Posts Tagged ‘sameer’
By Taran Adarsh, January 1, 2010 – 12:31 IST
Surprise, surprise, surprise! Sometimes, the expectations from a movie are zilch, but what unfolds on screen is beyond expectations. It surprises you, to put it simply.
On face-value, BOLO RAAM looks like it’s straight out of 1970s cinema. A movie with predictability written all over it. A movie that carries zero hype and matches it with zero content. But BOLO RAAM isn’t archaic, isn’t the usual masala, isn’t zero content.
A remake of the Tamil film RAAM [2005; starring Jeeva, Saranya, Rehman, Murali], BOLO RAAM has an interesting plot with an engaging screenplay that compels you to look at the screen for most parts of the movie. But, of course, there’re hiccups. A few non-actors and a done to death climax could’ve been avoided.
| BY BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM |
Raam [Rishi Bhutani] is charged with the murder of his mother Archana [Padmini Kolhapure]. Raam falls into a state of shock, brief psychotic disorder, after his mother’s death and becomes silent, refusing to talk or react in any manner.
The investigating officer, Indrajeet Singh Rathi [Om Puri] is puzzled and unable to make Raam speak. He consults a psychiatrist, Dr. Negi [Naseeruddin Shah], to determine the cause of Raam’s state of mind and the reason for his silence.
Rathi interrogates various personalities for the case, questioning Raam. Every possible motive that Raam might have for murdering his mother is explored. Furthermore, Raam’s neighbours, Sub-Inspector Sajid Khan’s [Govind Namdev] daughter Juhi [Disha Pandey] and son Sameer [Krishan Khatra], are summoned by Rathi for interrogation. Will his silence solve the puzzle?
Without wasting any time, BOLO RAAM takes off from its opening titles itself. The story goes back and forth, several new characters are introduced, but the narrative stays faithful to the main plot. The best is reserved for the second half. Layer after layer is peeled with expertise. The viewer is keen to know the identity of the killer and that’s when the film fumbles and tumbles.
The culprit’s track is sloppy and a major put off. In fact, the circumstances that lead to the murder are quite amateurish and look far from convincing. Surely, the writer could’ve thought of a better culmination. Also, the one-sided love affair is functional.
Debutante director Rakesh Chaturvedi ‘Om’ makes a confident debut, although he should’ve cast some better actors for key roles. There’s not much scope for music [Sachin Gupta] in the film and hence, just one song merits mention – ‘Maa Tere Jaisa’. The background score [Sanjay Chowdhury] deserves special mention.
Newcomer Rishi Bhutani does a commendable job. He oozes confidence, despite sharing the same frame with accomplished actors. Om Puri gets into the skin of his character and is impressive, while Padmini Kolhapure is a pleasure to watch after a long gap. She is beautifully restrained. Naseeruddin Shah has a brief role and the veteran does it well. Govind Namdev is very good.
Rajpal Yadav is wasted. Both Disha Pandey and Krishan Khatra are non-actors. Manoj Pahwa does his usual act.
On the whole, BOLO RAAM has decent merits [hence those 2 stars], but the problem is its wrong release timing. It won’t stand a chance in front of a hurricane called 3 IDIOTS.
December 29, 2009 12:38:18 PM IST
Bollywood Trade News Network
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| CHANCE PE DANCE |
Backed by the success of 3 of the genre defining blockbusters of 2009 – KAMINEY, WAKE UP SID and DEV.D, UTV Motion Pictures announced an aggressive line up of 4 films for the period of January – March 2010.
The slate for 2010 kicks off with CHANCE PE DANCE, which has been directed by Ken Ghosh and stars Shahid Kapoor, as the talented and passionate Sameer with a never-say-die attitude and Genelia, as a beautiful and spirited choreographer, Tina. The film will have a worldwide release on 15th January.
HARISHCHANDRACHI FACTORY, India’s official entry to the Oscars this year, will hit the screens on 22nd January. This acclaimed Marathi film directed by Paresh Mokashi is a UTV production, co-produced with Paprika Media and Mayasabha. The film has also been screened for the BAFTA and Golden Globe juries, apart from various other film festivals.
