Agneepath movie review

A remake of the 1990s movie of the same name. The treatment is also outdated. The only pluses are Hrithik Roshan's incredible looks and screen presence, Ajay-Atul's songs and the rich production design and sets.

It's a typical revenge saga and a blood bath. Vijay has to avenge the death of his father Master Deenanath Chauhan who is killed brutally by Kancha in front of the entire village (Mandwa) because Kancha's ways are opposed by the Master.

After 15 yrs Vijay completes his life's mission of revenge and joins his father in the afterlife. There is a love track, lots of blood, songs, an honest policeman, a corrupt politician, mother/sister sentiment and another gangster in the form of Rauf Lala who opposes Kancha. Stale remake.

Review

• The success of this movie proves that Bollywood is mostly just about a big hero, lots of hype, an item number and very little stuff. Sad state of affairs. Our audience is still welcoming such stale affairs purely believing the hype. Ra.One and now Agneepath, didn't deserve big success. 
• Sanjay Dutt looks seriously scary and overacts at times. Rishi Kapoor is a surprise casting in a negative role. Priyanka Chopra stands beside her man and looks pretty. She emotes well in one dragging scene prior to her marriage and death. Katrina Kaif dances as if she is possessed by a dancing spirit. Chikni Chameli rocks purely as a music video. The sister looks pretty and has some sister sentiment scenes with the Greek God. Om Puri is earnest as always. 
• Too much religious flavor in the songs. The music of the movie is a major plus though. 

VERDICT

Outdated revenge saga and a bloodbath at that. A movie that didn't deserve success. Our audience has been cheated by marketing hype once again. Sad!!!

Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (2011)

The Plot
Younger brother Kush has to choose an appropriate bride for his brother Lav. Lav is in London and he has just broken up with his girl friend Piya

Kush sees a lot of girls but none of them look like suiting his brother. Then he comes across Dimple. He and Dimple had already been acquainted some yrs back when they were in college. He decides that Dimple will be his brother's dulhan and Dimple also does a video chat with Lav. The marriage is set.

Then, Kush and Dimple get very close as they make all the arrangements for the marriage together. They fall in love, elope but, decide to return back.

Then they plan a big drama involving Lav's girlfriend Piya who comes to India as Dimple's friend. There the fire is rekindled between the 2 broken-up lovers and they elope and get married. Kush and Dimple also get married as planned after some more drama involving the 2 families.

                                                                       
Hits

• It's Katrina Kaif's movie completely. What style, attitude, cuteness and energy. She acts very well nowadays. 
• Imran Khan is boyish, charming and very handsome. Decent show
• Ali Zafar is debonair and acts well as the cool dude London brother. His girl friend Piya looks hot too. 
• The songs by Sohail Sen are a major plus. Very colorfully picturized too. Dhunki, Choomantar, the title song, Madhubala etc. etc. Aural and visual treat.  
• The first half is very likable and moves like a dream. 
• A lot of popular Bollywood characters have been spoofed most notably My Name is Khan's SRK. Good fun ... 

Comments

• The second half has all the typical Bollywood drama elements. The drama before the climax in particular is needless

VERDICT

Good time-pass entertainer. Yash Raj ishtyle light-hearted romantic drama

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)

The Plot
3 long time friends, Kabir, Arjun and Imran decide to go on a bachelor road trip to Spain, to celebrate Kabir's last few days of bachelorhood. The plan is to try out 3 surprising adventure sports that would help overcome their fears. Deep sea diving, sky diving and bull fighting are the 3 chosen sports.

The 3 guys realize their life's true existence and after the trip they get what they want in life and are free from all confusions. Arjun meets his true love Laila, the sea diving instructor. Imran knows the truth behind his mysterious father and Kabir realizes that his marriage is nothing but an effort to appease his family. Some solid male bonding and dreamy romance are also part of the package

