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Movie Review: Raees – Old Wine In New Bottle… Highly Disappointing!

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This week saw the release of much-awaited Raees starring Shah Rukh Khan (the movie was in the making and then in the cans for the longest time ever). The movie promos gave a perception that it had the best recipe for a sure shot hit. With few catchy dialogues thrown in – Baniye Ka Dimaag Aur Miyan Bhai Ki Daring…. a special item number with Sunny Leone thrown in for the front benchers. Some daredevilry fights punched in. And, overall the biggest star of the country SRK leading the way ahead. But, did the recipe actually work for Rahul ‘Parzania’ Dholakia and Farhan Akhtar‘s production house that we will have to wait and watch at the box office. Coming to the movie, let’s analyze if it was worth the wait.

Shah Rukh Khan plays Raees a spectacled goon who hates being called “battery”. He and his childhood friend cum sidekick (Mohammad Zeeshan Ayub) – how can a hero be without a sidekick; start from harmless Ponzi schemes to pre-planned rackets and becomes the top bootlegger of his town. How can a story about a criminal be complete without a police officer; so Raees meets his equal when ACP Majmudar (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) is posted in his area. Raees forms a nexus with politicians who fuel his business, but he soon becomes the thorn in their side. No Hindi film hero can be complete without a lady love and therefore we have Mahira Khan added to the cast to give some respite to Raees’ character whenever he is tired of running his criminal activities and cat and mouse game with the police.

The problem is with the script in totality. Rahul Dholakia and his writers have not offered anything new that we have not seen in earlier movies. Just putting the characters in 70’s and 80’s does not bring novelty to a plot. Even Shah Rukh’s performance is hampered because of the shoddy screenplay. Also, it is high time SRK did some analysis of his atrocious choices of movies after Chak De India. We want better movies from you Shah Rukh.

Nawazuddin, as usual, is good in his character but again the story and screenplay is the villain here. Even a wonderful performer like Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub as well as Atul Kulkarni are wasted in insignificant roles. Casting of Mahira Khan in the movie and creating a controversy around her was all a hoax. Any junior artist could have done her role.

Coming to the music. Ram Sampath does a decent job but the songs sound very jaded and very 90’s. Cinematography by K.U. Mohanan is first rate. Action scenes are okay and in few places, we feel the action director got confused if he was making a Superman or Batman or Antman movie and has made SRK perform like one. Editing by Deepa Bhatia could have been crispier especially in the second half. Coming to direction, I would rather advise Rahul Dholakia to make his brand of movies like Parzania than attempt potboilers that do not make any sense at all.

Overall, the movie is an utter disappointment.

My Verdict: **/5

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9 Best Movies of 2016

2016 was one of those years in the Bollywood history where not many movies were Box Office successes, however, there were some really brave movie attempts made by unexpected quarters. Here is my pick of top 9 movies I felt were different and entertaining. Please do not go by the BO numbers.

Dangal: Like the saying save the last dance. Aamir did save his best performance and movie for the last week of 2016. Based on the true life characters of Mahaveer Phogat and his daughters Geeta and Babita, this was a great movie experience. Never was a sports based movie made with such passion and splendor. The wrestling fights looked so real that I had myself sitting on the edge whenever Geeta ‘Dhobipachadofied‘ her opponents. The highlight apart from the last fight was the bout between the father-daughter jodi played by Aamir and Fatima.

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Nil Battey Sanatta: This was one masterpiece that I was fortunate to see in 2016. Produced by Aanand L. Rai and directed by Ashwini Iyer Tiwari (the wife of Dangal director Nitesh Tiwari), tells the story of a housemaid played brilliantly by Swara Bhaskar and her daughter who is scared of mathematics. The moments in the movie were heartfelt and the narrative was so gripping that made you feel a part of Apu and Chanda’s lives.

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Pink: ‘Whatamovie’ was the first expression I let out after watching this simple but powerful story of a movie. Amitabh Bachchan was a sheer pleasure to watch as the bipolar lawyer and Tapsee Pannu showcased her brilliance with her portrayal of Meenal Arora. ‘No means No’ became the mantra of this tony courtroom drama directed by Aniruddha Roy Choudhary.

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Aligarh: Another biopic that made me cringe in my seat was Manoj Bajpayee starrer Aligarh based on Professor Ramchandra Siras’ life. Professor Siras was who was sacked from his position as a Marathi professor from Aligarh University for his sexual orientation portrayed the sad reality of our homophobic society. Also, the mysterious way in which he was found dead makes us question ‘whether sexual orientation is above humanity?’ Homosexuality is a crime in India and there are hardly any meaningful movies made around this subject. However, Hansel Mehta’s brave attempt on this real life character and Bajpayee’s sensitive performance is quite commendable. I will also give full marks to the writing department and one particular dialogue of Professor Siras from the movie still gives me goosebumps – Koi Mere Feeling Ko Teen Aksharon Mein Kaise Samajh Sakta Hai!

