of catastrophe when sober, destroying the juice of their being. The desperation for that joint, injection or sniff drives them into a psychotic and suicidal state. Junkies with spaced out eyes staring into oblivion are ready to kill the mother who refused to give money for drugs. 

                         A great deal of loss of life, blood, name and fame comes the realisation to get high on life. Like the hangover which leads us back to normalcy and the chance to distinguish the real from the hallucinations. 

                                                                                    After a lot of hard work and perseverance, 

Shahid gives a proud performance. Famous musician high on drugs coming up with senseless lyrics and a clueless existence, it seems as if he got literally high to do justice to the role. Alia shows her brilliance as always and I feel she possesses the prowess of the likes of Meryl Streep and Jodie Foster. Diljit Dosanjh gives a simple and easy performance adding the proverbial feather to the cap. Its not surprising now, that this film attracted so much attention and drama that was acted out before its release. 

A real story narrating the abomination of the rich and powerful in the wealthiest state of India would obviously be snubbed and choked. But truth always surfaces, even though it is in the form of purported leak of pirated DVDs before the official release. A great example of a well executed script with strong screenplay and story telling. 

Rating - 4/5

WAITING - Review

There is great power in simplicity. Most of the marvels in our world are indeed simple, just as this film is. An emotional, difficult and moving subject has been brought to the fore in a simple and compelling story. The thought of losing a loved one is heart wrenching, but to actually go through it can be devastating. Its only a person with the same pain who can empathise and “get” another person going through the same. And many times they have the capacity to heal and help move on. A real story of two people in pain and sorrow who support each other, in a way, in dealing with it and help move on.  We see the prejudices against large MNC hospitals, with the state of the art facilities; translate into bitter spats with doctors as we come to terms with the inevitable. The actions, reactions, thoughts emotions and feelings acted out are those that you and I would feel in similar situations. Anu Menon has captured the experiences of pain and loss and presented in a simple and moving way. Great films with a singular agenda do not need big spends and glamorous actors. The best character actors from our industry give an experience of touch and feel of the characters. A must watch !

SARBJIT

The emotion of hate is at its ugliest when its roots are in love. In life too we notice that many times acute hatred is nothing but pure emotion which got misplaced and misunderstood. Siblings fighting court battles, couples getting a divorce or even two warring nations which were one, once upon a time. Based on the true life of Sarbjit Singh, Sarbjit rekindles and fans the Indo-Pak animosity fire. This film tells the story of this love and hate between two very emotional nations. And in the events of hatred it is always the innocent that gets destroyed. This great tragedy has always been a reality since the time mankind existed.  An innocent man is captured, tortured, mutilated and wrongfully convicted. His relentless sister fights till his last breath, taking the fight to the mighty and powerful of the two nations. Mankind has always celebrated triumph, victory, happiness and success with pomp and vigor. This film celebrates tragedy, sorrow, melancholy and misery of a man and his family. What makes the story more tragic is the suffering for no fault of the victim.

 Randeep Hooda has reached a new level of performance which was awesome and grand. Every artist is supposed to be competing with himself and not anyone else. Randeep is surely taking huge strides in winning this contest. Aishwarya gives a heartening and sincere performance and happens to be the star of the film. The sheer hard work and dedication is obvious however, it just doesn’t hit home and delight. If only Riccha Chadda could have replaced her, this film would be legendary. Riccha has the intensity and talent to match Randeep’s passion and would have given the audience an experience to remember. The very few scenes she has actually acted in have added impact to the flow. The film does seem to drag because of the tragic story, however kudos to Omung Kumar who tries to show the reality of the story. Pakistan has been shunned in many scenes adding to the emotiveness of the whole issue which only can make things difficult. The fight and struggle is overbearing and heavy leaving a melancholic effect. Not a must watch, but if u like a biopic and history, go for it.