PETER GAYA KAAM SE, a fast-paced action adventure movie with a romantic twist, is directed by John Owen. Starring Rajeev Khandelwal and Lekha Washington, this film is about Peter, a football crazy motorcycle taxi rider, who decides to turn his back on Goa and quit his job – until his sleazy loan shark boss Bosco persuades him to do one last job – the job that will change his life forever. The film is scheduled for a March 2010 release.
PAAN SINGH TOMAR, the true epic journey of a talented runner who turned into a rebel, has been directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia. It stars Irrfan Khan and Mahie Gill, and will be released in March 2010.
Siddharth Roy Kapur, CEO, UTV Motion Pictures said, “While 2009 has been a low year for the film industry in general, we released some interesting films which etched themselves in the minds of the audience. DEV.D, KAMINEY and WAKE UP SID created new benchmarks for what can now be perceived as commercial cinema. Our slate for 2010 promises to be a very entertaining mix and we are very excited to be bringing audiences such a wide array of interesting cinema.”
The much-anticipated releases by UTV in 2010 include Prakash Jha’s RAAJNEETI, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s GUZAARISH, Anees Bazmee’s THANK YOU, Rajkumar Gupta’s NO ONE KILLED JESSICA, Vishal Bhardwaj’s EK BATAA SAAT, Aamir Khan Productions’ DELHI BELLY and PEEPLI LIVE.
GLAMSHAM.COM
Movie Review: BLUE by FENIL SETA
Posted on: October 16, 2009
BLUE WILL GIVES YOU BLUES!!
No matter how grand a film is, how wonderfully it has been promoted or which big names associated are with it, if its content is bad, then nothing can save the film. Blue comes in this category. The film was so nicely publicized, the promos looked rocking, Akki-Sanju pairing seemed electrifying and Lara Dutta’s bikini scenes had sent the youth in frenzy. Unfortunately, the film’s story is pathetic and thus, the film disappoints…big time!
The story of the movie: Sagar (Sanjay Dutt) is an honest guy staying in Bahamas and has a girlfriend, Mona (Lara Dutta). His best friend is Aarav (Akshay Kumar), a rich and over ambitious businessman. One fine morning, Sagar’s younger brother, Sameer aka Sam (Zayed Khan) arrives at Sagar’s place after staying in Bangkok for 5 years. Sam hasn’t come there just to meet his folks for a few days-he had ran away from Bangkok after taking panga with a gangster Gulshan (Rahul Dev) there. On the other hand, there is a treasure lying deep under the sea, somewhere near Bahamas, and Aarav persuades Sagar to join him in finding the treasure. But Sagar has reservations about it which is connected to his past.
In just 15 minutes, you get a hint that the director is unfit and doesn’t know his job well. The opening credits scene was brilliant. But the following scenes and also the boxing sequence hold attention initially but the interest soon wears off. The movie then focuses on Zayed Khan which was the best part of the first hour. But the story hardly moves once Zayed comes to Bahamas and joins Sanju and his team and this happens till the intermission point. In between, there two songs are thrown in, ‘Chiggy Wiggy’ and Blue Theme, which serve no purpose to the main storyline.
The actual treasure hunting begins in the last 30 minutes and you expect fireworks right till the climax. But alas…it was plain lackluster. The director could have included added more thrills or at least some twists and surprises. Sure, there is a twist in the end but that doesn’t work big time. Also the climax was so lame!
Talking about flaws, there are plenty. What is striking is-the treasure is part of India’s wealth and was coming to India in a ship in 1949. But when the ship sank, no effort was made by the Indian Govt or for that matter, any adventurer to get hold of it. Although there were stories that the captain of the ship took away the treasure, still no one tried even investigating this case and that too for 5 decades! Very hard to digest!