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Kapoor & Sons: There are many stories revolving around a dysfunctional family, however, Shakun Batra’s second movie outing was a beautiful piece of cinema. Grand Father who is preparing for his death and wants to have the last family picture clicked, Father – a cheating husband, Mother – lost in her own world, Elder son – a closeted gay, Younger Son – still trying to figure out his true calling in life etc. are characters inspired by true life. It was shocking to see King of Candyfloss – Karan Johar producing a true to life story. The movie was quite relatable and the performances were wonderful. Give me a choice and I would love to see this movie anytime, anywhere.

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Dear Zindagi: A slice of life movie that centers around a budding cinematographer Kaira played by Alia Bhatt, who hails from a dysfunctional family and after several failed relationships, is in search of a perfect life. She bumps into Dr. Jehangir, an unconventional thinker who helps Kaira in gaining a new perspective about life. Gauri Shinde after her endearing debut movie English Vinglish gave a near perfect movie – Dear Zindagi, and also gave Shah Rukh Khan a much-needed image makeover (it’s been nearly a decade that I liked any of SRK’s movies past Chak De India!).

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Neerja: Directed by Ram Madhvani, Neerja was another commendable biopic on Neerja Bhanot, AC, who was a purser for the airline Pan American World Airways, based in Mumbai, India. Neerja was shot and killed while saving 359 of 379 passengers on board Pan Am Flight 73, which was hijacked by terrorists on 5 September 1986 at Karachi. Sonam Kapoor gave her career best performance and also won the hearts of cine goers. A wonderful movie that every India should watch.

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Airlift: The film directed by Raja Krishna Menon follows Ranjit Katyal (Akshay Kumar), a Kuwait-based businessman, as he carries out the evacuation of Indians based in Kuwait during the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. The movie was inspired by the real-life character of Mathunny Mathews who was instrumental in carrying out the biggest Air evacuation in World History. Air India holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the most people evacuated by a civil airliner as a result of this effort. The operation was carried out during the Persian Gulf War in 1990 to evacuate Indian expatriates from Kuwait and Iraq. It is believed to be the largest civilian evacuation in history. The way the movie was shot and narrated is praiseworthy. Akshay Kumar, as usual, gave a great performance ably supported by Nimrat Kaur and Prakash Belawadi.

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Sultan: My list would not be complete without a Salman Khan starrer and this year he did make me proud as a fan. Sultan a love story of a wrestler had Salman living the character to the T. It was not a typical Bhai movie but a warm and heartfelt movie of a wrestler who gets into the game only to impress his lady love and in turn goes to win medals for the country. Pride and ego bring his downfall and soon his entire life is shattered. What happens next is the journey of Sultan who rises from the ashes like a Pheonix. Salman after Bajrangi Bhaijaan was a sheer pleasure to watch. His transformation as a wrestler in the movie was commendable and Bhaijaan did act well in this movie.

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It was difficult to pick 9 movies from the 100+ movies released in 2016. If you have your own favorites please do comment below.

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Review: Dear Zindagi ‘I Love You’!

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I know it’s been a while I reviewed any of the new releases, however, I was busy with the release of my new book Alfie The Elf. Anyway, at no cost I wanted to miss out on Dear Zindagi that released this week starring Alia Bhatt and Shah Rukh Khan and directed by Gauri Shinde of ‘English Vinglish’ fame. Let me directly dive into the plotline of the movie.

Kaira aka Koko (Alia Bhatt) is an ambitious cinematographer (wait aren’t they called DOP these days?) who like many millennials has a messy love life and a yet to bloom career. She falls in and out of love instantly. She parties and also cheats on her boyfriend (Angad Bedi)  with another man. However, her entire world comes crumbling down first with a heartbreak when the guy of her dreams Raghvendra (Kunal Kapoor) dumps her and gets engaged to someone else. And, then her landlord  slaps her with an eviction notice and our cutie-pie Kaira processes this cumulative assault while biting into green chilies. Throughout you are subjected to a slight hint of her strained relationship with her parents.

Enter Jehangir Khan aka Jugs (Shah Rukh Khan) who is a DD – Dimag Ka Doctor, who tries to help Kaira with her problems and to love her Zindagi. In his ‘out of textbook’ ways, Jug helps Kyra open up about her on the surface problems and further digs into the bigger ones. With his ‘cool’ stories, he wins over Kyra’s fears and teaches her to embrace life. Alas, our baby-faced Kaira falls head over heals in love with Jugs. Now, what? Would Jugs reciprocate to her love or leave her like her previous crushes? Find out by watching Dear Zindagi at a theater near you!

Coming to the script and screenplay, which seems to be good, however, Gauri seems to have gone on a trip of her own. She tries to weave in multiple issues into one story for the character. The parental issues, love life issues, career issues etc. and in that process losses track. The sparks she showed with Sridevi starrer English Vinglish is missing. The dialogues though initially interesting tends to be very preachy and boring in the second half.

