MOVIE REVIEWS

THE DIRTY PICTURE

DESI BOYZ

ROCKSTAR

DAMADAMM

RA.ONE

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The Dirty Picture Movie Review

Film: The Dirty Picture

Starring: Vidya Balan, Naseeruddin Shah, Emraan Hashmi, Tusshar Kapoor

Director: Milan Luthria

Producer: Ekta Kapoor,Shobha Kapoor

Banner: Balaji Motion Pictures,ALT Entertainment

Music: Vishal Dadlani,Shekhar Ravjiani

RATING : 2/5

Is it a voyeuristic peep-eye or the projection of a woman who lives life on her own terms? Does it hold up a mirror to an exploitative society or actually become part of it? The lines keep blurring in "The Dirty Picture", leaving the movie about a southern sex star's rise to fame in the 1980s film industry and her tragic fall from it an inchoate, confused mess.

The film begins with the lofty quote from Friedrich Nietzsche: "You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star." And opens with a young Reshma (Vidya Balan in a bravura performance) falling off a ladder, confident her mother will be there to pick her up. The dark abyss after that is telling. There she is, now a young woman, laughing delightfully at the discomfiture of a couple making out in the room next door with her moans accompanying the creaking of the bed.

Alas, the promise of that beginning, the hoped for portrayal of a sassy woman who is unashamed of her sexuality, peters out soon enough.

Reshma evolves into Silk, enters the movies and claws her way to the top using the aging superstar Surya (Naseeruddin Shah). There are others she meets along the way, Surya's awkward writer brother Ramakant (Tusshar Kapoor), the cerebral filmmaker Abraham (Emraan Hashmi) who has only contempt for her and the various directors who use her sensuality to bring in the front-benchers and the moolah.

There is a disclaimer at the beginning that this film is based on fiction. But, of course, that is a flimsy cover for a film on the life of Silk Smitha who committed suicide at the end of career that saw dazzling fame and also ignominy.

The problem with "The Dirty Picture" is that we never really get a grip on Silk's character. Here is a woman who revels in her body, looks on knowingly as the filmmaker offering her her first job watches her lustily and, given her first stab in front of the camera, wants to impress the choreographer and unasked sheds it all - clothes and inhibitions.

Yet, she tells a casting director who has rejected her that she's not like other girls and wants to be an actor. There is nothing before and after that to tell us so or that she is actually a powerhouse of dance talent like Nietzsche's quote had set her to be.

Wan, worn out and broke, she ends her life, alone in her big house. The once star wears a red, bridal sari, puts on a bindi and lies down for that endless sleep. Is it an unrequited desire? Did this very unconventional sex symbol really want marriage and two kids? We don't really know because there has been plenty of sex, but little romance so far.

The filmmaker seems confused, and so is the audience.

A film like this requires finesse, a deft touch where the celluloid story is not just a depiction but also a commentative reflection. That detachment is sadly missing and it becomes as exploitative as the story it is setting out to tell.

The camera zooms in on Silk's rather ample body and lingers on - not once in a while but repeatedly through the rather lengthy 16 reels. And the tawdry, double entendre dialogues should really find no place in a film that seeks to be an empathetic portrayal.

The nasty questions linger - will people go in to watch this movie for the same reason they watched a Silk Smitha film, will the frontbenchers be whistling as they do in the film?

True, there are some moments of real empathy like when Surya shoos her into the bathroom because his wife has come into the room and leaves her there till morning when she can tiptoe out. Her speech at an award ceremony after Surya tells her she is society's "dirty secret", mocking at the hypocritical audience, is also well done.

The performances are pretty good too. This is Vidya's film through and through, she gets under the skin of the character. The uninhibited portrayal of that frank, unabashed sexuality could have been saved for a better film. Remember the sizzle and subtlety of "Ishqiya"?

Naseer stands out as usual as the ruthless Lothario. But Tusshar and Emraan are mere cardboard characters. As is Anju Mahendru as the done to death archetypal cynical journalist with a cigarette.

The dialogues are also pedestrian and cheesy. Sample this: "Public samaan dekhti hai, dukaan nahin".

"The Dirty Picture" is just so needlessly smutty, when it sets out to do just the opposite. It's bump and grind without enough perspective.

