Maximum movie review

1 / 5

Maximum joins the list of movies based on fake encounters, politics and power games in the police force. With 2 strong male leads in Sonu Sood and Naseeruddin Shah, does Maximum deliver maximum value for the ticket money? Read on to find out.

Through the eyes of a budding journalist, we see the intense power games that happen in the police department in Mumbai in the time period 2003 – 2008. The underworld is eagerly waiting for an opportunity to get even with the police force after being suppressed post 2003. Fake encounters and money laundering from big real estate magnets are the name of the game. The politicians are another angle in this game where maximum power is the only motto.

If lot of bullet shots and bloody encounters is your idea of entertainment, then you might enjoy this movie. Other than that, the action on screen is pretty grim and lethargic. Towards the climax, the film obviously has to raise its tempo and it does, but not with great results as we again see the same old gun shots and bloody shootouts, with betrayal and some unpredictable conspiracies running through. The climax leaves you numb, even more.

Sonu Sood is good as long as he isn’t required to emote. He looks the part as the ambitious police officer Pratap Pandit and has a majestic screen presence. Naseeruddin Shah is cold and calculating as Arun Inaamdar, Pratap’s fierce rival within the police department. Naseer’s dialog delivery drags though. One wonders why a seasoned actor like Naseer chose such a shallow role.

Vinay Pathak is believable as the typical politician while Neha Dhupia is dignified as the wife of Pratap. Her costumes are classy. Amit Sadh fits the role of the budding journalist and his is among the very few notable performances.

Hazel Keech scorches the screens in the ‘Aa Ante’ item song which is the only mainstream entertainment element in this movie. She has provided a feast to the male viewers with her ample assets on display. The moves in this song are crude though. The BGM has just one recurring theme all through while the other songs are nothing worth raving about.

Since the movie is set in Mumbai, we get to see shots of Mumbai’s famous landmarks like the tall skyscrapers and Marine Drive very often. There are lots of close-ups and slow motion shots just to position the 2 cops as ‘larger than life’ and macho.

On the whole, one certainly expected more after seeing the gripping trailer. The actual movie is a big bore with very few gripping moments. It is a disappointment as one anticipated some substance with the likes of Naseeruddin Shah in the cast.

VERDICT: Doesn’t provide even minimum entertainment

Billa 2 release date

• Thala Ajith's magnum opus is finally confirmed to release on July 13
• The release target is around 1200 screens across the world. 
• For the first time, a Tamil movie is releasing in more than 10 screens in France with French subtitles.
• The film will release with Malay subtitles in Malaysia, with Arabic subtitles in the Gulf and with English subtitles in other parts of the world.
• The Telugu version "David Billa - The Beginning" will release simultaneously along with the Tamil version across Andhra and Karnataka.
• A wide release in planned in Kerala too for the original Tamil version. 
• North India will see a release count of more than 25 screens with English subtitles. 
• The shoot of the movie kicked off on July 14, 2011 and now almost a year later, the movie is releasing. 
• A grand first look release function is being planned in July first week in Chennai 

The excitement levels will shoot up to Himalayan proportions in the following 2 weeks. Bring it on. Thala. Time to raise the bar set by Mankatha and Billa, with Billa 2.

The Don is back. The Gangster is back ... 

Brave review

Princess Merida is a very spirited and brave young woman. She doesn't wish to get married as per her mother Fergus' wishes. All the prospective grooms from the 3 clans in the kingdom are as dumb as they come. She approaches a witch for a spell that would change her mother's mind about her marriage. But the spell goes horrid and the mother is turned into a bear.

Father Fergus is dying for revenge against a bear which costed him one of his legs. Now Merida has to make sure her mother comes back to her actual form before the spell becomes permanent. She uses her bravery, skill, presence of mind and her love for her mother to make sure all is well in the end.

There are adequate doses of fun, laughter and nice sentiments too, making it a wholesome experience.

Merida has been modeled very beautifully with cute features and sparkling red hair. Her voice is totally British. The 3 young kids are the biggest cuties in the movie. They are naughty and adorable. Fergus looks weird with a huge body and a disfigured face. The queen looks beautiful. Bears have a prominent presence in the movie.

All the voice artists give life to the characters. As expected, the animation is top notch. Disney Pixar never fail to deliver on quality animation. The locations shown in the movie are dreamy and surreal. To make the most complex visuals possible, Pixar completely rewrote their animation system for the first time in 25 years. It is also the first movie ever to use the Dolby Atmos sound format.

The movie ends with a nice message and Steve Jobs is credited as well.

VERDICT: Will appeal to the kid in every human being. Some light hearted fun. 

Thadaiyara Thaakka review

Selva, a self-made entrepreneur who has a travels business gets stuck up with the 2 most dreaded gangsters in Chennai city - Maha and his brother Kumar. He is chased and hounded by the goons for an act that he hasn't committed.

How he gets out of this mess with a combination of brawn and brain is what Thadaiyara Thaakka is about. There is also a suspense behind who is the actual perpetrator of the crime.