Performance wise, this is Alia’s best. She rises above the screenplay and gets perfectly into Kiara’s character making it more believable. Shah Rukh Khan as Jugs is impressive, however, the dialogues let things down. As the entire focus of the movie is on Kaira’s character, the characters supporting hers viz; Raghu (Kunal Kapoor), Sid (Angad Bedi) or Rumi (Ali Zafar) get no background whatsoever.

The music is average only the title song ‘Love You Zindagi’ and a rehash of yesteryear superhit song ‘Ae Zindagi’ from Sadma composed by maestro Illayaraja stands out. Editing in the second half could have been crisper.

On the whole, Dear Zindagi is a great watch for all Alia Bhatt and SRK fans.

My Verdict:***

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Book released all over the world… also now available for Amazon Prime customers!

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Movie Review: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil!

Diwali is the biggest festival of India and like every year, this year too, two BIG movies are clashing with each other to  get audience’s attention. The first movie I am reviewing is Karan Johar’s much-anticipated, much-talked and controversy surrounded – Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. Without much talking, let me dive into the story of ADHM.

The movie starts with ‘private-jet ameer’ Ayan (Ranbir) trying to hook up with ‘Raees’ Alizeh (Anushka) after a chance encounter at a London pub. However, instead of they ending up in bed and bidding farewell later, they strike up a friendship instantly. They’re both Bollywood-crazy goofballs who love cheesy ’80s songs, poke fun at each other’s partners and fit into each other like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. But Ayan wants more from the relationship while Alizeh wants to have him as her ‘bestestest’ friend forever after reeling from her break-up with her ex DJ Ali (Fawad). Although, Ayan is a good singer, but Alizeh feels there is no feeling in his singing as he has never experienced heartbreak. Which he does when a chance encounter with Ali while Alizeh and Ayan are holidaying in Paris, makes her slip back into his arms, leaving him distraught.

Alizeh goes back to Lucknow and gets married to Ali against her parent’s wishes. Ayan tries to make Alizeh understand his love for her, but she rejects him as she is not in love with him. A distraught and heartbroken Ayan then finds solace in a physical relationship with an older divorcee Saba (Aishwarya), who helps him get a new perspective on one-sided love.

Will Alizeh fall in love with Ayan and accept him as her lover or will Ayan find his soulmate in Saba? To find out, watch the movie.

The story by Karan Johar is a mixture of his earlier movies like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kal Ho Na Ho, Ek Main Aur Ek Tu etc. and Rockstar. There is no originality in the story or script, however, performances by the lead actors keep the movie afloat and entertaining. Ranbir, as usual, does a fantastic job and Anushka is a dream to watch. Their chemistry is crackling and you don’t turn your face away whenever they mouth those typical filmy corny dialogues from the 80s and 90s. Aishwarya looks beautiful and does a decent job in her small role. Lisa Haydon is hilarious and makes the ‘Vaatavaran’ exciting with her presence. Fawad Khan and Imran Abbas are just okay and do not have too many screen time (there was no need for the entire controversy to be created around their presence in the movie). Shah Rukh Khan and Alia Bhatt lightens up the screen with their short cameos.

Dialogues by Niranjan Iyengar and Karan Johar is good and the first half is quite entertaining because of the dialogues and the lead pair’s chemistry. The second half drags in the first 20 minutes and then picks up once Anushka and Ranbir meet again. The music by Pritam is outstanding especially the title song and Channa Mereya which has a haunting presence even in the BG score.

Cinematography by Anil Mehta is very good and you will fall in love with the lighting and every frame which gives you that typical KJo signature style. Editing could have been crisper, especially in the second half.

Overall, ADHM is a feel good movie and keeps you entertained and therefore I would recommend you to watch it at least once if you are a fan of KJO movies.

My Verdict: ***

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Movie Review: Hell hath no fury like a ‘FAN’ scorned!

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This week saw the much awaited release of Shah Rukh Khan  & Shah Rukh Khan 🙂 starrer FAN directed by Maneesh ‘Band Baaja Baraat’ Sharma and produced by Yash Raj Films. Loosely based on Hollywood movie The Fan and many real life incidents, this movie shows the obsession of a fan for his superstar idol and to what lengths his obsession can take him.

