Category: Hindi Movies

Movie reviews help you to have an unbiased opinion before investing your valuable hours in watching it. At least you come to know that what you are expecting and what is movie all about. The most special about movie reviews is “We come to know about many movies through reviews only, which are either foreign or lesser advertised”. I have decided my taste to comment on only very few Hindi Movie, who does some special to me.

Wake Up SID: A bit of me, a bit of you

Has this happened with you sometimes that a guest of yours asks about yours completely in chaos living room and you say that Yaar! Just not getting time since last two three days and was going to arrange this all by tomorrow on off day and just then your room partner or neighbor smiles a bit leaving you embarrassed inside, as you know that it’s in chaos since last one month or almost always ;). Has it not happened with you that in each next exam you thought that last time, you decided to be more concerned for studies? Has not this happened to you that just after college, you really think that will you really be working for some office any day? I mean what you will do for that office 😀 You don’t know anything? Then go and watch Wake Up SID, it will remind you many pieces of your life. Be sensitive and it’s gonna be a cute ride for sure.

Title: Wake up SID
Release Date: 2nd October 2009
Banner: Dharma Productions.
Producer: Karan Johar
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Cast:.Ranbir Kapoor, Konkana Sen, Anupam Kher, Supriya Pathak, Rahul Khanna, Kashmira Shah, Shikha Talsania, Namit Das, Kainaz Motivala
Story Writer: Ayan Mukerji
Music Director: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar,
Cinematography: Anil Mehta
Dialogues: Niranjan Iyengar
Composer: Amit Trivedi

Waiting for the movie, then watching it with expectations relating with Saawaria and Bachna Aae Hasino, but finding it some much of a better and touching perspective than anything else. May be many people after watching the movie just come out discussing Ranbir and Konkana’s unusual on-screen chemistry or thinking about links between Dil Chahta Hai, but for me or many like me, it was something to let us know that at some places, we all are a bit or more of a SID. For me, there were many points to notice in the same movie and I really don’t know how to cover them all in a ‘little’ article (readable in sense). Let me start ….

The story is all about Siddharth aka SID; his just-after-college life like any of us clueless youth about his aims in life and his kind of platonic love story with Aisha; a small town girl with a bit defined aims of life, but still learning bits of life. Then how it crafts SID boy to man (?) or somehow moving into stream of life finally. A platonic love kind of .. not Yash Chopra brand, but a little more real in another sense. Anyway …

Although there was an association with the name of Karan Johar, but there was almost nothing like his element in this movie and so we could agree with his own claim that he left it complete in hands of the debutant director Ayan Mukerji, who shined up with his own simple but beautifully crafted story, mixing it with Music of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, live dialogues of Niranjan Iyengar and just in motion with tempo of movie composing of Amit Trivedi.

Sometimes, we know that we are wrong at places or at many places, even we know that what we need to do, but even then feel lazy to move a little as we know that we have change almost everything of our crazy life. No.. it’s not shown this much complex on screen, as the story moved just like the same flow, but it ignites many such thoughts in my mind. We get attitude in us and answer rudely sometimes and then trying to patch up again and again on other’s arguing about our life and things as we know that they are saying right, but the question is why are they saying? Where are they helping us in changing things to get better for us? Or even if they are doing best for us, then why are we not able to adjust with that as well? Frustration of youth after a few ups and downs with influences of people around you, finally places you in some place of this world, may be you were to be there.

At another end of story, Aisha; knows a little about her aim, her kind of boy, her kind of life, but still knowing or not knowing how she will get or how the things will get mature at the end. Get in touch with SID and didn’t get to know that when he brought all chaos of his own life and why she always been with him with all her modesty. May be he was only one around her to accompany her in this new life.

The special part of the movie, which keeps it different from era love story, was their in-compatibility. Aisha was not of Sid’s type or he never thought of his type of girl like he never thought of work or life ever and Sid was boy for Aisha, a cute boy, but not dependable man. She get an almost ideal for her in her boss Rahul Khanna, but soon come to know the practically perfect somewhere doesn’t suit her soul. There love story was different like the conversation between them says, when SID asks that why didn’t they fallen in love for each other rather than being friends only. Aisha replies just coz it didn’t happened and later explained that he is never a kind of boy, she would be happy being with for rest of life means he might be cute kid, but not a man in her world. Just this is the love story in its honesty, not a Yash Chopra or mostly known cheesy brand of love, or some kind of we all might know by popularly.

Aisha’s devotion and attachment without asking anything, with bearing every little wrong thing of SID, brings Sid towards maturity step by step, which everyone tried, but didn’t got him with them in their attempts. Even he tries to change for her, like learning making omelet for her and then disappointment when for her it was like nothing, but just normal. He slowly learns to change his chaotic daily routine and somehow Aisha made him fitted for some office job, while he was clueless that will he do something ever? He knows that he is not what Aisha wish and Aisha knows he is fine, but should have been more perfect, but even then they want company of each other with expressing it. Aisha know that she wish and SID not even know directly, but .. Ranbir was just natural for the role and so was Konkana, the chemistry went truly and most cute was the first date (?) of them. I really liked that coz …… might be been sometimes in :P.

The most special part, which few will start noticing soon was the magical realness in emotions. None of the emotion was loud, be it disappointment and helpless longing of a mother, who continuously tried to be a friend of her son or be it anger and frustration of a father, who want to get his son back in real life or be it Sid’s inner anger in failing continuously and dejection from every side or be it growing annoyance of Aisha on her all over stressed life either it be breakup of Sid’s friend. Everything was so light that you don’t even come to know that it happened and passed. The transition from a laid back thrown to winds attitude to someone who values independence is so subtle and smooth that you never realize when it happened. It is just the denial and dejection that brought about the change which Sid could not feel with his parents.

May be if Aisha would have broke out to shout above a limit or if Sid might have got some more pushed back rejection from life then it was in just other ways? The laid back boy was required only such a lightweight transformation and just this was the special about the movie. Sometimes, we picture a great concept so simply and just wait for someone to notice it, get disappointed a lot and just get satisfied only if just one get notice of the same J

Lots to say about the movie, but stopping the article in kind of middle, coz don’t want to raise expectations. Many things to say, but that will be addressed by other’s reviews. This was a piece of me. Hope some of you might like it.