DEAR DAD - Review

Dissappointing !! Its like when the chef has all the ingredients to make a Michelin star dish and he fails to put it together for some reason. The dish is unappetizing and tastes average.  This was a great opportunity for Tanuj Bhramar to make an award winning film. A brilliant actor who fits the character perfectly with his natural poise, intensity and charm. A teenage debutant who is able to emote and has a grip on his act.  A very unique and interesting story with the potential to stand out.  Scenic locations to compliment the silent emotive and poignant issue. Silent frames and tones that begged for intensity and motion from the director. The script lacked dialogue, involvement of characters making the story torpid.  Dear Dad lacks the juice and spice that make films great. There are huge gaps in the narrative. The father confesses – the son reacts – interval – the son accepts – THE END.

The father son relationship has been done justice by the father and the son. The friendly relationship that a loving father is strong enough to have with the son, has been depicted beautifully. Himanshu Sharma shows maturity as Shivam while dealing with a difficult issue his family faces.The film successfully rubbishes common, prejudiced and condescending misconceptions about a particular social minority,

Rating – 2 / 5

SAIRAT - Review

Power and honor are the two most seductive achievements most human beings can kill for. They are capable of destroying love, innocence, relations, friends, neighbors and even societies. One will always remember this film for the moments that will shock and startle them. The crazy love an innocent teenager feels for a girl, the cockiness and brashness of a village girl who happens to be the daughter of a powerful politician, a teacher being slapped by the politicians son when asked to behave, the innocent romance between two young people as it blossoms, songs like "Zingaat" that literally made many from the audience leave their seats and dance in front of the screen (mind you, this was in a multiplex!), the lustful vengeance of the powerful for defying the social norms, daring lovers to make it on their own and a heart wrenching and stomach churning end that will take a few minutes to sink. I have always known Marathi cinema to showcase extraordinary talent in its narratives, lead performances and simple yet poignant composition. 

The rural settings and dialects cause a strong connection for the Marathi audience which was present in strength on a week night. It also made for the entertainment quotient in the rural nuances and ways of life. The lead actors, Rinku Rajguru and Akash Thosar showcase raw talent and great acting prowess in their performances. Rinku exudes confidence and craft while Akash will win your heart with his handsome looks and boyish charm. It can boast of three sensational numbers that will be hummed by most Marathis for a long time. The complete characters, identifiable cast, simple narrative, songs with panoramic picturization and divine music reminded me of Mani Ratnam films several times. The film does drag towards the ending, however the execution of an interesting theme is remarkable making this film a must watch.

 

Ki & Ka - Film Review

The mediums of art and creativity are more often than not a reflection of the present times and events of a society. Performing and fine arts draw inspiration from the changing moods and evolving social ethos. I don’t know if this film is reflective of the changing attitudes and acceptance of the Indian society. Is India ready to break the moulds and shed prejudiced uniforms that have been ritualistically worn by the members of the society to form the age old social fabric? Though it isn’t as difficult to assume gender fluidity, the challenge lies in the aftermath that comes with the complexity of established norms, rules, rituals and prejudices. This light romantic yet radical film presents the capability of our youth to be broad minded and accept changes of the present and future times. The acceptance of the changing roles of a man and woman in the social structures of individual, family, society and civilization is not only possible but agreeable. A man can be as caring, nurturing and loving as a woman just as a woman can be as dominating, chauvinistic and egoistic, has been conveyed subtly through the two hours. 

                                     

There is an uncanny resemblance to the film Abhimaan with the gender and roles being switched, the Bachan couple's special appearance adding to it. A lot of the story is focused on the gender role switch making it a tad boring. We needed to move on somewhere towards the end of the first half to the next part of the story. A little more friction, a greater emphasis on the prejudice of established gender roles, fiercer ego clashes could have made the film spicier giving the experience a sharper kick. However, the film has done complete justice to the theme and the story.  Balki presents an interesting message through the light humor and cute romance. Kareena Kapoor has always mesmerized me on the silver screen. I have never seen anyone with better screen presence. Though I feel Priyanka would have been a better fit as she carries the corporate successful modern woman avatar much better with great talent for the aggressive character. Arjun Kapoor does well in his poised big bear home maker gig. These are interesting times as we see creative arts breaking norms and introducing the society to gender fluidity and alternate sexuality, which has been strictly heteronormative and patriarchal. 

Rating - 3.5/5