However, the film scores at a few places. The bike race and the following chase scene involving Zayed Khan rocks! Another bike scene post-interval, which also involved a train, was also well-shot. And the best scene of the film was when the goons attack Sanjay’s place. Simply outstanding! So you can see, only the action sequences hold attention. And the film, overall, is a damp squib!
It’s a treat to see Sanjay Dutt in every film and in Blue too, he does a great job. Although he looked a bit fat places, overall, he gives a smashing performance. Akshay Kumar steals the show. He also raises a few laughs in between and was perfect for this role. However, it’s really disappointing to see Akshay Kumar in pathetic films lately. Let’s hope De Dana Dan (his next with Priyadarshan) works. Zayed Khan looked dashing and charming. The world may denounce him but I feel that he has the potential and can reach the top, if given an opportunity.
I really feel bad for Lara Dutta. When she signed Blue, she didn’t know swimming and she dedicatedly learnt how to swim in just three months and became a pro. However, she hardly has any contribution to the main plot of the film. In fact, one can argue that there was no need for her character in the film at all! Really very unfortunate! Rahul Dev was okay and Kabir Bedi doesn’t have a single dialogue in the film. Katrina Kaif is stunning while Kylie Minogue oozes oomph!
A R Rahman’s music was good, but nothing special. The Blue Theme, Chiggy Wiggy and Aaj Dil are the best songs of the lot. Rahman’s background score sounded modern and fresh.
Laxman Utekar’s cinematography was eye-catching. The underwater cinematography by Pete Zuccarini was outstanding and the underwater scenes really looked stunning. Oscar winner Resul Pookutty strikes a sixer with his marvelous sound designing. Fantastic job! The locales (Bahamas) are excellent.
Some of the dialogues (Mayur Puri) stand out. While the crew did their job wonderfully, the story and the script (Anthony D’Souza and Jasmine D’Souza) spoil and ruin the show. Same goes for direction by Anthony. He had everything-a producer who was ready to invest large amounts of money, top actors of the current period, an excellent crew (including some from Hollywood) and what not. But alas! Did Anthony feel that people are going to praise his film just by showing them some wonderful underwater scenes and handful of action sequences? The producer, Dhilin Mehta, is equally to blame. What was he thinking when he invested 90 crs+ on such a flawed script and on a debutant director? My blood boils to see huge amounts of money going waste, which could had been utilized in a better way. We are a pro when it comes to lifting/copying/inspiring from Hollywood flicks. Then why can’t we have a Hollywood-like terrific direction and screenplay? Really very very disappointing!
Some of the best scenes in the film:
1. Sam in Bangkok
2. Sagar and Aarav having a drink at the edge
3. Sam being chased in Bahamas
4. Gulshan’s attack on Sagar
5. Sam, Sagar and Aarav searching for treasure
6. The final scene
On the whole, Blue is a big time disappointment. The film’s cast and crew have done a brilliant job but the film fails to impress because of its faulty script. Blue should fail (and it will, for sure, keeping in mind its high cost) at the Box office so that it gives a lesson to all producers in Bollywood that investing large amounts of money on faulty scripts and taking audiences for granted will result in big losses and disaster.
My rating-** out of 5!
This review first appeared on MouthShut.com:
http://www.mouthshut.com/review/Blue-177340-1.html
Although Yash Raj Films is considered by many as a production house churning out only romantic and goody-goody films, the fact is that they too have taken the less-trodden path and came up with fantastic and meaningful hatke films (Kabul Express and Chak De! India are the classic examples). Their new offering, New York, too is another hatke flick from this production house. What is impressive about New York is its narrative-it deals with serious topics like terrorism and post-9/11 scenario but at the same time, its impact doesn’t limit itself only to niche audiences. It’s a meaningful film, which caters to all kinds of audiences. And that’s its biggest achievement!