Love Aaj Kal: How practical we can be to handle what we call Love?


We use all the logic to explain things and try to be ‘in all the way composed’, controlled and logical, but the Almighty-Love remains unexplained and defines its way as “No Reason Reasoning”, no matters how much literatures have been spend on it or how much we might have learned from our experiences or other’s stories. The time has got just another more realistic expression: The discovery of Love in present context.

Love Aaj Kal

When his girlfriend asks: “Do you love me”, Jai, the protagonist of Love Aaj Kal, played by Saif Ali Khan, replies: “Love, who knows what that is?” So, are we? Do we really know what Love is and why we fall in? Let’s read something about a movie, which I am going to call The Best Romantic Movie ever seen by me till now. Not because, it’s emotional, not because it’s modern, not because it’s practical, but because its real, very very real. You will regret, as much you delay watching the same. Mind my words, I have never used such praise.

Title: Love Aaj Kal
Release Date: 31st July 2009
Banner: Eros International
Producer: Saif Ali Khan , Dinesh Vijan , Sunil Lulla

Director: Imtiaz Ali
Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Giselle Monteiro, Shweta Gulati, Neetu Singh, Rishi Kapoor, Rahul Khanna, Vir Das.

Story Writer: Imtiaz Ali
Music Director: Preetam

Lyrics: Irshad Kamil

Words of mouth, disappointments on getting All-Booked Status after reaching Multiplexes (that too in Delhi, where you can’t find enough good hospital but Multiplexes always nearby), I was sure that Love Aaj Kal was going to bang, after all today’s stars Saif and Deepika were looking fantastic in all posters and there was no recent good movie since Dev D, I guess. Film Industry and even the movie goers should have got a sigh of relief with this release, which is sure going to get a reasonable place in all time good romantic movies. The special thing, I noticed was a glimpse of Jab We Met, in the song “Chor Bazari” and a little googling given me the obvious connection, when got to know the name of writer/ director Imtiyaz Ali.

Imtiyaz Ali; it will be the next name after Anurag Kashyap, I will be waiting for watching out. His first movie was Socha Na Tha; A couple, who didn’t thought that they are made for each other, the second one was Jab We Met; discovering the commitment of love and now Love Aaj Kal.

Perhaps he knows to pick the best and then get the best from them. The common link between all these movies was the crisp-n-short dialogues and use of bold modern language mixed with traditional cultural hints still scattered between this All-New-Generation. He seems to be in process of silently creating an era like once Yash Chopra created.

Coming over movie, Jai and Meera; a modern age couple meets in London, the first meet clicks enough to share the first romantic kiss and the days pass on figuring out if they are, like, together. That entails mugs of black coffee and lots of smart chatter, and eventually, a parting of ways, because they can’t quite get a handle on their feelings. Meera has to India and Jai to US and both of them feel that they are now ahead of the best time they had and now the long distance relationship will only suck. A perfect and logical mutual decision; breaking up with a Breakup Party (Interesting thing na? it was in the movie as well.)

As small para, I have taken here about telling their initial story, the same course of events happened in the same quicker way on the screen; just 15 mins and all above part of story is over, can you believe? Still given a glimpse of many little things as mentioned below.

  1. Many things they don’t like, but still like to be with. Like Black Coffee of Jai.
  2. Friends tell them whether they are pair and indeed only friends define that its love. They just accept.
  3. Jai’s best aim to reach Golden Gate and Meera’s best intrest Fresco; No common interest.
  4. Level of understanding and way of giving space; Boy could expect the girl being understanding that dropping her to home in not the only way to show care.
  5. Common irritation of boys on being girls sometimes too much choosy and concuss while shopping. *That was most interesting point in a way mentioning many things, which were not on screen.

  6. The loss of interest in being committed/ answerable but still coming out in a mutual and outstandingly relaxed and pleasant way for keeping all the good memories intact.

It was nice, but was not the best part of the movie. Movie just started growing up from here and get mixed with another piece of story narrated by now old Veer (Rishi Kapoor), his old age love Harleen and the context of the same with story of Jai and Meera.

Jai feels himself out of sync with Veer’s philosophy of Love, where he traveled hundreds of miles for just a sight of his love Harleen. He was also out of sync with Veer’s complaints over their mutual “perfectly logical and practical decision”. Laughs over Veer that how one could has a Pratigya of having the same girl for next many lives, when he might have not even talked to her for just once till now. But Veer along with changing things in Jai and Meera’s life in later days, slowly steps in to mentor this adolescent love story of Jai and Meera.

Will not mention much about the part of Veera and Harleen’s story as the same is most beautiful part of the movie and it would be preferable to watch yourself. But the same part really reminded me of many beautiful moments, which each of us might have passed through once and this ‘once’ will remain the same. Will never be back.

Jai and Meera could be even this much frank that could control even a fraction of jealousy and suggest their ‘past partner’ to be involved with someone else after breakup, but still the feeling gets its place slowly in, when we know that the other one could take interest in someone else in ‘much more way’.

It was really touching to me, when Meera asks Jai about her pairing with her boss and going out for dinner and Jai started feeling the pain even when try hard to ignore. What option we have to answer, when she asks you in the way? You know that your feelings already don’t matter or being ignored or she started feeling in another way, a way; where you are not around/ together. You already were feeling the same and preparing yourself, so that she might be happy in whatever, with whomever, but still… perhaps selfish we are. Why we feel pain? Why we cry? I really could have cried. But the same thing, defective piece, practical tough guy, me 😉

If I proceed further, then it will lengthen the review and more over spoil the entertainment of movie, but still can’t bear the greed of mentioning the expression, which was beautifully shown on screen that how one looses interest in each thing of life without any logical reason even after achieving best things he ever thought. We rule over career, we hang out with friends, we enjoy now days hi-tech life, but it don’t take long that how alone everyone and why we miss someone. I really felt the number “Mai Jo Chahoo Wo Paun”. There are many around us, who were brilliant in their lives earlier and now fading up due to reasons even they don’t know. Could everyone get the mystery solved?

Heads off to Imtiyaz Ali to engrave the expressions so beautifully on the screen.