Gaurav (Shah Rukh Khan) is a happy-go-lucky guy from Delhi who is a huge fan of superstar Aryan Khanna (Shah Rukh Khan). From his childhood, he has been such a Jabra fan of Aryan Khanna that he knows every minute detail of his life. Though he has a cyber cafe of his own and also a one way love interest (Shriya Pilgaonkar), Gaurav’s only obsession is with Aryan Khanna. He wishes to meet Aryan Khanna on his birthday, and with the prize money he wins from a local star fan contest, he goes to meet his idol with his trophy and mom’s halwa. As expected, when he reaches Aryan Khanna’s residence, he realises he is just one of the millions of fans the superstar has. Determined to meet him at any cost, he takes a very crooked way to get his idol’s attention. He succeeds but not in a nice way, as Aryan Khanna gets very pissed at what he does. Gaurav finally gets his face time with Aryan Khanna, but things go all haywire, and the conversation also doesn’t end in the way he wants. Insulted and miffed, Gaurav decides that from here on, whenever Aryan Khanna’s name is taken, people will also take his name too. Thus begins a cat and mouse game between the superstar and his fan, as the fan decides it’s time to rattle at the superstar’s cage and make him pay for what he had said and done!

Performance by Shah Rukh Khan as both Aryan Khanna and Gaurav ROCKS!!! After a long time, maybe after Chak De, I quite enjoyed a SRK movie. His portrayal of Gaurav is awesome. The supporting cast does not get too much of scope as it is a start-to-end SRK movie however, Shriya Pilgaonkar in a brief role as Gaurav’s love interest is superb. Gaurav’s parents played by Deepika Amin and Yogendra Tiku show sparks while Waluscha De Sousa [as Aryan’s wife] doesn’t get much scope. However, newcomer Sayani Gupta [as Aryan’s secretary] is very notable.

There are no songs and that is a first for a SRK and YRF movie. The DoP (Manu Anand) does a great job by bringing the screen alive with his camera work. Editing (Namrata Rao) could have been crisper as in the first half few of the scenes seem to be monotonous. Background score by Andrea Guerra is good. The makeup department needs to be applauded for transforming SRK as Gaurav. Quite commendable!

Overall it is a good movie but not a GREAT movie!

My Verdict: ***

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10 Best Movies of 2015!

As the year 2015 is coming to an end, it’s time for us to look back and see the best movies of 2015. Statutory Warning: This is my opinion and it might differ from yours therefore please do not crucify me 😉

This year belonged to the letter ‘B’.  Most of the movies which had a title starting with the letter ‘B’ eg: Baby, Badlapur, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Baahubali, Bajirao Mastani etc. surprisingly not only did well at the Box Office but also garnered critical acclaim. So here we go.

Baby

Baby: One of the first movies to release in 2015 starring Akshay Kumar and Tapsee Pannu was a winner with the masses and the critics. Directed by Neeraj Pandey who had earlier directed A Wednesday and Special 26, this spy action thriller had some breathtaking stunts and edge of the seat moments. This songless movie made at a budget of Rs.58 crores set the ball rolling for Akshay Kumar and earned few crores short of Rs.100 Crores.

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Badlapur: This Varun Dhawan revenge drama with some soulful music was released one week after the Valentine’s Day. Badlapur not only gave Sriram his first hit after Ek Haseena Thi, Johnny Gaddar and Agent Vinod but also gave Varun a major image makeover, who has always been associated with candy floss romances in the past. This Sriram Raghavan directed movie had some high power performances from actors like Nawazuddin Siddique, Huma Qureshi, Divya Dutta and Radhika Apte. Made on a budget of Rs.25 Crores, this action crime thriller earned around Rs.77 Crores at the Box Office.

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Dum Laga Ke Haisha: This Ayushmann Khurrana – Bhumi Pednekar romantic comedy from YRF was one of the surprise hits of the year. Set in 1995, the movie tells the story of a loser who gets married to a fat girl against his wishes and how during the course of their marital journey they fall in love with each other. A simple story that not only won big hearts but also big money for the producers. This Sharat Katariya movie made at a budget of Rs.15 Crores (inclusive of Print and Publicity) earned around Rs.45 Crores net at the Box Office.

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NH10: The shy ‘Taaniji’ from Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi turned producer with this movie and also went out of her comfort zone to do a slasher thriller revolving around her character. The plot inspired from the English movie Eden Lake tells the story of a couple whose road trip goes for a toss after a chance encounter with a group of violent criminals who kill their sister and her lover in the name of honour killing. This Navdeep Singh directed movie garnered a lot of critical acclaim for Sharma and the masses also loved the movie making it a sleeper hit at the Box Office. Made on a budget of Rs.13 Crores, NH10 made Rs.33 Crores at the Box Office.

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Baahubali – The Beginning: This is one of the rarest cases in Indian cinema where a dubbed movie made more than Rs.100 Crores at the Box Office. Directed by the hugely talented SS. Rajamouli this epic historical fiction movie is first of the two parts. Starring Prabhas and Rana Daggubatti as two warring brothers fighting for control of an ancient Indian kingdom Maheshmati, this movie was an answer to Hollywood productions such as Game of Thrones and 300. The movie not only broke records within India but also internationally. Made at a budget of Rs.120 Crores the movie made Rs.600 Crores worldwide, breaking all language barriers. The second part Baahubali – The Conclusion is one of the most awaited movies of 2016.