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Desi Boys Movie Review

Film: Desi Boyz

Starring: Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone,Chitrangda Singh and Others

Director: Rohit Dhawan

Producer: Krishika Lulla

Banner: Eros International

Music: Pritam Chakraborty

RATING:3/5

Boys bonding is a great subject for comedies. Tarun Mansukhani tried it in "Dostana". Debutant director Rohit Dhawan gives a far more blithe and effervescent spin to that thing called friendship that makes us do all kinds of weird and wonderful things. Sometimes in tandem.

"Desi Boyz" is a very entertaining yarn about two guys in Britain taking on recession with a bit of naughty moonlighting as, ahem ahem, gigolos. Or, as brothel-chief Sanjay Dutt (who comes to the strains of "Nayak nahin khalnayak hoon main", a la "Ra.One") describes it, Jerry (Akshay Kumar) and Nick (John Abraham) are in the business of making women smile.

"Desi Boyz" goes beyond the fair sex. It makes everyone smile most of the while. The editing (Nitin Rokade) is seamless, bringing together the four principal actors' individual charms into a collective space without crowding the canvas. To their credit every principal actor, and that includes Anupam Kher (playing Deepika Padukone's zany dad) and Omi Vaidya (as her wimpy fiance) seems to get into the film's vivacious frothy mood without letting the dark underbelly of the film be squandered in frivolity.

Remarkably the film's light crisp upper-crust secretes a hard sombre bedrock of truth about how tough life can get in a super-competitive society where keeping up appearances can also mean looking your best after being told you've just lost your job.

Devastation is no reason for cosmetic bankruptcy.

Among this film's many virtues of being an engaging rom-com is its unmistakable glamour. The four main actors have seldom looked so fetching. Is it the camera (N. Natarajan Subramnaniam), the lighting and the choreography, all first-rate, or is it something more? The sheer pleasure that the actors derive in getting into the mood of an intelligently-written comedy is palpable, almost every step along the way. You can't miss the pride in playing a part in a parody that never plays dumb.

The narration moves effortlessly even while negotiating the highly filmy episodes. There is a heart-wrenching orphaned little boy (Virej Dasani, adorably cute) who needs a home with his bankrupt uncle (Akshay Kumar) badly. In movies of yore the heroines would perform mujras in kothas to preserve the sanctity of their family values. Here the boys strip and dance for their recession-hit lives.

Admirably Rohit Dhawan's screenplay turns the men into sex objects with comic candour and without a trace of selfconsciousness. Not that the women are any less attractive to the eye. Deepika Padukone has not much to do, and Chitrangda even less. The latter gets to play strip poker during exam revision with her 'student' Akshay Kumar.

It's a brilliantly written scene full of tantalizing possibilities.

"Desi Boyz" has ample room for skin-show and cheesiness. It goes for the skin with elan and avoids the cheesy ramifications by simply turning away from double meanings (the director Rohit's father David Dhawan's forte). Yes, there're phallic references and mischievous eye-rolling whispers and nudges relying on women's body-parts.

But the overall impression is that of a class comic act, a sumptuously-mounted sex comedy, no pun, but plenty fun, intended.

The songs (Pritam) and the choreography remain true to the film's entertainment-quotient. And the performances are a delight. Deepika has just a couple of scenes to sink her teeth into. She's a delight in the sequence where she tries to win John back from a Caucasian diversion in a pub. Chitrangda's sexy teacher act echoing Sushmita Sen in "Main Hoon Na", shows her taking full charge of the commercial language. She smoulders.

John Abraham had hardly ever been seen having so much fun. Though his dancing is still lumbering, this ranks as his most watchable performance since "New York". And Anupam Kher as his father-in-law-to-be brings a queer blend of a 17-going-on-70 boy-man to his patriarch's part. Great fun to play and to view.

But the film finally belongs to Akshay Kumar, make no mistake about that. While other A-list stars from his generation have begun to look faded at the edges Akshay gets better with each film. Here, in this film, his comic timing is matched by his ability to hold up dramatic moments without letting them sink into over-sentimentality. This is arguably Akshay's best performance in a comic role since Priyadarshan's "Hera Pheri".

Put your hands together for "Desi Boyz". Smart, sassy, sexy and sparkling with dark audacious humour, the film brings us a striking director in Rohit Dhawan.