The two lovely and meaningful dialogues from the movie were:

“It’s very hard to surprise someone after two years.”

“Why its so that how many times, you might have said Bye, but it remained always a due; meeting for the last time.”

Performances:

We call it perfect, when we find everything matching and it was like the same. We couldn’t have imagined the success of movie with such refreshing music of Preetam, we couldn’t have imagined any other smile brightening the screen than Deepika’s (really reminds me someone), Saif’s evolvement as a package, who could really take the whole movie as a Solo now with even taking the part of younger version of Rishi Kapoor and the so beautiful and lovely new girl Giselle Monteiro (Harleen). It’s a real treat to have such performance on screen on friendship day.

Reminding you again, you will regret as much you delay watching it. If have watched then re-watch it and if not, then I apologize for taking your precious time in reading this article. Go and watch it.

Edited on 9th August 2009 again to add the lines given below:

As one of my friend asked me about a few things I missed in the article, so I thought to add up a few points again. First of all, I didn’t introduced that character of “Jo” was played by Florence Brudenell Bruce. Wait, wait, wait!! Who is this Jo? Sorry, I didn’t mentioned anything about. She was the girl, Jai fall for after Meera, while Meera falls for her boss. I really feel sorry about both of them. Jo and Vikram. Specially Vikram; just being confused in what we want, doesn’t give us right to hurt someone in a way that he will never fall in love again and will be asking himself that why he deserved that?

Could have written much about, but … … let’s keep it short. There was a reason that I skipped to write on the same.

Dev D: Are we mature enough to handle, what we call as Love?

    We wish to hold our obsessions and egos all together and when loose it then loose it all of sudden to destroy everything to an extent, from where even we don’t leave any place for other to come back. Were we ever wished that? If not, then why? Some questions can’t be answered, if you didn’t went with all your selfless thoughts. I know it’s never been fully possible and so is love. No one is mature enough to handle, what we call Love. This is all what Dev D is.    

    After No Smoking, Anurag Kashyap’s another venture, which was already raising many speculations even much before its release. No Smoking was a different concept and a different approach for cinema and I appreciated whole heartedly the same, but I was not expecting that I will come up with all praises again for the same talented director in his next movie as well. Thumbs up for Anurag Kashyap. A good time for Ronnie Screwwala as well, because he is getting his name associated with ventures like Fashion and Dev D.

Title: Dev D
Release Date: 6th February 2009
Banner: UTV Spot Boy.
Producer: Ronnie Screwwala
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Assistant Director: Vasan Bala, Anand Vijayraj Singh Tomar

Cast: Abhay Deol, Kalki Koechlin, Mahie Gill, Dibyendu Bhattacharya.
Story Writer: Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Mani , Amitabh Bhattacharya
Cinematography: Rajeev Ravi
Screen Play: Madhur Bhandarkar, Anuradha Tiwari, Ajay Monga
Playback: Amit Trivedi, Aditi Singh Sharma, Bony Chakravarthy, Joi Barua, Kshitij, Labh Jajua, Mani, Shruti Pathak, Shilpa Rao, Toshi

    As I given the title, that’s what one exactly felt after watching the same. Either it was Dev or Paro or Romita or Chanda, all were been somewhat confused with what, they call as love. Obsession-misunderstanding, practical-impractical things, devotion-mischief; love moves along with lots of shades. We hears so many times, but never get to feel without enough maturity with emotions that love is not something to be won, but to lose yourself. We know that we are wrong, but still we want ….

    As we all heard about movie, it’s a modern presentation of Sharatchandra’s Devdas, which already been attempted in its original version by Indian Cinema twice. Such a presentation is expected to get words of many kinds; some may say too much experimentations, some may say very intense, some call it as ‘Emotional Atyachar‘, some might come up to say that its ruining the spirit of novel, but I stand by the Director’s view, who taken the subject very originally and brilliantly. He reminded me the structure of the novel “Gunaho Ka Devta”
by
Dharamveer Bharati, which I come to read in my graduation times. He reminded of many things, I might have passed through or had seen. I was really really thrilled and that’s why this time, it was due that I should come up with a long review over this movie, as I already seen misunderstood views over this movie. Anurag has taken it as a gas chamber of confined meanings, where one fought long and hard to survive.

The movie always had two sides and the storyline gives reasons for both. It gives fully segregates views and elevates one or the other at places. Dev is ashamed of what he did, but not ready to accept at the first place and Paro, why will she move more, when she already given herself as much she could have? Dev was not able to give grace to what he has once, as he got it as granted and never got time to think over it what he has and why? Most of us never do and when regret, its too late. We know that we are at wrong place, from where there is no place to go either back or forth without loosing and we don’t wish to loose. Each sacristy leaves us more and more away.

Is there any solution, when we closed all the ways ourselves? The movie doesn’t come up with solutions as one can’t change the basic nature even if he/ she try for best. But one really can learn, if wish to learn.

I know, it would make the review looking much bore, but let me come up with the analysis of characters and situations. Don’t know that I would be able to write proper lines to express myself, but I really felt myself at every place either it be Dev or it be Paro or it be Chanda.

 

Dev: The central character of the movie; the Devdas, who never learnt to be patient, who never was able to move forward to hold, who never was able to loose the strings to make things right. An abused child, who never found himself normal with family relations and kept on destroying his innocence. An anger, who doesn’t know the limits and directions. He is rude, he is hard and he kept on getting all spoiled.

Just one thing, which he wants is Paro. Does he really want? Why he want? He could name, but can’t feel it, as he always been in so much negativities that never found himself thinking anything. He can’t bear even one comment back, he can’t bear anyone hurting him. He will answer back for sure. He never wished that it might be Paro on the other end to face his anger, but when we love, then get hurt in same way and when we hate, we hit as harder as we can.

He is rude enough to chew hands of Paro as he know, she won’t leave him, he is innocent enough to express his desire to see her nude pics as he might have seen things like that in culture of abroad, he is immature enough not to feel what she goes through, when have to get snaps washed from outside the city and then to scan them to send, he is immature enough not to feel that she has parents and her life been different than him. He could leave Paro lonely in field hurt from inside and still wont give second thought against his hate. He might have came back if in marriage haven’t seen Sunil saying the same words to Paro’s father, which he thought himself be saying. He was not able to think after it… just not able to …. Neither he was ever able to answer himself that why Paro loves in this way? Popular reasons are what always come to hit your mind first and the popular ends.