Selva has a nice mature romance with Priya and he has his gang of close friends. There aren't many songs, just 2 of them, and both are on the mark. Thaman's BGM adds to the grip and thrill quotient of the movie. His theme music has bee aptly used in the movie to increase the tension.

Arun Vijay is as fit as they come and turns in a very understated performance. He is among the most well equipped heroes in town. Sad, luck isn't on his side. Mamta Mohandas looks mature and well endowed. She comes out with a good show. Rakul Preet Singh's character has a lot of weight. The 2 goons, Maha and Kumar (Maha Gandhi and Vamsi Krishna) are the biggest pluses in the movie. They are menacing and believable as the cold blooded villains who have no sense of humanity. The suspense element in the movie could have been made more tense given the terrific buildup.

VERDICT: Thrilling and tense action entertainer. 

Teri Meri Kahaani review

1 / 5

Priyanka Chopra and Shahid Kapoor join hands after ‘Kaminey’ in this Kunal Kohli movie. Presented by Eros International, ‘Teri Meri Kahaani’ released in 1500 screens across the country this weekend.  

‘Teri Meri Kahaani’ is basically 3 different love stories spread across different eras - 1912, 1960 and 2012 to be precise. Lahore, Pune and London are the scenes of action. Priyanka and Shahid is the pair as expected in all the 3 timelines. How their romance passes the hurdles thrown in, and whether their love bears fruition is the finale.

While the 1912 love story is packed with ‘shayaris’, the 2012 love story overflows with FB updates, tweets, BBM and the likes. The 1960 story is passable thanks to the ‘Chaplinesque’ treatment and the authentic production design. That said, the sets and the general look of this part look like the setting of Hitchcock films and not Pune or Bombay. The 2012 story is the most absurd of the lot.

Shahid Kapoor flaunts his enviable hair style and his beefcake in the Lahore part. Priyanka Chopra looks gorgeous in her hot pants and ‘barely there’ costumes in the London part. Her ‘hour glass’ figure is the envy of many young ladies across the nation and she proudly reveals her well groomed assets. Not much is required from these 2 young stars in the acting department. Prachi Desai and Neha Sharma have special appearances in different timelines, as the ladies who act as the hurdle between the love birds.

The scene in the pub towards the end when Shahid compares girls to alcohol is one of the very scenes that you will remember. At barely 2 hours long, the movie still seems to huff and puff to the finish line.

The songs do not help the cause either, as they are average at best. The heard before feel dominates and the placement of the songs leaves a lot to be desired. The camera work for the ‘Allah Jane’ song impresses thanks to the scenic locations.

To conclude, Teri Meri Kahaani is very low on the engagement quotient and despite the presence of 3 love stories and 2 beautiful stars, the movie still fails to impress

VERDICT: This ‘thrice upon a love story’ is disengaging and uninspiring. 

Gangs of Wasseypur review

3 / 5

Anurag Kashyap revisits his roots with this movie, set in Bihar. ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ was premiered at Cannes to good reviews and carries fairly good awareness back home as well.

Kashyap has even credited prominent Tamil directors Bala, Ameer and Sasikumar (all from Madurai) in the title credits for inspiring him. The Tamil connection doesn’t end here as prodigal composer G.V.Prakash has composed the BGM score for this movie.

The film is basically Sardar Khan’s (Manoj Bajpayee) quest for revenge against Ramadhir Singh (Tigmanshu Dhulia), a coal mine contractor in Dhanbad and also Sardar’s long standing inter-community rivalry with the Qureshi clan in Wasseypur. The reason for his motive is the killing of his father, the brave Shahid Khan, by Ramadhir. Sardar has a weakness for women and he isn’t loyal to his first wife Najma (Richa Chadda) and has a second setup with Durga (Reema Sen) as well. He uses the 2 women in his life as ‘child-producing’ machines and has a tough time handling them. 

The background narration by Piyush Mishra establishes the scene of action right from the pre-independence times to the times of Shahid Khan to the following decades. The backdrop of the coal mafia adds a relevant historical subtext. The coal mining mafia rules the scene all along. This narration is tough to follow because just too much information is crammed in.

Even though the film traverses many decades, the lead players do not age much particularly Manoj Bajpayee, Richa and Reema

The violence on screen is pretty brutal and raw. The choicest of expletives are used on screen which the audiences seem to enjoy a lot. The songs have just been used to take the plot forward like in other Anurag Kashyap movies. The BGM score by G.V.Prakash is scintillating to say the least. There are so many themes that will impact you. But, just as you keep replaying one theme in your mind, the next one comes and overtakes the preceding theme. Such is his contribution to this movie.

The tone of the movie is raw and real much like the aforementioned Madurai trio’s movies. The humor is all situational and finely woven into the narrative such as the scenes when Manoj Bajpayee woos Reema Sen. In fact Manoj Bajpayee’s character, despite being wicked and crude, makes you root for him with his mannerisms and escapades with the women. He has literally breathed life into the movie with his powerhouse performance and bald looks.

Jaideep Ahlawat as Shahid Khan has terrific screen presence thanks to his manly looks and flowing hair. We even wonder if that is Manoj Bajpayee in a dual role. Perfect casting. Jaideep sparkles during the initial scenes detailing the 1940s when British goods trains were looted by Shahid Khan in the name of the brigand, Sultana Daku.

