Alia Bhatt in "Highway"

ALIA BHAT

Randeep Hooda as a Trucker

Randeep Hooda(Mahavir Bhatti)  is good in his rustic trucker’s mannerism and an almost perfect dialect. Hailing from Haryana undoubtedly helped Randeep Hooda achieve authenticity. But, why I say “almost” is because, “I have spent substantial amount of time with people hailing from that belt and can easily distinguish the variations”.

  Mahavir’s want to amend his sinful past and start a new life is quite palpable in his dialogue when Veera(Alia Bhat) asks him“ek goli mein aadmi khatam ho jaata hai na?”  and he replies, “Do aadmi! Jai pe chale, aur jo chalaawe”!

(Veera: Does a man die with one bullet? 
Mahaveer:Two persons, one who is shot, and the one who shoots!)

"She almost made my eyes wet with her performance in the scene"

Aliua Bhat's groovy moves

In the end scene, when Mahavir Bhatti realizes he has gone too far with his crimes and there is no turning back, he is quite intense.

Though, there is a hint of Marco Brambilla’s Hollywood movie “Excess Baggage” (1997) starring Alicia Silverstone and Benicio Del Toro in the plot, but, the end is remarkably different. The child abuse angle does feel like a foreign object in the film but, Imtiaz Ali manages to pull it off convincingly.

The star of the movie is indeed Alia Bhat. Imtiaz Ali gave layers to her character and also managed to time its reveal perfectly, but, how plausibly Alia Bhat unwraps it is sheer beauty. She first comes across as an impulsive and fun loving girl in the film. Post her kidnap; she is just a fragile, withdrawn and helpless creature.

The transition where Alia triumphs over her fear of her captor (Randeep Hooda) is lyrical. In the end, she is bold, fearless and rebellious and manages to liberate herself from all her inhibitions and culminates it by confronting her abuser. She almost made my eyes wet with her performance in the scene where she confronts him (uncle).

She provides authenticity to the entire plot and its sub plots. Her child like candour provides that much needed credibility to the story as a whole. Alia Bhat is indeed a fine actress! 

Her groovy dance moves on techno track “Wanna mash up” is breathe taking, in a non-sexual way of course! Alia Bhat is raw and can be moulded according to her character and is unquestionably a director’s delight.
I bet, Alia Bhat is going to be one of the finest actors in coming years.

"Shandaar" official movie trailer.

"Shandaar" starring Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhat releases on 22 October 2015

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Posted at 11:36 |  by Frenzy Media

Kangana Ranawat: Bold and the beautiful!

Kangna Ranaut

What could possibly go wrong with the Movie “Tanu weds Manu Returns”. Anand L Rai is a director I feel is one of the best India has, today. He has proved it yet again with this one. His mastery with the nuances of a scene and intricate emotions is just perfect.

Deepak Dobariyal

I feel, all the news about kangana’s remarkable performance is over hyped and totally unnecessary as it is not the first time that she has bestowed upon us with her intense performance.

Today, Kangana rules the price tag competition with highest fees of 11 Crores. Let me tell you she deserves every bit of it.

Though Dipika Padukone is still considered Number 1, and surely not for unjust reasons, we must keep in consideration that Dipika got a launch with super star  Shah rukh Khan whereas, Kangana had to establish herself with Imraan Hashmi as her first film co star. This might have favored Dipika immensely.

Two years ago Kangana was nowhere near the A list Actors of Bollywood. But, time changes and it has changed, at least for Kangana.

Today Kangana is compared with the A- listers and she is a strong contender for the top position too.

It was wise of Anand L Rai to not tweak the original plot and characters too much and just take the plot forward from its preceding film. To aid the gap more realistically he had some characters from “Tanu weds Manu” craftily underline it too.

Jimmy Shergil did not have as impressive role as he had in the first part but, he was as impressive as ever.

I won’t dwell on the performances of other actors be it R Madhavan, Swara Bhaskar or Deepak Dobarial which was equally delightful. But, Kangana just floored every one with her rustic version “Kusum Sangwan”. 