The problem is all he feels that he never got anything and now not even wishes for anything. Whatever he gets is easy for him and so he never thankful for the same. He move into weak moments with Romita and on hearing words about Paro in same way, thinks that why can’t she as he has been always away. When he himself like this everyone around him like this, then why can’t Paro be? His thoughts always been immature and he never came to feel anything. Neither family nor career nor anything else been important for him than his immediate self. When Paro comes to him last time, then what he thought was presentation of how much immature, he always been.

He never taken Romita more than a slut and kept on insulting Chanda till he came to know that what she gone through in her life. Chanda’s maturity in such a younger age made him realizing thing slowly and he came to feel that what he did, what he wished, what can’t be undone. He tried to move on with Chanda, but again similar misunderstanding made him back on the same. Although at the end, original theme of novel is altered to show him coming back… but …

But I really don’t know that will he ever get a life like others? Could he ever be happy? Yeah! Everyone will blame him only, but when he got the normal life? His only crime, no one told him to attempt in proper ways for making his life better and he knows it can’t be ….

 

Paro: The pain given to Paro’s character in this movie was much more enough than given to Paro in original version. Are girls always so mad in love that could go for snapping herself nude and giving the reels to a public photographer even if it’s of a distant place? Yes! They are sometimes. Can’t even see something against the same, faith hurts most of the times. Paro knows that Dev is not here to feel anything, even if she tries from words. But she knows that he has no one except her. Why we get into hurry of naming emotions in early ages? She believes that once she would be having all rights over his life, then she will make everything fine for them, but …

After getting alleged of having relations with Sunil, Paro was just not able to keep her reaction patient enough. Was that her fault? What you expect from her? How many certificates, she needs to give? She really was nothing more left in her hands, when she given herself completely. I really don’t know that what she could have done to save the relations? Was holding herself from bursting at that moment going to be enough? Really no one wishes to be in place of this Paro. But the same is with Dev and Chanda, who wishes to be at place of them? I really went into tears, when watched Paro dancing in full swing at her own marriage.

Really few of you people will able to understand that waiting in love ask for how much maturity otherwise without that you will end up hurting yourself more and hating everyone around you including the one you love.

Even then, she comes back to meet him as she really wished to see him happy, whatever he might have done to her. She figures out the exact words to ask only at the end, ‘Dev!! What’s this “I want to love you” in place of “I love you“? Do you still know anything Dev? Was not my wait going to be forever?’

I again call the character of Paro not mature enough. Yes! It has its grace and patience but still.

We often see boys proposing girls and girls accepting the same due to momentary thrills or due touching moments or just because she can’t deny it, without realizing that what they really want. Both the sides, either girls or boys don’t really know.

Everyone blames that most of the affairs fail, but just tell me, how much of them been standing on well thought reasons? She is beautiful, he is cute, she is hot, he is rich enough, girls follow him, boys will envy, if she is with me…… just this??? Paro says to Sunil that “have you seen that what you are before wishing for me?” Paro!! Tell me… you are comparing for what??? Answers are right there.

Do people really know what love means? We don’t’ realize till we have life around us and when will we (may be never), then it’s too late to realize; what we always ignored and what was right for us. Unfortunately, most of us can’t be special enough to see the world from real glasses and everything would be termed in limits of popular words only and so the fate will be limited as well.

I really think only age and time makes us able to …. Love will be blamed like this always. Sorry Paro… your all efforts gonna to be in vein only. It’s not like that choice of person has to be blamed, but the compromises you made were high enough as you can’t make more … Not everyone able to make the right choice and also not everyone able to come back in time, before getting hurt or loosing something which can’t be undone. Paro will never be able to love or to be loved without any crime from her side except ….

 

Chanda: The character was realized on screen with sensational (?) DPS girl scandal. The girl got in news overnight after that sensational MMS and no one really cared that what she will go through. It was not her mistake, but was immaturity of decisions… not only of having faith but of having wrong choice as well. We take steps in tempo of what people might be saying around us, in tempo of praises we see in eyes of people, when we are with someone special. But everything seems to be so hollow, when we really will need in our loneliness. She finds herself open to be a sex worker only after suicide of her father as she never earned someone to hold her, when she was able to come back to life.

She meets Dev and come to see him and found him in deep pain, which he can’t show to anyone as he finds only himself guilty. She come to see her image in Dev upto somewhat extent, as even he is moving on a path, he won’t be able to come back ever.

She for the first time in Dev’s life, clearly says that what Paro did was right as you never loved her. Even when you realized that it was your entire fault, there was time to come back, but it was your ego in between even after mistaking. How could you claim that it was love, if you were not able to come back?

Chanda leaves her chosen life as sex worker, which was forced over her in a way; not for Dev, but for herself. She becomes another Paro of Dev’s life…. the same selfless girl, who is ready to do everything for him, without wishing anything back in return.

I should warn everyone, it’s not just a piece of entertainment, but it would be hard to go through in both the way, either you feel it from inside or you not. Think twice before watching, but if watch, then don’t dare to rant anything wrong about it outside, because it means that you didn’t learned anything like Dev in most part of his life. For me, it’s something, you need to watch again and again over times to feel, to find…

Abhay Deol: Really he given full justice to the role, he was given. Although I feel that John of No Smoking was also able to do justice (sorry for being blunt), but that doesn’t take any credit back from the talented Deol. He is really on a roll with offbeat films again and again. I rate him higher than Shahrukh or Dilip Kumar in other versions.

Mahie Gill: What a superb role as debut!!! She was as brilliant as a Paro might be. Beautiful, graceful, expressive….. she is a born actress for sure. She shows all shades as much the director might have desired. I will be really looking for her next movies.

Kalki Koechlin: Her English looks might keep her away from mainstream cinema, but she was brilliant for her role. She was as tender as the role might have dreamed and at the same time as mature in acting that may make you feel that she is somewhere of between us.

At the end, all praises for the talented director Anurag Kashyap. Full Marks to you for the kind of cinema, you are giving to Bollywood.