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Bajrangi Bhaijaan: Salman Khan starrers are a huge pull during Eid every year. However, 2015 Eid was special not only for Salman Khan but also to his fans as one of his career best movies released with a thundering response at the Box Office. This emotional drama directed by Kabir Khan tells the story of Pawan (Khan) a simpleton and an ardent devotee of Hanuman who finds a mute Pakistani girl (Harshali) separated from her family during her visit to India. He embarks on a journey to unite the kid with her family back in Pakistan. Also starring Kareena Kapoor and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bajrangi Bhaijaan made at a budget of Rs.90 Crores and produced by Salman Khan, garnered around Rs.324 Crores net in India while its worldwide collection was to the tune of Rs.625 Crores.

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Tanu Weds Manu Returns: This Kangana Ranaut-Madhavan sequel to 2011’s surprise hit Tanu Weds Manu was one of the much awaited movies of the year. Like its prequel, this Aanand L. Rai musical-romcom high on performances did very well at the Box Office. Kangana Ranaut in her career’s first double role as Dattu and Tanu won the hearts of the viewers apart from giving one of her career-best performances. After last year’s Queen, Kangana proved once again that she is one actor who do not need a Khan, Kapoor or Kumar to give a Box Office hit. Give her a good script and see her transform in front of the camera. Tanu Weds Manu is the only woman oriented movie made in India that has earned over Rs.150 Crores. The total budget of the movie was Rs.15 Crores.

Talvar

Talvar: This Meghana Gulzar movie was based on the 2008 Noida double murder case, in which a teenage girl and her family servant were found murdered, and her parents were convicted for the murders. The movie not only revived the case but also showed the investigation flaws conducted by the Police Department and CBI. The movie starring  Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Neeraj Kabi and Sohum Shah in leading roles garnered critical as well as box office acclaim. Made at a budget of Rs.15 Crores the movie made almost Rs.30 Crores at the Box Office.

Tamasha

Tamasha: This Ranbir-Deepika movie directed by Imtiaz Ali attracted a lot of debate. Some liked the movie, some hated it while some didn’t understand the story at all. Like all Imtiaz Ali movies this one was also an emotional tale that narrates the story of Ved (Ranbir) who loses his self by living according to the social conventions expected of him unless he is reintroduced to himself by Tara (Deepika). Made at a budget of Rs.60 Crores this movie made Rs.106 Crores worldwide.

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Bajirao-Mastani: The long in the making Sanjay Leela Bhansali dream epic released along with Shahrukh-Kajol hyped movie Dilwale. Minus the original cast of Salman-Aishwarya-Rani, this movie will go down in the history of Indian movies as one of the most well made and stylish movies after Mughal-E-Azam. High on performance and critical acclaim, this Ranveer Singh-Deepika-Priyanka movie was the best way to close a year filled with lot of cinematic surprises. Made on a budget of Rs. 120 Crores this movie has already made Rs.128 Crores at the box office and it is still going strong.

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Movie Review: Dilwale – Rohit Shetty Fails, SRK-Kajol Rises!

Dilwale

The most anticipated movie of the year – Dilwale starring the evergreen jodi SRK-Kajol and directed by ‘Hit’ machine director Rohit Shetty released this week. Considering the fact that SRK-Kajol does very few movies and they are coming after a gap of 5 years, the hype is unprecedented. Alas, not every movie starring SRK-Kajol can be a DDLJ or a KKHH and Rohit Shetty should be blamed for this fiasco called Dilwale.

The story revolves around Raj /Kali (Shah Rukh Khan) and Mira (Kajol) who belong to two warring Mafia families from Bulgaria (one more new age Romeo-Juliet attempt) who fall in love. However, if you are expecting for a happy ending waiting for this much-in-love couple then think again. They go separate ways hating each other due to misunderstandings.

Years later, Raj and Mira’s siblings Veer (Varun Dhawan) and Ishita (Kriti Sanon) fall in love in Goa. The ex-lovers come face to face once again bringing back painful memories of their past. Will Raj and Mira get over their past for their siblings? Will they rekindle their love as well is what the film further unfolds.

Coming to the script it is full of blemishes. There are unnecessary ups and downs which fizzes out by the climax. The climax is weak. The built-up to Boman Irani’s character falls flat on the face. The misunderstandings due to which SRK-Kajol split is not very convincing and when they patch up, it is again done in an unconvincing way. If the misunderstanding was so small and didn’t need much of justification and help was right at an arm’s distance for Kajol then why did it take 15 years (and 2.5 hrs screen time) to sort out?

The love stories of SRK-Kajol or Varun-Kriti is not much exciting. The five-minute dating scene is a ‘Joke’… really??? The comedy is okay with few comic punches provided by Johnny Lever and Sanjay Mishra’s characters. The music is average and apart from Gerua and to some extent Janam Janam, Pritam fails miserably. The picturization of the songs are superb. The action scenes are standard Rohit Shetty fare that we have seen repeatedly in all his movies including the cars flying in the air – nothing new! Rohit in your next movie please blast a tank or a plane or a ship or some other stuff maybe a UFO but give us something new ;).