Kangana Dancing on "Swagger"

Don’t miss Kangana’s untamed moves in “Banno tera Swagger” which is a killer number from the movie.

I won’t call “Tanu weds Manu returns” a masterpiece, but, it certainly is a movie which is thoroughly enjoyable and strikes a chord with people and in the process also tries to slip in a social message very subtly.

Don’t miss it!


Kangana Ranawat's movie Katti Batti set to release on 18th September 2015.

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Posted at 16:56 |  by Frenzy Media

Salman Khan: we are all guilty

Salman Khan

Today salman Khan’s fate will be decided. Verdict on 13 year’s old case of hit and run case is about to come. Only time will tell if the punishment exceeds his crime. Weather he gets a lenient punishment or harsher , the film industry is set to take a hit as two films which are being shot “Prem Ratan dhan payo”, and “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” which are currently under production will be stalled.

Salman shooting for "Bajrangi Bhaijaan"

It is estimated that these two films alone are pegging approximately 200 crores. Kabir Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan is already being shot at Kashmir from where Salman Khan had come back for the court hearing.

"Somehow, we are all guilty in this opaque world."

Salman Khan is known to help needy people and support many social causes. We are not trying to cast aspersions on his intentions as somehow, we are all guilty in this opaque world. We wish Salman Khan all the best for the work he did for the noble causes but, in the end, Truth shall prevail. 


"Prem Ratan Dhan Payo" directed by Sooraj Barjatya set to release on 12th November 2015.

1 comment

Posted at 13:30 |  by Frenzy Media

ROY

“Roy” was one movie I was really looking forward to watch, for almost 2 months. There was a strange eagerness to watch it. In a way, you can give the credit to the promos doing the rounds. The music is melodic and videos of the songs also looks promising. “ Chittiya kaliyaan” featuring Jacqueline Fernandez has been ruling the top-10 singles chart for weeks now. Some fanciful girl I know even installed it as her ringer tune. Though, quite why, I don’t know!

Jacqueline Fernandez 

Arjun Rampal & Jacqueline

Vikramjit singh is a first time director. What intrigues me even more is the fact that he is a investment banker, who was working in the US with no formal film degree.  Well, you can not say that he has no bollywood connection or background as his father has been associated with the industry and worked for Yash Chopra for quite some time.

Still, roping in stars like Ranbir Kapoor in a debut movie can be quite a Herculean task. Despite all my optimism, the initial reviews of the movie were not promising and discouraging enough for me to change my decision. I took refuge in the saying,”when everybody says it’s bad, it probably is bad.”

Unwilling to shell out money on this dethroned contender of a super hit title, I am still contemplating as to what could possibly go so wrong with this movie that people claimed to have left their seats in the middle of the story. 

If not for fun, I will conjure up the critic in me and watch “Roy” to find out the reason of the debacle and may be give a pointer or two to Vikramjit singh, when I meet him.

All in the name of art, I guess.  

2 comments

Posted at 15:30 |  by Frenzy Media

Badlapur!

Varun Dhavan in "Badlapur"

Varun Dhavan is getting there and he is getting there fast. Yes, I mean the “A listers” of Bollywood bandwagon. Last movie we saw him in was “Humpty sharma ki dulhania” opposite Alia bhat, who also debuted with him in “Student of the year”.

I personally feel as if I have witnessed Varun Dhavan grow right in front of my eyes. His school boy roll in “student of the year”, the college going boy in “Humpty sharma ki dulhania” and now as a married man who works in a n ad agency in “Badlapur”.

Initially, I wasn’t really impressed with the promos of this film as it was still somehow baffling and didn’t place it in a segment, firmly. To me, it appeared as if “Badlapur” is going to be another futile attempt by some film maker with over blown egotism to prove his cinematic supremacy and creative superiority.

But, the film is almost a master piece, at least as far as the performance of most actors is concerned. The story is fresh and apart from few glitches takes you through quite comfortably.

Huma Qureshi

Huma is limiting in impressing the people who matter. She is limiting herself in similar Hot Huma characters.You can feel her struggle to get in the skin of the character of Jhimli as he is too refined to play the character. Yami Gautam is in a brief role which does not really need a mention.