Fashion; you never know that from where lines get crossed

Sometimes expectations force you to take on complicated projects. After watching the movie, I knew that writing a review over such fine grained piece of work would be tougher as one needs to get it readable means compact in size, but the details it touches… Anyway….

The well advertised and well announced movie, which was awaited from long. Fashion world; I really unable to find many names, when I think of films fine graining realities of Fashion world in this much closer ways.

After an unnoticed debut with “Trishakti”, Chandni Bar, Satta, Page 3, Corporate and now Fashion, Madhur Bhadarkar now seems to be settled in big ranks and only after Fashion some people like me will be waiting for his next projects for sure. He really amazed me with his fine graining and also leaving some things over the viewer’s notice only, kind of a unique presentation.I could claim that this remarkably mature film is Madhur’s most accomplished work till now, even if Page 3 was a fine grained attempt, but it was somewhat on a lesser larger scale. He seemed to be Brand Ambassador of new age Realistic Cinematography.

Title: Fashion
Release Date: 14th November 2008
Banner: Bhandarkar Entertainment, UTV Motion Pictures.
Presenter: UTV Motion Pictures
Producer: Ronnie Screwwala
Director: Madhur Bhandarkar
Cast: Arjan Baweja, Kangna Ranaut, Kittu Gidwani, Priyanka Chopra, Mugdha Godse, Arbaaz Khan, Harsh Chaaya, Sameer Soni, Ashwin Mushran, Suchitra Pillai, Raj Babbar, Kiran Juneja
Guest Appearances: Madhur Bhandarkar, Manish Malhotra, Karan Johar, Konkana Sen Sharma, Ranvir Shaury and many more…
Production Design: Nitin Chandrakant Desai
Music Director: Salim Marchant, Sulaiman
Lyrics: Sandeep Nath & Irfan Siddique
Story Writer: Ajay Monga
Edited by: Deven Murdeshwar
Cinematography: Mahesh Limaye
Screen Play: Madhur Bhandarkar, Anuradha Tiwari, Ajay Monga
Dialogues: Niranjan Iyengar
Costume Stylist: Rita Dhody
Publicity Designer: Marching Ants

First let’s discuss what one think of Fashion world while standing outside this mysterious world, just by watching a few occasional Fashion shows on FTV. We wonder that how come…

  1. How come all the model seems to be so overly stone faced and under extremely hyper makeup without any reason? Do they feel any emotion? Do they live in this world?
  2. How much attitude they seem to carry, aren’t they seem to selling cloths to aliens only?
  3. How much true the often rumors of exploitation of models and stealing of so much acclaimed designs? Wardrobe malfunctions, Casting couches?
  4. What about Fashion’s high society wild life showcasing Gay relations and drugs all around?

These were the initial question before watching the movie and it gives attentions to all these in one way or another. Still lots of things remained untouched, but one project can’t address everything, still many things left about Fashion world. Even then in the way, this movie satisfies critics, no one stands parallel to it.

This movie is about a girl named Meghna (Priyanka Chopra), who after winning a local beauty contest extends her dreams, to the biggest sky of Fashion World. The girl had a dream and at the same the determination to make it reality, she makes it, but with what she passes through tells many things to the people dreaming for entering into the practical world.

Meghna with her acquaintance Rohit (Ashwin Mushran) starts to interact with pieces of the real world. She comes to meet a few later on closer friends like Janet (Mugdha Godse) and Rahul (Harsh Chhaaya) and Manav Bhasin (Arjan Baweja) in next few happenings and in dramatic ways with just a flip of eyes finds her in front of big names like Anisha Roy (Kittu Gidwani) owner of biggest Profile Agency for Fashion World and Abhijeet Sareen (Arbaaz Khan) acclaimed Big Daddy of Fashion World, owner of biggest company Panache for fashion world.

Once her dream Sonali Nagpal (Kangna Ranaut), soon finds herself replaced by Meghna; not only because of being a new face, but many little things adding into it. Meghna starts running, slowly missing the real world around in her pace. Everything seems to happen logically, in her practical winning eyes till she comes feel that she committed just a few mistakes.

Meghna becomes an overnight success and is everywhere – right from being the showstopper at the biggest fashion shows in town to fashion magazine covers to print ads to TV commercials. The overnight success spoils Meghna and the budding love relationship between her and Manav also comes to an abrupt end. Meghna never gets to know that when she went alike Sonali; the same arrogance, the same freaking and the same fate. Her feet stops only when she finds herself naked in bed with an stranger Black Man for a night stand in overdose of Drug. The ignition of the plot (Sonali Nagpal) seems is taken from the incident of Geetanjali Nagpal; an Ex-Model turned Drug Addict and then found begging on New Delhi streets. I think people should check out following links for the same story

Meghna still finds herself under a shelter due to support of her family, where she come back after that night leaving everything behind. One year passes and after giving all thoughts, she comes back. Comes back to find her all left friends, comes back to tell herself that the mistakes could be altered, comes back to know that is the same fate name of Fashion?

Learning from her mistakes, getting her old friends back as she were true from her once in front of them, she again come to face the world. Trembles once, but relations again come to give her chance to win and when she reaches the edge of making it, she found herself losing Sonali, now days under her guardianship. The message was clear… not everyone gets chances to come back.

This was the story, which was so fine grained that you didn’t found many even if you try for the flaws. Yes, it has its share of flaws like being too lengthy almost 3 hours (2 hours and 50 mins precisely) and missing details from others side than the “showstopper” herself, but for me, it was justified for a critic point of view and thanks to Madhur, he didn’t compromised.

What I really got amazed about was the look and attitude engraved by Kangna. She really looked like a super model, somewhere Priyanka was way behind her, even after her till now best emotional appearance on her credits, somewhere Kangna leaves other behind by stone faced presence and perfection on stage like I myself went on googling that if she hails from Fashion world and I admire her most as she was not. But for me, she proving herself as a find for film industries.