Reema Sen looks voluptuous and is seducing thanks to the sexy way the saree is draped on her and also due to her eyes. Richa Chadda has her moments when she pours her heart out due to her husband’s flirty ways. Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Faizal will play a major role in the sequel and the way he woos Mohsina (the sexy Huma Qureshi) is hilarious.

The trailer of the 2^ndpart played after this film actually reminds us of ‘The Godfather’, what with the son taking over the reins.

On the downside, the film is too long, there are too many characters, the screenplay isn’t focused and the language in the movie isn’t easy to understand for people who speak colloquial Hindi. English subtitles should have been included in the Indian theatrical release prints as well, like ‘Paan Singh Tomar’.

To conclude, Anurag Kashyap has put his heart and soul into this movie and that shows. His team’s effort is Himalayan. Respects to that. The 2^nd part of the movie that will conclude this revenge saga is worth waiting for.

VERDICT: Gritty, rustic and raw - this revenge saga is just halfway through. 

Saguni review - FIRST ON THE NET

3 / 5

Saguni is a hilarious political game as expected. It is entertaining and gives your bucks' worth.

Kamala Kannan (Karthi) comes to Chennai to meet the concerned political honchos to save his ancestral home. He befriends Rajini Appadurai (Santhanam) and narrates his past to him. The first half moves with Kamal telling his flashback to Rajini. The way he woos Sridevi (his 'moraponnu') is a hilarious little part. The heroine doesn't have any work other than this small portion. She appears in few songs later in the 2nd half.

When Kamal comes to know that the politicians aren't going to help him, he decides to play the game himself. He becomes the kingmaker and singlehandedly helps Ramani Aachi (Radhika) to become the councilor and later the mayor as well. He doesn't stop at this. He also resurrects the flagging VTMK party and works his magic wand on this party as well. All he envisages, is a rule where the ground level people are involved and benefited.

In the process, he exposes the corrupt CM (Prakash Raj) as well. The kingmaker doesn't stop at the state level and in the end he is called for duty at the national level as well.

The numerous references to Kamal, Rajini, Sridevi and even Ajith, Vijay and Suriya, will give you adequate doses of laughter.

The film works big time and there is never a dull moment save some sagging scenes late into the 2nd half. Karthi works his 'boy next door' charm again and his comic timing and innocent smile are intact. Santhanam's chemistry with Karthi is another reason why the movie makes you laugh very often. His one-liners are terrific as always. Santhanam is a hero himself what with the loudest cheers reserved for him. The portions with Nassar as the God-man and Karthi's marketing / packaging mantra are hilarious as well. Good to see Nassar enjoying himself and entertaining the audience as well.

Karthi has worked hard on his dancing and he passes the mark. 'Kandha Kara Vada' and 'Pottadhu Pathala' lead the pack among the songs. The other 2 duets with the sweet Praneetha are just fillers. GVP's BGM scores as well with the Saguni rap leading the credits. At other parts, his re-recording is decent.

The dialogs are the biggest plus what with 2 huge comic talents at the helm. Politicians in this movie are either wicked or dumb. This cliche continues. Prakash Raj plays yet another villainous role. He must be tired of such roles now. Radhika has a small little part which she does well. Kotta Srinivasa Rao isn't the villain for a change. Kiran looks voluptuous as always as the side-keep of the CM.

Of course, it might be hard to believe how Kamal suddenly becomes a political expert overnight. But, this is commercial cinema and that's how it works.

VERDICT: An entertaining ride with a street-smart kingmaker.

Leelai (2012)

Leelai is a long delayed movie that finally released in 2012. It turns out to be a decent romantic movie.

Sparks fly on the phone between the flirty Karthik and uptight Malar. Later, after some years and after dumping few girls, Karthik falls for Malar once he sees her. But, he doesn't want to reveal his true identity fearing that she would refuse him, given their past frictions. So, he starts loving her as Sundar and she also reciprocates soon. In the end, Karthik has to reveal his true self and he does so after some hiccups due to uncertainty, fear and guilt.

The movie is a nice feel good romance. The heroine Manasi is sparkling cute and absolutely charming. Her styling and dressing is decent. And the girl acts well too. Shiv Pandit makes a decent debut. He is handsome and reminds us of Madhavan during his 'Alaipayuthey' days.

The lovely songs by Satish Chakravarthy are another major plus. 'Oru Kili' and Jillendru take the cake. The BGM is also pretty neat. The songs have been picturized decently as well.

Santhanam has an average outing. His antics border on double meaning at times but he provides some laughs here and there. The girl who comes as Suja has a pretty solid part in the movie as the mediator between the pair. The parents of the lead in the movie are all like vegetables. They don't have much to do. The ending could have been crisper.

The IT setting has been portrayed authentically. HCL is the scene of action and I was reminded of my Infosys days.

VERDICT: A feel good romance guaranteed to please. Nice debut by Andrew Louis. 

21 Jump Street review

Two rookie cops, Jenko and Schmidt are sent back to high school as undercover cops, due to their youthful looks. They are given a different identity and their task is to infiltrate the drug dealers at school and find the supplier. A synthetic drug is the one in question.