SRK-Kajol chemistry is timeless and it is quite evident in this movie too. However, the screenplay does not live up to the actor’s caliber. Shah Rukh should select his future scripts carefully as he has not given one meaningful movie after Chak De! For Kajol it is not a great comeback character and script-wise however, you cannot point any flaws in her performance. Varun is okay – nothing much to deliver and Kriti looks beautiful and ‘tall’. Johny Lever, Sanjay Mishra, Varun Sharma and Boman Irani are superb.

On the whole SRK-Kajol chemistry works for me, DILWALE & Rohit Shetty FAILS MISERABLY!

My Verdict: *

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Movie Review: Bajirao Mastani ‘Epic’ Movie!

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The much awaited movie of the decade Bajirao Mastani has finally released this week in competition with Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer Dilwale (more on Dilwale separately, later).

Coming back to Sanjay Leela Bhansali‘s dream project which was in the making for the last 12 years with the original cast of Salman Khan-Aishwarya Rai-Rani Mukherji replaced with Ranveer Singh-Deepika Padukone-Priyanka Chopra, I must say has been worth the wait. Bhansali has not only painted a beautiful and visually striking canvas for the celluloid but has also packed some strong performances from the lead characters.

Bajirao Bhallal (Ranveer Singh) earns the ‘Peshwa’ title from Chattrapati Shahu Maharaj (Mahesh Manjrekar) and goes on to prove his bravery by winning one war after another. One day Maharaja Chatrasal’s (Benjamin Gilani) daughter Mastani (Deepika Padukone) approaches him to help her father save his kingdom from Mughals. Bajirao agrees to help the King and wins the war against Mughals but the much married Peshwa loses his heart to Mastani and marries her in a rare custom by unknowingly giving her a dagger. Bajirao leaves for Pune and resumes his duty as the Minister of the King, a dutiful son and loving husband to Kashibai (Priyanka Chopra).

Not able to stay apart from Bajirao, Mastani follows him to Pune. The Peshwa’s family as well as his subjects are against his union with a Muslim princess and a huge uproar happens in Pune. What happens to Bajirao, Mastani and Kashibai’s lives from thereon is a beautiful story that should be seen on the screen.

Although there are few blemishes in the script and Bhansali has taken few creative liberties to glorify the love story between one of the greatest warriors in the history of India and his second wife, the movie is an experience in itself. Each and every frame is like an independent painting with beautiful visuals, props, lighting and colors. It took almost 5 plus decades for India to produce another movie like Mughal-E-Azam and full credit goes to Bhansali.

Ranveer Singh has owned the character and brought life to Bajirao Bhallal. He is outstanding in the role and makes his critics sit back and eat their words. Deepika has not only looked gorgeous but also performed well. Although I never saw anyone other than Aishwarya as Mastani, but I was pleasantly surprised with Deepika trying to beautifully fit into the vacant shoes of the former beauty queen. Priyanka is the third strongest pillar of this love triangle and she has done a tremendous job. She looks and acts like a Maharashtrian lady and is quite a treat to watch on the screen. Tanvi Azmi as Peshwa’s mother Radhabai is praiseworthy. It is a pleasant surprise to see her carry out a dark character superbly.

Rest of the supporting cast especially Milind Soman, Aditya Pancholi, Mahesh Manjrekar, Benjamin Gilani are superb. The casting is perfect and one should applaud the casting director for doing a great job.

There are few glitches that I earlier hinted like, after building up Aditya Pancholi‘s character as a bad guy, he surprisingly goes missing from the plot. The dance sequences especially Pinga seems to be force fitted. The climax is cinematically good but it is far from what happened to Mastani – Oops… do not want to reveal further!

The war sequences have been beautifully picturized by Action Director Sham Kaushal. The dialogues are impactful and the cinematography by Sudeep Chatterjee is breathtaking.

Music by Bhansali is average; however, Deewani Mastani stands out. The sets by Nitin Desai are out of this world especially the Aaina Mahal which is worth a dekko after the Sheesh Mahal one saw in Mughal-E-Azam. The background music is quite captivating. The movie will definitely appeal to classes as well as masses.

On the whole, this is an EPIC movie one should not miss out on.

My Verdict: ****

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Chai With Shai Xclusive: Shah Rukh should show some inclination towards alternate productions – Anant Mahadevan

If there is one director who has learnt the art of balancing Art cinema with Commercial potboilers in India, then it is none other than Anant Mahadevan. He is one director who I believe follows his heart and makes movies around subjects that he believes in without caring about its Box Office results. Case in point are movies like Dil Vil Pyar Vyar, Dil Maange More, Aksar, Staying Alive, Xpose, Mee Sindhutai Sapkal and Gour Hari Dastaan among others. It is a proud moment for me as I am blessed to interview my favorite actor-director Anant Mahadevan today over a cup of chai and cookies. Here is an excerpt of our intense chat.