Second fact that was troubling me was “Are all designers and people involved backstage in Fashion Industry seems to be Gay?” Madhur admits here

Really feeling so so much about this movie, but it’s been just a little late and many good things has been said about this movie, so better to watch the movie with full attention than just reading the review. Although for insights of characters, you may check out review on Wikipedia

The scenes I loved from the movie are plenty, but the meaningful to me were the following:

  1. The first fashion show pictured in this movie, probably the most authentic and impressing one.
  2. When Kangna doesn’t turn back after wardrobe malfunction and we still confused that it was coincidence or …
  3. When Meghna answers to Abhijeet in front of his wife Avantika (Suchitra Pillai).
  4. When Meghna woke up from bed and gets herself naked with a stranger.
  5. When Meghna finds Manav moved on in his life.
  6. When under tears Meghna still finds her way to walk on Ramp finally with full confidence with straight eyes in front of all cameras.

Do you need any reasons to watch the movie? Are you still confused and waiting for others approvals and opinions? Don’t think even once, it’s the Show Stopper… go for it.

Rubaru; what if life doesn’t give chance to make things back to right …

What’s point in writing a review over movie after this much long after its release? Sure, in place of answers, I have lots questions in my mind. Why such movies, ideas don’t get big banners? Why people don’t get ways to publicize such sensitive matters? Don’t we have means to get limelight to such intellectual creations?

Ru Ba Ru; have you heard about this movie? For most of the chances, you haven’t heard of the same. Even if heard then just heard about a dozen kisses, the lead pair share in this movie, but the people trying to make out a publicity from negative side, come to forget the fact that it’s a capable movie, dammn it, really really capable. But now I really think that do we have the market and people to get it in that ways? Yes! There might be so much of intellectual audience, but what is the way to send them the message that there is some movie out here of their taste? I really missed this movie and just was watching it to pass my time as from all recent releases, this one was probably the only one, I didn’t watched in very first week and it was a tremendous experience.

Title: Ru Ba Ru
Directed by: Arjun Bali
Produced by: Percept Picture Company
Music: Satyadev Burman, Sameeruddin and Strings
Lyrics: Aditya Narayan, Shuja Haider, Soumik Sen and Arjun Bali
Starring: Randeep Huda and Shahana Goswami..

This movie was special to me otherwise, I haven’t came to write a review over it. I found it intellectual enough like Strangers, Cheeni Cum or more closely Mumbai Salsa, but unfortunately all of them shared a way lesser exposure and when left the theaters, one never came to know. Obviously, Cheeni Cum was better out of it due to Amitabh himself. But …

This was a movie for relations, where we see girls preferring the soul of relation itself, while guys prefer perfecting the things in practical ways, which often land in wrong ways to make the relation go uncomfortable. Boys side finds it lesser practical to flip the eyes from ground realities and wants to settle down the troubles one by one and then moving towards enjoying life, while girls get it in the way that if relations are sticking together firmly, then everything could get a way out to be good.

The approaches are quite reasonable as boys know that they would be blamed if anything goes wrong as they were supposed to take care of everything being a tougher side, while girls know that everything has to be fine and it’s a small world of people, one always have to live for. May I won’t be coming with the right words to express the same….. coz of being a boy obviously But it’s not only this movie, many other movie of the same genre reminds me of this difference.

We often see pairs fighting in the same ways even if they loved each other as closely as they could. Rightly said once, when one is wrong in relations, then its easy to set it back, but when both are right, then it’s really …. We get to see an interesting statement in the middle of movie …

  • I don’t know. I do so much, but still she is never happy.
    > Do you love her?
  • Why won’t I love her? What else do you want?
    > You love her, but don’t know how to express it.
  • I will make everything right, when she will be back
    > what if you never got a chance to make everything fine?

The same conversation was what the movie is all about.

Everything is like we get to see, get to experience; forgetting dates, forgetting what’s important for the other one, girls thinking that they are giving their extreme priority to the boys side, while boys thinking why can’t they cope up with the same, even after trying their permissible, practically best. Boys get irritated as they don’t want to get the tag all the time that they don’t care or don’t love the way other side do. They always learned to focus one thing at a time and probably, life is this much engaging that just being with it pace gives no time back to you.

So, is the story all about it? No, there was something else in it to make us realize it in some different way as well.

Nikhil woke up at a day with a bad dream, which ended in a highly tragic node of death of his girlfriend and live-in partner Tara. Somehow Nikhil realizes her that what if he loses everything before getting all the things, all the preparation right in place. The day moves and he get to see everything around him happening in more or less the same way, he got to see in dream. He gets scared and tries to make everything away from the fate, but things keep on moving in the same way and he keeps on changing the things from his side to make everything right from today itself, but was the fate easy enough to be pushed away? Watch the movie …. Learn the priorities.

Saawariya: A cinematic poetry

Saawariya; Movie or dream sequence? Story or some poetry? Moving through sometimes simple and sometimes complex symbols, that’s what Saawaria is.

Its only the second attempt of Hindi Commercial Cinema after Gaj Gamini to use big screen canvas to emulate such a concept. I think its easy to loose track of what’s going on in such creations, but people who love classics and could notice minute details of language of symbolism, its going to be a tough treat to mind. Its like those Satyajeet Ray movies, I have been heard of but not got to see many times, because of being Hindi movies lover. I wont recommend the same for anyone, who just might be wishing to go and watch a movie for time-pass or to go because of Rani Mukharji or Salman Khan. You are suggested to go for the same, if you able to notice voice of silence, wants to watch a movie from a critic angle or hopelessly romantic up to the extent of some poet, probably, you might not have seen something similar ever, if have been fond of movies only and have not seen stages.

Director & Producer: Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Cost: Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee, Zohra Sehgal, Begum Para, Achla Sachdev

Lyrics: Sameer, Nusrat Badr.

Music: Monty Singh.

A well awaited movie because of the name of SLB and he really surprised me over his class of imagination and control over minute details. But on the other side, he misses to give the commercial touch to the movie and except dead hard movie lovers and critics like me, it will brought disappointment to viewers, as its all about the imagination and poetry in place of any visible storyline or theme.

Visibly, it’s a story of four nights, in which two lovers passes through loads of emotions and levels of romance in a poetic manner. From inside, it’s a simple story, we might have encountered here and there, where a boy meets someone, who is already in love, found her irresistible and wish to be with her even if in form of a sweet friend only. Lots of things, loads of emotions and always a hope that someday, she will be able to get his silent love and come to believe that she deserves for something more than she have in form her lost love. She is waiting for someone and he is waiting for her to melt, both walk and talk together for four nights and before glimpse of love might get its full glory, she turns back to her love.