While Schmidt was a loser when he was originally in school, he becomes a real hero this time around and makes friends with the happening dudes like Eric, at school. He impresses a girl as well named Molly.

Jenko is left out a bit but he too does his bit by befriending the nerds at school who help him to keep constant phone surveillance on Eric, who is the drug dealer at the school.

The 2 friends stick together despite some frictions and in the end they nab the supplier and make their first arrest as well. There are some funny chases which are entertaining.

The film works big time due to the male bonding between Jonah Hill as Schmidt and Channing Tatum as Jenko. While Channing is dashing and youthful, Jonah is a stark contrast with his clumsy ways and super funny dialogues. Jonah has slimmed down a lot, one must say. He is a comedian, plain and simple. The 2 stars have been involved with the creative and production aspects of the movie as well.

There is a sequel lined up where the 2 cops will be going undercover to college now. Should be worth watching out for.

VERDICT: Works due to the male bonding between the 2 lead stars. 

Cocktail music review

4 / 5

Movie: Cocktail

Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty

Music Composer: Pritam

Director: Homi Adajania

Producer: Saif Ali Khan

Saif is back to doing a light entertainer after ‘Love Aaj Kal’. For ‘Cocktail’, he joins hands with the people who complemented him in ‘Love Aaj Kal’, Imtiaz Ali, Deepika Padukone and composer Pritam. This Illuminati Films’ presentation hits the screens on July 13^th. On to the music review now.

Tumhi Ho Bandhu … THUMBS UP

Kavita Seth & Neeraj Shridhar

A rocking number to kick start the album.  There is a slight touch of pathos in Kavita Seth’s voice which absolutely complements Neeraj Shridhar’s ‘Tumhi Ho Bandhu’ refrain. The beats are racy and it is sure to rock the dance floors in the country. Pritam is becoming an expert at such pacy numbers. The trailer has already made this song hugely popular. No wonder

Daaru Desi

Shalmali Kholgade & Benny Dayal

This song has a classy guitar presence and moves at a pretty fast pace. Very relaxing number with the 2 singers perfectly complementing each other. The female singer’s voice (of ‘Pareshaan’ from ‘Ishaqzaade’ fame) in particular is sexy. The musical arrangements are also trendy.

Yaariyan … THUMBS UP

Mohan Kanan & Shilpa Rao

This is a beautiful soft rock number with soulful vocals by Mohan Kanan. A totally poignant number that is high on feeling. Mohan shifts pitches very easily. This is one song where the vocals are a bit Hindustani while the arrangement of the song is totally western. A superb attempt at fusion with Shilpa Rao making a nice little contribution as well. The ending is terrific as well.

There is a reprise of the same song which is mellow and mushy with the piano taking over. Sunidhi Chauhan and Arijit Singh do the honors. Sunidhi’s versatility comes to the fore yet again. Arijit sounds like A.R.Rahman at parts and his range is wonderful. This one is a winner as well.

Second Hand Jawaani

Miss Pooja, Neha Kakkar & Nakkash Aziz

This one sticks out from the rest of the songs in that it is totally desi and local. An item number with a tune that will appeal to the snakes. Like other item numbers, this will make you groove and shake your head. But the tune is nothing great.

Tera Naam Japdi Phiran … THUMBS UP

Javed Bashir, Nikhil D'Souza & Shefali Alvaris

This is a beautiful fusion between soulful Punjabi and ‘Aqua’ style bubblegum pop. Tastefully done, upmarket and experimental.

There is a version 2 of the same song which has been made for the dance floors. This one sounds better than other remixes going around. Guess the fusion is just too good that even a remix can’t take the sheen away from it.

Luttna (Saif Ul Malook) … THUMBS UP

Masuma Anwar, Anupam Amod & Sahir Ali Bagga

This is yet another delightful number which is highly indigenous. One of Pritam’s best efforts. The sound effects in this song are random, heavy and psychedelic. There is a small ‘sufi’ touch as well to this song. All said, it is the vocals that do the trick. It is pretty uplifting. 

There is a version 2 for this song as well. The instrumentals for this one are much sober and pleasant with a slight rock touch. The vocals are terrific yet again.

Jugni ... THUMBS UP

Arif Lohar and Harshdeep Kaur

This song featured in Coke Studio Pakistan and is basically a Punjabi folk song. Pritam has reused it. It is addictive, foot tapping and will give you a high. Such is the passionate nature of the song. Both the singers are ‘A-Rate’. What a finish to the album

VERDICT: A smashing album from Pritam. After ‘Love Aaj Kal’, the Saif - Pritam combo has come up with another album that will rock the charts for some time to come. Scores high on variety and innovation. 

Ferrari ki Sawaari review

2.5 / 5

‘Ferrari ki Sawaari’ marks the return of Vidhu Vinod Chopra to production after 3 Idiots. Raju Hirani is also involved with this movie as a dialogue writer and creative producer, while Rajesh Mapuskar is the director. Sharman Joshi, Boman Irani and young Ritvik Sahore complete the cast. Music has been provided by Pritam while there is Vidya Balan in a special item ‘lavani’ song.