Anant

On the onset Anantji let me congratulate you on Gour Hari Dastaan. It was one of the most sincere movies I saw this year. How did the idea take shape?
(Smiles) Das’ story in a tabloid set me thinking about the “absurdity” of the drama. A man having to fight for an identity in his own country…a country he had helped to free. Why was this country living in a constant state of denial and untruth? Was the freedom that Das fought for abused and corrupted? The man opened up several layers to ponder about and translate into cinema that was at once a personal account and a political statement.

Right… So, how did your journey with Bollywood start?
I was self-tutored in the arts, particularly cinema. The film society and festival screenings exposed me to the work of masters from Europe, Asia and the Americas. But it wasn’t easy to start off making the films one wanted to make. I often wish I had started with Staying Alive and then gone on to Red Alert, Mee Sindhutai Sapkal, Gour Hari Dastaan and now Rough Book and Life is Good. But like they say, the brook has to flow through marshy land to open up into the river. I had to bide my time. Mainstream cinema helped me to get recognition and contacts.

In Bollywood you either see mainstream commercial movies or independent art movies. It is rare or I must say unheard of a director like you whose movie repertoire has a mix of both hard-core commercial potboilers as well as simple artistic movies. How do you balance it out?
I don’t know whether that is something to be proud of (throwing his hands in the air). Mainstream cinema often demands compromises and you wind up being dissatisfied at the end of it all. Like I said, it was some sort of pre-requisite to bring in the kind of cinema I was yearning to do. In the process I got this tag of being at home with “mainstream” and “independent” cinema. How I wish mainstream cinema would permit more sensibilities so that one could emulate a Billy Wilder, Scorcese or Spielberg who are the people who have pulled off both worlds so well (smiles).

You are one of the most talented actors in our industry. I have seen how well you own a character and turn yourself into that character eg: The villainous role in Khiladi, the fatherly roles in several movies, the comic role in Ghar Jamai etc. then why do we see so less of you in movies as an actor?
I have had my fill of blockbuster movies like Khiladi, Baazigar, Ishq, Baadshah, Gardish et al. They gave me some fine screen time and I still enjoy the adulation… But currently the scene tends to marginalize actors like me who want to sink their teeth into something substantial. Television has become a cruel joke and popular cinema ends up making you look redundant. So, I have to wait patiently for a Papanaasam to come and whet my appetite (smiles). I would now want to work with the masters of regional cinema like Shaji Karun or Buddadheb Das Gupta and others, and portray some memorable characters.

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How did the Papanasam role come to you?
Kamal Haasan, after what seemed an eternity, called to find out if I would be interested to do a bilingual in Vishwaroopam 2. We had a great time filming it and the bonding strengthened. So when he recommended me for Uttama Villain, I was cursing my luck as I was shooting for Xpose in Mumbai on the same dates. But Kamal didn’t hold that against me. He along with director Jeetu Joseph who had made the original Drishyam cast me in the pivotal role of the boy’s father. Papanaasam brought me some of my best critical acclaim as an actor and I am grateful for that (smiles).

I loved your character in Papanasam (smiles) you brought in a different persona to the role which was quite different from what Siddique did in the original.
Thank you (smiles).

Any interesting incidents you can narrate while working with Kamal Hasanji in Vishwaroopam 2 and Papanasam?
Kamal would so gracefully prepare coffee for me from the percolator he carried with him and then discussions over life and cinema would begin. He had so much to share and lunch breaks were brainstorming sessions. There was this wonderful vibe between us… the thirst to discuss everything under the sun. That was so different from the Hindi film scene where only gossip dominates amidst actors (smiles).

You have worked with Aamir and Shah Rukh Khan whom did you enjoy working with?
I had more screen time and off-screen time with Shah Rukh. Baazigar, Baadshah and Yes Boss were three films I did with him. I then went on to direct his first fiction series for television Ghar Ki Baat Hai produced under Red Chillies’ Idiot Box.

With Aamir it was a guest appearance in Akele Hum Akele Tum where we enjoyed playing chess between shots, and the rather lacklustre Mann. So I guess Shah Rukh takes the bigger share of the pie (laughs). If only he showed some inclination towards substantial alternate productions, I could have shot some interesting films as director for his company. But I guess the commercial wave let loose by people around him will never let that happen (frowns).

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The music in all your commercial movies have been chartbusters. How much do you contribute in your movie’s music or is it left to the music composers to come up with their own compositions?
I have a great affinity for music and melody is a trait I always cherish. Having devoured the great compositions of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, I was quite rigid about the best possible compositions from the mind of a music director for my films. I was lucky to get the rights to recreate Panchamda’s works in my debut Dil Vil Pyar Vyar while Himmesh came up with some lovely romantic melodies and toe-tapping numbers in Dil Maange More and Aksar. So did Anu Malik who recreated the Rajasthan ethos in Anamika. Sometimes I miss making musicals, but now I must not succumb to the formula again (smiles).