Nawazuddin

I am speechless about Nawaz’s acting. But, this is not the first time he has impressed us with his almost perfect acting skills. The role it appears was made for him.

Though, there isn’t much of it, music is a bit disappointing but with murder as its core theme, you can’t play around much, yes, even in Bollywood.

I would say “Badlapur” is a sensible movie with sensible direction from Sriram Raghavan. 

RATING:   3/5

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Posted at 23:53 |  by Frenzy Media

Haider

A still from "Haider".

“Haider” commands respect!, and so does Vishal Bhardwaj! “Haider” is not a movie you can enjoy while munching popcorns with your Pepsi. You don’t want to miss even a single moment of this intense drama which is based on Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”. Your eyes refuse to leave the screen as if they are spell bound and glued to it magically.

This third adaptation from “Vishal Bhardwaj” is a true work of art. With “Haider” Vishal has taken a big leap and proved his irrefutable superiority among his contemporaries.

The film speaks of the hard work pumped into it and there is a distinctive detailing in this adaptation that is a signature style of Vishal Bhardwaj. Set in the 90s with turbulent Kashmir as its backdrop, this film presents two aspects of Kashmir brilliantly. There is a clear reference of force’s transgressions, which will not be pleasing for many eyes. But, in a film you do take some liberties and “Haider” after all is a work of fiction.

 Tabbu symbolizes the very purpose for which film is regarded as an art form.

“Shahid Kapoor” struggles in some parts of the initial half of “Haider” as at some points you do feel like shahid is not letting go of his star image but, Shahid matches up to the plot’s intensity in the second half.

Hero becomes big only if he is matched with a villain of same magnum. K. K. Menon is a marvellous villain who proves it, yet again with his flawless performance. Irfann Khan is also there in a short yet intense role.

Shraddha Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor

“Shraddha Kapoor” who plays Haider’s love interest means business and she has proved, ‘she is here to stay’. Her performance is smooth and she performs both intense and passionate scenes with ease and finesse.

Tabbu

 But who takes the cherry on the top is Tabbu. Playing Haider’s mother, her captivating performance leaves every one speechless. She makes you realize what you miss when she is not shooting. She symbolizes the very purpose for which film is regarded as an art form.

Tabbu and Shahid Kapoor

In one of the last scenes when she requests her husband (KK Menon) to spare her son’s life, you feel a mother’s plight. She has reached a resolution. She is unfazed now. she is a mother who is protective of her son. She is going to protect him at all costs. She will stand against the world, against her own husband and even death.

What an adaptation! Vishal Bhardwaj leaves everyone speechless!

RATING:   5/5

8 comments

Posted at 21:53 |  by Frenzy Media

Bang Bang!

Katrina Kaif and Hritik Roshan in "Bang Bang"

Katrina Kaif is pretty. Well, we all know that! She has a sizzling hot body. We have seen that too. And she can’t speak Hindi! That too is not a top secret. So, what is new in “Bang Bang”? Well, she can handle guns. Ok! And to further justify a whopping 170 crore budget, director Siddharth Anand makes her sit on Hritik Roshan’s lap while he rides the dirt bike.

Intimate scene from "Bang Bang"

If you are too curious about the two words of the film’s title, and want to identify the reference, “Bang Bang” does have a lot of bangs (guns) in addition to an intimate kissing scene. But that’s that.

Katrina is pretty! No one Doubts that. But, she is an actor too. The only time you see an element of authenticity in Katrina’s acting is in a scene where Hritik is showcased devoid of his shirt and Katrina is mesmerised by watching his flawlessly chiselled body. Well, we all are.

Hritik Roshan has a body to die for. He looks in an amazing shape. Though, the sign of age was present obscurely, he can still give a lot of young actors run for their money.

 There is nothing noteworthy in the film which deserves a special mention.

Hritik Roshan is a under cover army intelligence officer who is after a dreaded criminal (Danny Danzongpa) who killed his brother in the past. In the course he meets Katrina, who lives with her granny and leads a boring and unromantic life as a receptionist in a bank.

