Not a Love Story (2011)

This movie is based on the true life gruesome murder of Neeraj Grover in 2008. The movie has also been shot in the very same building where the murder occurred.

Anusha comes to Mumbai with dreams of being an actress in Bollywood. She gets the right connections and thanks to Ashish, she gets a film as well. Just to show her gratefulness to Ashish, she lets him have sex with her in an inebriated state.

Robin, Anu's boyfriend makes a surprise visit to her flat in the following morning and he catches her with Ashish in a half-naked fashion.

What follows is a purely passion driven murder as Robin isn't able to control himself hearing what Anu has to say. They then cover-up the murder and manage to dispose off the body. Soon enough, the law catches up with them and the 2 are sent behind bars. What happens to them, how their lawyers try to twist the case etc. is the remaining part of this movie.

The camera angles in this movie are crazy. They are always focused on Mahie Gill's legs, inner thighs, panties or breasts. The movements are really jerky and the tight closeups and extreme closeups are stressful beyond a point. Gill has acted very well as expected. She is expected to be grim and to put on a scared, crying face for most of the movie. The way she has exposed her assets in this movie is to be seen to be believed. She actually looks huge in this movie. The closeups augment her assets. Deepak Dobriyal is aggression personified as the boy friend and he makes a solid impact with his fiery body language.

A popular 'Rangeela' song is heard too often in the movie's soundtrack. Guess RGV was too busy admiring his own work.

VERDICT: Interesting, shocking, disturbing and crazy as well. Watchable. 

Paan Singh Tomar movie review

A movie that has a lofty message of one being dedicated to the unsung heroes of Indian sports like the athletes and hockey players of the past.

Paan Singh Tomar joins the army in 1950 and seeing his appetite for food and aptitude for running, he is given a chance to compete in running competitions like the 5000m and 3000m steeple chase. He wins many laurels at national and international level as well. He feels frustrated at not being allowed to fight for the nation in the 1965 war. He has a loving wife and children back in his village in MP.

Back home there are a lot of problems related to land within his family and cousins. Paan looks to settle the dispute legally and without taking to arms. But, he is forced to take up arms to save himself and his family.  He quits the army and gives up running too. Frustrated at the system in his village, he becomes a rebel (dacoit as the government likes to call them)

He starts his own gang and what starts off as a means to taking revenge against his cousin soon gives him notoriety. All the applause that eluded him when he was an acclaimed runner for the nation, comes to him in the form of being a wanted criminal now.

Irrfan Khan carries the movie on his shoulders. He looks lean and mean, fits the bill perfectly. The scenes documenting his running pursuits are very engaging and entertaining. Tremendous versatility in emotions in a single movie. When he taunts his innocent, naive wife played by Mahie Gill and when he plays around with the interviewer, he is at his witty best.

The rugged locales are a visual treat. The director Tigmanshu Dhulia is becoming an expert at such rustic movies set in the heartland of the country. The rebel part has been overdone a bit. Too many gunshots. The movie is a bit slow and doesn't move much in the 2nd half but, it has its heart in the right place.

VERDICT: A movie made for a nice cause and executed in a more than decent manner. Worth a watch 

Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster (2011)

The Plot
The movie focuses on 3 individuals - Saheb, his wife Madhavi (Biwi) and a young man Babloo (Gangster) who has come to work with Saheb to eliminate him.

Saheb is a much respected man though he is broke and has to depend on the Queen for money. Saheb has his flings with another Mistress, Mahuva and the Biwi has fits of rage regularly, due to the neglect from her husband.

Babloo is sent by Gainda Singh to finish off Saheb. Gainda and Saheb have a lot of conflicts of interest due to their business dealings. Babloo becomes close to Biwi and they have a physical relationship as well. All this happens while Saheb is busy with Mahuva.

Babloo wants to overthrow Saheb and become the king and have Madhavi all to himself. In the end, one by one all the players get eliminated. It is an engaging drama with betrayal and one upmanship as the core.

Hits

• Randeep Hooda is menacing and very youthful as Babloo. He is wicked and full of energy. The top highlight of the film. 
• Mahie Gill seduces and is damn hot as the Biwi. Her fits of rage are also well enacted. 
• Jimmy Shergill as Saheb is cool, cunning and calculating. His makeover is also royal. 
• The BG score has the Arabic touch and gels with this human drama. 
• The other characters like Kanhaiya (Saheb's man shadow) and Suman (Kanhaiya's daughter and Babloo's secret admirer) also have solid parts. 

VERDICT

Intense and engaging on the lines of Vishal Bharadwaj's 'Omkara'. Has some brilliant acting as well.