                                                                           
Hits

• The 3 adventure sports have been shot like a dream. We can literally feel the adrenaline rush and the swirl of emotions. Beautifully shot. All the 3 episodes take the cake.
• The Spanish locations are worth catching up on the big screen. Magnificent locales. We yearn to see these places
• Farhan Akhtar as Imran scores the maximum brownie points among this ensemble cast. He is spontaneous with his jokes, emotes well and dances cool too. 
• Katrina Kaif as Laila is every man's dream girl and her pleasant smile and elegant dressing add to her splendor. She emotes very well nowadays. The way she rides the bike and proposes to Hrithik is one solid romantic moment
• Hrithik as Arjun carries the business dude look with the yo accent and the money minded nature perfectly. He is a Greek God, plain and simple. His reactions when he is about to leave Laila are really endearing. His friendship with Farhan has its share of frictions and it pans out nicely in the end. 
• Abhay Deol's voice is girly but still he impresses with his honest portrayal. The Dev D star is better off doing the drugged and spoilt brat rather than playing the rich and decent lad. 
• The songs are a major plus and they are picturized as expected, in a grand manner. 'Paint it Red', 'Udi', 'Senorita' you name it, the movie has it. 

Misses

• A bit slow in the second half with a cameo for Naseeruddin Shah thrown in. Anyone could have done this role but, the surprise factor is what must have brought Naseer in. 

VERDICT

Bollywood's answer to the Hollywood road-trip genre with a nice message about 'living life to the fullest' and 'following your heart'. Fairy-tale like and feel good to the core. 

New York (2009)

The Plot

How Muslims living in the US are driven to take up terrorism due to the torture that the Americans inflict upon them post 9/11 is the movie’s theme. It is told in the backdrop of 3 friends (Sam, Maya and Omar) and their college life. Sam and Maya are lovers and they also marry each other. Omar is used by the FBI to infiltrate Sam’s suspected sleeper cell. Omar goes back to his friend Sam’s house after many yrs and slowly starts to know about Sam’s real existence.

Yes. Sam is indeed planning some major attacks on the FBI and Omar wants to stop this as an undercover FBI agent and as a friend to Sam, and ensure that Sam is not killed. He also gets a guarantee from the FBI officer Roshan to this effect. But, things turn haywire and it is needless bloodshed for the husband-wife due to the hyperactive nature of the Americans in the FBI. Omar takes over as the guardian of Danyal, Maya and Sam’s little son, in the end.

                                                                        

Hits

• Yash Raj's production values are top notch. It looks like a Hollywood product. The cinematography is the main reason for this richness. 
• Katrina Kaif has acted very well for the first time in her career. As the understanding lover, wife and mother, she is top notch. She looks a million bucks as always. An elegant goddess
• Despite the robotic voice modulation, John Abraham scores in the emoting area. Neil Nitin Mukesh also impresses with his earnest show of desperation and frustration. His voice is cute. 
• Irfan Khan looks and plays the part of the Indian FBI officer to perfection. His sarcasm at the friendship between the 3, is enjoyable. The man who comes as Zilgai, the tortured Muslim portrays all the angst and embarrassment through his eyes. Great talent. 
• The torture scenes are very hard hitting. 
• The songs are all melodious and peppy at the same time. Credit to Pritam for that 
• The messages given in the end credits about the detention of foreign nationals in the US post 9/11 makes a lot of impact.

Misses

• The climax though beautifully shot on a grand scale, is very melodramatic. A played down climax would have worked much better.

VERDICT

One of the better 'serious' Hindi movies. Kudos to the director Kabir Khan for taking a heavy subject in his very first film. 

Tees Maar Khan (2010)

Whats it about
Tabrez Mirza Khan aka Tees Maar Khan aka TMK is a wanted criminal. He has his 3 side kicks. He is the only intelligent person in the whole film. The rest of the cast are all jokers and incompetent people.
                 His next task is to loot government valuables worth billions and many kilos, and deliver it to the Johri Siamese twins. He plans to shoot a movie along the Dhuliya railway track where the train is supposed to come. He casts a big Oscar obsessed superstar and the entire Dhuliya village in his movie. And they blindly obey his orders without a second thought. He loots and then escapes as usual.

                                                                          

Hits

• The punch dialogs spoken by the side kicks in praise of TMK are a scream.
• The Oscar mania spoofed in this film is also laugh worthy. Danny Toyle, Manoj Day Ramalan etc etc. lol indeed. Akshaye Khanna with a trendy wig has really brought in the laughs. 
• Nice peppy songs. 
• Some good laughs. 

Misses

• Logic-less. Senseless. Mindless. Typical Akshay Kumar masala film with a foolish glam doll as the heroine. An over emotional mother. Timid, comic police officers. May be that is exactly what Farah Khan wanted to do. 

VERDICT

Worth some laughs. Feel good comedy. But totally unbelievable stuff. Cinematic liberties have been stretched to the core.