Apart from a dozen exclusive location shoots, the film seems to have mindless explosions and stupid car crashes and insanely unrealistic stunts. Music is average and even the graphics don’t impress you much to justify the film’s insanely huge budgets. Although a copy of English flick “knight and Day” at its core, this film has nothing original it can claim to its credit, excluding its title.

There is nothing noteworthy in the film which deserves a special mention. The story is average and the characters including antagonists are below average. All in all it is below average.

RATING:   1.5/5

3 comments

Posted at 08:12 |  by Frenzy Media

Khoobsurat

NO! “Khoobsurat” is NOT a comedy, because in comedy, no matter how crass, you still manage to laugh!

“khoobsurat” a remake is a story based on the concept of “opposites attract” and in the process create some sparks too. The director tries to create the same effect but fails miserably. With his impressive voice and charming mannerism, Pakistan’s new boy “Fawad Khan” did manage to infuse some magic, but barely.

Fawad Khan

Contrary to its name, there is nothing khoobsurat about the film and it is a total disappointment.

Milli(Sonam Kapoor) is a physiotherapist from Delhi who is visiting some palace to treat a king and rid him of his wheel chair. Sonam, a brazenly loud mouthed girl encounters Vikram Singh Rathod(Fawad), a Handsome, composed prince and she begins to like him. But, the prince is already engaged to some one (Aditi Rao Hydari). After some hiccups, and few odd interactions, the prince falls for her. He finally cancels his engagement to Aditi Rao and asks Sonam to marry her. Really?

Aditi Rao Hydari

“Khoobsurat” has a weak plot, its songs are painfully boring and the characters are really not realistic. Apart from the new boy “Fawad Khan” who does manage to give some saving grace to the film, it is disastrous. Even the grandeur and richness of a palace with its beautiful interiors could not save this movie.

“Aditi Rao Hydari” has a small role, but, in those two brief scenes that she does in the film, she manages to illustrate her finesse that Sonam Kapoor couldn’t, in the entire movie.

Ratna Pathak

Kirron Kher

Kirron kher who plays Sonam kapoor’s infuriating mother was way out louder than required. Sonam kapoor’s docile Bong father could have been explored a bit more to make the plot little interesting, but, director achieves nothing of it. The maharani played by Ratna Pathak is ok but, there is no variation in her charcacter and she remains a dry stuck up mom almost throughout the film. Such a waste!

With “Khoobsurat”, it is official. Sonam Kapoor can’t act! Lord only knows how many more flop film and her dad’s money will it take for Sonam Kapoor to realize this fact!

4 comments

Posted at 00:02 |  by Frenzy Media

Finding Fanny

Deepika Padukone in Finding Fanny

Shot in the interesting backdrop of Goa, “Finding Fanny” is in no way a typecast film. It has a perfect blend of an enjoyable film. Its story is fresh and is shot brilliantly. With peculiar characters, Homi Adajania has done a perfect job in choosing his cast too. Finding Fanny is unusual in several ways. The fact that the film is originally shot in English shows Homi’s conviction and urge to do something different and innovative.

"Deepika padukone brings Angie to life so intensely."

Deepika Padukone in a intimate scene

Deepika padukone is intimate and flows like a breeze. She brings Angie to life so intensely that her acting in the film is beyond the dialogues and scenes. One thing is clear in “Finding Fanny” Deepika is now way past her beautiful imagery and is exploring her inner actor. Her role as Angie in “Finding Fanny” proves it further.

Arjun Kapoor

Arjun Kapoor, plays role of a garage owner named Savio, who is amorously inclined towards Angie. He is looking good in his role. Don Pedro who has a certain attraction for big bottomed women is played convincingly by Pankaj Kapoor. Naseeruddin is versatile as a postman and, Dimple kapadia playing Rosie is equally charming and interesting in the film.

If you are expecting conventional cinema you might get a wee bit disappointed. But, Finding Fanny is filled with lot of mischievous moments and unexpected thrills.