The movie traces the lives of the Deboo family comprising young Kayo (Ritvik), his father Rusy (Sharman Joshi) and his grandfather (Boman Irani). Kayo is a cricketing prodigy while his grandfather is skeptical about the young kid’s cricket interest due to his own failed past as a promising cricketer ruined by his close friend (played by Paresh Rawal). Rusy, a ‘Mr. Do-Gooder’, wishes to make his son a cricketer by any possible means despite his meager savings from his government job. An opportunity to send his son for coaching to a prestigious club at the home of cricket (Lords, London) comes up and Rusy goes through one helluva rollercoaster before he finally arranges the required money and fulfills his dreams. The grandfather also joins in the cause to send his grandson to London, once he is convinced of the young kid’s caliber.

As the title suggests, a Ferrari also plays a prominent role in the scheme of things. One must say that the red Ferrari is indeed jaw dropping and to add to its appeal, it belongs to ‘Little Master’ Sachin Tendulkar. There are a set of people who are after the Ferrari for various reasons and these events surrounding the Ferrari are half-funny and take the focus away from the aforementioned main plot which is truly endearing. There is also a lot of Sachin worshipping in the movie which is justified because the movie is set in Mumbai which is the cricket heartland of the country. The movie in fact is dedicated to Sachin.

The movie has a truly special opening few minutes when we are introduced to the special bonding between Rusy and Kayo. These sequences will bring a light tear to the eye. Boman Irani also adds to the emotional appeal of the movie with a typically fantastic performance in a different makeover. Sharman Joshi and the kid are very earnest and their bonding is what makes the movie tick. Generally, filmy kids act over smart while here the young kid is natural and truly likeable. His face and innocent smile will win you over. Sharman has caliber and he proves it yet again in the emotional scenes. The father-son bonding has shades of the climax portions of ‘Forrest Gump’ and ‘Life is Beautiful’. Generally also, movies based on the sacrifices made by a father, always strike a right chord. In that sense, ‘Ferrari’ is a timely release for ‘Father’s Day’.

There is some needless melodrama and mush in the climax which could have been toned down and it is also tough to digest the fact that an entire community back in Mumbai is watching a live feed of an under-14 match happening in London. Needless to say in these scenes, Kayo is worshiped on the lines of Sachin himself.

Hit machine Pritam has given nice feel-good songs which are on the mark. The VFX work for the title song is authentic. Most of the songs just go with the flow of the movie as montages. The BGM score also adds to the mushy, feel good appeal of the movie. The item number featuring Vidya is a good distraction.

Ultimately it is the honest intention of the movie and the endearing, earnest nature of the grandfather – father – son bonding that make the movie work to a large extent. The scenes featuring the Ferrari are illogical and are just supposed to provide some fun. Also, the climax could have been made more believable even though it is an underdog movie which is supposed to end in triumph.

VERDICT: A feel-good ‘underdog’ movie with its share of flaws. 

Teri Meri Kahaani music review

2 / 5

Movie: Teri Meri Kahaani

Cast: Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra

Director: Kunal Kohli

Lyrics: Prasoon Joshi

Music: Sajid – Wajid

‘Teri Meri Kahaani’ is set to hit the screens this weekend. The film has Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra, a super happening pair for sure. Directed by Kunal Kohli and set in 3 different eras, this movie has been generating enough buzz in the media thanks to the 2 stars. Composers Sajid &Wajid look to extend their success run following ‘Housefull 2’ and ‘Rowdy Rathore’. Have they managed to score with this one too? Read on to find out

Mukthasar … THUMBS UP

Wajid

This is a nice melody song that has foot tapping beats as well. It has been sung in a very involved manner. The passion of the singer captures you as the song plays on. The peppy nature of the song will make sure that this song will make the rounds in clubs as well. Even though it is a nice blend of melody and beats, the tune is not very indigenous

There is a remix version as well and given the fact that the original itself is heavy on the pep factor, the need for a remix is questionable. Both the tracks sound similar to the title track of ‘London Paris New York’.

Allah Jane

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan

This is a soft ‘desi’ number from Rahat Fateh Ali Khan with slight ‘sufi’ touches. Knowing the singer’s reputation this song is very typical of his style. It is melodious for sure but sounds too similar to ‘Tere Mast’ from ‘Dabangg’. If only the tune had been a bit new, this song could have created a greater impact, given Rahat’s caliber. 

Jabse Mere Dil Ko Uff

Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan

The song begins notoriously similar to the opening theme music of ‘Pulp Fiction’. The retro feel dominates in this song giving us a feel of the 60s/70s. The singing style is cheerful and the instrumentals also match that era. It is an energetic dance number that will showcase Shahid’s superior dancing skills. The song has been deliberately created to give a retro feel and to that effect, this one is a winner thanks to the 2 gifted singers.

Humse Pyar Kar Le Tu

Wajid, Mika, Shabir Brothers and Shreya Ghosal

Another number that has a very heavy ‘Dabangg’ hangover (remember ‘Humka Peeni Hai’). It is a ‘qawalli’ style celebratory number and should be a good one to watch on screen with all the color around. Can strike the right chord with the audience once the movie hits the screens. Mika’s rustic delivery style stands out.