 

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Rockstar Movie Review

Film: Rockstar

Starring: Ranbir Kapoor,Nargis Fakhri,Shammi Kapoor,Diana Penty,Piyush Mishra,Shernaz Patel

Director: Imitiaz Ali

Producer: Dhillin Mehta

Banner: Eros Entertainment, Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision

Music: A R Rehman

RATING : 2.5/5 

Here is a film made on the life of a rockstar whose tryst with destiny does not touch your heart.

In a grey dull European city, we aren't sure if the frizzy haired, Indo-Persian dressed Rockstar (Ranbir Kapoor) is detained or mugged while he fight backs his detractors to reach the venue to deliver an electrifying performance.

In fact, Imtiaz Ali's "Rockstar" is a love story of Janardhan Jakhar (Ranbir Kapoor) and Heer (Nargis Fakhri). Janardhan is a naïve Haryanvi college going buffoon. He is rustic with no confidence in his own talent, but cherishes the dream of becoming a rockstar. With a hairdo and clothes that resemble the fashion of the early 1970s, Janardhan, or JJ as he calls himself, is constantly trying to ape rockstar Jim Morrison and is constantly seeking a formula to become one.

His confidants, college mates and college canteen owner Kattara Bhai tell him that to be a rockstar one needs to experience life altering love, heartbreak and self discovery. And his mind ticks till he spots Heer (Nargis Fakhri).

Heer is the diva of the college, poised and polished very lady like. Their union seems unfeasible. After a few scenes, we learn that she is to be married off within 20 days and wants to experience all that is forbidden.

The duo makes a list and experience life without emotions for each other. In due course, JJ is christened Jordan, which seems to be an apt name for a rockstar.

As the mystery unfolds over layers of flashbacks, it takes the story to a designated plateau and halts.

At stages, you feel you are watching a documentary, full of montages of memories lined up over good music. Be it Sufi music or the shehnai-guitar jugalbandi, A.R. Rahman's music touches your heart.

Performances are superb. Nargis is a sure threat to Katrina Kaif. Shammi Kapoor sharing screen space with Ranbir touches a raw nerve. Over all, Ranbir carries away accolades for his histronics.

Coming from a director who has given wonderful hits like "Jab We Met" and "Love Aaj Kal", "Rockstar" is a disappointment. It's evident that there is something amiss with the characterisation of this love story.

During the entire transition it is not revealed how Jordan becomes a symbol of rage nor does it reveal the 'junoon' of Nargis' character.

With some beautiful wide angle shots, the film captures scenic Kashmir, Prague and Delhi in a way that has not been seen in the recent past. The editing too is crisp but the last half hour is agonisingly similar to Shahid Kapoor's "Mausam". It just goes on and on.

The dialogues are refreshingly rustic and funny. An extra star in the rating for Ranbir's performance.

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'Damadamm' Movie Review

Film: Damadamm

Starring: Himesh Reshammiya, Purbi Joshi, Sonal Sehgal

Director: Swapna Waghmare

Producer: Studio 18

Banner: Studio 18, HR Musik

Music: Himesh Reshammiya

RATING : 2.5/5 

So here he is. Himesh Reshammiya is back in front of the camera. This time he moves away from the wannabe-rockstar?s image to play a working-class nerd. Himesh?s Sameer is a bit of an idiot.

So he celebrates the departure of his over-possessive bossy girlfriend Shikha (Purbi Joshi) by dancing on the steets, making weird faces at passing chicks (who should be shown reciprocating with a stern scowl if not a slap but are instead shown giggling), messing up his tidy apartment and binging on booze with his unsavoury boss who keeps giving our Sameer wrong advice on how to handle women, particularly bossy over-possessive girlfriends.

"Damadam" has its nice sweet wholesome moments. It?s one of those innocuous romcoms that neither leave you impressed nor cold. The heartwarming moments come on when you are most expecting them and linger on screen long enough to make you forget how annoyingly misguided a character the hero really is.

There is a ring of truth to Sameer?s self-destructive rejection of a five year old seemingly stifling relationship for a posh fling in the tempting lap of luxury with his boss? classy sister Sanjana (Sonal Sehgal).

Shah Rukh Khan had done the same in Aziz Mirza?s "Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman", giving up the comfort of true love for a fling with a rich heiress. To her credit, Sonal Sehgal doesn?t play the 'other woman' as a bitch.

She echoes Sushmita Sen?s tranquil seductiveness from Goldie Behl?s "Bas Itna Sa Khwab Hai". And that?s high praise.