Go watch it!

RATING:   3.5/5

3 comments

Posted at 10:51 |  by Frenzy Media

Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania

Humpy Sharma in action

How often do you come across a boy whose name is “Humpty”! Like the name the film too is refreshingly odd.

First time director “Shashank Khaitan” has proved he is quite promising.

Spoken idiom by which the characters reveal their personality and morals is quite vivid and fresh. In the scene where Humpty refuses to cheat and leaves his paper nearly blank instead, for cheating is a bad deed, Ketan brilliantly maintains film’s casualness in revealing Humpty Sharma’s character and his morality.

                  

Alia Bhatt playing “Ludhiane di kudi” is lively and fresh, and is indeed the star of the film. Varun Dhawan, “A Delhi boy” is a natural. The banter between them is fresh and fun. At the core “Humpty sharma ki dulhania” is a young film and is targeted at the youth.

Tested with their debut movie “Student of the year”, Varun and Alia have a fabulous on-line chemistry in the film. The songs of the film are pleasant and hum able and topped the charts for quite some time.

Ashutosh Rana still has the touch.

Television star Siddharth Shukhla playing the NRI hunk justifies his role and Ashutosh Rana playing Alia’s Father, who we all would love to see more often, proves, “he still has the touch”. Humpty’s friends  “Poplu” played by Sahil Vaid and “Shonty” played by Gaurav Pandey are both brilliant and promising.

Unfortunately, in the second half of the film, Shashank looses his grip and the film begins to stray. Post Interval, film is predictable and you just wait for them to unite. Never the less, all in all, ‘Humpty sharma ki dulhani’ is watchable and what is lost in the plot and story in second half is comfortably compensated with the spontaneity and freshness of first.

But, can a girl really go to that extent to get a designer lehnga for her wedding? That is some thing I still have some trouble believing. 

 Kapoor & Sons official tailor featuring Alia Bhat, Siddharth Malhotra and Fawad Khan.

4 comments

Posted at 11:37 |  by Frenzy Media

Filmistan

Sharib Hashmi in "Filmistan"

New cast, no actress, no oomph factoring item songs. “Filmistan” is pure delight to watch. With no pseudo gimmickry, this is what I call pure cinema. Believe me; Bollywood is quite capable of placing a song almost anywhere. Yes! Even in a remote village in Pakistan. If nothing else, a dream sequence justifies it all. “Filmistan” spares us of all that!

“Filmistan” is story of a Bollywood struggler “Sunny” who goes to Indian border with a foreign TV crew on a shoot.Sunny, who is a Bollywood fan at core is captured by extremists there and taken across the border to a village in Pakistan.

This remote village provides a lot of room for him to perform and mimic Bollywood actors to entertain himself as well as his captors. Some thing he is almost always extremely comfortable with. Rest is his struggle for escape.

Innamul Haq

Sharib Hashmi(Sunny) has stunned everyone with his emotive performance in “Filmistan”. Innam ul haq who is in supporting role and plays a pirated Bollywood film CD peddler is a natural. Every bit of his effortless performance can be enjoyed in the film.

“Filmistan” is an intelligent story. 

First time director Nitin Kakkar wisely keeps away from any controversy as far as Pakistan’s reference is concerned. The film is shot on a shoe string budget and director Nitin Kakkar has clearly managed it well within the film’s budgetary. A pre requisite for most first time directors.

With a near perfect comic timing, “Filmistaan” is an intelligent story. What is the biggest twist and could have been a major challenge for the film, is done behind the veil of night’s darkness.Apart from a weak finish, “Filmistan” is quite enjoyable.

If you ask me, ‘what I liked most in the movie’? I can undoubtedly tell you, the scene where our protagonist is toying with a Kalashnikov rifle innocently in front of the kids, aping various Indian actors. The scene of course ends with our protagonist getting rewarded with a bullet for his performance.

But, we can seek comfort in the saying “all is well if it ends well” here.

screen shot from "Filmistan"

RATING:   3.5/5

3 comments

Posted at 16:14 |  by Frenzy Media