There is a remix version of the same song which is expectedly heavily mixed with loops, just to suit the dance floors. Guess this remix obsession in Bollywood will never die down

That’s All I Really Wanna Do

Shaan and Shreya Ghosal

This is a typical Bollywood duet that is aimed at the city slickers and the NRIs. It is totally urban in style and lyrics. Sounds too soft and mushy but the instrumentals before the ‘anupallavi’ add some spark to the song. There is a small trace of ‘Mukthasar’ in this song as well.

VERDICT: As a total package, all the songs are listen worthy. But they are neither outstanding nor downright bad. An average effort from Sajid-Wajid

The Woman in Black review

This movie is based on a book by Susan Hill, with the same title.

A young lawyer Arthur Kipps (a widower with a 4 yrs old son) is instructed by his law firm to handle the estate of Alice Drablow (named the Eel Marsh house). She had lived here with her son Nathaniel, her husband and her sister Jennet. This house is located on an island in the marshes. Nobody is willing to buy it and Arthur has to find a buyer for it as part of his job with the law firm.

The locals aren't very welcoming of Arthur and they believe that the house is haunted by the spirit of a woman in black. They also believe that whenever she is spotted, some child in the village is killed. Arthur befriends a local called Sam Daily who gives him refuge at his big house.

The truth behind these mysterious killings of small children is later discovered by Arthur as he goes to the house and experiences the spirit and various other spooky happenings at the house.

He reads some old letters at the house and gets to know the entire story behind the woman in black.

It is definitely spooky. The horror is understated, chilling and not over the top. There aren't extravagant VFX gimmicks to show the spirit. It is all very subtle. It does scare you for sure. Goose bumps moments are there. The locations, the sound effects add to the mood. It is pretty surreal.

Daniel Radcliffe is a total miscast as a young father. He still has the 'boy wizard' charm and his personality is pretty weak what with his puny and meek physique. The only plus in him is his handsome face.

The ending could have been different though it is justified.

VERDICT: Be prepared for some spooky moments with this understated horror movie which is watchable for sure. 

Goon (2011)

This movie is about Doug 'The Thug' Glatt who is a misfit in a family of intellectuals. He works as a bouncer in a bar before being noticed by a local ice hockey team for his 'bashing' skills. He is that good at punching the crap out of anyone who dares to oppose him. He goes to Canada to be on an under performing team and to inspire them.

He uses this skill well on the ice hockey turf, he inspires his team and protects his highly talented but self-destructing team mate Laflamme. He also comes on the winning side in his showdown with fellow thug and goon Ross 'The Boss' Rhea

There is a nice and cute romance thrown into the mix. His friendship with his mate Pat is so brash and informal. Lovely scenes these are.

Ultimately the movie works big time due to the characterization of the 'Thug' played wonderfully by Seann William Scott. His funny dialogs, his rugged looks and innocent charm work solid. Jay Baruchel as the friend is a riot as well with his utter foul mouthing and style. Liev Schreiber is imposing as Ross 'The Boss'. Alison Pill plays the typically confused love interest. She is cute. Eugene Levy just needs to appear on screen and he is funny.

The soundtrack of the movie is beautiful. Opera music has been used extensively. It is a bit surprising that a full fledged fight can just like that happen on the hockey turf. The fights are bloody to say the least as the title card itself will testify.

VERDICT: Works big time thanks to Seann William Scott and the characterization of the goon. 

Project X (2012)

3 high school kids, Thomas, Costa and JB wish to throw the best party anyone has ever thrown on the occasion of Thomas' birthday. They want it to be their game changer. The location is Thomas' house as his parents are away to celebrate their wedding anniversary.

Word spreads around and the party becomes extreme to say the least. X-rated and crazy to the core. Booze, drugs, tits, booty, sex, smooches, music, dance galore.

But, it goes out of hand and the party soon causes destruction to the neighborhood. The party is all over the news and the 3 kids earn a lot of notoriety. They earn a lot of popularity in school as well, and in that sense their motive is fulfilled.

The kids have all enjoyed to the core as they literally party and have sexual fun all through the movie. There is some hot stuff for sure in this movie.

The movie ends with the promise of a sequel and it should be another crazy ride for sure. Todd Phillips' liking for 3 male leads (the wolf pack) continues in this movie as well. He is the producer. After 'Old School', 'Superbad' and the 'Hangover' movies, this one joins the list. FUN GUARANTEED.

VERDICT: X-rated and extreme fun. Truly, a party you've only dreamed about. 

Shanghai review

3.5 / 5

Highly acclaimed director Dibakar Banerjee’s latest offering is Shanghai. It is based on the novel Z by Vassilis Vassilikos. The movie has a very interesting star cast of Emraan Hashmi, Abhay Deol and Kalki Koechlin. This film has been distributed by PVR Pictures and produced by DBP and NFDC. The trailer gave us exactly what to expect – a political thriller based on an investigation into a ‘planned’ accident. Does the actual film satiate our appetite for a riveting investigative thriller?