Remarkably, Surbat Sinha?s screenplay has a believable trio of protagonists -- flawed, fumbling, all too human. But the peripheral characters are a letdown. They aren?t only sketchy but also clumsily etched into the plot.

Also the music, Himesh Reshammiya?s mainstay, is here uninspiring and often obtrusive. The track "Ishq unplugged" comes at an embarrassing juncture when the love triangle is in need of a solution, not a song.

What wins you over is the director Swapna Waghmare?s earnestness. She has her heart in the right place. So does the film. Some of the time. For the rest, you?ve to grin and bear the excessive zeal of a supporting cast and a music score that doesn?t know where to draw the line.

Himesh Reshammiya?s performance is that of a goofy Everyman, a bit of a messed-up soul who finally admits he needs a bullying girlfriend to get him through the complexities of life. Himesh works his performance around the character?s weaknesses and his own limitations as an actor.

It is the underused Purbi Joshi as Himesh?s overbearing girlfriend who steals the show. She imparts a sense of lived-in authenticity to her role, almost at times going beyond the script in search of her character?s lost soul. Why don?t we get to see more of this pretty talented girl in our films?

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Ra.One Movie Review

 

Film: Ra.One

Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal

Director: Anubhav Sinha

Producer: Shah Rukh Khan, Gauri Khan

Banner: Red Chillies Entertainment

Music: Vishal Shekar

RATING:3/5

Here's a movie the Hindi film industry can be proud of. "Ra.One" can be touted as the first Hindi film that blends the elegance of Hollywood with Indian sensibilities.

From the very onset, this classy sci-fi film sets the viewers' adrenalin soaring. It also educates, entertains and eulogises our culture. And, very predictably, from the very beginning you know that the crux of the film is about how good triumphs over evil.

"Ra.One" dwells into the virtual world of today's youngsters who are hooked on to technology and video games.

Prateik (Armaan Verma) is one of them. For him the villain is the hero simply because he does not play by the rules. It's winning, by hook or by crook, that matters to him.

Shekhar Subramanium (Shah Rukh Khan), the clumsy, nerdy game developer father of Prateik, lovingly tries convincing his son with, "Allow me to quote...." and quotes Mahatma Gandhi and such like. The youngster is unimpressed, thereby revealing the generation and cultural gap between the two of them.

Disheartened by the strain in the father-son relationship, Shekhar develops the invincible Random Access One (Ra.One), who can take any form, to please his son. Still not fully convinced with his own creation, as a standby he also develops Good One (G- One), who could exterminate Ra.One if need be.

Excited with his father's creation, Prateik plays Ra.One with a screen name, Lucifer. He manages to cross level two of the video game, thereby antagonising "Ra.One". Unknown to Shekhar and his team, Ra.One steps out of the game into their real world to eliminate Lucifer, thereby threatening Prateik's life.

This concept of the characters sliding from the virtual world into the real world seems to have been inspired from the Hollywood film, "The Purple Rose of Cairo".

"Ra.One" is an outright Shah Rukh Khan film.

The way Shah Rukh gracefully slips into the roles of Shekhar, Ra.One and G-One, leaving no room for confusion, is remarkable.

He is the superhero of the film. That's because the script was skillfully and convincingly put together by Anubhav Sinha, Kanika Dhillon, Mushtaq Sheikh and David Benullo. The dialogues by Kanika and Niranjan Iyengar are good in parts.

The little gimmicks by Sanjay Dutt, Priyanka Chopra and Rajnikant add to the lighter moments of the film but take the story nowhere.

Shahana Goswami as the employee at the electronic company and Arjun Rampal as Ra.One look fine for the roles they play but have very little to deliver. Armaan as Pratiek is impressive.

The outfits of Ra.One and G-One designed by Robert Kurtzman and the bright production design are worth a mention.

Vishal-Shekhar's music and the background score along with the awesome stunts and thrilling chases are electrifying. The film would not have been what it is if it was not for Resul Pookutty's sound design, Sanjay Sharma's editing and for the visual and special effects team.

With all the minor blemishes, this movie is still worth seeing at least once.

This high energetic film is loaded with antics, animation and action. With many thrilling sequences mounted with grandeur, it gives you the feel of a live video game. It is probably one of the classiest movies seen in the Hindi film industry and a feather in Anubhav's hat.

 

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