Out of all the actors you have directed in your movies, who is your favorite?
It would be tough to answer that. Suniel Shetty worked really hard in Red Alert, though it is Vinay Pathak who has me applauding each time I watch Gour Hari Dastaan-The Freedom File. The thought and work behind the portrayal of Das could open up an entire master’s class, though some critics displayed their utter lack of understanding of an actor’s preparation and pitching, and misread the whole performance.

Mee Sindhutai Sapkal gave you 4 National Awards, however Gour Hari Dastaan did not even get nominated for any. Any thoughts?
The 4 National awards for Mee Sindhutai Sapkal reinstated my faith in things working on merit in this country. But I was dismayed, to say the least, that Gour Hari Dastaan did not fetch even an award for maestros like Resul Pookutty and Dr L Subramaniam this year, forget Vinay Pathak! (pause) Did it not deserve even to be the best Hindi film, if not anything else? It was a real shocker but I have grown out of it and conditioned myself not to expect anything in future even if I have created a highly rewarding slice of cinema.

How difficult is it to tell a story of a living personality?
A tough call (frowns). You have your task cut out. The challenge is to steer clear of a documentary, yet dramatize the life without taking too much licences. Of late making biopics has become a sensational joke in Hindi cinema. The character is exploited within the parameters of the formula and tom-tomed as a true story. Both in Sindhutai Sapkal and Gour Hari Das’ cases I was extra cautious to recreate the lives without resorting to clichés and melodrama. And specially when dealing with a living person, the research and approach has to be just right.

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Are you directing Xpose 2?
No Xpose 2 is not on the cards.

You have the distinction of giving Emraan Hashmi the first hit outside Bhatt camp. How was it working with Emraan?
Emraan is quite a trooper. He had the guts to say “yes” to a character that dies three-fourth into a film where the villain [Dino Morea] walks away with murder. He was a real professional who enjoyed his moments before the camera and was totally devoid of tantrums or attitude.

How comfortable were you while directing a Marathi movie? Any challenges you faced during the shoot of Sindhutai Sapkal?
Marathi has been a second language right from my school days, so the comfort levels were bang-on. Of course changing the style of Marathi actors to a more natural tone was the task, and I had to make them shed their sing-song dialogue delivery. But the filming was one of the best experiences I had and the rawness of the subject was appreciated worldwide.

You have worked in both Tollywood and Bollywood. What is the major difference you saw in both industries?
I have only worked as an actor in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, I hate those “wooden” nicknames (irritated) they are a disciplined lot and take their schedules seriously. In many ways far more organised than the Hindi film scene where laptops and emails are passed off as hectic prep activity.

ghd vinay,tannishtha,ranvir

So what are your future projects as an actor as well as a director?
ROUGH BOOK (excitedly), a gritty analysis of the education scene in India is my new film and all set to be theatrically screened soon. Principals, teachers and educationists who have seen previews are recommending it to scores of parents and students and I am hoping that the film becomes a cult film for youth. There is also another major biopic I am working on now after Rough Book.

Okay (smiles)… Anantji we have a small fun segment in Chai With Shai where I will ask you few questions and you have to reply in one word.
Great! (smiles)

So brace yourself…here is the first question (winks) Himesh Reshamiyya as an actor or music director?
Music Director

Even I would agree to it (smiles)… Which is your favorite movie Sindhu Tai Sapkal or Gour Hari Dastaan?
Gour Hari Dastaan, because it made me grow as a director

Okay here comes a difficult one (rubbing my hands) pick your favorite movie amongst Dil Vil Pyar Vyar, Dil Maange More, Aksar and Xpose.
(smiles) Dil Vil Pyar Vyar

Konkona Sen or Tejaswini Pandit?
Both a class of their own

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Tollywood Err…. (pauses) South Indian Movies or Hindi Movies?
The South (chuckles),

Who is the most promising star among the younger lot?
Rajkumar Rao

That was fast (smiles)… Okay, your all-time favorite movie?
A Separation [Iran]

If given a choice which old classic would you like to remake?
No remakes for me (waving his hand)…Victoria 203 is a lesson learnt (laughs)

Which book would you like to ever adapt into a movie?
The book that scientist Nambinarayan has just written on the ISRO scandal. In fact am already doing it (smiles).

Last not the least, any advice to your fans?
This is not a career which is a last resort…education, passion, perseverance and resistance to temptation are the key-words (smiles).

Well said Sir, I am sure most of the youngsters will definitely take your advice seriously and act upon it. Thank you so much for being a part of my chat series, looking forward to many more straight-from-the-heart movies from you in the future.

Good Bye!