Bharat Nagar is a typical Indian city (fictional) comprising a lot of naïve, uneducated locals who are all blindly passionate about their ruling party IBP. A big business proposal, also called the IBP (International Business Park) is about to come to this place thereby making it a major developmental hub and a possible Shanghai in future.

The ruling party is firmly behind this business idea. But, social activist Dr. Ahmedi (Prosenjit Chatterjee) wishes to let people know of the actual ground realities of this project and how people would be driven out of their own homes and lands for the sake of this infrastructure. The political bigwigs are obviously not pleased with Ahmedi and wish to eliminate him from the scheme of things, with the help of some naïve citizens of the city. An accident is planned and the doctor is sent into a near death situation. An investigation starts under the helm of the sincere T.A. Krishnan (Abhay Deol), a high ranking bureaucrat.  

Shalini (Kalki), Dr. Ahmedi’s fierce supporter is dying to expose the people behind this accident while Joginder (Emraan), a videographer who is also into pornography, backs Shalini in her pursuit of justice with some important evidence.

The above incidents were all nicely packaged in the trailer itself. Now, whether the actual culprits are exposed, whether the pursuit for justice is fruitful and what happens to the aforementioned protagonists is what Shanghai, the ‘movie’ is about.

Emraan Hashmi has pulled off a really different role in his career for the first time. He has totally gone for an ugly, de-glam look with a paunch as well. His teeth are colored, his laughs are typically rustic and his dressing sense is anything but classy. But, his character wins our hearts. Great show by Emraan. Kalki is fierce and aggression personified. Her character’s motives are lofty and honest. Abhay Deol is a Tamilian in the movie and his English has needlessly been tweaked to make it sound like a Tamilian’s. For example office is pronounced as ‘affice’. A needless gimmick. He speaks broken Tamil also for few seconds and is shown listening to the Vishnu Sahasranamam too. Abhay is required to underplay and he does it well. Prosenjit Chatterjee looks majestic with his beard and spectacles.

There are a lot of local character artistes too, who have done their parts well. The songs by Vishal-Shekhar are among the entertaining elements in the movie. ‘Bharat Mata Ki’ is a chartbuster already. Shanghai has an amazing BGM score too. The movie in fact warrants a repeat just for the pulsating BGM score. The music for the climax and the end credits roll take the cake.

To conclude, Shanghai is another worthy offering from Dibakar Banerjee. He has taken Indian politics as the main subject area and based a nice investigative thriller around it. The way the police and high ranking officials are merely puppets used by politicians according to their whims and fancies, is an oft-repeated plotline in Indian films. But, here it has been shown in a realistic manner without any overt cinematic licenses. How small Indian towns are exploited in the name of big infrastructural development is very relevant to the current times.

The movie is gripping from the word go. You will find yourself sucked into the happenings on screen. The item numbers could have been avoided though

VERDICT: A taut investigative thriller with generous doses of politics.

Man on a Ledge (2012)

An ex-cop, Nick Cassidy is dying to prove his innocence in relation to a diamond theft that he never committed. He escapes from prison and with the help of his brother and his girlfriend, he stages a major drama on top of a ledge in a high rise building in New York City. A negotiating officer tries to talk him out of jumping from the ledge while Nick is in touch with his brother and his girlfriend, as they attempt to steal the very same diamond which Nick was wrongly accused of stealing, in the first place.

In the end, Nick manages to prove his innocence and manages to expose the cops who framed him. The businessman David Englander whose diamond is the one in question, is also arrested for framing Nick.

The scenes on the ledge are very thrilling. The negotiation scenes between the beautiful Elizabeth Banks and Sam Worthington are riveting as well. The theft scenes are also nice thanks to the super hot Genesis Rodriguez who exposes a lot of bust and curves. Sam Worthngton is brooding and serious thanks to his manly voice. Jamie Bell has a cute role as the younger brother. Ed Harris is really old, as the villain.

The movie becomes too far fetched towards the end when Sam just like that, jumps off the building and lands safely on the mattress.

VERDICT: Doesn't end well but it has its thrilling moments. 

Haywire (2011)

This is a revenge story where a female black ops soldier gives it back to her male colleagues for setting her up in a mission at Barcelona. The motives behind the mission are obviously money. But, she escapes and succeeds in killing the people who were responsible for this

The film has some terrific action and chase sequences thanks to Gina Carano, a trained mixed martial arts fighter, kick boxer and fitness freak. It is fun seeing this busty action heroine strutting her stuff. The film has a good soundtrack too.

Channing Tatum and Ewan McGregor have minuscule roles. Antonio Banderas also makes the cast in another small role. Michael Douglas is there too.

The presentation and theme is similar to Kill Bill, though the motive for revenge here is purely professional.

VERDICT: Simple payback movie with a busty action heroine and her credible fight sequences. Strict one time watch.  

Saguni music review

3 / 5

Saguni is Karthi’s release after close to one and a half years. In this gap, the expectations and hype around him have increased manifold. He is a mass hero in his own right now. At such a time, Saguni arrives with the beautiful Praneetha and comedy superstar Santhanam in tow. G.V.Prakash joins hands with Karthi for the 2^nd time after ‘Aayirathil Oruvan’. Let’s see if he has lived up to his lofty levels.