“When we ask for rights, then we loose friend, and if we don’t then its turn of friendship to go.”

How could you touch a heart, who is not wishing to hear, even when love to be with you to share her things? How could you bear, when you come to propose her in clear words finally, after giving lots of symbols, but she misses and ask you back about her love? How could you hold yourself, when she shows extreme rights over you and even then never wishful to give any, which you might have asked? How could you make yourself stand like a true friend, when you know that you love her as your life?

Not able to get my questions? Then leave it… its not your idea of entertainment.

It’s a story of a happy go lucky innocent bar singer Ranbir. One silent bright and starry night, he spots a mysterious girl dressed in black, standing alone at a bridge. This chance encounter introduces him to Sakina, a shy and quiet, melancholic and enigmatic girl, who continues to intrigue him. Thus follows the beginning of a new friendship, where Raj with his most charming ways and an undying spirit tries to win Sakina’s heart. He is just unable to accept her haunting past and their friendship pulls him into a whirlwind of desire, madness and romance.

Initially, Raj thinks that’s (her past) a crafted story, but finally realizes its authenticity. But he kept on believing that someday, it will go a happy ending for him, but … It ends up on a distressing note, where Sakina chooses her love interest (Salman Khan) over her best soul-mate (Ranbir Kapoor).

Was the end right? I think yes, because that was the intention and origin of the story. Is hard to relate yourself, but if you close your eyes, then somewhere, you could feel the pain in smiles.

Coming over commercial angles, then I know that like Gajgamini, it may get the same fate over Box Office and even the high expectations from the same, will make it fall for big times. Even then I will rate it as far better attempt of create a poetry than Gajgamini, although miserably, we don’t have audience of that level, which could come to appreciate the movie.

Emotions, acting, direction all are marvelous and classic, although I was not impressed by choreography, don’t know why? It was like missing some hit.. don’t know what. Watch it at your own risk, only you could decide that you are going to like it or not.

For me, Raj will continue to wait.

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Bachna Ae Haseeno : When we come to know that she is the one

Yashraj Productions … many expectations … similar look and feel, which had keeping Yashraj’s on the top of chart in all those years. Are they back on track? That’s what was in my mind, when I went to watch this movie. As I watched it on Saturday, just after one day of its release, so was having no clue or pre-set mind before watching the same as I start with all the time. Friday was given in favour of “God Tussi Great Ho” in spite of knowing its limitations as I was not aware that “Bachna Ae Hasino” has been released. Interestingly both the movies were watched by me in PVR. I should confess that I have been away from Picture Halls from long time as I prefer to watch movies at my home, but this time, these were holidays and so….

Like others, I also been impressed with Yashraj Banners in the way, they realize the feeling of love in various ways. Hum Apke Hai Kaun, Dil To Pagal Hai (There is someone for you somewhere), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Love may happen twice), Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (Never let it go, if you get your the one) and Bachna Ae Hasino now… All the earlier ones been grand mile stones.. what about this one? Siddharth Anand has given Salaam Namaste and Ta Ra Rum Pum earlier, so sure this one has its share of expectations. Lets see, where is stands…

Title: Bachna Ae Hasino.

Directed and written by: Siddharth Anand.

Produced by: Aditya Chopra, Yash Chopra.

Production banner : Yash Raj Productions.

Music Directors: Vishal Shekhar.

 

Play Back:

1.
Khuda Jaane – KK & Shilpa Rao 2. Lucky Boy – Sunidhi Chauhan, Hard Kaur & Raja Hassan 3. Aahista Aahista – Lucky Ali & Shreya Ghoshal 4. Jogi Mahi – Sukhwinder Singh, Shekhar Ravjiani & Himani Kapoor 5. Small Town Girl – Shankar Mahadevan 6. Khuda Jaane Revisited – KK & Shilpa Rao, Remixed by: Abhijit Nalani 7. Bachna Ae Haseeno * – Kishore Kumar *, Sumit Kumar & Vishal Dadlani Cinematographer: Sunil Patel. Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Minissha Lamba, Deepika Padukone, Kunal Kapoor, Puneet Issar, Patel Junior (Gufi Pental’s son).

 

Every teenager knows about the word “Love”, to realize the things as he/ she heard about. We grew up and according to our maturity levels, we perceive the same in different manners. But sure Love is not always like we see in movies, what we read in books. Few questions always stays in front of us as to-be-answered. Sometime we pass through these questions, sometime we not.

1- What we wants from this feeling “Love”?

2- Could we wait till we get the final one and avoid the pressure of being the “Killer”?

3- Could we ever realize that which one is the final one?

4- What if we never get “The one”?

5- Is being hooked with someone for a while, whose company make you feel nice, wrong?

6- Are we ready to take it as a lifetime contract?

8- Is something like “Love at first sight” exists?

9- When we really get ready to commit from innermost from our heart?

10- Does everyone get, what they called “Love”?

 

“Bachna Ae Hasino” although doesn’t state it in precise words, but there is a hidden note for girls, to access the state of mind as well before falling for someone, before getting hurt. But nothing to discuss about that here as that’s to be accessed by viewer itself.

 

“Bachna Ae Hasino” follows the journey of Raj Sharma (Ranbir Kapoor) from the age of 17 to 30 years. The one meets three different girls at three different stages of his life. What he learns about love with these experiences is what “Bachna Ae Hasino” all about.

 

In 1996, A normal handsome dude in the age of 17, with his go lucky attitude, meets the first girl Mahi (Minissha Lamba), a small town girl from Panjab, in the backdrop of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Mahi has her share of fantasies and out to find her Raj,
while Raj is out with his friends to find foreign chiks like teen age boys. Some luck and some tricks from Raj play to make things go happen in way things happened between Simran and Raj (DDLG) and in this way, Raj succeed to make her fall for him. They share a kiss after Raj reads her a poem, in which he had written about his feelings for her. They have fun together and when Raj drops Mahi at the airport, Mahi opens the page on which Raj had written the poem, only to find it blank. Mahi breaks down in front of Raj, after she sees him talking to his friends about her in cheap ways. Raj leaves her crying and these 10 days leaves Mahi as heart broken forever.