The story of the movie: Omar (Neil Mukesh) arrives at New York to pursue a Master’s Degree at New York State University. Here he meets Sameer aka Sam (John Abraham) and Maya (Katrina Kaif) who become his best buddies. Time flies fast and it was soon time for college to get over. At this point of time, the 9/11 attack occurs which forever changes the lives of these three friends. How this incident affects them adversely and what steps they take to resurrect is what the film is about.
New York strikes a fine balance-it is dealt with maturity and yet manages to strike a chord with audiences of all ages. It is not at all formulaic and the story is narrated in a not-so-usual and interesting style. Also the film doesn’t waste time at all-the story begins from the first scene itself. There are no unnecessary songs, no unwanted scenes-the focus is just on the three main characters.
There are several scenes in the film that would remain etched in one’s mind. The most unforgettable sequence of the film is undoubtedly John Abraham’s flashback. This wonderfully shot and enacted scene will astonish everyone for sure. Even globally acclaimed Khuda Kay Liye failed to give such an outstanding description of the torture cells.
The only flaw was that the film, particularly in the 2nd half, got a little bit confusing at places but still this can be overlooked. However, the film succeeds in giving a powerful message and also an excellent insight about the chaotic situation post 9/11 created by the Bush administration. It also raises a question about the terrorists who were responsible for the 9/11 attacks-what did they achieve by those cowardly attacks which they considered as great? In the name of jihad, they ended up devastating the lives of so many people in US who were detained as terrorist suspects.
The climax of the film may seem unacceptable to many. However, the final scene of the film is very impressive.
All the four main actors of the film manage to give one of the best performances of their respective careers! No matter how hard John Abraham tried to give a brilliant performance in the past, he always ended up receiving appreciation for his fab body. This was evident especially during Dostana. However for New York, he would surely be liked by everyone for his brilliant performance only! He rocks the screen from the first scene itself and manages to give a praiseworthy performance. Watch out for him in the torture scenes and in the climax. Keep rocking, John!
As expected, Neil Mukesh gives yet another outstanding performance after Johnny Gaddaar! In fact, it was Neil who dominates the first half and does a great job. Like John, he too impresses a lot in the climax. Katrina Kaif surprises! She was always accused of not being to able to act and speak in Hindi. Post-New York, she would be considered not only as a glam-doll but also as a wonderful actor.
Irrfan Khan as FBI Agent Roshan as usual comes up with an outstanding performance. He also provides some comic moments in between! Nowaz, who played Shahana Goswami’s husband in Firaaq, has a small but an important role in the film and he does a fine job.
Pritam’s music is good, but not as great as his other works. Two songs stand out-Hai Junoon and Mere Sang. In addition, the film also has two instrumentals composed by Julius Packiam which are intriguing and haunting. Mere Sang is probably one of the best picturised songs of the year. Watch out for the scene in the song when John is walking down the street and a group of protestors pass by carrying textual posters of ‘Buck Fush’!
Aseem Mishra’s cinematography was perfect. The lensman performs better in the detention scenes. Rameshwar Bhagat’s editing was flawless.
Aditya Chopra surprises as the writer of the film. It’s great to see a person like him coming up with such out-of-the-box stories. Sandeep Shrivastava, who earlier wrote the screenplay of Ab Tak Chappan, excels through his screenplay and dialogues. Screenplay was unique since the film doesn’t pace ahead in the typical way.
Kabir Khan had already proved himself with his first feature film, Kabul Express. However, the film failed to do a terrific job at the BO since it was more of a docu-drama. However, in New York, he manages to come up with a sensitive, intelligent film that caters to a large audience.
Some of the best scenes of the film:
1. Omar detained by Roshan
2. Sam’s entry
3. The 9/11 attack
4. The intermission point
5. Sam’s flashback
6. The song ‘Mere Sang’
7. All scenes of Nowaz
8. The last 20 minutes of the film
On the whole, New York is a brilliant film to say the least. It not only gives a message, but throws a light on the wrong-doings of the Bush administration which devastated the lives of many. At the same time, it raises many questions. Brilliantly executed, wonderfully performed, New York will surely be remembered for a long time!
My rating-**** out of 5!