Kandha Kaara Vadai … THUMBS UP

Shankar Mahadevan

Lyrics: Paramu

This is an enjoyable number about life in the city. It is a jolly ride all the way with catchy words and typically expressive singing by Shankar Mahadevan. The tempo never drops with the instrumentals aiding in the pace of the song. Will be a winner in all probability. It would be interesting to see Karthi enacting the lyrics out on screen. A new number for G.V.Prakash, definitely

Manasellam Mazhaiye … THUMBS UP

Sonu Nigam, Saindhavi

Lyrics: Na. Muthukumar

When you have Sonu Nigam, you know what to expect. A full-fledged melody, it is. When Saindhavi is there for company, it adds to the melodic quality even more. Her voice sounds shrill though. The flute and the whistles gel well with the song.  Will the masses take a liking to this melody? Time will tell.   

Vella Bambaram … THUMBS UP

Baba Sehgal, Priya Himesh

Lyrics: Vivega

This is an energetic and cheeky number. A comedy duet, so to speak, what with the teaser already showing us glimpses. The flute has a prominent presence in this song as well. The singers add the necessary punch to this song. Will appeal to the kids for sure.

Pottadhu Pathalai Maapillai … THUMBS UP

Velmurugan

Lyrics: Annamalai

This number was an instant hit when the 20 seconds version was out itself. Songs centered on alcohol have generally hit the bulls-eye as the youth instantly connect to such songs. The trumpet and ‘thaara thappatta’ are part and parcel of such ‘gaana’ songs. The veena is a nice addition as well. Deva was en expert at such numbers and now GVP has one to show in his resume as well.

Aatukkutti Muttaipodum Solliduvaanda

Pushpavanam Kuppusamy

Lyrics: Na. Muthukumar

A song centered on the elections, politicians and the general voting process. Given the genre of the movie, such a song was expected. It is a happy ‘thiruvizha’ type song with the trumpet, ‘nadaswaram’ in full flow and Pushpavanam Kuppusamy is an expert at such songs.

VERDICT: The songs have all been composed with the sole intention of entertaining the audience. Save the melody, the rest all play to the gallery all the way. Good ‘mass’ album.

Rowdy Rathore review

2.5 / 5

Following the massive success of Housefull 2, Akshay Kumar is back in action with Rowdy Rathore, the remake of Vikramarkudu which was also made as Siruthai in Tamil. The trailers met with good response from the general masses. Whether this film directed by Prabhudheva (yes that is how he spells it now) and produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali in association with UTV, does provide the expected entertainment quotient? Read on to find out.

Shiva (Akshay) is a petty thief who is an expert conman along with his partner in crime, 2G. He makes a lot of money out of this and also succeeds in bowling a girl over (Sonakshi as Paro) with his dubious charm and antics. But after the entry of a little girl (Chinki) into his life who calls him as her father, things turn upside down for Shiva. Certain people are behind his life while certain people swear by his side. The reason for this is Vikram Rathore, a perfect lookalike and a daredevil, proud and larger than life cop.

We come to know of Vikram’s unfinished business in a village called Devgarh which is tormented by three goons, Baapji, Munna and Titla. How Shiva gets involved in finishing the job started by Vikram is the remaining part of Rowdy Rathore.

There is no point in comparing this movie with the original as it is more or less a faithful remake. The essence of the original is not lost though as comedy, action, sentiment and masala are there in correct doses.

Akshay Kumar is in home territory as funny antics, punch dialogs, clumsy body language, atrocious dressing sense etc. are so easy for him. He pulls it off convincingly though a proper mustache would have helped his looks much more than the artificial mustache. Sonakshi Sinha dresses properly as the mandatory eye-candy in a commercial movie though the scenes involving her waist give us doubts whether they are graphically enhanced. The villains are all loud, inclusive of the seasoned Nassar as Baapji.

Among the songs, ‘Chinta Ta’ is a universally likeable number with special appearances for Vijay, Kareena and Prabhudheva himself. They are all ‘blink you miss’ type cameos. The other songs will appeal to the masses though placement of these numbers has been done randomly. Costumes for the songs are pretty crude and could have been toned down. Action choreography by Arasu Kumar has the necessary punch what with Akshay’s proven prowess at martial arts.

The mother sentiment element in the movie might be laughable for the youth but, will appeal in the heartland of the country.  Ultimately, this is a movie that will give critics a lot of fodder to pan the fact that this is a mindless commercial movie. But, this is escapist cinema and it is meant to be enjoyed. Just switch off your analytical mind and you will find yourself clapping and whistling happily at many points in the movie

To conclude, Rowdy Rathore in all probability will join the list of blockbusters (Bodyguard, Ready, Singham, Wanted) remade from Southern super hits. This will also give that much needed solo hit for Akshay Kumar who has generally been riding on multi-starrer comedies for the past few years. This being another cop movie based on the South, after Singham, Force and Wanted is another coincidence.

VERDICT: Proper masala fest guaranteed to please the average movie goer