This was all about Teen Age love. A little show off, few little fantasies, curiosity to know what it is, what people call as love. We don’t feel about commitments, unable to posses that level of respect for emotions, commit blunders and later forget it as it was a play. Some of us come to be strong enough to get ahead of these early heartbreaks and for some, it leaves a mark for lifetime.

 

In 2002,
Raj, working as Game Analyst for Microsoft (what more one could be wishing for), is in Mumbai staying in a Live-In Relationship with his Girlfriend Radhika. The second girl, Radhika (Bipasha Basu), hot and glamorous having origin of Ranchi, is here for being a successful model. After having a good time without asking about any commitment, Raj gets transferred to Sydney to work there. He tries to leave Radhika behind and Radhika plans for their engagement sacrificing her own career. Raj never expected to see Radhika asking for marriage even at cost of her own career and get shocked. After his share of efforts (even went up to the extent of presenting himself as impotent), finally Raj took his teen-age attitude and fly to Sydney without even informing Radhika, leaving her waiting under rain on the stairs of Marriage Bureau. This one year live-in-relationship tears apart Radhika to be Shreya; the big successful name.

This was all about love, before getting that level of maturity, which gives you sense of responsibility and you fall for the person, not for beauty or glamour only. Otherwise, we just want to have it for fun and for showing off that we are Killers. We don’t wish to get these days ended, thinking that we have something much more better stored somewhere for us. We just enjoy having fun time and don’t wish to get asked about rights, morality and commitment. We look at the show off side, fun etc. but miss to see the depth of developing relations. Yes, we commit by words, but still run away from real commitments. Sometimes we breakup by words, sometimes by other means or sometimes just run away like Raj chosen this time without even thinking that what the person at other side felt.

 

In 2007, Raj finds another love mate as Gayatri (Deepika Padukone). One day, while romancing in a taxi cab with an Australian girl, whom he has a breakup with 10 seconds later, he meets Gayatri, the driver of the cab, who also works in a super-market as the cashier. She is intellectual, witty and cute enough to charm Raj. She doesn’t believes in institution of marriage or rules of commitment like Raj. He finds her irresistible and this time, after dating a while, he get settled over the fact that she is the one for him and like never before, this time, he decides to ask her for commitment of lifetime. But Gayatri refuses the same and call it an end of their relationship.

 

Heart broken Raj now come to feel the pain, he might have given to Mahi or Radhika and only thing, he decides to do, is to go for correcting his mistakes and here comes The Intermission.

Now, the second half starts and message of film ends here (as of my perspective) and bollywood starts. Was it going to be that easy to just go and say sorry and then get a smile back, saying that “Nothing to worry about that what happened in past, I am fine and forgiven you long back”?

 

Yes, it was not like that. He reaches to Mahi’s place. He meets her husband Joginder Ahaluwalia
(Kunal Kapoor) and two sons. He got shocked to know that how much deep impact, he has left over the innocent girl that she is not comfortable in her love life even after having two kids. He feels the love, Joginder has for Mahi, feels how much big loss, he has given to Joginder and also realize that what he has done is not so small to be forgiven.

 

From this point of time, the Hero emerged from Raj and even after getting threatened by Joginder, he decided to stay and make the things nicer for Mahi. It was so funny to hear from Kunal that “if you came near her again, then it will take another 12 years to get Mahi back to normal”. It was also touchy to hear, when Joginder says he don’t know the words with which Raj like boy impresses girls, but still loves her from inner most of the heart. Raj realizes that Joginder is the one, Mahi was always looking for. Luckily it takes only a few tricks and one meet with Mahi in a wedding and he makes it. I feel thrilled with the moment, when he walks away with the smile after achieving, what he wished for.

 

Now, it comes to Radhika, who is Shreya now; a very successful star of Glamour World. Shreya now seems to became much rude over whole world, but still gives a chance to Raj, by saying that she will hear, if he agrees to be her personal assistant for a while. Raj agrees and then it goes literally like the song “Small Town Girl” says, means he does everything from washing the floor, to dancing on the roads. Finally, Shreya breaks to say that you are total desperate to get forgiven na… She breaks to tell him, what she felt after being left behind like a cheap trash. Her most touchy words for me, when she says “I know, I was never that girl, one boy might be wishing to get on meeting with his mother.” She says, she will never forgive him, she can’t.

Raj realizes that what he has did to Radhika, was like something, no one could forgive and decided to leave from this point. But here, the forgiveness of girls came in and he finds Radhika at the Airport. She forgive him saying that probably, if he has not been like that then she was not that successful ever as she is now. She comes back to be Radhika again and Raj moves back to Sydney again.

 

After reaching Sydney, our lucky dude, come to find that Gayatri loves him and has written many letters to him in this six months period. He meets her and find the cycle of love gets completed.

Movie ends here, but still leaves lots of questions for me …..

1- Was just saying sorry and making things little nicer is enough to pay out for the couple, who lost their 12 years, which were expected to be their sweetest part of life?

2- Was just doing everything desperately to be forgiven, was enough to pay out for the girl, who given up her every desire, her everything to someone and in return, who was left lonely in the world to hear and bear everything?

3- Was just saying sorry was enough to payout for leaving the girl missing you for a total of six months

Raj was lucky to get forgiven, moreover, it was just a movie, but could anyone else be lucky like this …. one can’t be. Thanks for making an effort to make boys realizing the seriousness of relationships.

 

Remarks:

Ranbir: Looks enough cute for the role and it seems like this role was meant for him only.

Minisha: Although I’ll be critical over her looks, but otherwise she looked cute like any teenager.

Bipasha: Hot as per requirements of the role. Given complete justification to the role.

Deepika: Perfect one. She looks innocent, cute and witty at the same time. I don’t think that it was easy for someone else to justify the role in this way.

Sure, I wont be calling this movie, something perfect like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai or Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Why? Probably, I wont be able to mention the same precisely, but still misses something, somewhere. But even then, I hope that this is sweet enough to find places in the heart of teens. Nice songs, nice locations and hot-n-cute pairs… what one could wish from a Bollywood Flick.